Back to Memphis, back to work!
After church today I came back to Memphis and shall be devoting the next two days to my studies.
Time at home was short & sweet but there were a lot of pleasant distractions and it was difficult to get work done, though I did slip away to the library for over four hours.
In law school you just can't quite afford to take a day off.
Friday night I watched my baby brother's football game at Brentwood Academy! Natey did SO well & I am SO proud of him! He kicked a 48 & a 51 yard field goal! What a stud! SO fun to cheer and scream whenever "Renfro" was announced over the intercom, because you betcha it was announced - he is quite the play maker. I watched the game with my family & spent time with one of my best friends.
Saturday morning I ran/walked the 6-mile loop in Brentwood. I bet I ran about 4.5 miles of it, but I do NOT want to get injured, so I alternated between walking and running the rest of the route. Better safe than sorry, right? It was a glorious morning! The weather is getting cooler - hopefully it won't be cold soon - where it's at right now is quite refreshing! Post run was library time, then I took my same friend I saw Friday night to get our nails done. I love those massage chairs. My toes are now... drumroll please... bright pink! Big surprise, I know.
Saturday night our house was inundated with high school boys so I joined some friends at the Franklin jazz festival. And the band played songs that we had never heard but I sure enjoyed them.
Today's sermon was absolutely wonderful. So so wonderful. Preacher talked about the verse in Romans 8 that spells out how nothing can separate us from the love of God. He pointed out that because we are loved by God we are not worthless - unworthy of the love, yes, but not worthless. Instead, we are incredibly loved, incredibly valued, and if we were the only people in the world, Jesus still would have died for us, He loves us that much.
Preacher talked about a contest where each year the "best sentence ever written" is judged and awarded. One year, the winning entry was a postcard to a little girl from her step-dad while on his honeymoon with the girl's mom. He wrote, simply, "I love you." The little girl said she knew in that moment how her new dad felt about her, and to her, it was the best sentence ever written.
But is that not God's message to us? Is that not the best sentence ever? God loves us and there is nothing we can do, nothing that can happen, that can separate us from this love?
The preacher asked, though, how much does this really matter to us (that we can never be separated from God's love)? It meant the world to Paul(author of Romans). Billy Graham is known for saying "just give them Jesus" - because that is all we need. Jesus is all we need.
Preacher pointed out how there are some things that we fear being separated from - like approval we receive from others, or our talents or stuff, but what really matters is we will never be separated from God's love.
During communion a great guitarist was playing a medley of hymns. While kneeling I recognized "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" followed by "He Will Raise You Up on Eagle's Wings" and was overcome by how much love and hope God gives us. I prayed that He would give me only what would serve Him best, only what would please Him. Laying down my will & my desires is difficult, but when the familiar notes brought to mind the lines "and he will raise you up on eagles' wings" I was SO comforted that though I may feel so weak, God will carry me, and accomplish his purposes for me and through me. He knows what is best & I can trust him. He's a mighty fortress of refuge when I don't have answers or am just plain overwhelmed.
All this weekend I've been thinking about how when our hearts are broken God makes them stronger by weaving his strength in between the broken places to bind them back together again. And only he can do this. Only he can bring this healing, and eventual wholeness. When our little worlds feel like they are crumbling around us, and nothing seems certain anymore he is - He is safe, He is constant, we can cling to Him.
In fact, that is one of the reasons Jesus proclaims he came - to bind up the brokenhearted, the hearts & lives that have been shattered. Breaks my heart to see how badly divorce shatters hearts & breaks up families. Family is one of the greatest gifts God gives us, and when it is split up, when a marriage is ended... I can wait years & years for God to prepare my heart & that of my future spouse if by doing so he would prepare us to be the best partners we can be so we'd never meet divorce. Marriage is so sacred which makes divorce so so sad. One of my friends who is divorced told me she would have liked a lawyer with my compassionate qualities, and as odd as it may sound that I would be interested in being a family lawyer, I can see how it would be a way I could minister to people in a time of their deepest need. My great-grandmother asked me once what kind of lawyer I wanted to be and I jokingly replied "a good one" but I really do want to be a competent, compassionate lawyer first and foremost.
Heavy stuff this weekend but my heart feels lighter after a wonderful church service & a beautiful drive back to my peaceful, quiet apartment in the city where I feel like I'm thriving.
Oh, and this is exciting... my family friend made me a little blanket for the foot of my bed! It is SO precious & SO me (pink, green, w/adorable little pom poms)!!!!
And do you spy what is peeking out of the pillow cases?? My wonderful mother got these adorable ruffly pillow cases we found at TJ Maxx monogrammed with a BIG PINK A. Matches the other pink A I have displayed. :)
That's the latest! Civil Procedure is calling to me!
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