Ecclesiastes  

3 There is a time for everything and a season 

    for every activity under the heavens:

2 

    a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot, 

3 

    a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 

    a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 

    a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6 

    a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 

    a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 

    a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

These are my sentiments of the weekend.  

Read verse 4 again:  

4 

    a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,

I spent Friday night and the majority of my day Saturday being with my best girl as she prepared for her youngest daughter's wedding. 

It was joyous.  

It was funny.

It was a celebration.

My husband performed the ceremony, so he was engaged in the preacher thing that he does.

As things were winding down, my girl stood outside the reception going over what else she needed me to do and sharing our girl giggles that we share when my husband approaches and says that he has to go to the hospital.

It was just the three of us standing there so he told us that an older male friend of ours had just died.  It was sudden and completely unexpected.  We both asked him if he was serious.

Here we were in the peels of laughter and here comes a story that no one wants to hear - ever.

The flow of life is cycles.

Cycles give us time to reflect, renew and repair.

We both shed tears that we quickly brought under control so as to not alert the bride and groom.  We prayed together.  Then we worked.  (Probably one of the greatest reasons that we are so close - work is our release.)

There is a time to cry and a time to laugh.

My heart breaks for the surviving family of our friend especially his son; while at the same time rejoices in the beginning journey of the newly weds.

Thank you, Jesus.  While we experience sorrow, you can still bring joy.  Thank you for that vivid experience.  Please be with this family as they begin a journey that is long and hard.  Draw each one to lean on you.  Amen.

How about you?  Has God every put something in your path that just made you utter, "Thank you, Jesus!"