March 27 and 28 Just a few words ...

Saturday evening and Sunday:  This was a bit of a "mixed-up" weekend for us ... you see, Kaity has been quarantined since Tuesday and there is a dispute about just how exactly this quarantine should be carried out. To make a long story short, I did not get to see Kaity Saturday afternoon. She is supposed to return to her classroom this Tuesday and I believe I am to pick her up from Jesse Thursday afternoon, just as we usually do and go to her swim class that evening. 

Saturday evening, though, I did pick Emma up and we had our time together. I neglected to take any pictures except for TWO ... the first one turned out terribly and this one, although not perfect by any means (Emma's beautiful eyes are closed)--she was scolding me for taking a picture of her at this particular time--this is still my Emma and I love her so much it actually hurts ... but that is of no matter!

We continued watching "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. I love watching an intense movie with Emma. She helps me get through the really yucky parts. First of all, because I don't want to appear like a total whimp in front of her (!!), but also because we enjoy laughing together and she will often make a comment that eases the stress of a particular scene in a movie.

After worshiping Sunday morning at the 9:40 service, we attended a "fellowship" time in Room 255 with a dozen other folk we had never before met--I had actually never seen any of them before in my life. I'm sure the same was true for Emma. It was a "continental breakfast" and due to COVID everything was packaged up and was opened individually, etc. But the main thrust was not food, for which I was glad. The facilitator of our group did an excellent job of just introducing us to each other and asking the questions that helped us tell a little bit about ourselves, etc.

Emma did a great job being with this group of people. Emma doesn't like people in general--doesn't trust them--isn't in favor of meeting new people--due to many negative experiences in her life for which I do not blame her. I was very thankful that Emma came Sunday and did so well with this group of strangers.

It was a particularly bad weather day (rain, wind, COLD!) so we did not take any woodsy walks today. We decided to "pig-out" and watch the third and last of the Tolkien trilogy movies--"Return of the King." I think what I appreciated most about these stories was the clear divide between GOOD and EVIL. The cinematography was almost intoxicating in its beauty and the story was SO well told ... so I am thankful we watched it.
 

When I returned Emma back to her house, we had a sad encounter with Jesse and my heart has been heavy with grief for both of them. So I will do what Jesus tells me to do when my heart is burdened with things that I cannot fix. I will "cast all my worries on Him" and why on earth will I do that? "BECAUSE HE CARES FOR US!" You see, when we love someone we simply HAVE TO CARE ABOUT THEM! What matters to them MUST matter to us! That's the way it is with Jesus. What hurts us, hurts Him. What makes us happy, makes Him happy (as long as it is a good thing that makes us happy!). We matter to Jesus. Jesse does! Emma does! So I will trust Jesus to handle the deep brokenness in our hearts and lives. Thank you for caring about us, Lord.