The days can be long and full when you wake up at 8am and don't go to bed until 3 or 3:30 in the morning. That is what I learned this weekend, and I can't believe I have such cool friends that actually want to hang out with me that much.
At church on Sunday morning, Jamie talked about the "unexamined life" being prone to forgetfulness and repeating similiar sins over and again. And sometimes, my head and heart feel so full of emotions, ideas and thoughts that I just have to spill it out. Otherwise, I don't know what happens -- something like stagnation, and then a forgetfullness about how amazing God is and how beautiful life is...
I have this week "off" from my mothering duties, and my lack of curfew beginning on friday night was certainly not taken for granted. First, I had the privelege of making some yummy stir fry with friends and learning even more about Iranian culture. (I saw a "tar" for the first time and heard it played by my friend's roommate and looked through this insanely beautiful book of farsi poetry). Then we watched the film "BABEL" and wow, that was a trip ...two of the most moving scenes in a film. The fun continued as Leslie and I stayed and chatted with Matin for awhile, eating some delicious Persian sweets and learning how to drink tea the "Persian way." And then Matin kicked us out ;)
The five minute car ride back to Leslie turned into a two hour event as we talked and talked in my car outside of her house. Gosh, God really did create humans for relationship didn't He? I mean, why else would we have the desire and experience something so good through fellowship like this?
Saturday morning began with some gracious family friends knocking on the door to fix our computer and sweep the living room floor. Hallelujah for no more dirt and balls of cat hair on the floor! After attending the free car wash at my church, and having a profound interaction with Erica over some Crystal Light, it was off to an afternoon of babysitting.
Now, I should stop and comment about why this interaction was profound. It had been awhile since Erica and I had chatted, and even just hearing about what is going on in her life feels like a glimpse into a brilliant light, of some much deeper calling/ purpose/ adventure that I have felt called to as well ... but being around her was a flash of light, a much needed illumination and reminder of what God has spoken to me about before ...
The afternoon with Miriam and Locksley's children was absolutely delightful. We played Candyland, ate cookies, and had a "fruit picnic" on the lawn by the greenbelt. We took an adventuresome walk down the bike path, where Jeremy (age 4) "caught us a fish for dinner" with only a crooked stick that he found along the path :) They all took turns being dragged across the grass in the sleeping bag that also served as our picnic blanket, and Karyzma and I collected dandelions and made all the wishes we could think of while the boys tried to catch butterflies.
All of us went to Borders and Jamba with Miriam and then I had to figure out my "game plan" for the evening... I was immoblized with indecision for about 45 minutes, spent way too much time picking out a birthday card at Albertsons, and could not find the party directions anywhere (even though they were tucked nicely inside my planner). I called Jessica Moon and was so thrilled to find a buddy for the evening's adventures!
Together, we made it to Oak Park for an awesome party, which involved hot dogs, foosball, DDR, air hockey, basketball, nachos (not that we participated in all those activities, but all of that was going on!) and ate some yummy cake. Dave and I just barely scored some foosball goals on Jessica. Really, two against one ... we should have done better! And we heard some miraculous stories about God's insane working in peoples' lives.
Next stop - 50 street. And yes, I got us lost again. Thankfully, I was with Jessica Moon, and getting lost with her is far from negative because it just means that you get to spend more time with her!
We picked up Ted and did some grocery shopping, which involved a controversial purchase of a Texas-sized bottle of Ranch dressing. No comment - no one is allowed to talk about it anymore! haha. And it's always nice to see Ted.
Although we got back to Davis at midnight - did I go to bed? No! Did I even go home? Nope. Instead, I dropped by Lonna's house because I was originally wanting to do that earlier in the evening. And sure enough, her light was on! So we proceeded to chat for the next 2 and a half hours. Went home, read 3 chapters of "Mere Christianity" and then ...
I can't believe I've only covered Friday and Saturday so far. This weekend truly was crazy. Sunday especially so, because I began the day discussing C.S. Lewis and God's Kingdom with Brittany outside in a beautiful East Davis park, and the night ended on a swingset in Dolores Park in San Francisco with Hilary and her law school friend Brighton. Everything in between? Wow ... I'm not sure what all is key, but Church was a blessing to see so many lovely faces; I had coffee and walked around downtown, "window shopping" with Jen, and got to talk to Noemma during my drive. The SF swingsset was a total accident - just a lovely unplanned evening in a city that we didn't even plan on being in. But I got a fuller taste of Berkeley and SF than I have before ... Oh my gosh, and we met the best dog in the world at Maxfield's coffee shop, living PROOF that God has a sense of humor, oh my goodness ...
Nothing like another 3:30am night, talking with Hilary for hours about so much ...Future, Service, Poverty, Selfishness, our American Christianity, God's Calling on our Lives. I realized once again how I have slipped into selfishness regarding my relationship to God. And realizing this as I was specifically complaining about others' tendencies to do so. Yikes. It was a frustrating and strange and delightful night all in one.
The next morning - like any day - could be described in very normal terms. I got coffee with Hilary and then drove back to Davis. But no -- walking down the streets of Berkeley are rarely uneventful ... maybe they become that way after time, but not yet for me (and hopefully not ever). On the ride home, I got to talk to Grace Han - it was the first time in almost 9 months! And it was a long, just amazing conversation... and not amazing because of it being some extraordinarily prophetic, heart-piercing talk, but it was just an encounter that lifted me up so much
I can't stop talking! I think I've still only told the mere surface of the story, the basics of "what happened" this weekend - but the deeper meaning of it all - that is what needs processing and I'm afraid I may explode if it doesn't come out! Explode or start rolling backwards inside ... I can't believe everything that has happened the last few days; I am still clueless what my heart is telling me in a lot of ways, and I'm thankful that God is always with me through every adventure. I don't need to run around trying to find Him, but He has His arms open to me here, in the confusion and overwhelmingness of it all.
I love the "reality checks" that friends provide, and I love that life is not bound by the limitations I sometimes put on it. God I don't know what You're doing or where it will lead, but I just want to serve You joyfully in the moment. Let me act more than think and plan.
And I didn't even touch on Monday night ...
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