It’s been a rough week.

A tragedy hit one of my dear friends and her family is dealing with heartbreaking loss.  That blow has left a lot of people devastated.  Myself included.  Other friends are dealing with the news that cancer will soon take the lives of their loved ones.  There are so many of these stories that it can be overwhelming.  The bad seems to outweigh the good at times.

And… people are still getting married.  New lives are entering the world.  There are still people celebrating.  Myself included.

The truth is, the heartbreaking things and the exciting things exist at the same time.  It’s a weird place to be, living in the tension between the good and the bad, love and loss, birth and death.  Having, at the same time, big things to grieve and equally big things to celebrate.  But I guess that’s the nature of life.  It is bittersweet.  Both existing at the same time.  I don’t always know how to deal with that.

One thing I am sure of, though, is that there is One who does have all the answers.  One who understands the pain and enters into it with us.  And even when it seems like the world is falling down around me, He is faithful.  I’m grateful for that and for the people He has placed in my life that bring me joy and help carry my burdens.

This card and flowers were gifts from two of my favorite people, for whom I am VERY thankful.