Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Blessings and Sadness all in One Day



it was really great being at Brighton Beach today.
Everything I hoped to find there at the shops, I did find.
And my friend and I enjoyed a really nice lunch together as well. 
I may share more about that later.
I really did have a very nice time, great lunch and then all of our
shopping (and lots of window shopping!) got done successfully... 
***
Two hard things happened today though / were on my mind.
One more thing was also on my mind but I have not heard of 
the outcome yet.
***
First, my friend with her very ill Mother, who my Husband and I felt
was in her last days or hours. 
Second, my sister and brother-in-law's foster son having a court case 
about the direction of it; of course they are hoping to adopt him;
they have already adopted his half-sister, my most cute 3 year old niece. 
Third, L. from church was moving from one nursing facility to another
that is also thankfully close by/in our NJ city.
I do hope that worked out well.  She still needs oxygen and is very frail. 
***
I left the house after breakfast and praying... I had lit a special candle for my 
foster nephew (the cutest 7 month old boy ever of course!) 
(I did not let this candle burn when I left the house however).... 

This candle was given to me by a local friend who saw a holy icon of the Mother of God and got the candle
for me at that time
and left having a new candle lit for my friend's Mom... 


By lunch I heard from my sister:
The judge would not even consider the [termination of rights] case for
her foster son.  I can't go into more details but it is, in it's entirety, quite distressing. 
***
I did feel so fortified by the meal for this awful news.
[I know God is still in control but from my limited perspective this seems 
most distressing].
Eating the food reminded me of being at my Ottawa Ukrainian family's home...
the salad, the way we eat it together... it was really nice and I felt completely at home...
And I was able to go shopping and found some tea, a jar of honey, a jar of jam,
Russian cookies and Bilini (thin Russian style crepes).
In other words, my kind of comfort foods. 
(And the crepes DV are for a future meal with friends).


So, we went back home and when we were at the World Trade Centre,
where we then take another train to New Jersey,
my friend texted me: 
Her Mom had passed away that morning.
I felt so sad for my friend; I never met her Mom but had talked to her on the phone
and just 2 weeks ago when I saw my friend, I told her to give my regards
to her Mother.  She had cancer, was elderly, but she went much faster
than I or my friend thought... so that was really sad...
***
I was really glad that I had lit that candle for her Mother that morning... 
it was so beautiful and bright when I came home... 



In the end, THIS is what matters:
That Christ has come, is here and is Risen from the Dead and that
NOTHING can overcome Christ's light, His love the HOPE we have.
As the priest sings at the beginning of our Easter (Pascha) service:

Come and receive the light from the Light that is never overtaken by night. 
Come glorify Christ, risen from the dead.

***
I am so glad we have that hope.
My heart is heavy tonight.
I so want my sister to adopt her foster son.  
I want another child to love, a nephew.
I am grieved at my friend's loss and she and her Mother were 
so so close, this is going to be terribly hard. 
***
We are going towards Lent now and all I can really say is

Come, Lord Jesus, Come.

5 comments:

Granny Marigold said...

I'm so sorry that the outcome of the adoption wasn't what you (and your sister and BIL) had hoped for. Also, I'm sorry that your friend's mother went so quickly and leaves you feeling bereft. It was a difficult day for all concerned. May God comfort you.

Tracy said...

Thinking of you dear Elizabeth and all that's on your heart and mind... I pray for blessings and happy outcome for all you hold dear.((BIG HUGS)) I can't believe Lent is coming up so fast!

Elizabethd said...

So sorry to hear the sadnesses for your friends and family.

GretchenJoanna said...

Hopefully it will in the near future become clear to the court system that the time is right to let the child be settled in a permanent family. Waiting is so hard for the parents in these cases.

pleximama said...

So hard to get discouraging news all at once from different sources! Good strength to your sister and brother-in-law, and memory eternal for your friend’s mom.
—Catherine