I'll post about the weekend later. But I think important stuff comes first, and I have to tell you how amazing God is.

On Sunday we broke bread outside, in the cold, among the trees, circled around a damp woodpile that was meant for a small fire. After the Lord's supper, we had a kind of open meeting where anyone could share what was on his heart. I even had something to contribute until Jesse spoke. After I heard him, I dwelled on his words for the rest of the meeting.

Even as he began to speak I could see his eyes swelling, and I knew I would soon be tearing up with him. He went through the passage where Jesus wept and mourned with those who were mourning over the death of Lazarus. He went on to explain that God sometimes puts us in uncomfortable situations of which we aren't supposed to immediately come out, and if the God of the universe, the creator of man, can come down to earth and weep with us, we shouldn't think that being sad is solved by getting closer to the Lord. Sometimes, sadness is the appropriate emotion, and has nothing to do with our spiritual closeness or farness from God.

I know his situation, and it was all I could do to not cry for him openly. In times like those it's hard to even know what to pray for, but I don't even think that's the point. I think the point is that in sharing emotions with one another, we're actually growing closer to each other. If I'm sad over something legitimate, don't try to make me feel better. Cry with me. Be real. We all get sad sometimes.