a faith observed: Party

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Party

Some pictures from Simon's 3rd birthday party- which was kind of themed "Race Car" party. A few days before his birthday he decided he wanted a race track cake (instead of the prized green pick up truck he'd been eyeing off for months in Grandma's Women's Weekly birthday cake book). I was thrilled because the race track actually looked easy - and it was a good thing he'd changed his mind, since we made it the morning of his birthday.

Gracie and I set off, pram in tow, on Thursday when Si was at daycare to buy presents and birthday party accessories. We ended up with a pram full of food, a car pinata, and several presents - Tin Top (which turned out to be his favourite) and some more tracks for Arthur and James. It was a mission but well worth it, as Simon now thanks Jesus at every prayer for Tin Top and considers Tin Top a member of our family (amazing how much a child can love a little, way overpriced $10 plastic car!). Very cute.

All of Simon's best friends came - they all played beautifully together- and had lots of fun on the treasure hunt and hitting the piniata. And of course the hot dogs and cake was a hit. I tried not to serve anything sweet to eat other than the cake, as the piniata had candy inside. Simon's favourite thing about his party "candy!".

4 comments:

Rachel said...: So cute -- thanks for posting pictures!! Love you guys.; June 11, 2010 at 10:46 PM
Marge said...: wish I could have been there!! Looks like lots of fun and you rocked with the cake!! Love you all; June 12, 2010 at 12:15 AM
Cass said...: so there was two cakes then?!
oh ... very fun!; June 12, 2010 at 3:31 AM
Liz said...: yep, 2 cakes b/c i wanted a back up cake in case i messed upthe race track! :); June 12, 2010 at 10:47 PM

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This is me, a faith observed.

C.S. Lewis writes about the pain of losing his beloved wife, Joy, in his book, "A Grief Observed". In some ways this is my attempt to share my journey through grief and back into life, as the past nine months have been characterized by an immeasurable longing for my beloved father, who died suddenly this past January.

After months of hibernation from the internet, I unexpectedly find myself able to re-begin this blog and connect with my larger community of family and friends. This blog will likely reflect less of the intensity and depth of my pain and more of the simplicity and ordinary joy that keeps my life full - namely days running after our little boy, Simon Pierre. But it is because of the incredible love and presence that defined my relationship with my father, that I feel I can will myself to not just survive each day but to pour that same kind of love and attention onto Simon.

My father was an endless source of strength to me, a pillar of faith. His last words, spoken to my mother as he passed into that which is unseen, "God is good - good all the time", have remained with me through this dark cloud of grief. And when God seems hidden, when justice seems to be losing out, when life is unfair, and when death swallows up the one I most love, I remember my father's words and breathe in this promise, that the God of love is in the process of restoring that which has been destroyed.

And as my father told me in dream I've had since his death, "Look to Jesus. As a father, to point you towards Him is the best gift I can give to you." So here I am, this is me, a faith to be observed.

I hold onto that which is not always seen- the promise of God's goodness, the hope that one day in the promised new heavens and earth- on a grassy hill or a sand covered beach- the lion and the lamb will lie down side by side and I, too, will lie down side by side, next to my father, and we will laugh and laugh until there are no more tears left to cry.