Celebrations

A lot has happened to me this week and I keep saying that I'm going to sit down and write but then I don't feel inspired or I'm too tired or I sell our furniture on Craigslist without telling Daniel, but that's a story for another day.

 First, I got an email from the volunteer coordinator at Bright Blessings telling me that we have a party next week and there are now 19 residents because the shelter took in a new family after Christmas. I texted Sassy to tell her but our friendship hasn't been the same for awhile and she has a lot going on in her own life so I'm going to be doing this party solo.

Except, not really.

My heart belongs to a group of 1,013 incredible women on Facebook. So, this post is really about them and what they've done this week.

When I told them about the party and how I was going at it alone this time and how scared I was because I haven't done one alone, they all pitched in.

I got lasagna noodles for my dinner from New Hampshire, 12 boxes of cake mix and 8 cans of icing from Texas, delivered to my house and ordered through Amazon. And that was just the beginning.

Yesterday, our group got together all over the country to celebrate the life of a little boy gone too soon, born to one of us. His name was Jake and he was born at 29 weeks and lived 10 hours before he went to Heaven to have endless cake and dance with the angels. We celebrated and remembered all of the other angels who were gone before the world got a chance to know them. We pulled together a picnic for almost 40 people and we had cake and released balloons and it was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. We were all so blessed and honored to be there together and to be invited to grieve and celebrate one another's trials and triumphs.

When we left the party with our hearts full, I also left the party with a trunk full of things to make my own party happen this week. I got 5 pounds of mozzarella,  a jar of parmesan, 2 boxes of cake mix, 4 jars of pasta sauce, money to buy ricotta and hamburger for lasagna, party decorations, 48 bottles of water, 32 juices boxes and 8 two liter drinks. All because I said "I'm scared. I can't do this alone." And they said "You don't have to."

Just Friday, I told a friend that I used to think birthday parties for homeless children was my calling and it used to be the thing I thought I could do to make a difference but I had started to wonder if my calling were something else. Something "more important" because parties are such a "first world thing" and children don't really need big parties because they don't know the difference.  What I found out yesterday is that God thinks parties are just as important as mission work in a foreign country,  just as important as ending homelessness for good, just as important as building schools and hospitals, just as important as clean water.

Throwing parties can be God's work. Jesus, himself, loved a good party. He turned water into wine at a wedding so that everyone could continue to celebrate. And all of the wedding goers were astounded and amazed and thankful and Jesus was all "Oh, it was nothing, really."

But it's not actually "nothing."

Everytime someone would say we're so awesome for throwing parties for homeless children I would say "Oh, it's nothing, really." And in the back of my mind, I would think "It's not as important as what other people are doing."

What I learned yesterday is that to the people who are the party goers, the people whose life you are celebrating, the people who have invited you to share their joys, it isn't nothing. To them, it's everything. And that's all Jesus really called me to do. He called me to be everything to somebody, anybody, everyday. And being everything doesn't mean big, heroic acts everyday. It means noticing people. It means connecting. It means being there. It means listening. It means when someone says "I can't do this alone." I say "It's okay. You don't have to."

 And one evening each month, it means showing up with dinner and cake and saying the blessing and singing Happy Birthday.

The women who so selflessly contributed to Jake's Day yesterday and the party with Bright Blessings on Wednesday will tell you that it was nothing, they were happy to help, it's "just lasagna noodles" or "just cake," "just drinks," "don't worry about it." But I've come to learn that it isn't just any of those things.

It's the exact thing I think Jesus would have done.
It's a blessing.
It's a human connection.
It's love and grace and humility.
We all have a little.
Who are you going to share yours with?


***Update: I added pictures of Jake's Day but the fabulous photographer doesn't want credit even though she is amazing.***