Getting Back into the Swing of Things...

My parents were here this weekend. It was amazing to see them. And now I am sad. But why should I be sad? And I covet your prayers. The Bible says not to covet, but what about prayers? That seems like a good thing to covet.
I am comforted by the fact not just that God loves me, has a plan for me, and all these trials are small compared to the glory in store for us, but maybe even more amazing is that if I don't give up on God, God never gives up on ME. That's nothing short of remarkable. Even though He is overflowing with wisdom and love and joy and every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, I lose my focus, forget what the goal is I'm striving for, and get discouraged. Instead of being so thankful for parents that love me so much that they will travel across oceans and pay wild airline prices to see me for only 3 days, who are believers and support what I do and pray for my service for the Lord and His blessings for my life, I get angry that I can't be near them and talk to them every day and soak up their spiritual wisdom and maturity and love for me. These things that I never appreciated all that much when I was with them. My heart feels broken to receive so much from them in such a short time and then say goodbye, and keep going on and teaching like they were never here. How can I say Thank You to the Lord when I miss them so much already? But God heals broken hearts and gives us strength when we didn't know we had it, and those moments are more precious than all the time with my parents in the world, and how can I be so rude to God by not being thankful for the many blessings I have here, like friends and our church and the obvious ways God uses me at school when I don't think I'm doing anything at all? My heart is so torn between two places, for all the people who mean a lot to me, that only God can fill in all the gaps and give me what I need, and that's quite a treasure. Hard times equal even more glory and joy, the ever confusing paradox that is God. Suffering marries joy, God's death gives birth to eternal life and salvation. So I praise the Lord for loving me so much to give me a broken heart that only He can heal. And I praise Him for what I have but not close by, and for what is nearby now but maybe not forever, for showing me what is NOT so I know fully what IS, the I AM, the ALL IN ALL.
So those are my rambling thoughts if you wish to pray more specifically, and I wanted to thank my parents for everything once again, since they'll be reading this. I'll never grow tired of thanking you, since there seem to always be things to thank you for, and to thank God for you, and all that jazz. The End :)

Jo