Musing on Goodness - February 14
Valentine’s Day isn’t a super special day for the Lynam parents. They celebrate their love, marriage and friendship with each other at least on a weekly basis. So yesterday was the real Valentine’s Day celebration courtesy of Mr. Branden Lynam. (Hint: the way to stay closely knit inside my heart is through my stomach)
Yesterday was a treat for the women in the Lynam household. The four of us - my sister, her two daughters and I - drove to downtown Norfolk to a restaurant on the fifth floor of the Hilton hotel. It had drizzled the entire drive, but the view from the fifth floor was unencumbered by the weather and made the journey worth every second.
The buffet spread was exciting - omelets, bacon, sausages, a seafood spread with shrimp, oysters, mussels and clams, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, meatloaf and rib eyes, to say the least. My foodie heart was ready to try most of the offerings. Buffet food flavour is usually a hit and miss, but most of the items were on point. Suffice it to say, I had an excellent time. But maybe the Mimosa Flight was the reason for my extra gladdened heart (I’ve included a picture below). We celebrated motherly and sisterly affection together. We chatted about the men in our lives (the girls’ father and brothers) and how to be better sisters and daughters to them. We prayed together, and then made it home in time to join the rest of the family for the children’s first time watching Star Wars: Attack of the Clones.
I like any opportunity to celebrate godly things like love, so I have always liked Valentine’s Day, even though I’ve never had a valentine. So on this day that people mark to express that treasured ideal, don’t forget to remind the people in your heart how much you love and appreciate them.
And as a special treat, here’s a short poem I wrote last month that shows another side of love.
Longings
My heart burns Lord
It aches
Sharply, mercilessly
With nothing to blunt its pain
How do people live with this?
How do You live with this?
How do You endure so much pain?
Is this how You want us?
Is this how You hurt for us when we are away from You?
Is this how You feel as You wait for us to respond?
If this is how I feel about him, how much more did You feel about me
When I walked away, walked off into darkness, drove myself towards death?
Did You feel this helpless?
Yet, I still have hope,
It burns less brightly than the pain,
but it is right there
A weave of light and relief and buoyancy within the heaviness in my breast
It is the inhale or the exhale after holding my breath
It helps me to go on, move forward, take that next step
Don't let me forget how much You love me
Don't let me forget what you bore for my freedom.
So what good thing happened to you this week?
