The Burden

This coming Friday afternoon, I will get my last haircut before my mission trip to Vietnam. The lady who cuts my hair is excited for me as I go for the seventh time to her native land. She is also the lady spoken of below. I would be lost without her! This is from April 10, 2009, eleven days after the passing of my mom.

There was no school today due to Easter weekend. I did two things I haven't done in quite awhile. Our apartment pool opened back up today and I ran thirty minutes in chin deep water for the first time since November. After the water workout, I went for a haircut. This is what amazed me: the Vietnamese lady who cuts my hair already knew about Mom dying! A brother from our congregation whose hair she also cuts told her several days ago. The whole time she was cutting my hair, she was speaking of Mom (and Dad) and I think she was on the verge of tears. She felt so bad for me! Her English is broken and I could not make sense of all she said but I am sure of this- she was grieving on my behalf. What a great example for Christians. We are repeatedly admonished to bear each other's burdens and weep with those who weep but I guess I have mostly considered that applicable to simply other Christians, close friends, and family. I don't think this lady knows my name as she simply refers to me as 'Teacher.' But she honored me by her grief and in doing so, honored my family. And, I got a very good haircut, too!

Applicable quote of the day:
"When it seems that our sorrow is too great to be borne, let us think of the great family of the heavy-hearted into which our grief has given us entrance, and inevitably, we will feel about us, their arms and their understanding."
Helen Keller

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com