Sushi Night, and Flashback to GC

Today!!!!!! It was going to be filled with essay-writing, all day every day forever(!!!!!!!). Instead, I ran away /was rescued was able to go see Evelyn's students' recital with Cat, and then have a sushi party at Gideon's.

It was so wonderful to see Evelyn and Alex again (and meet Alec's mother!), enjoy the lovely music, see all the children and their families, and eat delicious baked goods. Then, we made sushi, SO MUCH SUSHI. I learned how to make inside-out rolls and rainbow rolls, and I also learned that Sherri and Eri can rock the heart roll, that Cat is essentially an expert of all-things-sushi, that Gideon can plate beautifully, and that Ivan has a not-so-secret talent for interpretive dance. We also talked and laughed about so many different things, nerdy, insightful, heavy, silly, and just weird. I think it was one of the first times I've gotten to hang out with Ivan and Sherri in such a setting as friends since they counselored us as teens - which was wonderful - it was also the first time I've gotten to hang out with Eri in a long while (ok, since August), and with Gideon really in general - and it's always a joy to spend time with Cat :)

On the way home I was recounting to Cat the trip that Helen, Vaneh and I took to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas. Cat commented on how wonderful it is to be reminded that God cares for us through all situations, not just through what we might think of as rough times. And she reminded me again of how faithful God was during that trip.

The day we went to the Grand Canyon, it was completely foggy - you couldn't see a thing. We have some pretty sad photos. So we were a bit disappointed (though of course we sang our hearts out anyway (: ), and earnestly hoped for fairer weather the next day. We were greeted the next morning with pretty cloudy skies, and I wasn't so sure about it I admit - but we were actually able to see very very far out over the Canyon! A tour guide later told us that a day such as this was the best time to visit the Grand Canyon: on a completely cloudless day you wouldn't be able to see as far out because of the sun's glare. So, the heavy fog from the day before which we (at least I) had been so bummed about actually turned out to be a blessing, and provided just the right amount of coverage the next day to give us the best view.

Situations can change, but God doesn't. Perhaps certain concepts can't always be pulled from one context to the next, but I think in this case it can. Cloudy days and cloudy seasons will come and go, but our God remains the same. He is the Lord Unchanging, the Strong One Who Sees, Jehovah-Jireh, El-Shaddai. He is the Creator of my life, the holder of my heart. Soul, walk steadfastly with Him, for He knows where you are going, and He knows the path you most need to get there.