March 4, 2007, Sunday

It’s the weekend with a lot of sweet and painful memories.

On Friday, we went to the carnival in the elementary school Priscilla is attending, and three older sisters graduated from. I met a lot of teachers, staffs, parents, and Lydia’s friends. It was the time of happiness and sorrow for me. As one mom described that I was probably trying very hard to put up the smile on my face. I was, but I did have good time also. I also met a few parents in person for the first time. They have been supporting us emotionally throughout Lydia’s ordeal. They assured us that we are not alone…

Saturday, it was the entire school district arts show and musical presentation. It’s another day of celebration and fun stuff (and sorrowful moments for me). Of course, Lydia was absent from the orchestra to play cello. I was glad to see some of Lydia’s friends have picked cello as their instrument and performed on stage. Lydia missed arts show this year and last year. But the cat Lydia painted two years ago was in my mind for the entire Saturday. A cat with the cute eyes, red ears and green dots in yellow and black frame. I took a picture of her right under her own painting two years ago in the same event. Memory like these is just hard to let go.

I taught first and second grade Sunday school today. The main theme was “We Can Worship God Anywhere.” To these six to eight years old kids, they agreed with the concept, that we can worship God anywhere, not only in the church, but also at mountains, beach, outer space, jungle, or even in the kitchen and the nursery. “How about in the bathroom?” I asked. Some of them laughed.

“If you want to go to bathroom so bad and could not go. Finally you got to go. Don’t you feel greatly relieved. We got to thank God for it.” I told them the story about Lydia, “Lydia took five hours just tried to urinate when she was very sick. Finally when she did it, we were all praising the Lord in the bathroom.”

I don’t know how much these kids could understand the hardship. They probably only knew their elder grandparents may have trouble to urinate, but not their own same age kids.

How could I forget those moments when Lydia was suffering. I don’t recall any single time that she cried because of frustration (I already cried many times in my heart when I saw her suffering). She just kept trying without giving up.

A little secret to share. For many months since last year, everytime when I use bathroom, my heart aches. YES, every single time, that means quite a few times a day…

And I definitely should be thankful that I could use bathroom at ease and whenever I want without any difficulty.

I can definitely worship God with deep thoughts in the bathroom…