In His Time...

Over the last two years or so, I have had many "firsts". Tonight, I added to the list.

On October 30, 2009, a friend of our Young Life kids committed suicide. The kids have been rightfully upset and as always so supportive of one another. (I love how much they love and stick be each other.) Tonight, they had a rosary to pay their respects at a house here on the east side. The boy was a part of the east side gang so all the gang related people were there along with friends and loved ones. ...and then me. It wasn't my original plan to be there. I offered to take two kids to get some candles, but felt like I should stay to just be with them. Once I was there, I saw about 8 of our regular Young Life kids in the mix. They easily picked me out being the only "white person" there. It was hard not to look in my direction too since I apparently sat next to the only 4 drunk people there. They kept singing drawing more attention, unknowingly, to themselves.

They had chairs everywhere. People were overflowing all the way around the house and out to the street. They must have rented the chairs along with the port-o-potty in the front of the house. The woman leading the outdoor service stood in front of the memorial table as she went through the rosary. I stood there clueless with no Catholic background (again) and not nearly enough Spanish and just tried to be respectful. I watched my kids one by one begin to cry as the last song was sung. I could only understand half of the words...something about "into your hands". The tune reminded me of a song that we use to sing when I was little:

In His time, In His time
He makes all things Beautiful in His time
Lord, Please show me everyday
As your teaching me Your way
AND I'll do just what you say
In Your time.

In Your time, In Your time
You make all things beautiful in Your time
Lord, my life to You I bring
May each song I have to sing
Be to You a lovely thing
In Your time

It made me pray for the kids that were there. "God, take care of your babies... your children. You make all things beautiful in Your time. Help them to see Your plan in all of this. That YOU are faithful."

Towards the end, one of my girls (Jenny) that I was with caught one of the drunk singers taking a shot. If you know me at all, I have a hard time being serious at these sort of things. I told Jenny that I was going to be "the first to buy their cd when it comes out..." I know, Felipe...leave it to me to say something like that. I couldn't resist.

-Kelly

P.S.
We have been married 6 months.