I am humbled by the lovingkindness of my friend.

This weekend, my three-day retreat for her and her husband was by no means peaceful. Flooding, delayed trains, closed venues, and fatigue so great that the wee one was quite distraught by Sunday afternoon. That I overcooked the steak was nearly cruel.

I was so incredibly disappointed that the haven I had desired to give to them was more something to be endured than enjoyed. 'Twas to be a weekend of movies and games and peace and rest. It was exhausting and disappointing...because it wasn't what I planned. After all, it was now the second time that my friend's husband had gone to Mount Vernon and not gotten to walk the grounds. Well...he was on them for all of two minutes...and then waiting at the exit when we were separated because our tickets were apparently good for only 11 minutes!

I had plans. Good ones. Peaceful ones. Restful ones. Enjoyable ones.

My plans did NOT include fatigue and disappointment.

Yet, the gift of this weekend I had nearly overlooked in my own frustration was how very kind my friend is to me. She knew. I really thought I was hiding it. She knew how I was feeling. So even though she was packing, her daughter was fussing, and her husband was most likely dreading the long drive home (long does not even begin to describe the late night construction delays), she popped in a movie.

I was fighting a losing battle with the computer in a futile attempt to burn a CD with all our photos from the weekend (tonight I was able to get it done in just a couple of minutes) and her daughter was wiggling and fussing, and her husband was finishing the packing, when she put in I, Robot.

Our signature movie is Independence Day. We've watched it dozens of times. But I, Robot may soon be a staid second. Of course, even after the movie was done, my friend put in Independence Day as they were loading the car.

I almost missed it. I was so angry at the computer and my own shattered dreams of weekend retreat, I almost missed what she was doing.

She knew how I was feeling and let me know that nothing else really mattered. Through it all, we got to spend the weekend together.

I had a rotten day at work today...I came home in tears. In my brokenness I suddenly thought back to yesterday and the kindness of a true friend.

Hours later, the tears are gone. The weekend is over and the week beginning. I am tired already.

But God has reminded me that I am loved...and my soul knows it very well...