Today is Wednesday.

As with any "big" day, I found myself wide awake at 3:00 this morning, though I hadn't laid my head on the pillow until two hours before. I just can't sleep when I have something important going on the next day.
I think it is just nerves. Or maybe it's the fear of oversleeping. I dunno. Whatever it is, I do it automatically, like a built-in safety to keep me from messing up the important events in my life.
Sometimes I wish that safety would have shut off, keeping me in a dream state during events I'd rather not have experienced. That, however, is another post for another day.
Today is not that day. Today is Wednesday. Today was my first day on my clinical site.
Today was beautiful.
It started early, and it isn't quite over, but already I have so much to be thankful for.
I am thankful for the late night call from a dear friend from the south, a phone call full of scripture and wisdom and corny jokes. It may've kept me up half the night, causing me to nearly fall asleep in therapy several times, but it was a phone call I wouldn't take back if I had it to do over.
It was an encouragement to me. I just love to hear scripture, to talk about scripture, especially with people who are more learned in it than I am and who love it as much if not more than I do. I love to talk about the Word of God with friends who know its value, cherish its instruction, and long to seek out its truth. And, well, I love a good laugh, too, even if the jokes are a little cheesy.

Last night's post was right on--I walked through those double doors clueless as to what I was entering into. My supervisor knew immediately who I was, probably by the words "I'm so lost and confused" written all over my face. Thankfully, she is a very laidback, experienced clinician with lots of energy and optimism. I think I'll be learning a lot from her.

I met lots of precious kiddos today, faces I will see often over this semester--and faces I hope I never forget in my prayers. So many of them are from broken homes. I constantly heard statements like, "I stayed with my dad this summer" or "I met with my sister who lives with my stepmom the other day" or "My mom got custody of me over the summer so I won't be going back and forth between mom and dad anymore" or "I don't see my dad very much." Can I tell you how much this broke my heart? I don't think I have words for it.
Yes, I'm from a broken home. I realize that is the new common for families, but I guess being a part of a church like Grace that is so focused on family, I have kind of sheltered my heart from this very sad truth. I've come to see how special a bond between parents and their children can be, how wonderful it is for both parents to be together, raising their family side by side, hand in hand--even when it gets tough.
I have put on blinders to the growing number of divorces in our nation, and the impact these separations have on children. God took those blinders off today, making me face the raw pain of seeing these kids and hearing their stories.
God is good like that; He opens our eyes when they need to be opened, and closes wounds when it's time for healing. I'm glad He is in control.

So, my friends, today is Wednesday. Tonight is wet and wacky night at my church. Tomorrow is a new day.

What will it bring?