With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: “He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away. (Ezra 3:11-13)
In my experience life is often as depicted in the verses, taken from the Bible’s book of Ezra—the sounds of weeping intermingled with shouts of joy—if not literally, then figuratively. For example parents celebrate their child’s graduation from high school, but grieve the young person’s moving out of their home. A man sheds tears over the amputation of his leg, yet cheers that his life is thereby prolonged. A woman cries at the death of her aged mother, yet breathes easier that her 24/7 caregiving days have ended.
In everything we give thanks...
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