Surprised (once again) By Joy

Okay, so since Taryn did such a great job with blogging the last time, and she's staying over, I thought I'd get her to do it again!

So I'll let her take over now...
TARRRRRYNNNNNNNN!

Oh right, she's right next to me... :P

Hello, Friends-of-Tina-who-are-therefore-automatically-friends-of-mine! Has it been as beautiful a day for you as it has been for me? My cup overflows.

A few days ago, I posted on one of Tina's Facebook notes, "The little joys...", with a list of five things (out of the many *insert big number* things) that bring me joy. Monday the first of June, of the year 2009, folks, would get four out of five stars.

2. meeting an old friend after ages and realising that they are still special to you and you to them.

*check!* Today I met Jonny, and Chandni, and Tina, childhood friends. I've known them for eight years! That's the majority of my remember-able life. I left Hebron five years ago, and yet our worlds are bound together by ties that do not seem to be getting weaker.

3. rain. full-force, whole-hearted, water-splashing-everywhere

-with-refreshing-abandon. rain.

It didn't rain today, which is probably a good thing, since Tina and I did an urban echo of the Duke of Edinburgh trek which we completed together six years ago - we bought Subway sandwiches and walked from Brigade Road to Commercial Street munching them happily.

4. mango milk shakes! (i'm a delhi girl, none of these vanilla lattes, Bibi! ;))

*check.* Since I'm not in Delhi, and good mango milkshakes aren't available in Coffee World, I had a Butterscotch Macchiato instead. I now declare Butterscotch Macchiatos a satisfactory substitute. :)

5. long car rides with good company and familiar music playing.

*check!* I went on a lovely evening ride with Tina and her family this evening, with Radio Indigo playing U2, K.T. Tunstall, and even Toploader's 'Dancing in the Moonlight' , and conversation drifting easily from Brooke Fraser to life in Delhi to the state of Bangalore's water table. Joy.

1. the word 'freedom', and all that it signifies.

*check!* I haven't done a jot of work today. I haven't had anyone tell me "do this" or "do that". I have finished school, I have finished undergraduate studies, I am summer-vacationing like I have never summer-vacationed before. But that's not why I'm free. This evening, I read for the first time the C.S. Lewis quote from which the title of this blog is taken:

"But who can duly adore that Love which will open the high gates to a prodigal who is brought in kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance of escape?The words compelle intrare, compel them to come in, have been so abused by wicked men that we shudder at them; but, properly understood they plumb the depth of the Divine mercy. The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and His compulsion is our Liberation.”

There it is! That word! Or at least a synonym of it: "Liberation". How deep is the truth of that last sentence! How I wish I could grasp that truth, even embrace it, for more than a few minutes at a time, that I might understand better this immense freedom God has bought for me. "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36) It's true.

love,
Taz