Unexpected sadness

I'm not sure when I'll post again, and I'm trying to keep some basic commitments/discipline, such as posting at least once a week. So I'm posting now, while I know I can.
A day I had looked forward to since at least last October and maybe earlier finally arrived today. My brother was coming in from Arkansas so we could head a little further west to watch his daughter play basketball with her college team from Arkansas. And I can't even really write about how the day unfolded instead. Words seem cold and inadequate. I guess some things are just to be experienced, not shared in written words, perhaps. But the writer in me considers that a failure.

Maybe something I'm learning from the attempt at blogging is that writing is not my priority or calling right now. I need to focus on being present. Today I was present, to watch my niece play basketball and to share the victory with her teammates and their families and also to share some sad news with her and to be there and also make sure her teammates were there for her. My brother was not able to be there but I was able to be there anyway. And that was good.

There will be difficult days ahead, because this involves the sudden and unexpected death of an uncle, my mother's brother, who lived in Arkansas near my brother and his family. They were all very, very close, and everyone loved Uncle Joe. Many people are grieving and confused. I know and believe that God works all things for good. I also know that some things are very difficult to go through. I'm praying for all of the people touched by this, praying for grace and strength and wisdom and peace and whatever any and all of us need.

There are so many other thoughts, and I just cannot write them. I'm just continuing to pray and to praise God, because, even now, I know that great is God's faithfulness, morning by morning, moment by moment. Amen.