"Rest" Party

Today was my official day to skip school so I could prepare my lesson for tonight’s Bible study. All went well as I savored the quiet of the house. Kory was off to work, Kaleb to school. I prayed, I read, I studied. Days like today go too quickly. The sun was out so I took my new bike for a spin to see how it rides with new tires, and it’s like a different bike. I am so “fornøyd” (satisfied.) I rode down to Kaleb’s school to meet up with him for the ride home. It was such a nice day.

Kaleb did his homework in record time and then we went for another bike ride together on a little “explore” around the neighborhood to see where different paths lead. He complained a bit that we had no specific goal in mind, but the problem really was that he’s been without electronics for so long he wants to make up for lost time and riding a bike with his dear old Mama just wasn’t his idea of a good time today. I took the hint and we headed home. Kory came in the door all hunched over and immediately had to lie down as he strained his back at work, so that was a bit of a bummer for him. We had an early dinner and then our Bible study group came, so we worked our way through the fourth chapter of the book of James. There’s some powerful stuff in there so it was good to have a discussion about it.

I got a text message today from the woman who schedules The Praying Women (a weekly meeting I attend as often as I can.) Kristen wrote me in Norwegian, and I understood the words, but not fully the context. The message, when translated, said she apologized for the short notice but wondered if I was available to come to a rest party tonight at her house at 7:30. I wrote her back that I could come if it was OK I came late because my Bible study ended at 7:30. It was. Then I spent the whole afternoon trying to figure out what a “rest” party was. When we meet for prayer at her house, we often do “soaking” prayer – where we all lay on the floor and are just still before God. Sometimes one or two of us falls asleep. I was wondering if that’s what she was referring to as “rest” and maybe she forgot we called it “soaking” prayer, but then I wondered about the word “party” after it – because it’s really not a party when we are praying. Then I wondered if it’s some kind of party like a Tupperware party, but they just sell things used for “resting.” Norwegians delight in doing nothing, so it would make sense to me there could be a company that would try to capitalize on that one. I just couldn’t figure it out, but I knew enough to know I better dress up a little, as any and all parties in Norway are cause for a bit of formality.

After our Bible study was over I drove over to Kristen’s house. (I’ve only driven our car a handful of times since we’ve been here – and never more than a mile away – so this was a big outing for me tonight as she lives several miles away.) When I got to her house, I immediately understood. Kristen’s daughter had her Confirmation this weekend. I found out it’s customary after weddings or confirmations to gather up all the leftovers and have another party a day or two later to eat up the REST of the food. Her daughter was confirmed on Saturday so she had a small family party yesterday to eat the REST of the cold cuts and regular food, but she saved all the cake leftovers for us Praying women and the women in her own Bible study group. Two points for Kristen! There were about ten of us there tonight, facing at least a dozen partially eaten cakes and it was as if I’d died and gone to heaven. I don’t know why or how Norwegians can make such good cakes, but there is just nothing that can compare to them in America. Normally I don’t eat cake as there is just nothing to them, but Norwegian cakes are incredible. I had to have a little piece of each one and plenty of coffee to go with it so I’m sure I’ll be awake all night. (I keep thinking I’ll start losing a little weight one of these days, and then something like this happens.) I like this “rest party” very much. The women were surprised we don’t have such a thing in America but I told them we usually pack up leftovers and send them home with people - but this Rest party idea is way better because it extends the celebration just a little bit longer.

Kristen asked me to share a few stories with the women – including about how my foot got healed. We talked a lot after that about why God heals some people and not others and how hard it is to accept His choice when it seems to make no sense to us in the here and now. Of course we don’t have God’s perspective on things and there are no easy answers, but as the old song says, “Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God… through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon His word.” He hasn’t let me down yet, and I don’t expect He ever will.