A Spring of Joy

49. Learning to do cartwheels. Falling. Laughing. Picking ourselves back up again.

50. Posies in the yard. Pink blossoms filling my home with their sweet fragrance. Am I the fragrance of Christ?

51. Sunny days. Climbing on swing sets. Riding on bikes. Time together just being.

52. Playing peek-a-boo. Somehow it never gets old.

53. Voices floating down from the loft: Come Thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace…

54. The faces of my children. I could gaze at them all day.

55. Breathing prayers with my nurses before treatments. Thank you, Lord, for answering our prayers together.

When the congregation stood for the arrival of the bride, I watched as they waited for that first glimpse. I knew she was coming, but couldn’t see because of the people around us. Necks craning, heads bent, the crowd strained. Whispers of excitement. Smiles of anticipation. Then at long last her glorious beauty. She was radiant, her eyes fixed only in one place… her future husband’s.

“‘Lucy,’ came the call again, neither her father’s voice nor Peter’s. She sat up, trembling with excitement but not with fear.

A circle of grass, smooth as a lawn, met her eyes, with dark trees dancing all round it. And then - oh joy! For HE was there: the huge Lion, shining white in the moonlight, with huge black shadow underneath him.

‘Aslan, Aslan. Dear Aslan,” sobbed Lucy. ‘At last.’

The great beast rolled over on his side so that Lucy fell, half sitting and half lying between his front paws. He bent forward and just touched her nose with his tongue. His warm breath came all round her. She gazed up into the large wise face.

46. From Ash while holding my hand and walking through store aisles:

Mom? When I can read better, I know what I’m going to do.

What’s that, buddy?

Read Narnia all day long!

47. From Micah while eating his bagel and oatmeal:

Mommy? Let’s pretend our whole house is a ship and there’s no roof on it and we got hit by lightning and we sank and now we’re eating underwater.

48. From Audrey while holding new play-doh canisters we bought at the store today:

Mommy? Baby happy! Pway!

There is a heaviness in my heart that will not go away today as I have prayed for friends who are suffering, struggled through my own feelings of being overwhelmed with life and all the transitions I’m going through, all the grieving. I’ve re-read and listened to the news of the death of Steven Curtis Chapman’s daughter. It’s one of those times when I truly have no words, but I can cry out to God whose Spirit hears my heart.

The music of Steven Curtis Chapman has touched Brian’s and my life in so many ways. My heart just broke when I read this. From The Tennessean:

Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest child died Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a car driven by her teenage brother in the driveway of the family’s Williamson County home.

Maria, one of the Christian singer’s six children, was taken by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt Hospital, which confirmed the death, according to Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The 5-year-old was hit by an SUV driven by her teenage brother, she said. Police did not give the driver’s name.

Picking the song for this week’s Wednesday Worship was easy, partly because I could listen to Shane & Shane all day long and never tire of their poetry, reflection, worship, and reverence. Their blend of acoustic instrumentation and heartfelt lyrics speak to me every time I listen to them. I love them because they are real. They speak truth. I love when music blends apologetics with experience, because that’s part of worship… knowing truth and clinging to that truth moving me to a place where I praise and rejoice.

These pictures of my sister-in-law, brother-in-law and their absolutely adorable son (isn’t he the cutest?!) participating in the Race For The Cure reduced me to a sobbing mess.

Then she had to go and write this on her blog. Now I’m an even bigger mess. Isn’t it wonderful? Thank you… thank you… thank you! I am so blessed. How I do look forward to shouting “one year!”

Last night we went to my nephew’s baseball game, and despite the wind making it feel like it was fall instead of spring, it was good to be out enjoying the evening and the fresh air and my family. I drank it in and am grateful for another day, another time to revel in all God has given me…

35. The stinging crack of bats resounding in the air.

36. Little voices cheering and encouraging one another in their efforts to win.

37. Sunshine on distant mountains. Breathtaking beauty of God’s creation.

This morning a very somber Asher curled his lanky body into my lap. He sighed deeply saying nothing. I held him quietly, gazing at his long eyelashes as they curled around his beautiful eyes. I love his eyelashes!

(I used to joke that my second-born would be a girl with short eyelashes and small eyes and she’d whine about how her brother was prettier than her. Not so! My second-born does have short eyelashes, but he has the strong chin and sweet dimples that fit his impish personality so well. Then there’s the redheaded baby who has the same beautiful eyes as her oldest brother and the charming grin of our middle boy. Each beautiful in their own way.)