A Spring of Joy

Last week I took Ash to his daily swim lessons then home for a few before we climbed back in the van to his rescheduled dentist appointment. Yes. Rescheduled. Because I forgot his other one. Or rather forgot to remind Brian to take him because I would be at the doctor. This chemo brain is killing me!

We arrived at the dentist, and I opened the van door for Asher to get out. But he stood there. Minus his yellow flip-flops. “Um, Mom. I forgot to put on shoes.” You’ve got to be kidding me!

Sitting in yet another doctor’s office this week, I heard a familiar voice begin singing over the piped in music. I haven’t listened to Steven Curtis Chapman in years, but suddenly I sat up straighter and listened as the lyrics began pouring through me. “This is a moment made for worshipping, because this is a moment I’m alive.” I found myself choking up as I thought about the impact of those words. Every second of my life is a moment for worship. I came home and looked up the lyrics on my computer and have read them daily since… a reminder that each moment is a gift, every breath is grace from His hand, every second a chance to praise Him, every morning His mercies are new, and every beat of my heart is a chance to begin again covered by forgiveness. Oh for a heart that worships Him every moment! But what glorious mercy that as I fail so often, every second is a new moment to begin again.

131. Grape jelly smile smeared across chubby cheeks.

132. Time. Breathing life together.

133. The sound of Brian’s voice reading to our children.

134. Bathtub rings. Remnants of fun-filled days.

135. Growth. Tossing the wigs to wear my very short hair.

136. Music filling the walls of our home with its thousand harmonies.

137. Stumblings as Asher reads on his very own.

138. Learning from my mistakes. So many lessons.

Our week in Ocean City was delightful in almost every way. Sure, we had our moments (doesn’t every family?), but those are already long-forgotten. The wonderfulness overpowers.

The highlights? Two nights on the boardwalk with our little ones. The boys all rode the ferris wheel together, and Audrey reveled in the “horsies”. Asher learned to boogie-board, and declared that it was, “The best day of his life ever!” (Guess it topped fishing with Tiff on the day of my surgery.) Micah tried his hand at boogie-boarding as well. Considering he was terrified of the water, he made a valiant effort. Instead, Micah became “Awesome”, the super-hero, punching waves and living, as always, in his beautiful world of make-believe.

I can’t wait to get this yummy goodness in me!

What are some of your favorite summer meals?

If you have the time (and some tissues handy) you simply must read When Bad Things Happen by Ann at Holy Experience. It melted my world this morning and brought me to worship on the fullness of God’s grace.

Here’s a taste of what she has to say:

God’s story lines in the lives of His children are formulaic: they are all good. The events may jarringly twist and surprise, even seem to pry out our heart, chunk by mangled chunk, but, in the fullness of time, there are no bad endings.

Walking in the early morning hours, watching day brighten the already beautiful flower framed streets, nodding heads and exchanging greetings with the other walkers, I talk with God. I love walking and telling Him about my life. I love sharing my heart with Him. And I love that I can hold nothing back, because He knows it all already. It has been good to be home to my morning routine. Yesterday my prayer was for a heart that yearns for Him, and I couldn’t stop singing Shane & Shane’s song, Yearn (found on An Evening With Shane & Shane). I made it my prayer, and it has been burned into my mind and heart since.

Wednesday night in Ocean City we went out for supper. It was a family restaurant that served a seafood buffet along with a traditional menu. Our family settled in, and after finding out that our two youngest could eat for free and Ash was the junior buffet, we ordered and promptly began filling plates. (I’m not a big buffet kind of person anyway, but the options on the traditional menu weren’t all that appetizing… then again neither is greasy food that’s been sitting under sneeze-guards.) And our plates were $30 a head. The small town girl in me cringed, but I headed over to the salad bar, because I always do salad first at a buffet. I’m not a girl of routine or anything. Not at all.

I think I could have come up with my one thousand gifts just in this past week alone. Here are some highlights.

106. The quiet hours of the morning. Time with Jesus.

107. From the rising to the setting sun, His love endures forever.

108. Delight mingled with terror as small ones watch the crash of ocean waves from the safety of Daddy’s arms.

109. The deep sleep that accompanies a fruitful day.

110. Playing in the “big sand box.”

111. The Lord inhabits my praises.

112. Naps on the beach drenched in sunny warmth.

Apparently, my timing was off. Boogie board strapped to my wrist, knees bent, waiting for the perfect wave. I glanced at Bri, “I always get these wrong.” He laughed and we both watched as the wall of water I had been looking for began to form. It was huge, and I was ready. I jumped on the board just as the wave crested. It was a whole lot bigger than me, and as I began to move forward with the water, my legs were jerked out from underneath me–backward up over my head in an awkward flip. I was immersed in the dizziness of churning water, disoriented, sand stinging my nose and eyes, every sense heightened. I came up spluttering and coughing to see Bri doubled in laughter. Through it all I felt no fear, only joy. As odd as it might seem, I had never felt more ALIVE. And it felt good!