A Spring of Joy

A year ago after my first hospitalization for a skin infection in my arm, I wrote this:

John Piper said, “What choices will you make today that will give you the most pleasure a million years from now?”

I ask myself. Is what I am doing today rooted in what I will gain today? Or is it rooted in the things that will last forever?

And what does my today hold?

It’s sitting on the boys’ beds talking, reliving our days and planning tomorrow.

It’s fixing bagels for breakfast together in the kitchen.

It’s meandering through Costco on a grocery run, my Buddy’s hand in mine.

it’s dancing to Beauty and the Beast with Bella in the kitchen.

It’s comforting a teary Bear.

It’s walks through our back yard and petting the horses in our neighbors’ field.

It’s squeaky laryngitis and hacking coughs and soothing fevers and holding little ones close.

It’s capturing moments of play on camera; joining them the best way I can.

It’s bedtime prayers and morning thanksgivings.

It’s learning to have happy hearts and stop complaining, even when life is hard.

It’s Bella asking me to sing “Summertime” over and over and over through out the day. I never tire of singing it and she never tires of hearing it.

It’s teaching manners around the dinner table and eating yummy meals provided by friends.

It’s perseverance–learning that it takes practice and work to do something well.

It’s reading books together and huge eyes taking it all in.

It’s the sweet harmony of Spring Break and sibling play.

It’s staying up late and sleeping in and candy treats and sunny days.

It’s failing and fighting and finding forgiveness.

It’s quiet time and nap time and time with Jesus.

It’s writing letters to our Compassion child and taping his drawing to our fridge.

It’s snuggling by a warm fire on a rainy Sunday and watching basketball together.

It’s Grandma’s visits.

It’s a new Easter dress for Bella and the anticipation of the true Celebration.

It’s less Facebook time, less computer time and that wonderful feeling of being unplugged, yet beautifully plugged in to life.

These matter. They matter because even in these very temporal things, I am enjoying the treasures God has given me here on earth.

God is being glorified. And in a million years, will it matter that God was glorified in my home today?

I think the answer to that is a very resounding, “Yes.”

Yes. Yes! A very resounding, “Yes!”

This is the stuff of which life is made… the beauty of the every day ordinary and thanking Him for His abundant gifts.

“Sit. Feast on your life.” (~Derek Walcott)

I have learned that even when life is difficult, there is still so very much to feast upon.