Her golden hair nearly sparkled in the sun. The blue-green water rushed to greet her shrieks of delight and kiss her wiggling toes. The joy of vacation, of the beach, of life bubbled out of her.
And then, she began leaping. Jumping for joy, if you will.
Joy. That is unfettered joy.
And as I watched her leap, splash and play I wondered if I have ever jumped for joy. Literally, jumped.
This is not to say I haven't been joyful, but have I been so caught up in the moment...in the joy that my body left the surface of the earth? Have I surrendered myself to the moments of God-filled delight to the point of abandoned?
I don't think so. And if it did happen I'm sure I was knee-high to a grasshopper.
Folding the warm sheets in the dingy basement laundry room I sighed. And sighed again. Laundry. Need I say more? As I silently lamented the curse of the ongoing laundry battle, two little people came rushing into the laundry room.
Full of laughter and life they chatted away. Pointing to this and that. Asking. Laughing. Curious and cute. The unfinished walls, cement floor and dark corners seemed to light up with their energy. The piles (and piles and piles) of laundry didn't phase them.
"Mom, can we help with the laundry?"
I nodded a slow, tired nod.
"Yay!!" they both shouted as they danced on and over the heaps of dirty clothes.
We began loading the washing machine together. Jump up. Throw the towel. Giggle. Run back. Hop. Skip. Twirl. Toss the wash cloth. Climb in and out of the laundry bag. Laugh. Throw. Repeat. As I closed the lid, I realized I was laughing. There was joy in these moments I had been lamenting only a breath ago.
How often have I lamented the moments that hold the potential for joy? As I trudge through the everydayness why do I choose not to look for the chances to leap, twirl, giggle and skip? When do we loose that? Can we get it back?
I am firmly convinced one of the reasons God chose to give me children was to get me out of my own head. To remind me of what childhood looks like.
Today, I am going to find a reason to jump for joy...even if it is only laundry!! Care to join me?
Today, I am going to find a reason to jump for joy...even if it is only laundry!! Care to join me?
1 comment:
"When do we loose that? Can we get it back?
I am firmly convinced one of the reasons God chose to give me children was to get me out of my own head. To remind me of what childhood looks like."
Wow...I have no children, but your words made me wonder. I wonder what God will use in my life to get me out of my own head, to remind me what childhood looks like, to encourage me to jump for joy. This post really made me think about how often I allow myself to express sheer, uncontrolled, unashamed joy in my life, from the deep places of my heart. This will certainly be something I meditate on (or maybe jump for joy about) in the coming days!
Post a Comment