Day 2 on my quest for JOY!

I am officially on my journey of joy.  It's amazing what you find if you simply slow down and focus.


1. We were in a hurry last night to get out the door.  (Aren't we always?)  I was trying to get everyone's shoes on their feet, which for some reason is always a source of contention in our house.  What should I expect when I am one of four females living under the same roof?


As I slipped her shoes on, Heidi mumbled, "it's too tight".  Ugh.  We don't have time for this.  Normal protocol for this situation is to squeeze that foot in.  Shoes are expensive and we need to get as much wear as possible.  But a little voice in my head nudged me to slow down.  


I stopped shoving.


I looked into her beautiful, hazel eyes and asked her what was wrong.  She seemed surprised by the fact that I heard her.  My heart sunk just a little. 


She's getting bigger - and it's not just her feet that are growing.  She's turning into a beautiful, unique, little girl.  Lord help me to be so careful with every moment that you give me with these precious babies. 

I kissed every stinky, little toe and found joy.

2.  Chick-fil-A cookies and cream milkshake.  Joy!  Joy!  Joy!

3.  Walked in the door after a lively evening at Chick-fil-A with friends which included 10 energetic children, 3 moms anxious to talk to someone who had NOT been born within the past 10 years, and 2 husbands who made an early exit to catch the football game.  I carried my sleepy, ice cream covered, baby girls upstairs to bed, changed into my pj's and turned on my computer.  My first stop was this blog - and there I found a comment from my dad telling me (and the whole world - yes the whole world reads my blog!) ... ahem ... telling everyone in the world how proud he is of me.  Immense joy.

4. Speaking of Dad, another joyful moment comes to mind. This is the kind of joy that keeps on giving and giving and giving. I remember the day well. My phone rings. It's my mom. She tells me that my dad was baptized earlier that morning.  I can hear him talking in the background. He sounds like a kid on Christmas morning. The excitement is pulsating through the phone. I'm laughing, crying, and fist pumping all at the same time.

Just like He promised. Yes, HIM. The big Guy upstairs. Oh yeah, did I ever tell you about the time I talked with an angel?


25 years ago. 


As passionate a prayer as an 8 year old can muster, I was lying in bed and praying for my dad.  I looked up and there he was.


He was peaceful.  Never once did I fear.  


He sat on my bed and we talked. The image is vividly cemented in my memory.  He was there.  He told me not to worry.  God had sent him to tell me that my dad was going to be ok -- that one day he would commit his life to Christ. And that day had finally arrived.  25 years later.   EPIC JOY!  


I think this one could easily take up Joy spots #4-100 but I'll play fair.


Joy in the small and simple.  Joy in the epic.