Oh my! I was long overdue for my "big sister" and "little buddy" fix! Yep, I spent 4 wonderful hours this evening with the children I nannied for two years. Big sister will be 5 (on December 14 as she informed me tonight) and the twin boys will be 3 in January! Oh my goodness I was so happy to see them!
They were excited too, which was wonderful! The boys ran off the porch and into the yard to greet me! I got so many hugs and all three of the kids talking at once, wanting to tell me everything going on in their lives! At one point this evening when we were sitting on the couch watching a show, one of the boys told me, "I missed you, Mary." My heart was full to overflowing at that moment! Both boys wanted to sit on my lap and be near me the entire evening. Big sister is SO big and smart and very busy telling brothers what to do!
I had had a long, long, stressful, tiring, exhausting week at work. I really needed this unbounded, overflowing, joyous time with three children I spent 5 days a week with for 2 years. The boys were only 8 weeks old when I started caring for them. And sister was 2 when we sat on the back balcony of the apartment they lived in while Mom and Dad looked for a house in Richmond, blowing bubbles and starting with potty training.
I needed to be loved on and to be in the presence of those three little ones who just could not restrain their glee and excitement at seeing me. This is how God expects us to approach Him as well! And when you think about it, it is exactly how we should be any time we go to Him in prayer.
No matter what we're going through in our lives; no matter what we're struggling with; no matter how tired or frustrated, beaten down or worn out we may feel, we need to run to God with joy and celebration because we've been promised a place with Him in heaven someday!
Don't wait at the door - run off the porch and into the yard! Leap into His arms! Clap your hands and squeal with glee! We have eternal life already guaranteed! That's something about which to be overflowing with excitement and celebration!
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice" (Philippians 4:4 NIV)
Showing posts with label rejoice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rejoice. Show all posts
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
God Rejoices In Our Progress
This evening I'll be visiting my little buddies! To say I'm excited is an understatement!
I miss these children so much now that I only visit about once a month! The other night we stopped by their home to pick up something from mom and dad. Mom told us the kids very excitedly asked them if they were going out! That warmed my heart:-)
It's been a full, somewhat stressful week. I typically look forward to Friday nights these days as a chance to relax, unwind, and have quiet time alone. My husband currently works on Friday evenings. Tonight though, I will benefit from the energy and abandon that is contagious in the presence of children.
I imagine God delights in us in the same way! When we run to Him and throw our arms around Him, His heart is warmed, just as mine is every time I see my little buddies.
I think that just as I delight in seeing the progress the boys have made - they're in big boy beds now - and share in the newly acquired reading and conversation skills of big sister, God delights in our progress too.
Each baby step we take toward Him is a reason to rejoice! He loves us so much! I'm sure I'll have an update over the weekend:-)
I miss these children so much now that I only visit about once a month! The other night we stopped by their home to pick up something from mom and dad. Mom told us the kids very excitedly asked them if they were going out! That warmed my heart:-)
It's been a full, somewhat stressful week. I typically look forward to Friday nights these days as a chance to relax, unwind, and have quiet time alone. My husband currently works on Friday evenings. Tonight though, I will benefit from the energy and abandon that is contagious in the presence of children.
I imagine God delights in us in the same way! When we run to Him and throw our arms around Him, His heart is warmed, just as mine is every time I see my little buddies.
I think that just as I delight in seeing the progress the boys have made - they're in big boy beds now - and share in the newly acquired reading and conversation skills of big sister, God delights in our progress too.
Each baby step we take toward Him is a reason to rejoice! He loves us so much! I'm sure I'll have an update over the weekend:-)
Friday, July 31, 2009
Rejoice and Be Glad in Him
Last night I had the joy of babysitting for the twins and their big sister. Oh what fun! They were quite excited to see me, which warmed my heart! All three of them started chattering away about what was going on in their lives.
The boys decided they were done with dinner because they wanted to get down from the table and play with me! Big sister wanted to go outside. One brother was barefoot so he needed to put on his shoes while the other one wolfed down the remainder of his fish sticks. It was just like "old times."
Because of their age, the boys looked so much older than the last time I saw them--about 6 weeks ago! They are moving from the baby stage to the toddler stage. Sister is as smart as ever! I delighted in every word and action of all three of the children. My favorite activity last night was sitting under the "playground" while the children ate popsicles. (Under the platform/playhouse at the top of the play set is a picnic table with benches where we sat for popsicle eating.) We had a detailed discussion about the colors of each popsicle and about the wonderful play set with swings, slide, "rock wall" and various other fun features.
As I played and hugged and kissed them throughout the night, I thought about how God must feel when we go to him in prayer, confession and gratitude--for just about any reason at all. I know He must smile when we lift a word of praise, when we ask for His forgiveness or when we simply spend quiet time reflecting on His word. I know He adores us even more than I adore my little buddies. I know He misses us when we separate ourselves from Him, even more than I miss the children.
God rejoices in us. We are His beloved! He created a world specifically and perfectly designed not only to sustain our lives, but to allow us to flourish and thrive. Then He sent His Son to demonstrate His ultimate gift to mankind: grace.
"But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "Let God be exalted!" (Psalm 70:4 NIV)
"But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy" (Isaiah 65:18 NIV).
"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV).
The boys decided they were done with dinner because they wanted to get down from the table and play with me! Big sister wanted to go outside. One brother was barefoot so he needed to put on his shoes while the other one wolfed down the remainder of his fish sticks. It was just like "old times."
Because of their age, the boys looked so much older than the last time I saw them--about 6 weeks ago! They are moving from the baby stage to the toddler stage. Sister is as smart as ever! I delighted in every word and action of all three of the children. My favorite activity last night was sitting under the "playground" while the children ate popsicles. (Under the platform/playhouse at the top of the play set is a picnic table with benches where we sat for popsicle eating.) We had a detailed discussion about the colors of each popsicle and about the wonderful play set with swings, slide, "rock wall" and various other fun features.
As I played and hugged and kissed them throughout the night, I thought about how God must feel when we go to him in prayer, confession and gratitude--for just about any reason at all. I know He must smile when we lift a word of praise, when we ask for His forgiveness or when we simply spend quiet time reflecting on His word. I know He adores us even more than I adore my little buddies. I know He misses us when we separate ourselves from Him, even more than I miss the children.
God rejoices in us. We are His beloved! He created a world specifically and perfectly designed not only to sustain our lives, but to allow us to flourish and thrive. Then He sent His Son to demonstrate His ultimate gift to mankind: grace.
"But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "Let God be exalted!" (Psalm 70:4 NIV)
"But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy" (Isaiah 65:18 NIV).
"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV).
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Dance for Joy
One of the twins loves to dance. He 'dances' at every opportunity. If characters on one of his television shows dances, he announces "I dance." If he likes the music playing during a commercial, he declares, "I dance." Sometimes, he dances just because he feels like dancing! On more than one occasion he and sister, and subsequently the other twin decide they're going to "dance" just for something to do!
Of course, at two years, the 'dancing twin' actually gallops and gallops around and around in a circle until he's dizzy. The other brother isn't as coordinated as even that and simply runs behind his brother in the circle. When all three of them get going it really is something to see! Let me put it this way: these children are more likely to appear on Battle of the Brains than Dancing with the Stars!
There is one thing, though, that stands out in their dancing. It is the sheer joy and abandon with which they move. Bright-eyed, faces aglow, around and around they go until they are breathless and ultimately collapse in a heap. It is a sheer joy to watch them.
At 4 and 2 (and 2) life is still full of joy and laughter, moving for the sheer delight of it, experiencing music in its most basic form - as a language that speaks to the soul.
Every time the dancing twin announces he's going to dance, I think about how my life would be so different if I were to dance the dance of my life with that same "reckless abandon." I realize, too how my sheer joy at living would impact the others in my life and in my world. They would surely respond to me as I do to the little dancing children who teach me so much about life.
Then Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; in theLORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. (1 Samuel 2:1-3 NIV)
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, (Luke 1:47 NIV)
Of course, at two years, the 'dancing twin' actually gallops and gallops around and around in a circle until he's dizzy. The other brother isn't as coordinated as even that and simply runs behind his brother in the circle. When all three of them get going it really is something to see! Let me put it this way: these children are more likely to appear on Battle of the Brains than Dancing with the Stars!
There is one thing, though, that stands out in their dancing. It is the sheer joy and abandon with which they move. Bright-eyed, faces aglow, around and around they go until they are breathless and ultimately collapse in a heap. It is a sheer joy to watch them.
At 4 and 2 (and 2) life is still full of joy and laughter, moving for the sheer delight of it, experiencing music in its most basic form - as a language that speaks to the soul.
Every time the dancing twin announces he's going to dance, I think about how my life would be so different if I were to dance the dance of my life with that same "reckless abandon." I realize, too how my sheer joy at living would impact the others in my life and in my world. They would surely respond to me as I do to the little dancing children who teach me so much about life.
Then Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; in theLORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. (1 Samuel 2:1-3 NIV)
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, (Luke 1:47 NIV)
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