Surprised by Joy

"She said she usually cried at least once each day not because she was sad, but because the world was so beautiful and life was so short.”           {Brian Andreas}

Dear God,

Thank You for little girls

who paint polka-dots on my toes
For a mom and dad,
who've been married 22 years today
For summer days
made for wearing white capris
For dearest friends
with whom I could never tire of talking.

Thank you for notes so sweet

I cry tears of beauty
For swinging on park swings
eating bakery cookies with a lifelong friend
For summer days
of picnics and waterparks
For buying dorm supplies
and growing more and more excited for a brand new life

For laying awake at night

so filled with joy I can do nothing but write down praise

Thank You for a new month
in which to explore more of Your daily mercies
For Sunday afternoons
meant for swimming in lake with dear neighbors
For hundreds of voices
raised in highest praise to Lord of all, forgetting all else

For the fresh smell of a brand new planner

in which to record the never-ending adventures contained in each new week.

Thank you for sweet emails

from a future friend

For finishing countless thank-you notes
to dear friends who left heartfelt notes and generous gifts
For lively discussions with friends
which encourage my faith
For little black dresses
made for happy red-headed girls in July

Thank You for good talks
with dearly-loved friends
For red white and blue nails
painted by a little girl who sees the joy in everything
For sweet snappeas
eaten over dinner with joyful family
For pool full of happy friends
basking in freedom and fellowship and sunshine
For man so frail carrying flag in parade
who fought for my freedom

 Thank You for uncle and cousin

leaning close over castle in sand

For flocks of seagulls

flying cross sunset
For bare toes
digging deep in wet sand
For singing oldies loud on beach
with family

 Thank You for nestling under white sheets in bright-lit bunked

writing praise

For little boy in blue goggles

giggling as he splashes in sun-kissed waves

For the simple joy

of snapping pictures of heaven-sent beauty

For summer mornings spent on bright red rocking chair

reading C.S. Lewis

Thank you for summer nights

curled in lamp-lit bunk bed

For the evident love

of a young husband and wife

For texting my best friend

of the beauty in today

For campfires with family

on a lake Michigan beach, watching the sunset

For a tiny poodle

with sand up her nose.

Surprised by joy. This is how I want to live each day. Knowing I am small, expecting nothing, but overwhelmed by the grace, the endless gifts, of my big God. Finding joy in things I too often overlook. Choosing to live my life as a constant prayer of thanks to my Savior. Not just when it's 4th of July or I'm on vacation or when things seem to be going well, but even on days when life seems like a train wreck.

"So our hope is in the Lord.

He is our help, our shield to protect us.

We rejoice in Him,

because we trust His holy name.

Lord, show Your love to us

As we put our hope in You."

 ~Psalm 30:20-22

I'm finding that sometimes when life isn't perfect, when I have to trust, put my hope in Him alone, His love is most evident. When I fully rely on Him, open up to His grace, search for His gifts, I am surprised, overwhelmed.

I want to live my life an endless prayer of thanks.

(AWESOME video--watch til the end)