Appreciating Every Moment :-)

My kids had a school trip to an amusement park today.  You know, I normally get a bit anxious about  trips like these, because it's not always easy to take ms out and about.  But today?  The weather was gorgeous - breezy, no humidity, 70s, and high UV rays to help me tap into that 5% of Native American I have in my ancestry.  In a word?  Perfection.

When we arrived at the park, I paused for a moment, closed my eyes, took a deep breath...aaahhhhh...and enjoyed the excited voices of my kids behind me.  I appreciated my life so much in that moment.  My kids are my everything and I knew that I had the entire day with them.  No work obligations, no demands that daily life calls for.  It was an incredible feeling!

I was uncharacteristically quiet today, taking several moments to appreciate every ounce of every single thing.  I mean, that's how I'd like to be on a daily basis...but the reality is, I don't always take the time to notice.  The sky was a brilliant shade of blue (thank you, Lord, for another day of sight).  I love the sound of my kids, laughing with their friends (thank you, Lord, for another day of hearing).  I'm having no trouble keeping up with my group in the park (thank you, Lord, for another day of mobility).  Toward the end of our day, we noticed a flash mob of ducklings that my son wanted to feed.  See?

...and I couldn't help but see marvelous beauty in it.  My son, gentle in spirit, carefully extending his hand in love...kinda like he does when I pull in from work each day.  He does this thing where he jogs to my car, opens my door and says, "got stuff to carry?"  Yeah, literally each day (thank you, Lord, for my kids).

I was incredibly, amazingly, ludicrously blessed by this day!  While it's not realistic to sit in the sun and stare at the wonder all around me each day, because come on...I don't want the guys coming for me with the custom buckle jacket, and I really need to do things like keep a job and care for my family...I don't ever want to forget how much I'm loved and cared for.  That love and care is in every detail. 

In the times I may feel lonely, these are the thoughts I need to try to focus on.  Or how about when I begin to feel the anvil of depression?  I want to be able to look around and know that, while those feelings feel quite real, they're not Truth.  Now if I can only remember to stop for a moment and just...look around. 

(thank you, Lord, for being in every detail:-)