Tragedies Dare Us To Live Loudly & Soak Up The Moments!

     The view from my recliner is absolutely stunning on this hot summer evening.  The kids are playing so hard together on their new playset.  It's not even complete yet.  Notice the last piece is still lying on the grass.  They don't care.  They hook up the water hose & drag it over to pour down the slide.  They also work together to drag the trampoline over & hook up a sprinkler underneath.  I watched the struggle & refrained from running to the rescue.  I literally laughed out loud.  

     If you want to look closely & "police" the snapshots, you will in fact notice that the little ones have shucked off half of their clothes.  They lie around in wet heaps.  Grass is stuck to their wet selves.  I am not even stressing about it.  They are kids having fun in their own backyard.  Actually, I am in LOVE with this view!  

     What really gets me though is the squeals of excitement!  I can hear them laughing hysterically!  They are enjoying something so simple & responding so profoundly.  They are living loudly, soaking up the moment with their whole hearts!  They have not a care in the world.  

     To witness is sheer joy to this mother's heart.  I couldn't help but take a few candid shots.  They never even slowed to notice.  This went on so long that I urged Nathan to sneak off to the golf course alone.  We usually all go.  I walk, the kid's play, he hits.  Not today.  Today, he could actually enjoy some silence & play more seriously after working so hard all day in his shop for us to have.  The house was quiet & also miraculously spic & span.  My heart overflows.  I list the sights & sounds in my gratitude journal.  I can forever look back & recall this moment.  I turn on my playlist of uplifting music.  I cook supper in our still home.  I let them play until dark begins to set in.  Yes, it's almost bedtime by then.  I carry out the kid's shampoo & towels.  I have them all soapy down & rinse right under the water hose just like we always did after swimming at my grandparent's during the summer.  I laugh as they gasp under the cold water as the temperatures outside finally begin to drop.  Supper sits on my great grandmother's table when we bustle inside.  Nathan hasn't returned yet.  We sit together & enjoy fresh tomato sandwiches with a mountain of bacon.  Nathan's grandmother taught me to deep fry bacon.  I can't hardly cook it any other way without all of us being disappointed.  I think of her & smile.  We are blessed to still enjoy her company on earth.  This is one of the meals they beg for during summer, & this is where I must insert that I am so thankful my children eat most every veggie imaginable!  We talk through my reminiscing thoughts.  In walks Nathan as we finish.  We all stay up later than usual sitting around talking & laughing.  It's just perfect! 

 Another messy, beautiful picture of our summer because we birth 

superheros & believe in their dreams coming true!

     These socks may never come clean.  The faded tricycle is a hand me down from his cousin Ashton.  The rusty swing set sits in my parent's backyard.  The old cape was one made at a birthday party.  You can't tell but he doesn't match either.  His hair isn't combed.  All of that is ok.  His smile is worth a million bucks!

     I just don't feel right about ending without posting how heavy my heart has been & still remains to break for our country & the recent events that have unfolded.  Lives are lost.  We don't get a chance to "redo" or relive the moments we were created for.  It took days of me purposefully dodging the media before I mustered up enough courage to watch the videos of the horrific events unfold.  I have no words.  I can only look up & beg God for mercy & wisdom for such a time as this.  We live in this time to make a difference, to speak out & to live what we believe.  He doesn't call the equipped.  He equips the called.  May my feet run swiftly to stand up for right, to stand against the evils of racism &

do everything I can to bring peace & love.  I feel too small to make any significance in this great big world.  I don't have lots of money nor any fame.  I am unemployed.  I just stay at home with my 5 kids.  I may even be the wrong color.  How ridiculous does that sound?  I don't want what I can't do to handicap me from doing what I can.  God loves & His eyesight isn't bound by race, gender, or uniform we wear on the job.  He sees all.  He loves all.  May my heart & yours be guided by His love.    

Enjoy your life!  Dare to live loudly & soak up the moments!  They're precious!

I believe there are a few more hurting among us that can vouch for that now.