Not sure if your family is like mine but it seems to be the case in mine that someone wakes up on the wrong side of the bed every day. Whether it is one of my beautiful, full of life, full of energy, ready to explore the entire world in a millisecond, children. To my “things have to be perfect, mainly me,” husband. To me, myself and I. Generally, out of the five of us, there is going to be one that is the “life drain” of the party. There is one that sucks the energy and love from the remaining four. The one on the outing that you think, “man, this day would be perfect if ________ stayed home!” I am not excluding me from this. I can easily say, I believe some days would have been WAY more fun, for my 4 living blessings, if I would have just stayed in bed for the day.
But during these days, it may not be a conscious thought of who the life drain actually is for the day. You can just feel it. The kids aren’t satisfied. Anxiety sets in the parent’s hearts. Mile long to-do lists are constantly streaming through heads. Homework on the horizon. Outsiders opinions. No food in the pantry. Piles of laundry. No money. Grief. House is a disaster. TV hasn’t been turned off, for what feels like days. Things are breaking down. Someone isn’t content.
And sprinkled in those days, weeks and months of imperfection comes perfection. The rare case when everyone is getting along. Everyone is playing well with each other. Kids are taking in the great outdoors. The crockpot is on and filling the house with the most amazing smell. Dreams are being dreamed. Goals are being reached. No homework in sight. Drawers are organized. Closets are purged. The house is clean. Babies are napping. Bills are paid. Checks are rolling in. Money is in the account. Refrigerator is full of food. Freezer is full of meat. The weather is perfect. Vacations are planned. It seems as though world peace exists for a moment. Everyone is doing their job. Everyone feels loved.
Today I had this day.
It’s the kind of day when you just could take any member of your family and squeeze them until they pop. That overwhelming feeling of love and joy! It’s so overwhelming someone has to know about it! It doesn’t bubble over the top- it bursts out the top!
You can probably imagine. I have had very few to possibly no days like this the past couple years. Turmoil found it’s place in my heart. Heck it’s right there in the word- oil. You can imagine dark black oil covering all my living organs, mainly my heart, my lungs, my mind and my soul. There wasn’t fresh air to be found. Just heavy and thick and dark. Things might be going “almost perfectly” but there was still an element that could never finish the puzzle.
I am thankful for today. I am thankful Satan has left my family alone for a day. I am thankful God has put these amazing people in my life. I am thankful for two angels in heaven that fill those days with their love. It’s a bigger and even more grander love. It’s the kind of love that makes you tremble. I am thankful we will be one big family in heaven TOGETHER one day. Not only am I thankful for these two angels, I am thankful for our Heavenly Father. I am thankful He allowed me to feel this kind of peace for a day. This kind of joy for a day. This kind of love for a day. I am thankful He said “bar none” for me today.
Today was perfectly perfect for me!
In His grip,
Lindsey