Tuesday, June 26, 2012

For When This Is All There Is

Is this it? Is this all there is? Laundry, dishes, and cleaning toilets; wiping bottoms, messes, and hand-rinsing poopy underwear before tossing them into the washing machine -- day after day?

And what's more repetitive than laundry and dishes is disciplining and training hearts and minds that naturally bend toward self.

The job is never complete and the affirmation can seem non-apparent.



Yet, when I settle into this – this right here – the hard, the mundane, and the repetitive;

when I accept it as my sacrifice, it becomes my joy.

And through the hard and mundane, it's the snuggles, giggles, and kisses goodnight; playfulness, laughter, and kindness that are my sources of affirmation, as a mother.

And I delight in them.

I delight in watching  my children splash, squeal, and cannon ball right into the air pumped pool, on a hot summer day.

I delight in setting out chicken tenders and corn dogs for when they get hungry and Popsicles stashed in the cooler with ice.












I delight in creating opportunity for my children and watching them grow.

I delight in the moments I can sit back and just inhale who they are and who I see them becoming.

I receive these affirmations daily when I open my eyes to see.

And if I ever find myself wanting more of something, I've learned to look no further than what is right before me. I've learned to travel, not further, but deeper to see all there is – seeking deeper love, deeper gratitude, and deeper joy in the here and now.

Because this is it.These are the moments that matter.

Because at the heart of washing clothes, dishes and bottoms is devotion, and at the heart of discipline and training is belief.

And that is all we ever really need.



17 comments:

  1. Looks like the kids are having a fabulous summer! Praying that He will help me to delight today. Thanks for this reminder.

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  2. I recently read about Brother Lawrence (of The Practice of the Presence of God), how he approached each mundane, unloved kitchen task as an offering to God. That put a different complexion on the daily grunge for me! As does this post of yours, which reminds me of that recent read. So now I go to do a mundane, unloved kitchen task in a different mind frame from the one I had before my visit here! Thank you. :)

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  3. I love the summer snapshots! What fun! And by the way, y'all make cute babies at your house!

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  4. I love it when you said: "Because at the heart of washing clothes, dishes and bottoms is devotion, and at the heart of discipline and training is belief."

    This is a great word to mothers - and others, too!

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  5. Wow- when I find myself looking for more, I just look deeper. That's so wise and true. If Christ is IN us, then He is the MORE we're craving.. right there in our hearts, right here where the laundry grows tall. Thanks for reminding me of the beauty of devotion. Your kids are precious. Those backyard fun pictures just capture the thrill of childhood.

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  6. Yes, those really are the moments that matter most. Lovely pictures of your treasures - your children.

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  7. I think we are on the same track here...yes...what is right before us....right here...I love the pictures...oh they bring me back to those days...when slip and slides and blow up pools were all the kids needed for a day of joy....drink these moments in...because these moments do matter...blessings~

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  8. Yes! I'm working on the same thing at the moment - realizing that these mundane moments are really very precious!

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  9. I love that thought...traveling deeper, not looking further. Beautiful. Love the pictures!

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  10. So true... so real. I love this! I have been guilty of looking out the window for something better and missing the beautiful gifts that are right before me. Thanks for sharing so honestly and helping refocus these eyes and this heart on what is most important.

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  11. Your pictures are so full of joy and laughter. Love, love, love them. You inspire! So glad you've linked!

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  12. thank you for this reminder and reaffirmation. It's just what I needed!

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  13. The joy of childhood as it should be right there in all those wonderful pictures of summers play. It's all perspective isn't it? The way we choose to live this life He gives us. Thanks for giving a snapshot of what that looks like here.

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  14. How beautiful is the heart of sacrifice! I love your heart and the way you remind us that joy comes from living sacrificially for Him. Even in cleaning little boys underwear:) Blessings to you!

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  15. And it looks like you are enjoying what they are enjoying. I realize the everydayness of the household chores can make you/us shake heads and roll eyes. BUT the other aspect is opening heart doors and that's a pretty important aspect.

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  16. Thanks for sharing with us your own glimpses of heaven. ;) Blessings!

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