Experiencing the joy in the little things around us.

Will and Abby's cousin, Nathaniel.

Today we are back to work, but we are now missing our relatives from Texas who stayed with us last week.  Will and Abby spent a lot of time with their son, Nathaniel who is about 2 years old.  He has such a gentle spirit and Nathaniel is very active.  He hops around and runs on his tiptoes whenever he gets the chance.  When getting up in the morning, we have found it was not uncommon to hear him running across our wooden floor above us, at 6 a.m.  Anne then looks over at me in bed and smiles while saying, “Happy feet!”

Small visitor to Anne's flowers.  I almost did not notice it.

Yesterday afternoon there were many tears shed by the whole family when Stephen, Gayle and Nathaniel left.  Soon after they were gone, we decided to go to LaCrosse, Wisconsin and visit Barnes and Nobles, along with several other stores.   Grandpa and Grandma came with to lessen the loss of family leaving.  My wife Anne, and her siblings were home schooled, and so they have grown very close over the years, which makes it very hard for any of them to be far apart.  It is nice to see this closeness, which was so foreign to me at first. 

Grandpa and Will at Winona Lake Park Car Show

In speaking of a close family, I recall that Anne’s grandfather was a traveling evangelist when Anne was a girl growing up.  Ron (grandpa) would travel from church to church across Canada and the northern U.S. in a S.U.V. with his wife Marge.  Many times during the summer, Ron and Marge would take Anne or another sibling along with them while they traveled.  For Anne, it was a wonderful experience being with them and seeing so much of Canada and the U.S. as a little girl.  She met many Christians while traveling with grandpa and grandma, and she learned to live on very little.  One of her fond memories was sharing a pop with grandpa and grandma.  They had one 12 oz. can between the three of them and Anne thought she was in heaven. 

Mother and two daughters.  Marji, Gayle &Anne

Gayle, playing church organ.

Life can be much like sharing a can of pop, that is, if one looks at the event as special and very precious.

All of us can experience the joy of having, rather than looking at the alternative, that is the limited amount available.  I am very blessed to have a wife that does not look at having more to make her happy.  God has blessed us beyond measure with happiness, and we have never gone wanting.  We live among others with many more possessions than we have, but like Anne, we can know that life is not made up of possessions, it is to be appreciated by being happy with what we have, and not what we do not possess.  I am finding that it is in the simple things of life, that I experience many times the most joy.  Take time today in seeing the joy in little things. 

A man or woman might miss what is at their feet, if they are looking too much into the horizon.  God bless you this day in all the discoveries that you make.