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Finding Joy When You’re Fighting to Stay Afloat

Photo Credit: Carolyn Pinke

He’s singing and the echoes bounce off shower walls, YMCA tiles, and slip under door number three to us in the family locker room outside. Daniel’s happiness slides out and over, a cacophony of joy in a bathroom of strangers. The door cracks and he appears, hair wet swirls on his forehead and standing tall in the back. His face is flushed from hot water after a cold swim lesson, and he slips small toes into grey camouflage snowboots, humming cheerfully.

“I was thinking about God,” he tells me, shifting his balled up red towel and damp swimsuit to me as he plunges arms into bunched up blue jacket sleeves. “He’s the king of kings, God of gods. He made everything –galaxies!”

“He is! He’s so cool. The one true God, huh?” I open the door of the locker room and we head past the basketball court where Daniel peers through glass walls to see if his friend is there. “How were front scoops?” I ask, knowing this was a hard swim technique we had prayed about just an hour earlier.

He grins wide and talks, adjusting his jeans waist as he walks, and skipping occasionally.

I grin. “Yay, thank you, God. He helped you. He’s always listening and helping us through things, huh? You worked hard and persevered too. I’m proud of you, bud.”

Holding hands, we walk across a dark parking lot, alert for red taillights.

“Whooo, it’s cold,” he shudders, pulling his hood up, and we drive home looking at the Christmas lights and talking.

Happy December, friend. Wherever you are today, know that your Abba God sees you, hears you, and knows your thoughts. Talk to him and watch him join you in those lanes, swirling you through the face-in-the-water-front-scoops of your own stories. You are loved and delighted in. Then burst into ricocheting praise to him in whatever shower stall or room you’re in.

Smiling and learning about God from a wet-headed eight year old, I remain,

your sister and friend, Jennifer. What are you learning and reading about lately?

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6 Comments

  1. Valerie Sisco on December 9, 2016 at 2:34 am

    Hi Jennifer,
    Thanks for stopping by my online home tonight and I am happy to visit you at your place! I just love how your little boy is recognizing who God is, at his young age, and make the connection that God is intensely interested in our lives and in us! I can only imagine how it warms your heart when you hear your children share their thoughts with you and most important of all, that they include God. 🙂 What a blessing to enjoy those little ones!

  2. Wise Hearted on December 9, 2016 at 4:35 am

    What a precious story on your son joy over flowing Jennifer. I am closing up my computer right after I post this comment and thanking the Lord for the sweetness I found on your blog post. Merry Christmas my blog friend.

  3. Unknown on December 9, 2016 at 9:26 pm

    What a great lesson and reminder to all of us to count the blessings daily that we sooooo take for granted.

    I always enjoy peaking over the shoulder of your life… he's quite a boy. I'm proud of him too, along with the rest of your loved ones.

  4. TC Avey on December 12, 2016 at 4:31 pm

    God is so incredibly good!
    I'm learning to be enjoyed by God…I am loved and accepted. I don't need to perform in order for Him to love. It's amazing to be loved by the King of kings.
    Merry Christmas

  5. Bill (cycleguy) on December 12, 2016 at 10:10 pm

    A great lesson for a wonderful time of the year. merry Christmas Jennifer.

  6. Lisa notes... on December 14, 2016 at 4:43 pm

    I love those supposedly quiet moments when God suddenly speaks up loud and clear through our children or any other way he chooses. We can't predict those; we can only be prepared and attentive. Thanks for sharing this, Jennifer. Merry Christmas to you!

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