Show and Tell...and JOY!!

Curt came home early today and the kids were still on a high from some of the projects they have been working on. The older 3 had 10 minutes to write a fictional news report from a "news station" on the moon. The date would be July 20th 1969, the day that Neil Armstrong landed there with Apollo 11. They had to include as much information about the moon that they could remember from the past week. Robin (grade 2 was only expected to give a few facts and draw a picture of the landing.) When the 10 minutes were up I told them to gather in the living room for presentation. Ellie went first as she had a bible verse she has been trying to memorize. Everyone was very patient as she held the paper in front of her 5 year old face and slowly read through the verse line by line. Sadie of course is not slow to figure out when there is an opportunity to shine. When Ellie finished, she yelled out "MY TURN!!" She stood up on the fireplace ledge and smiled smugly at us all until we started clapping. Then, satisfied with her applause, came to "snuggle" again. Next was Robin. She held up her picture. It was then i realized that she had basically drawn a whole lot of aliens with an "eyeball shop" and one of the items in the store was what my children refer to as a "hind" (end). How lovely! I insisted that she give me some of the scientific facts pertaining to the moon. Darren blurted out..."Hint! There are NO aliens!" And he giggled behind his paper. Robin laughed and rattled off "...no oxygen, no atmosphere, rocks fall on the moon and make craters...". Hmmm, next time she will write a paper too. :) Darren and Carrie got up and gave cute little presentations "reporting live from (insert their nicknames here) station" There was even an interview with Neil Armstrong. As soon as the older two were done, Sadie insisted that we perform the "puppy song" for Curt. Now, ever since Darren was a baby I used to play music on the piano and tell stories. When it would thunder, i would pound on the lower keys making minor chords and then high splashes of upper keys. Rain would be descending high notes. Sunshine would be suspended chords, and puppies, well they would be fast, clownish chording. She went wild barking and acting out the story for Curt. Robin played the music for "the puppy begging" with sliding notes on her fiddle.
Some days feel like I've worked till I'm bone weary and there is nothing to show for it. Other days, God just pours joy on every little effort and I see again that He's building something with these days I'm laying into His hands! This family, these children are my offering back to Him. I'm going to not hold tightly to frustration and weariness, but hold my hands *open* to Him with my own mother-to-God "Show and Tell". Hands open for him to pour His JOY over and through it all.

Psalm 92:4
For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the work of your hands.

The Joyful Cow

The first time i saw a baby lamb jumping (straight up in the air and taking off from all 4 feet) and kicking it's hind legs in a wide circle, almost out of control as it ran, i had to laugh. What in the world could make that baby lamb so thrilled. Well, Sunday I was driving home from church. As as i passed Curt's uncles' farm, a cow caught my attention. There was a huge snowy field filled with your run of the mill red heifers. They were all typically munching and standing there in the cold almost motionless. No surprises there. All of a sudden, one cow started running. I thought she was going to charge another cow but no other cows seemed to take notice. She wasn't just "running". She was head-down competing to win the prize!! Out of the blue, she kicked her hind legs just like a baby lamb, out of control and un-balanced as she ran full out. It was such a picture of "JOY" that it caught me by surprise. When we see eagles we may think of power and calm, when we see kangaroos and koalas we may think of motherly protection, when we see owls we may think of wisdom, but I've never thought of a cow as a symbol of "JOY" and yet... she kept putting on her splendorous performance of pure joy as my vehicle slowly passed the field towards home. I realized something as i drove on with a smile on my face. Joy is contagious!...and i caught mine from a red cow on my way home from town. :)