Yesterday, Ryan gave a retreat to a large gathering of Catholic women. He told them he had never felt so much like Mary.... for she was blessed among women. (lol) He is a truly funny man, and keeps me ever mindful of the need to laugh... he also keep my life filled with reasons to laugh. Anyway... we were both kinda weary by the end of the day (as we have all 3 been fighting a nasty cold) and, as we chatted on the phone as he drove home from the retreat, we made a unified decision that it was gonna be a movie night. So to the Red Box he drove. 1rst stop.... nothing but Steven Segal and Celine Dion, 2nd stop... a line much too long to wait in while it rained, 3rd stop... again- Segal and Dion. We decided, maybe it wasn't gonna be a movie night...
I have been striking out into the land of once-a-month-cooking, so when Ryan got home we sat and ate dinner together. John Paul was tired, and Ryan and I had a lot to chat about, so John Paul stayed occupied with ice and we caught each other up on the happenings of our day. One thing led to another and pretty soon Ryan and I were giving John Paul his first "Vanilla Ice" show. We both memorized this "not really so great" song in junior high when it was popular. It totally cracked John Paul up. He was laughing and staring at us with the pure wonder of a child. (And we fully enjoyed that there will come a day when Mama and Daddy trying to rap would not be nearly so enjoyable to him-lol.) Ryan and I were dancing around like loonies, and everytime we got to the end of the song, John Paul would feverishly sign "again", "again". Soon... John Paul was out of his highchair, dancing with us, and I looked around as the whole of Team Mainard was completely, and utterly unconcerned with how silly we were looking and acting, and just thoroughly enjoying each other. Ryan and I looked at each other and said, "Maybe this was why there was nothing at the Red Box"! We got out all our baby instruments, we drummed, we played the spoons, even took a try at the accordian (thankyou Ga Ga). The real triumph of the evening's instrument medley was John Paul's conquering of the harmonica. Oh how we laughed, how we enjoyed the simplest of pleasures... and consequently the greatest... the gift of each other. You can't buy tickets to a show that brings even half the joy of the true sharing of self.
It is hard to imagine what God has planned for our family. Will we be blessed with even more joy than we can comprehend? I believe it will be so, we already have been. I just don't know how. What I do know is that He is working with and through so many of his faithful disciples, to bring our little family hope and wonder and something to look forward to- His great work of love. Thank you, to each of you, for your prayers- we feel truly wrapped up in the gift of them. It is a warm and sheltered place to be. There is much to be anxious about, but as the second reading from today's liturgy encourages...
"Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
WOW! God is soooo incredibly good!
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2 comments:
Oh, the joy of children and family. Truly, these little ones are such a special gift from the Father. May the joy of the Lord continue to rest upon you, your husband, your children and in your home!
You are an amazing woman, wife, and mother. The wisdom you have just brings me to tears. I am always learning how to be a better person from you example. It's also nice to think you can teach this old dog some new tricks... :o}
It's a long walk to paradise and we might as well learn to find joy in each step of the way. God doesn't promise us all rose gardens but I believe if we really look, we can see His beauty in every garden we walk in. The thorny cactus blooms with beautiful flowers. Life is so like the cactus, to often we are so over come with the thorns our eyes never see the prize.
God's Joyful Blessings my dear sweet daughter-in-law Love Linda
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