It's the Small Things

So many times we - I - think that it is in the big things where we see/feel the most excitement or progress. When I am finished everything in the house - if it was all done at once, then that would be fantastic. If could just take a big trip somewhere amazing like Europe or Fargo - then that would be IT! If my dad could be cured of cancer with a miraculous miracle then...

And all those things would be fantastic and would create great memories and feelings - I am not going to deny that. However, those big things are few and far between.

But in between the big things, I can't forget those little moments - those stolen moments of joy. It has sometimes been in the smallest moments that my heart has doubled in size and my feelings of love or compassion have exploded out.

My grandson has been coming to VBS this week and finally, by Thursday, has decided that he really does like it! During this stretch he has stayed with me at my place for a couple of nights. On one of these nights as we were getting him ready for bed, he said to me, "Oma. Can you show me how to get dressed?" We were in the process of putting his night shirt on. "Sure I can." So I showed him how to put one arm in and then the other arm and then pull it over his head. He managed this quite easily and then proceeded to put on his own pants. He looked over his pajamas rather proudly and then said to me, "Thank you for showing me how to do this, Oma." My heart still pounds a little harder even as I think about it. Ten little words. Ten words strung together to make one sentence. One breath.

This little sentence evoked in me the same kind of heart swelling, over the top feeling I had the first time I stood in an open air hotel in Mexico in the middle of January. That was a big thing! Same feeling. Weird.

Then Bennie's mom comes to pick him up and with her is my granddaughter, Thea. Thea stretches out her arms when I go to hold her and gives me this amazing smile. She scrunches her nose like my own little daughter used to do and again, my heart swells and I catch my breath at this amazing moment.

Our neighbour's invite us for supper at the spur of the moment. They take all of us - all of us plus my dad and open wide their back door for us to join them for supper. My heart swells.

My sister spends hours stripping and sanding my stairs so that they can be restained to match my new floor. She doesn't complain or gripe - she offers and she works hard - broken toe and all. My heart swells.

(Stairs on right have been newly stained. Stairs on right have been stripped and are awaiting stain.)

A friend from long ago responds to one of my blogs in regards to my dad and sends comforting words. I have not seen her since I was in grade 10. My heart swells.

My daughters and I sit on the back lawn and just chat about all kinds of randomness. My heart swells!

My son calls me up and says he is in the neighbourhood could he stop in and have lunch with me? My heart... you got it, it swells!

My niece is willing to let Bernie and me take her to a hockey tournament in Minneapolis when her parents were unable to. My son comes with me, sits beside me and hugs me when I have to put my cat to sleep. My husband has wine and berries waiting by a full bubble bath when I come home after a long day. (Yeah. I am tearing up!)

My mom and dad open their doors for us even though they had no idea if we would live there for one month or three or more... it was only three! Ok - so this is actually a pretty big thing!! But my heart still swells!

These are just reminders that it isn't always the big things that bring joy and excitement. VBS children are being reminded this week to look for God moments. Moments in the ordinary day where they see glimpses of God. Perhaps in the rabbit that hops and skips around the backyard - playing like he knows you are watching him. Perhaps it's in the gorgeous sunset, the shooting star, the large spider caught in the crosshairs of your IPhone. Maybe God is in the kindness of a stranger or the smile of a child or the hug of a friend.

God is there. Take the time to look and He will reveal himself.