Last night, my daughter and I were out front going for an evening scooter ride.” My son called to me, “Mom, I’m leaving for scouts” as he leaped down the front stairs and he and Brian jumped into the car.

“Wait!” I called out to them, “I’d love a hug!”

I ran over to him and and there he was – my six year old son in his Tiger Cubs uniform – complete with hat.  Suddenly a wave of nostalgia swept over me.

Standing before me, my son looked more like seven or eight.  Seven or eight is a whole new category of “young boy” and my heart ached.  I found myself in a moment of clinging, wanting to hold on to my little boy.  He hugged me and then darted off and into the car.

I stood there.  “Dear God,” I quietly breathed to myself, “This is going too fast.”

And yet, in the same breath, I knew it was impossible to stop time – nor would I want to, really.

As I watched my son and husband drive away from the house, I stood there.  Somehow I could also see the grown man in him and all the years, all the moments, of us holding, watching, letting go, hugging, sadness, laughing, joy.  My heart was full.

I could’ve bowed down right there on the holy ground of the sidewalk.  I looked over at my daughter happily scooting down the sidewalk.  I knew there was an invitation in this moment – and every moment ahead of us.

“Dear God,”  I found myself praying, almost out loud now, “Let me make time for joy.  Let me make time to really be here and notice the good.” 

Dear friends, our schedules are busy.  But let us make time for joy.  Let us make space to really be here and soak up the goodness in our lives:

~  When we start to go down that path of wanting to control something – anything – like how neat our children’s rooms are or how perfectly our children print their names, Dear God, let me choose to let go and focus on what matters most and connect with him.

~  When we start to get stressed out and our children are on each other and making lots of noise, Dear God, let me choose to get grounded and soften.

~  When we start to rush and get everyone’s nervous system all revved up, Dear God, let me choose to slow down, exhale, connect and even have FUN!

~  When we get bogged down in what we have to do – whether it’s getting dinner on the table, getting out the door, getting the kiddos a bath, Dear God, let me lighten up and choose to enter into it with JOY.

Let these be your prayers, your wakeup call to CHOOSE JOY.

Maybe we can’t choose joy every single minute.  I’m not going to put yet another pressure on us.  But there IS an invitation at least ONCE in our day to MAKE TIME FOR JOY.

Find it.  Create it.  Open to it.

This day, this weekend, this season in your family’s life, may you MAKE TIME FOR JOY.