It was a beautiful summer evening last night. We ate dinner in the sun then headed out for a walk. Both boys had their helmets on. Jude brought his little bike and Ben was ready to ride Mike’s longboard with him down the paved trail just shy of a block from our house. Si was in the umbrella stroller wearing just a little white onesie and Mike’s biking cap. C-U-T-E! His legs are so chunky and white. Both of the older boys had rosy faces before they even started riding.

We walked down to the trail and as soon as we hit it, all the big guys took off. Si and I putted along, watching them go. You know how when the sun starts to go down and that beautiful glow casts on everything? Last night was especially glorious as the trail is lined with forest on both sides and the trees create a canopy above. And there in the distance was my darling family, framed by trees and glowing light. The boys looked so little.

I probably don’t have to tell you that my heart was full, looking at them. Looking at the family God has blessed me with. Many things ran through my head. Especially the thought that this is such a blip in my life. The boys will only be little for a blip. All the more reason to embrace each day, one day at a time. To savor it. Put my whole heart into it. I thought about how Jesus sacrificed everything for me and how my family is surely a blessing from Him. A result of God’s love toward me. Why wouldn’t I, in light of this love, lay it all down like Jesus did, for my family? Lay myself aside. Serve them with all I’ve got.

As I was watching them in the distance, and looking down at those adorable little chunky Silas legs, I thought my heart would burst open. And then it hit me. Eternity with Jesus will be unimaginably greater than what I felt right then. Unimaginably. All these little daily glimpses of beauty point to a perfect King who will make all things right. Who will blend every beautiful moment into another. There won’t be the ups and downs that I experience every day or the guilt I experience when I snap at my children or when I’m not the friend I wish I was. There will only be one crazy full heart, like I experienced last night – times a million to five (in the words of my Jude).

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