A Bonus Day...

image courtesy of Anusorn P Nachol freedigitalphotos.net

Happy Leap Day! What a wonderful gift an extra day is...


I had a whole list of things planned. I was going to take this "bonus" day and cross off a bunch of projects and get things done...like organizing the basement...


But I felt God calling me to something different, something eternal...


So today, I will tell my children that their Father in Heaven rejoices over them, and exults over them with singing 
(Zephaniah 3:17).


Today, I will remind them they have nothing to fear...

For I, the LORD your God,

hold your right hand;

it is I who way to you, "Fear not,

I am the one who helps you."

Isaiah 41:13

Today, they will know that the work of God is to

"...believe in him whom he has sent."

John 6:29

and that

"If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, 

and the truth will set you free."

John 8:31 - 32

What if, on this extra day of 2012, we...
...embraced every opportunity?
       ...took every thought captive for Christ?
               ...loved our neighbor as ourselves?
                      ...prayed without ceasing?
                          ...gave thanks in everything?
                               ...walked by faith and not by sight?

Happy Leap Day, everyone. 

Morning music...

I smiled first thing this morning and it was a wonderful way to start my day.

I heard Little One's sleepy voice call out "daaaaaa-dddeeeee..." My husband walked into her room and quietly told her it's too early for her to start her day.

She was unconvinced.

As my husband and I sat and sipped our coffee and tried to wake up, we heard little footsteps on the stairs.

Little One was standing in the hallway smiling at her daddy.

We snuggled her on the sofa with a blanket and she closed her still-sleepy eyes. Precious Girl came down a few moments later, quickly followed by her brother...

I asked Little One what woke her so early. "Mommy, the birdies sing their morning music to me and I get waked up."

image courtesy of Rosemary Ratcliff freedigitalphotos.net

As I sit here typing, I can hear our family's "morning music" in the background. The sound of a shower...the whir of the washing machine...the sound of a nebulizer...pages turning in a favorite book...the sound of a large lego battle...Little One reading a story to her blankie...the occasional giggle...the refrigerator door opening - and closing...the noise of the dishwasher being emptied...

It's a symphony to my ears. I'm so glad I got up early to hear the music in our home.