Finding joy in the details

Yesterday, as I admired my smallest son's blonde hair, and the way it sometimes falls into a natural part that looks like we spent a bit of time styling it, I couldn't help but smile.

Wasn't that so thoughtful of God, to put so many wonderful details into this little boy's appearance and personality?  From his squinty-faced smiles, to his hands that remind me of both mine and my husband's, to the way he gestures when he wants us to follow him.

It's true for each of my children -- one's open friendliness, another's big heart, one's dry sense of humor, another's singing in the car and thoughtful gestures -- what joy God must have experienced as He planned out the way we could each be blessings to each other! 

Then I realized it's even true for me, too -- for each of us!  God must have smiled as He anticipated the way our various features and personality traits would bring joy, laughter, and even growth to those around us.

And even if you don't feel like anyone appreciates your myriad characteristics, God does.

When He created us, God must have smiled purely for the joy we gave Him.  The way our eyes twinkle when we smile, or the way we sometimes snort when we laugh, or the way we quietly reach out to someone in need -- each of these things must bring joy to His heart the way my little son, and all my children, do to mine.

Of course, He can smile on us with the pride of a Creator.  I merely smile upon my loved ones with gratitude.  But oh, what a gift that is as well!

I was thinking about all of this yesterday while taking a walk around our block.  All of a sudden, right in front of my path was a crayfish!  One so large, for a moment I thought it was a lobster, walking on the pavement, with no water in sight.

I just laughed, "What are YOU doing here?!"

Anyone read Percy Jackson?  Meghan insists
this is a pit scorpion.

And it occurred to me -- my reaction to this crayfish must also bring Jesus joy.  How wonderful for Him to plan this silly surprise for me and my children!  This is the kind of thing I think would make Him laugh.

I've never liked the saying, "Want God to laugh?  Tell Him your plans."

Sometimes my plans seem like things He would be happy to see come to fruition.  And when they don't, and hearts break, I certainly don't think He laughs.  He walks with us as we pick up the pieces and find a new direction in which to move, but He doesn't laugh.

 

But this -- me finding a crayfish walking on a paved road, and running a half mile home to load up my kids in the car with a big pot in which we could bring the the crayfish home, so my oldest son could see it when he got back from violin lessons?

Certainly worthy of a good, hard belly laugh!

If you look closely, you can see the crayfish
walking toward its new home.

Then, watching me pile kids back in the car to go in search of a new home for the crayfish, amid tears from both of the oldest boys, who wanted to keep it as a pet?

Still good for a laugh, although perhaps it would be tempered out of respect for those boys' big hearts.

What a good God we have, to care so much about the details!  What a good God we have -- because He made us, He know just what will bring joy to our hearts, a smile to our face, or laughter to our lips.

All we have to do is keep our eyes open.