Serious Business

Playing at the park is serious business…

But we managed to crack a few smiles…

It seems that so much of life is that way, being both serious and fun. Involving both work and pleasure, concentration and enjoyment. Isn’t it amazing that God gives us such diversity of feelings in the day to day?

I often think of God’s judgment on Adam and Eve back in the Garden of Eden. I marvel that although He told Adam  he would have to work by the sweat of his brow, among thorns and thistles—even still God did not take away the pleasure and satisfaction Adam would feel after accomplishing tasks or putting in a hard days work.

And with women too, though we were promised pain in childbirth, God, in his mercy, did not take away the pleasure and satisfaction of birthing children and raising them moment by moment.

I mean really, what a great and wonderful God!! Though we have all fallen short of His glory, He didn’t judge us as we deserved, He didn’t take away joy and beauty, enjoyment and fullness. And what’s more, He gave us His Son, to be our full and complete Ransom.

Today at the park, the boys worked hard to climb the slide, to master the ladders, or get across the bouncy bridge—but they were still able to enjoy the sweet satisfaction of accomplishing the task. And me too, though I rushed to pack picnic lunches while pan searing the pork loin for dinner and cleaning up school supplies, I still felt the joy of seeing my children’s smiling faces behind the lens.

What delight!!

Thank you, Lord, for your mercies, for they are new every morning.