In the Moment
Posted by Danielle Bean in Family on Thursday, October 23, 2008 12:30 PM
Late yesterday afternoon, Juliette had soccer practice. As it was cold and threatening rain (we actually had snow earlier in the day), I was tempted to drop her off instead of staying at the field while she practiced.
But something (perhaps it was the snow) set my mind to thinking about the long, indoor winter days that lie ahead. I told the kids to pack the van and get ready. We were all going.
It was cold there, but we were well bundled in coats and sweatshirts. And moving kept us warm too.
Over and over again, I chased a giggling Gabby around the bases of the empty baseball field nearby. Raphael rode his bike (he has learned to store his bike and helmet in the van so he’s always prepared for such occasions), climbed monkey bars, glided on swings, and kicked a soccer ball with his older brothers.
After the swings, I followed Daniel across the grassy field. He stopped to splash in a puddle and then toddled toward the empty baseball dugout.
“House!” he laughed as he raced in and out of the dugout.
“Peekaboo! Peekaboo, Mama!” he called as he stood on tiptoes and peeked through the windows. Then he burst from the dugout and ran back toward the field.
His tiny body bounced, a small sweatshirt-ed figure, as he ran ahead and I followed slowly behind. His arms pumped at his sides as he puffed along. I breathed deep and filled my lungs with clean, cold autumn air tinged with the faraway scent of burning leaves.
The sun was setting now and the whole world seemed to glow at its edges as my boy became a shadow in the grass ahead.
It’s easy sometimes to worry about the future. I wonder “What if?” and “How will we ever?”
But it can be just as easy to focus on right now. Right here. It’s just as easy to feel my heart overflow with God’s goodness that has been poured out upon it. It’s just as easy to push out the “what ifs” and to breathe a grateful prayer for every good thing that has been given to me.
I just need to sit down in the grass, take a good look around me, and do it.
photo: sunset in our field taken by Dan
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