...he can think only of the word rejoice--for that is what they are doing. And for now it is enough.~Elizabeth Brundage (From The Vanishing Point)

I ticked off all the tasks I needed to do before getting the kids to bed--my arithmetic for the night. Lock all the doors, brush teeth, prayers, kiss goodnight. Then the thought hit me, like too many smelling salts. "Did I blow out the candle before I left my house, before the grandchildren and I drove to their house for the night?" I talked to myself some more. "Yes, I'm sure I did." But then I couldn't pull up the memory of bending my head over the flame, the whoosh of air leaving my lips. The wicks black and safe. "Okay kids," I said. "We've got to get out of bed and go over to my house. I'm not sure if I blew out the candle."  

"You mean we have to get up and go over to your house in the night?"

"I'm afraid so. Better to be safe than sorry." They had expressions of both alarm and excitement on their faces as we headed out to the car. It was midnight. There were a few stars glimmering in the sky, and a frog chorus echoed across the pond. We felt a faint breeze on our cheeks in the humid darkness. Almost no cars on the road. The time of night reminded me of my youth when insomnia would scratch the silence and I'd take my roommate's dog out for a walk. No one around. Just the dog's nails clicking on the pavement. The street lights casting long shadows on our pathway. 

I had blown out the candle. The kids giggled as we drove home, proud of their ability to tolerate the scariness of riding in the lonely darkness, proud of their confidence to wander into the unknown with their grandmother. As we entered their house, we felt giddy about our midnight escapade. They said, "Yes, it's better to be safe than sorry. It was actually kind of fun. It was an adventure, don't you think?" We felt tired and relieved, there on the front steps as I unlocked the door. The two standing on the porch in their pajamas, the three of us together.

BLESSING FOR STAYING IN THE MOMENT

These days it's easy to feel inundated with beeps and dings and vibrations. Texts alerting you to the latest news. Ads bombarding you with how to whiten teeth, get rid of belly fat or sell your house in 72 hours.

In the middle of the night you're thinking, "Maybe I should buy that. I've been wanting to lose weight. I've been wanting to be more organized. I've been wanting to learn how to invest my money. I've been wanting to eat better."

Information overload. Everyone looks so good on Instagram. Living those purposeful lives. Making money. Perfect teeth. Cute pets. The skyrocketing career. How do they do it? 

May you anchor into your life. It's yours. And you're enough. Now is enough, even with all the cracks and uneven surfaces.

May you look up. Find the stars. Find the moon. Listen to the singing frogs. Look into the face of a child and rekindle your confidence to wander into your life. Take hold.

May you know that God brings you to a place of abundance each day. 

May you discover it and rejoice.

AMEN