Rejoice Always

I was talking with a wise woman tonight about appreciating the beauty of God’s creation, from the intricate detail of a flower to the grandeur of an icicle, and Jimmy came to mind.  He, like most kids, is in awe of, well, everything.  When he wakes up in the morning, he excitedly asks, “Is it TODAY??”  If we get a snowstorm, he wants to be out in the snow.  If we get a rainstorm, he wants to jump in the puddles.  If it’s sunny out, he wants to play in the sunshine.  He gapes over the moon, the sunset; whatever he sees is “bootiful” to him.  For probably about a year now, Jimmy has randomly announced that this is the “Best Day EVER!”  And he truly means it.  He loves to love.  He loves to live.  He throws the full force of his tiny body and big personality into everything he does, whether it’s jumping around the house, or grinning at me when I get him up in the morning, or following his sisters around, or talking nonstop to his Pappy  He is just a happy kid.  We got him a Duck Commander sweatshirt that reads Happy Happy Happy (Phil Robertson’s motto), and it makes me smile every time I see it, because it’s just so JIMMY.  Of course he has his daily meltdowns, of course he gets cranky and whiny…but I’m just so thankful that my son reminds me, on a minute to minute basis, to “Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16).   

A few weeks ago, the temperature snuck up into the 30’s and so I caved to Jimmy’s request that we go play outside.  After we bundled up and trudged onto the icy snowpack, Jimmy was thrilled when he realized they could go “sledding” without even needing sleds.  For the next hour, he proceeded to launch himself headfirst down every slight hill he could find, sliding down much like a penguin on his belly.  Then he climbed up a steep embankment and happily collapsed onto the snow next to me (once I breathlessly caught up with him a few minutes later – I was carrying Danny after all!).  There we were, lying on our backs on the ice, gazing up at the blue sky, and he exclaimed, “This is the best day EVER!” (or “eber” as he would say it).  Then he grabbed a chunk of ice and started contentedly chewing it.  Chomping away, he hefted it into the air and crowed, “It’s an ICEBURGER!” 

Oh, Jimmy.  Thanks for reminding me to find the beauty in everything, to seek joy and laughter even in the iciest of days.