Muddy and Joyful

The day has been going at a steady pace.  Early afternoon I got some news that made my stomach feel sick. It was something simple, something that wasnt life threatening, but just enough to make me feel that I was going to have a horrible rest of the day.  I looked outside and it was raining, I felt hollow in my soul, just sad.  I cried, and I wasnt even sure why.  It was so silly and all day as I read about joy in books I refused to really allow it to come to surface in my house.   I stepped out on our back deck in the rain to help my son with his bicycle.  I felt the rain hit my arms and face and it was soothing.  I stood inside and I felt God saying

"Just go.  Just go and run through the puddles with your children. Relax." 

I grabbed my two boys and we ran, along with one of their friends and we jumped in every puddle.  Even the most shallow ones they were so excited to see what kind of splash it would make. The sound was renewing joy for me today.  It was such a simple, carefree moment.  I grabbed my camera, which is now caked in dirt, and batteries recharging.  We found mud....and it went flying from our hands. Laughter echoed over our quiet street..

 One man out in the parking lot seen us as we headed back inside and said "I seen the boys and I was like 'Their mother is going to be sooo angry with them when she see's them'..then you came around the corner!" 

And the mud even though has turned my bathtub black, my walls no longer spotless, and my floors no longer freshly mopped, it cleansed my soul.   When I almost allowed stress, anxiety and  anger to fill my body, God showed me joy and child like happiness at the perfect time, and I thank Him.