Mundane into Marvelous Monday

     Just another monday?  Not on your life.  It sure looked that way at the outset for my youngest child--the closed golf course  on mondays (a trial and tribulation for my boys); the out-of-town older brothers (another enormous sorrow for our 11 year old son);  the too quiet house as only the ancient parents and the 17 year old sister are home right now; the chores to be done; the neighborhood buddies out of town; most of the remaining buddies also out of town; the broken fishing pole (yet another trial and tribulation).  My perspective for the day resembled my 11 year old's: chores, chores, and more chores; most everyone I know is either on vacation or going on vacation--uhh, except us; a hot, steamy day that makes you feel like a sluggard, but with too much to do to actually enjoy being a sluggard.
     As I labored over an incredible homemade breakfast for the children of cereal and banana money (sliced bananas--it's all in the name), our 11 year old son announced he would cut the grass in the front yard.  Now bear in mind he has just recently taken over the front yard duties from our 15 year old son (who still cuts the rather large and unruly backyard).  So, we have a rule that when he cuts the front yard, my husband or I go out and walk beside him for safety's sake.
     Peter (the son), Moses (the dog), and yours truly(the mom) trooped out to the front yard.  Moses is old and decrepit, but he couldn't bear to be left inside when all that action was occurring outside, so out we all went.  As I walked alongside our professional yard service boy, a huge mug of hot tea warming my hands,  I watched Moses watching Peter... and suddenly, in a moment,  everything changed.  It was if God instantly gave me new, redeemed eyes to truly witness and enjoy the wonder of the moment.  I ran inside for a camera and took this spectacular (okay, really mediocre) picture.
     "Don't miss it," the Lord seemed to whisper to me.  You won't always have an 11 year old pushing intently on a lawn mower while periodically turning and smiling at Moses (and me).  A beautiful morning, a precious child, a sweet old dog, a gift of time--unhurried on a bright summer morning in June.  Does it get any better than this?  I recalled with shame my discontentment only minutes earlier when I had complained that we weren't going anywhere for a vacation.  And here, right in front of my face, literally right in my own front yard, was joy and meaning and contentment.
     I had, once again, been "surprised by joy,"by the God of the universe,  to borrow a phrase from C.S. Lewis.  You know: those sudden moments of sublime joy that seem to come out of nowhere--a smell, a song, a book, a fiercely blue sky, a dear friendship--all those little moments that, unexpectedly and instantly,  burst onto your heart with joy and gratitude?   Those times when you abruptly and momentarily recognize the beauty and transience and wonder of that little pinprick of time--and oftentimes it's right in the midst of  such a small, seemingly routine circumstance of life.
     After mowing the grass, we went on to pick some of our tomatoes.  Another small--well, actually, for us, not so small!--miracle was that the tomatoes we had planted as tiny, delicate, unpromising little plants had blossomed into actual, official looking tomato plants!  With actual tomatoes!  Unbelievable!  Of course, I had to record for posterity our incredible haul on this marvelous monday:

 (I should add that these are supposed to be mini tomatoes lest you mistakenly assume we grew pathetically small tomatoes by accident.  O noooo. Martha Stewart would be impressed.)  
     My life is full of many such small moments.  I'm betting yours might be as well.  But how much we miss when we are waiting for the "big" moments, the "big" vacations, the "big" house, the "big" accomplishment, the "big" child, the "big" experience.  When we focus upon and wait for the big and impressive and important, we miss the small.  And so often God surprises us with the greatest measure of joy and contentment in the small and the insignificant.  A baby who would save his people from slavery--floating in a basket down the Nile River.  An insignificant shepherd boy--defying and killing a blood thirsty giant.  A prisoner listening to some dreams by his fellow prisoners--rising to 2nd in command in the land and ultimately saving his people from starvation. A helpless infant born in a squalid stable--God in flesh growing to one day save the world.
     Moms, carpenters, shepherds, slaves, children,  fishermen, farmers, tax gatherers--just to name of few of the "small," everyday kinds of people the Lord blessed and used in mighty ways for His purposes and to His glory.  I've said it before, but how I love Zechariah 4:10--"Who despises the day of small things?  Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel."  God never despises the small--in fact, He especially loves and glories in the small.
      Thank You Lord for marvelous mondays and for those sudden moments when You surprise us with joy in the simple, the everyday, the regular, and the small.  Might we give praise to You, the  Author and Creator of all our moments--both challenging and joyful, large and small.  Thank You for summer days and for the perspective to appreciate these never to be repeated moments.  Help us daily to recognize even in the small and most mundane of moments, how truly good and great You are.  To God be the glory.