{joy bomb}

I woke up on this particular morning only to smash-stomp down on two G.I. Joe men who had camped out on my bedside floor.  After my mumbling obscenities, all internally housed mind you, I stammered over to the not 1, but 3 laundry baskets full of tousled clean clothes in search for a hoodie sweatshirt. Mornings in our house of "we need to save money on our heat bill" are freakin' cold.  Whilst sifting for my favorite gray paint stained hoodie with the broken zipper {the one which I procured back in 1998 from my first year of teaching elementary school's end-of-the-school-year last chance at lost & found items}, I chided myself for not having a better toy management system implemented and running in our home.  Yes, much like visions of sugarplums dancing, amid my self rebuking, I envisioned the boys' toy room glossy and pressed into the pages of Pottery Barn Kids' magazine.  Yes, each boy had their signature color lounge chairs with their names crisply embroidered.  Ceiling to floor wall systems were in place complete with color coordinated buckets labeled in vinyl letters with each supply situated in its appropriate spot.  Toys were housed in huge willow & wicker baskets with chalk board name tags just so.  And, don't forget the rug and absolute out-of-your-Pinterest-world paint job.  For my visual readers, something like this.

Groveling in my pity of "I have no time, and that money should go towards our wonderful & quite hefty liberal arts private college loans instead", my eye caught a glimpse something atop my nightstand that most certainly did not belong.  Unbeknownst to me, I slept with a grenade 2 feet from my head.  I have no doubt it was Casey's doings.  He's into like shape grouping.  We worked on cylinders this particular week.  Guilty soldier.

Yes, my day was moving at a swift and remarkably happy pace thus far.  Ahem.  I fought back visions of a clean home sterile and void of all ridiculous noise making contraptions, Nerf guns, Hot Wheels cars, Legos under foot, and Army men too.  It wasn't until I was soundly through my 2nd full cup of coffee that my mindset was back to the quasi-stable camp of "They're 6 & 7 years old.  Deal with it, Meghan."

Every morning before we begin our school day, I have prayer time with each boy individually.  I keep a written journal of their verbal requests for prayer.  Once logged, I wrap my arms around them, and pray over them with the words from their heart.   

                     

The grenade 2 feet away from my head & all night long was a joy bomb just waiting to explode.  Rupturing goodness and eternity from this day forward.  Casey McGill asked Jesus Christ to live in his heart during our prayer time this morning.  Through our family devotions, prayer time together and involvement in church, the Lord had been working on this little guy.  Casey felt it.  He understood the sacrifice Jesus made, the reasons why and the commitment.  I had the pleasure of leading my emotionally charged little lefty to the Lord. 

My internally packed oldest, the quiet observer and resolute one, had Jesus on his heart well before his little brother.  His path to salvation had been walked for longer.  Footprints had been repeated back & forth and back & forth again in his mind.  Eli needed time. He needed the space to soak Jesus in.  His comprehension was secure in Jesus' love & sacrifice, but his heart needed to catch up with the cause.  Two days after his younger brother's act of obedience, Eli Garrett accepted Jesus' invitation for forever.  I had the privilege to lead my son to a life in Heaven and a commitment to forever walk in His ways.

We celebrated as a family.  Hugs & high fives.  Long talks about the responsibility and joy that now resides in their place on this Earth.  Kenny even made sure to contact our pastor for guidance on moving forward with our sons' commitment to Christ. Kenny and I rejoice and have committed to the work in strengthening and supporting their walk as His forever.  We know in the 6 & 7 years of their life on this Earth little adversity has been thrown their way.  We understand their walk as His child will be constantly tested.  But, we know their decision on these respective days are nothing short of a joy bomb.  Heaven gained our boys.

As a mother, it is guaranteed you will have asylum type moments of  CAP LOCKED $%&*# when the job before you is garbled and the look book of child rearing is taunting and unattainable too.  No Pottery Barn Kids' organization wall unit can house the live out of the love you have been blessed to give life to. I love how God so frequently reminds me of this with G.I. Joes underfoot.  I love how He moves in & out of our conscience and into our material world.  He ties & binds it all. He reminds us that the journey is not meant for neat & clean.  It's meant for more.  Of yourself.  Of others.  Of Him.  And, He knows just when to the pull the pin on the joy bomb of our hearts for His forever.  

{week 46: my 2 in 52}

.mac :)