As we found ourselves a nice table by the window overlooking "da big wa-der" (read: the river) an older gentleman stopped me and asked how old Newbie was. I told him he would be turning two on Saturday, and the man's eyes just gleamed as a smile spread across his face.
He went on to tell us that he was 90 years old (90!) and that he adores children. When a 90 year old gentleman stops you at a local restaurant and starts to talk, you listen because my friends, the ones who have been here the longest are the wise ones. Newbie seemed to pick up on this knowledge, because as I shifted him on my hip, he snuggled his little head into my shoulder and quietly listened to the man's voice.
The gentleman shared a treasure of a story with us, beginning by telling us that his daughter goes to a co-op where the adults swap goods and wares, but the children all play together in a little corner of the large room. "They just put all the kids there together, and that's what the children do: they play! Those little guys just laugh and smile and run around and play with one another- happy as can be. That's what we forget. We forget how to play. I'm 90 years old, and there's nothing more delightful than watching children play. That's what its all about."
He smiled at Newbie as he spoke, and then he said something I'll never, ever forget: "You have a gold mine there, in that little guy. He is just a gold mine." The Hubs and I smiled back at him, knowing he was right.
When he said that watching children play is "what its all about," I know what he meant. He was telling us to make each moment count because you can't get these days back. These are our Jubilee days- these days with our children are ones filled with blessing and joy. He is 90 years old and has surely seen a lot of life. I'm so glad he stopped to share his wisdom and heart with us today. Children are such a gift, and Newbie is a gold mine of joy sitting right in our laps.
For the rest of the day, I held my tiny gold mine a little tighter, laughed a little harder, and played a little longer.
I want to gather in all of the richness his little heart as to offer this life because I know all too well now what a miracle and a gift he is. As the gentleman wished us well and left this morning, I was caught up in my thoughts while the Hubs whispered with Newbie across the table about crayons and pancakes.
The gentleman couldn't have known about Jubilee- that he was speaking to a momma who had lost one little girl and was preparing to lose another. He couldn't have known of the depth of our understanding of what it means to really drink in of the blessings God has given us- to really embrace today because moments are all we have, and the richest of moments are the ones when we allow joy to wash over us, consume us, radiate within us no matter the circumstance.
He couldn't have known, but I was oh, so very grateful for the reminder: "You have a gold mine there, in that little guy." Because sometimes there's the temptation to get caught up in tomorrow. In the hard days ahead and in the wondering and mourning and hoping. I know its OK to cry- homegirl has been there a thousand and one times in the past several months- but I also know that if I get caught up in the tomorrows, I'm going to miss the today. I don't want to miss today. I don't want to miss a second with the gold mine in front of me or the gold mine within me. Today is all we have. Its absolutely all we've got. I want to drink in my two lovies down to the very last drop every moment of every day so I can look back at the end of today and know that we had life to the full.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroyy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10
Each step of this road, I am leaning on Jesus to protect us from the thief that comes only to steal and kill and destroy the moments we have- and the joy we find in those moments. Moments and today- they are all we have with our sweet Jubilee. And the thought of tomorrow is so much a thief of today.
Each step of this road, I am leaning on Jesus to pull us through and give us life to the full every moment of every day. I want Jesus' life in each second I have with Jubilee. I want His joy, I want His light, I want His love saturating every ounce of gold in these mines because that is why He came- that we may have life and have it to the full- no matter what looms over tomorrow.
And the best news about those unknown tomorrows?
His joy, His light, His love- they promise to fill tomorrow with hope and life.
And so I ask Him to overwhelm the days I am blessed to spend reveling in these gold mines with the fullness of His life. I thank Him for the gold mine He gave us two years ago, the one that was ours to enjoy for ten weeks this summer, and for the one He has given us to enjoy today. And I praise Him that because He came to give us life to the full, out of His glorious riches and grace, no matter how many hard tomorrows we weather, there will come a day when all our tomorrows are spent together- at Home with Him, and them- and the fullest, most richest of moments will all run together in His glory for ever and ever. Amen!
Gold Mine #1: Pizza chef and master ice cream cone eater...
Where are your gold mines? What or who are the blessings God has given you that you can embrace today and from which you can drink deeply of His joy? He came that we may have life and have it to the full...
Let's start mining, shall we?
The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy -Psalm 126:3
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