Laughing with the Lord #4

Welcome to #4 of Laughing with the Lord!

Wondering what makes God smile has long been a burning question for me. I know He smiles and laughs because He gave us the same abilities and imbued each of us with a sense of humor. Why wouldn't He join us?

When I raised my children I was too busy and tired to even wonder about it. But now that I'm older, wiser, and the grandmother of one lovely granddaughter and five handsome grandsons, I've witnessed time and again many things that surely make our Lord smile. Here are a few:

1.)   I'm convinced God smiles when His children appreciate the beauty of the world He created for us.

2.)   When Dustin, my oldest grandchild, was just a little guy--maybe a year old or so--we were at a restaurant and my daughter put a lemon slice up to his lips. He obliged her and chomped down. You can imagine the look on his face as he, for the first time in his young life, experienced what is probably the sourest taste on earth. We, of course, being the loving people we are, laughed until our sides ached. Hunter, her second child came along a short while later. Dennae did it again, and while Hunter shuddered at the first taste, he loved it! From then on, we made sure to ask for a slice of lemon with our water so Hunter could munch to his heart's content. Surely God smiled at the reactions of both boys. The Lord knows lemons are sour, and sooner or later everyone has to take that first taste. Nobody was hurt, nobody cried, and we were able to witness those precious first experiences.


3.)  ... when He watches little boys (or girls) pick dandelions-gone-to-seed and then blow their seeds all over the place ensuring their existence the following spring (and keeping Round-Up in business).

4.)  He loves it every time a child brings Mom that inevitable bouquet of the bright yellow flowers, and sees that both mom and child are as pleased as if it were a bunch of the most expensive orchids.                          

5.)  I believe He smiles each time children find such pleasure playing in the same material He used to create Man.

6.)  I believe our Father grins each time he sees a child experience snow for the first time, watches the wonder on his or her face as they feel how cold it is and how it covers everything, making their yard and neighborhood a magical world of white. If they're lucky, it's good packing snow, and they can make snowmen, igloos, snow forts and snowballs. Surely God is pleased.

And if He sees you standing on a glacier, thrilled to have made the hike and to have conquered the vast pile of snow and ice, He chuckles.

Until the next time ...

Blessing upon blessing...

Few things are as exciting as the birth of a child, and when that baby is your grandson, it’s doubly thrilling. I arrived in Detroit, Michigan, from Anchorage, Alaska, early on the evening of Thursday, May 26th. After a joyous reunion with my son, Derek, my very pregnant daughter-in-law, Renee, and my 3-year-old grandson, Tyler, we settled in to wait for the arrival of their second son (and my fifth grandson).

Adam Dennis Gordon was born on Tuesday, June 1st, at 9:16 p.m. He weighed nine pounds, six ounces, and was a whopping 22 inches long! Although mom was in labor for close to nine hours, he gave her little trouble once he got down to business. As you might imagine, he’s beautiful. He arrived sporting a full head of dark hair (just as Tyler did) and was perfect in every way. He passed all his tests with flying colors and was on his way home by Friday.

Since he’s been home, I’ve taken every opportunity to cuddle, kiss, love, and hug him, as well as exclaim over, encourage, praise, and explain things about life, the rest of his family, and Grandma to him. He’s been remarkably receptive and has very politely limited his inattention to a few instances of nodding off completely or screaming his lungs out for a meal. I can’t blame him for either. I don’t suppose I’m the most interesting conversationalist in the world (particularly in the still-working-on-focusing-eyes of a six-day-old baby) and hearing how incredibly perfect one is might become tiring after a time. Nevertheless, I keep on telling him. I comfort myself by believing he’ll miss my jabberings when I’m gone.

I’ll be returning to Alaska on Friday, June 10th, completing a visit that allowed me to be at the birth of my new grandson, spend time with my slightly-less-new one, Tyler, and their parents, Derek and Renee, as well as my dad, sister and brother-in-law, nephew, and brother, and two dear friends. Once I get home, I’ll settle in to await the birth of my sixth grandchild in Alaska this coming October!

Life is good. God is good. Thank You, Lord, for granting me travel mercies, for bringing my grandson safely into this world, and for keeping all of us in the palm of Your mighty hand. With You, all is possible; without You, nothing is. Help me to remember that and to praise Your name always.

Until the next time…