Simple Joys As Our Teachers

Sometimes it is the simplest joys that bring life to a difficult season and hope in the midst of a diagnosis. In the early days of looking for answers for our oldest daughter, we noticed that she came alive whenever she was outside. Doctor visits and scary symptoms disappeared as her eyes lit up and she explored the world around her. We began spending more time outside as a family and watched her flourish and gain strength. Fast forward to today and not much has changed. :) 

With the unseasonably warm temperatures that we have been experiencing the last couple of weeks, our family has been soaking up every opportunity to be outside. As I have watched our kiddos riding their bicycles, picking flowers, kicking the soccer ball, rolling down grassy hills, and raking through the leaves, it takes me back to my own childhood.

When I was a little girl, I used to play outside every day when the weather was clear (and sometimes when it rained, too). Creation was my playground, and on it, I learned so much about the Creator. Tender wildflowers knew no zipcode and brought color and life to my heart. Digging through the dirt and knowing that it supplied nutrients to the plants and trees taught me about the careful order of created things. Each part relies on another. And the trees! Climbing magnolia trees, some of the best trees for climbing really high, and feeling their strength and finding comfort in their arms taught me to reach higher and rest in the bigness of the One who made them.

Looking back on my childhood, even times when I may have felt sad or insecure, I ultimately felt happy and safe knowing that I lived in a world that was created for good and that when it was created, it was said to be good. God’s thoughtfulness and intentionality to make the world a beautiful place full of living things that showed His tenderness, His strength, and His love for us was one of my greatest teachers. All around me I saw His fingerprints. His goodness.

As I parent our two daughters, I want to expose them to as much time playing in God’s world as possible. My prayer is that each time our girls step outside, they will see more of who God is and the beauty that He creates. Themselves included. His fingerprints are all over them too.

Next time you are feeling overwhelmed by a diagnosis (or the search for a diagnosis), take your kiddos on a walk or a hike, a picnic in the sunshine, or a trip to your local nursery to choose some flowers to plant together. Awakening the senses to the incredible world around us is one of the most powerful ways to bring joy into everyday life.

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
Psalm 24:1