Joy in the Morning

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:4-5

Some days the simplest things can bring the greatest joy and other days a complete and perfect effort seems wasted. We have been spending time with my Mom, enjoying the ocean near by and helping her around the house with chores great and small. The other night, as the air was cooling, she and I spent time weeding her flower garden. The light was gentle and the breeze was pleasant. We chatted about unimportant things, laughing about the strength of weeds and the comparative weakness of the flowers. Yesterday morning we planted some new flower plants before the sun got too high, and this morning we tried to spread the mulch before the heat came on strong. Sweaty and damp, the job done, my mother's joy was real and complete. Despite the challenges of our lives together and our communal gardening efforts, joy does comes in the morning. Despite the heat and the challenges of age and relationship, there is nothing like bringing a smile to my mother's face. She can look out the window now, every morning and enjoy her garden growing, with noe weeds in site - at least for a time.

Today, I want to remember that our fears and worries have short lives, and trust God to bring joy despite the challenges we face. The anxieties and pains that keep us awake are burned up by real love and real life lived in relationship to God and with one another. These days are short, despite the length of day in summer, and I pray that I have the courage and faith to enjoy every bit of our shared lives, knowing that even in challenges the love we share is a blessing, every morning.