Joy is building a fort and living in it with two crazy kids.
Joy is playing soccer with people I can barely understand but would gladly call friends.
Joy is the look on the kid's face when he realized someone had bought him a birthday cake.
Joy is turning some of the kids into Superman before they go to bed.
Joy is how badly one of the kids wants a massage only to collapse into a laughing heap the instant I touch him.
Joy is standing in the roiling night mist, just loving everything.
Joy is helping a kid dig a path for a tiny stream of water and then building a dam.
Joy is finally, finally, finally having actual conversations with people here.
Joy is watching how the kids hold the babies and toddlers.
Joy is hugs, hugs, hugs and more hugs.
Joy is how the kids show you love in the morning even if you were their worst enemy as you punished them the night before.
Joy is just sitting with them as they go to sleep, talking about life and God and our favorite animals.
This is joy. Praise God.
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Honey, please consider the word "discipline" in place of "punish?" The root of "discipline" is "disciple..." That's what you're striving for...to disciple...not punish! Or at least that's what I was always telling myself when I had to "punish" you!!! :0)
ReplyDeleteJoy is reading the ROH blog & hearing about the wonderful ministry going on there!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Denise Harlow (Lauren Harlow's mom)
Dear (Lauren Harlow's mom): You've been so good about posting and stuff that we'd all know who you are even if you only wrote DH. Ok actually that might be confusing, but Denise is good! Just thought I'd spare you you the trauma of having to write that you are Lauren Harlow's mom every time you post. You know...not because it's traumatic being her mom but because those parentheses buttons are really far away and you could injure yourself trying to reach for them so often.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for all your support on the blog!
Also, (Emily Tuttle's mom) and (Ashley's mom) this goes for you too!...unless you really love those parentheses.
Joy is reading this blog? Yes, I think so. Gracias, Mateo
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