Sometimes there is no one moment or clever analogy for me to share.

Sometimes it’s just a day spent in the company of people I love, and when I sit down to reflect on it, I realize that’s the story. It’s not a single thing, at all, but twenty-four hours worth of single moments, doing everyday things with my family who are very rarely all together in the same place at the same time.

Do you ever find yourself pulling out of a scene, mentally, and viewing it like a spectator? I found myself doing that all day, yesterday, like when I sent Lilli out the door with Maddie to “go work the horses,” for instance. Or when we met Kevin for lunch at the office and I watched him, in his business suit, carrying Brody down the streets of downtown Fort Worth. Or when Emmie and I chatted about life in the car, with the kids snoozing in the backseat, and, later, when I read “Green Eggs and Ham” to Lilli for the first time, and she laughed and laughed at the crazy rhymes and said, “I love you, Mimmie. You’re so funny!”

As I stood back to view it all, I saw love, pure and simple. Deep, exceeding love, in the form of great blessing. These people of mine (yours truly, included) are far from perfect, but we all have come through this life together. We have a shared history that comes into play when we share the same space; private jokes and family quirks. We laugh and relax, and it feels complete.

For the last week, or so, I’ve been humming a children’s song over and over, which, truthfully, has really been driving me crazy. But I smile, now, as I hum it, because it’s exactly the right song for the moment…this moment, for this day.

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands…

There’s only one appropriate response, now.

Standing, raucous applause!

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above…” James 1:17 ESV

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV