After dinner tonight, I loaded all five kids into the van and set off to pick blueberries while Tim was busy soldering copper pipe.  I’d never done berry picking of any kind before, and the thought of doing something new, on my own, with little ones in tow was, honestly, a bit intimidating.  But, I wanted berries and picking our own was going to be a much better deal, so I was determined that, somehow, it would happen.  I was prepared for a sweaty, buggy, arguing-and-complaining-children-the-whole-time couple of hours.

What I got was simply God’s lavish grace.

The weather was perfect…70 degrees, no bugs, a cool breeze.  My children were unbelievably well behaved.  One even exclaimed, “this is the most fun I have ever had in my entire life!”.  They were having fun…and not in a wild, disobedient, loud kind of way, but in a productive, conscientious, calm kind of way.  I never once wanted to scream or pull my hair out.  In fact, when we had finished our first eight quarts, we were all game for getting another four quarts picked before closing time.  Everyone worked hard…even Ava sat [mostly] contentedly in her stroller for 2 hours (!).  I had a few moments of wondering when my luck was going to run out, but more than a few moments of being overwhelmed with thankfulness.

I need reminders sometimes, you know?  Reminders that things can go even better than expected.  Reminders that my kids really are blessings.  Reminders that God cares enough to bless me at times when I don’t deserve it, but need it most.  I miss the good in a lot of things.  It is rare for me to come away from any situation without seeing something that could have gone better.  But driving home tonight, all I could see was the goodness of God poured out to me.  Words can’t express my amazement at even this finite glimpse I get of all that He is.  He is glorious and gracious and loving and so much more and better than I could ever hope to describe.

And I get to spend eternity with Him.