FOR HIS GLORY: Fathers Day and JOY

Well, I was going to write about Fathers Day, like six hours ago when I started writing this...."There are no words for how precious a Father is to a child, boy or girl...doesn't matter...he is the first image children have of their heavenly Father." And then it happened, interruptions and life. And now I'm tired, exhausted really. My children are BUSY. (A phone just rang in my house that I have never heard before its either Brett's new tablet or he left his phone and changed his ring tone or....). Ok, where was it. Oh ya, busy...well they keep me busy. Today we had fun, I gave them free rein of the hose! They loved every minute of it and no I didn't get any pictures because then I would get soaked, they have no mercy! They took turns soaking each other, which is wonderful!
This past week I have been trying hard to land in a place of peace and patience and JOY (I know, you are never suppose to pray for it...BUT I DO!) Mostly JOY despite my circumstances. I'm reading "Choosing Joy" by Angela Thomas (She is wonderful, I got to meet her at Hearts at Home this past March, see picture...don't look at me, look at Angela and oh you must hear her speak, love love love her!!!!). Anyways...those "fruits of the spirit" are tough for me. (There is an annoying fly, flying around me...so I tried to get the cats to come in and get it, but they won't come because they are too busy chasing fire flies...see what I live with!) (I think I have ADD). Today I just decided that its a choice, it is, I wish it was more than that, but I don't think it is. And its hard especially if you battle depression or anxiety or addiction etc, its hard to make the choice to "let go and let God." But TODAY (no, not every day...clearly, have you been to my house? Its crazy! But I love it). I made the choice to relax. I prayed for God to show me what he sees. As I read with my tired baby girl (she is trying so hard to hit two hours a week for the Library reading program) I sat her on my lap and stroked her hair as she sounded out each word. And I cheered her on when she reread the sentence "the fast way." I love watching her face light up when she gets excited to have accomplished a book (or another 20 min of reading time). I saw the JOY in my son's face when he lined up every one of his lego guys he could find and made a parade (out of legos, no easy feat) for them to watch and then asked ME to take a picture and send it to Lego Magazine! I always have joy when I hear my children playing well together and when Kenenisa's siblings make him belly laugh...there is almost nothing more grand! Or when Silas speaks a whole sentence and I understand him (and Kenenisa doesn't feel the need to translate it for me), I tell him I'm so proud of him using his Dona Words (that is his speech therapist), I give him a high five and his face lights up...that is JOY! I wonder if that is what God sees, or does he see something deeper, something more significant that I miss. Nevertheless (although I would love to know), it makes my days more enjoyable. These days truly are the longest, and the years the shortest.