Mercy Drops

Ah, I love the summer - pool visits, matinees, beach trips, lazy crafts afternoons.

Today, the children and I got our chores done early, then headed to the 10 a.m. free matinee at the local theater. We had a wonderful time and saw a movie we've never seen, then used free kid's meal coupons that they received for memorizing their monthly scriptures the entire school year and had lunch at Chick-fil-A before hitting the semi-annual Bath and Body Works sale.

We got home, changed clothes, and scooted over to a friend's house to enjoy her pool. Tons of my friends were there and the children had classmates to enjoy. It was glorious.

We headed home and, while I fired up the gas grill so I could cook our Bratwurst, they ran and took baths and showers (without being told, I might add). Then Daelyn set the table and Dane walked the dog. Dinner was ready just about the time Don made an appearance from work.

Last night, after our peaceful evening, I read quietly to Daelyn while Dane looked on. Tonight, however, Daelyn said he didn't feel like a book. Instead, he and Dane are sitting on the loveseat doing something - together - with no fussing, fighting or arguing.

The movie we saw today was "Evan Almighty". There was one objectionable scene (the main character's young son is telling his father about the genitalia of some type of duck and, as a friend mentioned to me at the pool, just in case you miss it the first time, they repeat it later) which was totally unnecessary, but, other than that, it was a wonderful movie. One of my favorite parts was when Evan's wife has taken the children and left her husband, thinking he's out of his mind. She stops at a Diner to eat and a news report about her husband is playing on the T.V. She hangs her head in shame when the waiter, whose nametag says "Al Mighty" and who is the actor who plays God in the movie, sits down next to her and encourages her to tell him her troubles.

He says, "What do you think happens when you pray for your family to get closer? Do you think God just magically makes it happen? Or does he give you situations in your life that force you to need each other, to depend on each other?" Obviously, this is paraphrased, because I don't remember his exact words, but it's very nearly what I just said. She goes back to her husband and the family does draw closer, as she prayed in the beginning of the movie.

I feel like that's what's happening to us this summer. Although we're only 1 1/2 weeks into our summer vacation, I feel more in love with my children, the house is getting put in order, and they're getting along better then they ever have. Maybe it's necessity or maybe they actually have less free time because we're staying very active. In any case, they're enjoying each other and I'm enjoying them, and the days are clicking by at a peaceful, I-don't-want-this-to-ever-end pace.

At the pool today, there was some thunder and soft rain fell lightly for a few minutes. Most of us drug our children out of the pool just to be careful, but I couldn't help but think how much it reminds me of God's drops of mercy. This Blog is entitled "Mercy Drops Falling" because I so often feel his mercy falling on me, like that soft rain from Heaven.

I hope his mercy will continue to fall all summer. That kind of rain is the best I can hope for.