awake my soul {a repost from the archives}

{An edited repost from the archives... I needed this reminder again today!}

His grey-blue eyes shine.  I can see white flecks like stars.  His dark eyebrows are glued to his hairline in surprise.  His grin glows with delight.  He lets out a whoop.  

“MOM!  GUESS HOW THIS AIRPLANE FLEW!”  

He demonstrates with his fingers squashed together, palms flat, hands turning and scooping in vehement twisty motions.  

The flight of his paper airplane.  

He can’t stop smiling.  

When was the last time something as simple as a paper airplane inspired that kind of intense delight in me?

And you know what?  I would’ve missed it.  I was almost too engrossed in checking email, right next to all that joy, and I almost missed the moment.  

It was a song that saved me.  I indulged in some new music recently, thanks to a miraculously fast internet connection that has suddenly materialized at our house… (Thank you, Lord!!)  

So, Shaun Groves’ song “Awake My Soul” was just playing on my iPod ten minutes ago while I scrubbed potatoes.  

Awake my soul 

to live this moment

Awake my soul, 

give thanks and hold it dear now

God is here now

Awake my soul

On his next throw, Will's airplane lands on my back.  He goes into stitches of laughter.  

I let go of my keyboard, look over my shoulder, make eye contact with Will, and dissolve into fits of giggles with him.  The airplane is in the shape of an eagle, and we laugh that “there’s an eagle on my back!”  

And because I’m in the moment, that “wings like eagles” verse pops into my mind as I spark squinty laughing eyes with my four-year-old.  Is there anything more exhilarating than laughing, locked in eye contact with a child, about a secret joke?  All the thrill and mystery of childhood is in his eyes, and when mine meet his, some electric current infuses his sparkling joy into my soul.

Not to be outdone, Ben climbs on my back, wraps his little arms around my neck, and grins delight into my ear as we rock back and forth.  Soon all three of us are a laughing, giggling pile on the couch, me choking from Ben’s death grip around my neck, drinking in his sweet, sweaty smell, caught up in sudden sheer delight that these two amazing, joyful little people are my sons.  

And this was supposed to be just a brief email check before returning to the “real business” of the day - making potato salad, laundry, vacuuming, etc. 

But I wonder…

What other delights are in store today, moment by moment, if my soul stays awake?

*****

{Click here to see Shaun Groves perform "Awake My Soul" in concert.}