Be Excited

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4 NIV

“Can I take the mice out of the cage so Grandma can hold them? Molly asked.

“I don’t think Grandma wants to hold them,” her mom Anne replied.

Molly’s bright blue eyes searched mine. “Why?”

“ I just don’t want to,” I said not wanting to go into my aversion to any kind of rodent. 

Her tiny hand stuck carrot shavings into the cage for the three fancy mice. That might have been their type but to me they were still just creepy critters. 

Molly enjoyed taking care of them. 

“Sunshine’s getting big. I think she is going to have a baby,” Molly announced with three year old authority. 

Before I could comment, she continued. “Don’t get excited. She might be eating too much.”

Anne and I laughed. I definitely wouldn’t be excited about having more mice but her remark made me think. 

Life is exciting to three year olds. Grownups often lose the ability to get excited. Life becomes mundane, tiring, and  stressful. Excitement is lost. 

For many months, I have written in a daily journal of thankfulness. Even in my darkest times, I have looked for excitement. Some days what I found was small but  took me out of my pain, if only briefly. Writing them down gave me hope and encouragement. 

My entries ranged from tiny to huge. Alligator swimming on the lake. Pink desert rose. Intricate spider web. Hug from a friend. Flowers from Alan. Piles of sympathy cards. Rain on the lake. Visit from a friend. My Bible. Turkeys in the yard. Pens. New bike. Tweeting birds. Prayers for me. 

No matter how bad the day might be, there is something to be thankful for and get excited about. 

Father, help us to be thankful and get excited even when life gets hard. Amen