Life Is Beautiful

It's a night I'll treasure always:
one of those magical nights that you can't plan,
can't orchestrate,
can't will into being.

It didn't really start out as such.
After leaving the children's Christmas program at church,
we decided to drive around for our annual viewing of Christmas lights.
And honestly, I was bummed,
as our two older boys had D-(iscipleship) group that night,
so it was just gonna be my husband, youngest son, and me.

These moments seem to come more and more frequently.
My expectations being high,
my inordinate love of tradition preceding all,
my resistance to change bucking like a bronco.
"This isn't the way it was supposed to be," my heart cries.

Our youngest son delights in being the DJ as we drive around.
Luke's preference in music is just like him---
it's fun and energetic with techno vibes.  :)
While I like a lot of it,
I often found myself admonishing him during the Christmas season to play more traditional sounds.
This was especially true as we viewed the Christmas displays that cold December night.

Soon, a familiar sound filled the van.
I turned to stare out the window as the tears filled my eyes and sobs racked my body.
For my Luke, our "feeler,"
prepared a playlist just for his mom.
It was as if he knew exactly what was on my heart and mind.
Ringing through the van were the lyrics to one of my most favorite songs ever---
one that moves me to tears
every. single. time.

And God used our son to remind me that
the sweet, the bitter,
the hellos, the goodbyes,
the gains, the losses,
the routine, the change,
the ordinary, the extraordinary---
all of it is a gift---a tool---in the
hands of a loving Father.
And life is beautiful
because the Author of life is beautiful.