Privileged....

There are many things that we do in a day at home. One of my favorites is sitting around reading really, really amazing stories. This morning we were reading from a book called "Out of Darkness", set in the time period of Ancient Rome. There is a young Jewish boy whose mother is very ill. He befriends a blind, Roman beggar boy, and together they begin to hear rumors of a man from Nazareth with the power to heal. Two of my favorite scenes from today's reading:

"You make me ashamed in so many ways-especially your laughing response to difficulties."

Amplias shrugged. "Light is a better response to darkness than are clouds, it seems to me. And laughter is a thing of light, isn't it?"

And the next:

(Amplias, the blind boy, speaks of an encounter with Jesus):

Amplias nodded his agreement. "We were small. No. We are small. That's perhaps the clearest sensation I recall of my moments here with the Nazarene. As I knelt before him I felt that although my eyes couldn't see him, my heart was looking into the face of all that has been, or is, or ever will be."

Wow. Two amazing thoughts for me today-light is always a better response to the darkness of this world. What a fantastic thought, that I can bring light through laughter into our world today with my children.

And the second. Well, there are hardly any words, but this is exactly what I felt yesterday. I was at a church meeting with some amazing women, and I was paired with a friend to pray. As we did, I felt as though we had entered into the very throne room of God. I felt as though I was there, in the presence of Jesus. The very presence of everything that has been, everything that is, and everything that ever will be. Because of the cross, I am able to bask in that presence. And that presence changes everything.

Today, I am just so privileged to be here, at home, enjoying Jesus with my kids.