My favorite 15 minutes each day

On the hardest days, with multiple young children hanging from the hem of our shirts, it's hard to see them, but they're there;  Glory-filled, Splendor-drenched Holy-moments of pure good.  

It was a miserable trip to the grocery store, the day everything fell apart.  It was my own fault really, the boys needed a quiet evening at home, but we were out of toilet paper and milk with my husband on a business trip.  So I loaded them up, 2, 4, & 6 at the time, and drove them into town.  From the moment they hit the florescent lit linoleum, it was chaos.  I'm talking flailing and running and yelling and gnashing of teeth!

When I rounded their little bodies up and headed to the check-out lane I grabbed three apple juice boxes and set them down on the cool floor while I checked out.  And as I paid the boys calmed, sipping their way to happy.  And they giggled and told knock-knock jokes.

The clerk and the bagger smiled and winked, and I smiled too.  The kind of smile that goes down deep and waters parched souls.  And then, as suddenly as the beauty rushed in, it came to a stop.  Whack!  One boy hit anther, the third spilled the rest of his drink down the front of his shirt, and all three were crying.  I put my change back into my wallet, shrugged, and called over the noise, "We've got 12 minutes and 50 seconds left."  Then I explained, "You see, each hard day holds 15 brilliant minutes, and they've only had 2 minutes and 10 seconds worth so far.  Which means I'd better be on the lookout for the rest of them when we get home."

I may not have it all figured out, truth be told I'm a desperate work in progress, but we all have glimpses of glory.  Most of mine are hidden within the mundane moments of life, unearthed as I journey through with my children, my husband and my God.

So here's to 15 minutes with your family today.  Search them out and hold them tight. Celebrate them loud and then look eagerly for more.  Because there are more, so many more.  More than 15 minutes, you know it's true and so do I. But if you're in a challenging season right now, start by claiming the handful you can find as the gifts they are.

Gifts sent down, just for you, from the Father of lights.

All gathered together, they are my Favorite 15 Minutes Each Day.

No one is good except God, and nothing is good in our lives, except that which comes down from Him. But sometimes He hides them away, and so all His promises of good feel far off. But they are near because He is near, and only God is good.

"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.

Mark 10:18

Every good and perfect gift is from the Lord, coming down from the Father of lights.

James 1:17