Joy Riding

Without question the high point of my day today was riding in the front of the boat with Zachary on our way to Picnic Island.  

The trip itself is a joyful ritual, first initiated by Ken's Mom and passed on now to our grandkids. It involves crazy amounts of ice cream, eaten on the benches outside, in a race with the summer sun's attempts to crown you the messiest kid ever.     And today the ice cream did not disappoint. 

It was the ride in, though, that brought me the best fun.   Watching Zachary's excitement in riding the waves - pronounced by him in two syllables "wave-ez" - it was sheer, unbridled joy, and it was electric.  

His face was wild with his wide-mouthed tooth-gapped smile even as the boat picked up speed.  And every time, Every Time we approached the wake of another boat,  he would squeal in anticipation, hold on to the rope with all the might of his newly six year old self, and ride those waves like they were the best thing at the CNE. 

And if the waves had been particularly significant,  he would watch them roll off to the side and declare with breathless respect,  "That was amazsching!"

And for the whole way there and the whole way back, it never got old.  Not for him.  Not for me. 

It occurs to me that for this reason and oh so many others,  God has sent this incredible little person to the planet, at least in part, to infuse my soul with joy.   I dare anyone to ride alongside this nautical cowboy and not get a good dousing of the stuff.  And God knows I need it. 

My personality is not naturally joyful.  It's not. My kindergarten report card stated, "Ruth Anne takes life too seriously."  True thing. 

Whatever joy radiates from me has been generously and graciously provided to me by God through other conduits, like Zachary. I am quite sure this is why I find myself often and providentialy in the spillover zone of another's joy, laughing out loud, feeling the spiritual energy, and knowing I am receiving a great gift. 

So tonight I am pondering again all the joys of my life.

 They are many.  I am blessed.  And the joy of the Lord is my strength, yes He is.  

Riding the joy waves this summer.

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