First Tuesday in Advent

Every night, as I put my two children to bed, they ask if we can read a story. We do, sometimes more than one, and then I turn out the lights and remind them that it’s time to sleep.

But, sometimes, one or the both of them just want one more story.

Now, I am overjoyed that I am raising children who love to read, but it is sometimes the case that I am just so dang tired at the end of a long day that one more book, or one more story, is just too much.

The other night was one such night.

But Baby Boy? He just wasn’t having it. He was insistent on reading his book once more. And so, he crawled under Little Man’s bed (it’s a loft style) with his book and his flashlight, and he “read” his book through. Once he was done, he was satisfied, crawled into bed and fell asleep.

There was something amazing about watching him deliberately shine the light on each page, face intent on the images and the words that he found. He was finding something in that book, more than the story that was presented. He was finding the simple joy of reading, of opening up your mind to imagination, wonder and awe.

It was, indeed, a holy moment.

Awe works within you, opening your heart and mind to the wonders of the world, of God’s workings, of creation, of all that is amazing and right and good. The more you experience awe, the more you are open to experiencing it. It’s self perpetuating, awe begets awe.

And so I was, and am, reminded to always make space for awe, even when I’m tired at the end of a long day, that it may rest in me, allow me to see more awe-filled sights in the world, sights of all that God has done and is doing.