When Life Looks Better Waterlogued

 One of my very favorite APPS 

on my phone is the Waterlogue photo app.

It takes my photos and changes them

 into a watercolor print.

 Where the lines are blurred and highlights 

appear that you miss in a regular photo.

 I thought about that in conversations 

with busy momma daughters this week.

 About feeling just overwhelmed on some days

 and the jobs are never-ending.

  Every thing you do has so many details

 and you wonder if you will ever come up

 for air in your life again.

And sometimes the weight of family life

 really does seem like it is resting 

on your shoulders to pull off 

in some sort of Hercules fashion.

It is really in THESE VERY BUSY,

 HURRIED, MESSY days

 that it is the greatest blessing

 to step back and count gifts.

To fill out that one gift for each day,

and drop the prayer heart things 

on the prayers by the month page.

For in that very releasing of the noticing breath,

the lines are blurred a bit around the edges, 

and the LIGHT shines through.

And in the years ahead, when you look back

 and try to remember this mommy life stage-

well, you really won't.

But, what gift-

 if the treasure stored up- 

are the reminders of His faithfulness.

Right in the daily 2 year old tantrums,

 smudged faces, and laundry piles.

Yes, maybe as life gets held and 

even if the edges are a bit blurry,

it looks a bit more like living grace everyday.

Thanks to Patricia Maier 
for her beautiful garden
 that was the Waterlogue gift.