I’ve been contemplating the phrase “rejoice in the Lord alway” lately. I’m not sure why it’s taken me until my first 39th year anniversary to understand that I am to do this in both the good and the hard times. We jauntily sing the children’s Sunday school song when all are happy and willing to praise the Lord and believe, not incorrectly, that we are rejoicing right at that moment because we are singing. 

But what about the times when we’re not singing? What about the moments when we aren’t even happy? What about during the hard times? Do we rejoice in the Lord then? It’s not a wonder why the apostle Paul repeated the imperative: again I say, rejoice. Why would he need to reiterate the command? I’ll tell you why. Because of me. 

Because I needed to ruminate on rejoicing, even when I didn’t feel like rejoicing. I  admonish and encourage my children to do all to the glory of God but often don’t equate that I should be rejoicing in all that I do, as well. All too often I adopt what I think is a self-righteous attitude, “I’m the mom, I’m right”, but never are you more wrong than when you think you are right! Raising children certainly has difficult moments, but it’s my responsibility to model the outcome we, as parents, are striving for and the apostle knew that rejoicing in all things would not only bring glory to God but also change the mindset. The thing about rejoicing is that it takes your inward-focused thoughts and turns them into outward-focused praise. 

There definitely have been reasons to praise the Lord recently, not the least of which was the safe return of Jake (and Isaac) from Florida. No one told me a mother’s heart beats for her children long after they are grown and gone and stupidly I was surprised by how Jake’s absence affected me. With him back for the summer, we no longer fit around our kitchen table and if the whole family goes out, we have to take the Monster and the chatter has gone up tenfold and the laundry is backed up by one more kid jumping the line and I wouldn’t have it any other way. When I need to account for all my children and their whereabouts, it’s easier to keep track of the NH Jake than the FL Jake, even if NH Jake is out with friends more than he is hangin’ at home. 

The girls participated in a fiddle workshop last week and were allowed to join the artists in their evening concert. Though this was an amazing opportunity for them, and though Danny and I got to sit in the audience during the concert and watch our girls fiddle, my favorite part of the entire evening was the ride home.

No, not because it was 10:30 p.m. and we were finally returning, but because of the way the girls’ enthusiasm and love for their craft caused them to bubble over with exclamations about the evening and the giggles were plentiful. It was infectious, joyous, and so wonderful to hear them gush about their performance, discussing how nervous they were backstage or when they thought they made a mistake or arguing over whether or not they were supposed to bow (only the principal is supposed to bow on behalf of the whole orchestra) and how badly they felt for the girl who dropped her cello bow partway through and now a love of fiddle music is burgeoning in their hearts. Listening to the girls bond over a shared love of music during the ride home on a dazzling moonlit night was especially precious and I’m holding on to that memory with both halves of my brain for as long as possible. 

It’s easy to rejoice in the Lord for giving these talents to our children and providing safe passage to brothers making a long journey home and for the health and well-being of our family and the warm weather that has finally arrived (for good, I hope) and a multitude of other small and big things.  However, when times are rougher, that shouldn’t stop me from continuing in my praise to Jesus, “Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.” (Psalm 63:7) 

“…rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Roman 5: 2-5