A JOY-filled Afternoon

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Yesterday I took my youngest two kiddos to visit my Great Uncle George at his nursing home. We went with my mom to an End of the Summer cook-out. We could only bring 2 of the children because the facility had to limit the number of guests due to space. So, I brought along 2 of the most joyful people I know, Tyson and Allison! 


Allison was immediately drawn to her great, great uncle! She played with him, gave him five, stole his TV remote controls, ran around him, told him a lot of jibber jabber,  and sat on his lap. He was smitten with her from the moment she arrived! 


We had a picnic outside and ate hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch. We enjoyed live music, good company, and a slight breeze. It really was a lovely afternoon. One of my favorite moments was watching an elderly couple dance together. It was truly precious.


The kids sat still for a few minutes but then they began to put on a show for everyone around us! I'm sure you can imagine how excited the folks were to see these little ones dancing around and playing together. The facility had beach themed items laying around since it was the "end of the summer" picnic and of course, the kids found every shovel, flip-flop, and beach ball. They played and played! The ball was as big as Tyson almost! They had a great time and didn't even want to leave! 





 Today I am thankful for the joy that my sweet little ones brought to my great uncle, who is 96 years old! They also brought a lot of joy to the other residents. Allison was especially fond of a lady sitting nearby. She kept taking toys to her and smiling at her. One of the words God has given me for Allison is "joy-bringer." I've seen that quality come out in her over and over again in her 16 months. It blesses my heart to see her bring so much happiness to those around her. 

I believe my children are a gift God has given to Bryan and I. He has bestowed particular gifts to them and has a purpose for their little lives. I know He wants me to share my kids with others so that He can use these little people to bless them. This is the perfect example of even the youngest of humans being used by a mighty God to bring joy and cheer to some people who need it most.

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