Notice the Joy

Today has been a hectic day. We were supposed to be at camping tonight, but we stayed home because we were so far behind on packing and also the weather was calling for thunderstorms tonight. We decided to go up early tomorrow morning to save us some hassle of setting up in the rain with a baby. So we are still home. So we took even longer to pack. But I was able to take breaks from it and remember to play with my children instead of ignoring them all morning so I could rush around.
I was in the midst of some late afternoon packing when my daughter brought me a tiny flower from outside. She said she wanted to pick the lilies, but there weren't enough yet. “Wanna come see 'em, Mom?” Yes, as a matter of fact, I did want to come see them. I don't know why, but white lilies are my favorite flower. I went outside to see them and was drawn into joyful thoughts about my children. How they are only young once and I had better enjoy them. How this time next year, I won't have a baby any more.
It was hard to find the joy in today, running around trying to get everything ready. I was packing ear plugs when I noticed the light from behind our blinds seemed to glow prettily, so I peeked through them and saw an amazing blue sky in the distance with a setting set already sunken beneath the horizon I could see. It was so beautiful and fresh that I walked out onto the back deck to watch it. I was singing to my sleepy baby anyway. Most of the sky was a dark cloud, but when I saw that blue in the distance, I thought of how refreshing it feels to jump into the cool blue water of a swimming pool on a hot day. I watched for a while as the clouds changed and pink became an accent color in the sky. At one point, I turned to look in the opposite direction, expecting to see more ugly gray clouds, but I was surprised to find the beginning of the night sky just as beautiful with its shadowy blue clouds and a hint of stars to come.
There are moments like these that pepper my life. Moments when I catch the setting sun and feel thankful. It made me happy to know that all this work is going to result in being surrounded by the beautiful earth the Lord made for us. It made me happy to know that I didn't have to leave home to see such beauty.
What I've never noticed before is how the most beautiful part of the day is at the meeting of its opposite. Joy never feels so good as when it follows pain.
Sunday I experienced some of the most intense joy I've felt in months...the relief of a four month old sleeping for twelve hours and waking only once to eat. After a painful last week of teething and waking, I was so happy to see him finally get past it. I was gleeful that morning as I attended church with my family. I thought of how Heavenly Father must feel when he sees one of us progress and move beyond something we have struggled with for some time. He feels that exquisite, euphoric love-filled joy when he sees us do something that makes him proud.
When I have those sunset moments, it is almost without exception after something I have done that I know is pleasing to my Heavenly Father. It's almost like a message that he's giving me, saying that He's glad. Like he painted the sky just for me. So, thank you, Heavenly Father, for the beauty of this earth, and for being happy for me. Today, I think his message was just a reminder to enjoy what I have.