Multitudes on Mondays: When Praise Becomes the Metronome in the Madness
I was curled up in the big leather chair, counting gifts in the quiet of dawn when he padded down the hall.
Still rubbing sleep from his green eyes, Joshua crossed the lamp-lit room and snuggled in beside me.
“What are you doing?” he asked as he lay his brown-haired head on my shoulder and began to suck on the corner of his fuzzy blue blankie.
“Just talking to God,” I replied, scribbling praise in my little striped notebook.
“I can’t hear what you’re saying,” my littlest boy whispered, his gaze following my ink pen.
“God can,” I assured him; then planted a kiss on his tousled hair.
He watched quietly as I recounted grace, his hot breath warming my arm.
Dawn’s fingers reached for the dewey grass as my favorite five-year-old reached for my hand and rested his cheek on our tangled fingers.
My pen moved soundless across the page and he exhaled a contented sigh.
“I love you, Mommy. And I love this day….”
The steady beat of his heart pulsed against my side as the fruit of my womb nestled closer still. I inhaled grace. Exhaled praise.
Peace hung hushed between us as I framed the moment with thanks…
1015. Joshua’s soft skin pressed against mine while the sun rises.
1016. The muffled beat of his heart beneath his baseball pjs.
1017. The smell of his sleepy head, sweaty from a night beneath the covers.
1018. His warm fingers stroking my arm.
And once again it struck me- why this notebook is changing my days.
It’s because gratitude is the heartbeat of grace.
Praise is the pulse of Heaven.
And so I count and number, name and give thanks. And when the clamor of life grows loud and the rhythm of His grace grows din, gratitude is my metronome in the madness.
Praise syncs my soul with His song.
The boy on my lap spied sunlight out the window and realized our two-some time was short.
So he shimmied down my legs and puttered across the room, grabbed his Bible off the shelf and plopped it with purpose on my lap.
“Are you done talking to God, Mommy?” he asked as he climbed back into my arms.
I set my pencil aside and closed my notebook. “No, but I think I’m ready to listen.”
Then together we opened the Word and tuned our ears to the Creator’s timeless cadence.
The Overflow: He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.–Psalm 40:3a
Still Counting….
1018. Standing under my friend’s umbrella in the rain on the soccer sidelines.
1019. My Dad in his red sweatshirt getting soaked as he cheers for Lizzy
1020. Hot cocoa on a cold gray day
1021. Maggie piling books high and inviting me to “read a pile.”
1022. The stars that declare HIS glory.
1023. Lego creations lining the coffee table
1024. Smiles on Monday morning- a new week awaits
1025. Mountains of CLEAN laundry waiting to be folded
Linking with these beautiful grace seekers today…ann for 1000 gifts, l.l. for on, in, and around mondays, laura for playdates with god and jen for soli deo gloria
The above commenter’s link now goes to porn. You may want to delete the link to Jamie’s six bricks high site. I found it on my website too. Looks like her site was sold.
Love your conversations with your kids! Blessings! Patsy from
HeARTworks
Ah, what a sweet post. Those sweet little moments stay with us forever to bless us. Found your blog today. Such a lovely place!
I’m sure this moment was priceless! Thanks for sharing.
Oh, Alicia. As a mamma of two boys, this one got me. Oh, those precious moments in the quiet when their skin becomes yours again. How I miss that. Thank you, sweet friend, for bringing it back to me this evening.
Such joy to visit with you each today… thank you, friends.
Oh, wow! Your post choked me up. My baby will soon be 20 years old, but I can still remember those moments of closeness and his sweet innocent words of love. He still tells me he loves me and I am so thankful for that, but those young innocent years are missed immensely! Thanks for sharing!!
In His Lo♥e, Ann
just found your blog today…i so love your writing and this post:) beautiful words that really speak to me!
You impart truth in such a beautiful way. I love the poetic way your share your thoughts. “Gratitude is the heartbeat of grace”–I’ve chosen that phrase to ponder throughout this day.
I will never inhale and exhale the same! 🙂
Thanks for your inspired words!
What precious reasons to give thanks! Thank YOU for coming by and leaving your encouraging comment.
Oh this is beautiful and I have chills here. They shot through me twice reading this! I love the visual of the metronome in madness. What a sweet picture you’ve painted with your boy.
I like the picture of that metronome– it reminds me of the one I had when I was a child (now we have an electronic one).
I love how you say this:
“It’s because gratitude is the heartbeat of grace.
Praise is the pulse of Heaven.
Praise syncs my soul with His song.”
That is beautiful. And I love the scripture you end with (Psalm 40:3)We have a new song! That is worth celebrating.
What a sweet moment with your son!
“gratitude is my metronome in the madness”
Yes, when life seems out of sync, it is usually a sign I’ve neglected gratitude.
Thanks for the reminder!
Oh all the sweetness here…brings back sweet memories…treasured moments. blessings to you~
“Praise Syncs my soul with His song.” Beautifully written. Love #1023–sounds like my house! Blessings!
Beautiful. Oh to be ready to listen!
Inhaled grace. Exhaled praise. Now THAT’s the way to breathe. Love it.
I have that exact same notebook. 🙂
Inhaling grace and exhaling praise speaks SO much to me. I spent a year concentrating on breathing that way because I wanted it to become second nature. But I still need reminding. Thank you, Alicia.