Rejoice today

She beamed at me, the smile so sincere and joyful, that it was easy not to notice she had no hands, and no legs. Her hair was beautifully braided and she was dressed in bright and cheerful clothes. I have seen her before on my runs, and she is unfailingly smiling as she guides her electric wheelchair along the road by the lake. Like me, I suspect she makes a daily visit to the swans.

I had been deep in thought over woes and worries. My husband was laid off a few weeks back, and there doesn't seem to be much out there in finance department jobs, at least in this area. Amy, my dear sister, was still having pancreas issues, and was to go in surgery that afternoon with hopes of finding the cause. Asherel was at camp, with no phone or ipod allowed, so I had no way of contacting her, this child that lights up my life. It was even too hot to kayak. Home school reconvenes soon, and I have not yet even opened the 6 inch thick teacher's guide. 9th grade! EEEEEEk.

And then in the midst of all this doom and gloom rolls the lady with no hands and no legs. She waved with the stub of one arm, and smiled gloriously- a radiant sun breaking out across a stormy landscape.
"Hello!" she called happily to me, "Have a blessed day!"
And then she rolled on down the street in her electric wheelchair, still smiling.

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:23-25

²³ the LORD has done this,
   and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ The LORD has done it this very day;
   let us rejoice today and be glad.
 ²⁵ LORD, save us!
   LORD, grant us success!