Full

This morning I woke up early, to a day filled with busyness and to-dos:
Get dressed, get the kids dressed, feed the baby, get the kids' breakfast, pack up the car, find shoes that fit everyone, quiet the meltdown(s), buckle the car seats, text the setup team, drive to church...

When all that was done, and we were finally on our way, I looked in my rear view mirror, and was suddenly struck by a feeling of fullness...not the fullness of my morning...but the fullness of my life:

My car was full of early morning sunshine, streaming through the windows.
My trunk was full of Easter lilies, holding on to life despite having me as a gardener.
My wrist were full of gold bangles, jangling as always.
My belly was full of waffles, cold and soggy, but delicious because I didn't have to make them.
My backseat was full of children giggling and trading candy. 

It was all...so very full. 

I snapped a picture, knowing there's no way it would do justice to what I was seeing and feeling, but wanting to capture it just the same.

We arrived at church, and the rest of the morning was just as full of activity as the day's start:
Do the sound check, hold the baby, get the kids a banana, change the baby, hold the toddler, run through more songs, give the kids some toys, run through another song, drop off the kids, run to the bathroom, lead worship, get the baby, feed the baby, feed the kids, do it all again one more time....

Full.

And then I looked around during the action packed moments of an Easter service, and I saw more fullness:

Seats full of visitors and friends.
A team full of people joyfully serving together.
Arms full of babies- some of them my babies- being cared for and comforted.
Teachers, pastors and storytellers full of wisdom and creativity.
Hearts full of love for Jesus and a passion to make His grace known. 

So as I left, pushing a stroller full of stuffed animals, drawings, toys, and leftover candy wrappers (oh, and a sleeping baby), I took this morning as a reminder that my days are not just full of tasks, and my arms are not just full of things. My ordinary days, and weary arms are full of gifts, people...blessings. But even more importantly than all the temporary fullness of stuff (good or bad), is the gift I've been given of salvation, by a God who loves me enough to sacrifice His own son.

My life is full...because of Him.

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