The Joy Set Before Us

Every day is Music Day to Zibby. She and her piano are the dearest of friends. In some ways, the piano is her "voice." Quiet by nature and not one to "explain" how she feels, Aaron and I have noticed that, at five years old, her long fingers do the talking as they fly over the black and white keys. To sit at the piano is playtime to Zibby. So, you can imagine how exciting Piano Lesson Tuesdays are to her little soul. "It's piano with Miss Miriam today Mommy!" After kindergarten, on Piano Lesson Tuesday, she quickly eats her lunch, packs her music bag and is out the door like a flash.

On one of those Tuesdays, we turned down the muddy driveway and pulled up next to Miss Miriam's little spring green house on the Abiqua. Zibby was in such a hurry to get out the car door that she caught her foot on my bag and tripped, knees and hands first, into the muck below. I was sure she would cry, or at the least be embarrassed, but No. That girl got up, wiped her hands on her now filthy jeans, and said, 

"That's okay, Miss Miriam won't mind."

And with a smile she turned and ran to her lesson. 

Not even falling into a muddy puddle could take away the excitement of Piano Lesson Tuesday with Miss Miriam. 

And then I thought about my own life. 

How many times have I let a "muddy fall" keep me from entering into the Joy set before me in Christ?

I feel too dirty to come and sit with Him. 

I feel embarrassed and imperfect. 

But, the truth is, we are ALWAYS WELCOME. 

No matter how bad the fall...

He just wants us to be so excited to learn from HIM, that nothing can keep us from coming.

He is the JOY set before us....

The lesson we learn at His side is the Song of His Unfailing Love.