Memory

We went to the pool the other day and as I was in the water holding Keenan tight in one arm and Elliot in the other I wished I could bottle up a moment.  We were splashing around and squeezing as tight as we could and throwing out heads back with laughter and I just wanted to keep those few fleeting minutes.  The feel of their warmth, their little arms wrapped tightly around my neck, the warmth of the sunshine mixed with the coolness of the water, the sound that their little giggles made complete with their breath on my face, the fullness in my heart at getting that time with my incredible boys.  So many extremely precious moments like that are priceless.  Although you can take pictures to remind yourself of all that was, it is a mere reflection.  It can conjure up only a fraction of the experience and things felt at the time.  I could never describe fully the joy I feel when Lucy crawls to me and lays her head in my lap, the feel of her soft fuzzy head under my hand as I play with her hair.  The feel of kissing Elliot's soft full cheeks.  His chubby little arms wrapping tightly around my neck and pulling me down for one last "nuggle" good-night.  The weight of my precious kids' head on my shoulder as sleep won the battle and they drift off in my arms.  The saltiness when I kiss them good-night before I head to bed because of the little beads of sweat on their foreheads.  Having my whole lap full from Keenan snuggling up to read a book together,  The feel of one of my kids taking my hand as we walk together.  The taste of Craig's kiss and the feel of his arms strongly around my waist.  There are a million things that are only known by experience and only ever fully experienced in the moment.  I can remember thins all day but it's only a memory.  A thought that brings emotion, but not the 5 senses.  It makes me think that these things too are yet another thing pointing us tot he cross and His ultimate glory. "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."  1 Corinthians 13:12.  Much as it is for me remembering, looking back at the dim pictures, the joy of heaven, the Glory of the Lord, the abundance of the love of Jesus, the immense power of His Kingdom are only seen and understood in part.  So much is lost in our human understanding and sin.  It makes me look forward to the day when all will be full and known and complete and bright all the more!!