Finding Joy

I have been renewing my faith for almost two years now and have found Kensington Community Church thanks to a good friend KT. Many times I have sat in service and feel as if the pastor is directly speaking to me and I have on many occasions cried tears of happiness and fear. Most times I sit by myself and for an hour I contemplate the messages, most have resonated in me and can be plugged into my own life. Yesterday was no exception, you can listen to or watch the service on their web-site.

Yesterday instead of taking Morgan to the nursery, which is lead by my good friend superstar I brought Morgan with me. She had fallen asleep on the way to church so I thought she would just cuddle and fall back to sleep in the service. The message this week about Joy, was full of funny videos and opened up with the band singing Footloose, I mean how cool is that a church bringing back 1984??!! Needless to say there would be no sleeping, but total involvement on behalf of my child. She was good for about 40 minutes then we were off to sit in the parenting room to listen to the rest of the sermon. Out of the norm they played a couple songs at the end of the service, so I went back into the auditorium, figuring the talking of my daughter will be drowned out by the music and she would enjoy listening.
The final song was very upbeat, spiritual and got the congregation on their feet. I was sitting toward the front about 12 rows back, on the end seat and decided to let Morgan stand and dance next to me. As we were participating in the song Morgan decided she wanted to stand in front so she clapped her hands and danced all the way down the aisle to the front and stood next to the pastor. In that moment I was overcome by JOY!! God was there giving me a this is what parenthood is for moment! Most parents would have picked their child up and went back to their seats but I stood next to mine and we clapped as tears filled my eyes, this was my child my baby girl full of JOY and happy to be dancing, singing, and putting smiles on faces of other parishioners, for them to see all 27 inches of a baby they never met dance and feel what God has given her!
We danced as if no one was watching at that moment I wished every second could be bottled and preserved forever. A moment that made me forget about sleepless nights and tipping the dinner plate to the dog, a time I will remember when she gets mad because I won't let her wear make-up or date or move out because she is my daughter and everyday with her is my JOY!