Having fun
A week ago we took our class sledding. I feel awkward doing stuff like that so I was the official picture taker. Our students are all young adults and it was surprising the number of them who had never had the experience of careening out of control down a snow-covered hill.
One of our students is from another country and he shook his head and said, “I don’t know how to sled.” I told him, “you just put your bottom on the sled and you go down the hill.”
John Piper has written about “Christian hedonism“. Piper’s shortest summary of it is: God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. That covers a lot of ground – how do you (how do I, how do you) become satisfied in God?
We find our satisfaction in His love, in His care, in His salvation. But do we also look to His creation?
Do we look at the world that God created and see Him reflected in it? Not only the grand parts; the mountains and valleys, oceans and streams. But the little parts of it also. Do we seek to enjoy God’s world to the fullest extent, to glorify Him?
It is so easy to go through life, just going to life. The day on that hill, watching some of these people go sledding for the first time, I realized that part of me had lost the glory of just simply enjoying God’s creation, every place, every day.
I put my bottom on the sled (actually a metal saucer) and I just went down the hill. I resolve to do more of the little things that bring enjoyment to life, to glorify God in my fun, to enjoy what God has created…and it is good.
Thank you Ellen for pointing out that the little joys in life can lift our spirit. Yes, we often forget the beauty around us and just fly through life with out thanksgiving in our daily life.
It’s not just you, I went sledding for the first time last year too but I get what you mean in your post – thanks for sharing.
Excellent! In recovery, I am learning to recognize that I took a lot for granted and didn’t fully enjoy it. (I really like John Piper’s books, too) Today, for example, I got on my bike for the first time in years, and we went for a family bike ride. How the simple things bring such joy to me now.
You’re right…sometimes we need to just stop and smile and enjoy life. I love the picture of just “sitting on it” and going down the hill….
Blessings.
🙂 Susan
Neat word picture. I can see you. To glory in God in the small things is to experience real joy. 🙂