A week ago, waiting in the doctor’s office, I spent some of the time people-watching. A mother and her 18-month-old caught my eye. The little guy, still in his foot PJs, was full of sauce (he was obviously not the sick one). He kept wriggling from Mom’s lap and wandering off into the nursing station and down the corridor that the nurse used to fetch the patients. The busy nurse gave Mom more than one sharp look as she jumped up to recapture toddler at least a dozen times. But never did that mother lose patience.
At one point the little gaffer toddled across the waiting room (in the opposite direction from the corridor) and I had a full view of Mom’s face. The look on it as she followed the movements of her little man was pure delight. Us onlookers may have felt other emotions as we watched her youngster, so determined to explore his world. But in her eyes he was all cuteness, precociousness, and wonder.
I love Irene Latham‘s word “delight” as a one-little-word choice. It speaks to me of looking for and finding the kind of joy, pleasure, and enchantment in the things around me that that mom saw in her little boy. She could have reacted to his continuous wanderings with annoyance. But instead she reacted with delight. I imagine she saw in her little boy’s actions not an inconvenience to herself but signs of growth, a healthy curiosity, and developing self-confidence. And of course he was hers and she loved him.
There is so much to see that is delightful around us in people, in nature, and in circumstances if we would but open our eyes and choose to view things that way.
Spiritually, I believe God looks down at us, His creatures, with a lot more delight than we realize. A verse I love in this regard is Zephaniah 3:17. It even has motherly overtones:
The Lord your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love
he will rejoice over you with singing.” (NIV)
Let’s revel in His delight today.
This post is linked to Spiritual Journey Thursday, hosted by Holly Mueller at her blog Reading, Teaching, Learning.
Violet Nesdoly 
Dear Violet, thank you for this photo and the picture you paint… I want to be the boy AND the mother! I’m touched by your thought about God looking at us with delight. We are so often hardest on ourselves — cruel, even — that this is a lovely reminder that our Higher Power looks upon us with the same love and forgiveness and wonder as the mom in the waiting room. Thank you!
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Yes indeed, Irene, the boy and the mother. I so enjoyed thinking about “Delight” and your poems and writings are full of it. Keep finding delight and passing it on. Our world needs more!
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Thank you for bringing to life for us your waiting room observation-experience. How Providential for us that the duo was there when you were! As much of a blessing it is for the child to have such a mother, I can relate to how the nurse was not feeling as delighted by the behavior as was the mother! (Maybe I’m prejudiced by encountering so many students whose inappropriate behaviors mothers often continuing finding delightful.) …Regardless, I’m grateful to have a Heavenly Father who sets safe limits within which we can delight ourselves–and Him!.. Your posts are always uplifting and thoughtful. I’m with you on the amazing quote from the prophet Zephaniah. Shall we, too, sing and dance? Delightful!
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Imagine how much delight God can take in us, if we take delight! His delight in us is so much stronger, purer and loving than our delight could ever be. Thanks for sharing the story today!
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This line I will take with me throughout my day, Violet=>He will quiet you with his love. I love this. When I am feeling stressed God is there to calm my restless and frustrated spirit. A prayer I love is asking the Lord to wash over me. That is a prayer of loving faith.
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What a beautiful picture of delight. Thank you for sharing this, Violet.
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The picture was an essay! And then your words: “Let’s revel in His delight today.” So glad I stopped by these posts.
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I continue to be awed that God delights and sings about His love for us. It is a miracle. I love cute toddlers exploring their world. I love that the mother showed such love and patience. Thanks for sharing.
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What a sweet story. It, along with the photo, made me smile. Thank you for alerting us to the possibilities of delight if we choose to look at things optimistically and positively!
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