He handed me a green play silk and asked me to tie it around his neck, then he pulled two more long scarves out of the dress-up collection, tied them together to form a rope, and efficiently lassoed my chair.After tipping my chair (with a little leg power from Mom) he busied himself with other important super hero-y projects. I was settling back into my work when the door flew open and The Defender of Fun leaned in. "Do you need to get saved again?"
What else was there to say but "Oh yes!"
He grinned and scowled simultaneously (no easy feat) and raced off. He returned with his homemade rope and tied it to my damsel-in-distress wrist.
Oh this little boy with his dreams of saving the day. I nurture that desire in him because the world needs heroes. I don't know why he decided to call himself "The Defender of Fun." Apparently he doesn't either. He told me he did not pick the name, it is just his job "to save the fun." I can accept that.
I want to be a defender of fun too. Some days I feel more like a defender of the to-do list. And let me tell you, that is one loooong list. I check my list, I check everyone else's lists, I look at the clock, I remind, I suggest, I warn. Bleh.
I am adding something new to my list. I am challenging myself to spread joy every day. I want to be intentional about this. The bud of my heart has joyfully bloomed with the living water that Jesus has poured upon me, and I want so much to share that.
I know that sharing Jesus is at the heart of spreading abiding joy, and it is my desire to be brave and bold and true in doing this. But what I am talking about is doing something, however small, each and every day, to bring a little extra joy into someone's life. A way to say thank you to the dear Lord who has given hope to this scared little girl.
I want to go about this intentionally, and I want to be held accountable. I will be the maker of phone calls, the writer of encouraging notes, the baker of unexpected cookies. I will choose to play with my children instead of checking one more thing off my to-do list. I will commit random acts of kindness upon loved ones and strangers alike. I will just do it.
Pass the purple cape! I... am... a Spreader of Joy!
Love that Little Warrior! I also love his profound comment that he didn't pick the name, it's just his job to save the fun. I'm going to be pondering that a long while.
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