A  friend used the term “weapons-grade joy” today and it reminded me of this day, just over a year ago.

My daughter and I decided to take a student, who was visiting from Germany, on a little hike. She volunteered to carry one of the children in a backpack carrier and my daughter carried the other on her back. I, of course, carried the camera –and some crackers and milk and extra diapers.

On the way back down the hill the lovely student and our little granddaughter, who was about 2 ½ years old at the time, began to sing, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”  Like all joyful toddlers she shouted, “Again!” at the end of every verse, adding her own suggestions for who God had in his hands this time. By the time we reached the bottom of the trail she had placed every person, pet and animate and inanimate object she could think of in His hands.

There was some weapons-grade joy launched that day. Our young friend couldn’t believe that a walk through the neighbourhood in this part of Canada could look like this, and the rest of us got to enjoy the concert of praise.

It was a good day.

Out of the mouth of babies and infants,

you have established strength because of your foes,

to still the enemy and the avenger. (Psalm 8:2)

“The joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:11)