All the Heaven I Got

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The dogs are asleep on the floor, just waiting for me to make the next move so that they can follow me from room to room. The sauce is on; a Sunday tradition from an Italian-American past that I refuse to let die with me.

The football schedule is ready, we've already been to church. The work week is staring us straight in the eye, but the kids are running from room-to-room, doing their homework, playing video games, arguing with one another, and screaming until they give me a headache. I work my ways through the household bills and wait for the dryer to stop so I can fold a load of laundry. My wife cleans the spot underneath the fridge, has a cup of coffee, and folds the paper so she can have an angle at the crossword puzzle.

Tomorrow, we'll trudge off to work, thinking about what we're going to do next weekend, and you know, it'll be much the same as this weekend. We'll talk to the kids about what they really, really, really want for Christmas. We'll debate what we want for dinner, but we know that Sunday will bring a pot of sauce around once more.

Life is utterly weary and tiresome, and the mundane routine almost seems to be too much at times, but all the heaven we got, is in our touch, our arguing, our loving, and our friendship.

We steal a moment hear and there, whether it's a glance at each other, or a crazy statement from one of the kids. Oh, how it would be nice to run from room to room, singing a song that pops into my head - as my seven-year-old is apt to do - but we all pay to play - and sometimes what is lost is our innocent carefree days of youth - but even in the moments of mind-numbing routine, I am comforted knowing that God is offering me a treasure from heaven - on a daily basis.

He is allowing me to feel love, and is allowing me to comfort my children. They are safe, happy, and secure - and that's all the heaven I got right now. And it certainly is enough.

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