Family life can be compared to a team sport. Some of us are on the A-Team…others on the B-Team…some are front and center like cheerleaders…others are referees…and then there’s someone like me – the water girl.

I love being the water girl for my family.

I’m not only standing on the sidelines watching a game being played out. I’m there cheering my family on and praying for their victories. I’m watching each “player” close so if there’s a need, I’m ready – just in case I get called onto the field with some kind of refreshment for a team member. I’m waiting for an opportunity to sprint in and spill some refreshment all over them!

That happened this week. Our niece, Nicole, called on Monday night to let me know her water broke and the baby we’d waited for would be here in a few hours. I drove the 2 hours between my house and theirs to spend the night with soon to be big sister Gracie while she slept and mommy labored.

I got to pray for each member of this family team while we waited for the news. Gracie woke up to me instead of her parents. Prepared by them in advance she knew my presence in her house meant her brother was on his way.

While we ate waffles fresh from the toaster, she looked at me and said, “Today, I’m a big sister.”

At 8:09AM, Connor Jon arrived weighing in at 7lbs 3 oz.

I watched Gracie get ready to meet her little brother. She insisted on dressing up for him in her favorite skirt, a pretty shirt with tiny sparkles, tights, and her dress up shoes. I had the privilege of witnessing her dressing to celebrate his life. My vantage point was up close and personal.

Usually, I’m not picked first to join the players on the field. Others on the A or B Teams step in. It’s normally their place. This time, the coaches, Gracie and Connor’s mom and dad, called me to the field.

I didn’t hesitate. I went…thankful for the opportunity to be there – an eye witness where the life of my family was changing in such an amazing way. I met a brand new little boy and again fell in love with someone else’s child. I watched a little girl transformed from an only child to a big sister.

I didn’t realize it at the time I said I’d be there that others might not understand the call or my presence on the field. They were available and perfectly capable of being there. It didn’t make sense to call on the water girl. But the coaches saw it differently.

I can’t tell you the joy I experienced being called off the sidelines and into the center of the game of life. I recognize the honor and will always cherish it. I can only hope I spilled some joy and true refreshment into the lives of the others gathered there.

Jeremy, Nicole, & Grace – thank you for letting me spill my joy all over you as we welcomed Connor into our hearts. Thank you for letting me watch the three of you become four. I’m forever grateful.

To my whole precious family…I absolutely love being your water girl! The sidelines are not a bad place to be. The sidelines are my place. If you call and I can come…I will. If I can’t come…I’ll still be praying – sloshing joy on you from afar…you know what this looks and sounds like…the passionate prayers and the gushing words of love I send your way.

With love…your water girl…Joy

At our house Happy New Year is always followed by Happy Anniversary.

As a newly saved teenage girl, I read every thing written by Grace Livingston Hill…and loved The Christmas Bride best. I was thrilled when my mom found a hardcover copy at a rummage sale. The book is still on my shelves today.

When Jon asked me to marry him, and I said yes, I immediately envisioned a Christmastime wedding. I was pretty sure most people would stay home at Christmas but they might come to celebrate our love on the first of January.

To our great joy – they did! Many braved bitter cold temperatures and drove from out of state. The temperature was 20 degrees below zero…the wind chills far colder. (the whipping cream purchased by friends to decorate the car…froze in the cans!)

I walked down the aisle at nineteen to join my life to Jon’s. He was nineteen as well. I worked at the Mayo Clinic as an ECG (electrocardiogram) technician and he worked at Crenlo as a grinder. We were able to borrow enough money to purchase a little house a month before our wedding. He painted and scrubbed that small abode as part of his wedding gift to me. (I was working 3PM to 11PM and was on-call from 11PM to 7AM)

Thirty years later, I’m delighted to be this man’s wife. I know we often over-use the word but it needs to be said here: I’m blessed.

At nineteen I thought nothing could be hotter or stronger than our love. I was wrong. It’s much more of both at forty-nine.

There is a bit of gray in my man’s hair these days…and a lot of silver in mine. He’s somehow even more handsome with it. I’m just natural and that’s the way he likes me. Told you I was blessed.

Thirty years ago, I could hardly wait to enjoy marriage with a young red-head named Jonathan DeKok - I wanted to be his Mrs.

Today, I love being married to this man and am honored to his wife.

Happy New Year and Happy Anniversary my love!