Enjoy the Ride

Yesterday was a day of catching up with other's lives. My brunch with my friends was a rich visit. There were four of us there and after general converstation, we went around the table and gave an update our children and grandchildren. It was a good morning and we stayed longer than I had hoped. This left less time for me to prepare for my uncles' and aunts' visit in the evening. They along with my dad and wife arrived around seven. I set a beautiful table with some of my rather "new" antique luncheon sets in a hue of green. The I flew (made a fast trip) to Costco for dessert and the ends of my day met the middle. I was finally prepared and had time enough to calm down and just enjoy those precious people's presence. Much history was discussed and remembered. There was so much said I couldn't get it all down or get it all in my head. I came out pretty frustrated with myself over my mental limitations. None the less, we made the most of our opportunity to be together. My Uncle Bob, preacher, missionary, seminary professor, long time retired, has been fighting pancreatic cancer and more recently, heart disease. He said he asked God for three days of energy so he could make the trip from Michigan for the family funeral and for the 75th anniversary of the church where he grew up. This man is one of my heros. He is a hero of the faith for me and I feel like I'm sitting at the feet of Jesus when I talk with him. Love literally oozes from him. His wife is a dear woman who has supported his every move, lived in Africa where she reared six boys and came out happier for it. My Aunt Selma is my dad's and Bob's sister. She has played church organ and taught piano lessons since she was a young gal. Her teacher years are over but she still plays that big organ at First CEC. Her husband is Uncle Ray who is my mother's cousin and dad's brother-in-law. I think of him as a big teddy bear. He and Aunt Selma have supported Ken and my decisions with our family for all our life. No matter what was going on with us, we knew they would support and encourage us. So with them and my dad and wife whom I've written so much about, we had a very special evening here yesterday.

Because of the abundance of rain we have received, there are puddles of water everywhere. Seeing the puddles in parking lots and noticing how clean the water was brought something to my mind. That is that no matter how old I get, I still have a child's heart in many ways. I would dearly love to take off my shoes and play in the puddles as my siblings and I did as children. Remember how warm that summer rain collection could be? Not only did we walk and run through it but we also rode our bicycles through it and the water would spray up onto our feet and legs. What fun it was! A fond memory that my youngest two daughters remind each other of often is when their mother stopped at a flooded church parking lot after they had been retrieved from school and let them play to their heart's content in that warm "out of place" water.

Another child like thing I would love to have the freedom to do in daylight is to run a shopping cart in front of me and jump onto the back of it for a free run through the parking lot. I know I'm supposed to be much too dignified to do such a thing but I probably would embarrass some if they were witness to my cart riding in Miejers parking lot after dark. Becoming "of age" has its drawbacks. There are certain things, one is not supposed to take part in after that undetermined age has been reached. What a pity!

Perhaps it isn't undignified to want to experience the innocence and delight of being children. We should always have the heart of a child in our relationship with God. He tells us that in order to enter His Kingdom we need to humble ourselves as a child. Mathew 18.

I know that it is pride that keeps me from carrying out some child like actions. I worry about how "other" people will look at me. I think Jesus knew about all that pride in me. He told me and he tells you that in order to experience the best thrills and enjoyment in our life with Him, we need to humbles ourselves as little children. Children aren't too proud to sing "Jesus Loves Me" at the top of their little voices in the middle of Meijers or any other place. I'm not sure I can justify taking shopping cart rides or running through puddles at age 65, but I can justify humbling myself as a child when it comes to paricipating in the things of God. Join me in the journey with Him that gives us thrill after thrill. Be brave. Take a chance to share the Word. Trust Him like a child trusts his parents. Enjoy the experience. He's got you in His hand. Let His hold on you thrill you the way a cart ride thrills me. He is our life and He loves to see us riding on His wings with glee.