Okay, this might be way TMI for some of you...I'll apologize ahead of time...but I really dislike sitting down on a wet toilet seat! And three different times today, this has happened! This just happens to be one of those times when I just really have to take issue with the "boys" in my house! I brought this up to my husband, knowing full well he hadn't been home, but imploring him to really have a conversation about "aim" with 6-year-old Braden. So, John jokes to Rebecca as she's on her way to the bathroom to make sure she goes "in" the potty, not "on" the potty. So, then, Rebecca tosses back a comment that "Daddy, I'm not a boy, I'm a woman!" (Her attitude conveyed "Come on, Daddy...don't you realize that yet?!") Given that she's not quite 8 yet, this just made John and I laugh out loud.
A little while later, the conversation happened to continue and we conceded that she was right, she is, indeed, a young woman. So, Conner (just turned three this month!) piped in that "Becca's not a woman, Becca's my girl!" Daddy then said, "Yes, Conner, Becca and Mommy are both your girls." (At this point in the conversation, my mind was occupied with the statistics of the thing....as we're outnumbered 4 to 2 in our house, I guess Becca and I should just get used to having wet hineys, eh?!) But then, my Conner surprised me, changing direction and adamantly replying to everyone that "Mommy's not a girl...Mommy's my people!" It was a really funny moment. I'm not the greatest storyteller, so you might have had to be there....
But Conner's comment really got me thinking. How brilliant are these babies sometimes??!! God gives them such loving, accepting hearts....they may recognize it, but they really don't care about gender, they don't care about race....all they see are the "people" around them. (I'll save for another post the fact that this is just proof that prejudices are taught, not inbred.) If there are judgements to be made in a child's mind or heart, they make the judgements based on how they are treated....how well they are loved. And even if they feel wronged, they have such forgiving natures. None of my four children hold grudges. They might remember what happened in a situation, but they don't hold onto the pain and hurt that might have resulted from it. "I'm sorry" still wipes the slate clean again for them....the tears are dried and all is well again.
But with God, it's even better because its said that He doesn't even remember our offenses. They're tossed into a sea of forgetfulness, with a "No Fishing!" sign posted next to it, telling us in no uncertain terms that we are not to pick up that sin again -- basically, "It's forgiven and it's forgotten...so just give it up already!" Jesus wiped our slate clean...and it's a simple process to start anew every day... every hour...every minute if we need to. That is still so amazing to me. Just how very complete....how unending His love for us is, how bottomless His forgiveness!
What it reminds me of.... My kids love those Fisher Price Magna Doodles....Spencer actually got a brand new one for Christmas this year, so now all 4 of the kiddos have one. These are the toys where you literally can wipe out what you draw with just the swipe of a lever. God's forgiveness for us is just like that. We can make just a little error or we can entirely blacken our souls with sin and it's no matter....all we have to do is repent to Him -- "Lord, forgive me!" -- and with that one request, He wipes it away forever. Again, doesn't that just beat all? How truly amazing is our God?
Acts 10:34b and 35.... (paraphrased) tell us that "God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right." So, the babies have the right of it, don't they? They love. They forgive. And the gospels tell us what Jesus himself said of the babies. Mark 10:14b-16.... ""Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter into it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them."
Oh, friends, if I could be that child in His arms and receive that blessing. I can't wait for the day when I can gaze upon His face...the day that I can see the hands that took the nails for me. One of these days...I can only imagine. (Mixing the lyrics of my songs there, I realize!) But friends, what a gift our salvation is...I don't mean to sound preachy or like a totally broken record. These are just the times when I am just so humbled and so grateful for everything He's given me. For my babies -- they might have poor aim, but what loving little miracles every single one of them are!...for my husband who, no matter how bad his day, still comes home with a smile and a sense of humor...for my God who loves me and forgives me no matter my mistake...and for the Magna Doodles that occupy said babies for hours (and ya'll know what a gift that is!). Who would've thought it? Magna Doodle = A mirror of my soul. The Fisher Price people probably never even considered that marketing approach!! But I'll tell you, I appreciate anything that makes me step back and give Him thanks. And I figure, as silly as it is, He's smiling, too.
And to think that I had not only had time for this to come full circle in my mind (not any small blessing, let me tell you!), but that it all started with my wet hiney. I certainly never thought I'd be praising the Lord for that! But here we are. I should be wearing a sign! Bill Ingvall, eat your heart out.
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