From dinos to buffalos to cows . . . tea parties and things . . . we shall sing.
Jesus shapes our destiny. He is the author of our moments, days, and history.
I’ve spent decades listening to the sacred survival stories of women and children. There were hours that seemed timeless when I didn’t think there could be one more thing to bear. And then there was the pause. Silence. So often what followed or was left unsaid stayed. There is a courage that teaches us to see and hear with our heart.
Seasons shifted. My days of late are spent belly on the floor, feet kicked in the air. Somehow, it reminds me of my childhood when I lingered for hours over books. But now I read and reread of Alexander’s horrible, no good day to my grandson. It’s become his favorite. We build train tracks and stations, and then have tea parties with Moo-Moo, Dino, Buffy the buffalo, and our horse Café Mocha. And the wonder-filled child raises his eyebrow as if to say, “Really, Mima? They eat cheerios, raisins, and mini marshmallows?”
Why yes, they do! And the following day, he doesn’t bat an eye as he leans Buffy down to take a bite, and mimics my sloppy slurp from the day before. This is sheer joy.
Lily Mae, the child that was lost so long ago has finally begun to sing.
The moment I wrapped my grandson in my arms, his sandy hair and hazel eyes won my heart. So, we danced from lullabies to nursery rhymes, “Jesus loves me,” and my own version of Sound of Music’s “Favorite Things.” When I began to sing Jeremiah was a bull frog who liked to drink lemonade, he grabbed a block microphone and sang with me. There is nothing normal about this grandma.
I’ll eat grilled cheese sandwiches with him on any given day.
We are God’s masterpiece created with intention for good works. Our life has purpose. No matter what mountain we face, we will not silence our praise. Rejoice in the steep climb. Sing. A merry heart does good. Fight your fear, doubt, shame, and peer approval. There are lonely hallways to walk, hospital beds to suffer, meeting rooms to bear, and seasons to bow and then take a stand. Jesus overcomes as we endure. It’s His victory.
What if we didn’t care what the crowds thought? They don’t necessarily choose the right path. So, clear the debris of lies, doubt, and distrust, and make one. Perfect love casts out fear. How much more will we accomplish when we speak truth with love? What wonders and opportunities will we discover when we look beyond the limits of man?
Hoist yourself over the fence. Explore the rolling pastures, forest shadows, and timely trails and springs. Open your mind to trust the One who set the moon and stars in place, parted the sea, and healed the lame, blind, and sick. Jesus’ way and walk defines beauty. Let Him unleash the straps that bind you. Offer Him your hands, feet, past, and future.
Take a yoga class or learn to dance, sing, or paint.
Open your heart to what Jesus whispers to you in the dark. Listen. Receive. Respond. Speak. We were born to mirror Him. Jesus is our Daily Bread, our strength, sustenance, and stability. The delicacies of the world leave us in want and shaken. But fear cannot abide where His love exists. So, choose simplicity.
Eat the grilled cheese sandwich, play with a child, and dare to climb over the fence.
And blessings will abound,
Lily Mae
Hebrews 12:2 (NASB)
. . . let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
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