08 June 2008

A Little Child Will Lead Me

It has been a very long, very difficult week.
Vacation Bible School starts at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.
This past week has been wrought with challenges that have left me wondering if I would ever get to the way I feel right now.

We had our kick-off party tonight, and had a pretty good turnout, especially considering the heat. We had some visiting families, some senior adults, and some really good home made pies and ice cream. I even learned the Virginia pinwheel (or something of the sort - it's a squaredance)! We had a really good time, and afterward some friends and I went swimming together. I know I talk a lot about Landon and I'm sure most of you are tired of it, but the older he gets, the more personality he develops, the more I love that child. If I believed in reincarnation, I would argue firmly that he and I have known one another in a past life.

Anyway, Landon, his family, and I spent several hours at the pool cooling off after the long day, enjoying the water and the setting-in darkness. We laughed, we played, we enjoyed the time together. I taught him how to jump into the pool, and he absolutely loved it! I'd put him up on the ledge, count to three, and "pull" him into the water. He would wipe the residual splash out of his eyes, get a huge grin, and clap for himself. Then he'd ask to do it again. I bet we did this 20 times tonight.

Jamie's sermon today was on becoming like little children or having no place in the Kingdom. I thought about that tonight as my heart swelled with laughter, pride, and love as Landon and I played. At the end of a very difficult week, here was a little child teaching me about the Kingdom of God. Here he was, thrilled with his own success, and perfectly happy with nothing but a hand to hold and a ledge from which to jump. He didn't need anything in that moment but someone to catch him. It didn't matter who saw him or who didn't. It didn't matter what anyone else in the pool was doing. Landon was jumping because it brought him joy.

At the end of a very difficult, very long week, I needed that little boy. I needed to remember that when I jump, someone will catch me. And I needed to remember that I jumped because it brought me joy. This is what all the stress, all the tension, all the frustration of the past week has been for.

I have jumped.
And it will be worth it.

Thank you, Landon. I love you, little man.

1 comment:

Becca said...

Erin,

Love this post, as I do you, too Dear Friend! You sound like the challenges of life are weighing on you heavily. Give them to Him - He welcomes them! And know that you can always call me!

Peace and Hugs,
Becca