He jumps from the wagon full of wonder and excitement. This is what he's come for. Tiny sneakers sink - slip in mud and my chunky toddler topples to the wet earth. He jumps up quick. His denim now a few shades darker. But I can see the eagerness burning through those cornflower blues. Hundreds line the hem of the field but they're not what he's seeking. Up a steep slippery slope he scales. I'm trailing behind thinking I should have guzzled another cup of coffee. His eyes searching the expansive field until finally he finds it. An orange sphere with a thin, long, rough handle.
The call is out. Time to head back. Quickly! We trudge our way through the never ending rows of orange but his legs only go so fast. With two bursting bags in hand, I'm unable to carry him and of course he insists on carrying his treasure which makes us all that much slower. They're yelling. Waiting just for us. We're close when he trips into the sticker vines. Wiry thorns impaling palms. I try to get them out but he grabs his prize and continues his journey. Once to the hill he rolls the pumpkin down its slope. He rolls down as well and continues on. Exhausted. We finally reach the wagon. He with flaming globe in hand and a gleaming smile spread about his face. So proud!
I was proud too. He carried a heavy load quite a distance and never allowed himself to become distracted, discouraged, or thrown off course. He finished with his prize.
I need to remember this lesson more often. It's so easy to be distracted by the yelling pressures. To be discouraged by how far the journey is or by people who pierce my heart with their hooky thorns. So easy to stumble and fail, become a muddied mess, feel sorry for myself, quit- it's just too hard. I sometimes become overwhelmed with exhaustion trying to do it all in my own strength. Yet as Christians we're told to trust God, stand firm, and run our race well to the end.
The tenacious spirit of a two year old reminds me of truth: When it gets hard... keep going. Press into Jesus and do whatever you have to do but keep going to the end and never give up...until you see Jesus face to face.
The call is out. Time to head back. Quickly! We trudge our way through the never ending rows of orange but his legs only go so fast. With two bursting bags in hand, I'm unable to carry him and of course he insists on carrying his treasure which makes us all that much slower. They're yelling. Waiting just for us. We're close when he trips into the sticker vines. Wiry thorns impaling palms. I try to get them out but he grabs his prize and continues his journey. Once to the hill he rolls the pumpkin down its slope. He rolls down as well and continues on. Exhausted. We finally reach the wagon. He with flaming globe in hand and a gleaming smile spread about his face. So proud!
I was proud too. He carried a heavy load quite a distance and never allowed himself to become distracted, discouraged, or thrown off course. He finished with his prize.
I need to remember this lesson more often. It's so easy to be distracted by the yelling pressures. To be discouraged by how far the journey is or by people who pierce my heart with their hooky thorns. So easy to stumble and fail, become a muddied mess, feel sorry for myself, quit- it's just too hard. I sometimes become overwhelmed with exhaustion trying to do it all in my own strength. Yet as Christians we're told to trust God, stand firm, and run our race well to the end.
The tenacious spirit of a two year old reminds me of truth: When it gets hard... keep going. Press into Jesus and do whatever you have to do but keep going to the end and never give up...until you see Jesus face to face.
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