Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Awakening

We were at The Lodge this weekend with friends.

Peanut, now 12, stood in front of me as we waited for a water slide and I lost my breath! There stood my baby. My precious little girl - in a bikini. A beautiful white polka dot bikini. She looked stunning. A figure that somehow I have been blind to. Beautiful skin! Uh.

How could that happen? My precious little one.

Punky, I know. Her blue eyes shining- hair on top of her head- flowing blond- but Peanut... where did she go?

I was lucky enough to have been with my girls since they were born, but lately - obviously, not seeing them as they stand right in front of me.

Is this so? Is this how it happens?

Last night we cuddled in our bed playing games- my baby once again.
Punky,at the door, home from the gym. Beautiful and glowing.

Just the way it should be.

Thursday, March 05, 2009

The Scars of Life

This will apply to each of us differently-

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida , a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went.

He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore..

His father working in the yard saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could.

Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the fa ther, but the father was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, 'But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't let go.'

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you.