I cannot believe the beautiful spring like weather we have been blessed with these last days of fall. Mild temperatures in the high 50’s low 60’s, a gentle breeze. All combined to make being outdoors so enjoyable.
Yesterday we went for a walk.
Three generations.
Sophia in her buggy. “Magga”, as my mom was affectionately named by Sophia when she began talking, & me, pushing the buggy. Over the last 3 1/2 years, this is a familiar sight. But has become even more precious with the passing of time.
Our goal yesterday in our walk?
To get to the “Snoopy Express” – a Christmas display on a neighbor’s front yard. Magga had spotted it a few days ago when she took a walk with “Packa” (my dad as Sophia named him). Sophia could not wait to see the Christmas decorations.
Me? I was fully expecting some tacky, over-inflated display that would just take over someone’s whole front yard. Come on – you know exactly what I mean. We all have that one neighbor. Mine decorates for every holiday known to mankind!!! My kids can affirm that I am not exaggerating in any way. There was one year in which they had to have out at least a dozen inflatable bunnies, & then some, out on their lawn. We dreamed of taking them out with a pellet gun from our windows!!! I think I may have even offered to pay the kids & their friends for doing it!!! Kidding, kidding. Well ever so slightly. I did make the offer. We did laugh about it. But we have never done a thing other than cringe when we see them outside “decorating”.
Yesterday was so different. Sophia was enthralled with what she saw as we pushed her little buggy to the front of this house. She quietly took it all in. Then asked if she could get out of the buggy. She began to inch up, closer & closer to the display. Naming each one, describing what they were doing. Closer & closer. Eyes wide open, joy all over her little face. She asked if she could hug Snoopy or the penguins or Lucy or Rudolph. She loved their movement. After a while, I told her it was time to keep walking. She asked, “Just a few more minutes, Mimi?” And a few more minutes it was. When walking away, she asked, “Can we come back tomorrow?”
Wonder.     Awe.   Appreciation.   All a gift.
Made me think of this:
The familiar, that which we have known & experienced before, can surely rob us. It can deny us of the wonder, the awe, the gift that is before us. If we are going to appreciate what is before us, it is going to be because we deliberately choose & pursue the wonder.
It can so be that way as we approach God’s Word. We skim over a passage because we know the story, know the outcome, know what a passage says. Or do we? Really?
Today may I pray, like the Psalmist did,
“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law” (Psalm 119:18 NIV).
Somehow that inflatable display no longer seems tacky. Somehow, through Sophia’s eyes, it became a precious display of the wonder life has to offer every single day.
I hope to take a picture & share the display sometime later today 🙂 Just figuring out how to do it without neighbors calling the police!!!
