Yesterday, Greg and I went to Great America with the sign language club. So, needless to say, today I was exhausted. When I woke up to go to school, I found that I could not muster enough energy or motivation, so I stayed home. I had to go to work at 2 and ended up staying in bed until noon. When I did get up, I felt overwhelmingly lost. The motivation that drives my soul was gone. I said out loud and with deep sorrow, �Oh Jesus, today I feel so lost.� I began to walk to work.
As I was walking to work, there was not the usual joy of the natural beauty around me. All seemed plain and drab. I had felt as dead as the winter killed plants spread around me. I was so sorrowful and felt that I had done some great wrong and was being punished. I think I absently prayed within my soul for relief.
I then walked past the church on Holly drive which I pass every day on my way to work. As I walked toward it I saw that a little girl, not more than six years old, was standing in the doorway. She looked at me as I approached, and to my surprise, said in a loud voice �HI !�. My first reaction was that of indifference. I politely said hi back. This innocent little child then ran up to me with the joyful bounciness of the child that she was and in a most assured and prideful stance stated that she had a piece of chewing gum, at the same time pointing to her mouth. I felt stunned. Here I was confronted with an innocence so vastly different from what I was accustomed to dealing with.
The girl then asked me if I could climb a tree, while simultaneously pointing and looking at the nearest one. With a sudden feeling of inner peace I simply stated that I could not for I had to go to work. I never did stop walking. She trotted alongside me and I instantly saw her mother looking out from the church and it was then that I told her she should not go too far from her mother. I simply stated that she should go back with her mom, and with that she stayed and watched me go.
Before I even got to the corner of the street, my eyes were filled with tears of great joy. For the innocence of that one little girl had burned into the deepest part of my soul and had rekindled that which I felt I had lost. I began praising Jesus� name and thanking him for this little miracle of a child for reminding me of what is important. Once again I looked around and could see the beauty all around me. At this moment I felt so unworthy and truly felt the greatest gift of God�s grace. There was nothing I ever could have done to earn this privilege and my tears of greatest joy were genuine. The rest of the day went fine.
I pray this day that every single person may have the opportunity to witness this miracle of God�s grace, and hope that all people can someday look around them and know that everyday God talks to them. In so many obvious ways he makes himself known to us. The song of a bird, the wind through the trees, the dawning of spring, and in the voice of an innocent. God is in all these things and many, many more. If only we could take the time to listen.
Fin.~ |
