The feeling may be in part to how my day has been. While it's been raining (and raining...and raining...and raining...) it's still been a good day. You see, this is why: this past weekend I got together with 2 of my old friends who I haven't seen in a while, thanks to college. It was great to hang out with them and just relax, not worrying about grades or studying or any of the other stresses that have been so dominant lately. We went to a church rummage sale, and while walking around, my friend and I found this hat:
Why, yes, I love it too. This hat automatically made me laugh and think of how when I was younger, my brother and I got Pokemon posters for Christmas one year. They were the ridiculous ones, with all of the Pokemon on them, complete with stickers you could color and put on each space on the poster. It was the best gift I'd ever been given. He and I sat there in the living room for like 3 hours that day and just colored all of the stickers and put them on the poster. It was sweet.
I was one of the world's happiest kids then because of that poster. And this weekend, when I found that hat and bought it, it was like I was returning to my childhood and I was the happy pathetic nerdy kid all over again. I wore it all day today, and let me tell you - it kept the rain and the cold wind out for my poor head, that's for sure. Yeah, I got some stares and some smiles, but I just kept this ridiculous grin on my face and kept walking.
You know, as kids, we got excited about a whole bunch of stuff. Christmas. Pokemon. The toy in the cereal box. Going places in the car. Winning races and getting prizes. Simple stuff that today, as adults, we don't really even think about, much less get excited for. Here's an example: As a child, I LOVED going places (excluding the doctor, dentist, and orthodontist, of course.) The car was fun to ride in, and I remember always grabbing my CD player (since this was before the days of the iPod, imagine!) with my Britney Spears CD in it and my huge headphones and rushing to the car. I got so excited to go anywhere - every trip was an adventure. Now consider today. While I still like going places and getting out of the house, I hate driving. Hate, hate, hate it. I always was the one on the games in the arcade where you drove cars, and yet today, I hate driving. Period. I just don't get excited for it at all. Funny how that works, huh?
Why can't we keep the excitement that we have as children and make it last throughout our lives? This is something that could be so useful - think about getting excited for work or school, instead of dreading it and having our attitudes make it worse than it really is? And what about our faith? In Matthew 18:3 Jesus said:
"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."Jesus also said, in Matthew 19:14,
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."Jesus is saying that unless we have the faith and excitement of a child when it comes to a relationship with Him, we won't be giving it our all and being sincere. Kids are so excited about everything, like I've said - so we should use that excitement and dive into our relationship with God!
Say you just gave a little kid a present. Girl or boy, it makes no difference, let's just say that you gave them one of the coolest presents they've ever had in their life. How do they respond? After screaming and shouting because they're so excited over it, they thank you a million times and more often than not rush over to give you a hug. Now think about it: God gave us the greatest present of all - everything we have. Our lives. The world around us. The company of other people. And, most importantly, the gift of eternal life through the death of His son. How are we thanking Him? By ignoring it and taking it for granted? Not even accepting it? A kid wouldn't do that. Why are we, as God's kids, doing that?
Here's your NR challenge for this post. I challenge you to have the faith and excitement of a child when it comes to everything in your life the next few days. Smile more and be happy. Take nothing for granted. Thank those in your life that deserve it - parents, friends, family members, anyone. And more importantly, get on your knees and thank the one that gave it all just for you and me. He's waiting to return the huge hug that we should be giving Him. So what do you say?
William Strafford once said, "Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn't music." Let's do just that. Dance without music, knowing that you're a child of the amazing creator who loves you and would give anything for you. It'll brighten your day, and maybe someone else's as well.
Are you in?
-Kimber.
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