Monday, October 15, 2012

Go Dog Go!

On Friday my nephew Nolan turned 3.  The beauty of childhood is the natural inclination to enjoy the simple pleasures of life.  There is much to learn from those we teach.

I think I need to go to Central Park, and throw some rocks in a pond - to simply watch the splash they make, and the ripples that extend out as a result of their impact.  And as I watch I'll resist the temptation to get overly contemplative about life.


Or perhaps I'll curl up on the couch this week, with some bubble wrap, and go to town, popping the air out of the bubbles.  And not feel guilty at all for ruining perfectly good packaging.

And if I was back in the Midwest, I'd build a fort in the basement with my niece and nephews, and crawl inside and read them a book.  Preferably my favorite book - Go Dog Go! - but of course, I'd let them choose.

Kids are great - offering a perspective on life that forces us to rethink our daily pressure to excel and achieve.

One of my Prof's at Fuller, Chap Clark, once pointed out to our class that 3 verses away from the frequently recited passage about coming to Jesus for rest, is a verse that talks about what is understood through the eyes of a child.

Matthew 11:25, 28-30

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

It is when we set aside the worries and concerns of being "grown up" that we are able to receive the rest for our souls that we so desparately need.

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