A Softened Heart

  “Let your roots grow down into him (Jesus), and let our lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

  My son and two and a half year old granddaughter came for a visit on Saturday. She doesn’t see me that often so I stayed back, allowing her to come to me when she was ready. Just before they left, we went outside since the rain had finally stopped. She merrily picked minuscule bits of leaf out of a puddle in my driveway and carefully passed them to me. I accepted each and every one with a big thank you! I was being included in her life, in the moment, coming along side of her as she did this most important task.

  Before they left, I asked her for a hug. She came freely to me. Not only giving me a hug but a kiss as well. She even let me pick her up and put her in the car seat for the journey home. She helped me do up the buckles and straps or should I say, I helped her. Something that almost requires an engineering degree! I can forgive my son for chuckling at my efforts to figure it out because I was laughing right along side him.

  I am grateful my children are teaching their children that they have the right to choose whether or not to be touched or hugged. It is a wonderful lesson about boundaries that will influence their relationships as they grow up. A forced hug only teaches the one being hugged that they have no right to control who touches them. Respecting this right to choose is also a very important lesson.

  My granddaughter also spent some time colouring amongst other things. She had the most fun with a box just big enough to curl up in.

  After they left, I gathered the papers to toss them into the recycling. I debated keeping them, a treasure of her visit, but opted instead to cutting out a small section to hang in the highest place of honour: on the fridge door.

  I learned something important about love as the magnet leapt towards the metal door, pinning the paper. I learned something about being God’s child. It touched the very core of my being.

  Even when we colour outside the lines, our efforts are treasured.

  That’s grace. That’s patience. That’s freedom to practice and grow and hone our abilities in this life of faith in Jesus.

  As for me, this has been one of those "forever changed" moments. I have learned to love just a little bit better.