Little Pink Fingernails...

Yesterday I painted Jocie's fingernails and toenails pink.
Today all she did was swing.
We each have an obsession. Well that is unless you are like me and are just pretty much addicted to everything. However the typical person has one thing they really enjoy doing. My sweet Jocie's love is swinging. Watch out world when she figures it out that with a little effort she can do it by herself. Until then it is up to me or any other hands in sight to push her until you become numb. With the sun shining on those golden locks and the sound of "Whee" coming out of that mouth every time she descended down I couldn't help but smile all day. I realized my new favorite thing is noticing her hands. These delicate little porcelain doll fingers become so tightly wound around big huge chunks of metal knots. She never lets go. She never readjusts them to get some feeling back into them. She just holds on and keeps swinging. All you see is specks of pink with tints of sparkle going up and down and up and down. I love those little pink fingernails.
Her swinging actually started first thing this morning at church. Phillip and I were teaching the 4 year old classroom today and were able to spot our little girl outside with her 2 year old class. Quite a surprise when her classroom door swung open and our little stinkerbell (as she is affectionately now called in our house) goes right for the one and only swing. The poor other 2 year olds never had a chance. Now it is something to worry about your child with heights when you are standing near by but when a plate of glass and thick wall is between you; well that is another. When this woman started pushing my daughter I instantly knew she did not have kids. The beginning process was all wrong and immediately the height of which my daughter ascended made me cringe. Don't even get me started on the wobbling of the swing. Good thing I couldn't see my Jocie's face. Once again all I saw was the golden locks and the pink fingernail polish. This time the polish was being out shined by the purple coming from the tight grip of those little fingers. The lady walked away apparently believing that this horrible first push would last long enough to appease my little girl. So wrong was she. When the swing stopped Jocie just stayed put with a deep glare fixated on her teacher. The lady noticed and came over to try it again. She bent down to hear something Jocie was saying and then pushed again. What did she think she was swinging? Was she trying out for javelin competition. Instantly she grabbed the swing from the air and halted the process. She once again bent down and from the look on her face I could see that my "Stinkerbell" let her feelings be well known. Third time must be a charm because the next push was the way my girl likes it. That a girl I thought to myself as I pried my hands off the baby doll that I was choking.
What determination that little girl had. The first time she could have cried and just jumped off as soon as she was at a stop. The second time she could have requested for someone else to push her or just given up when the same teacher came over. Yet Jocie's passion for swinging wouldn't let her give in.
What are you passionate about? How many times to you give up because well you simply get scared because the risk is too high and you just don't feel grounded anymore? Wow that happens to me so many times. Just life in general is such a scary ride. You don't want to rely on anybody else and you definitely don't trust the same people when they fail you over and over again.
I know that God is always with my children. They are blessed children who have a Father who is always there. I have no doubt that when Jocie's hands were so tight around that chain it was because Jesus' hands were squeezing her for assurance and comfort. He wasn't going to let her fall. He won't let you fall either you know? Sure we get our bumps and bruises. Jocie will have many too. In the end He is always there though. No matter the risk and no matter the consequence; He will always be there whether we land on our feet or land with our head kneeling to the ground. The ultimate goal is to be passionate about Jesus and to have a relationship with Him that feels like you are swinging for hours and hours with no end. What greater pleasure can there be? May you wrap your hands tightly around the chain that connects you to the Maker of Heaven and Earth and never let go. God bless to all of my faithful friends and followers.
Deuteronomy 13:3-4
"The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him."