Friends

Ryan took both kids to the park this morning while I shamelessly watched morning TV and hit up Kohls.  Sometimes a momma needs a little Kohls...

Anywho... when I came home both kids were in the tub.  A tell tale sign that they had fun at the park.  At lunch I asked about their park adventures.  "What did you do, were their other kids there?"  Daddy prompted them a bit by saying "tell mommy about the little girl you played with".  Collin was in no mood for my interrogation  need to know so I turned to Madelyn for some answers...

Did you play with a little girl at the park?

Yep

What was her name?

Friend!

At first I giggled just a little but my mind quickly shifted to her sweet innocence.  In her 2 year old heart of hearts that girl was a friend.  Madelyn doesn't know her name, and will probably never see her again, but in those brief moments shared at the park, they were in fact friends.  

Do you remember that world?  The one that we all used to live in?  The world of childhood where you never meet a stranger, only friends.  The one where you are not easily offended, you never hold a grudge and you are quick to forgive.  The world where dirty clothes are overlooked, mismatched shoes are accepted (even when they are on the wrong feet) blemishes are unnoticed and a bad hair day doesn't get ya down...after all it's just hair.  We all used to live in that world, some leave earlier than others, it's a shame we leave at all.  Of course we must mature as we age but along with "maturity" often comes a more tarnished heart.  I don't believe that is how God intended it to be...

Children are wiser than we often give them credit for.  They are precious in the sight of the Lord.  They are more like Him than many adults who claim His name.  Thank you Madelyn for that little glimpse of heaven, where you never meet a stranger, only friends...

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.  And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Matthew 18:2-6