05.26.09
Breakfast at McDonalds …
A couple of weeks ago Chris and Ty headed to Michigan for a Lacrosse tournament (Way to go Chiefs – they came home undefeated!) so Samantha and I found ourselves having a “girls” weekend! We had fun doing things that big girls do together – out the door we went. Samantha with purse on shoulder and baby in tow, she gently secures her baby into an extra car seat while strapping the little doll into safety. “We’re all set, Mom. Let’s go!” she said. Way too cute! All so the world could see that she was grown up enough to be mommy for the day. Her precious little 6 year old innocence was contagious! It was carefree, loving, worry-free … the kind of life we are meant to have – one of such peace. But yet instead of realizing this beautiful gift of Life she had been given, this sweet little soul wanted so desperately to leave that innocence all so she could please the world by “fitting in” proving she could be grown up! If she only knew she would spend the rest of her grown up life trying to go back to this priceless, peaceful state that was flowing from her inner-being and filling the room.
It brought to mind this scripture …
“But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’” Luke 18:16-17
This scripture has multiple layers of meaning but tonight I couldn’t help but think about it this way … children are so trusting, innocent and pure in heart. The world has not yet tainted their hearts or their minds. They operate in complete trust and love! They don’t even know how to think any other way other than knowing their parents will provide every single need that they have. They know the one place where they feel secure and loved is in their Father’s arms. They receive that love openly and joyfully and then return it right back to the world! They haven’t yet gone thru experiences teaching them to feel they don’t deserve the love – instead that love is all they know. It is the very thing they count on and turn to for comfort. That love then over flows from their hearts into the world – to all of those around them without a hesitation because they have not yet realized that this beautiful gift of love is not openly received by all … that some day they will find themselves consciously determining when the love will flow and to whom; I mean after all we can only show love and kindness to our friends and family – right? We have to be safe! We don’t know if some person will take it wrong or get angry for us invading their “personal space”. They do not yet know rejection so they give and receive love freely from a pure heart.
We can learn something from these precious little children. When was the last time we were able to give and receive love freely without worrying about offending someone or having someone think that we are strange or that we are only being nice because we want something? Well, I want to share with you a neat little story about that beautiful Saturday morning with our daughter.
Samantha insisted on going to McDonalds for breakfast which never happens – lunch, dinner of course! We have seen our share of McDonalds across America but breakfast? We have our favorite breakfast place that we always go to so a request to go to McDonalds was a shocker to say the least. I asked her a couple of times to ensure that was where she wanted to go. She kept saying, “Yes, Mommy we need to go to McDonalds.” I thought, “Need?? Hmmm” So we went to McDonalds for breakfast and sat in the Playland area. We had a nice breakfast together but she quickly drank her milk. “My a thirsty little one today,” I thought so I went to get her more to drink. As I walked thru the door exiting the Playland I see this older couple walking up the sidewalk and entering the door. The husband was so gentle and kind getting the door for his wife as she pulled an oxygen tank behind her with the plastic tubing securely tucked behind her ears. I could feel her soul was heavy and then suddenly felt as if her mind was entertaining the thought of how she felt like a slave to this tank. It seemed as if it surfaced additional thoughts that she was nothing more than a burden to those around her. It’s as if I could hear her saying “they would all be better off if they didn’t have to fuss with me so much.” My heart swelled with compassion for her. I wanted to cry – I remember all too well feeling like I was that burden to others for years during my illness.
I purchased Samantha’s drink and began to walk back to the Playland. The couple was nestled in at the table right before the Playland door. I glanced over at her and at that exact time she looked up. I wanted to spread the love from my heart with the innocence of a six year old so a large smile formed across my lips and I said, “Hello! How are you doing today?” She looked at me and smiled and said, “I’m okay, thank you” and watched me walk by into the Playland.
Samantha ran over and downed the drink so fast I was wondering where this little thing was putting it! She asked me if she could have more – this was very unusual! So I turned to go back to get her another drink. I couldn’t believe that within a few minutes the line had formed so quickly – actually was so long that I found myself exactly even with their table. I felt God say to me, “Turn and offer her another smile.” So that is what I did! I turned and she was looking right at me. I smiled and she said, “Miss, do I know you?” So I stepped out of line and over to talk with her a minute. I said, “No, I don’t think so.” She said, “Well you were so friendly and kind saying hello, asking how I was so I thought I must know you.” I replied, “No, but isn’t that so true. We live in a society where instead of it being the norm to offer a smile or a kind word, it is rare and almost only exchanged between people who know each other.”
Well that led into a great conversation. I was able to share with her that I had faced some health challenges myself. I shared one of the miracles God had sent me and she was in tears. I could see the weight she had been carrying lift from her soul. I saw hope in her eyes that I’m guessing hadn’t been there for some time. God made it clear for me to give her one of my books so I gave her my phone # and email telling her I’d be happy to send her a copy of my book for free if she wanted one. I said, “I know you don’t know me so I understand if you don’t feel comfortable giving me your address.” I barely got the words out and her sweet husband said, “Give her the address Joan.” It just so happend that they lived within 10 minutes of our house so I drove a copy over to her house later that day. After dropping it off, I could not help but to let the love flow out of my heart! Actually I couldn’t have stopped it even if I wanted to! What a gift God had given me all because our beautiful daughter listened to that heart tug about going to McDonald’s for breakfast and for her contagious way of sharing love with the world.
May you love with the innocence of a six year old. Love to you all!
Sandi Rauwolf
Author, Blessings Too Good
