May 10 – “On squiggles and gondola skateboards”

I saw another of those very strange Galveston sights the other day.  I don’t even know what to call it exactly.  Maybe … Gondola skateboard?  There was a guy on a skateboard on the seawall.  That in itself is not an unusual sight at all.  But the thing was, he carried a long, yellow stick that reached from well-beyond his shoulder to the ground.  And on the ground end was a thick rubber ball.  He pushed the ball end on the ground and propelled himself along without his feet ever having to leave the board.  Interesting sights here in Galveston. 

I went with Cailyn to the playground the other day.  She likes the opportunity to just run and play after a day in school.  Way better for her to do it outside rather than trying to corral her inside.  We usually start on the swings and eventually progress to the slides.  Banter on the swingset is usually limited to things like, “Higher.  Higher.  Higher.” And maybe an occasional “Push me very, very, very, very, very, very …”  She rarely ever reaches the end of that one, so I guess she is satisfied.  The slides, however, are a different conversational experience.  They somehow inspire a confidence within her that is rivaled only by that of her father when he was about her age.  When she reached the very top of the largest slide she insisted on my undivided attention, of course.  Upon gaining that, she looked down on me with a sly grin and said, “Watch and learn, DadDad.  Watch and learn.”  Yep… That’s her daddy’s daughter.  And what could possibly have been so important that I just had to focus all my attention in her direction?  She started her descent on her back, then switched over to her stomach on the way down.  Meeting her at the bottom, I secretly winced at how painful that would have been for me, but outwardly smiled and commented on how incredibly difficult that looked.  She declared, “I’m just pretending I was a squiggle.”  Of course.  A squiggle.  I knew that.

Well, one good thing about that little girl … she’s got me covered.  As we drove in the car the other day she determined that I needed some reassurance.  Out of the blue she announced, “Just in case you ever forget, I will be here to remind you that MeeMaw died.  If you ever say, ‘Where’s MeeMaw?’ I’ll just tell you, ‘She died.’”  Well, OK.  Appreciate that. 

John 15:9-11 says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

Father, thank you for that promise of your joy.  Thank you for the pictures of it we can see in children.  Amen.