I wish I had a working camera right now because I would show you more than that hammy face. I'd show you a window to her heart.
Her toddler Bible.
Let me show it to you in the only way I can. You see, it doesn't look like my Bible and for more than the obvious reasons. For one thing several of the pages are bent and when Jesus died on the cross, well, that page has to be completely taped back into place. I believe Daniel has some crayoning next to him in the lion's den, and I'm pretty sure that David and Goliath are smudged from whatever she was snacking on while reading about them. And the spine is altogether a mess. It's been reattached with masking tape at least once and sits again in need of such a fix even as I type.
It's not that she is too rough or too hard on it necessarily. It's that she uses it. She carries it around. She endlessly tells me stories from it and begs me to tell them back to her, especially the ones that tell of His healing power. She and her Daddy act out stories from it before going to bed. It almost always sleeps with her or next to her bed each night. It makes practically every road trip we take.
I often marvel at the passionate little girl God has given us. She loves to talk, to ask questions, to know all about what is going on. She wants to be included in any and all conversations around her and lights up something beautiful when she figures out a way to make someone laugh. She doesn't like people to get upset and will try her best to calm you down quick. I can't forget those occassional dramatic fits either; she feels disappointment or sadness keenly and can cry as hard as she can laugh.
That's really hard, y'all.
That brings me back to her Bible. She is not a casually flipping page turner or from the shelf book admirer. She digs in. She believes. She feels things to the core of her. She wants to share it with those she loves. She delights us, tries our patience, amazes us, and challenges us to drink a little deeper.
She reminds me that my Bible may not look like hers.
But it should.
Her toddler Bible.
Let me show it to you in the only way I can. You see, it doesn't look like my Bible and for more than the obvious reasons. For one thing several of the pages are bent and when Jesus died on the cross, well, that page has to be completely taped back into place. I believe Daniel has some crayoning next to him in the lion's den, and I'm pretty sure that David and Goliath are smudged from whatever she was snacking on while reading about them. And the spine is altogether a mess. It's been reattached with masking tape at least once and sits again in need of such a fix even as I type.
It's not that she is too rough or too hard on it necessarily. It's that she uses it. She carries it around. She endlessly tells me stories from it and begs me to tell them back to her, especially the ones that tell of His healing power. She and her Daddy act out stories from it before going to bed. It almost always sleeps with her or next to her bed each night. It makes practically every road trip we take.
I often marvel at the passionate little girl God has given us. She loves to talk, to ask questions, to know all about what is going on. She wants to be included in any and all conversations around her and lights up something beautiful when she figures out a way to make someone laugh. She doesn't like people to get upset and will try her best to calm you down quick. I can't forget those occassional dramatic fits either; she feels disappointment or sadness keenly and can cry as hard as she can laugh.
That's really hard, y'all.
That brings me back to her Bible. She is not a casually flipping page turner or from the shelf book admirer. She digs in. She believes. She feels things to the core of her. She wants to share it with those she loves. She delights us, tries our patience, amazes us, and challenges us to drink a little deeper.
She reminds me that my Bible may not look like hers.
But it should.
4 comments:
*sigh* Katrina, again this is just beautiful. It is written beautifully, of course, but the subject is even more so. What a gift God has given you in your daughters. And what a gift your daughters have in you for noticing.
Hope certainly has spoken the truth to Auntie Brooke! What a blessing...those little girls are going to set the world on fire! And friend, you have such a gift! I am so blessed to be living this life with you guys :) Hugs from NC!
Ok...you've made me cry twice today now!!
Hope, sweet Hope. What wonderful parents you are!
i like this post...
Dave
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