The Joy of A Child

The Joy of Being Around a Young Child

One of the great joys of my life is my young granddaughter. She is full of wisdom and life. She can be totally absorbed by a ladybug and completely abandoned as she runs into the wind. Her eyes light up at the simplest things, like clouds and a new taste. She is full of awe and wonder and provides me with hours of delight just by being her.

Katie also provides many lighter moments. She says some of the funniest things, as all small children do. She loves to play the card game Go Fish, but doesn’t call it Go Fish. She calls it Gold Fish.

This past winter Katie had a flu bug and became somewhat dehydrated. Her Mom took her to the hospital, and she ended up having intravenous. The doctor told her that one of the things intravenous would do was to provide her with more electrolytes. Katie discovered that PowerAid drinks also have electrolytes in them. Next time she drank a PowerAid she told me it was good for her. “It has electric lights in it,” she said! Needless to say, this was cause for much mirth.

Probably the most wonderful gift a young child brings us is unconditional love. When they throw their arms around us and plant a sticky kiss on our cheek and give us a hug full of enthusiasm, we know we are loved. What greater gift than that?

Whether in their simple delight in the commonplace, through their humorous use of the English language, or by their unconditional love for us, children give us a bird’s eye view of God. They create pathways we can wander that are full of delight and wonder and uncomplicated joy. They truly are one of the many roads that lead to God.

Gracious God,

You show us your gentle spirit through the love of a child. You teach us about your creative nature through the wonder and delight that children express about the most ordinary of things. You help us to know you through the uncomplicated and unconditional love we share with the wee folks in our lives.

Help us to always remember that they are your gift to us. May we be inspired by their simple appreciation of all things and their trust and joy.

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