snowflakes

While babysitting earlier this week, the three girls and I were each busy working on our schoolwork. The two older girls were in their rooms, but Alayna, the youngest (6), was sitting nearby working on some coloring. I glanced out the window, and saw that the snow had begun to fall again.

"Look, Alayna," I said, pointing out of the glass doors, "it's snowing again!" She whirled in her chair, and watched the large white flakes, enchanted by their delicate beauty.

"Can I go outside!?" she asked quickly, jumping out of her seat.

"Sure," I replied. "Grab some shoes and a coat, and see if you can catch a snowflake on your tongue," I suggested, wondering how long this new attraction would keep her attention. In less that a minute, she was out the back door with her little face tilted toward the sky, eyes shut tightly as she waited for that snowflake. Apparently unsatisfied to stand and wait, she started running in circles, letting the flakes pelt her face, hands, and clothes. A huge smile stretched between her pink cheeks.

Inside, I watched. She didn't know I was watching. I couldn't help but smile at the pure and simple joy of a little child. And just like we're called as Christians to have faith like a child, I believe that we should also have the joy of a child.

Alayna, out of breath and getting rosier by the second, came back to the door. She wrangled her boots off and toppled inside. Running over to me, she declared between breaths, "I got .... snow all over my face! .... And I caught... one on my tongue... a lot.... yeah! I just came to... tell you that!" And without another word, she ran back to the door, went outside, pulled on her boots, and galloped back into the falling snow.

Like the snow for Alayna, the beauty of Jesus should be irresistible to us. It's pure, clean, fresh, and completely available for us. Jesus should be so wonderful to us that we just have to come tell people about it. And then we run back to Him, unable to get enough.

She twirled amidst the torrent of flakes, arms outstretched and face uplifted. To her, there was nothing but the snow and herself. To her, no one was watching, and it didn't matter if they were. She just loved it completely.

We should love Jesus just... because! Because of who He is, what's He's done. He's given us the ability to simply not need the approval of those who are "watching," or to compare ourselves to anyone else. He is altogether lovely. He is altogether loving. And He is simply waiting for us to fling open the doors of our heart and run into the love, grace, forgiveness, and hope that is falling like snow from heaven.

I watched as the snow continued to fall, and smiled. I find it incredible that these tiny flakes of frozen water can feel like a warm embrace from the Almighty God.