I was stuck with fifteen 2-3 year olds for a small portion of time recently, and loved every minute of it.
"Read this?" She was a shy, blonde haired, blue eyed, clingy little girl who I had been carrying around. She sat herself down on my lap as soon as I sat down on the floor, handing me one of those little children's books with corny stories that rhyme. I smiled as I took it. "Sure."
"Can you put this belt on?" Before I could even open the book, three more came at me. The boy held a toy construction belt out with hopeful eyes, one very outgoing chatterer rambled in my ear, and the other stood a little distance away, eyeing the book.
"Of course, turn around," I replied cheerfully as I helped him put it on. It only took a couple seconds and the shy one was patient, unlike the chatterer.
I was only one page in when said chatterer got a better idea.
"I want you to come see my house!"
"In a minute, I have to finish this story first." The other one had come up and was now sitting beside me, listening intently to the story, waiting politely until I had finished reading to make excited noises or comments.
"But I want you to come noooowww." She pouted and poked at the book as if that might make it disappear.
"Not now honey, but I'll be finished soon. Don't you want to listen to the story?" I gave her a look to make it clear that I wasn't going to be bullied into moving, and she decided that listening wasn't such a bad idea after all. The nice thing about these kids is that they won't try as many tricks on a stranger, making it easier for all of us.
A few minutes later, I was over by the little play house, listening to the chatterer with the shy one still on my lap. She had said only a handful of words the entire time, but I could see her taking everything in.
I wish you wouldn't grow up so fast. I brushed a wisp of honey blonde hair out of her face as she looked up at me with those large blue eyes and handed me a toy.
What will you be when you grow up? Who will you become? I wondered silently as I watched the room filled with small, young, energetic, loud humans. It reminded me of
this song. Things are so simple at that age, but those little lives won't stay this way forever.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Funny how I always had an answer to that question when I was a child, but it was always something different.
Life is so short. First you're here, then you're there, and it's all too easy to get lost between the here and there.
What do I want to be? Exactly what God wants me to be. Whether he shows me one step at a time, all at once, or just tells me to shut up and live today for now, I know he has my entire beginning, present, future, and ending in his hands; and I wouldn't want it anywhere else.
Who have you trusted with your future?
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:5-6
