Red Balloon...

This is a post by Amanda…Beth Moore’s daughter…and it really spoke to me…an awesome reminder…. But in a couple ways.

I will let you read it first…then share what hit me

Jackson's Red Banoon (from here: http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/2008/11/jacksons-red-banoon.html)

Yesterday after church, Curtis, Jackson and I had a yummy lunch at Luby's Cafeteria with all the other church-going folks on this side of town. As we were leaving, Jackson was given a big red balloon on a string. It was his joy and his delight. Let me just say that his joy and delight are fragile things. Having seen this particular joy swept away in the wind too many times before, I tied the balloon onto his clothes to keep him from losing it.

Of course he had a fit about that. "My banoon, Mommy! My banoon! " He wanted all the control in his sweaty little hand! To my very great surprise, the balloon actually survived the trip home. It was still intact this morning and he enjoyed several more hours with it. He loved it so much. I cringed though, seeing my son get all of this happiness from something so fragile and temporary. It would only be a matter of time before it popped or sprung a leak out of nowhere. Then I'd have a sad, sad boy on my hands.

I think God must look at me in the same way when I'm trying to get my joy and happiness out of earthly things. I wonder if He thinks, "Oh, baby girl, that is so temporary. It's already got a leak in it - you just can't see it yet. Find your joy in me! I'm everlasting! My unfailing love it what your heart truly seeks."

So today I'll remember that my beautiful white house, compliments I may get because of this or that, my cute new maternity clothes, the holiday atmosphere that will soon surround us - all of these things I like and love so much - are about as safe for my heart to depend on as a simple latex balloon. These things add color and festivity to my life, but they are not sturdy enough to support my soul. There's only One who is, and He's more than willing to do it for me! He wants to!

Thank You, Lord!

What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. (Proverbs 19:22)

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. (Psalm 130:5-7)

But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. (Psalm 33:18)

In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you. (Psalm 33:21-22)

So it hit me in two ways…one of course is in the looking to “other things” (the red balloons) to satisfy and then wondering why it doesn’t last.

But the other was a line in her fourth paragraph about “these things add color and festivity to my life, but they are not sturdy enough….” That hit me is that God does bless me, allow me to have AND ENJOY that color and festivity. I often feel guilty for enjoying those silly, little things. I know I know. Sounds dumb. But really. I feel guilty, that I am not being spiritual. (and not that my goal in life is to “be spiritual” but it is to please God.)…and I think I am not pleasing God, or am being too trivial to find some “enjoy” in those little things….. so I enjoy guiltily.

But it hit me… I know where my REAL JOY is found…proven it over and over where it IS and where it is NOT. Being grounded in where my real joy is found, and I relax and smile with the “enjoy” blessings He puts in my life as well.