Sunday, July 22, 2007

Pick Them Up and Hold Them




Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.



Mark 10:15-16


The soul is healed by being with children.
Author: English Proverb

This is a story of a father with his two children. As he was showing his daughter of about 5-7 years of age photos in a photo album she inquired about who the people were."Are all these my family members?" she inquired."Yes," was the father's response back,"Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandpas and Grandmas,too." "Wow, that's alot of family. Where are all of our families' pictures?" she asked while little hands picked up images of long ago and looked at them. "Well, it is like this," the father explained,"the pictures we have are all on discs and then we put the digital pictures on the computer. This way we will have them forever. Never having to worry about them wearing out or tearing up with time." The daughter nodded her head in agreement. But then looking down at the picture she held and remarked,"Daddy, I like pictures I can pick up and hold best."

Looking around he saw his son enter the room. Toddling that toddle that two years do toward him. "UHHNN, UUHHNN pick me up," coming from a small, gentle voice. He looked down at him and saw his son wanting in his lap to look, just like his daughter was. Reaching down to pick up his son to put the boy on his knee he realized something. A voice spoke inside his head and echoed a small, hidden truth."Pick them up and hold them," for the man's children are just like the pictures were to his daughter. He sat there with them on each knee sharing the past with them together. In that small moment, the Holy Spirit through his daughter's voice had revealed something to him. He felt such love holding them.

He remembered how he felt being picked up and held as a child. Recalling the love he felt around him. The warmth of being held by his heavenly father and earthly father. A tear came to his eye to streak down his face. His daughter looked up with big, blue eyes and saw the tear rolling down his face. Answering his tears, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, Daddy." His toddler saw this and responded in kind. Wrapping his arms around him now. Both covering him in kisses. Tears swelled up in blurry eyes again. He thinks to himself, "This is worth it. All the long hours and sleepless nights. All the skinned knees and loud cries. Even with the heartaches that lay ahead. Pick them up and hold them. This is worth it. Oh, how it is worth it." There's something about being able to feel and hold something in your hands that makes you appreciate it more. Makes it more real to you.

The times that our Heavenly Father held us in His hands are innumerable. We feel His presence and the overwhelming love of a father. I think when we reciprocate this love back that he responds with these words,"It was worth it. Oh, it was worth it."
by
Lance Gargus
Books:Christianity,Bible,Jesus,Angels,Soul,God,
Holy Spirit,Doves,Love,Children,Heaven

14 comments:

Enemy of the Republic said...

I'm really sleepy right now, but I want you to know that I know of the post and will be back. I'm so glad to see you posting, my dear friend.

Unknown said...

OUTSTANDING!!! ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING!!!

Renae said...

Beautiful post. Makes me want to go hold my babies. They grow up way too fast!

I'm so glad I'm never too big for my Heavenly Father to hold me in His lap, in His arms!

--r

Enemy of the Republic said...

Hey, Lance, back again. I admit that right now I'm having trouble with the loving Heavenly Father image, even though I don't believe that God is out to get me. But I did think that as a kid because that was how I was raised, and in retrospect, I think it poisoned how my parents raised all of us. I forgot to add one part of my last post when I was in the park in terrible despair. After I cried aloud to God, a bunch of kids surrounded me. First, they asked me to buy candy for their football team and I just reached into my purse and gave them all the money I had so I ended up buying the box! Then they all stuck around and talked with me--close to an hour. We went from school to the country to the neighborhood to Chicago to Philly to race to sports--later some friends told me that was a sign that God has not let me go as urban kids just don't hang around to talk. Since I'm a former urban kid, I didn't agree, but I do know that they won't talk to anyone unless you pass a certain test and I don't think it was buying the candy. What's my point? Kids alone these days keep me grounded; possibly this is something the Holy Spirit wants me to know. Thanks for this.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful story!

Anonymous said...

Very nice. Another warm gushy. :)

franx said...

Wondeful Post Lance. You remind me with the Mass service on this week.Believe to God is important and treat other with Love and passion

Jackie said...

Yes it was, is, and has always been worth it.

Great post my friend!!

Please don't ever doubt that you have indeed found your true calling. And, it is us who are grateful that you heard the call and answered!!

God Bless,
Jackie

Anonymous said...

I am frequently reminded how the unvierse knows far more than I. To be more specific, rather than permit myself to be controlled by negative emotions, rather than jump to conclusions that would be imagined by fear, I evolve to teach myself the universe has our best interests in mind with each and every situation. This opens my mind to find blessings and opportunities I initially missed.

Given55 said...

And when they are old...Pick them up and hold them.

Anonymous said...

I am okay. And you my friend, how are you?
I already send you two emails. Have you receive them?
Lance, I would like to know if you had received my emails, please say something about it ok?
Hope everything is alright with you my friend!
Bye and blessings!
Sónia

Rudy said...

Awesome write Lance ... I really love the way you telling and sharing something. Keep goin Pal...


Best Wishes
Susanno

Anonymous said...

"The soul is healed by being with children."

Absolutely. I worked as an elementary school counselor for about 20 years, and if the children got half as much out of me working with them as I did, I did a great job!

Shosannah said...

This was very touching.
I can relate to it alot.
God bless
Suzy

"The most important of life's battles is the one we fight daily in the silent chambers of the soul."

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