Cindy Trane Christeson -- The Moral of the Story

“God is constantly taking knowledge of me in love, and watching over

me for my good.”

-- J. I. Packer

God touched my heart several times recently through interactions

between parents and children. Last week I was walking down a nearby

nature trail, when I heard a sweet voice singing on the sidewalk above. I

looked up and saw a cute little girl walking. Actually she bounced up and

down as much as she walked forward, just like our daughters did when they

were young.

A man pushed a blue stroller not far behind. I rounded the corner and

came closer to them. The girl was dressed in a yellow sundress with white

sandals and held a fuzzy teddy bear. She ran up the steps to a house like

she’d been there before.

“Let’s say hi to our friends, Daddy,” she said.

“Honey, they’re out of town,” the father answered.

“Then let’s leave them a note,” the girl said, while putting her fuzzy

friend on her shoulder.

“Sounds good, but I don’t have paper,” the dad answered.

“We’ll go home, you write a note and I’ll draw a picture. Let’s say

‘Hi and we love you,’ ” she said, as she bounded back down the steps.

“It’s a good, happy thing.”

“You’re right, sweetheart, it is a good, happy thing,” her father

answered.

I liked her idea and I liked the phrase, “It’s a good, happy thing.”

As she passed another house, a dog started barking. The girl didn’t

say a word, but ran back and reached her hand up to her dad, who was

already reaching down. They walked like that a while, then she took off

skipping.

I went around the block, but was drawn back to them like a magnet.

When the girl saw me, she waved her teddy bear at me and said, “Hello

there.”

“Well, hello to you too,” I said. “How are you today?”

“I’m fine. I’m walking with my daddy and my baby brother. He’s just

little, but he likes my singing.”

“I like your singing too. How old are you?” I asked.

The little girl held up three fingers, but suddenly became shy.

“She’s almost 3,” her father answered. “And this little guy is almost

3 months.”

“It’s great to see you enjoying them so much,” I said.

“We are very blessed,” the father answered, as he looked down at his

children.

The week before that I watched another precious scene. A blond-haired,

blue-eyed boy sat in front of us at church. The theater-style chairs

almost folded up on him because he was so little. He wore a blue-checked

shirt similar to his father’s.

The boy sat patiently next to his mother, but as time went on, he

moved onto Mom’s lap. Pretty soon, his head nestled into her shoulder and

he practically melted onto her. His breathing slowed as he drifted to

sleep. Periodically our pastor raised his voice, which startled me, but

the little boy never flinched. He slept securely in his mother’s arms.

Those scenarios were pictures of God’s love for us. He loves with the

protection of a father and the tenderness of a mother, and much, much

more. It’s a good, happy thing.

And you can quote me on that.

* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks

frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at o7

cindy@onthegrow.comf7 or through the mail at P.O. Box 6140-No. 505,

Newport Beach, CA 92658.