"You know what, I really could use a hug today...." - me
"Ok, but are you gonna tickle me??"
"No, I promise, I won't tickle you...."
As Tychelle hesitated and stood there an arms length away giggling, it dawned on me, "Tychelle, do you WANT me to tickle you?"
"YES!" and she giggled some more and gave me one of her huge, typically facetious smiles as she hugged me.
As I thought about that moment much later, the practical side of me thought, "She should have just told me she wanted to be tickled!" But than really, what fun is that?!
I began to think about all the times I've done that same thing...I KNOW I did that as a child, but even now....I catch myself being afraid to say the very thing that I want most, as if somehow I have to lead God down MY thought process until He figures out what I was really trying to say. The truth is, it's really the opposite. Too often I follow my own rabbit trail until I get far enough away from the situation that I'm finally able to realize that the very thing I was wanting isn't what I really wanted at all.
I'm so thankful that I get to work with the kids I do! The things they say have me holding back my laughter, and usually when I stop later and think about it I hear God reminding me of His truth. Seeing the world through the eyes of a child changes everything. I guess that's why Jesus told us in Matthew 18:3,
"Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."
I know I can use all the help their little selves can give me! :)
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