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Daily devotion
The Pink Tarantula
By Dee Aspin
CBN.com--
“My daughter asked for a Polly Pocket So-Hip Cruise ship for
Christmas in October.”
I stopped swimming and looked past the group of women, half of them
bobbing up and down for their water aerobics class wearing Santa Claus
hats, and zeroed in on the instructor. She was laughing about her
daughter’s Christmas wish list as she walked back and forth
directing the class from the ledge of the pool, decked in her red and
white tousle cap.
“She had five things on her list,” she continued.
“I picked up the Polly Pocket Cruise ship in
October.” She grinned, “And she’s still
asking for it now — I knew she wouldn’t change her
mind! She twirled her rope whistle in her hand, “I told her
she could ask for five things ... that was the first one.”
The pool water seemed to settle as we all began listening more
intently. “Second, she wanted a stuffed animal for her
hamster. And third,” she paused raising her voice,
“a pink tarantula!” The instructor stopped pacing
and emphatically shrugged her shoulders, “I’ll
never know where she came up with that one — or where to find
one!”
We all laughed imagining a very hairy girl spider somewhere on another
planet.
“Then, fourth she wanted peace and happiness for
everybody,” the instructor straightened her posture,
“and fifth… peace in the world.” She
looked at us with the look only a mom could have when her child exceeds
expectations.
Jesus said from the “overflow of the heart the mouth
speaks” (Matthew 12:34), and her little heart was a giant
blessing. The silent pool of listeners sang a stunning applause.
Just for a moment our hearts warmed up a few degrees before the ladies
began following their proud instructor and I began swimming again. But
now, my focus had shifted toward this eight year old’s
wishes. They were beautiful. No wonder Jesus told the disciples,
“See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.
For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my
Father in heaven.”( Matthew 18:10)
She was asking her for a toy her single mom could afford. She wanted
her hamster to have a stuffed animal so he could feel good too. We will
never know what the pink tarantula was about. Fourth, she prayed for
the gifts that really make Christmas special for anyone —
that all people would have peace in their hearts and feel happiness.
When I was her age and in public school, a loaded classroom would stomp
our feet and clap our hands to “If you’re happy and
you know it...” I wondered if she’s seen kids at
school looking sad at the holidays? Or neighbors?
Finally she prayed for world peace. Does she see her mother’s
concern watching the news at 5 p.m. over the war in Iraq? Does she know
we just lost a young 20 year old soldier raised in our town and honored
in our community paper? Just as her mother gushed with pride at her
daughter’s Christmas list, I felt blessed to hear the beat of
her heart.
Out of the abundance of her heart...
It is a stark contrast to a woman I overheard griping once at a
nurse’s station about a gift her boyfriend had given her. He
bought her a kitchen appliance when she wanted a trip to Jamaica, or
maybe it was Venus.
“I broke up with him,” she snidely rolled her eyes.
“If he doesn’t know what I want by now,
I’m moving on.”
We all should be seeking to serve the Lord, and one another, with
childlike faith — at Christmas time, and throughout the year.
Let our prayer be...
God, may our words reflect the heart of a child to you. Thank You that
You want to know what we want, and You go out of your way to make sure
we will receive good things at the right time. Thank You for caring
about our animals and their needs. Thank You that You don’t
balk when we ask for things that defy nature because we know how
all-powerful You are.
Mostly Lord, thank You that You know the greatest gifts are peace and
hope for everyone around us, young and old. We pray remembering there
are many hungry and homeless in our world. We never want to forget
those in our military who guard over our nation throughout the world
and even give their lives in hope for a world where we can live
together in safety and peace. Lord heal our hearts as You hear our
prayers.
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