Chasing Bubbles

         After what feels like the longest, grayest, coldest winter we at last have a day of warmer temps and beautiful sunshine! Meritt and I head outside for an afternoon of soaking up as much sunshine and fresh air as we possibly can.  I push her on the swing, she climbs her rock wall and slides down her slide over and over and over. Then she spots the container. The big, plastic, purple container that holds her bubbles. "Blow bubbles mommy, blow bubbles." I grab the container, pull out the wand and begin blowing bubbles. The first bubbles I blow come straight for my face so I turn adjust the wand in a new direction and start blowing. I blow bubbles and Meritt chases bubbles. When I blow into the wand 8-10 bubbles go flying through the air and each time Meritt looks up picks one bubble out of the bunch and starts chasing it. She runs until the bubble lands and then she stomps on it or smashes it with her hand, this is followed by the sweetest giggles that only a two year old can provide. The seventh or eighth time that I go to blow into the wand the bubbles are released and Meritt spots the bubble she wants to pop. This particular bubble is flying sporadically through the air. It goes up and down and side to side, Meritt begins to get frustrated and starts to cry out. I say Meritt go pop another bubble there are several over there and she says "no, me want this bubble."  I think to myself how crazy her ration is and then I am reminded of the Shepard who leaves his 99 sheep to go look for the one lost sheep.

     Aren't we like bubbles? God releases us into this crazy world and we all fly through it differently. Some of us fly in a straight line, some of us clump together and some of us take the bumpy ride we falter all over and end up over the fence lost. But isn't it so reassuring to know that the God that releases us cares about us all the same. He wants all of us, the do-gooders, the ones that blend with the crowd and he even wants the wanderers.  God loves us enough that He will abandon the 99 to come and seek out the one that has strayed away. I am so thankful to serve a God that chases the bubbles and loves me unconditionally. He knows my name, He knows my heart and He claims me as His own!