Abba's Lap

I noticed a behavior pattern in little Amy, twenty months old, that I want to imitate.  She moves fast engaging in one toddler activity after another spinning like a whirlwind from one room to another.  Yet, she pauses, intermittently, long enough to get refreshed.   I want to be like this grandchild of mine because she knows where to go and how to get comforted.

Amy moves at record speed, putting more miles on a pedometer in one hour than my accumulated weekly workouts at the gym.  She can build a skyscraper so tall, I wonder why those bright pink Lego’s don’t topple to the ground as she continues to stack just one more piece on top.

I learned never to leave the room to get another cup of coffee.  Once, when I returned, I found her climbing past the couch with hands and feet reaching for the living room drapes.

She has a consistent habit that I admire.  In the midst of her activities, as she moves robustly from one play area to another, she pauses in front of her daddy’s recliner.  I’ve observed this numerous times in my visits and he always puts down the book on his lap, or lays his phone on the coffee table.  The look on his face says:  “Great.  Amy is here!”

She climbs on his lap and with one pull of his arm he swings her up on the recliner, shifts his body to cuddle her comfortably and kisses her forehead.  Every time!  It is a picture of security to me as I watch her sucking her left thumb while she twirls her golden locks with her right fingers.  She doesn’t stay long.  She gets her hug and slides down running to the next play station. 

The Greek word, Abba, means “Daddy” and is used in Scripture to give us a vision of our heavenly Father’s parental love for us.  He desires to cuddle with us, holding us on his lap so we can know the security of a father’s big hands steadying us.  He wants to hold us tightly because, after all, this world is a scary place sometimes.  The activities of the day wear us down and we need to know Daddy is not only there but more than willing to listen intently and individually as only a supernatural parent is capable of doing.

I’m like so many at Christmastime, busy with baking homemade cookies, breads and decorating.  I like to visit neighbors and friends sharing baked gifts from my kitchen.  I drive myself in a tailspin working hard at my day’s schedule to get everything done on time! 

I know full well where to go to get the refreshment I need.  I know how to climb on Abba’s lap, but sometimes I put it off thinking He’ll be there when I can get around to drawing close to His peaceful heart in our special place. 

Do your holidays call for too much to do in too short a time? 

This year I’m taking a tip from little Amy.  It’s okay to schedule every fun activity as long as I remember to take a few minutes out to climb on Abba’s lap and breathe in His peace and love!

This post links to Liz's Christmas Blog Hop. 

And it links to Tell Me a Story.