In the hospital, once again. Little Jude, not even three years old yet has been so good as we wait. It is so appropriate, the name of the room we sit in. The waiting room.
As the day goes on, waiting gets a little harder for a youngster full of energy and nowhere to let it go. Like a little balloon full of helium ready to be released! We hold the strings as long as we can. It's time for a walk.
I, Granna, take Jude for a little stroll as we have taken before. But isn't it refreshing that no matter how many times the little ones walk the same path they discover new and exciting things? "What's that, Granna?", "Why, Granna?" and again "Why, Granna?" I just chuckle and explain again and again and again. No time for impatience. Life is too short. I'll take a "why" any day!
Our stroll takes us to the chapel. Small, beautiful, an opened Bible, stained glass reminders and a peace rests there in the pews. As I sit in this cocoon of peace, I tell Jude we need to remember to thank Jesus for taking care of Briley. Briley, his little sister, is the one in the hospital with complications. Jude is the big brother every little sister would want to have.
Jude sits with me for a little while and then slips out of his seat to explore. It's a gentle adventure he takes for I believe he understands the reverence of this place. The Chapel. God's House.
Knowing it was time to get back, I tell Jude, "It's time to go." He says "No! Granna not yet! I want to kiss Jesus!" At the front of the chapel a stained glass display of Jesus holding a lamb is what I realize Jude is referring to. Of course, the "gotta capture a picture of that" Granna comes out of me! I know because his actions are so quick I need to delay a little bit to get my phone camera ready. Little did I know what God had in store for me within the lens. I immerse him with questions and just talk as I prepare for "the moment".
The moment I was expecting was for Jude just to run up to the stained glass and just kiss it. His height reached right around Jesus' knee. Where I thought the kiss would land. It was time. I gave the "okay".
Jude runs to the stained glass image of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He drops to his knee and kisses the feet of Jesus!
Father, may I always come to You as a child. As Jude has. Running to You in anticipation to give You all I have. To kiss Your feet for You are holy.
Luke 7:44-46
Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
