Lysa TerKeurst _{Leading Women in the Adventure of Faith}

Last week when Holly and I were flying to Michigan for the taping of Made to Crave, we had the distinct privilege to meet BJ.  He was sitting in the row in front of us and made sure to welcome us the minute we took our seats.  It didn’t take long for BJ to make everyone around us aware of how excited he was to be on this plane. 

He voice was loud, his exclamations seemed a bit child-like for a man his age, and his stuttered words made it difficult to completely understand him. 

But one thing was unmistakable to me, his passionate embrace of the magnificent.

As we rose into the sky he clapped and bounced in his seat.  His eyes were wide as he turned to the man sitting next to him and exclaimed, “The clouds are huge!” 

That’s when the nudging on my heart started.  This gentle prodding to ignore the task oriented part of me wanting to study my notes and wishing BJ would be quiet.  A rush like whisper tripped over those boundaries I’d erected to keep my thoughts focused and orderly. 

Embrace this moment Lysa.  Notice him.  Notice  Me.

And that’s how it is when God wants to get my attention.  He interrupts my self-centered thoughts in such a startling way, it can only be Him.  He sends my train of thought off the well worn tracks and suddenly I find myself bouncing along in a meadow full of unpredictable adventure. 

Everyone else on the plane that day looked grumpy and annoyed and put off by all this travel mess.

But not BJ.

He saw what no one else did.  We were in a fast moving tube, taking off from the ground, flying through the clouds, being transported from one place to another many, many miles away in a matter of minutes.  Minutes!  Not days or weeks or months but minutes… oh what would people a hundred years ago have thought of this feat?

And there we all sat, grumpy.  Not even bothering to look out at the clouds and notice.

We’d lost our passionate embrace of the magnificent.

And Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven,” (Matthew 18: 3-4).

When we landed, BJ could hardly contain his excitement.  He clapped and whooped and rushed into the aisle of the plane tripping over others.  When he spotted his mom waiting for him at the end of the jetway, he got even louder pumping his arms into the air telling everyone that was his mom- that was his mom- right there- there she is- that’s my mom!

His mom’s face reddened but kept the sweetest, gentlest look as she embraced her man boy.  She sweetly pressed her finger to her lips signaling him to quiet down just a bit.

That’s when I reached her.  With a lump in my throat and tears cresting my eyes I touched her shoulder, “Your son is amazing.  Really, really amazing.”

Oh sweet sisters, how might we remember to embrace the magnificent on this ordinary Tuesday?

This post is part of Emily’s Tuesday’s Unwrapped, delicious word treats for ordinary Tuesdays.