You gotta love ladybugs, right? What's not to love? They're super cute all painted red with black dots. Cuties that tickle. I have a granddaughter that has caught her Nan's love for these little gems that make a heart smile.
If you were to walk into our home right now you would find an abundance of them in the corners of the house, crawling on the curtains and finding their way to the nearest warm spot of sunshine.
My granddaughter noticed these little crawlers last year and was terrified of them. If Nan held held a tiny crawler she was just fine. But don't dare place one on her. Screams would fill the air. She grew a bit more brave. On Thanksgiving I could put one on her dress and she would let it crawl about, but it wasn't allowed to go very far. Now she is in LOVE with them. No more fear for Peyton.
She recently came out for a weekend stay over and was busy rescuing these little ladybugs. I can tell you that her Papa and I were exhausted from reaching to the ceiling and crawling behind furniture to tenderly place them in our hands so we could give them to Peyton. She spent hours. Yes, hours, having a hand filled with ladybugs, running through the house to the front door to release them.
It was precious. At the front door she would step out, hold out her hand and say, "There you go, little ladybug, spread your wings and fly. You're free." As they would open their little shelled coverings and spread their wings she would giggle and say, "See, Nan, see, there they go. Flying off to another place to find happiness." Did I mention my granddaughter is four?
Once she freed them she would say, "Come on, Nan. We gotta go find some more", and off she would go with me raising behind her, but after a few passing hours I was moving slower and slower behind her. That's when she'd reach for my hand and say, "Nan, come on. We gotta get'em so they can fly free".
We would find a few and sometimes they were moving and others they were not. Not every little ladybug made it through the cold. So, she would pick up a ladybug, hold it in her hand and with her tiny finger try to push it along, she would say, "Nan, what's wrong with her? She's not moving?" So, in as gentle way that I could I would tell her that it wasn't going to fly anymore. Her precious heart thought about that. She says, "Poor little thing. Okay, let's find some that are alive!!" LOL
So there we are in my warm bedroom surrounded by ladybugs. She picks up a painted gem and she isn't moving. I tell her, "Sweetie, sometimes we have to have patience. It takes a bit for them to start moving again." Peyton isn't one to have a LOT of patience. When she finds them she wants them ready to go to the door with her. So, we find another and she isn't moving at all. I'm thinking she's dead and how I'm going to explain that one to her, but you know what she tells me? "Nan, we just gotta give them some time. Just some time, Nan. Let's see how it goes". She's four! Sure enough, the little one in hand would get her little legs moving and Peyton would squeal, "See, Nan! See! I told ya she would be okay. All she needed was time!"
Oh, the lessons this little lady teaches me. Oh, if we could only live with the heart of a child. The sweet love we would spread across the world. Kindness, love, patience, and tenderness.
Why can't we be that way with people? We expect so much, but give so little. Where is our hope? We give up on people so quickly, don't we? It's amazing. These little painted critters draw to the sunshine and warmth. Isn't this what people need and want? Where's our hospitality toward others? Sure, for those we love it's easy to open our home, but what about the unwanted visitors? I mean, not everyone is ladybug crazy. Many rid their homes of them. We do this to people too.
Peyton understood they wanted to be free to spread their wings and fly. She was giving them what they needed to do so. How often do we truly open our homes to others, give aid to those in need, and help others spread their wings to the freedom they can find in Christ?
Love. This is what's missing. Simply giving our time to others. Peyton was willing to spend as much time needed and believe me when I say, was willing. Her heart was in it all the way!! Her Nan and Papa weren't so willing as the afternoon arrived and we were still on the hunt to free ladybugs. But that's it, isn't it? We get used to doing our own thing. We don't pay much attention to those around us. We like to be comfy and let others just be and find their way on their on.
Peyton was showing these little painted, red ladies to freedom. She would stand on the front deck and open her little hands hoping they would fly. If they didn't fly right away, she would set them on the deck banister and watch them to make sure they finally took off in the wind. Oh, she would stand there with arms open wide, smile on her face, and watch them as they lifted higher and higher. This is the kind of woman I want to be. This is the Jesus that lives in us!
Peyton was showing these little painted, red ladies to freedom. She would stand on the front deck and open her little hands hoping they would fly. If they didn't fly right away, she would set them on the deck banister and watch them to make sure they finally took off in the wind. Oh, she would stand there with arms open wide, smile on her face, and watch them as they lifted higher and higher. This is the kind of woman I want to be. This is the Jesus that lives in us!
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
Galatians 5:22-23
"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have love you."
John 15:12
"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
Galatians 6:2
"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by do doing some have unwittingly entertained angels."
Hebrews 13:2
Hebrews 13:2
