Fridays are "Laynie and daddy" days at our house. There is nothing I look forward to more than hanging out with Laynie on Fridays. We go shopping for new tennis shoes, go to "Donalds" (her name for McD's), go visit Mee-Mee (my mom) and pet the horses, read books, play with toys and swing and play in the backyard.I think God teaches me more about Himself and my part in His story on "Fridays" than any other time during the week. This week, I was thinking about how much Laynie trusts me for everything in her life. When we go somewhere, she trusts that I am not going to leave her there; when we go outside to play, she stays close because she knows I am going to protect her and show her a good time and teach her all about outside and all the wonderful things that are available to her. It makes me think of our faith and helps me understand how I am to be with my Father: totally dependent, joyful in all things, engaged in His Word, ever mindful of His beauty in creation.
Another thing I learned from my daughter today is the joy it brings to peoples lives when you take the time to look them in the eye, acknowledge they are alive and simply say hello. No matter where we go on Fridays, Laynie is always saying "hi" to people. We pass people going into Target, she says hello; walking down the aisles, "HI"; pull up to the cash register, "hi" and "bye". She is setting an example. Witht the faith of a child, there are no judgements, no insecurities, no qualms about what they will think about her. She just simply sees them as people like her who NEED to be talked to, recognized, LOVED.
