by Michelle Welch
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:34 (NIV)
For those of us who are in the second anniversary of our 25th birthday, give or take a year, we have great memories of the fantastic playgrounds of old. No one worried about skinned knees or stubbed toes. Bactine covered anything that was skinned or stubbed, with mom pulling out the mercurochrome if the Bactine wouldn’t do the trick. There was no liquid skin, stitches were rare, and if we came home bloody and bruised, it was a trophy, not a reason to hire a lawyer.
After all, playgrounds were where you went to do all the things that made your mom gasp, grabbing at her heart like you were about to gain your heavenly wings right that moment. You could impress your friends, giggle at the boys, and pretend you were invincible.
When sweetheart and I were out walking one day, we happened upon this playground. Its swings were old, rusted with time, showing signs of the thousands of hours of flight time by young hearts reaching for the heavens. The “go round” as we called it in younger years, was rickety, squeaking and scraping but still able to sling off the unwary rider.
We had to try everything, just to see if it was still the same. And do you know that it brought forth shrieks of laughter, making us forget the days troubles, helping us find some joy in something so simple. How quickly we can be brought back to the joys of yesterday. How easy to make tomorrows troubles seem so far away. How easy it would have been to just sit inside our house, tucked away from the world, missing these moments of bliss that our Abba places in our paths.
Not everyone can find an old park to help bring back the simpler times. For many, there never was a simpler time. But in the old and often overlooked things of our past are the very things which bring us wisdom and joy today. Let God guide you to your carefree place. Take time to skin your knees, dig in the dirt and practice your flying skills on a swing that takes you towards the heavens. Reach up, reach out, and always remember that your Father in Heaven has all the Bactine you need to heal those bumps and bruises.
Dearest Father God, Thank You for taking us on a carefree visit to the days of our childhood. We need to remember that there are days when we just need to relax and enjoy this life you have placed us in. Thank You for the reminder that we need to share these moments with our children and grandchildren as well, showing them that life is not always about work and worry. Let them see us laughing and smiling as we remember to take time to play. We pray for even more chances to share these carefree times with those we love. In the Name of Christ Jesus, Amen.
Copyright © 2013, Michelle Welch, all rights reserved, Breath of Life Women’s Ministries. Photography by Michelle Welch, all rights reserved. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.
