"I Like Playing With You"

Yesterday, my grandchildren came over to visit. Often when they visit, they love playing with Grannie Frannie's collection of teddy bears. They love to sit on the couch or chair and be totally covered up with all the soft brown bears and then explode from the midst of the pile of fur.

My granddaughter Emma, especially loves to play with the bears. A few of the bears have clothing that is removable. She enjoys taking the clothes off one bear and putting them on another, then repeating the process again and again. I confess, I enjoy it as well.

We were sitting on the couch together, quietly playing with our bears and out of the blue she said to me, "I like playing with you."

Such a sweet little thought from an almost three year old girl, but it had a pronounced effect upon me. It swelled my heart beyond anything she could suppose. Imagine Grannie Frannie, the one who has all these bears and tons of other neat things to play with, would be thrilled to hear her say that she loved playing with her! And I did. I told her, "I love playing with you, too."

Of course, immediately I thought of how little I remember to tell the Lord how much I love Him and I thought how my simple expression of would bring no less joy to His heart than did Emma's declaration to mine.

"For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised" (Psalms 96:4)