My Mother was recently admiring a mother and daughter duo in a coffee shop in the village and complimented the little girl on her pretty summer dress.  The mother smiled and said “Where we’re from in the south, dresses are a big thing!  It’s all about the twirl factor!”    My Mom said replying to the woman, “Oh really, do you wear lots of dresses that twirl?”  The mother simply laughed and said “Oh no!  I’m way past twirl, I’m to tailored!”

My daughter wakes up laughing, in fact at times she laughs just to hear herself laughing!  She breaks out in to dance wherever she so fancies, she sees the good in all she meets, smiles and waves excitedly!  She enjoys the purity of God’s gifts, divine fruits and vegetables, the tickle of a blade of grass against her soft skin, rain falling from the sky and onto her face and the new found extraordinary capabilities of her body.  She tries her very hardest to conquer the task at hand whether it is putting on her shoe or  climbing a chair three times her size.  However, she is never afraid to ask for help, holding up her little hand letting out her little almost Italian sounding “Mama, Mama!”  She is always quick to forgive with a great big smile and a hug and kiss that follow.

After spending days attempting to write a piece on being childlike I decided to take a break and get out of the house, arriving home from a day of play and errands, I got out of the car only to find my daughter fast asleep in her car seat.  I took a moment on the hot, leather seat to just stare at her before I interrupted her peace to bring her inside; she’s so beautiful, so pure, filled with such love and trust.  I kissed her sweaty little head and whispered “I want to be like you when I grow up.”

While rocking my darling angel back to sleep in her shaded nursery, her butterfly mobile fluttering above me to cool wisps of breeze, admiring the splendor of her innocence, a voice within me gently whispered “Children put their lives in the hands of their parents.”

And that, I believe, is exactly it!  We aren’t meant to be “tailored” rigidly holding inside hate, mistrust, bitterness, unforgiveness or worry.  We are to become like a child, going through life trusting, loving and forgiving, putting our lives in the hands of our heavenly Father so we can relax, enjoy life and twirl!

Matthew 18:3 (AMP) Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven.

The Kingdom of Heaven is righteousness, peace and  joy, it’s the state in which our spirits can rejoice, celebrate, be free and dance!  

Twirl to some tunes!