2016) CHASE

Written on June 22, 2016.

On Sunday, we sat poolside for hours at the request of the dads in our household. Honestly, no one minded fulfilling that request. A few hours of sun, sweat and splash was good for us all. I lounged lazily just outside the fun and fray, responding to another request. This one for a Wait. With Pappa.

In those first moments, He reminded me of the day before when we had gone to town (I just love saying that phrase cuz it sounds so country. I love country!) and all the girls had dispersed to their passion places in the store. My person found me in mine and asked where the girls were. Knowing it was time to move to the next part of our day, I whispered a little prayer as I had done so many times before, asking Pappa to send an alert to the girls. Not long after and one by one, each girl met us. My person grinned at me and said, “You still gather the ducklings.”

When the kids were littles, one of our favorite books to read was Make Way for Ducklings. It’s the sweet story of a mamma duck leading her brood through a world much bigger than them on a journey to meet their father. Perils and problems abound, but not one prospers. And the mamma and her ducklings make it to right where they are meant to be, right on time.

Waiting with Pappa that Sunday afternoon, I thought of all the head counts and hand holds along the years. Of chasing one while needing the other four to stay in place. Of sleepless nights and sleepy days. Of messes, mayhem and memories made.

The reality that my five duckling were now a brood of two adults, one on that cusp and two in teen land, I sighed tearful and thankful. That I didn’t chase them alone and that in the today of many days, they were each right where they were meant to be. I thanked Pappa for the years of chasing and that they were done.

Oops…

He sternly, sweetly said, “We always chase.”

I carried those words through the rest of the day. As my person and I got ready for bed, I let them tumble between my head and my heart. Then I had a vision of a car being hit when another ran a light. I started to dismiss it as a leftover from the action movie we had watched (for the dads wanted dude movies after the pool, lol) a few hours before. But then Pappa said, “We’re chasing”.

And I knew it was about one of my duckling that was in a land farther away than normal. And so I chased in the way He taught me and the way I love. I prayed. Everything He showed me. I entered into the chase with the great Chaser. The One who has the map. Who is the map. The One who will lead me right where I’m meant to be. In the big middle of Him where I can see what He sees. Know what He knows. And where I see how very much he cares for what I care about. And He sees how much I care for what He cares about.

And then I texted that duckling. At Pappa’s prompting. The text back said that right after my “just checking on you” text came through, a car ran a red light and had my duckling tapped the accelerator a second sooner, their car would have been hit. It wasn’t the text that prevented the accident. It was the prayer.

We chase. We always chase. For we all have ducklings. Those entrusted to us for the chasing. Those who we are the eyes and ears for. The hands and feet. And the heart. Some we know. Some we don’t. Yet.

I’m glad I didn’t breath a sigh of relief that morning in declaration that my work was done. That instead I let Him invite me to keep chasing. To keep counting heads and holding hands. He counts every hair and holds every heart.

And I’m glad He never stops chasing me. And that His pursuit always tags me with goodness to give away. I love it when He says, “You’re it” and my chasing begins again.

Monday night was date night and my person and I went to our favorite place on earth. We sat together thanking Him for so much. Our pouring out preceded His. He couldn’t help Himself. He’s just like that. Suddenly we were surrounded by Lightning Bugs (texan for Fireflies). Hundreds at our estimation. I laughed as I realized He knew the exact number. They were everywhere. We were barefoot, but had no mason jar to catch them in. We tried for a bit with our cameras. We both “caught” one. And then we put our cameras down and just let Him chase us with the lovely of light. The glory of goodness.

We were hounded. We were hunted. And we gave in. Gave way. And we had the most beautiful night ever. Chased breathless. Caught content.

JOURNAL JUBILEE:
Let Pappa reveal a chasing He is doing in your life right now. Let Him reveal the pursuit and any way you are trying to stay a step ahead of Him instead of falling breathless into what He’s doing. Let Him tag you as “It”. Journal the story of His pursuit of you and what the letting go feels like.