"What's so wrong with playing in the street?"

           
              "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  2 Corinthians 4:18 

It was a gorgeous evening and Lauren wanted to head to the field across from our house to ride her bike. We gathered all the necessary things for her to safely ride- helmet, good shoes (no flip flops), bike. With my fourteen month old Bodie perched on my hip we opened up the garage and headed out.

Bodie playfully trotted around the field, pulling the grass and throwing it and giggling as his sister road round and round as he played. Lauren was tuckered out and ready to return home. We gathered our stuff and headed back toward home.

Separating the field where we played and our house is a busy street where cars often drive crazy fast. I have always been leery of this road and I have strict rules that our children have to follow when it comes to being in the front yard. My kids are extremely cautious when crossing and take the threat of this street seriously.

Lauren, Bodie and I headed home- I held Bodie close and clutched Lauren's hand as we darted across to the safety of our front yard. Once inside the garage I instructed Lauren to put away her riding gear and park her bike.... and Oh.... "shut the garage door." As she cheerfully obeyed, I walked inside with my little guy.

Once inside I set Bodie down and walked over to look through the mail we received that day. Not a minute had passed when I felt alarm bells going off inside of me.....

Alarm bells that impulsively made me check to see where my little toddler Bodie was.

I looked to my right, left... I quickly scanned the room and saw Lauren was seated on the couch playing on the computer but Bodie was no where to be seen.

I immediately ran for the garage...

As soon as I made my way around the corner I saw light beaming through the "OPEN" garage door.

Now... I am not a sprinter but..... This momma was sprinting and yelling.... BODIE!!!!

My view from the entrance of the inside garage door to the street was that of my little man playfully crouched down in the middle of the busy, heavily trafficked street.

I screamed... "Bodie!!!!"

He heard my voice and turned to look my way. I ran and scooped him up just as two cars were quickly approaching. I stood in the garage for several minutes kissing his little head and thanking the Lord for my boy.

I was compelled to say... 'Oh Lord!! Thank you for speaking to my heart and ringing those bells in my ear.' Had those bells rung seconds later- disaster may have struck and his life gone from this earth forever.

As I sit here and write I am separated from this event by a couple of days and many 'what if's' have come and gone from my heart and mind.

The one thought that keeps lingering is this....

                  "What gate (garage door) are you leaving open in your life? If not closed, disaster is just baby steps away from knocking at your door.

Often times we drown out the voice of God... The warning to flee... to run.... not go out into the busy road... and think that we can handle the danger.... and avoid the the oncoming traffic, so to say.

I left the garage door open and trusted that someone else would protect my baby.

God has given us certain boundaries, warning signs, off limit places and people- yet in our own wisdom we wander into oncoming traffic.

God has given these warnings because He knows that no one else has a watchful eye on His kids like He does.

There is nobody as concerned about being forever separated from His children/child (you) as your creator.

He wants you to play, laugh, run and enjoy this life but He wants us to heed warning and listen to His voice.

To Bodie, the middle of the street seemed like a safe place to play... but as his mom I knew the danger threatening to steal him away from me.


Today I want to challenge you...

               Have you left the door open for your children to be tragically hurt?

Have you not responded to God's voice and taken your eyes off of him?

             Have you fooled yourself into thinking that your boundaries are better than the ones God has for you?

Today, I want to encourage you to put your eyes back on Jesus... Listen to his voice once again.

Allow Him to run, swoop you up and carry you to safety.