Zoe and Toddler Tuesday Tales....

My daughter has been bitten by the Christmas Spirit bug...

It may have something to do with the fact that our Christmas

decor is already up.

Yep....I am that person...

(Zoe)...".I don't like chocolate...Josh like chocolate.... he will eat it!"

......(.me)" I got other flavors of cookies...sprinkles, oatmeal....... "

(Zoe)....."Ohhhhh yeeesssss...da sprinkles!"

(Zoe)......"Look I'm eating a snowman!......(grits and eggs)"

..(.me.)."Don't ya know ya should never eat yellow snow?'

(Zoe).."I know dat!"

"I got to get my books, mom...I got a get ideas!"

 as she totes a bag of middle school readers around in her hello kitty bag,

 a baby towel over one shoulder and her Chloe baby on the other,

 looking

very much like a small version of Santa / or new mommy.

Speaking of Santa,we went to the mall the other day with my MIL and my BIL.

It was a visitation day with Robert, my husband's brother.

Robert is enrolled in an 18 month rehab program called New Life Dream Center.

So... MIL makes the hour drive to visit with him after the church service, and from there, 

we decide to take him to the mall.

Santa and his village have staked their claim in the corner by Dillards.

Zoe is enchanted.

So, we pay Santa a little visit, which they highly suggest doing three times before you actually attempt a picture with the jolly elf.

He was persuasive. He had a bag of tricks, like the face painting artist did.

Zoe was not swayed so easily.

As she is shaking her head and kicking away toys and refusing candy,

Santa looks over at this tired momma and says something that pricks my heart, spiritually speaking.

"Don't worry, even my own grand kids responded to Santa like this, at first."

I couldn't help but think of how Jesus came to His own and His own received Him not.

Yet there was not a hint of bitterness in Santa's voice.

Only understanding...wisdom....experience.

I thought of the vastness of Christ love for us, that even though we rejected Him, He still clings to the hope that we will come around again.

"Bring her back for another visit soon before the crowds.." Santa exclaimed!

Santa knows he is wanted and loved by kids all over.

A few rejections do not deter him.

Do I know how much I am loved by my Saviour?

To the point that a few rejections do not throw me off track or off purpose?

Earlier in the week, I had offered a "homeless comfort bag," that I keep with me in the van, to a homeless women, but was rejected.

 She said she was a Christian and to not waste the bible and water and other goodies on her.

I walked back to my car bewildered, trying to keep my chin up, while fighting discouragement.

Discouragement lifted, though, that night, as I sat down to read an email from a Pastor in Kenya, who had seen my portfolio, saw my heart for missions and wanted me to come minister in his village...

"The people are hungry for the word...they need Bibles...."

You do see my heart, God ...You are listening...

Even though I am having a challenging time with Zoe in a battle of wills regarding her manners and whining, God is showing me her love for me, through various ways and reconfirming His purpose in me to reach her.

Take for instance my conversation with Zoe, a few days prior. We had watched Polar Express and

she told me at dinner," I just love Christmas, mom!"

Or even how we had a discussion about a character's death on another movie. With tears in her eyes she asked me....." Why did he die?" I told her about Heaven, Jesus and angels and she nodded in agreement, with her childlike faith in full use.

You do see my heart, God..She is listening...

Do not be dismayed, neither be thou discouraged.

God does see our hearts...He is listening!

....across continents....

.....across the mall......

....across the gulf

that seems to divide

toddler and mother....

He sees...He hears! 

Do not be dismayed, neither be thou discouraged.

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