"A friend loves at all time.." (Proverbs 17:17)
Today I had chapel at my school. I love the opportunity to talk to the students at my school. A lot of our kids do not come from Christian homes or attend church. Every Tuesday the students are given the opportunity to worship God and hear His word.
This morning I brought in my favorite teddy bear. Yes, Tricia still has a teddy bear, and don't lie most of you do too!!! I have had lots of teddy bears or stuffed animals in my life. I gave an opportunity for some of the kids to share about their favorite stuffed animal. Then I began to share about three special ones in my life.
1. I had a stuffed doll that had a shirt that said, "You're so lovable." This was the last thing that my (birth) mom gave me before she died. She gave it to me because it reminded her of me because I was so lovable. I loved that doll!!! I took her everywhere and I slept with her every night. I had her the morning I learned that my mother had passed away. I held that doll like it was my link to my mom. Several months later, our house burned down and I lost her. That was a sad day.
2. I was then given a bunny stuffed animal that I slept with every night. On nights that I was scared or lonely, I would hug it and pretend that I was hugging my mom or sometimes I would pretend that I was hugging Jesus. The bunny needed to be sewn several times until it was so destroyed that I had to get rid of it. After that I didn't hold on to a stuffed animal so much ( they were more for decoration).
3. My husband gave me my last stuffed animal when we were dating. I was in my sophomore year of college and he gave it to me as we parted for the summer. Little did he know that I really needed a stuffed animal again. When I left for college, I started breaking down some walls that I had put up and with each day more hurt would come to the surface. There were many nights that I would lay in my dorm room feeling scared and alone. I know this is going to sound stupid, but I used to hold onto my bear and ask God to hold me through this bear. I would hold on for dear life and the next thing I would remember was my alarm going off in the morning.
I was so thankful for all my stuffed animals!!!!
I explained to the kids that when I was younger I thought I needed my stuffed animal to talk to and hear my problems because I felt safe doing that, but God is safe too. As I got older I knew that God was my special friend who will always listen to me. And like a loving teddy bear, God loves me no matter what I say or do.
Did you have a favorite stuff animal? Leave a comment!!!
4 comments:
I know exactly what you mean. I do have a favorite stuffed animal, actually 3! My teddy bear that my
8th grade teacher gave me just before she left, a dog that looks just like my real dog who is 3 hours away from me, and my big PURPLE eyore that one of my college freinds gave me to remind me to turn the gray and blue days (like eyore is) into a happier and more cheerful color like the purple eyore.
Great story Tricia. Stuffed animals are the best and I also loved them when I was a kid. I remember getting my first teddy bear from my parents and it meant so much to me. I got many others throughout the years but nothing could compare. I still have a lot of stuffed animals but they only sit around now. It's so amazing how kids appreciate the simplest things in life and they have a lot of love for almost everything. I wonder what the world would be like if we were all still like that. This verse says a lot to me.
Matthew 18:3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Tricia this was one of the best blogs that you have written. It was personal and had a lot of meaning. I don't remember having a teddy bear growing up!!! I wish I did!!!
Beautifully expressed! Brought tears to my eyes. The Lord has never forsaken you Tricia. You are a gem in the hands of Almighty God! I am so proud of you. I always knew that you have a beautiful gift, love and talent with children. God has richly blessed you and even in the hardest and most difficult times of your very young life you come through as pure gold! Love you!
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