“This mailman delivered some smiles.” So began Michael Hollan’s July 26, 2020 article on www.FoxNews.com titled “Family Catches Mailman Playing Hopscotch in Front of Their House”.
It seems that a family in England wanted to see what would happen if they left a hopscotch game drawn on the sidewalk leading up to their home. They soon found out; as one of the neighborhood mail carriers was in a playful mood.
The doorbell camera at the Hammerstein residence captured the local mailman hopping across the walkway connecting the street to their front door. Thereafter, the family had a good laugh before sharing the video on social media. It quickly went viral.
This particular article stuck a responsive chord with me. The aforementioned mailman is on to something. We all need to be reminded ever so often of the significance of taking a little time off to play in the midst of a life that is otherwise so filled with labor.
An even bigger reminder of this principle for me has come from having four grandsons under the age of three. Spending time with them is teaching me to slow down and relax and enjoy each and every moment again.
Thus, after a lifetime spent being responsible and earning a living, I now find myself spending Saturday or Sunday afternoons swinging on a swing set, sliding down a “Slip n’ Slide”, walking through the woods looking for “Peter Rabbit”, wading in the creek, or just eating ice-cold pop-cycles with my four inquisitive little pals.
I am indebted to these little boys for re-introducing me to the simpler things in life. In the process, strangely enough, while they are daily growing older, I find myself growing younger again – if not in body, at least at heart.
I am not yet inclined to play hopscotch. At this point, I have only grandsons and no granddaughters. Nonetheless, I do find myself enjoying again the sorts of simple activities that once filled my days. Now, of course, I find they fill my heart as much as they do my time. And I jump at the chance to experience them afresh and anew. I only wish it had not taken me so long to realize this.
The New Testament Gospel of Matthew (chapter 18, verses 1-6) records the following conversation…
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2Jesus invited a little child to stand among them. 3“Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
5“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me. 6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
I realize more and more each day the awesome responsibility God has entrusted to me as a grandfather with regard to my six precious little grandsons. I pray they will always see in me the loving role model they need, and that I will always be a blessing in their lives as a result.
But more and more, I also thank God for the role model they have each become to me. And for the blessing they each are to me in the process. I pray we learn from each other. As they follow my example and grow into manhood, I pray I remember to follow their example, and become more and more joyful as i daily experience the blessings bestowed upon me by my heavenly Father above.
ARTICLE SOURCE:
https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/family-catches-mailman-playing-hopscotch-in-front-of-their-house.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/18.htm.
It seems that a family in England wanted to see what would happen if they left a hopscotch game drawn on the sidewalk leading up to their home. They soon found out; as one of the neighborhood mail carriers was in a playful mood.
The doorbell camera at the Hammerstein residence captured the local mailman hopping across the walkway connecting the street to their front door. Thereafter, the family had a good laugh before sharing the video on social media. It quickly went viral.
This particular article stuck a responsive chord with me. The aforementioned mailman is on to something. We all need to be reminded ever so often of the significance of taking a little time off to play in the midst of a life that is otherwise so filled with labor.
An even bigger reminder of this principle for me has come from having four grandsons under the age of three. Spending time with them is teaching me to slow down and relax and enjoy each and every moment again.
Thus, after a lifetime spent being responsible and earning a living, I now find myself spending Saturday or Sunday afternoons swinging on a swing set, sliding down a “Slip n’ Slide”, walking through the woods looking for “Peter Rabbit”, wading in the creek, or just eating ice-cold pop-cycles with my four inquisitive little pals.
I am indebted to these little boys for re-introducing me to the simpler things in life. In the process, strangely enough, while they are daily growing older, I find myself growing younger again – if not in body, at least at heart.
I am not yet inclined to play hopscotch. At this point, I have only grandsons and no granddaughters. Nonetheless, I do find myself enjoying again the sorts of simple activities that once filled my days. Now, of course, I find they fill my heart as much as they do my time. And I jump at the chance to experience them afresh and anew. I only wish it had not taken me so long to realize this.
The New Testament Gospel of Matthew (chapter 18, verses 1-6) records the following conversation…
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2Jesus invited a little child to stand among them. 3“Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
5“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me. 6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
I realize more and more each day the awesome responsibility God has entrusted to me as a grandfather with regard to my six precious little grandsons. I pray they will always see in me the loving role model they need, and that I will always be a blessing in their lives as a result.
But more and more, I also thank God for the role model they have each become to me. And for the blessing they each are to me in the process. I pray we learn from each other. As they follow my example and grow into manhood, I pray I remember to follow their example, and become more and more joyful as i daily experience the blessings bestowed upon me by my heavenly Father above.
ARTICLE SOURCE:
https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/family-catches-mailman-playing-hopscotch-in-front-of-their-house.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/18.htm.