Care Bear and Pooh Bear

Woven throughout my posts and stories, you have met every member of my household except for two.  You have heard about my husband, Todd.  You probably feel like you know both of my girls, McKayla and Brenna, by now, and you recently were introduced to their canine little sister, Marlie.

But like I said, there are 2 family members in my house that you haven't met, and today I would like to introduce you to Care Bear and Pooh Bear.  



Care Bear and Pooh 2005

   

Pooh and Care Bear July 2011
Minus some feet and ears a little nibbled
thanks to Marlie!

 The first picture of Care Bear  and Pooh Bear was taken in 2005, and they are much more weary and ragged today, as you can see, but despite their nibbled feet and nearly severed ears, they are still waving cheerfully! 

When Brenna was just a tiny little tike, she was sick with bronchitis and a high fever, and for some reason during that illness she latched on to these two little objects and still sleeps with them every night to this day.

3 year-old Brenna fast asleep with her 2 best friends
August 2005

There were countless nights during her preschool and toddler years when she would wake during the night, toddle to my room, rubbing her sleepy eyes and whimper, "Mommy, I can't find Care Bear," or "Mommy, Pooh Bear's gone."

I would somehow drag myself from dreamland  in those wee hours and follow her back to her room in search for her missing friend.  I can't tell you how many hours I have spent looking beneath the covers and between the sheets for one of these M.I.A. characters.  When they couldn't be found mixed in the covers or on the floor next to her bed, the search had to take on a new seriousness!  It usually meant that Care Bear or Pooh Bear, whichever was the victim that night,  had fallen between her bed and her bedroom wall.  I would look down there, see the prized possession with my eyes, and just know that I could reach them, but after trying and trying, stretching and stretching, most nights I would have to tip toe down the hall and get the yard-stick. My arm was not long enough to reach despite my earnest, sleep-deprived efforts.

It is so frustrating to me to be able to see something, it look reachable, and then when I extend my hand, there's too little arm and too much distance.  Who of us hasn't stood on her tip toes reaching for something on the very top shelf of the cabinet, we stretch, we can touch the object we are after, yet that is it. Just because of a few millimeters, I have to go get a stool!  Our arm is just too short to grant us the length required for a full grasp.

A pastor reminded me of a wonderful verse on Sunday that had gotten pushed to the back of my mind.  When he used this verse in his message, it came alive to me because of our history with Care Bear and Pooh.

Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save,

nor His ear too dull to hear.

Isaiah 59:1

I just love thinking about what that verse says to us.  He will never need a yardstick to reach whatever it is that we need.  He will never have to stand on His tip toes to touch us without clutching us in His grasp. His arm is long enough to reach me and save me no matter where I am, no matter what situation I am in. 

His ear is never too dull to hear my whimper when I toddle to His side asking for His help. 

My Long-Armed God, how marvelous You are.  How touching the words You penned within Your book are to my soul.  What comfort to know that I will never be anywhere that you cannot reach me and that you can always hear my voice.  You amaze me, God, that you are a Tender Father, a God that rushes to my rescue, a Fierce Protector, and all the while you purposefully listen for my voice.  I cannot express how near you feel to me right now and I cannot wait to get to Heaven so that my mouth might be able to give you adequate praise.  I am not worthy of such a pure, relentless love, but because you offer that relentless love wrapped in mercy and tied with grace, I receive it.  I thank You for touching me with Your holy presence one more time.....Until we meet again, Sweet Jesus, Amen.



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