I had no clue it was so until the teacher passed the big envelopes out to us at the end of the day, and to be honest, I don't really think I had a clue until my mother saw the envelope, gasped, and immediately started to rant.
It was my first grade school picture.
Mom had dressed me in the little blue and red plaid dress, with a white collar, gold buttons at the top. She had taken the time to perfectly pull my curly hair up into pigtails that morning. I was her firstborn. First ever school picture, and we all know the momma pride that swells within us about our babies. Her gasping and ranting was the result of a crushed momma dream, my first grade school picture having me all smiles - - -
With one pigtail.
One.
Not two. One. Pigtails is supposed to be plural.
"How did you not know that one of your pigtails fell out?" , she asked frantically, immediately followed with, "Why did the teacher not fix it?", which was also immediately followed with, "Why did the picture people even take your picture with you looking like this?"
She was furious. And you better believe that, yes, ma'am, I was participating in remake day come you know what or high water.
It was my first grade school picture.
Mom had dressed me in the little blue and red plaid dress, with a white collar, gold buttons at the top. She had taken the time to perfectly pull my curly hair up into pigtails that morning. I was her firstborn. First ever school picture, and we all know the momma pride that swells within us about our babies. Her gasping and ranting was the result of a crushed momma dream, my first grade school picture having me all smiles - - -
With one pigtail.
One.
Not two. One. Pigtails is supposed to be plural.
"How did you not know that one of your pigtails fell out?" , she asked frantically, immediately followed with, "Why did the teacher not fix it?", which was also immediately followed with, "Why did the picture people even take your picture with you looking like this?"
She was furious. And you better believe that, yes, ma'am, I was participating in remake day come you know what or high water.
Remake Day! Note the pigtails - plural.
You see, it was first grade. I was a first grader, had barely turned 6. I'm pretty sure pictures were near the end of the day, and I'm pretty sure I had played chase that day at recess.
In my dress.
And my pigtails.
Without a care in the world.
Do you remember those playground days of playing chase? No, I'm not talking about the dreadful day on the playground that your cousin, Brian, along with a couple of other boys chased you down and held you against the monkey bars so that Peter Schmidt could kiss you. Not that day. Yes, I was and still am completely mortified.
I'm talking about the days that I ran completely carefree. Wide open, my curly frizzy hair and all, laughing and running until breathless. I didn't have a single worry about falling and skinning my knee or my elbow. My thoughts were simple.
Playing chase.
In my dress.
And my pigtails.
Without a care in the world.
Do you remember those playground days of playing chase? No, I'm not talking about the dreadful day on the playground that your cousin, Brian, along with a couple of other boys chased you down and held you against the monkey bars so that Peter Schmidt could kiss you. Not that day. Yes, I was and still am completely mortified.
I'm talking about the days that I ran completely carefree. Wide open, my curly frizzy hair and all, laughing and running until breathless. I didn't have a single worry about falling and skinning my knee or my elbow. My thoughts were simple.
Playing chase.
Psalm 23:6. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Don't skim over this verse because it's familiar. I almost did. There is a little treasure tucked in there in the word "follow". In the original language this word for follow is radaph. It means this:
T
o run after
To chase
To hunt
His goodness and His lovingkindness chases you all the days of your life, friends.
He is playing chase with you and me, He's right on our heels. But He's never running from us.
The question is, are we chasing something else?
If we would but stop that chase, turn our head over our shoulder, we won't have to chase after Him, because as we turn, we will collide. We will run smack dab into the One who loves us more than we can understand.
To know that His lovingkindness and His goodness is chasing me is a simple truth makes the hard days a little easier to walk through.
He doesn't care if you have one pigtail or ten, He thinks you are beautiful just as you are!
T
o run after
To chase
To hunt
His goodness and His lovingkindness chases you all the days of your life, friends.
He is playing chase with you and me, He's right on our heels. But He's never running from us.
The question is, are we chasing something else?
If we would but stop that chase, turn our head over our shoulder, we won't have to chase after Him, because as we turn, we will collide. We will run smack dab into the One who loves us more than we can understand.
To know that His lovingkindness and His goodness is chasing me is a simple truth makes the hard days a little easier to walk through.
He doesn't care if you have one pigtail or ten, He thinks you are beautiful just as you are!
