One day when Mackenzie, our oldest daughter, was probably about two or three years old, we were playing in the backyard at our house, when I noticed a huge commotion down at the pond. There’s a large – I’d say probably two or three acre – pond that stretches between our house and Kellie’s grandparents’ house. After taking a closer look, I saw that the commotion was two huge turtles in the edge of the water and figured Mackenzie would get a kick out of seeing them, so I grabbed her and we crossed the fence, and went down to check it out. We watched the turtles for a few minutes and I asked her if she wanted to just walk around the pond since we were already down there; and that sounded like a good idea to her. So off we went.
Not long after we started, Mackenzie (whose attention span is shorter than her pinkie finger) started noticing everything around her in the pasture. She got behind me because she was stopping to look at a flower, or follow a butterfly, or see what was over here and what was over there. During all that time, I kept saying, “Come on, Mackenzie, keep up!” And she’d come running a little closer; but then it wouldn’t be a minute later, something else would have her distracted; and I’d have to call for her again, “Come on, Mackenzie, keep up!”
This went on until we were probably about halfway around the pond. Then she started realizing how far we had walked and got to complaining about how tired she was. Then from the complaining, she set in to whining. But I kept cheering her on, “It’s not that much further, come on – you can make it!” And the further we walked, the worse she got until she was just crying, “I can’t make it, Daddy, it’s too far!” And I just kept telling her, “Yes you can, Mackenzie! You can make it! It’s not that much further!” She’d lag way behind me, and nearly stop, and just cry because she was so tired and didn’t think she could take another step; but I would just stop, turn around, and call her a little closer again, “Come on Mackenzie, you can make it – it’s not that much further!”
I could have probably picked her up and carried her; but by that time, I wanted to prove a point to her that she COULD do it because she wasn’t a “baby” any more. I waited on her, and was patient with her – firm at times; but I tell you what I wouldn’t have done for anything in the world… I would have never just walked off and left her there.
The last little ways of the walk, the Lord took my mind; and I could see myself as Mackenzie. When I started in my walk with Him, I was eager and willing and just glad to be with Him. And then as we walked along, cares of this life began to distract me; but all along, He would call me up a little closer. And a few years further into it, I got tired and didn’t know if I could make it, but He, so patiently and lovingly, kept reminding me that I could. And even now, when I feel so tired and the end still seems so far away, I know that He’s not going to leave me in this wilderness, but instead, if I just keep following in my Father’s footsteps, I know I’ll make it home - it can't be that much further.
Not long after we started, Mackenzie (whose attention span is shorter than her pinkie finger) started noticing everything around her in the pasture. She got behind me because she was stopping to look at a flower, or follow a butterfly, or see what was over here and what was over there. During all that time, I kept saying, “Come on, Mackenzie, keep up!” And she’d come running a little closer; but then it wouldn’t be a minute later, something else would have her distracted; and I’d have to call for her again, “Come on, Mackenzie, keep up!”
This went on until we were probably about halfway around the pond. Then she started realizing how far we had walked and got to complaining about how tired she was. Then from the complaining, she set in to whining. But I kept cheering her on, “It’s not that much further, come on – you can make it!” And the further we walked, the worse she got until she was just crying, “I can’t make it, Daddy, it’s too far!” And I just kept telling her, “Yes you can, Mackenzie! You can make it! It’s not that much further!” She’d lag way behind me, and nearly stop, and just cry because she was so tired and didn’t think she could take another step; but I would just stop, turn around, and call her a little closer again, “Come on Mackenzie, you can make it – it’s not that much further!”
I could have probably picked her up and carried her; but by that time, I wanted to prove a point to her that she COULD do it because she wasn’t a “baby” any more. I waited on her, and was patient with her – firm at times; but I tell you what I wouldn’t have done for anything in the world… I would have never just walked off and left her there.
The last little ways of the walk, the Lord took my mind; and I could see myself as Mackenzie. When I started in my walk with Him, I was eager and willing and just glad to be with Him. And then as we walked along, cares of this life began to distract me; but all along, He would call me up a little closer. And a few years further into it, I got tired and didn’t know if I could make it, but He, so patiently and lovingly, kept reminding me that I could. And even now, when I feel so tired and the end still seems so far away, I know that He’s not going to leave me in this wilderness, but instead, if I just keep following in my Father’s footsteps, I know I’ll make it home - it can't be that much further.
Just felt like sharing…
-BYRD
