About 15 years ago Jill and I went to a Pastors’ Retreat Center in Sulphur Springs, Te x a s . It was for one week and the idea of it was to relax and unw ind. No technol ogy available and before the days of smart phones. We were pampered, catered to and spoiled.
So that Tuesday the idea was to totally unplug. No phones, computers or gadgets that seem to take so much of our time. Along with this idea there was no radio or TV either. Our focus was to be on each other and on God. Relax and just have FUN!
It had been awhile since I had unplugged and relaxed, let alone had fun (couldn’t remember the last time). So, here’s to another first.
We got into the truck and went into town and got hair-cuts. Probably doesn’t sound like much fun, huh? But, it is something we have never done together. Jill got her hair cut first. As the stylist was drying and styling Jill’s hair I ran to fill the truck up with gas and went to the Dollar Store next door and picked up a surprise for Jill.
I got my hair cut, we paid the nice stylist and headed back to the ranch. Once there, we did our noon devotion, went down for lunch and as we were finishing I announced that I had planned a very special surprise for the afternoon. It involved being outdoors in the beautiful spring sunshine and no umbrellas were involved (it had rained the previous day). Jill was excited but also cautious and inquisitive.
Lunch over, headed upstairs, grabbed our shoes, put on our jackets and headed to the great outdoors. Sunshine abounding and a nice spring breeze. Once outdoors, we headed to the truck to pick up the surprise out of the back tool box.
Her face showed a slight concern, “what is he up to now?” Then I pulled out two kites complete with two reels of twine 250’ long. She smiled, then laughed as I said “Let’s go fly a kite!”
Off we went to the big open field by the pond. After some minor assembly, the first kite was up and flying with Jill holding the string navigating the airborne devise. I got the second kite assembled and flying and for the next couple of hours we were flying kites. We let the line all the way out and brought them back in. We dived, crashed into the pond and each other and even managed to get the lines tangled up a time or two. But then back into the air they went. Kites to the right, kites to the left, kites up high and down low. We had a blast.
For just a portion of the day I left the world of adults, meetings and responsibilities to relive a time when I was a kid again. Running through a meadow; crashing a kite into a tree, house or powerline; putting three or more kites in the air and having duels. All of these brought back such good memories and for that brief period of time, I was a kid again.
Jill and I rolled up the line, folded up the kites and put them to rest in the truck. We talked about how much fun it was and agreed that we needed to do it again sometime, soon! Maybe with the kids next time, the grown and little ones.
My point to all this was that this was a perfect way to spend time—fun time, quality time—with my wife. But in the midst of it I discovered something else. We seem to get so busy and too grown up to do kid things that are so much fun. Not only is it true in our physical life, so it is in our spiritual life.
We forget what it is like to sing in church (loud, off key, but singing out of love for God). We forget the impact of the Bible stories have on us (David & Goliath, Moses parting Red Sea, Daniel and lions’ den, Joshua and Jericho wall). We tend to get spiritual amnesia when it comes to making crafts like Bible School or eating cookies and drinking red Kool-Aid making a red moustache.
It seems we grow up and outgrow flying a kite and spending fun times with God. Flying kites with Jill reminded me that as we grow up and older, we don’t have to quit having fun.
Think I will read about the three Hebrew boys and the fiery furnace tonight.
Re-Finding the Kid in Me Bro. Tim
