"Owie, Mommy!" Becky cried after she'd skinned her knee roller skating on our front sidewalk.  

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry. Let's get you fixed up," I unlashed her skates, then led her by the hand to the bathroom, sat her down, and retrieved first aid supplies from the cabinet. 

We'll need to cleanse the 'owie' first, Honey," I said, dabbing at the slightly bleeding wound as tears trailed down my five-year-old's cheeks. "Now, we'll put a little bit of this antibacterial ointment on the band-aid, and now we'll place it on your knee," I said and "threw a kiss" on it for good measure.  

Becky looked down at her bandaged knee, stopped crying, and then looked up at me, her large blue eyes intent as if she was waiting for something more. I knew that look—my child's anticipation, the longing, the want for all that love can supply—more than what a band-aid can provide.  
 
My daughter smiled as I gave her a big hug and held her close. "Is your knee feeling better now, Sweetie?" I asked. She nodded.

"You're not going to let that bad old sidewalk hurt you anymore, are you?" I said with a smile as Becky giggled. "Nope!" she exclaimed, sliding down from my lap. She'd had enough of roller skating for the day and opted to play school with her dolls.  

I was happy that my little girl's "owie" was better. But only if the hurts she'd experience later on in her life could be so easily remedied!    

It takes more than a band-aid to heal some of the things that lie deep within our hearts. However, there is an answer. What about love? Just as the way "love is applied" to a skinned knee, so, too, we can apply love to other hurts in our lives.  

Sometimes we tend to make things more complicated than they should be. However, the answer to the ills that befall us is really quite simple. Might we look up—to the One who created us in His image, to the One who created love. Yes—the immense love God has for us, the love He freely gives to us without condition. All we need to do is ask. The Lord is compassionate, ready, and waiting to comfort us and sooth our hurts and sorrows.  
  
Love—it's so much more than a band aid! 
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"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever should believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16 

​Photo: N. Johnson

A surprise gets your attention, doesn’t it? Perhaps it’s a surprise birthday party, wedding shower, baby shower, or the celebration of a promotion or retirement. Or, maybe you are given a gift you didn't anticipate. Whichever it may be, such surprises put a smile on our faces and bring us joy.  

The wonder of a surprise is the unexpected. On a drive home after vacationing in the mountains, my husband and I enjoyed our stay. We had a nice time away; however, we had other concerns on our minds, including the health of those dear to us and prayers for those who had recently lost loved ones.  

As we came down the canyon, I hardly noticed the scenery as I focused on reading a story.  

"Look!” my husband called out suddenly.

My attention diverted, I lifted my nose out of the  book just in time. Looking to our left, the multi-color hues of a double rainbow stretched across the horizon. To our right, the eye-candy feast of an orange, yellow, and peach sunset cascaded against a backdrop of purple mountain peaks. Bright white billowing clouds touched down, rolling across the desert floor like they belonged there. Then, an opening of blue in a distant cloud poured out a stream of glistening rays of light upon the land.

A few vehicles pulled off the road to watch. God had dabbled in His sky artistry, in a way that only He can do. “Surprise!” He seemed to say, grabbing our attention at the marvelous setting before our eyes. This moment was a gift. We smiled, our hearts filled with joy, as the worries and concerns of the day seemed to instantly melt away. It was as if God's signature was being written across the sky, with His love pouring down upon all creation. 

We usually think of surprises as coming from our friends and family—but they come from God, too. And He is the ultimate gift-giver!  

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What surprises have most touched your heart lately, and how have God's gifts impacted your life? Feel free to comment. 
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“For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 

Photo courtesy of Vecteezy.com