No longer does it involve wetland birds and guns, but rather plastic toys and cruise ships – who knew?
Fresh from a wonderful vacation on one of the latter, I discovered that the hiding and finding of little rubber ducks on those mammoth boats is a really big deal… and my daughter-in-law, Sarah, was all in.
She came prepared, with an abundance of ducks to hide and share, and a heart set on finding as many as possible herself. It was a game she delighted in, one that was as much fun to her as any of the many activities planned by the cruise director. Every moment of the day, even while involved in doing other things, her eyes were scanning corners and shelves, peeking behind curtains and under furniture, looking for hidden waterbirds. And because she was constantly looking, she found ducks everywhere she went! Soon the shelf in our cabin reserved for displaying her finds was full of her successes.
It’s important to note here that Sarah didn’t just take ducks… she gave away more than she found, especially to little kids or others she knew were on the hunt with her. She’d either hand them out directly or hide them nearby and then suggest to a struggling child that they look in a particular direction. The resultant joy and smiles on their faces couldn’t touch that in her own heart – she was having a blast!
I have to admit I’m a bit in recovery mode today as I step back into my regular life and schedule, but I do so with a mind and heart refreshed by the cleansing wind we experienced so often on deck, blowing the detritus of worry and concerns away, leaving me looking for You, Lord, much as Sarah looked for ducks in every nook and cranny of that ship. May I sail away into my day and search the same way – and likewise find an abundance of Joy!
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ‘I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord…”
(Jeremiah 29:13-14 NIV)
