I'm
Not a Puppy
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we
should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1, NIV)
We had a fun family outing recently to an amusement
park--two mamas, six grandchildren, and two grandparents. With a couple of
strollers, diaper bags, picnic lunch food, and lots of water bottles, we were
somewhat laden down. We mostly stayed together, but when we split up from time
to time for the different kinds of rides, we invoked our divide and conquer
plan.
And this Nana was ready, always mindful of safety,
wondering children, and crowded places. I had placed my children’s “leash” at
the bottom of one of the strollers. So, when my three-year-old granddaughter
and I separated from the others for a restroom break, I placed the Velcro hand
wrap around Amara’s little wrist and clutched the other end to begin our trek.
I said, “Let’s go.”
But Amara stopped dead in her tracks, and with her
feisty spirit indignantly replied, “I’m not a puppy!”
Well, after stifling my chuckles, I explained to her
the purpose of the safety leash, and we went on our way.
Amara’s self-assurance to advocate for herself and her
confidence in her identity as a child, not a puppy, can speak volumes to us as
Christians. Are we advocating for ourselves with confidence that we belong to
Jesus so that others know our true identity? As Christ followers, our identity
includes all the abundance of being treasured children of God—we are loved,
chosen, and redeemed. We are a member of His body, the church. If we’re walking
around defeated, demoralized, and depressed, perhaps we are experiencing a
mistaken identity. Maybe our spiritual facial recognition is not working.
Let’s hope we don’t get waylaid in the ways of the
world where a false identity is triggered. In what ways do you proclaim your
identity in Christ on a daily basis?
Becky Van Vleet
Becky Van Vleet is a retired teacher and principal and award-winning multi-genre author. She has been published in Guideposts, The Country Register, and Christian Devotions Ministry. Her children’s picture books are the recipients of the 2020 Excellence in Editing award as well as the Purple Dragonfly award in 2020 and 2021. She and her husband make their home close to Colorado Springs where she enjoys gardening, hiking, oil painting, power walking, and spending time with her family, especially reading books to her grandchildren.
Becky is the author of Unintended Hero, a true
story about her father’s battles, experiences, and adventures in WWII aboard
the USS Denver. She is passionate about sharing the values from the
Greatest Generation and enjoys speaking to high school classes about
patriotism.
A member of ACFW and Allauthor, Becky has
devoted her website to creating and preserving family memories and sharing
family stories for the next generations through her monthly blogs.
You can find her at: https://beckyvanvleet.com.
She would love to hear from you, especially if you have a family story to share!
Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorbeckyvanvleet/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-van-vleet-ms-806055181/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becky_van_vleet_author/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/beckyvanvleet/
Amazon Central
Author Page: https://amzn.to/3INHIPB
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/125841473-becky-van-vleet
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beckyvanvleet9907
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/becky-van-vleet
Becky Van Vleet is a retired teacher and principal and
award-winning multi-genre author. She has been published in Guideposts, The
Country Register, and Christian Devotions Ministry. Her children’s picture
books are the recipients of the 2020 Excellence in Editing award as well as the
Purple Dragonfly award in 2020 and 2021. She and her husband make their home
close to Colorado Springs where she enjoys gardening, hiking, oil painting,
power walking, and spending time with her family, especially reading books to
her grandchildren.
Becky is the author of Unintended Hero, a true
story about her father’s battles, experiences, and adventures in WWII aboard
the USS Denver. She is passionate about sharing the values from the
Greatest Generation and enjoys speaking to high school classes about
patriotism.
A member of ACFW and Allauthor, Becky has
devoted her website to creating and preserving family memories and sharing
family stories for the next generations through her monthly blogs.
You can find her at: https://beckyvanvleet.com.
She would love to hear from you, especially if you have a family story to share!
Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorbeckyvanvleet/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-van-vleet-ms-806055181/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becky_van_vleet_author/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/beckyvanvleet/
Amazon Central
Author Page: https://amzn.to/3INHIPB
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/125841473-becky-van-vleet
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beckyvanvleet9907
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/becky-van-vleet
2 comments:
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