Looking up

Yesterday my youngest son decided to try his hand at tree climbing.  He managed to get into the tree just enough to get stuck.  Our other three kids have mastered the art of the climbing tree in our front yard.  They wisk their way to the top and yell, "Here I am world!".   Without fear they climb and sway with the branches in the warm summer wind.  I stand far from the tree with the kids in direct view...I hardly even have to look up to see them.  But Jack gets stuck and I have to go right under the tree to get him.  For a moment while I reach up to grab him I look up.  I look way up into the tree and see all its twisting branches and flowering leaves.  I see the sun all the way up through the tree's top.  For a moment I take it in.  The sun, the branches, the leaves, my son, his branch-like arms and legs...and me reaching for him the way the branches reach for the sun.  "I am the vine, you are the branches...." It seeps into my heart and brain and takes me by surprise again.  God loves me.  God made me.  God loves my kids.  God loves his people.  Even when this world seems fast and furious, over burdened and over limit, careless and worthless, scary and cold...God loves his creation.  I believe that God is real and that there is a Hope.  I lift my little Jack down and he takes my hand.  He smiles and says, "Thank you mommy....you help Jack".  I smile back.  Thank you God...you help me.