A pink piece of chalk...

As I sit here writing as the kettle brews, I would like to share a story with you...

Today at work I was playing outside with the kids. The four year old girl that I watch, K, came up to me in distress, "Where is the pink chalk?" On the verge of tears she petitioned me to find it, and I said I would. As I'm looking,  T (her 2 year old little brother) came over asking, "Doin' Penzi?" And I answered, "Looking for the pink chalk bud, K would really like it." He got excited and answer "TAY!", and searched eagerly beside me. When I came upon the chalk, I let T 'find' it. He was so excited he ran over, "FOUND IT!" And proudly handed his prize over to K.

K just looked at it and melted into despair on the ground. I scooped her up and asked what was wrong. Ten minutes and a bucket of tears later she revealed to me between sobs, "You were supposed to find the chalk. Not T. You." I let that sink in trying not to laugh and said to her, "But K, you have the chalk. That's the important part. You have your special pink chalk."

Looking back at this event I am amazed at what the actions of a child can reveal about the depths of the human heart. Tonight I was in a state over the future, my choices in life, and what a calling and vocation truly mean. As I sat in such a state I could hear God whisper, "But you have the chalk..."

I have the chalk. What I came to college desiring was to live to the glory of God. To use my gifts to glorify him. To find a way to use my vocation, to love children, to honor him. When faced with the choices of how to do that, I melted in tears. I sit here so desperately wanting to do the right thing, that I forgot the important thing. I will still be loving children, and doing it to honor God and to his glory. I still have the pink chalk...