Yesterday after church, Curtis, Jackson and I had a yummy lunch at Luby’s Cafeteria with all the other church-going folks on this side of town. As we were leaving, Jackson was given a big red balloon on a string. It was his joy and his delight. Let me just say that his joy and delight are fragile things. Having seen this particular joy swept away in the wind too many times before, I tied the balloon onto his clothes to keep him from losing it. Of course he had a fit about that. My banoon, Mommy! My banoon! He wanted all the control in his sweaty little hand! To my very great surprise, the balloon actually survived the trip home. It was still intact this morning and he enjoyed several more hours with it. He loved it so much. I cringed though, seeing my son get all of this happiness from something so fragile and temporary. It would only be a matter of time before it popped or sprung a leak out of nowhere. Then I’d have a sad, sad boy on my hands.
I think God must look at me in the same way when I’m trying to get my joy and happiness out of earthly things. I wonder if He thinks, Oh, baby girl, that is so temporary. It’s already got a leak in it – you just can’t see it yet. Find your joy in me! I’m everlasting! My unfailing love it what your heart truly seeks.
So today I’ll remember that my beautiful white house, compliments I may get because of this or that, my cute new maternity clothes, the holiday atmosphere that will soon surround us – all of these things I like and love so much – are about as safe for my heart to depend on as a simple latex balloon. These things add color and festivity to my life, but they are not sturdy enough to support my soul. There’s only One who is, and He’s more than willing to do it for me! He wants to! Thank You, Lord!
What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. (Proverbs 19:22)
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption. (Psalm 130:5-7)
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. (Psalm 33:18)
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
even as we put our hope in you. (Psalm 33:21-22)
Tags: Jackson
Beautiful! Life is like a banoon! Jesus is forever!
Why do I so often put my heart into something so fleeting as a latex balloon? The analogy is profound because we are so desperate for material things, our dreams coming true, and our relationships. Even when we get what we want, it does not fill our soul. Thank you for this today!
Excellent analogy! Love it! I linked to it on my blog.
And oh could I ever relate to the story. I used to cringe when my son’s got balloons because they were SO THRILLED, but something always happened and it was just so traumatic! Oh how much we can be just like that.
Thank You so much Amanda, I copied those verses down on index cards and are carrying them with me in my back pocket today. (Just like your mom taught me) They are like balm for my heart. Thank you!
Cara
That was a perfect analogy! Thanks for sharing what God lays on your heart!
Blessings!
Thank you for this wonderful reminder how we let unlasting daily ‘stuff’ take hold rather than letting GOD take hold of us. HE is what matters and what I need to find total joy in.. My 16 year old loves reading blogs by you Amanda so I pray the Lord continues to use you ( Jackson) to bring truth to us…
Thank you for providing the “mile marker” I needed today. It was a tremendous blessing.
What a wonderful analogy! Beautiful image. How precious is that sweet boy…. we can’t wait to hear what God teaches you through Baby girl!!
Good stuff right there! Thanks for sharing.
Blessings! :o)
Thank you! Your words are the reminder I needed at just this moment!
You have your mother’s genes, alright!
Amanda, Thank you for the important reminder about our priorities concerning the temporal. Last night my husband and I headed to Lifeway to purchase the Esther leader kit. (Praise the Lord!) I also picked up a few more of your moms studies. I am addicted to her material. It speaks to me so.. We left there and went to the mall and just looked around. We went to one of my favorite stores and there was so much pretty stuff! I wanted it all and was beginning to feel bad because I couldn’t buy it all! Then the Lord spoke to me and my dissatisfaction – “remember the banoon, Beth” Temporary pleasure. Short-term delight. Seasonal. Oh Lord, forgive me for looking to “stuff” for my happiness. My joy is in you, Lord.
Thank you little Jackson and Amanda for this Word.
In His grip of Grace,
Beth Herring
Thanks for that Amanda,
I needed that wonderful reminder of where to place my hope, love and joy!
Love you all bunches!
Esther 🙂
Beautiful words, achingly beautiful truth. Thank you.
our kids teach us sooo much…I have gotten so many glimpses of God through their eyes and actions.
AJ,
I also wanted to thank you for sending Ps.33:21-22.
I’ve been memorizing/meditating on 33:22 but now want to add v21. What encouragement to focus on the LORD… “In Him our hearts rejoice…”
Thank you so much for sharing …
How great it is to know that while red banoons may be beautiful, our dear Lord is the same Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, and HE, and His Word, will last FOREVER.
Love those particular scripture verses. The Lord has been leading me to do a word study on Hope. I am just beginning but am looking forward to all He has for me.
Pat in Kansas
God keeps bringing me this lesson today. He’s winking at me right now, I think. Thank you for letting God’s words flow through you in such wonderful ways!
Had to jump on here and add another comment about Jackson’s red banoon…one of my students is really into the little book “Goodnight Moon” and I just keep thinking of Jackson each time James says “Goonight red banoon”…it’s sooo cute!
Me again….Oh my goodness…this post is just all over Jackson tonight! After I finished the last comment the word verification thingy popped up again and what word would you guess it spelled?! MISTR! I know that it is missing the “E” but I could not let it go! This one is for you little Mister! I pray God’s blessings over your little life today and forever!
Yes, Lord 🙂
What a beautiful analogy Amanda, truely beautiful.
I am so ready to celebrate Christ’s birth this year. I look at all my Christmas “stuff” and think of Jackson’s red banoon. Some of it is beautiful, some of it makes me laugh, and some of it makes me remember Christmas as a child. It is not lasting, but Jesus is and is coming back to take us all home. Oh Praise Him. I just bought Travis’ Christmas album. It is beautiful, and praise is not temporary, it is lasting!
Blessings to the Moores!
What a great comparison and lesson! Thanks for sharing that.
With a husband out of work – a car broken down – holidays here – I needed the reminder that God is in control – Our trust – faith – hope – security – should all be placed directly into God’s hands. Thank you for letting God speak through you and a little boy’s balloon.
Really enjoyed that Amanda – good reminder for all of us in these times. By the way, I have a son who loved and lost many a baloon – there is a really cute Jamie Lee Curtis book called “Where do Balloons go” all about balloons having parties and fun when they fly up into the sky – I would highly recommend it.
Debbie
Wow that is a great post thanks for pointing us more to what is everlasting.
WOW – How often do I let the “red balloons” in my life distract me from The Lord. Thank you for reminding us of the world’s distractions. Blessings!
Wow what a great analogy!!! Thank you Amanda for sharing!!!
I’m going through your “Believing God” series with some women at my church and I just want to thank you for your passion for the Lord. My husband and I have been trying for a baby for the past 18 months (after an early miscarriage). Well we found out today that we’re pregnant!!!! I BELIEVED God for this promise and HE’S moved the mountain. Praise the Lord!!
Thank you for that Amanda! It spoke right to this mother’s heart!
Wow…thank you so much for sharing your story and wisdom…God was speaking to me through your words!
Thank you so much Amanda.
I could hear the air rushing out of a balloon in the background as I was reading it.
Thank you so much for that! That was very well said!
Wow, so true! And not only are some of our earthly joys temporary, they so often blow up in our face.
this is quite a late posting in response to your words of wisdom Amanda. Unfortunately I have been away from reading the blogs for a week because I have been out of town helping my husband and sister-in-law, in the wrapping up of their fathers life. We were notified on Nov 14th that he had taken his life – he had lived that life totally for self and trying to seek happiness and peace in the things of this world – – which of course he never found. He was such a wonderful man, and we have prayed and tried so many, many times through the years to help him to see where his only TRUE hope and peace would be found. To our knowledge, he never accepted the free gift offered to him. But as we cleared out his condo, closed out bank accounts and had services discontinued, all I could think about was that it was all just ‘stuff’ and while we (especially women) enjoy our ‘stuff’, it was never meant to fill that need in our lives that only our true Father, through His Son fills….so my reading of your post helps to remind myself of that. Thank you for it…
What a vivid analogy! I love it. Thanks for posting that. Love the verses, too.
This is my first post to the blog, although I read it often. Our pastor teaches us to “obey the Spirit promptly” and so it was with that prompting that I sat down to read the blog, purposely looking for a word and some much needed encouragement today. My heart is so heavy with burdens that seem so “forever” and I needed to be reminded that they really are temporary. Thank you for providing another way for me to see God at work in my life.
I am so glad I found this blog page. I am so far behind. Amanda is pregnant??? Melissa is married???? Where have I been all this time. I guess I am so engrossed doing all those Beth Moore Bible Studies, I have lost touch with the outside world. Well, God is gooder than I even knew. Praise His Wonderfulness! I have done 7 or 8 of these studies in the past 3 years. When you find something good you try to get all you can. I am a changed woman, thanks to our God who I now know loves me immeasurably. I cannot thank you all enough for following the lead of our dear Savior. You will be in my prayers daily from this point on. God bless the men who try to lasso these wild women for God. May your homes feel His love and peace each day. I look forward to meeting you all in Heaven one day.(which may not be too long from now)God bless you.
Oh Amanda, I got goosebumps reading that. Thank you for putting that in such a way that is so easy for us all to get and visualize!
Thank you Amanda for your words of truth.
~Kristen
Thanks to my friend Jennifer Woolley for introducing me to your blog. Praise be to God for revealing that scripture to me. He knows what I need. Kim
Finding myself holding on to what was or what could of been
Thank you Amanda. This really hit home.
Reading over this post again as the new year begins. In my mid thirties, reflecting on "things". Come to realization of how much of my life has been spent "chasing" the fun "things", "things" that symbolize status, & "things" that make me look important in the eyes of others. Not wanting to invest the time for the "things" in life that require hard work, sacrifice, and that no one sees. Coming to terms with how am I going to spend the remainder of my years here on this earth as the new year begins.
Reading over this post again as the new year begins. In my mid thirties, reflecting on "things". Come to realization of how much of my life has been spent "chasing" the fun "things", "things" that symbolize status, & "things" that make me look important in the eyes of others. Not wanting to invest the time for the "things" in life that require hard work, sacrifice, and that no one sees. Coming to terms with how am I going to spend the remainder of my years here on this earth as the new year begins.
Reading over this post again as the new year begins. In my mid thirties, reflecting on "things". Come to realization of how much of my life has been spent "chasing" the fun "things", "things" that symbolize status, & "things" that make me look important in the eyes of others. Not wanting to invest the time for the "things" in life that require hard work, sacrifice, and that no one sees. Coming to terms with how am I going to spend the remainder of my years here on this earth as the new year begins.