I was so excited that day, walking into the local department store with my parents. I felt so grown up. I held tightly in my hands $5.00 of my own money that I had earned from my first babysitting job. “What treasure was I going to buy for myself?”, I wondered, as my anxious eyes scanned the shelves in the toy department. I was only 12 at the time. And there it was … a large, bright, yellow stuffed lion that, when I picked it up, emitted a roaring sound deep from within his belly. I remember clinging to my newfound companion so tightly after paying over my earnings.
That began my love for collecting stuffed animals, which unapologetically continued into my adulthood. Even my husband embraced my love for my warm and comforting friends, by adding to the numbers with gifts of newbies he either purchased or from winnings at his expertise with the amusement park claw machines. Each one was special to me. Presently, I still have a few special stuffed, furry companions that I’ve held onto, even though I have come to discover other things that provide more meaningful companionship, shifting the importance of what they meant at the time.
In my childhood years they were my companions, giving me something to hold onto when I was sad, feeling under the weather and even there to cheer me on as I grew up (at least I thought so). What childhood memory treasure held a special place in your heart, and was hard to let go of? As we’ve grown older and maybe a little wiser, we recognize the important companions on our journey include our family members, our spouse, and close friends that we hold onto, unlike the small treasures of our youth, and are the ones that support us through both the highs and the lows of life.
Now I realize, looking back on my own journey, the best of all, Jesus, has always been my true companion! Maybe I can’t physically squeeze Him with delight, pick Him from a shelf in a store (only a symbol) or watch His eyes light up as He’s cheering me on, but I can feel all those emotions deep within. I’ll always have fond memories of my good furry old friends, but they’ve been replaced with a love that is so much more than I could have ever imagined. Jesus will always be my #1 companion, my friend, my cheerleader and my comforter. I pray that you will also hold on tightly to our Lord as you walk on your journey of faith. And remember, it’s never too late to hold Jesus close. Amen
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s for his friends.” John 15:13
