Truth or Dare...

Cups

AJ has a good friend, one he has known since Kindergarten. She moved away this past fall and the two mothers have allowed them to Zoom each other, as well as a few other friends, to keep in touch. The girls play "Truth or Dare?". They are monitored, of course. Since AJ was born, we have had a bedtime routine. When we go to bed, we say our prayers and tell stories. Now after stories, AJ wants to do "Truth or Dare". Although he calls it "Truth or Dare?", the only category is always Truth. Most of the time this exists of questions like "pizza or spaghetti?", "math or science?", or "basketball or soccer?". Last night he asked me "Truth or Dare?". I said, "Truth". He asked, "Do you love me more, or my dad and Uncle Tay?" Of course, I said "Both". He just made a face! I explained that I don't love people more, I love them differently. And, I told him that he is my favorite grandchild, to which he replied, "I'm your only grandchild!". We both laughed. We always laugh a lot during our storytime and I feel so blessed that he enjoys that time as much as I do. This started me thinking. How does God love us as children? How does he see each of us?

St. Therese of Lisieux was born on January 2, 1873. She was a Roman Catholic nun. She died at the young age of 24 of Tuberculosis. She was one of nine children and her mother died of breast cancer when she was just 4 years old. She was given the title of "Doctor of the Church" by John Paul II. St. Therese was known as "The Little Flower". St. Therese stated "In this life, we are all different flowers in God's garden. We cannot compare ourselves for each of us is a different kind, making the garden glorious by such great variety." (DominicanaJournal.org) St. Therese lived her life with peace and joy.

However, it is her analogy of us all as cups that causes me to pause. She said, "In Heaven, we will all be like cups - all of us different sizes, but full to the brim with God." Wow! Our Women's Group at church had a cup exchange at Christmas. We all put our names on the bottom of the cups and drew numbers. There were twenty cups exchanged for our small church. The cup we received is our "prayer person" for the next year. Just like each cup is different and unique, so is each person that cup embodies. I know that God has unconditional love. John 3:16 states "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life." That is whoever, not specifically you or I, but anyone willing to accept His love.

However, I do know that he loves each of us as individuals. He has different purposes for us all. I Corinthians 12:4-6 "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” He created each of us uniquely. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Just as each woman chose a cup for the exchange, God chose us for his purpose. He loves us all unconditionally, but He made us individuals. We are different and unique, wonderful cups that will be full of God in Heaven.