Mr. Sticky Baums

You've never seen joy like this . . . or, well, you probably have, but there is a particular enthusiasm that can only be expressed properly through the squeaky voice and massive grin of a child. That joy has filled our house this past week in the most unexpected manner—Mr. Sticky Baums. Mr. Sticky Baums is not a relative, nor even a person, but a squishy, sticky red ball with rubbery nobs around the outside that Basil received at a friend's birthday party. The first delight came at discovering Mr. Sticky Baum's squishy exterior. Perhaps it is the validation of his perceived great strength, but Mr. Sticky Baums was squeezed within an inch of his life on multiple occasions. Yet as serendipity does, it was an accident that brought the greatest joy. Basil threw the ball across the room, in the wild way of one who has no concept of body mechanics, and managed to hit the ceiling . . . where Mr. Sticky Baums, true to his name, stuck. Instantly Basil exploded into giggles. When Mr. Sticky Baums fell a few seconds later, he was immediately rocketed back to the ceiling. Again and again and again. Until this wicked Stick Baums broke the chain of joy and defiantly clung to the ceiling,

Mr. Sticky Baums and his new home on our ceiling.

refusing the call of gravity. The lapse in joy was momentary, for a new game was born—how long could Mr. Sticky Baums hold on to the ceiling. I thought it would be a few minutes, but that was revised to a few hours, which was revised again after Basil woke up periodically throughout the night to confirm that Mr. Sticky Baums was still holding strong. It is now day five and there is no sign that Mr. Sticky Baums will ever rejoin our plane of existence. I have become concerned that when, or perhaps if, he falls back down he might take a bit of the ceiling with him too.

This week as I have watched this persistent red ball and walked under his watchful gaze I have thought too about where we are in the life of our church. We are in a season of discernment, as many churches are, where we will need to let go of some things, perhaps even some things that are good. But just like Mr. Sticky Baums we have much to cling to as well. In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul says,

"Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal, but I press on to lay hold of that for which Christ has laid hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have laid hold of it, but one thing I have laid hold of: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

The upward call of God in Christ Jesus. This call towards abundant life lived in loving sacrifice for God and neighbor. This call towards the Kingdom of God experienced in our life together. This call of welcome from God, expressed as a welcome to all—certainly that is something to cling to. Nobody is perfect. We will all have days when we fall, even Mr. Sticky Baums. But perhaps if we cling long enough and hard enough, we will carry a bit of the ceiling with us, trusting God to carry us higher again. What do you need to let go of? What are you clinging to?