Cotton Candy Clouds

It was the last leg of our flights to Fort St. John. Many hours of flying, depleted snack supply and some peace and quiet needed. I was ready for some focused reading time...the latest of my favorites....Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God by Francis Frangipane.

Then I saw her step down the aisle of the plane looking stressed... a mom with her three small children. It brought back a flood of memories when I had been in exactly the same situation. None of her seats were together and the flight attendent was trying to move people around to accomodate this young mom. Russ quickly volunteered to move which left the seat beside me vacant:)

Six year old Jasmine, with her dark eyes and princess necklace, was to be my travelling companion for the next two hours. I smiled and decided to relax about my book reading. Divine appointments come in all sizes!

"Do you wanna color with my new markers?" Jasmine was ready to share without any hesitation. We colored for awhile and I noticed her looking out the window. "What do you like the best about being up so high," I asked her. She smiled at me and showed her missing tooth. "The cotton candy clouds are my favorite, but you have to wait for them." I pointed out a few clouds and she quickly informed me that those were cotton ball clouds, NOT cotton candy ones.

"I love that the trees look like broccoli too, but I don't like to EAT broccoli." We continued to color, I shared the last of my snacks with her, she told me all about her brother and sister, and we discussed possible names for her new barbie.

I sat there enjoying the wonder in her, remembering seeing things as a child and realizing how complicated we can make life. So many times we miss significant moments because we are too busy to notice the small things. It's the little things along the way that make up the joy of our journey, not just the "moment" we are longing for....the destination.

We finally saw Jasmine's cotton candy clouds. She clapped her hands and was happy to point them out to me. "SEE, she shouted, they look just like whispers of cotton candy...I can just taste it!"

I had intended to read about the Presence of God but experienced it instead. A quiet, knowing....a peaceful leading beside still waters, a delightful sharing with a sweet six-year old. He is with us ALL the time, we just have to learn to recognize HIM.