The Princess Bike

My four-year-old daughter, Kella, got a new/used bike from her Grandma Pearl the last time she was here.  This week was the first time the weather was warm enough to get out and actually drive around with it.

This was Kella’s first time riding a bicycle and with this being the first time, there were a lot of Daddy-bending-over and balancing the bike moments — bending way over, as this is a small, small bike and I am a somewhat tall man.  OUCH!

The end result?  Daddy decided pretty quickly that a trip to the bike store down the road was in order.  We needed to get training wheels on this bike and let Kella go free with this thing!  She was very excited.

We got in the van, packed up the bike, and went down to the Two Wheeler Dealer.  When the guy at the counter asked what kind of bike it was, before I had the chance to respond, Kella said quite matter-of-factly, “It’s a princess bike.”  The bike technician wrote down “princess bike” and told us he’d give us a call when it was done.

It was the next evening that I got the call from the store telling me that my “er…. princess bike” was done and that we could come and pick it up.  The store was closed that evening, so Kella would have to wait another day.

The anticipation was growing more and more for Kella.  She kept asking me about when we’d get to go on the first ride (about every ten minutes). I knew if I didn’t grab the video camera to catch this moment I’d be kicking myself later.  Bear with me as I tear up and watch my littlest one grow up before my eyes…

 

As Kella’s father, it brings me so much joy to see her growing up and transforming into the young lady that she will one day become.  I can see all of the life, giftings, and great potential in her and it brings me to tears — I love her so much and am so proud of her.

I used this story as an illustration at our student rally service this past Wednesday night.  We were on the last night of a message series we titled “The Calling” on the life-story of Abraham.  The series was ending with a discussion of how we have been created by a God who has blessed us with different gifts and abilities to be used to make an imprint in our world.

My thoughts went to Kella, who didn’t even know what the experience of riding a bicycle would be like, but she was so excited to try!  She wanted so much to “exercise the gift” that she knew was in her four-year-old legs.  And, let me tell you, when she started to get the hang of it, it wasn’t long before she was flying!

It’s a prayer for my life that I would be as excited about the purposes and plans that God has placed in my life.  That I would be bold and brave enough to just “go do it” when Father God places opportunities in my life.  And, maybe, just maybe in the process He even tears up when He begins to see me fly…

I might crash a few times — Kella did on her first run, too.  But that’s okay because Daddy-God is there to hug me, wipe off my tears, and cheer me on over and over again.

So, what’s that gift or calling that’s been churning inside of you?  It’s time to take it for a test-drive.

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