He will call us by our name

My grand-daughter insisted that I buy her a bath tub toy, in particular, a toy duck, a yellow toy duck for that matter.  I really couldn't understand why she wanted ducks to play with in the tub because she is nearing 5 years old in one month.  Her request was very simple, one yellow duck to match her other yellow duck.  So, I went to three stores and upon my surprise, I could not find a 'plain' yellow duck.  I tried to influence her that having a duck with a red scarf, or a duck with a purple hat: since purple was her favorite color, would be just as awesome.  She didn't agree.  She wanted a plain yellow duck.

My search continued throughout the day for a plain yellow duck, and it consumed my entire day, dragging her along from store to store.  We went to a little town outside our town and there was a store specifically for bathtub ducks.  The store was incredible, basket to basket there were so many ducks of all sizes and shapes and colors and of course, many different prices.  We were overwhelmed with the thought of so many ducks.

My grand-daughter stood in amazement looking around and planning her excursion throughout the store.  What was once a search for only a 'yellow duck' now became a search for 'yellow duck babies'. Now don't get me wrong, I love my grand-daughter, I have spent my entire day looking for ducks, but now I just wanted to scream and put her in the car and leave.  If I knew now what I knew at that moment, that with a little more convincing earlier, she might have settled for a different duck. Unfortunately, she is most persistence, and needless to say, we forged on until we came upon this shop.

The shop consisted of bath soaps and sponges, but mostly ducks.  She maneuvered from basket to basket planning her shopping spree.  I watched her intently, as she made comments about each duck and their outward appearance.  We came home with 18 ducks, all very different in sizes, shapes and colors.  I gave in and gave her anything she wanted to end her day with contentment, happiness and with enough ducks in her possession, hopefully she would never ask for another duck.

Once we arrived home, she immediately wanted to take a bath, and in my mind, this idea was great because I knew I had plenty of things waiting for me to do that I ignored all day.  I knew a bath for her meant time well spent for me.

At the close of her hour long bath, I had to persuade her to get out of the tub,  but not until she told me the names off all of her ducks.  She went from duck to duck explaining to me their names and why she named them each a different name.  It went like this; "this is yellow duck, white beard, monkey face, blue horn, rock star, hopped, four leg," and on and on.  She didn't skip a beat and when I asked her to repeat them she was able to once again give me the same names that she did previously.  I was amazed. She also said she loved them and she was going to take care of them. I tried to name the ducks however, I messed up a couple of times and she said that we have to call them by their right names because their names are special, like hers.

In Isaiah 43:1 "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine."

These ducks are hers and she will take care of them and call them by name, as we are HIS, and HE will take care of us and call us by our name!

Ducks, who would have thought.......