Following Gidgy

My wife, daughter, granddaughter and I were in a Janie & Jack’s children’s store at an Indianapolis mall, shopping, obviously, for the granddaughter. While not her legal, given name, she is affectionately known to Yours Truly as Gidgy. Don’t ask me why; she’s just always been Little Gidgy to me. Next March she turns six, but during this Janie & Jack’s adventure she wasn’t much older than two. While the women shopped, it was my assignment to watch The Gidge. I can’t speak for other grandfathers, but for Grapper (that’s what Gidgy calls me), Gidgy watching is an marvelous treat.

Now I have to explain what Gidgy watching actually means. It means . . . well, watching Gidgy. I’m not an interferer unless it is absolutely necessary or I’m asked to interfere by the Gidge. (I respond to “Up Grapper” or “Down Grapper” or “Hold hand” or any number of Gidgy commands.) I am a true watcher and avoid unsolicited interference. Gidgy watching is one of the most educational and entertaining things I do.

On this particular occasion, after checking out everything of interest to a Gidgy attention span in this relatively small store, she took it upon herself to check out the rest of the mall. She quite deliberately walked out of the Janie & Jack’s and down the hall toward the escalators. With me watching and following at an interfere-able yet discreet distance, she made her way up the escalator, across the second floor to the down escalator, down the same hall from whence she came, and back into Janie & Jack’s.

Now to all you shocked Mothers out there reading this, you need to understand that I suddenly starting viewing everyone in that mall as a potential pedophile, and was ready to interfere at any given moment, so I was not shirking my grandfatherly duty. Gidgy didn’t realize this. She was on an intense, private exploration, but I can assure you, Moms, I was ready! Fortunately, no interference was necessary.

From time to time I’ll lean back in my chair, rub the computer glare out of my eyes and reminisce about those memorable few moments. The entire adventure probably only lasted between ten and fifteen minutes. I actually started laughing right out loud on a couple of occasions thinking about it. I’m sure my colleagues thought I must be losing my mind. During one of those recent reminisces, it dawned on me that this is such a microcosm of life. We’re all on this great, personal journey, and walking none too steadily much of the time, up one escalator and down another, across the hall into one phase of life, then out again to the escalators and on to yet another phase.

All during her sojourn I could tell Gidgy was confident and knew where she was going. No one was bothering her. She was safe, so I left her alone to learn and to explore. Ah, but I was watching, and I was ready to interfere at a moment’s notice, and I have since interfered many times in other circumstances.

How like God this is. He is watching every individual reading these lines, as well as those that aren’t. He’s not nervous about our circuitous journey because He’s our Grapper-God, and He loves us. If I may be so bold, He’s excited about our successes . . . and there to interfere for us in our failures.

Can it be that the sovereign God takes pleasure in our explorations? I know how proud I felt as I watched Gidgy fearlessly make her way through that mall and safely back again to Janie & Jack’s.

Most of the time we aren’t even cognizant that He’s there as we go up and down life’s escalators, moving in and out of life’s various phases, but my friends, He’s there alright . . . and He’s ready to interfere at a moment’s notice.