Hide N Seek

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Do you people think that I am some local deity
and not the transcendent God?” the Lord asks.“Do you really think anyone can hide himself
where I cannot see him?” the Lord asks.
“Do you not know that I am everywhere?”
the Lord asks.  - Jeremiah 23:23-24

 

Raise of hands how many of you have ever played a champion game of Hide N Seek?  Or Sardines?  Many of youth lock-ins we played champion rounds of Sardines.  There is something compelling about disappearing but not for long as people seek you out.  One of my earliest memories or "faux" memories ( could totally be a created memory through past stories or dreamed) is playing Hide N Seek in Germany with the big kids when I was very young.  I remember there was a green van with a skinny locker.  This was a popular hiding space.  I remember sneaking inside and waiting for what felt forever.  Looking back now I wonder if it felt like forever because I was twoish or because I was two and I was allowed to play "wink wink" and hid just too well that no one could find me.  Although someone always hid in this cool spot. Being a mom to a toddler I understand that sometimes a cool spot to hide can be overlooked for a bit of time - "wink wink" :)

 

Speaking of my li'l man.  He has entered the love of Hide N Seek.  I had made a resolution to work out daily - haven't quite hit this goal but I do get in quite a few rounds of champion Hide N Seek.  I say champion because we play speed version.  When mommy or daddy counts it is a full ten seconds to allow proper hiding.  When the 3 year old counts it can range from three to six seconds but the finder is moving with peeking eyes toward the hider.  It is a sprint to get to the other side of the house with the counter closing in quickly.  Hurdles of moving pets or dodging toys are too common of obstacles.  Sometimes we as parents team tag to stop and restart the counting on official standards to allow giggles to subside, oxygen to be gathered, and allowing one to actually hide instead of pretending to be a lamp no one notices. . . in the middle of the room ;)  Here are 2 pictures of actual hiding spots as if the giggles weren't the giveaway ;)

 

 

 

 

What good fun!  We laugh, we gasp, we hide, we run, and we pretend.  A truly classic game - Hide N Seek.  As we get older we play different versions of the game with probably a lot less laughter.  We hide from responsibility, procrastinate from duties, ignore calls from sticky relationships that may include bill collectors, frenemies, charity requests, or dramatic friends/family/exes, etc.   Perhaps some of us, most of us, okay probably all of us try to hide from God.  God asks an awful lot of us sometimes.  God whispers, prods, sometimes fully shoves us toward doing good.  God asks and we whine "Don't wanna".  I don't always want to be good.  I sometimes (a lot of time) enjoy being a sloth.  And other times I can barely take care of me and God wants me to be responsible for others?  Yeesh (hands on face pulling down cheeks).  Sometimes we need that time of hiding to be quiet time to grieve, to shake out the mistakes we've made, to forgive the wrongs that stung (from others as well as our own misdoings to self)  but there is a time to also step back into the land of visibility.  We think we are hiding from God but really it's like parents playing Hiding N Seek.  Oh no I can't see you hiding right there in the middle of the living room.  Wherever could my child be as we stroll through the grocery store and the child is strapped in the cart but with eyes closed.  Sometimes God plays along but the game has to end and usually it is abrupt.  No more cooing or whispering of name or laughing at the ridiculous "invisible" pose.  All of sudden "time's up we got things to do.  Clean up this mess so we can move on."  

 

I miss my kid hang outs, secret clubs, and my favorite hiding spot of all in my closet.  I had engineered a hanging flashlight so I could hide amongst my things (including my fantastic sticker collection of over 3000 stickers:)  in comfort with a pillow, a good book, and usually a snack of some sort.  When I entered my closet I was one step closer to Narnia and able to experience true peace, restore energy, and gain a little extra knowledge or creative spark.  But flashlight batteries do not last forever and I would leave my special hiding place to join the real world.  

 

How God must laugh when we attempt to hide in clever spots and yet to God we remain in clear view.  But out of love tends to give us some room and when time calls to us, Time's up sweetheart, stand up, clean up, and let's get going to the places we need to be."  What is even better that although we try to hide and disappear someone is always not just looking for us but looking out for us as well. "  What a blessing to have such an almighty and powerful God!

 

May you find time to play, to laugh, to hide, be sought, and to seek what truly matters. ' Til we meet again. . .