Comfort to Keep
A parent had to go away on business.
Something needed to be accomplished that couldn’t be done here, the main site had to be the place. Neither was it appropriate for the rest of the family to go with them – there was a life to be carried on where they were.
The spouse was worried how they’d cope alone, shouldering all the responsibilities and work alone – but knew they would be able to talk on the phone, to mull things over together and seek advice.
But one of the children was not so easily convinced. I’ll miss you, I need you; how will I even remember what you look like, sound like, smell like?
And so the parent left something behind. A special teddy. The child knew that it was the parent’s. Battered, loved and very theirs – it even smelt of them. It was a part of them, a present reminder of the parent who was somewhere else for a time, though very much still watching out for them and loving them – and a reminder of the promise that they would be back. It reminded them that they were loved, and it made them just a little bit braver to carry on with what they had to do. It gave them strength that they didn’t know they had – and was a sign of the promise that the parent was coming back. They still felt bemused and bewildered at times, but they knew they were not abandoned. They were loved and their parent was cheering for them – if from a different place.
Acts 1:6-11 (CEV)
Jesus Is Taken to Heaven
6 While the apostles were still with Jesus, they asked him, “Lord, are you now going to give Israel its own king again?”
7 Jesus said to them, “You don’t need to know the time of those events that only the Father controls. 8 But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.” 9 After Jesus had said this and while they were watching, he was taken up into a cloud. They could not see him,10 but as he went up, they kept looking up into the sky.
Suddenly two men dressed in white clothes were standing there beside them.11 They said, “Why are you men from Galilee standing here and looking up into the sky? Jesus has been taken to heaven. But he will come back in the same way that you have seen him go.”
Pam's Perambulation 
I shared this with our Church Secretary. Her comment was “A lovely story! (A friend) had two battered old teddies in bed with him when (his wife) was in Australia in March. He did tell me at the weekend that the bears argued sometimes!” Seriously, if I may, I’d love to use it for the “Thought for the Month” in June on our three church websites, as it seems just as fitting for the weeks after Pentecost as for Ascension Day. As before I’d include a link to your blog to encourage others to follow your story.
Thanks very much. It is actually a slightly adapted true story, but hopefully goes someway to getting our heads round the unexplainable of Ascension/Pentecost.
Please do use it for your thought for the month. I am always delighted for my work to be used with credit 🙂
Thanks for your encouragement