The Big Bear

What began as a Wednesday night like any other Wednesday night, ended with 3,723 pounds of polyester fluff covered in 784 square yards of fur taking up residence in my home. 

It was “store night.” 

If you’re familiar with this type of Wednesday evening, that means you have experienced, in some form or another, the discipleship club for kids called AWANA. I did not grow up with this program. I was never a Cubby, or Spark, or T&Ter. I was a GA. Girls in Action was where I spent my Wednesday evenings. I guess AWANA was just not a thing in the parts of South Carolina and Georgia where my '80s and '90s childhood took place. 

Therefore, I was not prepared. 

While the anticipation and excitement of my children grew as one of their first store nights drew near, this GA mom was blissfully unprepared for the magnitude of what their hard-earned Kids Cash could buy them.

On this particular Wednesday evening, as I sat in the choir loft of the sanctuary during choir practice, something large and furry caught my eye walking past the windows of the doors at the back of the room. The giant bear head caught the attention of several others around me because a hushed chuckle rippled through half the choir. 

“I sure feel sorry for whoever that thing is going home with,” I whispered to the other sopranos. 

Towards the end of the second verse, a notification lit up on my phone. As I shifted my eyes from the music to a photo my husband texted me, I nearly choked on a praise lyric. 

There in the passenger seat of my vehicle sat the giant bear, buckled up for safety and ready to be transported to my house. 

The size of my eyes grew to match those of Mr. Vanilla. That was his name, I would soon learn. The life-sized teddy took over my daughter’s room until eventually moving to my son’s room. That beast hibernated in my house for three years before migrating and taking up the square footage of a dear unsuspecting friend's home. 

It’s funny how conversations with our kids can go.

“What?! You want another stuffed animal? But why?”

“What?! You don’t like stuffed animals anymore? But why?”

One day there will be no interest in stuffed animals of any size or species. There will come a time when AWANA jerseys will no longer be in dresser drawers and those scattered patches that you never had the time to iron on won’t be popping up in obscure locations around the house. 

Those T&Ters will be out there in the world, Lord-willing, putting to use those scriptures they hid in their hearts.

So, here’s to you, Mr. Vanilla. 

Today I must remember to embrace each phase - no matter the dimensions - with all the ferocity and warmth of a giant bear hug.

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