The Lost Sheep...

     ::sigh::  Just about everyone knows the parable that Jesus told about the good shepherd who went and left 99 of his sheep to find the lost one (who was apparently injured and stuck).  This is a picture of Jesus seeking diligently after each and every person until He can bring them all back into His flock.
     The word "Christian" means "little Christs".  Well, even though I claim to be a "Christian", today I realized that I am not at all like Christ.....
     We (Amber, Josiah, Malachi & I) were in the checkout line at a grocery store.  Amber & Josiah (legs=disobedient mobility) were not staying with Mommy.  After threatening to leave them (why yell at your kid or argue with them when you can just leave??), Josiah finally climbed into the cart to entertain Malachi (the wonderfully immobile child) while Amber hung around the back of the shopping cart.  I kept an eye on her as she wandered back & forth (we were being checked out).
    All of a sudden, I see Amber screaming and crying and running as fast as she could towards the exit, calling for me! She ran right past me!!! I tried calling her name, but she was too caught up in the fear of losing me to hear.  The cashier tried calling for her, then asked if I wanted her to get Amber.  I told her (while I was desperately trying to hold back waves of laughter after seeing Amber run like the wind) "No, she's fine" (as she's still wailing by the front door...I was waiting for her to exit before I started chasing her).
    Well, I guess the customer isn't always right, because she started towards Amber.  About the same time, a customer (engaged in a not-so-deep conversation on her cellular phone) entered the store and (of course) headed towards the crying child as she abruptly ended her conversation ("I gotta go. I gotta go!").  Just so things wouldn't become more complicated than they already were, I walked over as the stranger scooped Amber up and promised her she'd help her find her Mommy. 
    Things would have gone alot smoother if the cashier just finished ringing up my stuff, and then I would have intercepted Amber on my way out.  Instead, I took the frightened child (after telling her "That's what happens when you leave Mommy") back to the check-out line (amidst a variety of on-lookers) and finished our transaction.  As we were leaving, the cashier asked if I needed help out to the car (I had...6 items and a shopping cart).  I told her, "No. I just need someone to take her" and pointed to Amber....but after reflecting back on this statement (and my behavior) I realize this may have been the wrong thing to say.  Oh, well. Maybe next time I'll go after the lost sheep (more like screaming banshee....).

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