Jill Baughan is an author and speaker who helps you unleash the power of play in your life--no matter what your life is like right now. Her message will give you a new ability to:

• Fit more fun into your day.
• Restore adventurous dreams you may have postponed.
• Multiply joy by sharing your fun with others.
• Use moments of fun to heal in times of grief and loss.
• Renew your relationship with God by using fun as an act of worship.

 

Second Chance Chimp

Her name was Tootsie. She was a chimpanzee at the State Fair, and for five dollars you could have a high quality Instamatic photo taken with her. My Mom and I happened to walk by, and when I caught sight of Tootsie and that irresistible offer, I begged, "Mom, Mom, please can we have our picture taken with the chimp? Pleeeeease?" but my mother, who has always been a bit more reserved than I am, resisted.

"Aw, come on, Mom. It'll be fun. Just this once?" I whined.

Still she declined.

"But why not?" I wanted to know.

"Well,"she said slowly, obviously trying to think of a good reason, "twenty years from now someone might get a look at it and think it was a three generation picture."

Quick thinking on her part, and not a bad excuse. I was disappointed, but I respectfully caved in, even though I just knew that some day she would look back with angst and regret at having passed up that little moment of whimsy.

Personally, I am typically pretty good with moments of whimsy, but there are also many times that I, like most of us, am also pretty good at letting fleeting opportunities to play just continue to fleet on by.

Big mistake, I'm telling you.

But God sometimes gives us a second chance at fun--even though that chance may appear many years later.

Mine did, when my family was scheduled for a visit to Virginia a while back. And even though it had been twenty years since my lost photo op, I was determined to seize the opportunity to do it this time.

After a long search , I finally found a photographable chimp, and shortly thereafter I broke the news to Mom, telling her that I needed some closure on that traumatic loss of opportunity in my life, and the chimp would be arriving at my house at 10:30 a.m. that Saturday. She could run but she could not hide, I warned, so she might as well put on some lipstick and brace herself.

"Sierra" and her trainer arrived right on time. Believe me when I say that you have not truly lived until you've invited a chimpanzee into your home for an hour or so of primal frolicking. She turned somersaults, leaped off chairs, let us scratch her belly, and jumped all over us. It was so much fun, in fact, it was a little scary since, by the end of the hour, we were all acting pretty much alike.

Do I need to tell you that one of the greatest thrills of my lifetime was sitting down for a portrait with my mom and one charming little ape?

These days I keep the picture on my dresser to remind me that when God gives you a playful opportunity that you may have missed out on in the past, you'd best seize it, celebrate it for all it's worth, and thank Him for being a God of second chances--even in your fun. Even with a chimp.

 

God doesn't want us to be shy with His gifts...
2 Timothy 1:7 (Msg)