'Audio version of this story' about 1 hour in 14 tracks.

The Cricket Story

I must admit that I've been guilty of thinking I have better parenting skills and can do a better job of raising my children correctly than my husband. It was humbling to be reminded one day that God chose my children's father and He is in control and that I better let God and my husband do their jobs.

Our third hug needs to go to our children. Most of us don't have a problem with this one unless we mix it up with the next priority which is everything else.

I've been guilty of taking on jobs at church because "no one else will do them." I should have given others a chance instead of jumping right in there because I thought I had to. Well, look at me full of arrogance and pride.

Perhaps God is trying to gently nudge someone else and they just need a little time. I was so eager to serve that sometimes I became overburdened and regretted or worse resented all the good things I was doing and became bitter and grumbled about all the goods things I was doing and had ill feelings against those who I supposed were just sitting back and doing nothing. That's God's problem to fill the jobs He wants filled, not mine, or perhaps the ministry shouldn't happen. The author of Ecclesiastes says:

"There is a time and season for everything under Heaven." Eccl.3:1 (NIV)

Next time a job comes around, I ask myself if it fits into my priorities. I ask myself if this is work God wants me to join Him in. Then I wait long enough to hear the answer. Besides, Pastor Robby Bolden from Calvary Baptist Church in McPherson, Kansas, said:

"I have just enough time to do God's will." Whoa!

Glo-Worm

Remember the Glo-worm? Not the song, the green stuffed toy wearing a nightcap. Squeeze the middle and a light goes on inside, let go and it immediately goes out. It reminds me of the light inside us shining for Jesus when we hug Him. When we stop hugging and seeking, the light fades out but not from the inside. He's always ready on the inside waiting for us to hug on and get the blessing, like hugging onto the Glo-worm for dear life.

I will delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Psalm 119:16 (NIV)

The Cricket Invasion

Remember my cricket messenger? His children tried to make a home one winter in our basement. Some were so bold as to walk right across the carpet in front of us. Annoyed, we quickly hugged them off to visit their relatives in cricket winter wonderland. Wouldn't you think they would get the message?

Nevertheless, when we returned from a 5-day trip, the troops had moved in. If was like Jimminy Cricket had lined them up single file like little soldiers on a journey across the carpet. I knew this wasn't China where they predict good luck for the house with many crickets. Hugging up one cricket or even a few at a time didn't solve the problem; they marched forward undaunted. Was God trying to send me another message or what? He certainly had my attention. It was time for serious action.

God showed me I needed to start practicing within my own family what I'd been telling others to do. Receiving or giving only one hug a day doesn't fill the hug prescription. The survival dose of four hugs a day is a good start, the maintenance dose of eight per day will keep us going, but the growth dose of twelve per day will stamp out the epidemic. The only thing stopping me or the cricket is the enemy "exterminator." (You know, the cricket with the pointed antennae and pitchfork.) Now when I see an occasional cricket it's a joy and my reminder to hug onto God for dear life, because the exterminator's poison is prepared and ready to snuff out my light.

So let's not be afraid to start a hug epidemic in our families, schools, and churches. Take a risk, become a hug fanatic and pledge to uphold the Hug Promise: With the help of God, I promise to seek out ways to fulfill the Hug Prescription. I need to give or receive four hugs for survival, eight for maintenance and twelve to grow every day.

And now, by the authority I have bestowed upon myself as a licensed, card-carrying hug therapist, I declare that all who promise to abide by the terms outlined in the Hug Promise, shall have passed the Hug Test and may carry the official Hug License.

Charles Dickens wrote in his story, The Cricket on the Hearth, that crickets sing when things are going smoothly, and are silent in times of trouble. So in spite of the annoyance, let's keep the crickets in our life singing . . . never put off hugging someone until tomorrow that you could hug today, especially if that someone is a cricket.

I received a wonderful letter from Marcia giving me permission to print this story. She asked for Prayer Hugs! Hug her family.

If you would like to Email Marcia.
Published by: K Wood Truro NS

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No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission from the publisher.

Dedication

To my dear husband, Denny, who always has a hug for me and has encouraged me for a long time to get this work completed,

To my daughter, Stephanie, who helped me give several programs when she was a child, and graciously allows me to use her well-hugged yellow blanket, To my daughter, Angela, who is patient with me when I need a hug. and lastly To the woman who inspired me with her Hug speech at the Sophists Toastmaster's Club #263, Anaheim, California in 1981 and whose name I don't remember.

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