God Goes Ballooning

I must have been around 11 when a special event was held at Legion Field. It was called "God Goes Ballooning". It was sponsored by the then gospel radio station WDJC and area churches. At this event they were releasing hundreds (maybe thousands) of balloons with scripture messages inside each one. I wanted to go so badly. I just wanted to be there and see all those balloons flying away.

At that time I didn't feel great about life. We had moved from Mississippi and I had to leave the school I loved so much and all my friends. Daddy had gone thru a terrible accident and had the after effects of a head injury. Coming to Alabama, I felt alone and pretty much hated it all.

When I heard what was happening at Legion Field, I remember praying that God would send one of those balloons to me. Now mind you, I had no idea that Legion Field was a long ways from my house, or that cheap, helium balloons didn't go very far.

It was on a fall day a few weeks after the event (it had probably left my mind already) when I was walking through the woods in front of our house. I think Daddy, Buddy and I were sawing trees for firewood or something like that. I noticed at the very bottom of our property there was something red hanging from a limb. I walked down to get a closer look. Reaching up in the tree, I pulled down a deflated balloon with the words across it, "God Goes Ballooning". I can not describe what I felt. I, in simple childlike faith, had prayed to God to send a balloon my way....and He did. It traveled all those miles thru Birmingham. Past city buildings; telephone wires; television antennas; and no doubt thousands of trees. Not only had it made it thru B'ham, but all the cities that came after it until it came to Alabaster. This still amazes me. After the balloon made it to my city, it did not float down until it reached my yard! There was a card inside the balloon with a scripture on it. Nearly 30 years later, I still have that card.

It was that day that I realized that there was a God in heaven and He knew who I was. He knew all about my feelings of sadness and loneliness. And with all the things happening in the world, he cared enough to send this kid a red balloon. It's just proof that God really cares and He loves us. He cares about the little things...the every day things. When we think we are completely alone and everyone has forgotten us, God is there. When we get older we tend to complicate every thing and so many times we make life harder than it has to be. Sometimes it would be so much better to look up to God like a little child and say, "God, could you please send a balloon my way?". You gotta remember, it may not fall in your lap. Sometimes it's hanging by a tree limb......you have to keep looking up. The signs are there.....you just have to look!