By the time you read this I will be granddaughter’s favorite grandmother (at least for a few minutes). It happened like this:
During a conversation my daughter-in-law, Sandra, asked me to look for a Zoo-Zoo. “What’s a Zoo-Zoo?” I asked. “It’s a little mechanical hamster that runs around, has exercise balls, tracks and other play toys. It’s pretty much like a real hamster but you don’t have to feed or water it. It’s the only thing Madi wants for Christmas.” “Madi has a hamster,” I replied. “It died,” her mother said. “I’ll get her another one for Christmas,” I offered. “No thanks, when it died there was screaming, crying and gnashing of teeth for days. Then there was the hamster funeral. Ever been to one of those? Do you want to know who played you? (Ya!). I never want to do that again! But I can’t find any Zoo-Zoo for any reasonable price. Everyone’s sold out – it’s the hot toy of the year. The only places I can find them want 6-10 times the normal price ($60-90).” “Ok, I’ll see what I can do,” I promised. “They are called what? Zoo-Zoo? Spelled ZOO-ZOO?” I asked. “No, ZHU-ZHU,” she corrected. “What kind of spelling is that?” I asked, irritated that even my spelling was being changed. “Ok, I’ll do a little searching around here. If I find one I’ll bring it with me next week” I said.
On many levels I could have argued with my daughter-in-law. Death is part of life – It’s a hamster. You don’t always get what you want – Get used to it. Christmas isn’t about going crazy searching for toys… and who did play me? Then the Grandma Grinch’s heart grew three sizes and I said none of the things that were floating through my head (I’ve learned over the years that it’s often better to keep my wisdom to myself).
The search for the elusive Zhu-Zhu.
Phone Calls: Do you have any Zhu-Zhus in stock? No! No! No! NO!
Online: Out of stock, out of stock, out of stock, – 10 times the normal price.
Big box retailers: No, No, No, they fly off the shelves as soon as we get them.
Then I got a lead from two sales associates organizing a toy department. “We don’t have any today, but Monday morning we’re going to have some at a special price (the ordinary price has now become a special price at $8.00). We only have a few and we expect the place to be mobbed. They’re locked up in the manager’s office under strict security. They’ll go on sale at 7:00am Monday, but if you’re not here earlier you may not get one. We’ll be giving out tickets to people who come before 7:00am.” Security, tickets, mobs – Wow, this is serious stuff! Sounds like fun!! A historic event to tell my grandchildren about -
The 2009 Hunt for the Elusive Zhu-Zhu.
Well, I couldn’t resist the hunt! By 6:15am Monday morning I’m standing in the store asking where to go to buy a Zhu-Zhu. “I never heard of it, what is it?” the young sales girl asked. “It’s a toy hamster,” I explained. “Just a minute,” she said, “I’ll call the manager” (who I knew had guarded them with his life all night). She returned and told me where to go to hunt for the inimitable hamster. I walked swiftly; not wanting to lose the scent of my prey, or take a chance that some other hunter would snatch it out of my grasp.
When I got to the happy hamster hunting grounds there was one father (who had mistakenly been there the morning before at 5:30am), a grandmother, a grandfather and me! As long as they had four Zhu-Zhus I would become grandma of the moment! The latest and greatest would be mine. Merry Christmas – Ho! Ho! Ho! Madi gets her Christmas wish. At noon they were still selling their stash of Zhu-Zhu hamsters. So much for bright and early.
The Zhu-Zhu story isn’t really about a silly little mechanical hamster, cute as it is. The story is really about how far we’re willing to go for love. If I’m willing to search unceasingly for a toy hamster; if a non-morning person is willing to get up and risk failure for love of my granddaughter; how much farther will God go to hunt for us and give us what we need?
As you begin the new year, remind yourself of how far God has gone to seek you out and offer you what you need. It’s not the things we have that make us content, it’s the love behind those things. God’s search for you continues day in and day out and that’s a good thing to remember as you begin 2010.
Happy Zhu Year!!
Pastor Myra
PS – Grandpa asked if he gets credit too. I just laughed
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