When our adopted son Chris was eight years old, and in one of his philosophic moods he said, "All I ever want is nice warm pajamas, and lots of butter on my toast." Happily, those things are now a reality for him as a successful businessman, husband, and father. They are what our family calls "warm fuzzies", an expression quoted in Alvyn Freed's book "T.A. For Tots".

My version of a "warm fuzzy" is: when the alarm goes off at 5:00 a.m. and you awaken and realize it is the first day of vacation; your four-year old granddaughter brings you a dandelion in her clenched fist; your husband leaves you a note for no other reason except to say he loves you; your income tax refund comes; you enjoy a hot cup of soup on a blustery winter's night; and best of all, seeing your adopted child for the first time.

Or you revel in the aroma and warmth of a wood burning stove; find out you are going to be parents for the first time; find out you are going to be grandparents for the first time; see the first snowflakes of winter; or take time to look at mountains or glorious sunsets.

Since we live on this earth, we also must deal with what author Freed calls "cold pricklies". Our youngest adopted son was very timid and shy in the first grade, and one day he came home and said quietly, "Tommy threw me across the room today, Mommy." In my best how-dare-you-hurt-my-child mood I said through gritted teeth, "And what did you do, Steve?" It took him a few minutes to reply.

I said, "Tommy, you sure are a good thrower!"


Still seeing the fear in his eyes, I suppressed a desire to laugh, knowing that that had been his "cold prickly" for the day.

My version of other "cold pricklies" is discovering a flat tire when you are already late for work; hearing a ringing phone at 2:00 a.m. when your sixteen year old daughter is out on a date; a power failure at dinnertime; failure of a close friend helping you in time of need; failure to help someone else when they need someone to care; Or hearing a dentist say, "You have at least five cavities; running out of gas when taking your wife to the maternity hospital; getting a bad sunburn; or hearing unpleasant things at your child's teacher conference.

Going on a diet is probably one of the leading "cold pricklies" as is stopping smoking; receiving only bills and junk mail in your box; losing your wallet; your fortieth birthday; and your first gray hair.

How come traffic lights are always red when I reach them, when traffic lights are green half of the time? That is a "cold prickly". The days I am the busiest the red lights seem to multiply like rabbits. Not only the hurrier I go the behinder I get, but the longer I don't go, the farther I don't get.

There are a lot of other "warm fuzzies" too if we stop to notice them. Last Fall my husband and I spent seven months away from our small Maine town. When we returned, the waitress at our favorite morning "haunt" brought us our usual without even asking. We felt as if we had never left, and she made us feel that this is where we truly belong. That is definitely a "warm fuzzy".

Because God loves us, He wants us to be happy and have days of "warm fuzzies." If we turn to him in faith. He will help us get rid of whatever "cold pricklies" are bothering us, or He will turn them into "warm fuzzies". All we have to do is ask.

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