Skip to main content

why I smile


 

Today I am going to share some personal thoughts and observations from the last several days.  Thanks for allowing me some personal time…


Psalm 127:3-5  NLT

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. 4  Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. 5  How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.


We sat the table last night in a rather loud restaurant over a meal.  It isn’t often that we get to be with Rebecca, but the last week has been so good.  She is visiting from Hawaii to spend time with family and to meet her new niece.  It has been refreshing to be with her and to enjoy her company.  We are so blessed.


Turn to the side for a few minutes and listen in to the conversation.  Ryan has grown up so much the last couple of years.  The thoughts he shared around the table were deep and even convicting.  He is looking toward to a rich future full of opportunities.  I pray for him, as I do all our children, that it comes together, and that he is a great success.


Just a little less than a week ago I sat in our new grand daughter’s room, the nursery, holding her tight, looking at her with tears of joy filling my eyes.  Leaning over me was our daughter Ruth.  How can baby Ruth be a mother?  She is, and she is a great one already.  I have loved the daily pictures and sharing about the first of many days of Harper’s life.


I think of our new sons.  Our daughter’s husbands and I am grateful.  Colman is a great man who loves our Rebecca and serves in the Army.  Sean is also a great man who loves our Ruth, is becoming an incredible father is our grand daughter and much more.  These men make me glad to have them in our family.


Seeing joy in my wife’s face.  Watching her look at kid’s clothes and books.  Listening to her talk to our children… I am excited and hopeful and so glad.  No, we are so blessed.


The last two weeks have been full and so good… and the coming week or so is going to be more of the same.  I cannot to enjoy the conversation, to watch their expressions and to take in all the moments we get to spend together.


We are blessed.  We are family.  The future is bright, and I am excited about it.


Have a great weekend.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Francis Chan's "Forgotten God" (brand new book)

One of the most powerful preachers, writers and leaders of our time, in my opinion, is Francis Chan.  His first book, Crazy Love , revolutionized my thoughts about God's love as well as my interacting with God.  Now it is time for a brand new book from Chan being released tomorrow, September 1st.  The book is Forgotten God .   This is a phenomenal book about the power that Christians and the church can and must tap into.  All of it is within the Holy Spirit.  Francis talks about the power that was seen in the book of Acts when the Holy Spirit began to move among people.  It is true that many have avoided or maybe forgotten what the Holy Spirit is all about.   And like the Savior who poured out His life and blood so we have reason to rejoice, we were made to lay down our lives and give until it hurts.  We are most alive when we are loving and actively giving of ourselves because we were made to do these things.  It is when we live like this that the Spirit of God moves and ac...
Post a Comment
Read more

inspiration from C.S. Lewis

There are many people, past and present, who get our attention by what they write or say or share.  For me C.S. Lewis is one of those.  He was a prolific writer who continues to grab the attention of thinkers from many different points of view. Lewis first grabbed my attention when I was in 5 th grader, and our teacher, Mrs. Foy, shared The Chronicles of Narnia with our class.  It was a powerful time that this dreamer opened doors to thinking like I had never lived before.  He wrote of faith, of far off places and of strong figures who found their character rooted deep in God. C.S. Lewis was born in 1898 and died in 1963, 7 years before I was born.  It wasn’t until his 30’s that under the influence of his friend Tolkien that he came to be a Christian.  He was raised in a traditional church going home, turned away from God as an Atheist in his teen years and through trying to stay away from God and faith returned to God with...
Post a Comment
Read more

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!
10 comments
Read more