Today I asked my wife if she would write something for my blog. This is what she sent:
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I had a few moments this last Friday where I could hardly contain the pride I felt for my children. I found myself wondering, “Is it a sin for me to feel so proud right now?” Our entire family was outside on that day, and it was a beautiful day for yard work. I was on the riding lawn mower, and we had the bags attached so that we could dump the mulched leaves into our compost pile. We worked out a little system where every time I drove up to the compost pile and stopped (I could only make it around the yard once before the bags were full), half of my kids would come running as if they were attendants at a service station. Two kids would empty the two bags into the leaf pile, and a third kid would empty out the big fat (and dirty) tube. Then they would return everything to its place, and I’d be on my way. Meanwhile, the other three kids were watching and playing happily with our two-year-old nephew, sometimes pulling him out of my way. I thought more than once, “Is this perfect, or what?” and then proceeded to thank my heavenly Father for the blessings he has given our family; the blessing of six children, the blessing of friends, relatives and books from which we’ve obtained solid biblical advice about how to train and disciple children, and most of all, the blessing of God’s Son who provided the way to overcome sin and experience true life. “This,” I thought, with my children scampering all over yard to be helpful, “is a foretaste of heaven.”
As I write, however, I need to go disciple my children; evidently one of them was jumping on the couch, so another one felt the need to hit and strangle her. Then the oldest pushed her off the couch completely. I wish she would stop wailing in my ear. (Sigh) This is called the blessing of learning how to sacrifice one’s self and be more Christ-like.
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<Jamsco again> In my defense (lest you think I am lazy), I was using the push mower.
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October 30, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Chris
Yes, I have had those moments, too–sometimes in the grocery store.
One day I’m so thankful. The kids are carefully checking the fruit for bruises. We split up the list and efficiently fill our carts with what is most economical and wholesome for our family. One child unloads the carts at the checkout counter, while another bags the items and I fill out the check and arrange coupons.
Then fast forward to a different trip where one child is whining about the chicken nugget selection. Another is moping about having to come along. Then the two begin pushing and arguing over who gets to hold the calculator…
I think there is a Bible verse that fits our situations. “Give thanks under all circumstances…” or something like that.
January 14, 2009 at 11:41 am
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