KIDS!

Did you know that I have four kids?  Wow, that is a lot of kids, but thankfully they are the best kids in the world!

A cynical person would say "Every Dad says that they are the luckiest Dad in the world so doesn't that just make you normal."  or "Kids have been learning to walk, talk, go the bathroom on their own, grow into adults, for thousands of years so why are you so excited that your kids are doing the same things?"  On some level I suppose they are right but I would bet you some good money that the cynic quoted above has never had children.

Sure my kids are only four of millions upon millions who have mastered a language, learned to walk,  and have thankfully learned to control their bladder on their own but they are my kids.  The fact that they are my kids makes all the difference in the world!  

Most of us who are fortunate enough to be parents may not think of this very often, if ever, but I think one of the major reasons that our kids are so special to us is that we intuitively know that our kids are a gift, that in truth they actually aren't ours at all.  They are simply a miracle that we did not earn or deserve.  A husband and wife comes together in love and out of that love miraculously emerges this little person who somehow arouses all the love that resides in every cell of their mother and father's being. 

The gift of children is almost too good of news to be true.  These beautiful little lives are given to us to care for, to bring joy to, to train, to nurture, and most incredibly to get to know and share life with.  It truly is a picture of God's grace.  Our God is a gift giving God, His giving knows no bounds. 

So yea my kids are definitely the best kids in the world and I am so very proud of them. :)  Moving to Chicago has been very hard on all of us but Emily, Alise, Luke, and Natalie have put their trust in us, their parents and have been faithful in following us wherever we bring them.  If you ask them they will tell you that they terribly miss all their friends (adult and kid) in Willmar, that they miss life in a smaller town, they miss their big house, nice yard, running the halls of FCC, and even their disobedient dog.  But through it all they have faithfully followed.

When Jesus says that we should have the faith of a child He knew what He was talking about.  It seems that as Anita and I brought my kids through this incredible journey they have just continued to believe.  They have spent very little time complaining or whining.  In moments of frustrations they have not shouted, "Why did you do this to us," as I fully expected they would.  Even during the bad days they have continued to believe Mom and Dad when we told them that this is what God wants us to do.  They have believed us when we tell them that they will be protected, that they will find new friends while keeping their Willmar friends, and that no matter how hard it gets Jesus would not leave them or forsake but that ultimately He would see them through each day and each month of this new adventure.  They believed and God has proved faithful.  It is enough to make you want to dance!