Leading Up

The kids have been out from school for a week already, and Christmas was just yesterday. Cameron approached me at the beginning of the week with a plan that he had devised to take the Christmas story and divide it into the 5 remaining days we had before Christmas. Each day, we'd read a different section of the story that he had mapped out, and talk about it (He only needed my help in coming up with good questions to ask...).

So, he presents this plan to Angie and me and asks "if it's ok." Well, obviously, it was more than fine, so that's what we did. Every morning at breakfast, he'd get out his Bible and lead us through our study together. These were priceless moments, as I sat and listened to him read and watched him take his first steps of becoming a discipler. Beautiful that it was not something forced or concocted - it just came from his heart.

I love being led by my 11-yr old. Wouldn't have it any other way. If you're reading this, and you're a teenager (or young adult, or any other age for that matter), if God inspires you with some task, do it. No excuses, no laziness, no procrastination. Just step up and make it happen. You may never know what kind of impact you may have on your family, friends, a stranger, or even your parents.

As Oswald Chambers wrote long ago: "Proof that you are crucified with Christ is the amazing ease with which the life of God in you enables you to obey the voice of Jesus." May we always obey His voice without question.

Kid stuff

This last little bit has been full of a bunch of things that you normally associate with kids:

1) Non-stop questions:  I drag out of bed the other morning, and Carson is already dressed and waiting at the bar in the kitchen.  The first words out of his mouth are: "Hey dad, what's the temperature in the trash can?"
REALLY?  First thing in the morning?
I responded, "Bud, probably about the same temperature as in the room." - How else do you answer that?

actual size of nose goblin

2) Things up the nose: For the last couple of weeks, Avery has been waking us (mostly Angie) up in the middle of the night saying she has a stuffy nose and needs some nose drops.
Well, Monday night, Angie has her on the floor doing the drops and suction-nose thing, and notices SOMETHING up there.  We have no idea what it is, so we load up and head to the Pediatric ER, where we wait for two hours, see the doc, and watch him pull a nasty, slimy, stinky, piece of impacted tissue out of her nose!  I about chucked right there on the spot.  $75 please.



3) LICE:  Yep, sure 'nuff.  The NEXT day following the nose ordeal, we come home and get word that we will need to treat our entire family for lice.  Beautiful.  And, in addition, we have to wash every linen in our house as well.  Even beautiful-er.  $37.56 at Walgreens.
Figured the best way to handle it was to have some fun with it, so here is a pic of our Family Lice Removal Fun Night:

"I scream, you scream, we all scream for LICE CREAM!"

That's it for now.  I'm sure I'll step on a lego or something before the day is over.  I'll keep you posted.

Like and Love

I listen to ESPN radio alot while I'm driving around our great metropolis. One of my faves (and at times, most hated) host is Colin Cowherd. He is arrogant and brash and says things that I wish I could get away with saying sometimes.. But, most of the time I agree with him in principle.

The other day, he was talking about how people are so in love with their team, or their player, or the sport in general. They become so in love with those things that they sacrifice ANYTHING and sometimes EVERYTHING to watch or cheer. I will quote him when he said,

"LIKE your team

LIKE your player

LIKE your sport

LOVE your wife

LOVE your kids.

LIKE everything else."

This doesn't sound as profound as I now type it, but for a moment, it made me stop and think: what do I like that I say I love, and what do I really love?

I LIKE: Oklahoma football

LOST

our house and cars

our cats

worship

facebook

podcasts

my macbook

books

my iTouch and playing Words with Friends on it

sleeping in (never happens) - ok- not getting right out of bed anyway

watching TV and movies with Ang

I LOVE: God (includes all three in one) and His Word

My wife

My kids

My extended family

The friends and mentors God has placed around me in my life

That's all I can think of right now - I may need to add to the list later. But, most importantly, I am stating that I will treat those things I like with the priority they deserve, and will commit to really love those things I love.

Thanks Colin.

A convo between Carson and his Grandaddy

GD: Carson, how did you sleep last night?

C: Great.

GD: So, you didn't hear all that ruckus outside? (It was New Year's Eve)

C: No, I think your ears close when you go to sleep.

GD: Well how come I heard it?

C: You're alot older, so your ears don't close as much.

GD: Are you saying I'm old?

C: Well, you have gray hair. How old are you?

GD: 58

C: You don't look 58.

GD: Thanks Carson. How old do you think I look?

C: 60.

Happy Twenty Ten!