From the Mouths of Babes

Sledding. Some of my fondest childhood memories revolve around fun in the snow. Having a January birthday almost guaranteed at least one snow day within my birthday week. Best gift ever! My bestie Sonya, with her St. Bernard Fluff, and I spent more time outside than in. There was no concern of frostbite, only of how many hours of daylight remained! The neighborhood kids gathered sleds and toboggans and headed out to brave the elements, build ramps and forts and hopefully avoid injury! Tons of fun!

As an adult, I enjoy the snow a little less. However I do go out to play with my kiddos, if it's above 25 degrees! Yesterday was the perfect sledding day. Off to grandma's house we traveled; sleds and snow boards in tow. As children, my siblings and I clocked many hours on this particular hill. Several trips up and down improved the path's smoothness. Speed has always been the goal,of course.  Joe and I were joining in the fun, despite being "older" parents. While my husband felt the need to entertain the daredevil voice inside, I opted for the "Remember how you hate pain?" voice in my own head. I feel great today, my husband, not so much. You see, I chose to sit on the snowboard and enjoy a few pleasant yet safe trips to the bottom, while he chose to stand. Silly man. The inevitable  wipe out and ensuing pain ended his short, albeit stellar snowboarding career. Empathy was slightly overshadowed by giggles, but I did manage to ask ,"Would you like to live to see 50?!" He did not respond, but my daughter did. "I'm kind of excited to go; to meet Jesus." I was speechless for a moment, but responded, "Me too, but I like living here for now, how about you?" She said, " Oh, ya, but it will be neat to see everyone again." Wow...I am still blown away today.

Elated is an understatement of how I feel when one of my kids accepts Christ. But this day it was particularly poignant. You see, I have been doubting some faith stuff these past few days, kind of to the scary point. Isn't it just like God to use one of my babies to point my eyes back to heaven?! Thank you Jesus for my children. Their presence will always bring my focus back to you.
Matthew 21:15-17 (ESV)
15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,
“‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies
    you have prepared praise’?”
17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.