The wonder: Warts and All

My second child Goober (Oliver), as many of you know him, had just finished eating his meal. This is not uncommon. In fact, we have termed him the "human garbage disposal." He speaks in stout, chunky bunches these days - not unlike his stature. He was in the high chair in the kitchen the other night, Jada was crying on the couch, Pierce was crying in Jessica's arms and Goober and I were trying to clean up the mess after dinner. With food smeared all over his chubby little face, he sees a picture on the counter of Jess and I at my townhome in Angier, NC from when we were engaged (obviously not the wedding pic you see here).

Goober points to the pic and says, "that's my mom!" I look at him inquisitively and say, "who is that with momma?" Ollie looks at me and says, "Its my dad...dad, its you. You are with my mom." Then, in the slow deliberate way that he always does now when he has something serious to convey, says "its amazing that you are with my mom dad."

Now lets get one thing crystal clear right from the start, I married UP! Jessica is a wonderful, godly and exciting woman to be married to precisely because her priority IS NOT me - its Jesus! It was quickly brought to my attention by my two-year-old that my wife is lovely and it is indeed "amazing" that she chose me. However, that is not where this little parallel from marriage finds its resting spot.
The thing I love about being a parent of kids the ages I have (and any parent reading this will likely agree with you sporting one of those "I know what you mean" grins) is their perpetual excitement. For a child like Ollie (2) or Jada (6) there really is nothing quite so exciting as learning a spiritual truth and watching it play out on their pretty little expressive faces. When was the last time you were perpetually excited to the point of shock and awe that God would have you? I am blessed to have a real life metaphor each day as I wake and glance at my lovely wife. I pray the same is true for many reading this.

Read 1 Timothy 1:12-17 and see if you don't come away with the "Jesus is everything" mindset. In times like Jess and I (or anyone going through trial) are going through Jesus is our perpetual joy, ALWAYS worth being ecstatic about. Jesus will have us and His Father has counted us (and many of you) worthy of suffering for His Glory and our Joy. And that is "the wonder" of, as the Psalmist says, "setting your hope in God!"