Funny Kids

I've shared on a previous post that one of our family's greatest joys is to sit and read to each other. The other day my youngest picked up the book I was reading on my nook, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. She started reading it to me with her British accent. I told her the story was set in New York. Without missing a beat she continued reading in her best New Jersey accent. I laughed a long time with her, it was priceless.

Where does that spontaneity come from? Maybe it comes from a love for good characters, or maybe it's just the magic of story time. Both of my kids also read a lot and listen to audio books too. They also re-read their favorites. I hardly ever do that. As I sit here I think of how blessed I am as a father to have a house full of eager readers.

I think our reading to each other nurtures the love and affection we share for one another. It's nothing new, but it is magical. I look forward to the next reading with my funny kids.

11/11/11

Veterans Day salute... As a father of two bright and beautiful kids I want to say thanks to our veterans for standing in the gap for me, my family and my friends. I also pledge to teach my children what this day is about just as you have pledged to support and defend The Constitution of the United States. Thank you.

Time Well Spent

Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. Dusting off an old favorite like Canvas Falcons by Stephen Longstreet about WWI aviators. Or, an Edmund Morris tome on some powerful figure in history. Or passages from Shelby Foote's Civil War narrative history vols. 1 and 2. Looking at this list I guess I read a lot of biographies and histories. History is a comfort to me and I guess I enjoy the company of that genre's characters.

However, my children have decided I do not read enough fiction. My oldest thinks it's an abomination I have not read Harry Potter. So she proceeded to read them to me. Wonderful, delightful, funny, engaging, my daughter is. She has an encyclopedic knowledge of each character, and narrates the story with flare. Of course J.K. Rowling has done a nice job writing as well. The point is my daughter and I have spent hours together laughing and screaming and just enjoying good company with a book, even a book I would probably never pick up on my own. By the way we are on book seven, don't spoil the ending!

I've noticed too that just as my children's personalities are different their taste in stories are different as well. My youngest is not very into H.P. short of watching the movies. That's not to say she doesn't read she does a lot. She reads more than I do and remembers the storylines better than I do too. Currently we are reading Paint the Wind by Pam Munoz Ryan. It happens to be her favorite book. And yes, We've read the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. If you don't know what to read with your child start with Jeff Kinney. He's fun and offbeat and short, so he'll leave you wanting more. Especially if your kid reads it to you.

So, there you go, a snapshot of parent child one-on-one relationship building made easy. I'm not saying throw the T.V. out or post your video games on eBay. I'm just saying a good book with the kids is time well spent too.

Kicking against the goads!

Saul, later the Apostle Paul, was on a journey "given authority and commission by the chief priests" to smite the Christian movement from the land.

Jesus dramatically met Saul and asked a question that brought into focus a mistaken life and ministry with a simple observation. He said, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads." Now, I've read this passage many times but I had not taken notice of Jesus' poignant conclusion of Saul.

A goad was a sharp stick a farmer used to move his livestock along the road or to new pasture. I wonder if Saul was fully aware that he was bucking God's will by persecuting Christians. He had them thrown into prison, he beat them and even murdered them.

I imagined when Saul held the coats of his friends, as they stoned Stephen, he felt he was in the right. All his life up until his road trip to Damascus he served the Lord flawlessly. Maybe Saul had a crisis of trust. Should he trust the familiar, his religious training, or the unfamiliar, a call to go to the Gentiles?  Which led me to think, do I behave the same as Saul? Do I buck God's goads too?

Then, I thought about my daughter's 4H goat, Comet. We take Comet for a walk every day. Goats are very tough and stubborn. In his pen he is sweet as pie but he's a show goat and has to be trained. So, we put a training collar on him to lead and brace him. The collar is like a goad and I've got to tell you from the first day we took him out he was desperate to get away. He kicks and butts and bites and digs his heels in like he's being lead to his doom. He has a hard time on his walks because he kicks against the goads.

I'm like that. God sees the big picture, I don't. So, I kick against His goads. But, God wants me in the center of his will. Maybe, before I fight against something new I should stop, be still, be quiet and listen. He knows I want to be a good husband and father. He may share a whole new perspective with me and further my walk with him.