Saturday's story

My family is filled with fanatical deer hunters. I was raised with winter Saturdays being girls' days. And, when we did see the guys...they were in camoflauge. Thanksgiving lunch has always been carefully placed between the morning and afternoon hunts. C picked up on the devotion to the sport and was very curious. We planned his first trip to the woods for this morning at 7:00 (yes, late for hunting but early for us). So, I woke him up at 7am to see what it was all about for himself. He was very excited about the idea last night. But, when I woke him, he told me he wasn't quite ready but to tell his daddy he would be up in a minute, to not leave him. Of course, he rolled back over in bed. E and I were not too heartbroken - back to sleep for us too. Ten minutes later though, C was ready to go, very ready! They got dressed in their limited outdoors wear, headed out, walked, talked, examined the "cool" deer stand that looked like a "clubhouse", and had a big breakfast prepared by Pop at the family hunting cabin. Overall, they were gone about 2 hours - that was all it took to cure my five year old's curious nature. He had a great time, but after asking his questions and looking around for half an hour, he was finished. He came back saying how "real" hunters have to stay for 3 hours, not just 1 hour. He went on and on about the "clubhouse"/deer stand. My...how little boys love to explore, how they need to know how things work, how they see a tree as a huge adventure, how they love spending time with their daddys...

Well, when C left, I climbed in his bed beside Sydney hoping to go back to sleep. She was very concerned that I was taking her big brother's place. I told her he had gone with daddy but would be back later. After 5 minutes of interrogation on his whereabouts, I made the simple comment that she sure loved her brother. She grinned and said that he was one of her best friends. My heart melted. I told her how special that was...then, she said, "Cade is one of a kind. God loves him veeeeeeery much. God loves Syney. God loves mommy. God loves daddy too." Then, at peace in her little world, she curled up beside me and rested. My...how children share love so purely...how they see God with such trust...how they feel with their whole heart.

No wonder Jesus tells us to be more like them...

Ahhh - to see this life as an adventure, to see a tree ready to be climbed anxious to find out what a higher perch will show us, to realize that sometimes sleep is overrated when there is a talk to be shared, to rest in God's unending love, to embrace our Creator's workmanship in making each of us special, to believe your "dad" will show you an amazing adventure, and to wholeheartedly know that the person beside you is your friend, your protector, your brother...

I will take mornings like this one any time God sees the need to wake me up a little earlier than usual...