Celebrating Life

Today Micah and I celebrated Life in honor of the late Clint Dobson. Our church held his funeral this morning. I wanted to attend, but there was no childcare provided. God had a better plan for Micah and me today...to celebrate Life.
We first went to the main library downtown for story time with Mr. Bob. It was Micah's first big kid story time. He LOVED it!!! Mr. Bob and his puppet friend, the iguana, entertained the kids with loud sound effects, props, songs, dance, and, of course, stories. I was glad that Micah wasn't the only "wiggly little boy" in the crowd. The moment, as most things do these days, brought tears to my eyes. Micah is such an incredible blessing. Seeing the world brand new through his sweet brown eyes is definitely what God meant by "life abundantly." We will gladly return each Wednesday that we can for more free entertainment and playtime with Mr. Bob.
Next, we headed to the park. Even though it is a little cold and windy today, we had to get the wiggles out! Micah explored the playground as if he had never been there before. His enthusiasm makes me smile. It wears me out these days, but it always makes me smile. :)
I packed a picnic lunch for us. Micah refused to sit with me on the park bench, so i let him eat in the swing. Whatever.

After refueling...we were off for more play time on the tire swing.

not sure what was up with the serious face.

God reminded me again today of just how loved each of us are. I know how much I love Greg and Micah and Tristan. All that love together doesn't come near the love that God the Father has for each of us. I was also reminded that just because God loves us we are not immune to sickness -- physical or spiritual -- here on earth. Yet for those of us who have accepted the gift of Life through Jesus Christ, we are immune to death. We will live forever with the One True God enthroned in Heaven. Our friend Clint Dobson is living that eternity today.
Something I read today by Eugene Peterson:

"We are not presented with a functional god who will help us out of jams or an entertainment god who will lighten our tedious hours. We are presented with the God of exodus and Easter, the God of Sinai and Calvary. If we want to understand God, we must do it on his terms. If we want to see God the way he really is, we must look to the place of authority -- to Scripture and to Jesus Christ.
"And do we really want it any other way? I don't think so. We would very soon become contemptuous of a god whom we could figure out like a puzzle or learn to use like a tool. No, if God is worth our attention at all, he must be a God we can look up to -- a God we must look up to... The moment we look up to God (and not over at him, or down on him) we are in the posture of servitude."

Praise God for the gift of eternal Life through Jesus Christ. Praise God for health. Praise God for sunny days. Praise God for family and little boys on tire swings.