Saturday, November 26, 2011

Photos as a reflection

This morning my wife is out doing what she loves to do which is shop and I decided to clear many old presentations out of my computer files.  In searching the files I came across some older family photos that had been kept in a picture folder in my computer.  As I opened the folder with dozens of digital photos staring at me, I became mesmerized with how quickly time does slide by, how vital family is to one's existence and how crucial it is to find every opportunity to make a memory in those gifts' lives. 

The Monopoly games with Logan, now nine years old, attending the Canton Charge basketball game last night with Logan and Noah, age eight and their parents, letting Isabella, age seven, apply shave cream, her "marshmallow," to my face as I nervously lay on my back as she so gently took my razor and shaved me, see the glee in Ms Hope, now two years old, when she came into the house yesterday and was immediately the center of our world and last but not least, see how truly beautiful God has made Ms Gracie, now five years old and her animation ways; simply amazing.

At the game last night with 5,000 people there screaming wildly for their new team, I found myself watching families and how they interact with each other and again realized how precious my family is. To have my beautiful daughter sitting next to me with that smile that will light up a stadium warmed me all over.  Paul, her husband, blatantly loves her and she him and I was just enjoying warming by the fire of their love last night. Um um um!  Bless your heart my Southern friends like to say but you know, my heart was blessed!

Now that the Bird Day is behind and Santa time is on every one's mind, including the credit card companies especially, it is my hope that this Christmas will be a landmark for our family as each one is as I reflect.  Our home is all decorated which Alicia loves to do and, don't tell her, I love to watch the magic happen with the million tiny touches and adjustments to make it all just right.  Christmas is, after all, about the birth of our Lord and from that Gift we should celebrate the gift of love that can only come from within a family and especially if it is a family that all truly loves the Lord and seeks to do His Will.

See what old photos do to me; make me a big, babbling tear machine as I look at the smiles, the changes, the joy each have brought to our family culture; simply amazing!  Only a God that loves us could create something that keeps adding value for the short life we have on this earth but then when you realize what lies ahead just past life's horizon and knowing that is even better, we have it pretty good don't we? Yes we do!

Today, when you read this, regardless of what is going on in your world, look at your children, hold them, tell them you love them, let them beat you in Monopoly, show them you care!  I guess the more amazing phase of my life is that with each passing semester I do feel my family continues to grow as my students move down the road of their lives.  When I hear of a student that got their first job or a promotion, I am like a father that just gets overjoyed by that. I pray I never lose that joy!

Be blessed!

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