little boys

dear emily,

don't you just adore little boys?

there is something about their carefree, ornery zest for life that just
slays me.  i love that you let your boys get as dirty as they need to be
in order to play as hard as they want.

nothing is more winsome than a dirt-smudged smile and an excited
high-pitched voice saying, "mommy, look what i found for you!"
it's also a little scary.  a flower from your neighbor's garden or a
snake from the creek?

my boys would watch for their daddy to return home each evening
and tackle him at the door.  no matter how hard the day, he would
throw them over his shoulder and hurl them onto the couch.  this
was the signal for "chinese team", a bizarre and mysterious game
that involved lots of running, wrestling, and hilarious shrieking.

their natures are wired to hunt, gather, and protect, and  i'm not sure
if "chinese team" taught them much about those things, but they had
to be a little bit tough to play it.

we don't know what the Lord has planned for our sons, but we can
prepare them for most anything by teaching them that He loves them
even more  than their own father does and that He will equip them
for any task for which He calls them.  we can pray that they will be
valiant and courageous, with hearts turned toward Him and wills bent
to obey.

"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and
stand before Me in the gap . . ." ezekiel 22:30

love,
lea

ps.  i am reposting an old piece to participate in "sabbath rest."