Puppies

Hey! I posted not too long ago about our dog having puppies...it was fun! But then there was a lot of work we didn't know would happen. They make a huge mess! Anyways...we'll let you mind wander about that reality...cleaning up and stuff...

Things are going pretty well out here in Colordado Springs. We really like it out here. The weather has been AWESOME recently, not going too much higher than seventy with a nice breeze. The air is a little thinner up here too. Running up and down the stairs can get tiring a lot quicker than it used to...then again, I could possibly just be out of shape. Nah...

Our third child just started crawling a couple weeks ago! Now all three boys are mobile and a handful. It's so much fun though! We love our kids so much! Sometimes, I have to admit, I wonder what it would've been like waiting to have our children until we were older...what kind of financial position we would be in, where we'd be living, what kind of cars we'd be driving, and what kind of profession we'd be in. I feel guilty even for thinking such things though. We have three great boys that are so wonderful and have taught us so much about life and wouldn't trade them for any of those "what ifs" that may pop into my mind. One thing I realized was that if we dwell on what we could have done in the past the future will look bleak and dark. Wishing that things could have been different doesn't do anyone any good but wastes time and energy. We live now and for the future. The past can teach us things about ourselves...the now and future can too. But these boys are the greatest! A lot of people just don't understand much about true love until they have their own children.

From a Christian's standpoint, Fatherly love isn't completely understood until you become a parent yourself either. One of the wierdest things to think about is Christian faith...that verse that people hold up in sport games...John 3:16. God gave His only Son so that anyone...ANYONE who believes in Him will have eternal life....live with God when they die. I have three boys and I wouldn't give any one of them for your life...so you could live with me forever. Sorry, but I'm not sorry. My boys are too precious to me to sacrifice for you. But God did it. That makes me feel loved by something so much bigger than me! Appreciation for who I am and my individual personality has never been more clear. God loves me because of who I am and it doesn't matter what I've done...He still sent His only Son to die for me...to take my punishment for me just so I can be with Him.

Another thing...I have to discipline my sons to do the right thing, like obeying what I tell them to do. Nothing is more painful for me than to punish them for doing something wrong. Training them can be difficult sometimes but if I don't do it I don't love them or want the best for them. Parents cop out of punishing or disciplining their children because they want the best for them. Then their kids end up being the ones in control. That's a bunch of crap. If we really love our kids we'll train them the necessary way: discipline. They're not going to die but learn how to be responsible and take care of themselves and their things.

God teaches His children the same a father teaches his. He is a loving Father and truly wants the best for us. We may not understand everything we are going through...but God does. He is training us...teaching us how to become all that we can be. Having faith in God is great...but we need to understand that things we go through in this life is all because God has faith in us as well. He knows the outcome and what we can become. We just need to learn to trust...be patient...endure a little longer...

God has faith in you.