Today's Verse: Matthew 18:3-5

"And [Jesus] said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my names welcomes me.' "

I don't know about you, but I know I could take a lesson in humility and simplicity from my children on a daily basis. The things we expect our kids to do (using manners, not exploding in rage but handling our emotions maturely, etc.), the things we expect them not to do (cutting in line, selfishly putting one's own desires before that of another, making healthy choices of what they consume -- be it food, entertainment, ad nauseum...) and so on would be a daunting task for any adult. Yet, we expect them to adhere to these standards immediately. As the great sage Shawna (a friend of mine) has quipped, "To delay is to disobey." When it comes to our children, the rule is usually to do something the first time you are asked. How many times have we put off our kids with a, "In just a minute," or, "Let me get to a stopping point and then I'll..."???

Children see things so plainly, so distilled into one category or another: right or wrong, black or white, veggies or candy. They don't get caught up in nuances or hypotheticals. Partly because they can't process these complexities, but some days I don't think that's such a bad thing.

I have put off lots of important work I needed to do this summer: I still have papers to write for Lay Ministry, there are still obnoxious, ever-multiplying stacks of crapola in my office and kitchen, and I still have a cross-stitch birth record I started for Lil' G two months before she was born that is in my dresser of projects to be finished. Honestly, this list could get out of control. But I have resolved something at the beginning of this summer, and that is to cherish every moment. They are growing up under my nose, and these precious few years when our lives are so closely connected without the interruption of hormones, extra-curricular activity, and Hannah Montana are quickly slipping through my fingers. I want to see the world through the precious, innocent eyes of my children, hear their laughter at nonsense words, see the glow of summer sun on their soft skin. I want to take their example of humility and obedience and make it stick in my own heart so that I can model my expectations consistently and not be a hypocrite, someone who expects to have perfect kids while they slack off in the shadows.

These are undoubtedly the faces that will flash across my mind as my children grow up, move on, and worry over their own chilren. It just doesn't get any better than this.