Bedtime Stories

Well, here I am in Suffolk Virginia. It has the same weather that we have had for the past few days. Cold, gray and misting rain. I thought I had landed back in Atlanta. But it is supposed to get better tomorrow. I think it will be up in the high 60s. Anna Roan was very excited to see me, and I was excited to see her too. She has grown over the past few months. But there is just something about four year olds that draws you too them. She is just innocent and excited about life. Maybe that is part of the reason that Jesus told us to be like children. Anyway she is just a lot of fun, and never a dull moment.

Julia Anne warmed up to me real fast. I wasn’t sure how she would respond, but instead of crying this time, she laughed at me and let me hold her a lot. It’s a joy just to hold her. She is so active and smart. We went out to dinner, and for a while I didn’t think Lisa was ever going to be able to eat because Julia was such a handful. She was good and didn’t cry, but you could tell that she did not like being confined in any way. Anyway it is going to be a fun weekend with those two around.

The sewing machine and serger arrived today. They beat me here. I’m so glad that I didn’t drive. I’m tired enough after spending the day at the airport (both of them). But Fed Ex exceeded their promised delivery date. I’m amazed at the efficiency of that company. They really do things right. They are packed very well with no damage to the boxes so I just told Lisa to leave them packed for the move to Alaska.

I’m sitting here at the dining room table now. I thought I would do my blog while Lisa is still in the bedroom trying to get the girls to sleep. She was so tired, she might wind up asleep with them as well. She has been in there with Julia for a good while. Anna and I were out here in the living room and I was reading her books for bedtime stories. I read three different books. She got them at the library this afternoon. Two of them were fairly short, but one was very long. She was getting tired as I read, but I think that I almost fell asleep at least three times on that last one. As I was reading them I tried to remember when I was little. I do remember my uncle telling me stories and I definitely remember my grandmother telling me ghost stories, some which I am pretty sure were true.

It was a fun time just sitting with Anna reading to her. That’s the hard thing about having grandchildren who live far away. I miss a lot of what all four of them are doing. Well, I just have to make up the time when I am with them. Sometimes I begin to wonder if I am doing things right. I know some people my age that all they are and do is wrapped around their grandchildren. I love them very much, but I am just not “wired” that way. I want to make time, and quality time, for them and my daughters, but the is such a passion for life, and such a passion to see the Kingdom expanded that I can’t stop. I can’t “retire”. No, this semi-retirement that I have got is just a way to fund my ministry and travel to release this next generation. I am excited to be with my family. I always am, but I have miles to go before I sleep. However, it is good and proper to stop and tell bedtime stories to a four year old who can melt your heart is a second. This is going to be a fun weekend.