What's the point?

I've shared with my wonderful wife and some friends that I don't understand how so many people have so much time to write in their blogs.  I often feel as if there isn't tiime enough to connect individually with each of my children and my wife each day (and I assume some days I don't).  However, now I have time to write…..  I sat in my truck today on the way to work listening to the reports out of PA regarding the shooting yesterday of 10 young girls, five of whom have already died from their wounds.  A father in his 30's with three children who by all accounts from his wife, he loved and cared for.  This man, with a hatred for God over the death of one of his own newborn daughters, decided it was time to bring the same grief and pain he felt to many other families.  As I sat in tears, I wondered how a father could cowardly tie up and then purposely kill two seven, one eight, one twelve and one thirteen year old girl (long pause). 

These girls arrived at school in horse drawn buggys.  They lived in a beautiful area likely with many grand red barns dotting the countryside – big porches and rocking chairs galore.  There are milkers, quilters, carpenters and seamstresses a plenty.  A much calmer and more peaceful life than most of us reading this lead.  How could the evil of the big cities or even Bailey, CO come to rural, amish PA?  The truth is that the evil is everywhere.  The evil one is everywhere.  It doesn't matter whether we send our kids to a one room schoolhouse in rural PA, put them on a bus in San Jose or send them into the bathroom with a sibling at Wal-Mart.  The truth is that evil is everywhere.  I'm not trying to go hyper with a lock your kids in your home mentality.  I'm just thinking out loud that we can only do so much to protect our children.  We need to realize that and come to terms with that.  We need to be comfortable with the idea that in the blink of an eye, God may bring them home – some in their sleep, some in a very sad manner.  May we cling to 1 Cor 16:13-14, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love.”  It's difficult to think of love when at such a time as this, a father wants to be angry, very angry toward this man.  Truthfully as my wife knows, men like this I've wanted to offer to execute myself.  He however, was a tool used by the evil one to further sin's influence in our fallen world.  The Good News though is that our hope and faith is even greater than evil. We win – even if it's hard to see the end of the story right now.  Yet, I know that God will use this horrible tragedy for His glory. 

If you haven't looked your little one's square in the eye to tell them that both you and God loves them today – do it.  If you haven't given them a big hug and a kiss yet today – do it.  If you haven't done the same for your beautiful bride or groom today – do it. 

 1 Cor 15: 56-58, “56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

Growing up in Southern California just a few miles from Disneyland and millions of other smog lovers, it's hard to imagine that I'd end up living with my beautiful wife and our energetic children on a Ranch in the Central Valley of California.  We live on 80 acres in a 120+ year old home.  The Stanislaus River shares a half mile of our property line where every morning I look out my back door and see three of the biggest and most beautiful oak trees that have ever been.  We've got horses (or at least my children have horses – as I'm more allergic to horses than I am to healthy food).  There are 75 acres of producing Walnut trees (did I mention that I grew up in the big city)?  And lastly, we have a big old barn, one older than our home on the property.  I wake up each morning and thank God for his mercy and the blessings he has given my family with our home and property.  Our children include six sons and one daughter and yes, they love the trees.  They climb them, use the branches for guns, hide behind them, dream of two story tree houses that may one-day be built and take adventure after adventure here.  My daughter, well, she does just about everything the boys do, except she can do it in pants, a long skirt or a dress.  My wife is amazing.  I know all of you have terrific wives out there that homeschool the kids, take care of the home and keep your life organized but mine's truly the best!  She's brilliant and is a curriculm junkie!  Ever since our first son was two years old she began researching and reading as much as she could about every type of curriculm.  Ten years later she hasn't stopped.  I am very thankful for her dedication to God, me, the children, homeschooling and our entire lifestyle.  God has richly blessed me.  In the coming days, you'll be able to read about life on a ranch with animals that I'm allergic to and Walnut trees that I know very little about.  Oh and all those kids too!  Soli Deo Gloria!