A Different kind of day

Well, my bags were packed, my sermon prepared, my morning devotionals ready and all with no place to go. I sat at home most of yesterday awaiting confirmation that it was OK for me to go to Camp Happyland - one of my favorite places - and connect with about 40 teenagers. But it was not to be. Without going into too much detail, please pray for the camp, the counsellors and the children. Sometimes things happen that are simply beyond our control, and this is the case...so my day became a different kind of day.

Once I got word it was mid afternoon, so my wife and I collected our three children and set off for Kings Dominion, our local theme park. It was interesting as I watched my three children and their approach to rides. For Christian, our 5 year old, nothing is scary. He wanted to ride on the Dominator and Volcano, but we explained that his little frame was too small so, undaunted, he rode everything he could. Hope, my only daughter and oldest child, had a determined courage about her. On a previous visit she had apparently conquered her fear of heights and went on every roller coaster she could - much to Daddy's delight. Incidentally, Dad also noticed that not many people his age or older still ride the big coasters. Their loss! Michael, however, continued to be choosy. He rode most coasters, but not the volcano. The Ferris Wheel was too high for him and, though he rode it, his head was firmly planted in Mom's lap when at its highest point. All in all it was a good evening.

Since my children were small we have prayed for virtues. For Hope we pray for wisdom, peace and joy, for Michael we pray boldness, holiness and joy and for Christian discernment, evangelism and joy. If you ever choose to pray for my children, these are virtues we request you offer on their behalf. Note, however, that joy is requested for each one. It is great to look back on many family occasions, and yesterday being one of them, where we had a time of sheer joy. Yes, the day I expected turned out very different, but what a joy it turned out to be.