Beautiful Children

Yesterday I thought a lot about children.  It started in the morning when I heard this song called 
"Thank God for Kids" by Kenny Chesney. Here are the lyrics:

If it weren't for kids have you ever thought

There wouldn't be no Santa Clause

Look what the stork just brought

Thank God for Kids

We'd all live in a quiet house

Without Big Bird or a Mickey Mouse

And Kool-aid on the couch

Thank God for Kids

Thank God for kids there's magic for a while

A special kind of sunshine in a smile

Do you ever stop to think? or wonder why?

The nearest thing to Heaven is a child

Daddy how does this thing fly?

A hundred other where's and why's

You really don't know but we try

Thank God for Kids

When you look down in those trustin eyes

That look to you, you realize

Its love that you can't buy

Thank God for Kids

Thank God for there's magic for a while

A special kind of sunshine in a smile

Do you ever stop to think? or wonder why?

The nearest thing to Heaven is a child

When you get down on your knees tonight

To thank the Lord for his guiding light

And pray they turn out right

Thank God for Kids

Thank God for Kids"

This song made me think about our neighborhood and how there aren't many kids especially compared to our old neighborhood. When we first moved in all the neighbors remarked how happy they were to hear and see kids again. I've thought about that and wondered why it is so important to have kids around.  I haven't figured it out exactly , but I do have a few ideas. Kids make things more interesting and they make you laugh. Kids remind you of all that's good in the world. They take you back to your own carefree days of childhood. And this song above says all of that.

Later on in the day my visiting teachers came over and we had such a wonderful conversation. My visiting teacher had a baby born to her who didn't have a brain. She lived much longer than any of the doctors thought she would, but passed away at 18 months. She was a light to all who knew her. People would come over just to hold her because it brightened their day. This baby brought her parents together and brought the light of the gospel into their lives. My visiting teacher was converted to the gospel through it all and her life was changed forever.  What a hard thing for her to have to go through and you think why did it have to happen? Why send a baby to earth who cannot survive? But wow, this baby was a gift to her family.

Later I was playing with Brooke and watching her do a puzzle. It's a puzzle with a fishing pole and a magnet on the end to pick up the fish. She is getting pretty good at it and it was just fun to watch her language and actions. I got out the video camera and filmed her because it was so cute. Maybe later I'll post the video on here. Children are so innocent. They are so happy to be alive. Everyday Brooke wakes up happy. She's always happy to see us and it makes us all feel so good.

Last, I turned on the news and heard about the horrific shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut. I cried as I thought about all those innocent children.   My heart broke and still breaks when I think about it. This morning I read about how one of the children has family in Utah. Looking at the picture of that cute little blonde haired girl brought it closer to home. What a sweet face. It also showed a picture of her parents crying as they found out their child was among the dead. How painful! Can you imagine that happening not only to yourself, but your community? It would probably feel like the world was ending. Like a big dark cloud was hanging over your town. 

At the same time I know God is there helping those people get through this tragedy, just like He helped my visiting teacher get through the death of her little baby.

Whoa, what a day. I'm so grateful for my children. What a blessing they are in my life. Though they stretch me to the limit, make me scream and cry, they are the most precious gifts I've been given. And this is just the beginning.