Enjoying the Journey

Today I captured CJ from school and made him skip his last class, to spend some quality time with the kids and me. He got in the car and we traveled to the new church that officially hired him last night. They were having a pork bbq and we thought it would be fun to try a little.

We said hellos, grabbed the grub, and then headed to "The Green" in Charlotte. Basking in the sun (and some really, really soft grass), CJ, the kids, and I all enjoyed some quality time together.

Afterwards we walked through the city, just the four of us, talking and wandering, and soaking in the sights. Charlotte really is a beautiful city. As we were enjoying our time, we would notice the occasional smile of another adult as they watched our children. We even received a comments about them.

CJ turned to me and he asked, "What does it make you feel like inside when you know people are smiling and even commenting on our boys?"

It took me a few minutes to think it through, because there is so much going on inside my heart when I see how God uses my children (who literally are just being themselves) to make another smile. But then the answer came....

I feel as though it is small kisses from God, showing me that my children are precious to Him. I feel as though He is opening my eyes up, past all the things that they need to improve in, past all the work that it takes to raise them, past all the sacrifices I give up on in order to train them properly, past all the exhaustion and effort.... and I can see for just a minute just how beautiful and wonderful they really are. Call it whatever you want... but just for that moment I feel as though God is giving me a kiss on the cheek as if He is saying, "We are doing a good job, aren't we?"

The moment is fleeting.... but satisfying.