Father's Day

Today was Father's day. You would think I'd have some great photos of Ben and the girls. Would you believe I didn't even get my camera out? Instead, I'm going to tell you about something entirely different.

The day started at church. Josh Pilgrim was our guest teacher in Sunday School. He is such an anointed young man. God is using him as a great tool to preach His word. The lesson was so good. It was centered in Romans 3. The verses are familiar. I'm sure you've read it many times.

"There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God..." Romans 3:10-11

There is none righteous, no, not one. Several times during the lesson my eyes welled up with tears, not from sadness but from ultimate gratefulness to what God has done for me through Jesus. Josh used an illustration of an 18 month of child wanting something it couldn't have, but the verse rang true today in a five year old. When it happened I immediately thought of the lesson in Sunday School.

Hannah and Lauren were over visiting for Father's day. Lauren had accidentally left her wallet at our house on Friday so she was anxious to get it. She comes to me and says, "Kim, do you know what happened to $20 in my wallet? I had $78 now there is only $58." I said, "I have no clue." But then I remembered on Saturday Chloe wanted to look in Lauren's wallet. I told her she could bring it in from the car but to leave it alone. It was Lauren's wallet and didn't belong to her. Right after I said I had no clue I start to think maybe Chloe had something to do with it. I call Chloe to our bedroom to ask her about it.

Me~ "Chloe, did you take money out of Lauren's wallet?"

Chloe~ No words, just head shaking NO

A slight pause....

Me~"Now Chloe, if you took money out of Lauren's wallet, you need to come clean now and apologize to Lauren. Taking something that doesn't belong to you is stealing."

Chloe~ (In true Chloe fashion, meaning lips tightly clinched just barely opening enough to mutter) "Welllllll, I guesssssssss, but Mama, I wanted that money."

Me~"You need to tell me where the money is and lets go give it back to Lauren and apologize."

She lead the way. I followed her closely into her room and there on her nightstand was the folded $20 bill. She took it, hesitated, looked at me as if she were thinking, do I really have to... then took it to Lauren and gave it back to her. Again in true Chloe fashion, lips tightly clinched, said "sawwwrrry."

I started thinking about our lesson this morning. Ben and I didn't teach her to steal. We didn't teach her to lie. She was born that way. We are all born that way. We are born selfish sinners. It is only by the gift of God's divine grace we are saved.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.." Ephesians 2:8

*Honey, Happy Father's day! We love you so much and I'm blessed to call you the father of our daughter. I remember when we first started dating and I saw your bible for the first time. It was beaten, torn and tattered. I knew then you were a good man! I'm so thankful the girls are able to see Christ in you even if they don't always agree. You are a perfect example of what a Godly father is. I praise my Father in heaven for the father he has given my girl! All my love...