Kids and Community

Last night, our covenant group (what some people would call a small group or a Bible study group, though we don't usually study the Bible, per se) met at Mike Cope's house. We had all the kids there, which we try to do about every three months or so. We each got to talk about our children: what's going on in their lives, what their challenges are, what's ahead for them. And then we went around the circle, and one of the parents of each family prayed for somebody else's children.

It was a great time. I was the only single parent there, so that simplified the division of labor in my praying time.

I was so proud of all our children. They love God, they get along with their siblings (mostly)--they're just pretty great people, take it all around. They will lead such interesing lives, I'm sure.

Sometimes, what we accomplish seems so small, compared to the importance of giving our children a decent chance at life. In the eternal scheme of things, I'm sure things like careers, publications, and vacations won't count nearly as much as how well we did at hugging our kids, showing up at their games and recitals, reading to them, praying with them, and telling them, over and over again, that we love them.

A good reminder.

My Next Post

I've struggled with this whole thing. After all, I'm a published author. I'm one of the privileged few who get to sell my words to the public. I have ample opportunities to display my ignorance to my readers. Why should I blog? Is it some narcissistic need to gush unedited, random thoughts (like these), some secret exhibitionist wish to be on display for the world to see? I can see why people like Mike Cope blog; they have things to say. Not necessarily things they want to go to the trouble to organize into a book, but good things--stuff people can benefit from. For free.

Maybe that's it; maybe I'm just too mercenary about my writing. Maybe I don't deserve to be in the free and noble company of bloggers.

I'll have to think about this...