The good things around us

Alexa,

Yesterday you left St. Louis to head home with your mom and dad (and Nani, too). We had a great week together. You are such a beautiful girl, and you turn heads wherever you go. I love you so much.

One of the things we did was to go to Grant's Farm. It is a wildlife preserve right here in the middle of St. Louis. We saw all kinds of animals, including deer, elephants, zebras, birds, and goats. In fact, you got to feed and pet the goats. You were so brave.

I have been thinking about the fact that Nani and I have lived here in St. Louis almost two years and we had not yet gone out to Grant's Farm. All those animals and all that fun is within 15 minutes from our home and we had not seen it.

That has me wondering how many other good things are right around me that I haven't noticed or that I have not taken the time to experience. I have made a promise to myself: I am going to live the rest of my life with my eyes wide open and looking for all the goodness that is around me.

I am sure that I will find it in the places and in the people that I see everyday. I want you to do the same thing.

I love you.

Pawpaw (that is what you have been calling me lately)

God loves the world ... through us

Hey Beautiful Girl,

One week from today you are coming to see Nannie and me in St. Louis, and we are very excited. You will get to meet Champ in person -- our new dog. As you have seen through Skype, he is TEN TIMES bigger than Bella! You are going to love him; he loves to be petted and to cuddle.

You will also see how many people here in St. Louis stop to talk to us because of Champ. They ask questions about him, or they make a comment about how crazy it is to see such a big dog and a little dog walking together. We then get to become their friends, and that gives God a chance to love them through us.

I tell you all this to say that God has a way of using every part of our lives, and so many different things. And He wants to use your life to show his love to the world. It doesn't matter if you are little bitty like Bella, or big and scary looking like Champ, God can and will use you if you let him.

You might be wondering why God would use Bella, and Champ, and me, and Nannie, and you, to love the world.....why so many different ways? I think it is because He loves the world SO MUCH that he finds every way he can to express that love.

And we get to do it with him.

See you next week.

Pops

Proud of your mom

I know that I have said this before, and I know that I will say it again: I am proud of your mom, and I am proud to be your mom's dad.

She made a very difficult decision this week. She decided to withdraw from the dental hygienist program. There were a lot of reasons that led to her choice, and you were one of the biggest. I know from our conversations that she does not want to miss any more of your life and growing up than is necessary.

You are a very fortunate girl to have a mom as great as yours. Watch her live her life and do as she does; you will not be sorry.

You just left yesterday

Hey beautiful girl,
You and your dad and your mom came and spent three days with us here in St. Louis. It was great having you here. You are a delight and you get more beautiful every time I see you.
The best part of having you guys here is that we get to share our lives and our city with you. We went to the City Market, to Ted Drewes, to Pho Grand, and to Blues City Deli. You and I and your dad took some long walks with our dogs, and we watched Yo Gabba Gabba and Dora together. It is wonderful spending time with you.
You also met our new dog, Stasha. She is what is called a Rescue Dog - meaning that she was locked up at the City Dog Shelter and if no one adopted her she would have to be destroyed. We love Stasha, but because she was treated very badly, she doesn't really know how to act right in a family. She acts very mean at times, and it is kinda scary. Mostly I think she is scared so she acts out. Anyway, we are trying to decide what to do with her.
Life is sometimes filled with hard decisions. And making those decisions is what life is all about....except if you're still a kid. When you are a kid, it is other people's job to make those decisions. And that is good and bad, all at the same time. It's good because as a kid, you don't have to figure everything out and make the hard choices. Someone else does that. It's bad because if you don't have someone who loves you, or knows how to love you, or if the people making the decisions don't love Jesus and know his way of doing things, then they don't usually make the best decisions.
You, young lady, are very fortunate having a mom and dad who not only love you, but who know how to love you, and who love Jesus and know his ways. You are going to hear that a lot - that you are "lucky" - and you will probably get tired of hearing it.
I mostly wanted to tell you to enjoy being a kid and not having to make all the hard choices yet. That time will come; don't be in too big a hurry, and enjoy having people around you who can make the best choices for you.

I love you Roo,
Pops

Skype!!

A.J......

I am glad that we live in a day and time that I can see you every day even though we live over 250 miles away via the internet. I am patiently waiting for you to be able to have conversations with us when we Skype.

You are so very beautiful, even though many times when we "talk" you are very grumpy because it is kinda late. But I will take talking to a grumpy grand daughter over not getting to talk at all!

I am also looking forward to you being old enough to come to our home in St. Louis and spend a week at a time, or just to come for a weekend. I promise you that you will have the time of your life. I am a great date -- just ask you mom.

Till then, we will just have to keep on Skyping....

I love you so very much,

Pops.

Fourth Anniversary

A.J.,
Yesterday was your mom and dad's fourth anniversary. This time last year, you were less than a week old and had stolen everyone's heart. However, even though their world was turned upside down by your arrival, your dad still made your mom feel special as they celebrated their third anniversary.
Please, watch how your dad treats your mom, how he cherishes her and how he takes care of her. And then, as you grow up, you will have an idea of how a husband is supposed to treat and take care of his wife.
And don't you ever settle for less than the best that God has in store for you. He is out there. How do I know? Because I (and many others) have been praying for you and for him since before you were born. Plus, it worked for your mom!
I love you and hope to see you next week at youth camp.
-- Pops

Your first birthday

Roo -

We just came home to St. Louis after being in KC for your first birthday party. It was amazing. There were over 50 people there and so much work went into the party. I hope you realize that some people go their whole lifetime and never have a party as great as that!

You looked so cute and you were so happy. It was a joy to see all the love that was put into the event.

There were friends of your mom, and friends of your dad, family on your mom's side and your dad's side, friends of your family... aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmas and grandpas, greatgrandma and greatgrandpa... even Bella was there! It was amazing.

And all for you -- I hope that you see in this report how valuable you are to the people around you.

I love you more than you know...

Pops.

Mother's Day tomorrow

Hey Cutie,
Tomorrow is your very first Mother's Day, so I thought I would remind you of something that I am sure you are already very aware of.....you have a great mom.
I want to ask you to spend time a few weeks before Mother's Day each year and come up with way to honor your mom and make her feel special.
If you need help, just ask me...together we can let her know how valuable she is.

Palm Surfing

Hey Beautiful Girl,

Last week your grandma and I were in KC for your great uncle's funeral (Great Grandpa Bob's brother), and I got to hang out with you a little while.

It was wonderful to see you and hug you and squeeze you. But more than anything else, it was wonderful to get in a little palm surfing. And I must say, that you are one of the best palm surfers I have ever seen.

You are at just the right age and size to be a champion. Right now you are trying to learn to walk, and you are getting good at locking your knees and standing straight and stiff. Your feet are at just the right size to fit into my palm. You have just enough balance to work with me ... you have the makings of a champion.

I hope to get some video footage next time I am in KC, if it is not too late. You see, there is only a very short window of time in your palm surfing career. When you get too big and when you learn to walk, you career will be over. This is one of the reasons I am in no hurry to see you get bigger, to learn to walk, to grow up. I want to enjoy this season of your life while it lasts.

Life is a lot like this. Seasons come and seasons go. I find a lot of people who live their lives thinking about the next season, wanting to get to the next season, and missing the good things in the season that they are in.

Every season of your life will have certain things tied to it that will pass when the season ends. There are certain things about life in high school that will only be a part of your life while you are in high school. When you get out and go into the next season, those things will pass. Same thing is true in the different jobs you may have, places you may live, etc.

Please don't be in a hurry to get to "tomorrow." Look around and think: what is going on in life right now that may not be a part of life in the future. Enjoy those things.

I love you..... and, surf's up!

Pops

What will it look like?

A.J.,
I was think of you today as I was thinking about the seminary class that I am beginning. The class is about the mission (purpose) of God in this world, and the place that the church plays in God's plans.
As my mind began to wander (and it always does, and quite often to thoughts of you), I began to wonder what "church" will look like by the time you become a young adult. I am not certain, but I feel that it will be somewhat different than it has looked in the past.
I find that very exciting, mostly because I have become a little bored with the way that we have done church in the past. One person said it this way: we need to stop "doing church" and start "being the church." And by "church" I mean the body of Christ here on the earth. We are supposed to be (and to have been being, if that makes sense) the hands and feet of Jesus, going to and touching the people of the world with the love, power and purpose of God.
My hope for you is that you will be on the leading edge of what God is doing in and through your generation to reach the world with the love and the message of Jesus. Trust me, it is the greatest endeavor that you can ever connect with on this planet.

Your Teeth

Hey Beautiful Girl,

We just left your house a few days ago after spending four days with you. I wanted you to know that at this time you have the two smallest little bitty teeth that I have ever seen....and they are so cute! In fact everything about you is so cute, and put together results in the most beautiful girl in the world.

I tell you this, and want you to remember it, because there will certainly be days when you don't feel beautiful or valuable or loved. So remember this: even when you don't feel all these things, you still are all these things...... I hope that makes sense.

Love you,

Pops

Thanks for coming...

Hey Beautiful Girl,

You came to St. Louis earlier this week (you came with your mom, riding with your Grandma and me as we were returning from Wichita, KS). You were a good girl the whole time, and you actually started to play with Bella a little - very little, but it's a start.

I am writing this to tell you that I am looking forward to your visits in the future when you can come by yourself and just hang out. There are a lot of things I want to talk to you about that I don't want anyone else to hear or read about (mostly your parents). I have stories about your mom and dad that they will never tell you (remind me to tell you about the time we played musical chairs at your mom's 5th birthday party), and secrets about life that are too powerful to let out in public.

Anyway, I look forward to those times with you.

As always, I love you.

Pops