And then he was 6

I can't believe that my Nader turned 6 today. 6 is not a little boy any more, it is a big boy. Just ask him.

Six things I love about Nader
1-His dog is his best friend. He loves the dog
2-Have you seen him smile?
3-Jokes and funny stories, He is full of both.
4-He adores his big brother. He holds the moon in Naders eyes.
5-He lets his big sisters paint his toes. That's love.
6-He loves going to church, and singing songs in primary
Needless to say I love this little big boy. He holds my heart. He still love hugs and kisses and cuddles. He is such a daddy's boys and thinks that dad is part super hero part swing set. And he is right. He is bright and beautiful and full of sunshine. I don't know how it happened that the Lord gave me such a great kid, but he is for sure a keeper.
Happy Birthday Bub

Time to let them grow up

School is now out. I can hardly believe that. Worse Nader is now a 1st grader. Holy cow I am getting old. Whats even worse Bobo is a might 7th grader. I thought it was bad when Haybear went into 7th, but Bobo. He is my little boy, my baby, right?

I stop for a minute and wonder how do this happen. How did they grow so fast. Where did all the time go to. Then I look in the mirror and find yes, my first gray hair.(I pulled that fast by the way.)Not to mention the lines that I used to call my forehead. And then the answer comes to me. They grew up because I did. Somewhere along the way for the most part I grew up.

I stopped worry about what others thought of me, and started worrying about what I thought of myself. I started to see what worth there was in time and wisdom, and hope that I have much much more time to gain more wisdom. I very much need it.

But the kids. They grow so fast. They were small and helpless and needed me. Now they are big and teenagers and think I am crazy. They may be right. But I love them. Eye rolling, whatevering, I'm right your wrong, Please knock before you come in,(at least they say please) fiercely independent, teenagers.
I love them.
So now I say OK go ahead and grow up. Tell me when its over and you need me again. I think I will go take a nap. Bring on the chocolate!

“The Carpenter of Nazareth”

I have just started to read Broken Things to Mend by Jeffrey R Holland. I have not gotten but 10 pages in and need to share this wonderful poem with you. I will still let you know how wonderful the book is. I know it will be, However I didn't think this could wait. I hope it moves you the way it did me.

In Nazareth, the narrow road,
That tires the feet and steals the breath,
Passes the place where once abode
The Carpenter of Nazareth.

And up and down the dusty way
The village folk would often wend;
And on the bench, beside Him, lay
Their broken things for Him to mend.

The maiden with the doll she broke,
The woman with the broken chair,
The man with broken plough, or yoke,
Said, “Can you mend it, Carpenter?”

And each received the thing he sought,
In yoke, or plough, or chair, or doll;
The broken thing which each had brought
Returned again a perfect whole.

So, up the hill the long years through,
With heavy step and wistful eye,
The burdened souls their way pursue,
Uttering each the plaintive cry:

“O Carpenter of Nazareth,
This heart, that’s broken past repair,
This life, that’s shattered nigh to death,
Oh, can You mend them, Carpenter?”

And by His kind and ready hand,
His own sweet life is woven through
Our broken lives, until they stand
A New Creation—“all things new.”

“The shattered [substance] of [the] heart,
Desire, ambition, hope, and faith,
Mould Thou into the perfect part,
O, Carpenter of Nazareth!”

- George Blair, “The Carpenter of Nazareth”