They will always be my little ones

No matter how old I am, or how old they are, Samuel, Solomon & Emma will always be my little ones! When they were younger (and sometimes not so young), we played this game - Why does Daddy love you?
It would typically go like this:

Dad to kids: "Why does Daddy love you?"
Kids: "Because I'm cute?"
Dad: "That's true, but not really why. Try again."
Kids: "Because I'm good?"
Dad: "That's sometimes true, but not really why. Guess again."

(At this point, when they were all really young, they would keep guessing for as long as I had patience to answer their guesses (like "'Cause I'm good at football/basketball/volleyball/music?""'Cause I keep my room clean/brush my teeth/shower, etc?" - and when they got older, and knew our game, they would play me for my patience), but as I would finally draw them to the answer I wanted them to say and believe, it would conclude like this.)

Dad: "Those are all really great reasons to love you, but what is the one real reason I love you?

Kids: "Because I'm your son/daughter!"
Dad: "That's right!! And will you always be my son/daughter?"
Kids: "Yes"

Dad: "Then I will always love you!"

It was a game that hopefully spoke to their hearts of their father's love for his children. It also reminded us of the Father's love for His children not based on what we do or say (although we never cease to want to please our Father), but because of Christ's calling on our lives as "fellow heirs with Jesus" and part of God's family - He will always love us, for we are His and He is ours!

Every now and then, I will still play that game with my children. And although at 20, 18, and 13, they all get to the answer a little sooner, I believe they know the reason we played that game - to remind them that they have an earthly father and a Heavenly Father who will always love them because they are His.

"Turn, Turn,Turn...."

My wife and daughter both turn another year more mature today. For Jody,...well, she'd rather not say; but for Emma, she becomes an official teenager. I remember when we found out Jody was pregnant for the third time (a whole other story in itself!), and how I prayed for a little girl! Prior to each of our children's births, I would make a tape of music that we could listen to in the birthing room. It was a mix of songs of the day that we listened to, and that tape we would give to our children one day to let them hear what we heard on the day they were born. I remember as I was making this third mix, I really wanted to put this one song on, but wasn't quite sure if I was setting myself up. The song was a huge hit when it came out, and can still bring me to tears with the message of it - "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle. Jody and I had many times asked God for a little girl, but told Him we would be thankful for whatever He saw fit to give us ( you know, the right thing to say to God :-)).... Well, the night before we were to go to the hospital to see this little one, I finished the tape and decided to include the song.
On February 19, 1998, all I could say when I saw Emma Jeanne was, "It's a girl! It's a girl!"
And, now, here, 13 years later, tears still fill my eyes remembering that day, and how much God has shown me, and still is showing me in how to love my children. O, that He will cause me to continually build up and love on my children.