Unless God is in the business of building a home, the effort is in vain.  In Psalm 127, God reveals that the best reward a man can receive is not what his hands can provide, but only what God can give him – a child.

Sons are indeed a heritage from the LORD, children a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons born in one’s youth.  Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them.  Such men will never be put to shame when they speak with [their] enemies at the city gate. -Psalm 127:3-5

Imagine it’s Christmas time.  You have given your child a gift that took a lot of your time and money.  After your child unwraps the gift, he or she begins to complain about having to care for the gift.  How do you feel concerning their attitude and what do you say and/or do as a result of their reaction?

How do you think God views it when parents complain about the gifts of children that He has given them?
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My white daughter’s favorite toy is a black baby doll.

Here’s the story: Amanda was taking our three children through the international hoarders’ Mecca that you might know as Walmart.  With just a couple of items to purchase, the boys had convinced Amanda to take a quick trip through the toy department.  As they passed by numerous items, Gloria began to reach out and scream for a baby doll.  As Amanda held different ones up to her to see for which one was she clamoring, she would emphatically shake her head at the dolls she didn’t want.

She finally got the baby doll she wanted – this cute, cuddly, smiley, black baby doll.  She picked it up, began to hug the doll, and started to say in a soothing manner,”Oohh, wee.  Oohh, wee.”  After some giggles and a few moments of cuddling, Amanda tried to take the doll back from her.  Bad mistake.  She clutched onto this baby for dear life and began to scream as if she was being attacked.

While Amanda tried unsuccessfully to distract her long enough to put the doll back, Eli came up with a solution.
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It was 9 years ago today that everything changed.

Her last name.  My responsibilities.  Our address.

The bridal processional on our wedding day was one of our favorite hymns, “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”  As her father walked her down the aisle and our family and friends worshiped along with us, the emotions kinda let loose.  We both glanced at one another and cried.  We did one of those ugly sings at the altar.  It was kinda like when they make the American Idol singer sing after they have just won.  It ain’t pretty, but it is pretty honest.

That’s how we sang at 5:04 on June 12, 2004.

We choked out the words, “all I have needed Thy hand hath provided, great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.”
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Whether they are board games or video games, children can easily latch onto a favorite activity in which to play with others.  One of the enduring games over the years has been “Simon Says.”  This copycat game has a catch that usually tricks players into doing something they are not supposed to do.  If the leader of the game doesn’t start the instructions with the phrase, “Simon Says,” you are not supposed to do the action.

Why this game frustrates people so much is that we are prone to do what we see more often than what we hear.

As players around you begin to do the action – even if the leader hasn’t said “Simon Says” – it is difficult to refrain from doing the same motion as well.  Even if the instructions are otherwise, oftentimes, we repeat what we see.

That’s why a parent’s personal relationship with the Lord is so vital to a child’s spiritual health.
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For the boys’ birthdays, we took the family for a trip to the Great Wolf Lodge.  Piled in the hotel room, I couldn’t find my razor.

Once we returned, I decided that when I preached the following week, I was going to do a monologue from Job’s perspective.  To do such, you need a good beard just in case you decide to rip some of it out.

After the message, it was too gruff for a 5-minute shave.  It would take longer, so I kept it, until…
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