The future from a child's perspective.

Monday I had the distinct pleasure of an extended Thanksgiving vacation. Now before you get jealous you probably should realize I had the stomach bug. I was the last of our family to have this 24 hour near death experience. In the days that followed all I wanted to do was lie in bed, sleep and watch T.V. (with my own personal bathroom nearby). As many of you know, these are luxuries you give up when you have children, especially multiple children. And, living in a 1,300 sq. ft. house does not help either.

I never knew a day could go by so fast (sarcasm!). We watched Blues Clues, Cars, Care Bears, and Tinker Bell. The day was also filled with Brynlee jumping on the bed to cheer me up and the occasional knock on the bathroom door to make sure I was okay (she has her mother's compassion). It was somewhere in the middle of the “I love you’s,” “hold me’s,” and “Daddy be a horsy," that I realized how innocent children are (and that they have no concept of a day off!).

Oh, to be a child again. I can’t remember that far back, though Kacee seems to have a much better memory, but I know life could not be that complicated. What’s to worry about? From my perspective it appears Brynlee’s main concerns right now are cartoons, toys, and clothes (takes after her mother). And Becton’s main concerns right now are sleep, eat, and bathroom, repeat as often as necessary (takes after me). Neither has been affected one second by the stock market falling, cost of fuel, the election, or the recession.

I’m reminded of Matthew 18: 2-4 when “Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Life was so much simpler as a child. It is no wonder Jesus wants us to look upon the world through the eyes of a child. And for good reason. As Wes Stafford, President of Compassion International said, “For children, today is all about tomorrow. By nature, they look to the future, since so very little of life lies behind them. Everything worthwhile is in front. The future is waiting to happen for them.”

This gives me hope in the days ahead. Maybe I shouldn’t dwell too much on the past, or even the present for that matter. As John Wayne once said, “Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.” So tonight maybe I will be more like my children and forget about the day and anticipate tomorrow. After all, it is a new day. What’s the worst that can happen? I get another shot at it!

Aspire to new height!