As the weekend gets closer, I'm more and more enamored with the thought that my family will be back home. I'm looking forward to hearing them yell DADDY!! when they see me. And while I pray that the whininess stays in Florida, I'll probably let 'em do whatever they want when they get home. It's been too quiet in my house - time for a little noise, laughter and even crying - something to shake the dawg up at least.

For me, this week has been full of work, a head/tummy-ache, and way too much time to think. Not that I've used all that time to actually think, but I have had some free peaceful time to think about God, life, the universe and everything. Conviction carrying over from last week on what needs to be corrected in my life is strangely comforted by the thoughts I posted earlier on God's testing us for approval, not for failure. He wants me to succeed in His kingdom, not to fall flat on my hiney in mistake after mistake. He gains no pleasure in that. Rather, in love and salvation and mercy, He runs us through the fire so that He can enjoy our jewels, our crowns, the stuff of life that lasts because it's from Him and flowing out of us. That's why I'm tested, why I'm convicted: not to be condemned or ashamed, but to stand holy before Him.

So as the family returns to the homestead this weekend, I'm looking forward to living that out. Not only between God and myself, but also between us as human living in the same house. We're family, and we want the best for everyone else in there. That's part of the legacy I want to leave my kids, something I want them to remember: that Daddy gets no pleasure from their mistakes, and that I want them to pick themselves up to intentionally do the right thing next time.
- posted by Rick @ 12:42