Bedtime Stories with Daddy

Today was a good day. Tonight while Daniel and Danya were jogging together around the park, and Kevin was in bed for the night, Gloria and I snuggled on the couch and read "The Fox and the Hound". Then when Daniel and Danya got back he read "Pinochio" to the girls.

I think God is teaching me to relax. I told someone recently that we don't value our possessions so much that we'd be upset and angry if something was damaged or broken. God definitely tested me on that one to see if I meant it. A few months ago I bought a beautiful picture and frame and hung it up in my living room. It's the most expensive piece of pure "decoration" that I've ever bought for our home. It was about $40, lol. Ever since then I've constantly admired it when I enter the living room or while I'm looking at it from the kitchen while we're eating. It makes the main area of my home look so elegant and complete.

Yesterday, while Shannon and Sara were babysitting, the kids took photos of each other in front of it. Then a short while later the picture fell off the wall and shattered on the ground. When Daniel and I got home from our date the girls were all jumping up and down anxiously trying to explain that they hadn't even touched it. The glass fragments scratched up the picture so that it was ruined, too. It was hard, and I was upset, but I had to take a deep breath and let it go. Because those four girls are much more precious to me than anything I've ever bought.

Now today we took my beautiful kitchen table with the butterfly leaf that we bought new at the furniture store together a couple of years ago, that so perfectly matches my kitchen chairs, and stuck it in the garage. It had to go, to make way for a 1950's scuffed up table that is just the perfect size for our growing family. The good thing is that now I know I won't be upset if the kids get paint, crayons, ink, or anything else on the table. Stains are okay. This house is for kids, not for any decorating magazine. The Lord is definitely helping me focus on what's important...and what's not.