A Candid Shot

"we love because He first loved us"

1 John 4:19

It's evening, and we're barbequing for dinner.  The Apple of my Eye has started the coals, and I've prepared the spice rub for the ribs.  It's a combination of ideas and flavors from Memphis, Tennessee, and Vancouver, British Columbia, of all places....  I've perfected it with spices and herbs until it has become the standard by which my family judges barbeque... I mean to say, it's good stuff....

And while we're waiting for the coals to be ready, I've come into the living room to do some work.   Outside the window, in the backyard, is my family.  My Amazing Boy is taking swings with his baseball bat, hitting into the net that the Apple of my Eye bought him at the beginning of this season.  He (Apple) is giving him (AB) batting tips, but while he (Apple) is doing that, he (Apple) is sitting next to my Awesome Girl on the brick wall of the planter.  She's got the camera in her hand, which is not unusual for her.  Photography is one of her passions.  She'd been taking pictures of the action ~ and the flowers, I'm sure ~ in the backyard, when she sat down to show her dad what she'd done so far.  So there he sat, with a bat in one hand, and the camera in the other, giving advice to both of our offspring.

That's a good man.

I looked out the window, and saw this little snapshot ~ her leaning into him slightly so they could both be looking at camera screen, while off to the side was the thwack! of Amazing Boy's bat, and the occasional sound of him saying, "Daddy?" cuz he wanted to ask a question.

And I thought to myself how much I love my family when they're just being themselves.  Not performing any great task, not really being particularly impressive or marvelous in any way.  Just being who they are. 

I think God loves you and me that way.... when we're just being ourselves.  Maybe you sing in the car as you drive to work... maybe you stick your tongue out the side of your mouth when you're concentrating on something... maybe you have to have the covers pulled up just so when you get into bed...  I think He finds us charming, because He loves us so much.  Of course, there are things about each of us that He's working to change ~ and if we love Him, we want that, too.  But even if we were better, He couldn't love us more.  Just for who we are.

~ "Behold what manner of love

       the Father has bestowed on us!" ~

1 John 3:1