Children Of The Father

Cana

Isabel

This is about one of my favorite families in the world. It's from March 17, 2012.
It's become a tradition. For three consecutive years, Cana has put on a yard sale with all the proceeds going to children in Haiti and Honduras, in conjunction with our ongoing project at Westbury Christian School. Today was the day for 2012. She was in full swing by the time I arrived about 9:45 this morning. I told Cana that I knew God really loved her because every day she hosted her event, the weather was perfect; she smiled the sweet smile of the innocent fourth grader. Today, Cana received some help from little sister, first grader Isabel. Both of them deposited money into their WCS Honduras/Haiti bottles based on what was sold. (Older brother Nathan got into the act when the crowd had been whittled down, washing my car with vacuuming help from Isabel.) It was a family affair, with parents Rachel, who works in our Development Office, and Troy, a contractor, pitching in.

It was a pretty typical yard sale with the typical ebb and flow of customers. I brought a few things to donate- vacuum, Dust Buster, nick knacks- and was put on the spot when asked the value. (I always go low- don't want to hurt anyone's feelings!) I engaged in conversation with a charming Hispanic lady who purchased a bag of clothes and some toys for her adorable children, a five year old girl and her three year old brother. As she was preparing to leave, she indicated Cana and Isabel and said to me, "You have beautiful daughters!" I quickly explained my connection with the family and that Troy, the father and husband, was inside at the moment, and we shared a laugh. But I'm not going to lie. I came away from the nice woman's comment with sort of a glow. I don't know if anyone has ever assumed that any child before belonged to me and the lady was right. Cana and Isabel are beautiful daughters- they just don't belong to me.

I wonder if our Father in Heaven gets that glow about us. I hope so! Five times in 1st John, the apostle used the term children of God in describing believers. My favorite of the five comes from chapter 3, verse 1, where he puts it this way:
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
WOW- two exclamation points in a row! I don't feel I'm worth even one exclamation point but God does. And I know two little girls who definitely deserve two exclamation points plus a great deal more. All you have to do is just ask Troy and Rachel.

Applicable quote of the day:
"The father of a daughter is nothing but a high-class hostage.  A father turns a stony face to his sons, berates them, shakes his antlers, paws the ground, snorts, runs them off into the underbrush, but when his daughter puts her arm over his shoulder and says, "Daddy, I need to ask you something," he is a pat of butter in a hot frying pan."
Garrison Keillor

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

*To see where the funds from the yard sale are going, please check out these websites!*
http://missionlazarus.org/
http://hopeforhaitischildren.org/