Love letter

Abby loves things that are pink. And she loves things that are beautiful.

So it only made sense that when her dad saw this gorgeous display of color in the sky this morning, he put breakfast preparations on hold. "Abby has to see this," he said. And it didn't surprise me in the least that he went straight to her room, scooped her up out of her bed and flung open her curtains so she could enjoy this little bit of beauty with him.

For as long as I can remember, we've been using the beauty of the sunrise and the sunset to remind the kids of God's glory, God's greatness and God's love for them. Abby can easily tell you that God made that sunrise, and that He made it for her to enjoy and to show His glory to the world.

"Did He make it pink because I love pink?" she'll often ask. And we can tell her with confidence that yes, He most certainly did. Because God loves her more than she can imagine. He loves her so much more than I ever could, and for that I am so thankful. Like any parent, I'd lay down my life for my children. But Jesus already did that for them.

And it's moments like these, moments when we stop everything to share with our children the love and glory of the Savior, that remind me what raising kids is all about.

Parenting is not about just getting through the day. It's about treasuring every moment, and making every moment count. Because once that moment passes, we can't get it back. And like it or not, the way we handle every moment is teaching them something about the world, the God who made it, and their place in it.

I'm so glad we didn't miss the sunrise this morning.