We had a really wonderful day today–nothing at all on our calendar, which is really, really rare around here. We slept late, had a late breakfast, got ready nice and leisurely, did a few no-pressure errands, got a few haircuts, had a nice lunch out together. No hurry. AWESOME. Maybe it’s just these hormones, but I’ve just been overwhelmed with mushy-gushy love toward my husband and kids this week. I mean, these kids really love each other. AND they really like each other. They have been in all kinds of imaginary lands the last few days, all three of them sharing different characters and costumes and creating sets in our livingroom and bedrooms, and just generally having so much fun with each other. To listen to them play and to listen to their wonderful little conversations, it’s almost too much! It is such a joy to be their mom!

So tonight we were reading about the prodigal son, and Ben was paying strangely awesome attention to the story, when suddenly he got up from his spot and ran to the other side of the room. I was just about to get onto him and tell him to sit back down and listen to the story when Keith realized what he was doing and stopped me… Indeed, Ben was “getting into place.” What followed between my 3 year-old and his dad actually took my breath away for a moment and hastened quick, grateful tears. Bible story interrupted, we all got to see an impromptu reenactment of the dejected, repentant son returning to his father–a father with open arms who spun him around and kissed him and told him how glad he was that he had returned, and that all was forgiven.

I suddenly remembered with such clarity that moment in my life, in January of 1997. When I returned to my Father, after having spent my own inheritance, and after having stooped to eat with swine (and to give away my pearls to them too). But then to see His face, and for the first time to truly, deeply understood the depth and height and width of His Never-Stopping, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love. After that, I could never run away again. Where else would I go???

And then Ben, in keeping with this story he’s heard a few times, suggested,

“I know! Let’s have a party!!”

Seriously, is there ANYTHING more fun than being a parent?????