my sons gift

yesterday as my son and I took out garbage waiting for his sister to get back from school. Isaiah was as usual running full speed ahead when suddenly he stopped walked back a few steps and picked up a leaf honestly I hadn't even noticed ran back to me and said "here daddy I got a leaf for you". I smiled and said thank you as we continued on our mission of taking out garbage, but this morning as I thought back on that I was reminded of a story in sports a month or so ago one Wednesday morning Matt Bryant's (the Tampa Bay kicker) wife went to wake up their 3 month old son and he wasn't breathing. They experienced every parents nightmare, a tragedy I can't even began to comprehend. big news in sports that week as Bryant made the game winning kick that Sunday but slowly forgotten as other news broke (like rumors of a ex-quarterback leaking "classified" info to an opposing team). So whats my point well I believe God wanted me to pray for the Bryant family, but also to teach me that life is short scripture says it is "even a vapor" (James 4:14) and it is important to love fully in the time we have here. It is so easy to do as I did smile at a gift from your son and then continue with the busyness of life. I could have stopped and admired God's handiwork with my Son, grabbed him in a bear hug and ran in circles till we both fell down laughing or hurried to get the garbage in the dumpster that wasn't going anywhere. i love my children with all my heart but sometimes I have completely messed up priorities I don't know what tomorrow holds but today I want my kids to know beyond the shadow of a doubt exactly how much daddy loves them so I'm gonna hug them till they tell me to stop then hug them some more. I'm gonna take some breaks in the midst of cleaning house to wrestle on the floor to play trucks with my son as we clean his room or play dolls as we pick up the 10 million dolls my daughter has. so today I want to encourage you make your family a priority treat them like the incredible gift they are give them a hug today actually give them a couple hugs don't just tell them you love them show them. the gift from my son wasn't the leaf it was his love and that's a gift I have every intention of reciprocating so I need to go play puppy with my kids now.