I'd like to share a text with you that Kim sent me yesterday.
"Epic morning with Kelsi this morning. I love that little rascal. She is amazing, she loves me so good and she is fun to love. Unlike everyone else, she sees no flaws in me. The older girls don't see me like she does. One day, things will change. But for now, she is my princess and I am her favorite queen."
All of my life, I've loved the scripture that says "I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter in" (Luke 18:17 NLT). I've always associated this with faith. It takes childlike faith to be able to accept and believe the Gospel.
Romans 14:17 tells us that the Kingdom of God is "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit". I don't think that is the only definition for the Kingdom of God. Graeme Goldworthy summarizes the Kingdom of God as "God's people in God's place under God's rule." I like that summary, especially when I think about it in terms of Christ. Jesus is saying that if you don't receive God's people like a little child, you can't be a part of God's people.
Back to Kim and Kelsi (mother & 4-yr old daughter). Kim's text about Kelsi is exactly how Jesus looks at (receives) Christians that have been covered by his blood. Kim has never done any wrong in Kelsi's eyes. Not only that, she is Kelsi's favorite person...favorite queen! Every meal Kim makes Kelsi is the best she has ever had. Every moment Kelsi spends with her mom is spent as though it would be her last.
I was blown away when God revealed this to me. Jesus is all-knowing, all-powerful, omniscient, and omnipresent. He created everything including you. Yet when he sees us, it's not through judgmental eyes wondering why we act this way. He sees us with eyes of acceptance like a child. He wants every moment that you will give him. And like with our children, every moment you give Him will never be wasted. But we can't stop here.
This is also how God want's us to look at and accept others. He wan'ts us to ignore flaws as though we can't see them. He wants us to forgive trespasses like he forgives us. He wants us to give like we own it all anyway.
God loves us so incredibly much. He desires a personal relationship with all of us. He want's to be with you at home and at work, not just at church.
God loves you and I do too!
John Knight
As a father and husband, I too often don't have the words to express my feelings. It's too easy to get caught up in budgets, work, chores, activities, and everything else that I let steal my attention. I have a very loving family and they are very accepting of my shortcomings because they love me. They deserve better.
Today, while listening to "106.7 The Light", I heard something that every husband and father wishes they could convey to their wife and daughters. This is my message to my family.
Kim, Kassi, Kalli, and Kelsi this is for you. Watch the video below to see what I want you to hear from me every day. I love you!!
You are AWESOME!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWi5iXnguTU
God loves you and I do too!!
John Knight
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| Kassi |
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| Kelsi |
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| Kalli |
Over the years, I have had four really good fishing buddies. Although dad and I fished some when I was a kid, I was more concerned with football than fishing. So really, Kim was the first person to really turn me on to fishing. Since that day on Fontana when I got hooked (pun intended), I have loved to fish. God has blessed me with a big pond in my front yard so I get to go anytime I want to. The really fun thing though is when one of my girls goes with me.
Kim was my original fishing buddy (and is still the prettiest) but once Kassi could hold a fishing pole, she would come out and fish with daddy. She once caught a Blue Gill with only a hook, no bait! Kassi stuck with it for a little while but once basketball came along, she kinda lost interest in fishing. Then came Kalli. I gotta give credit where credit is due, Kalli has been my good-luck-charm fishing buddy. For some reason, I always caught more fish with her than with anybody. Kalli would also handle the fish more than most girls would. And now, there is Kelsi. She is going to be a really good fishing buddy. She started last year but she really couldn't manage her sponge-bob fishing pole then. This year, she is holding her own. She is the most patient out of all of my fishing buddies.
Last night, she caught her first fish and I wish I could have caught her reaction on video. She was so excited, once she could see the fish at the bank she almost through her pole down. She actually froze she was laughing so hard.
Over the years, I've had a lot of nice evenings with my girls just fishin. I'd love to tell you some emotional, tear jerking story like Trace Atkins' song 'she thinks we're just fishin' but I don't know if I have any. What I do know is that when we go fishing, shoot basketball, throw softball, play with Lego's, go swimming, or whatever we do together, I'm fulfilling God's word by bringing my kids up the way that they should go. I'm letting them know that they are important. They know that dad is busy with work and chores but I always should let them know that I'm not too busy for them.
I'd love to tell you that my years have including hundreds or thousands of evenings spending quality time with my daughters but unfortunately, that would be a lie. Fact is, I'm an imperfect father. I tend to get caught up in the "rules" and "discipline" side of fatherhood and I let mom focus on the "loving" and "nurturing" side. But as a Christian father, it is so important for us to truly live one day at a time. Yes, we have to plan for the future but some day, she's not going to be my little girl, she's going to be my young lady, then she's going to be my grown woman.
When my little girls are grown what have I taught them? Right now, who cares! Life's lessons will happen on their own, we don't have to make them happen. I just need to make sure that when they do happen, I'm there to help and to love them. I have to make sure that my girls will trust me and know that I care.
I hope you take time to cherish those "little" moments with your kids. They are the moments that they don't recognize today as being significant but someday they wouldn't take a million dollars for them. I know I'll always cherish my time at the pond with each of my girls and if I play my cards right, some day, they will too.
Live for Jesus completely today so that tomorrow you won't regret what you did yesterday.
I love you and God does too!
