A House Filled With Love And Joy!

Hello Guys and Gals,

I saw yesterday a house filled with love and joy! I had the privilege of being invited to dinner with a family of a young couple, Carl and Angel, well... young to me, who had 7 children. Let us just say it was a change of the scenery from living as a single man in an apartment. But let me tell you of what I witnessed there which I cannot get out of my thoughts until I witness about it!

This house was filled with children everywhere. Not all the children were the direct offspring of this couple. But such was their love for each other and children that they went out and adopted several children to fill their house. And it even seemed to me that their goal was so simple; to love these children and each other with all their strength and raise them up in the ways and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. The children ranged from the youngest at around 2 years old by my estimation all the way up to around 12 years old. I saw them fall and cry. I saw them laugh and shine. I saw them hungry and fed. I saw them taught the ways of the Lord. But mostly, I saw them loved beyond all measure and return that love to their parents!

The parents are two beautiful friends of mine. The father is a man who has devoted himself to the the Lord and serves diligently at my church, Calvary Community Church. The mother is a woman dedicated to the Lord, her husband, and their children. I saw this loving couple feed their children and teach their children and love their children. I even saw this loving couple correct and admonish their children with love and respect, but firm in their handling of the issue that was at hand.

This family just had a recent loss. They had their beloved dog hit by a car on Good Friday and had to explain about loss and death to their children. And through the weekend they mourned their beloved dog. The father, however, had a wonderful idea about teaching their children a lesson about Easter. He went out and found a puppy which was brought to their house on Easter morning and he taught their children about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and named the puppy he had found for his family, Rez! He has a longer name but everyone there called him Rez. This puppy was quickly shown how much he was loved by all these children who truly know how to love as they are being taught well by their parents.

But mostly, what I saw with this family yesterday, was a devotion to each other in their love and dedication to the Lord; and joy! So much joy I saw that I said to myself that this is what I want in life. I want a loving wife to have children with and raise them in the ways of the Lord. I am not envious or jealous of this family. I simply desire to love as they love! Such was their love and joy that it was infectious to all that were there.

Let me say also that there was another couple there and also another mother who also practiced the same devotion and dedication to the Lord and their children. The father of this other couple is my good friend, Desmond, who is married to his beautiful wife, Andrea. Let me just say that if I could model my life after any one of these people, any single one, then I would be blessed by the Lord for the love and joy that would be in my life!

I could not stop thinking about the love and joy I witnessed yesterday. Lord Jesus, please bless and love and care for all who shared in this love and joy yesterday!

May God bless you all this day!