The Great and Dreadful Day Has Arrived!

This Post is by Brian:

On Friday night, Adam and scouts left for a winter camp-out. At about 1:40 AM, I received a call on our home phone, which was right next to my head on the nightstand. Awaking from my "long winters nap", I heard a familiar voice say "Dad, we got picked up by the police, I am coming home". Well, I started to wonder who was calling me, potentially asking for some bail money, or asking me to leave my warm comfortable bed to brave the cold and snow to get him. Gathering my senses about myself and recognizing the voice as my own son, I asked him to repeat what he said. He then repeated "We got kicked out by the police and I am coming home. Well, seems that the camp ground that the scouts (and I) had used just a few short months before for a similar camp, was now closed for the season. The police had been traveling up the canyon and saw the fire and asked the scouts to leave. Adam and the other scouts had gone to bed earlier but the adults were still up. They picked up all their gear and left. Bobi and I were both relieved because it was supposed to snow several inches up the canyons that night and we were glad to have our little boy home with us. Which brings up the next morning. . . . .

Then early in the morning - Saturday morning - There was weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth as Adam awoke and came downstairs. See the long awaited great and dreadful day has arrived. Great for Adam. Dreadful for me. When he came downstairs to say good morning to Bobi and I, there was something different about him. Our "little boy" seemed a bit taller. This day came many months ago for Bobi, and I had just been waiting for the day when he. . . well HE'S TALLER THAN ME. OK I SAID IT!!!! Uuugh! I will never hear the end of this. The last few days have been filled with "Hey there little man" comments and "Your bald spot is getting bigger dad". It is not enough that he is taller than me, he just can't allow it to be enough. He has to rub it in every chance he gets. I still have some power over him though as I can still beat him in wrestling and I can still exercise my fatherly powers over him.

On Sunday, we were singing "Away in a Manger" and I remembered a few short 14 years ago, holding this now towering (towering may be an exageration as I am only 5'4" but anything taller than me is towering!) young man in my arms thinking about the Christmas Season and the Christ child. What a wonderful young man he has become. I love him and honor him in so many ways. Yes, even when he was shorter than me, I looked up to him as he gave me such wise counsel even at his young age.

Not to leave Lyssa out of this, she and I have started saying to each other as she leaves for school "Remember who you are!" This simple statement reminds us of where we came from and who we can become even as life's storms get us down and discouraged. Lyssa is much like me. She has a difficult time doing what she knows she should, but most often gets the job done anyway. Much of the time, we both wish things could be different. We take our eyes off the goal and this causes much greater stress in our lives that needs be. Lyssa has an uncanny ability to make me laugh and be joyful.

This Christmas Season, I have so much to be joyful for. My family is one of those great joys. That joy is magnified because they love God, as I love God. We cherish our times together, just being together. Adam and Lyssa love each other and it shows in the way they treat each other.

Many people have blessed our lives during this struggle of unemployment that I have been through. I thank each of you for your thoughts and prayers. I am sure that I could not have made it through without your thoughtful kindness and words of encouragement. I am stronger for this experience, I would not desire to go through it again, but I am stronger. I just got finished reading a most wonderful book written by Glenn Beck called "The Christmas Sweater". I recommend it for anyone and everyone as it has a lesson that we can all draw from. I wish you all a wonderful Christmas. I hope all finds you well. I love each and everyone of you in so many ways. Your friendship is a treasure to me.

Love
Bri.