Proud Parents

The Olympics close tonight. I, for one, am sorry to see them finish. It isn't that I sit and watch for hours at a time but I have watched here and there and enjoyed so many things. My favorite events are not unlike the majority of people. I love the water events and gymnastics. Yesterday, it was time to take Isaiah to his soccer game but I really didn't want to walk away from watching the synchronized swimming teams. They were phenomenal. Such grace and beauty. I also saw a few moments of an event I'm not sure of what it is called. It is sort of a dance done with a ribbon. It also was a thing of beauty.

One of the things the Olympics did at this home was to make a twelve year old boy fall in love with a beautiful little gymnast called, Shawn Johnson. Isaiah was on the computer every chance he had to check on her standings and just to get one more look at her. He was a walking reporter on her standings. I'm not sure which of them has given us more entertainment. Isaiah's aunt found a link on the Internet where one could access a simulated phone call from Shawn. She made that arrangement so Isaiah received a phone call and heard Shawn's voice. His face broke out in a huge smile. It is truly entertaining to watch yet another young boy make that transition from being a little boy to being a grown up boy and one that notices there is an opposite sex. I hate to say it but I think we are in that process here.

And how about Michael Phelp's mother? Can't all mothers relate? Watching her reaction to the accomplishments of her pride and joy were heart warming. I'm sure the Phelp's family's success was an encouragement to all the single mother families out there.

I didn't see some of the warmest moments of the games. I did hear about them though. It was reported that parents of two athletes melted in each other's arms in tears over their child's winning a medal I can't even begin to understand the sacrifice it took to get their kid to China for the games. I heard that one set of parents had taken out a second mortgage on their house in order to attend the games with their child. It is amazing what parents will do for the success of their offspring.

Kind of makes me think of my father....oh, not my earthly father, though he has been very good to me. I am thinking of my heavenly father. He sacrificed all he had for my redemption in this world and in the next. I wonder if he melts into tears when I succeed. I don't think he is looking for any big physical feat but I am sure he is looking for some success in my spiritual battles. Those battles aren't called games....they are called war. Just as those athletes look to the stands to find their parents upon the end of their race, we, God's children, look to Him at the conclusion of all of our accomplishments and recognize it is because of his sacrifice for us and his care and power in our lives that we can be blessed. Isn't it wonderful to see His smile of approval.

Speaking of my earthly father....we played pinoccle last evening at their house. They told us about Mary's attempt to hang out the laundry. She put clothes oh the line three different times and each time birds came swooping down to attack her. She finally had to ask Dad to come out to be body guard while she worked on her laundry project. When we arrived on their scene, Mary was outside looking at the birds trying to figure out what kind they were. We joined her and decided we had never seen that type of bird before but agreed with her that they were most aggressive. They were swooping over us as we watched them.