There Is No Limit to a Child's Imagination

As many of you know, we recently took a trip to San Diego.  While the trip was for my sister's wedding, I don't believe it is possible to take a seven year old boy that far and not stop at Legoland California. My son eats and breathes all that is Lego.  Every birthday and Christmas that comes around he meticulously scours his Lego catalog, marking each page while making his wish list. He saves his allowance for the next new Lego set to come out.  I don't think he slept the night before we were to go. 

 Theme parks are not my cup of tea, but to attend them with a child, it adds a whole new dimension and pleasure to the experience.  To add to the excitement, his grandfather went with us to the park.  What a day! I highly recommend taking your kids to some kind of theme park at least once in their lifetime.  And when you do - don't stand back and watch them ride the rides - get on with them! It completely changes the experience. His grandfather rode the roller coasters with him and even got wet in a water fight ride. It was so important to my son and I must say, Grandpa was having fun too!  Another point I want to make about this trip is how it spurs the imagination.  In our area, we are limited in the stores that carry

Lego products and you can only get the pre-packaged sets. I think my son's favorite part of the park was going through the Lego Factory.  There were rows of bins filled with Legos you could buy by the pound.  Mix and Match! He loved putting together his own set. The inspiration that Legoland offered has given him countless hours of building since we returned home.  My challenge to you this week is to set aside the picture on the box, file away that recipe you are diligently following, and let your imagination run wild!

The Wedding of Her Dreams

My little sister just got married.  It was her dream wedding.  Growing up on a farm in southwest Kansas, our family did not give much thought to the ocean or the beach.  While we often thought it would be a wonderful place to visit, there was no urgency to get there. Our family vacations led us to the mountains and what this rich land had to offer. My sister, however, developed a passion for the ocean.  Once she got older, her trips drew her to the coast.  When she met a fell in love with the man of her dreams (a fellow Kansan), the wedding planning began.  She surprised us all when she told us she was getting married on Coronado Island.  I am a traditionalist.  Why not get married in the church in our home town? Why are we all traveling across the country to a beach? Let me tell you why - it was her dream.  And if there is one thing my family has always done, it has supported dreams.  My parents may not have always understood or agreed with our choices about the directions we have taken in life, but they have always supported them.  So we all bought our plane tickets and began planning a wedding hundreds of miles away.

After much preparation, planning and phone calls, the day finally came.  I knew this day would be special - my sister was getting married afterall.  What I did not know, is just how perfect it would be.  There was a small attendance - only the bride and groom's immediate family and closest friends were there - over half of which had a part in the wedding. The setting was simply stunning.  The crashing of the ocean waves, the cool breeze in the air, the sun warming the sand beneath our feet.  While we were not in a church, I believe we could not have gotten much closer to God. His presence was everywhere. As my Dad walked the bride down the steps, many beach goers stopped to observe this moment. It was a perfect day - a day of hopes and dreams - and I could not be happier for my sister and her new husband.  I wish them the very best life has to offer.  May their journey together be blessed with good health, happiness, and a lifetime of love.