January 26

My kiddos are big enough now that I refuse to lift them into the 'baby swings' at the park. Unfortunately, this particular park lacks big-kid versions, so Isaac climbed up on his own to take a ride this afternoon.

Brady, of course, couldn't resist the opportunity to give his bigger brother a push, and within a few seconds, they were both laughing maniacally as the latter swung through the air in a toddler-sized basket.

The scene spoke to me on several different levels. It reminded me that working hard (like expending energy to climb up into a swing) brings rewards. It also reinforced the notion in my mind that small people can accomplish a lot (like comparatively little Brady effectively pushing his bigger brother).

And beyond all of that, it reminded me --for the upteenth time this year-- that kids really know how to live and love and enjoy this life on a fundamental level. There are so many good reasons why they're so very precious to Jesus, and I'm thankful for the reminders of those reasons.