The other day I was playing hide and seek with my kids. While most people would look at a Dora the Explorer blanket and realize the giant lump wasn’t due to her obnoxiously large beach-ball sized head (don’t get me started on my feelings for that bossy perma-shouter who’s parents should be locked up for letting their daughter gallivant through the jungle encountering kleptomaniac foxes and grumpy trolls while supervised only by her shoe wearing pet monkey!!), but rather, that underneath that blanket was a grown man curled up in the fetal position on a toddler bed.

They wandered all around the house looking for me as hard as they could and every time I could sense them growing a little bit frustrated I would make a noise and they would squeal with excitement and renewed vigor at this new clue. Eventually they found me and celebrated their win by dog piling on their daddy. It was a lot of fun!

It got me thinking, though, about my relationship with God. Sometimes I wish God would just reveal everything he wants me to do with my life and tell me how it is all going to turn out, but that wouldn’t make for a very fun or adventurous life, would it? Instead he gives us little pieces of the puzzle, shows us little glimpses of himself, and makes little noises so we can figure out which direction to go in next.

Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the LORD,” Elsewhere the Bible says, in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 7:7-8 says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Whether you’re seeking God for a specific situation or just seeking him on a continual and relational basis don’t let yourself get discouraged when you don’t have every answer to every situation. Remember to seek him with all of your heart—and be honest with yourself about this—and listen for those little clues. And don’t forget what often feels like a game of supernatural hide and seek is not something that just ends in this lifetime but ultimately leads us to his immediate presence in Heaven where we will have a spiritual dog pile and celebrate like we never have before!

Tonight I took the family to see Toy Story 3. Since the first Toy Story came out when I was in Jr. High School it was a little weird taking my kids to see the final installment. If you haven’t seen the movie, all I’ll tell you is that Andy is all grown up and heading off to college leaving his once precious toys to face the same fate of my collection of GI Joes, Ninja Turtles, and WWF action figures (yes, way back when the World Wildlife Foundation shared an acronym with the sports entertainment giant).

Thanks to bottomless popcorn and overpriced soda my son had to use the bathroom several times during the movie. Under normal circumstances I would be greatly annoyed at this because, although the kids got in for free, my wife and I paid a lot of money to see this movie–and I want to see ALL of it! However, this movie was all about a little boy growing up and leaving his family, home, and childhood memories behind. I realized how precious every moment is with my kids and how one day they, too, are going to go off to college like Andy.

It helped me understand why my mom cried when I went to college, when I got married, when I moved to Sandpoint, and again last weekend when our family flew home from visiting to begin packing to move to Alaska.

Something else it helped me do was form a better perspective on my time with them. I as I stood there for the millionth time watching Judah pee with his pants clear down at his ankles–something I think would be funny to do as an adult–I realized that there’s going to be a point when he doesn’t need me to go to the bathroom with him. While I may find that nice at the time I need to soak up every moment that my kids need me–even the annoying ones. Yeah, someday I won’t have to break up my kids from fighting, I won’t have to clean up spilled and wasted milk, I won’t have to wipe up sticky hands after a meal, or wipe poopy bottoms and I will definitely relish in their independence and laugh at other parents in that stage. But, there’s a clock ticking on how much time I get with my kids before they’re out on their own living their lives and even the annoying moments are subtracted from that time.

So, today, enjoy your day, dads! It’s all about you! Watch what you want to watch, eat what you want to eat, scratch what you want to scratch, and tell your wife that there are no bedtime headaches allowed on your day! But, remember, someday your kids might not be there to physically spend that day with you, so, enjoy every moment you have with them. Even the ones you’d rather not have.

Today we decided to go and enjoy the Lost in the 50’s Car Show that takes over Sandpoint every year. We were all getting over being sick and a trip into town was just what we needed. Since Tamra went home to surprise her mother for Mother’s day last weekend we decided to get things started off with a Mother’s Day breakfast at our favorite restaurant, Slates. What ensued was a collection of events so horrible it actually made for one of our most memorable family outings.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you live in the Sandpoint area your favorite blogger will be doing stand up comedy as part of the Dessert Theater Missions Fundraiser held at the Sandpoint Assemblies of God this Friday, March 12. The event starts at 7pm and the cost is $5. All proceeds go to fund various missions organizations.

Nick will be performing his brand of comedy sharing his humorous observations on kids and parenthood. Don’t miss it!!

Here’s my son showing some of his moves!

AP News — Sandpoint, ID — There have been recent reports of a cataclysmic alignment of planets and stars over one section of the sky just north of Sandpoint, ID where it is said that one family has climbed Everest. Not literally, that would be ridiculous, but metaphorically through the potty training of their two year old daughter, Elliana.

This marks a special day for them in that they no longer have any kids in diapers as she has mastered both number one’s and number two’s in the potty. The associated press was made aware of this inspiring story when the local sheriff was called due to reports of much shouting and the smell of something burning.

Upon arriving at the house law enforcement officers discovered that this was not a domestic dispute, but rather a celebration. The shouts were not arguing but rather shouts of joy as the family celebrated this monumental occasion. There was a fire as reported but it was a properly contained fire being fueled by unused diapers.

When asked for comment amidst a shower of champaign and confetti Nick Higgins stated, “Not since David defeated Goliath or since Lance Armstrong won his seventh consecutive Tour de France has such a feat of incredible magnitude been accomplished. Against all odds that little girl silenced the critics and overcame all doubt. This momentum is going to give her the confidence she needs as she faces forthcoming difficult seasons of life such as learning how to get her slippers on the correct feet, drinking out of a cup without spilling milk all over the place, and asking for something without crying and throwing a big fit. All the credit for this goes to my wife who persevered after several accidents. She didn’t give up, stuck with it and got the job done in just four days!! We’d like to thank our sponsors: Underoo’s, Bounty, and Tide. I feel like Jack Dawson, ‘I’m king of the world!’”

We’ll have more on this story as it develops.