Newsletter/Article Index :   Financial Life in Christ

Date Posted	November 14, 2007
Article Title	Birthday Spankings: A Precious Moment
Posted By	Greg Richardson
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Birthday Spankings: A precious moment I knew a man who loved his children through all of their triumphs and trials. He watched and prayed, he watched and wept, he watched and hoped that all of his children would have unspeakable joy and happiness in their lives. This man had both boys and girls and had different concerns and hopes for each of his children. When his daughters were young, he would watch them play with dolls pretending to be their mom caring for those dolls as their mother cared for them. When his sons were young he would watch them build blocks and pretend they were great buildings. The man’s love for his children was a love that would bring discipline, hugs and kisses, and caring for them enough to teach them the ways of the Lord. When they were younger, on each of their birthdays he would chase after them telling them he was going to give birthday spankings. They would run from him laughing and wanting to be caught by their father who was strong in their eyes and would care for them in all situations. After catching them he would grab them and with a gentle hand would give them birthday taps while being dramatic as an Oscar award winning actor. They would laugh and count with their father “one…two…three... and one to grow on.” As the children got older the desire for birthday spankings waned in each child. This was not a happy thought for the father for he enjoyed hearing the squeals and laughter. As each child got older they would express in some way that, “I am too old for birthday spankings.” When his first daughter turned twelve her father thought that she was too old to get birthday spankings, but little did he know what was in store for him that day. After the celebration of the day and his daughter opened her presents and the party was over, she being a big girl now came up to the father and taunted him, “You can’t catch me and give me spankings!” He laughed and chased her around the house catching her and grabbing her into his arms. She squealed and laughed and willingly lay over his knee and counted each gentle tap…”and one to grow on!” He reflects on that moment often and talks about with his bride each year when another child’s birthday roles around. Live in each moment with passion and joy, for those precious moments are fleeting and few. Those precious moments seem to come rarely but in reality happen daily. Those precious moments are the joy of life. Remember the laughter of each of those moments and treasure them, because those precious moments in time are the greatest treasure you will take with you to heaven. This world today is filled with desire for things…vacations, cars, homes, real estate, 401k’s, retirement accounts, pensions, lawn mowers, boats, financial independence, and other such things. But all of these will be burned up on the last day; the only thing that will remain will be those precious moments of love and happiness, and maybe a feeling of sorrow that our focus was on “things” rather than the “precious moments” in our lives. By Greg Richardson
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