"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"

My day was made yesterday evening when I came home from work and my son, who was hungry and cranky moments before saw me entering into the back yard, jumped down from his chair, and started beating on the arcadia door and started yelling, "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"

I opened the door and swooped down to pick him up and he kept yelling Daddy! and then proceeded to "tell" me about his day, give me huge Timmy hugs, and would not let me go for about five minutes. For that time I was the world's coolest dad, and I felt like a million bucks.

I had an interesting perspective last night when I was holding my daughter while I was at church. I walked up to several men including one of the elders in our church. Now, the elder, James White, is a man I have known since I was 16 years old. I learned much from him.

He was in his 20's then and a director of Alpha and Omega Ministries (he still is, BTW). I remember as an annoying 16 year old, asking millions of theological questions, but always intimidated by his intellect.

One day I walked in while he was dancing with is daughter, Summer. She could not even walk at this point, but he was the happiest dad, this was easy to see.

Well, this interesting perspective came when now it was I who was dancing with his daughter and showing her off. James, whose eldest child is in college (his daughter is a teenager with a driver's license and is not afraid to use it), commented that he is old enough now that he can look forward to this as a grandparent (he was making my daughter giggle up a storm).

Truly hit me that time in this life is but a vapor trail. In comparison to the eternal, as soon as our life has begun it has been gone a long time.

As I have reflected the joy of seeing my family when I come home (and they me) and realizing that my time on earth is finite, I do see more than ever to enjoy this time that the Lord has given me. But not to enjoy it in a "right now counts for right now" mindset. But rather, if I may cite a favorite movie of mine, "What we do in life echoes in eternity." One should live his life with all his might while he yet lives, knowing that he does not touch today only, but his fingers touch eternity.

When that little boy runs up to his dad and holds out his tiny arms to be held up a dad should swell with joy and remember that this joy, and that other joy that soon follows with the "tap tap tap" to the feet (as in Alexa who still only crawls) are gifts from a heavenly Father, and should be treated with great care and tenderness. They should be treasured and enjoyed, loved and cherished.