Well, two days into this and I am already changing the name. How time flies. With Faith and With Feathers does a better job of capturing what I want to write about, and the blog name wasn't already taken. I don't think I am confusing any of my readership in making this change, because that readership has consisted mainly of my family. I am grateful for their taking time to read this, though. After all, they have been listening to my sermons for quite a long time and so I don't take their interest for granted.

My wife Juile and I are graced to have three children. Our daughter, Beth, wrote the first comment I ever recevied on my blog. Thanks, Beth. She is a college student who just completed her college swimming career and is studying for the MCATs. We have another daughter, Sarah (a high school freshman just beginning driver's training), who tried to find my blog through Google, but instead found the blog of our oldest, our son, whose name is also David. His blog was composed in support of the presidential candidacy of Barak Obama. Besides being politically aware and active, our son is also musically astute. His blog has a picture of Woody Guthrie and a quote from John Lennon.

When did he start listening to the music I listen too? When did it become possible for all of our children to sit with us and watch a movie together, that is, one not made for children? How time does fly. It is a great feeling to have your children move into adulthood, or stand on the verge of it - and when did I become the parent of adults?

Some who read this may still be parenting young children, and struggling through days when your restaurant choices are McDonald's or Chuck E. Cheese, when your television choices are Thomas the Tank Engine or Sponge Bob Square Pants, when your movie choices are Cars or Happy Feet. Thankfully most of those who make movies and television shows for kids realize that their parents are along too and throw a few laughs our way. Some days you may wonder when the time will come when your daughter or son will listen to John Lennon or Woody Guthire, study for the MCATs, begin driver's training (o.k - I pushed that point too far!). Believe me, that day will come, will come quickly, and you will enjoy it - but you will also wonder where the precious time of childhood went.

I have been doing some study of Buddhism recently. In The Diamond Sutra we read, "Thus shall you think of all this fleeting world: a star at dawn, a bubble in a stream; a flash of lightening in a summer cloud, a flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream." The point is that every moment passes away, gives way to the next moment, and there is wisdom in knowing that and being open to each moment, each phase of life. Jesus said something very similar. "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today" (Matthew 6:34). Maybe not the most positive way to state this, but the point is the same. There is wisdom in being open to each moment and each phase of life.

In all honesty, I miss some of the times my family had together when our children were younger. Our son lives across the state, and our older daugher is in college in Wisconsin. It is o.k. to miss some of those days, but it would be foolish to spend so much time missing those days, or hoping for days to come, that I miss what's going on right now.

With Faith and With Feathers,

David