Max rode a Mule

Wednesday night is man night around the Versluys house. Natasha teaches 2 classes at Aquinas College on Wednesday nights so that leaves Max and me to discover the world. I know, he is only 4 months old so everything isn't always what most would consider "manly"...for example Wednesday night is usually bath night, not a lot of manliness in bubbles, rubber ducks, and paisly colored wash cloths. Max does do his best to inject manliness into bath time with a well timed fountain...the kind that requires an extra rinse.

We've gone for walks to look at the sky, we've hiked around our farm to look at trees and sneak up on deer, and last night Max got to ride on a Mule. I am not sure who had more fun, him or me listening to him giggle and laugh. We parked under a huge Shagbark Hickory tree and talked...yeah, it was more me talking and him smiling at me. I love these times and look forward to many more to come.

Sitting under that tree with Max got me thinking about my family. My parents lost their son when he was only 6 years old. This all happened before my time so I've got no memory of, didn't experience it, and never could really comprehend it. Sitting under that tree with Max got me thinking about what my sisters, parents and specifically what my dad went through in that loss. Sitting there with Max gave me a much deeper understanding of what it was that they lost.




These are actually the words of my wife, about an entirely different situation, but they speak so deeply into what I felt last night as I thought about the loss of my brother: "nothing angers me more than knowing that we live in a fallen world and that the brokenness we experience here is so far from the richness of our design in the image of our Creator". Her words are such a harmony to the verses in Ephesians that I've been memorizing so that they are apart of me: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.