Family affairs

Very busy weekend, full of activities. I traveled with the 4 boys Friday evening to just outside Nelsen WI for the annual arrows campout. Arrows is a People of Praise ( http://peopleofpraise.org ) creation targeting boys k-6 grade for the purposes of fellowship with each other but also with dads to provide opportunities for imparting, nurturing, modeling, all the things our young sons need to become virtuous young men. At least we try and exhibit virtuous, manly behavior.

So we had soccer and baseball, capture the flag, climbing a 300 foot bluff, tenting, water fights, cigar smoking, 22, bb, 20 gauge weaponry, hay in the barn loft, a campfire the whole weekend, fireworks, a very large telescope for viewing the stars, dam building and dam wrecking, arguments, sharing, no injuries this year, good food, rain and cold. Lots of good things that provide opportunities for life, real life, stuff that young boys need to experience. We came back Saturday evening to prepare for Sundays activities.

Sunday we slept in, had a wonderful brunch with the entire family, cleaned the house, and prepared for all the guests that would hopefully come to celebrate Matthews first communion. It's interesting to watch him at Mass, fidgets, and generally dislikes sitting for an hour. But he was reverent and purposeful as he strode forward to receive Christ present in the Eucharist.

Afterwards we had a reception where friends and family came along to mark this milestone in his life. It was very low key, and a lovely day so the kids could play in the yard, parents could converse quietly and share ice cream and coffee. This is family. Not just blood relatives, but the body of Christ, coming together celebrating the gift of a life poured out for us, reconciling us to the Father.

And as I watched everyone pass by during the communion procession, I was just observing and wondering about the souls walking past. What issues and stories of their lives are playing out and how receiving the Eucharist can effect change in each situation. In my situations. In my children's lives. And I'm thankful. Come Holy Spirit.