WOW....a thought to myself.....

Easter, the time of the year when we remember the greatest event in the history of mankind; the risen Lord Jesus Christ. What a good time of the year, families come together, differences are forgotten, hands are employed in the service of those we love so dearly, and of course...one of the biggest meals you will see in the year occupies the dinner table, leaving hardly any room for anyone to eat! So...we all just make a plate of food, gather around in the living room, or outside, or downstairs, or wherever we want really, and just enjoy each others company. How we love family!

I BBQ'd like I usually do, running the grill is the game I like to play at big family functions like this one. Steak, char sieu, teri-burgers, turkey burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, chips and drinks and good company! I think running the grill might be my favorite part of these kinds of things. I love it!

After the food, there is games, and movies, and wrestling, and kids, and candy. Before all the little kids came home from church, me and my cousin Jacob got to get the Easter egg hunt all together! Eggs, eggs, candy, eggs, chocolate, oh and more eggs! Everywhere across the yard, and in the trees, and in the flower pots, and any where else we wanted to hide them that we thought might be fun for the kids. What a good day. Watching the little children run about with each other, finding the little things on this day that make them happy...and make us all happy.

My little Laki, my nephew is so cute(as are all of my nieces and nephews). But this one, for this particular reason. There I was, on my laptop, when in he walked wearing his smile as only a cute little boy could ;) Only 3 years old, he is so cute, and knows so much.

He walks in on me as I was chatting with an old mission buddy for a few minutes. "Unco?" he asked with his shy little voice(as that is how he and all my little nieces and nephews pronounce the word 'uncle'). "Yeah little brother?" I answered as I continued to type, "who's that?" he asked with such innocence as he stood there.

"Who is who?" I responded still paying attention to the conversation I was having. "Who is THAT" he said again, emphasizing that word 'that' as he pointed to the monitor connected above my desktop level. Following his finger, I looked up at the picture displayed on the monitor and smiled. "Come here little brother" I said as I picked him up and sat him on my lap. "Do you remember who that is?" I asked him as we both pondered the photo. Nodding his head all he did was smile again. "Do you remember?" i asked him again, making sure he remembered. "Who is it? Tell me." I said to him.

He didn't answer for a moment. And as we sat in silence, I gazed at the picture and quietly wondered whether he really knew who it was. Just then he turned his head and looked at me, and whispered her name softly. "Who???" I inquired again leaning closer to hear him. He then answered again with the affirmative answer of who was in the photo. I closed my eyes as tear's almost overwhelmed my composure.

"That's right!" I answered as I opened my eyes. "Whats wrong unco?" he asked so timidly, and so real with concern. "Nothing little brother, just happiness". That is all I could think of to say at the moment. "Sometimes, when you are happy, you cry. That's all"

Truly, happiness can be manifest through a few heart felt tears, and through the memory, innocence, and smile of so small a child...

Is this what it might be like to be a father? I wondered that as the day went on...I don't have any of my own children, I have not even a wife with which to have them with. But it occurred to me, that maybe...just maybe, things like raising this little boy as much as I have, might be preparing me to become a father. I know it sounds a trivial thought to so many people, and that's quite fine. But for me, I learn it when I do, and I realize it when I am supposed to....