Au Natural

Next week is the anniversary of the day we met our children. Around this time we were feverishly packing, trying to figure out what we would need for a trip intended to be 3 1/2 weeks long, but turned into more than 5. I remember the day we went to meet and pick up our kids. We left our hotel (the first of three) later than we intended, and once we arrived, had kids in our arms.

In the ensuing days, I noticed their fascination with electronics - our computers, cameras, the television and DVD player, turning on the lights, and watching me use the water treatment system to purify drinking water. They've been fascinated with electronics ever since - watching television and movies, remote-controlled cars, Wii, and their personal computers and Leap Frog readers. However, I have also noticed that once they use these items for a period of time, they put them away; they are satisfied. They have had their curiosity curbed until the next time.

In contrast, I think about many of their other firsts: seeing giraffes at the zoo, growing a garden, experiencing the first snowfall, hiking Mount Rainier, and seeing their breath as we changed terminals in New York City. Each one of these firsts, and many more, were so exciting for the kids. The looks on their faces were unmatched by any other experience as they saw their breath (because they'd never experienced cold); the joy the boys felt as they touched snow on the mountain for the first time told a greater story than any toy they had received. They still have so much excitement when they see their breath, or play in the water.

The things of the world are just that: things. Things don't offer us eternal happiness. Things don't really show us who God is and what God can do. Having the biggest and the best doesn't fulfill us. I am pleased and humbled that my children already know this lesson. They have experienced the things of this world, and although they enjoy them, at the end of the day, my kids can set them aside. The things of God, of nature, of beauty, of simplicity - these are the things that bring them unspeakable joy.

Perhaps we need a return to nature; to realize again that what God created, God called good, and made for our enjoyment. What God creates is so much bigger, better, more awesome and awe-inspiring than what we can create for ourselves. The more we appreciate what God creates and offers to us, the more closely we will follow God. A year into parenthood, I thank God for children who remind me of that lesson each and every day.