"I Wish I Were A Grown Up"

My dear little Poppy-Seed:

Last night we had such a wonderful time together as a family (you, me, Mom, Barret, Annie, Willow, Brian, and eventually Kristen). We went for a summer-evening swim, strolled back through the neighborhood with your little sister facing you in your red wagon under tow by your Dad, barbecued some incredible Mediterranean shish-kabobs, listened to Greek music over the stereo speakers pumped into our backyard, ate an incredible meal together, laughed, enjoyed a gourmet dessert, sat around the fire-pit and talked, and then called it a night. As I laid in bed next to you gazing into your forlorn face because you couldn't stay up with us any longer, you said to me, "Dad, I wish I were a grown up."

I know how you feel, Sweetie, and I used to feel the same way when I was a child. Seems like adults get to do all the fun stuff; stay up late, go to college, get married, play sports, drive cars, eat and drink whatever they want, use big words, laugh about things that don't make sense, and tell little children what to do. There were so many things I wanted to say to you last night in response to your statement, but it was too late in the evening (way past your bed-time), and as smart as you are I'm afraid you wouldn't completely understand it all. So let me just write a few things to you that I would have said under different circumstances. Maybe you'll read this one day and then appreciate what it means to be young and old, and all the in between.

"Be careful what you wish for:

• To be a child and have faith like a child are highly esteemed in God's economy. There are some aspects of being a child I hope you never rid yourself of, even into your oldest of age.
  
• To be a child and receive care like a child are highly esteemed in most any economy. There will never be another time in your life on this earth where you need not concern yourself with food, clothing, warmth, covering, and most of all whether there's anyone on this planet that truly loves you.
• To be a child and possess naivety like a child are highly esteemed in your Mom's and my economy. For now, you're sheltered from much of the evil in this world and your innocence is virgin. There will come a day all too soon when that starts to get chipped away.

• To be an adult and think like an adult is highly esteemed in an adult's economy. But with that comes all the complexities of unanswerable questions and pondering. Ultimately, you must fall on your face and cry out to God who has all of the answers, but may not choose to let you in on all of His secrets until you meet Him face to face.
• To be an adult and work like an adult is very fulfilling..., fulfilling indeed, especially because that's the way God created us to live and is, therefore, also highly esteemed in His economy. However, danger is right around the corner when you live to work thinking that in working and then accumulating, fulfillment has achieved its end. The end is in Jesus.
• To be an adult and know the ways of the world like an adult create knowledge, and hopefully wisdom, and are highly esteemed in the world's economy. But with that runs the risk of discouragement if you embrace the world as your home. Start getting truly homesick early in life; it will help you cling to that which will never let you go."
  

There's more my little Pop-Tart, my Yao Qiao-girl. Let's save those, and even these, for a day later in life when we can go for a long walk with your mother in a secluded place and search the things of God together.

I love you,

Daddy