We shut him in a closet.
Ok. Relax. He's fine. Everyone is fine. It happened like this:
Back when our first four kids were little, we were rushing off to church on a typical Sunday morning. I told all the boys to grab their coats and gloves and to go to the van. They ran to the closet to obey while I put a final touch on our Sunday lunch.
Assuming everyone had finished their task and was in the van already, I ran out the door to claim my seat, shutting the closet door on the way out. Heh.
We were one block down the road when we realized and proclaimed, "Where's Justus??" Oh no we hadn't. Oh yes we had.
It was the longest 30 second drive ever to turn around and go back home. When I busted out of the van and into the house I found that Justus was out of the closet and standing with a face full of mad tears by the front door. My tear-filled apology wasn't heard at that moment as he rushed by me and got into the van.
And then we all went to church and spent the rest of the morning praising Jesus. The end.
Justus lived to tell about it, forgave me, and would you believe he turned 21 last month?
For the record, the van seat normally occupied by Justus was filled with a houseguest that weekend - in case you're wondering why we didn't notice an empty spot in the van.
The day that happened, about ten other people at church told me about a time they'd forgotten a kid. Good grief. We are all either normal or nuts.
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Awww, we haven't forgotten, not even a little bit. But I do have a story to tell and I hope you'll take time to read all of it. It's pretty important.
He used to be our baby. Our youngest child. And somehow - well not somehow - but because of God's power and plan, he's now the oldest of six.
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God helped Matt and me realize recently that with all that has happened in our lives during the past two-and-a-half years, and with all we are currently trying to juggle, we've neglected a thing or two.
We haven't shoved Malachi aside by any means. But with nine kids in so many different stages of life, and with five of the kids demanding so much attention, it feels difficult to keep up with meeting so many needs. Please read the entire heart-felt post --->
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We're making changes at our house.
Not because we've failed. But because we want to do better.
I've downloaded every single that thing this bundle includes because why wouldn't I? It's all about Jesus. It points us to Jesus. It encourages prayer, scripture reading, devotion, healthy marriages, godly parenting, and so much more that Christians want and need.
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We're on a better path, and I am grateful.
Tomorrow I'm sharing: More Than Sunday Morning: How Our Family Focuses on God All Week Long
Stay tuned. Keep your eyes on the cross. Count heads before leaving for church.
DISCLAIMER: No children were forgotten, neglected, forlorn, forsaken, or left in a closet for longer than the time it took to find the second missing glove.
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