The first thing I do every Sunday is read Blondie and The Family Circus in the funny papers. Blondie and Dagwood have been a part of my mental family as long as I can remember. What’s wonderful about them is they are ageless. Alexander and Cookie have grown up but Blondie is as pretty as ever and Dagwood as goofy as ever. I especially like Dagwood’s boss, Mr. Dithers. And Daisy, the dog, is as spry as she was seventy years ago. In 1960 I added The Family Circus to my Sunday morning literary habits. Their entire family is ageless. Unlike Alexander and Cookie, the Family Circus children are still children. Billy, age seven, is the oldest of the children and is eternally delightful. He has been seven for fifty-six years. He has been better at keeping young than was Jack Benny.
One of the marvelous wonders of being a parent is watching one’s children grow and develop. One of the saddest things about being a parent is watching one’s children grow and develop. There is an ironic enigma to successful parenting. We want them to prosper and yet one day the nest will be empty.
One of the advantages our heavenly Father has is His nest is never empty. He is omnipresent and can enjoy us at His will. However, there is the perhaps not so good thing of knowing too much about your children and their friends. It is amazing that our heavenly Father continues to love us while knowing everything about us. I have to conclude that His love is based not upon what we are but upon His knowledge of what we will be. What we will be is so fantastic Paul says in Ephesians 3:20 it is more than we can imagine. It will be that good and more.
Written by Roger Bothwell on July 11, 2016
PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org