Jason is my Peter Pan
My friend Jason recently lost his tree house. Many people cried out to God for answers. Jason wondered why his tree house is so important to so many people. So, I thought about a while, and this is why it's important to me, rather why you are important to me:
Everyday I am disgusted at some of the small choices I watch my kids make. When Isaac goes outside he rarely puts on a coat, and if he does it's no more than a sweatshirt. We live about a mile from Troutdale - the windiest place on earth, and it gets cold. I don't get it. He says he's not cold, but I don't believe him, yet when we are outside he doesn't complain.
Andrew (my other son) thinks that playing is the only thing I should ever do. He wants for us to play a never ending game of battling guys. I don't mind playing this game with him for a while, but I have bills to pay, chores to do, and blogs to read. Why can't he understand that the life of an adult is more complicated than he knows? Because Andrew doesn't understand this social expectation he lashes out to force the issue. Usually this comes in the form of bugging his sister.
Jason, you and your tree condo, call me to examine my priorities. Sometimes I am devoted to living in a simple way - Isaac, Andrew, and Hannah get all my attention, during those times you encourage me to be creative in our play. The possibilities are endless with the knowledge of a friend down the street who is building a tree house - note that he has no children himself. You call me to be a more creative father. Other times I am not giving the attention my kids need. During those times you call me to re-devote my self to my priorities.
But most of all you call me to a life that embraces the slogan: "I don't wanna grow up!" I love that idea, not because I am afraid to grow up, but because as I get older I make life more complicated with my selfish choices. It's okay not to wear a coat outside in winter, I did it all the time as a kid, and it's okay to ignore the social expectations for adults because my kids are more important than anything else. I need to overlook the little things so I can focus on the big things.
Jason, you have sprinkled fairy dust on all of us, asked us to think good thoughts, and lead us to Neverland - your tree house.
posted by Adam Wolfgang @ 11:57 AM
4 Comments
4 Comments:
I hope that we can all be inspired by our friend Jason's lease on life--a taste of simplicity and trivial joys in a far too complex world.
Very true wolf. Who else do you know can quit his job because it gets in the way of family needs and in the mean time build a tree house and take a trip to serve a destroyed community in Slidell, LA? Only Peter Pan.
Being like a child is what God has called us to. Like your kids and mine, they play and have no worries because Papa has got it. He takes care of the bills... Bills? Do kids really know what bills are? No.
I guess the difference between God and I, and this is one of many, are, He remembers to get down on my level and play.
An incredible lesson to learn from my friend and yours... Peter Pan.
peace.
johno~
Wow, dude. I am really touched by this.
Life is too short to spend it all grown up. Big people roll their eyes at simple joys, like pouring hours and dollars into a silly treehouse. I know who they are because I would always find myself justifying to them why I was building one. The kids, however, knew why, without explaination.
You are welcome to come down the street to play at my house anytime.
Now go battle some bad guys, they are ganging up on your son.
Speaking of this movie, I have a story about it.
When I traveled to Fiji with Rescue, we went as a part of a Luis Palau thing with a couple of other bands. One was Geoff Moore and his band, the other was an Australian reggae group. The lead guitar player in the band was a guy named Steven. He also does some solo work, graphic design, and he was a bank teller in (drum roll) Peter Pan.
I didn't say the story was that great, but it was definitely memorable.
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