My oldest Son

My oldest son is a police officer.

I got to visit with him this weekend and as he left, I suggested he could tell his friends that his father had finally gone to prison for his crimes! Tim smiled.

He is the miracle son, as is his brother.

When Anna and I married, we knew that we might not be able to have children. And it appeared our perception was going to come true as time passed.

Then Anna's brothers were murdered after Christmas and a great grief settled on the family. And then we discovered Anna was with child. Our first born was anticipated the following January.

Anna enjoyed every minute of her pregnancy and the first Christmas after her brothers death came and went. Anna went into labor and Tim was born a year to the date we buried Anna's brothers. We called him our miracle child because more than one gynecologist had told us having children was impossible. More than that, Tim became a symbol of hope to the family. He was not a replacement, but a deep expression of God's love at a time when our family needed an affirmation of His love and the hope of a better future than the recent past.

Tim grew up and finished college and he followed his brother to East Asia. Tim was drawn to an opportunity that meant he would back pack in the Himalayas sharing Christ. He loved his work but continued to suffer physically from the primitive conditions. So he returned home to marry and give us our only grandchildren(to this point).

In the faces of my grandchildren I see my sons growing up yet again. Yet, these little kids fill my heart with joy and not much responsibility. I look at them and remember a friend who remarked, "If I had known how much fun grandchildren were, I would have had them first."

Tim has had a short but distinguishing career as an police officer. He will be at his post five years after the first of the year. In those short five years, he has been honored as "Officer of the Year," become a field training officer, a fire arms training officer, a fill-in shift officer, and recently a member of the first SWAT team his department has ever had.

All of that aside, he is a son in whom I take great delight because--well because he is my son and that is enough in our family for the favor and blessing to rest.

I remember reading in seminary Myron Madden's book, "The Power to Bless." In it he tells about the parental power to bless or to fail to bless. The blessed child, according to Madden has the resolve to try new things, leave home, and take new challenges.

Long before Anna and I married, I resolved to be the kind of parent who "blessed" my children and communicated to each of them " I am glad that you are and you are the child in whom I take great delight." It has served us all well.

I remember when J.D. came to live with us, he soon picked up on how much his mother and I loved our other boys. He asked me one day, "Dad, do you love me as much as you love Tim and Joseph?" It was a good question for me. It was a sobering question. What does one say?

My answer? "I love you as much as is in my heart to love you!" To me, that is always enough.