So yesterday we had a little ice storm in North Texas that ground the wheels of the school system to a halt in McKinney. I already had the day off work and I was looking forward to some quiet time with , my bible and some coffee or tea while the kids where at school; but the LORD felt fit to bring the ice so that was not going to happen. We played, they fought, they watched some movies and would periodically go outside to play in the cold and attempt to make some snow balls from the feeble dusting of snow. It was overall an enjoyable day, but on thing happened that made the day profound for me.

After all day of playing and what not, I just wanted to sit on the couch and watch the rest of a movie I had tivo'd. Madison was in her room playing, and Alexandra had gone outside and was playing, while I was on the couch. After a few minutes, I looked to my right out the window, and what I saw made my heart feel so much love. There was my little girl Alexandra, playing on the deck and she looked like an angel. She looked like a baby and so innocent just trying to gather up the snow. I looked back at the television, and I heard a voice say to me, "turn off the TV and go outside and be with your daughter."

The only way I feel I can explain it is that it was not some unknown voice, it was my own voice and it felt like it originated from my own mind, but there was a tenderness and love in that voice that I know I do not contain. It was a gentle calling, but a calling nonetheless and I knew I had a choice to respond or ignore. So I turned the TV off, stood up, put my shoes on and walked outside. Alexandra's face lit up and she was so happy daddy was there with her. She scraped up some feeble snow, and threw it at me, then scraped up some for me and instructed me to throw it at her. She stood on the step and we just held each other, I dipped her and then gave her a little kiss, and then did it again. It was beauty, I felt like for the first time I was wrapped up in beauty. I was so thankful for the day, so thankful for the ice, so thankful for my children, and so thankful for my Jesus.

Talking on Tuesday night with some friends about obedience, and we were talking about is obedience essential to being a Christian, can you get in with just belief and not actually becoming a disciple of Jesus. Friends, I don't know if you can or not, I won't give any assurances whether you can, but one thing I do know, failing to obey will cause you to miss out on the beauty of the life Jesus offers. I am a struggling disciple, I struggle to obey in even the small things, but yesterday Jesus showed me the beauty of obedience. I experienced tenderness and love for my child that I don't know if I have ever had before. My heart was tenderized with the power of His love for me, by just enjoying what great blessings He has given me. Jesus says that He came to bring us life and life that is beyond our wildest imaginations, an abundant life. We can't get there without following. Yesterday, when I wanted to do what I wanted to do, Jesus by the Spirit called me to see the life that He has made available to me, the life I can receive by responding to His call. Eternal life that comes with discovering the beauty of obedience.