10 Things I Learned During My Leave – #3

#3 – I have incredible kids: Gracie

Gracie @ Fischer/McNamara Wedding

Main Entry:      compassionate
Part of Speech:     adjective
Definition:     having tender feelings
Synonyms:     all heart, being big, benevolent, bleeding heart*, charitable, commiserative, forbearing, going easy on, humane, humanitarian, indulgent, kindhearted, kindly, lenient, living with, merciful, old softie, piteous, pitying, responsive, soft shell, softhearted, sparing, sympathetic, tender, tenderhearted, understanding, warm, warmhearted

During my leave I had lots of time with my oldest child – Laura Grace (a.k.a. Gracie).  On June 9th she turned 10.  She is really maturing and her sprouting into a young lady has Daddy nervous! =)

Grace has always been “cautious” or “careful”.  She unlike her younger siblings has always had intrinsic boundaries that have helped protect her.  This summer at Holiday World and then Busch Gardens those boundaries disappeared!   She wanted to ride every ride and practically did!  She drug me on to major roller coasters that I was unsure of.  She is a great coaster rider!  We had a blast running to the next ride, waiting in line, and screaming to the top of our lungs each time… these will always be amazing memories!

My Sister's Keeper

Another interesting “leaning” that Christy and I want to watch is Gracie’s amazing compassion for the physically challenged and under-privileged.  A good clue for us should have been that “Extreme Home Makeover” has been her favorite TV show forever… and now she watches other things like, “Little People, Big World.”

Most recently, she has been asking me to take her to “My Sister’s Keeper,” a movie about a family defined and distorted by the leukemia of their older daughter and middle child, Kate (Sofia Vassilieva). Kate’s disease was diagnosed when she was a toddler, and to save her life her parents, Sara (Cameron Diaz) and Brian (Jason Patric), conceived another daughter, Anna, who was genetically engineered to be a perfect donor of blood, marrow and whatever else Kate might need. I probably wouldn’t mind her to see it, but I don’t have the heart to tell her that Daddy can’t make it through it! However, the movie seems to have a parable like plot.   We (mankind) are sick with a disease called sin and we have to have a perfect sinless man be born and die so that we may be redeemed, forgiven, and recieve eternal life – with that in mind… I may have to see this movie! Thank you, Jesus!

The above entry on compassionate is a great adjective for our Gracie and most of the synonyms fit as well.  It is going to be awesome to see how God uses that!

I do have amazing children!  Thanks for letting me boast on them.  Make sure that you read “Things I Have Learned” #4 – #7.  Its all about my kiddos!  Sometimes…  you have to slow down to really enjoy all that God has blessed you with!  Psalm 127:3-5 says, “Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.” I am a blessed man!

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Tags: 10 Things, Family, Gracie, TeamCantrell