A sensible oxymoron.... or an oxymoronic sensibil

This evening as Jadon was learning a new piece for the soon-upcoming Bach competition, in frustration he loudly declared from the piano, "THIS PART IS SO HARD!  I have to change hands!  ARRRRGGGGGGGGGH!!!  BACH IS SUCH AN IDIOT-GENIUS!!!"

The sword of the Spirit, the word of God (usually)

The other night I was reading the Bible to Jadon, & I read the verse "if you have a sore on your head or your chin, you must go to the priest and let him examine it" (Leviticus 13:29). Oftentimes I wonder if Jadon is actually listening to what I read as he puts on his pajamas and takes his medicine for the night, but as he was going about his business, he earnestly asked, "But if they already have a sword on their head or chin, wouldn't they already be dead?"

If not worn on our sleeves, does our faith shine forth at all for others to see?

A few weeks ago while I was helping Jadon dress for one of the last practices of his first travel hockey season (Peewee A), he asked one of his teammates David (whose father was also helping him dress), "Are you Christian?"

I was generally surprised by the question, as I felt it rather direct and even potentially touchy.  None of this (to my shame?) had ever come up before, & in the rush of my thinking & feeling, in part because I assumed David's family were nonbelievers since they themselves had never brought up the subject all season, I sought to soften the situation, & asked with a smile, "Why do you ask, Jadon?"

David's dad already had begun answering, & said rather sheepishly, "Yeeeaahhh, we are, but we aren't practicing.  We don't really go to church or anything.  Hockey keeps us really busy."  Of note, David didn't say a word but steadily continued to dress for practice.

I continued the conversation with a concession, "It IS pretty hard with hockey and other activities."

Jadon's own concession hit me even harder, "Yeah, we aren't really practicing either."

Sometime afterward on different days, I asked his Evangelina & Jadon what they thought was most important to Daddy & Mommy among church, hockey, piano, & family time.  I asked them to rank these things one through four, based on what they think is important to us especially when there are conflicting events on our family schedule.  Their answers were sad, especially when they seemed to understand what God's priorities are.  (See scanned document.)

O Lord, forgive me as an errant father.  Help me to live such that our children know You are number one in our lives, that You are to be joyfully worshiped above all others, & that You are worthy of the worship of all.