February 17 – “Fortress of Forty Steps”

We went on a treasure hunt yesterday with two six-year-olds and a two-year-old.  Oh and I guess you should count the newly aged thirty-two year old as well.  Josh and I were assigned outside duty with Zak, Micah and Josiah, so we decided to go with them over to the “40 Steps” vacant lot next door.  Strange how a name like that can just come to the head of a two tear old and then be perpetuated by the adults in his life.  Maybe we should print up a welcoming banner to place on the lot, kind of like the Hundred Acre Wood in Winnie the Pooh. 

The boys found all sorts of treasure buried beneath the sand and dirt left by the excavator that tore down the house.  An old Christmas light (the kind you hung outside before they invented icicle lights) was Zak’s favorite find.  A Christmas wreath (well, the remains of one) had Micah so excited during the extraction process.  He thought he had uncovered an entire Christmas tree.  A real white Lego (Just one, I’m afraid).  An old wheel and the blade off of a lawn mower.  Two long pieces of metal pipe held together by some kind of round object.  Micah said it was part of a giant’s pair of scissors.  A piece of a train track (that was Josh’s big find.  He was excited enough to bring it over to Zak for his inspection).  Micah found a piece of one of those plastic hot wheels tracks.  He knew exactly what it was, too.  I spent most of my time pulling up[ large pieces of concrete, small shards of glass, and pieces of metal that I thought might become dangerous items to tread upon in the future.  Chris even came out at one point.  She was scouting out possible sites for a garden.  Hey, a girl’s gotta dream, right? 

Zak and Micah soon graduated into the construction phase of their outdoor tenure.  They decided to build a fort out of the stuff they had been finding.  Very creative, those two.  Concrete blocks stood on end.  Strips of broken wood completed the circle of walls.  When Josiah wanted to be involved, Josh suggested that he be allowed to dig a moat around the fortress, and he complied for a time.  A rusted pipe brought a water supply into the confines of the fort.  When I found a second old wheel, Micah turned it into some kind of booby trap to add to the fort’s protection.  And when they had completed the edifice, they ran inside to get some Lego men to man the defenses. 

So beware all ye who would dare to intrude upon the peace and tranquility of our fair little hamlet, for the Fortress of Forty Steps stands ready to protect and defend the inhabitants. 

Psalms 5:11 says, “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.  Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.”

Father, thank you for being all the protection we really need.  Amen.