January 17 – “Alone time”

We had another houseful of Vaughan kids for a few hours yesterday.  Kel and Christina and Ezra went out for lunch, so the rest of their bunch hung out here for a while.  I played a new game with them called Oregon Trail.  It consists of game cards and a single die.  The idea is to work together to get from Missouri to Oregon while facing all sorts of obstacles and hoping the supplies you have accumulated in your covered wagon will help you deal with any issues that may come up.  Dysentery, measles, snakebites, and even drowning in the river are all possible outcomes.  The most interesting part of the game to me was that everyone was on the same trail ride.  There was no individual winner or loser.  If we reached Oregon, everybody won.  If not, everybody lost.  Of course Jachin and Josiah both died on the way, and Micah and I were the only ones still alive, but as far as the game is concerned, we all won.  I like games like that. 

While they were here we were schooled by Micah on the difficulties of being a middle child.  Seems he often finds himself happily playing with younger brother Josiah, when older brother Jachin approaches and asks Micah to play a game with him.  Now he knows Jachin and Josiah don’t play well together, and he doesn’t want to hurt Josiah’s feelings, but he finally has to tell the younger sibling that he has to spend some time playing with Jachin, too.  After all, it’s only fair.  So he finds himself having to juggle all his time like that.  Sadly, it means that he just doesn’t get any personal, alone, “me” time.  But then, in his own words, “I don’t need all that much personal time.  Dad does, though.  He needs his alone time.”  I’m pretty sure there’s another story in there somewhere, but we didn’t get to hear that one.  Maybe next time …

Philippians 4:12-13 says, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Father, thank you for Micah’s ability to connect with his older and younger brothers.  Give him - and his Dad - some alone time.  Amen.