If you ever wanna make God laugh....

**DISCLAIMER:  It isn't bragging about your kid when you are 
actually bragging about God. ** 

We all have heard the notion that if you wanna make God laugh, just tell Him your plans.  My life is evidence of this.  All too often I have made plans for my life and then God just shows up making His own decisions.  It has happened so much that I can often feel Him smirking beforehand.  Some of His decisions have felt brilliant... others not so much.  Still, as the clay in this life picture, all is well in my soul as the Potter can sculpt as the Potter pleases.

One brilliant example of His handiwork is the same one Sandy and I celebrate today.  Today is Zoe Layne McCallum's 9th birthday.  Yep, it is really hard to believe, but at 6:43pm today, the world got a little more sass in it nine years ago.  That's when our little Zubs entered it.  Yeppers, she makes me smile and I think she is pretty much amazing... and I blame God and her mom for that.

I love this kid.  She is as smart as a whip; as opinionated as a moody movie critic; and as strong-willed as anyone I have ever met (excluding her mom of course... shocker!).  She has a joyful spirit that literally makes her unable to contain it.  Plus, I think she is kinda cute.  Her cuteness is like kryptonite to my willpower.  When these two forces go head to head, sometimes... I... just... can't... withstand... it... and she can win the battle of our wills. 

Zoe is our youngest child and our last birth child.  She is our third daughter of our five kiddos... and she rules the house.  If she wants something, she will get that something.  On the flip side, if she does not want something, that something simply will not happen... period.  She has a strong spirit and she does not yield to anyone... especially her father, who happens to be four times her size.  And even if she does 'yield' (yes, do the finger quote thing here), you can pretty much guarantee a parting shot comment to be said by her just to let you know of her disapproval of said yielding... not that it was unnoticeable before.

Zoe is a rule follower.  If the rules make sense, they will be followed.  If they do not, the rules are hereby irrelevant in her book.  She also has a keen sense of justice.  Right is right and wrong is wrong.  She can't stand it when her siblings are not 'fair' to her and she will not yield on not getting what she deserves.

Still, she does have her weaknesses.  She does not enjoy being outside because getting dirty is just not her thing.  She doesn't understand why people actually enjoy getting dirty.  It is beyond her sense of understanding.  Hence, athletics are not her forte.  For her first season of soccer, we intentionally set the bar low - like really low.  Like most parents, we didn't consider it a good game if our kid scores a goal.  Instead, we considered it a great game if she just touched the ball... that rolled to a stop right in front of her... at her feet.  Hence, the low bar.  Alas, athletics are just not her thing... at least at this point in her life.  

Zoe excels at matters of the mind.  She loves academics, loves getting more knowledge, and she has a memory like no other.  She is a prolific reader and she absolutely adores all things dogs.  All dogs - as in any kind of dog.  She just loves them all.  As such, she wants to be a veterinarian.  Also, because of her infatuation with dogs, she has already decided to not need a husband later in life because owning a dog will be sufficient for all of her happiness.  I would like to think this is a passing thought at her age, but with her I just wouldn't be so sure.

Sandy and I see her in charge of something later in life.  Whether it be with a classroom or a company, her skill set speaks of being in leadership.  Being a CEO of whatever is completely within the realm of possibilities.  And with Jesus as her Savior... her options are endless.

But to be frank, I think my little Zubs is pretty neat because if my life would have rolled out as I had planned it to, she simply wouldn't be here.  No, she wasn't an 'oopsy baby,' not in the least.  Instead, Zoe was the planned blessing of the unexpected gift of my marriage to Sandy.  You see, Sandy wasn't even part of my life back in 2003, but now she is my life as we enjoy it together.  They just weren't part of my plans.  Clearly though, God had a difference of opinion... and I am so glad He did.  Yielding doesn't come easy for a lot of guys and it didn't for me, but I will yield to Him because I think He knows what He is doing.  (Jeremiah 29:11)

Happy birthday, Zoe.  You are a blessing to our family and your Papa loves you so very much.

And... thanks God!  To you goes all Glory and I yield to you.