Lessons Learned on a Whirlwind Tour Two Day Vacay in the Mountains

So, snippets from a whirlwind weekend trip to the mountains:

1. Proud Dad Moments:
A. When hanging out in the Songbird Garden at the Western North Carolina Nature Center, #1 Son knocked out almost every bird he should have known from the pictures (even as faded as they were), and then pointed one out in the garden that he has only seen once here and in a picture @ the Nature Center, thus massively impressing his Grammy.

B.He further impressed said Grammy (and his mom), when he correctly identified the cedar wood hunks that were worn and played with via smell.

2. Awesome People Moment: While walking through Asheville to eat dinner with my in-laws, a street musician gave Keenan a balloon sculpture. It doesn't sound like much, but let me lay it out for you. Dude with a sweet individual style (cowboy-ish hat with a coontail tied on it, Justin workboots, skinny jeans, untucked flannel shirt, dreds, and a banjo slung over his shoulder walking with the girl carrying a guitar case and a mandolin on her back), is walking along with awesome balloon sculpture (red balloon making the flower, green balloon for the stem and leaves, and then a pink balloon for some critter hanging on said stem). My son's reaction evidenced how awesome he thought that balloon sculpture was, and without being asked, street musician dude with sweet indie style gave the oldest said balloon sculpture. And I quote to the best of my ability what I heard him say to the girl as they walked away, "You should have seen his eyes light up when he saw it, and I just knew he had to have it."

And now the reflection. For #1, I taught the boy that stuff, so that was pretty awesome as a dad and a teacher. That and hearing him talk to people about the animals because he actually knew what he was talking about. He is listening, he does understand, and I'm not just wasting my breath. For #2, as a Christian, do I evidence a life that gives like that, or am I owned by that which I own? No idea what faith the guy practiced if any, but he sure gets the selfless love that Christians spend so much time talking about. When was the last time you gave away the most awesome balloon sculpture you'd ever owned? I never have, so now I'm pondering how that concept becomes an accomplish-able goal.