Sunday night, after evening services, I took the family out to a favorite gluten-free restaurant to celebrate the end of a very busy weekend. Midway through supper I looked up from my meal to see nothing but legs pointing straight in the air across the table in the place where Gabriel had been sitting. Moments later a little blonde head appeared between my legs. Without saying a word, he wiggled up though the hole made by my legs and the edge of the table, turned himself around and settled in. Then, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, he looked around, grabbed my fork and helped finish off the food on my plate. He didn’t speak, but I knew what he was saying. "You sure were busy this weekend! I missed you Daddy!"

As usual, this weekend was a whirlwind of activities. I all day Friday and most of the day Saturday helping put mud on the sheet rock of the new M.A.P. building. That night I was sore in places I didn’t even know I had.

The next day was equally exhausting. Early Sunday morning, before most of the family was even thinking about crawling out to bed, I left the house for Bernie, MO. By 9:45, I was in the pulpit giving the first of 3 lessons on "The Blessed Assurance" from the book of 1 John. The Bernie Church of Christ was having a "Friends and Family Day" and I was guest speaker. It was a tremendous, spiritually fulfilling event. In all, there were 6 public responses including 3 baptisms. Following a very tearful celebration, a very sleepy Sonny Childs began the drive back to Paragould.

As always, God kept my awake and blessed me with safety. I arrived at home around 4:00 and by 4:45 I was back in the truck on my way to the Southwest Church of Christ in Jonesboro, AR. At 6:00 I was blessed to stand before one of the largest congregations in Northeast Arkansas and present the evening lesson. Although by that point in the day I was emotionally and physically drained, Cindy said I did a good job. It was quite an honor!

Well, after speaking at Southwest, the family and I headed across town to Chili’s. Now we have come full circle in our story. This is where Gabriel waved his legs in the air, disappeared under the table, squeezed up onto my lap and ate my supper just to tell me how much he missed me. It was a moment and a weekend to be savored!