:Since it is advent, we continue to light candles at church:  Love, Hope, Joy.

This past weekend, I have taken a second look at Todd Burpo's "Heaven is for Real". Watched the movie. Re-read the book.

Many of you probably recall that it is the story of Todd's nearly four-year-old son, Colton, who had emergency appendectomy surgery for a appendix that had ruptured.

After Colton recovered, he began telling of things he 'saw' in heaven:  a sister who wouldn't stop hugging him, telling his dad about 'Pop' who was his dad's grandfather, and sitting on Jesus' lap, among other things. Some stories he was telling, he would have had no other knowledge about.

Taken from the book (p. 105):  "No matter what new tidbit Colton revealed, he had one consistent theme, but talked constantly about, how much Jesus loves the children, I mean constantly.

"He would wake up in the morning and tell me, 'Hey, Dad, Jesus told me to tell you, He really loves the children.'

"Before bed, as I helped him brush his teeth, "Hey, Daddy, don't forget', he'd say, garbling his words through mouthfuls of toothpaste foam, 'Jesus said he really, REALLY loves the children!'"


So that is my Christmas wish for you and all of us, :Jesus said "he really, REALLY  loves the children!" That is all of us! 

How do I know? Colton said that is what Jesus told him!