Miracle Moments
Brought to you by: Molly Maid of Birmingham, www.mollymaid.com/birmingham
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19
Our daughter Elle is five years old, and Valentine’s Day is one of her favorite holidays. She loves the card-making and gift baskets, but it’s not about either of those activities. It’s not even about expressing love for each other- we do that every day. Time with family is why Elle loves Valentine’s Day. Because my wife, Brooke, and I make it special for our family. It would be easy to give Brooke all the credit- she’s excellent with special occasions. But the truth is, it takes both parents to make the most of every opportunity with their kids.
This is where the Ranch comes in. I had no idea what I was missing until I went to live at the Big Oak Boys Ranch: a loving, healthy family. Before the Ranch, I came from an unhealthy, negligent home environment. I thought it was mostly normal- even though I was miserable. And I was on the path to repeat what I experienced as a kid. This all changed when God placed me at the Ranch, in a home with two houseparents who loved us, and just as importantly, loved each other.
Of course, we were blessed with incredible opportunities provided by generous donors. Beach trips, Christmas presents, and more. But none of those things were life changing. What changed my life was the day-in and day-out routines: Family devotionals during breakfast before school. Dinners together after school. Playing games and watching movies together. The values of respect for each other and myself in finishing chores. In short, time together in a loving environment changed my life. I carried those values with me when I met my wife. (I don’t think she would have said yes to me otherwise!) We made the intentional decision to spend time together every day, and when we started a family that practice carried over with our children. My family would not be what it is, or where we are, without God using the Ranch to change my life.
-Paul Bullard
