We went to church last night for the Lenten service. The kids actually asked if we could go. I love that they ask to go rather than me just taking them or worse, dragging them there. Really I think the cake they get with the soup supper is part of the motivation. The sermon was the parable of the father and the older brother. For those who aren't familiar it's the one were the little brother leaves and squanders his inheritance and the father throws a party for him when he returns and the older brother is jealous. I have a hard time relating to the jealousy part. I think of my life as a child and even as a parent and watching my children, I'm positive that if I was the "older brother" I would be as happy as the father than the younger brother returned so that I could have him in my life again. I had to put it in the context of a less experienced co-worker getting the promotion I worked for to get anywhere near understanding the jealousy part. But even there are lessons of working harder or sticking up for yourself and what you have accomplished, or just believing the other person needed the raise more and God knows what he is doing. I get that other people are jealous, sometimes I understand why, I'm thankful it's not one of the demons I struggle with. The older brother just received a gift in getting his brother back as well as the father, and can't enjoy his gift because he lets his jealousy get in the way. I couldn't imagine going through life without my brother and I wanted my children to have this same joy. I'm blessed with how well they get along with each other, but I've always thought they were a gift to each other, maybe it sunk it along the way.