Nothing makes me want to buy my own pair of red cowboy boots as much as my daughter’s enthusiasm for hers. She inherited them from an older cousin, but she treasures them no less for being broken in. To her, they are the only option for fulfilling her mission to ride a horse and a lovely way to set her own fashion trends.

My daughter’s getting old enough now to not only have her own opinions about how we should spend our time, but also to have enthusiasm that makes for a good selling of her idea. When she gets those red boots of hers on, with her jeans or shorts or pajamas, her delight knows no bounds.

“LOOK AT ME!” she’ll trumpet to whoever’s in the other room. It’s the kind of joy that reminds me of what it means to be childlike, of what Jesus must have been thinking when he advised his followers to be like children.