Keep moving forward...

I took my kids to see the movie "Meet the Robinson's" on Monday night and I was pleasantly surprised at how great it was. It was about a little boy who invented things and lived in an orphanage. Without giving too much away, he invents something to help him find the memory of his mother. He is brought to the future, only to find out his future might be in danger and realizes he needs to make some different choices in the present so his future holds all it's meant to. He's given a piece of advice from someone in the future who says, "keep moving forward". He tends to get discouraged by the inventions that don't work and he gets frustrated, but this advice helps him to realize that despite his mistakes, his future can hold all he dreams of and more if he just "keeps moving forward."
The next morning, my daughter wakes up rather sullen. She's weepy when I say she has to get dressed and even more weepy when I say she can't wear a dress. I (thinking that this is yet another "princess" moment and she's just crying because she wants her way) head downstairs and tell Isabella to make her way down for breakfast when she's done with her tears.
A few minutes later she comes down, tears still in her eyes and a very red face. She sits down on the couch and I tell her she needs to get dressed because there's breakfast to have and then she must get ready for the bus. Almost before I'm done telling her this, she breaks down again. I go over to her, bring her onto my lap and say "honey, what is this? Tell me what's going on! This isn't about the dress, is it?"
Isabella, mustering up enough strength to tell me, says "I just want my dad..."
Ugh. My heart drops.
"Did you have a bad dream again?" (There have been a few in the last month... always the same thing.)
She nods and then says, "Dad and I were shopping, and he left me."
Oh my heart...
"Love, Daddy would never leave you. He didn't leave you. He left our home. He just isn't living here anymore. He loves you SO much. He didn't leave you."
I, of course, am crying now...
"I know it's hard, honey... but we need to get out of bed. We need to get dressed and go to school and do all the things we always did. We're sad, and that's okay but we still need to do all those things. We can't just be sad all the time."
Michael, at this point, has come over and is standing near. He comes closer, puts his arm around his little sister and kisses her cheek... and then he says, "Isabella, we just have to keep moving forward."
Oh my... the wisdom that comes from the mouth of this 8 year old boy. He amazes me. He's Michael the lionheart... strong as a warrior but his heart is so sweet. I love that boy.
Isabella looks at me now and says, "I love you mama... what's for breakfast?"
The tears are gone. The dream is forgotten, for now.

Oh Lord, bless these lovely children. Protect their hearts, minds and bodies. May they know Your presence daily and learn to lean on You in their times of need.