When my husband, Daniel, and I discovered we were moving appointments in 2020, we had two prayers: 1) that God would place us right where he wanted us, and 2) that we would have a big enough backyard for a swing set.

Several months later, my two boys and I—with a very pregnant belly—walked through our new front door. They ran right into the backyard and I’m not sure I’ve seen them since.

When you’re a Salvation Army officer, there is little you have control over with respect to where you live. It’s a beautiful, forced practice of fully trusting God and those he has placed in leadership to help discern who goes where, why and when. Although that has been a hard pill to swallow for this East Coast girl who had never left her hometown until she was 21, it has also been a lesson in holding tightly to some things and loosely to others, knowing that God will provide me with the strength to humbly submit to his ways.

One of the things that we hold tightly is our boys’ childhood. Not because we grieve every day they get older but because childhood is quick and precious and, quite frankly, being stolen by all the distractions of our culture. I must admit, I was caught up in this, too—worrying about what opportunities I was missing out on while I was breastfeeding in another room and wishing for a full night’s sleep instead of intentionally crafting a home and a childhood for my kids that would build the strongest foundation I possibly could.

Thank goodness God shook me out of that.

So, when our new home had the best backyard in the world, we knew that God was giving it to us for “such a time as this.” As soon as the temperature inches closer to double digits, we start creating a space for our kids to be kids. I don’t mean we fill the backyard with “stuff.” We create sweet, messy, loud memories.

Every summer we plant a big garden together. We stay outside all afternoon, riding bikes, scraping knees and hitting balls over the fence (sorry, neighbours!). Someone always wants to pull out the slip and slide. Someone else always gets a splinter that they refuse to let us take out without the promise of ice cream.

They discover how to position their bikes in puddles “just so,” so when they peddle fast everyone gets sprayed. We hold our breath as they go down hills too fast on roller blades or when Dad teaches them how to use an axe to chop wood for the campfire. Every night the bath water looks more like a muddy puddle, and grass and wet T-shirts are flung all over my house.

It’s a lot raising three wild boys who love the outdoors. It’s messy. Someone bleeds almost every day. But somehow, our backyard feels more like “on earth as it is in heaven” than many places I have been, and watching my boys be boys feels like true kingdom work.

I know many people do not have a big backyard or may not even have one at all. You don’t need to be in our backyard in St. Albert, Alta., to take back the childhood of a kid you have or know (although we would love to host you). We can all make the choice this summer to live out our calling as upside-down kingdom people by:

• Being active and present with kids in our families or in our circle of influence.
• Letting the marshmallows catch on fire.
• Letting a three-year-old “accidentally” turn on the hose to soak you.
• Leaving the messy house for when the kids are in bed.
• Opening your home for all the neighbourhood kids.
• Expanding your own little piece of heaven into all the corners of your neighbourhood.

Here’s the truth: the enemy is after our children. I don’t have to convince you of that; you see it every day, too. He is working overtime to steal these little ones away. But let me tell you something else: I would give up everything I am to keep my boys in the backyard for as long as possible.

As American pastor and author Tim Keller wrote: “You can make the sacrifice or they’re going to make the sacrifice. It’s them or you.” This summer, join me in sacrificing a little of yourself, your home and your cleanliness to reclaim childhood, one backyard at a time.

CAPTAIN BHREAGH ROWE is the community ministries officer, St. Albert Church and Community Centre, Alta.

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