Weightless

As part of our Saturday morning routine Gabriella and I wake up early and let mommy sleep in. The morning usually starts by sharing a couple heart warming smiles, and a bottle of milk. She does all of the drinking of course, I get the pleasure of gazing deep into her little brown eyes. Her focus is intense, hands clenched to the bottle, little feet constantly squirming, fighting to gather every little drop. Once the bottle can no longer produce an ounce we get off the couch to venture through out the house. Knowing that mommy is still sleeping we turn the radio on, tune in our favorite Pandora station and gently dance throughout the living room. No pathway is paved just gentle steps sweeping us deeper into each others arms. My course voice sings over her, songs of worship and praise to our Savior and King. Each step, each note we draw closer together into the presence of the almighty. I begin to see my little peanut drift off into a relaxed state of being. She is calm and at peace, knowing that her father is holding her, caring and loving her. As I hold my precious child in my arms I start to reflect on the fact that an hour has passed and she does not seem to be getting heavy. I'm content knowing that she is mine and she is safe right there with me. I am filled with joy knowing that she is created in mine and Elizabeth's image. Each facet of her little body reflects who we are and where we have come from, our generations have forever been molded together, a reflection of those that have gone before us. While still standing there, holding my precious child in my arms the Lord began to reveal to me just how he holds us in his arms. How our struggles, burdens, failures and baggage never get to heavy for him to hold. He longs to look into our eyes, and feel our breath on his neck and keep us safe in his arms. There is an indescribable feeling of knowing that the God of the universe longs to hold us just as we hold our little children. The same way we love them, hold them when they are screaming, sick and uncomfortable, Jesus longs to carry us. The journey is amazing and breath taking. To know that God has entrusted us with a precious girl, to love, guide, correct and instruct, encourage and strengthen all the days of her life is unfathomable. We will take years teaching her to sit up, crawl, walk, feed herself, speak, dance, run and do many more things independently, we also have the awesome privilege of teaching her how to trust, surrender and love the beautiful savior. Everything she will learn is to be independent, but the greatest lesson she will ever learn is depend fully on Jesus. There is a powerful scripture in the book of Matthew 11:25-30 At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. “Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” To Jesus, you are weightless, he never gets tired of holding you, bring your burdens and free yourself from the worries of the day. You are precious, beautiful and wonderfully made. Have a heart like a child, for the Lord has revealed his mysteries to those that have faith like a child. With Grace,

Turn down the volume

This evening Elizabeth and I took a short trip to Target with Gabriella. The trip to the store was pleasant as peanut was happy, smiling and laughing as she was being pushed in her car seat around the store. As usual I was making funny faces and couldn't help but smile at my beautiful little princess. As we began to check out and start leaving the store Gabriella began to get fussy. Elizabeth and I packed up the groceries in the trunk and put the baby in the car. What should have been a peaceful 15 minute drive home turned into 15 minutes of hell. Normally we can turn on a Robert Stears cd and she quiets down, Gabriella that is. However, this night's journey home would be completely different. She continued to burst out screams for help in the back seat. While driving I reached back to offer her pacifier to her. With no avail, she continued to let me know she was not happy. The radio magically got louder, her screams increased, any effort to drown out the loud cries from the back seat did not work. Elizabeth turned around to offer her some soothing caresses, relentless were her bellows for assistance. In the midst of all of the noise, radio, cries, and windows all the way down, God began to speak ever so gently to me. You would think, how in the world can anyone hear God in the midst of a 8 month old baby letting you know she is very unhappy in every way possible except audible words. Strangely enough, his voice seemed to be the only thing I could hear. His voice was gentle and calming. God clearly showed me how her cries instinctively created a desire for Elizabeth and I to act. Our actions, anyway possible to come to our only child's rescue. Normally her little cries can be pushed aside with a little soothing music, not tonight. Gabriella has a smile and laugh that catches our attention with the first glimpse, her utterances catch our attention, but nothing like when she is crying out for us to come quicly to her rescue. She was crying out to us with everything she had in her. When we cry out to our heavenly father, he responds promptly and with compassion. Just as a father or mother responds to their crying child. The differece, he is the creator of the universe, he knows the depths of our heart and our earnest desires. God does not have to guess what language we are speaking, he knows our hearts before we even utter a single word. He just waits patiently for us to cry out. With great compassion and eagerness he longs to assist us. The Lord hears our every request, each prayer is sent up into his thrown room. I want you to understand, there is a significant difference in using our regular voice to pray and crying out to the father with everything that is within us. Sometimes, prayer with persistence through crying out, is the only way. Next time you hear your little one crying out for help, just think your father who is in heaven is waiting for you to do the same. With Grace,