*Jameson is growing. I’m so thankful for a healthy little guy, but is it okay that I’m a little bit sad, too? This morning when he woke up, he laid in bed for the longest time, just looking at me and making noise. Too cute!
*Today I gave him a real bath… finally, I know. Ryan eagerly joined in the fun (if a screaming baby can ever be categorized as fun), getting a cup and pouring the warm water over Jameson’s wiggling body. He got a little zealous at one point, though, and dumped an entire glass of water into the baby’s face. Poor Jameson choked and sputtered and didn’t have a clue what hit him. Fortunately, although I’m a first-time mom, I’m also the oldest of nine, and I was fairly confident that the water wouldn’t kill my baby — confident enough to laugh hysterically as I cuddled my shocked infant. (Ryan honestly had no idea he shouldn’t pour water into the baby’s mouth. Oh dear!)
*Sleep is yet evasive. After a few hours of awake time in the early morning, Jameson always falls asleep on the couch for several hours. Why doesn’t he do that in the middle of the night, I wonder?
*Dad spoke on speaking in tongues on Sunday. While I nursed Jameson in the back, I was challenged anew to be hungry for and seeking the movement of the Holy Spirit in my life. I don’t ever want the baptism of the Holy Spirit to simply become a doctrinal position I hold. It’s meant to impact and empower every part of my life. I don’t want to settle for any less than that.
*Along those lines, while nursing a newborn every two minutes greatly inhibits my daily productivity in some ways, I want to take advantage of this season and turn those sitting periods into Bible meditating, praying, speaking in tongues periods. My house may not be impeccable, but at least my inner man can be strengthened — and in that way, I can build my house.
*Speaking of housework, my little sisters came over yesterday and blitzed the apartment for me. Sigh of relief… Thank you, thank you, thank you. How blessed we are by them and their servant’s hearts!
*Last but not least, I’m thinking about Deuteronomy 6 at a whole new level. A quick read-through the other day was stopped short at verse 6:
“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart…”
Of course, it goes on to exhort parents to teach their children to love God at every opportunity — but first, that all-consuming love must be in the hearts of the parents. Before I worry about what it means to “bind them as a sign on your hand,” I need to first look into my heart and ask myself, Am I loving the Lord as I ought? When my children see the expressions of my heart, soul, and might, will they see undivided love for the Lord? Oh, I pray so!
*…and a funny anecdote stolen from my nephew, the precocious 3-year-old: At dinner the other day, I overheard him say to Brietta, “Mom, how come you don’t love Jesus?” Apparently, when Brietta prays, she says “Lord” more often than “Jesus” — and Gabriel is concerned about that!
Great report from the homefront and beyond. Thanks for keeping those in far away places informed.
Hope to see you guys soon.
It’s such fun to read your posts! Just for the record, I think that it is perfectly normal for a Mom to be a bit sad when her children grow. This month has found tears in my eyes several times as I think about Aidan’s upcoming birthday. Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago that you came to visit me in the hospital room and marvel over my own little guy? Enjoy every second. If you blink, it might be his first birthday!