My Child

  

My Child

You may not know me, but I know everything about you ~ Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up ~ Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways ~ Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered ~ Matthew 10:29-31

You were made in my image ~ Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being for you are my offspring ~ Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived ~ Jeremiah 1:4-5

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book ~ Psalm 139: 15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live ~ Acts 17:26

I brought you forth on the day you were born ~ Psalm 71:6

I knit you together in your mother’s womb.  

You are fearfully and wonderfully made ~ Psalm 134: 13, 14

I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me ~ John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love ~ 1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you simply because you are my child,

 and I am your father ~ 1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could ~ Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father ~ Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand ~ James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs ~ Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love ~ Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore ~ Psalm 139: 17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing ~ Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you ~ Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession ~ Exodus 19:5

I want to tell you great and marvelous things ~ Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me ~ Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart ~ Psalm 37:4

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine ~ Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager ~ 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you ~ Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart ~ Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes ~ Revelation 21:4

And I will take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth ~ Revelation 21:4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus ~ John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for your is revealed ~ John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being ~ Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you ~ Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins ~ 2 Corinthians 5:19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled ~ 2 Corinthians 5:18

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you ~ 1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love ~ Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me ~ 1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again ~ Romans 8:38-39

The Holy Spirit will bear witness that you are my child ~ Romans 8:16

And Jesus will prepare a place for you in My house ~ John 14:2

My promise is for you, who I have called to myself ~ Acts 2:39

Keep yourself in my love ~ Jude 21

Love, Your Dad, Almighty God

Today we celebrated "G"'s baptism!  It was a glorious day!
    

Remembering "B" Baptism

    
On Saturday, we remembered "B" baptism.  (an annual event) She always enjoys "her day".  Some of her favorite activities are making place cards and then deciding where everyone is going to sit.  She requested chicken tenders and mac-n-cheese for dinner.  I was able to sway the chicken tenders as the main dish, but we did have some mac-n-cheese.

Unfortunately, our out-of-town family couldn't make it due to weather, but we still had a good time :)

And...the most exciting gift of the night was a cool rock with a snail in it!!  These girls were quite entertained by this rock and snail.

 

They even had to go outside to get "food" for the snail.

Dear LORD, I pray for "B".  I pray for you to watch over her and guide her.  I pray that she always knows that she is a precious child of God and that you have chosen her and that you have plans for her.  I pray that she fulfills those plans with passion and always has a heart to love you above anyone or anything.  I pray that you would give us the wisdom and courage to parent her - to provide her with the foundation she needs in order for her to be all that you have created her to be.  Thank you LORD for giving us her.  She is a blessing to us!!!

 

We love you "B"!!!!

Happy Baptism Anniversary!

  

Every year we gather together to help AB remember her baptism.  She loves it and looks forward to it every year.  Several weeks ago at dinner, she reminded us that her baptism anniversary was coming up and wanted to make sure that we were planning on it.

WOW!  She is turning into such a wonderful little girl.  I am so proud of her!

She just loves her little brother!

Little sis "helping" her with her presents.

We have never done daily devotions with the kids.  Hopefully, this will be the start of a new tradition.

 

Dear LORD, thank you so much for A.  She is such a blessing to us.  I pray that she always knows that she is a precious child of God and that you have chosen her and that she has a calling on her life.  I pray that she knows and fulfills her calling with passion and has a heart to love you more than anyone or anything.  In Your Holy Precious Name I pray...Amen!   

  

Picture of God's Grace

  
"...For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am farfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be..."   Psalm 139: 13-16

I love infant baptism.  I believe that there's no better picture of God's grace.  Even though they know nothing about God, God already loves them and calls out to them by name.  Of course, it is up to them as when and how they answer.  As parents, our responsibility is to help them remember "who they belong to" and to respond to God's invitation.  The invitation that existed even before they were born.

On Saturday, we celebrated BB's "Remember Your Baptism".  She was so excited about the day.  She couldn't wait to help out with all the preparations.  She wanted to help with the cake, get the table just right, and determine the seating arrangements.

She has always been excited about "her" day, but she seems to be really thinking about it and asking questions.  She was very proud that the family came over to celebrate with her.

thank goodness for a tripod and an automatic timer

 

 

...poor Dad ...still eating...

 

anxiously awaiting the okay to open presents

Granny and Great Aunt Chris gave her $3 a piece.  When I asked her what she wanted to do with her money, she said that she wanted to buy some donuts.  What??? None to church, etc.???  Just when you think she's "getting" it...but...then on Monday, she surprises you and wants to buy some "stuff" for the children in Haiti.  So, we head to the Dollar Tree and she picked out hand santitizer, baby wipes and toothpaste.  It's a proud Mommy moment!!

Dear SnuggleBug, I hope you know that there could never be a more beautiful you, and you were made to fill a purpose that only you could do!

Dear God, Thank you so much for Snugglebug.  She is such a blessing.  Dear Lord, I pray that she always knows that she is a precious child of God, and that there is a calling on her life.  I pray that she knows and fulfills her calling with passion.  I also pray that her relationship with you grows as she grows.  In your holy and precious name.  Amen!

  

A Child of God

 

the family

AB, cousin I and BB

 

Today family came over for lunch to help us remember AB's baptism.  Since she was baptized when she was 6 months old, this is a good way to help her remember that day until she accepts Jesus as her Savior.  It also helps us remember our committment to her on her faith journey.  It is her special day, and she LOVES it! We pull out the baptism video, and she watches it, and we talk about it. 

  

If she knows this, doesn't everything else fall into place...

 

 Grandma & Grandpa (aka Gobbie & Papa) got her this to hang in her room. She purchased this from my friend Betsy's booth the other day where the proceeds went toward adoption expenses.  Later, AB told Dad this fact.  She was proud that her gift was helping bring little brother home.  Gobbie also wrote her a song about being a child of God.  AB went over to her house after the party to hear Gobbie play it for her on her harp.  AB was mesmorized.

 

Along with some other gifts, she also got a new big girl Bible.  I spent several hours at the bookstore picking out just the right one for her.  It was worth it.  She was so proud of her very own Bible complete with her name imprinted on it.  After everyone left, I showed her all the features.  She wanted me to tell her a book of the Bible, and then she would guess if it was Old or New Testament.  (We'll have to work on this, but I was just so thrilled that she wanted to know.)  She was also excited about the "Treasures" sprinkled throughout.  They were memorization verses.  She wanted me to pick one, and she was going to try to memorize it.  How cool is that! 

Yes, the Bible even comes in purple.

 

This is how I found her when I went in her room to get one last peek.  Yes, that is her new Bible beside her, and I couldn't resist getting a picture.  I wonder...What plans does God have for your life?

  

Dear God, I pray for AB.  I pray that she always knows that she is a precious child of God, and that you have chosen her and that she has a calling on her life.  I pray that she know and fulfills her calling with passion and has a heart to love you above anything or anyone else.  I pray that her relationship with you grows as she grows.  In your Holy, Precious Name I pray.  Amen!