Nine years ago . . .

Nine years ago today, we welcomed our first-born son . . .  after two months of bed rest for Mommy!

 We were so excited for his arrival - it felt like we waited extra-long for him after his sister's super-early arrival three years before!

 Jaden was born at 8:15 AM on May 14, 2004 - he weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and was 20 inches long.

 Because of the circumstances of Lael's birth and the fact that we couldn't hold her for over a month after she was born, I was extremely anxious to snuggle Jaden.  However, the hospital was super busy, and they didn't have a room ready for me.  So finally I asked if I could hold him in the hallway while we waited for our room . . . and they agreed!

 Lael was quite excited to meet her baby brother - but she didn't like the fact that Mommy and Brother had to stay in the hospital for a couple of days before coming home.

 Daddy and his boy

 Leaving the hospital

 Jaden - all ready to come home!

 It felt soooo wonderful to have our little family together at home!

 I had no idea when we welcomed this sweet baby boy into our family what was in store for us - all the giggling, dare-devil climbing, upside-down hanging, hole-digging, LEGO-building, computer game playing fun that a little boy would bring to my life.  But I wouldn't change a minute of it! 

Happy 9th birthday, Jaden!  I am so proud of the young man you are becoming and am so blessed to be your mom!

Read this during my time with the Lord this morning . . . and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind!

 

There is no audience in the body of Christ.  There are only believers, only servants. We're the body.  We're the hands, the feet, the ears, and the toes . . . . We're the first and primary way that Jesus is going to love on others. We're His chosen vessels. He chooses to love them through us. That's His design for the Church. We are their clearest picture of Jesus. And how we respond is how they're going to see God.

 

It's pretty humbling to realize that I am the clearest picture of Jesus that some people will ever see.  I know I don't do this perfectly . . . in fact, if I'm honest, some days I don't do it very well at all.  How do I deal with the reality that the way I respond in different situations is how someone watching me is going to see God?

 

I need to run to God daily minute by minute, leaning on His grace and strength so that my life is a reflection of His work in me.