2014: The Year of the Baby

Our little gift, Elijah.

So, I've been a little absent from the blogging scene recently, for the simple reason that I've been busy learning to be a mommy.  Our son, Elijah Nathan, was born on January 1st.  He is a cute, cuddily, content little bundle of joy, and he brings lots of smiles to my days.  God's miracle of birth and creating new life really is incredible!  We are very blessed, and have much to be thankful for.

Just after bath time!

As a very task and project oriented person, I am having to remind myself that my ever-pending to-do list is not all that important.  Laundry, dishes, house-cleaning, class samples to sew and volunteer projects ultimately don't have much eternal significance.  It's much more important (and fun for that matter) to spend time with my little son, teaching him what it means to be loved, so that he will come to know how much God loves him!  Some days I just want to sit in the rocking chair all day, holding him, and marveling in all the wonderful tiny little details of his tiny little person.

So, I am dubbing 2014 the Year of the Baby.  It seems like we are surrounded with friends who are either all expecting, or have just recently had a baby.  What a blessing to have so many individuals to walk this road together and share our baby-life lessons with!

Before Elijah was born, my mom gave me a devotional book that she had read as a young mother.  It's called "Meditations for the New Mother" by Helen Good Brenneman (originally published in 1953 by Herald Press).  The meditations included really are timely and special as I've tackled these early days of diaper changes and all-night feeding frenzies.  I'd like to share one with you...

The Perfect Gift

from "Meditations for the New Mother"

"A friend of ours, charmed by the joys of first parenthood, wrote us in a letter, 'I still wonder at what age parents may begin to take credit for such good behavior; so far the goodness of the gift reflects the greater goodness of the Giver.'  We all agree that there is no age when we can take credit for the miracle of love which is now ours, for the gift is absolutely unmerited and the glory belongs to the King of glory!"

"Our wiggly little bundle came at Christmas time, reminding us in a special way that babies are remarkable gifts.  Certainly no gift had ever brought with it such demands upon our time, energy, and pocketbook.  But neither had any previous Christmas present brought eternal significance.  A divinely planned blend of both our personalities, he was at the same time a new and living soul.  Scarcely aware of anything beyond himself and his needs, he came to us with an amazing capacity for love, a love which developed and matured as he was loved by other people and learned about the love of God.  And most significant of all, this gift was created by God Himself, in His own image and for His own glory.  Our for today, he is God's for eternity."