Praise

Praise the Lord.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands.

Their children will be mighty in the land; 

the generation of the upright will be blessed.

Psalm 112:1-2

My brother, Jon, read this Psalm in my living room on Sunday evening.  Nineteen of us were gathered, cozied up next to each other on couches, chairs and the floor, in celebration of my second son's second birth--his baptism into God's family.  What a privilege to be surrounded by so many loving Christian family members, and to have these words spoken over Zeke.

Ezekiel was born by induction four weeks ago today.  Dave and I went to the hospital at seven o'clock in the evening, and by 11:26, we got to see the face we had been anticipating for the past nine months.  We were elated (we did it!) and surprised (man, that was quick) and thankful (a healthy little boy--God is good). We soaked up the next 36 hours that we would spend together with such a fresh little life.  We spent the next three weeks juggling the balance between work and home, sleep and wakefulness, toddler and newborn, activity and rest, established relationships and brand-new ones.  Thankfully, we had family and friends who helped make the transition much more smooth than it would have been otherwise. This last week was spent in preparation for and enjoyment of a wealth of family members and visitors we would be hosting and reuniting with over the Labor Day weekend--twenty-six in all, traveling from the likes of southern California and Oklahoma and China.

I craved having time to write here, because of the wealth of emotions and experiences that have characterized the last four weeks. It may not be possible to properly sum these things up now; however, Zeke's baptism and the ensuing family gathering serves as a pretty good capstone. I am blessed to have the ability to be a mom.  I am blessed to have a most wonderful man as my partner and husband and to be "daddy" to our boys.  I am thankful for the Christian family that we have who surround us and support us as we go about the task of raising children to be followers of Jesus and sons of the most high God. I am challenged because I know this is too great a task for me to do on my own, and I am comforted that God promises to give wisdom, strength, and forgiveness right where I need it. I am struck by the flightiness of time, the wonderfulness of laughter, and the power of a bear hug. I am humbled that God has chosen me to experience all the things he has placed before me, and I pray that I, too, would be a child worthy of the name he gave to me in my baptism.