Babies, Big and Small

Yesterday I got to cuddle a brand new baby. As I nuzzled his downy hair and silken cheek, I found myself reminiscing back to the days when my own children were infants. I pondered all the stages they've passed through while growing up. The tantrum stage, when just to take them anywhere was a Herculean feat calling for bravery, consistency, and a whip and chair whenever possible. The "why" stage, where everything is questioned, and the word "no" merely a synonym for "Let's have a two hour debate." That delightful hand-holding stage in which the parent is not only not an embarrassment (something I would've taken more joy in, had I known how quickly it would pass), but whose status ranks somewhere between George Washington and Superman. I thought of how many different people my children have been over the years, and how glad I am to have gotten to know them throughout all their changes.

Today I attended the re-commitment ceremony of my sister and her husband after 23 years of marriage. As they gazed into each other's eyes and promised to remain true to one another "again, and always," I rejoiced at the faith and stamina which have sustained them through plenty of trials, as well as much happiness. I looked at the faces of their three children, and thought what a blessing it was that they could be standing alongside two parents who have chosen to stay the course despite the unpredictable waves that accompany family life in a sin-stained world. I thought what a miracle it is that in this era of easy and commonplace divorce, these two imperfect, yet devoted, individuals have completed nearly a quarter of a century as husband and wife.

My mind wandered back to the new little guy whose feathery skin I caressed just yesterday. I smiled, thinking of the pride these new parents will take in meeting their child's newborn needs, providing just the right amount of stimulation, making sure wipes aren't too cold for a sensitive bottom, tucking his floppy head into a fluffy car seat cushion to prevent sudden movement. Then I pictured him as a wing-spreading preschooler and later, an acne-ridden teenager, who will need just as much support in a different way from parents who may feel over-burdened with life's demands. I know how challenging it is to give time and energy to my older children, who look so much less needy than they did as helpless infants. I intoned a prayer that his parents will make it through all the debris that life will throw at them, and that as he passes through each phase of existence, two sets of hands will be there to guide his steps and set him upright when he inevitably falls down. I prayed for the same staying power that has gifted Jo and Scott's children with a core unit they can always draw on to be available for this new little person.

I pray God's blessing on all our babies, big and small.

"Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it." Psalm 127:1

For more like this, check out: Morsels for Meditation...: Seasons

Morsels for Meditation...: Husbands and Wives in the Image of Christ and the Church