Birthday Reflections

Yesterday was my birthday.  Yep, that's right, the day most of America thinks of as Super Bowl Sunday.  It was a good day in that I got to go to church.  We had communion in the afternoon service and it was a really good time for me to reflect on the condition of my spiritual walk.  I was thinking about how two little humans will soon be looking to me as an example.  I will be responsible for shepherding them--teaching them about God, their sin nature, their need for grace...their need for a Savior.  That is a huge responsibility and a humbling task before me.  Granted, I am not doing this alone.  I have my husband and co-laborer with me.  It will be our job to encourage one another in this calling of parenthood.  What convicted me yesterday as my pastor spoke of the prophet Hosea and the children of Israel chasing after false idols, is how often my own heart is deceived and swayed by the things of this world.  How am I going to be an example then to my two little boys?  The answer is that God's grace is more than sufficient for me.  It's going to be hard and I am sure that there will be days I wish I could give up but I don't believe God makes mistakes.  He is giving me these two little boys and He will equip me with the ability to raise them in such a way that brings Himself glory. 

I am now 29 and looking at the last year of my twenties.  I have grown up so much in the last nine years that I feel like a different person at times.  I thought I knew who I was at twenty but truly understanding who I am and what I desire from life is something that has evolved a great deal.  Since turning twenty I have graduated college, started a career, purchased a home, changed jobs, met and married my husband and moved to a new state.  And the changes continue.  I never would have thought that I would have two children before I was thirty.  I am still trying to grasp that.  I am going to be having two babies in just a few short weeks.  God does things we cannot even fathom and I am so glad that He does.