Overwhelmed by God's goodness...

We had a fun morning. It started out with eating pancakes and the chocolate on his mouth made Julian look like The Joker! Then we were reading a bunch of different books. Julian was going through a Clifford book on the ABC's and out of the blue says "L-M-N-O-P". Somewhere from Thursday to Sunday he learned some more letters. He surprises us sometimes with things he's picked up. Like later he was asking for Melvin which is a book about a truck named Melvin. He found the book and starts paging through it and then says "I can try, I can try" which is exactly what Melvin says in the middle of the book. Some things really stick with him. He must have been in a playful mood as he came up to me covering his eyes saying "peek-a-boo" and played that for a little bit with me. Then he was paging through a Richard Scarry book naming things like cake, school bus, barn, egg, picture. Right before nap time we were doing leg rides. I asked him if he wanted a horsie ride and he says yes and proceeds to climb onto his stuffed horse and got upset that it wasn't going anywhere. Not the horsie ride I meant!

I finished 2Samuel 7 today and chapter 8. I continue to be moved by the demonstrations of David's love and dependence on the Lord. I see a man whose heart is fully given over to Him. In this chapter he sat before the Lord and "offered him a prayer". He's in awe of how the Lord has been with him and granted him favor and so he poured out his heart. This is just after he was anointed king following all these years of struggle and the Lord promised his kingdom would endure forever. Now he rests from his enemies and seems overwhelmed by God's goodness. Beth reflects that David's prayer to the Lord is an expression of the intimacy he shares with him. I desire that kind of intimacy! I took some time to think of when I've been overwhelmed by God's goodness. The main time is God's grace in opening up my eyes to Jesus and leading me in taking the steps to follow him. It seems hollow to say I'm so grateful because words can't express how thankful I am to have found and be found by him. Another was finding my husband Lanty who has a powerful faith and has blessed my life incredibly. Another area it's hard to find words. And a biggee is the arrival of our son Julian into our lives, and being rescued from the depths of depression many months after he was born and then for the first time really enjoying raising him; just being overwhelmed by wonder and awe of the greatest gift he's given me. In chapter 8 we return to the battlefield where David is fighting for his kingdom. The Lord gave him victory wherever he went. What a powerful relationship! It says David reigned doing what was just and right for his people.

Several times today like when I got Julian up from his nap, when we were eating dinner and on our way home Julian and I would have these long "conversations" where I could make out about every 5th or 6th word. He'd go on and on and I'd respond back to him. He continues to learn his ABC's and sang different parts of the song. It's neat watching him learn this now that he's interested.

We had a wonderful time having lunch at the house church of a group of friends. This is a group from our old church which was on State Street and we later moved into house churches. It didn't take Julian long to warm up and start playing with the kids. It was great they had Thomas the train which is one of his favorites right now. What was really wonderful was when the moms were all in the kitchen sharing challenges with their kids and how they're responding. It really helped me to hear different perspectives on discipline and praying for your children in the midst of the struggles. Before we left, as a song on the piano was played Julian comes over and grabs me by the hand wanting me to dance with him. It surprised me how immediately I got really choked up and how something this simple was just so touching.

We picked Julian up from the nursery at church and they told us he was dancing with them again. Sometimes they hold his hand and other times he dances on his own. I told them how he was dancing with me earlier and they said "what a charmer". We went to McDonald's for dinner with our friends the Ane's and Connie and Nate from our life group. Julian kept taking fries off daddy's tray and it was hard getting him to eat anything else. It was great seeing Julian do so well with the Ane's daughters, 9 and 11. They just love and dote on him and he eats it up sitting in their laps or letting them carry him. He really is a charmer.

It came time to give Julian a bath and all I have to say now is "do you want to play with walrus?" and Julian goes to the stairs to go up and take a bath. He loves his bath toys and the walrus seems to be his favorite. He'd probably sit in there all night if I let him. He'll often get upset when it's time to be done so we go back and say night night to his bath toys.

Well it turns out I did have more to write about today. And now it's time to wrap up for the night.