Day 25 of 4: Little Brown Bear (12/1/12)

Day 25 of four more years (originally posted on Facebook on December 1, 2012)

Imagination! How is yours? Is it easy for you to see something specific in your memory? Do you dream in your head? Last night, I was blessed to have dinner with my sister, my son, my precious daughter in law and my new grandson! Sort of…his birthday will not be until January, but he is real and was right there growing strong and wonderful in Jessica! How amazing! What a miracle he is already! This morning we will celebrate the ritual of the baby shower. A time we women (usually just the women) get together and bring much needed gifts to the baby. We are encouraged today to include a favorite book for Baby Sargent's library, too. That is so much fun! To bring the book you either enjoyed as a child, shared with your own child, or one that just has a special memory for you! Having done this at another shower, I know it will be a delightful time.

So I reached for the treasured book of Dan's childhood to give to my grandson. I remembered chubby little fingers holding that book, bringing it to me every day, and I do mean every day, to read it to him. I can see his big blue eyes, beseeching me, "Please, Mommy, this one! Not that one! This is the best one!" So "Little Brown Bear" became the only book Dan would want, ever! Nap time and bed time! I knew the words so well, having read them at least 100 times:

"Little Brown Bear had lunch at his Grandmother's house. She made him a sack of nice fresh donuts to take home. On his way home, he sang, 'Cap on my head! Coat on my back! Who'd like to know what's in my sack?" Little Brown Bear travels home, picking up hungry friends along the way: a little red squirrel, a big white rabbit, and an old gray goose. "When they reached Little Brown Bear's house, he said to his mother, 'We would all like to have a party with what is in my sack.' Mother Bear told them all to close their eyes, and when they opened them, they saw that she had brought out a big pitcher of milk. "Clackety-clack! Green and black! Now you'll see what's in my sack!' And they all had a donut party!"

Now I imagine a new set of chubby fingers, touching and loving, reaching and patting. I am imagining you, sweet baby boy! I love you already! God is so good to us!

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 119:14-16

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever." Ephesians 3:20

Pray:

Gracious Father, Thank you for the gifts of love You give us on this earth. Thank you for babies! For life that only You can create. Please keep them all safe, guide them, protect them, as my Grandmother used to say, from "harm and evil." Give us the wisdom to help the parents train them up in Your ways.

Amen