Introducing… Soren
We welcomed a new baby into our family this weekend. Our grandson, Soren, was born late Friday night. He’s the first child of our youngest son, and it brings me joy to see his parents love and cherish their newborn baby. Their awe blesses me.
When my own children were little, I was always pushing for the next milestone – the first tooth, the first word, solid foods, walking, riding a bike, learning to read… forward, forward. Now, with my grandchildren, I want to slow it all down. To treasure each moment and fully appreciate each stage of their development.
This is a good era for being a grandparent. Soren is the only grandchild who lives near us, but we see pictures of the others online. (Never try to tell a grandparent that Facebook is a bad thing. I have even “face-timed” with my grandchildren several times!) Grandchildren grow with astonishing speed. They change too quickly. I’m sure it’s no faster than their parents did, but from a distance, time passes alarmingly fast. We can’t catch it and slow it down. All we can do is be aware of life in each moment.
A few years ago, I heard a man used the phrase: “I’m killing time until…”, and I wanted to shout, “Don’t do that!” Don’t kill time. You only have so much of it, and once the moments or hours or weeks have slipped past (or been killed), they are gone. Instead, redeem the time. Let peace abide in your heart for each moment, each slice of life that God gives us. See what He gives us. Give it your full attention. Use it. Treasure it.
As a young mom, the days were long. As an older woman, the years are short.
I see my daughter-in-law stroke her son’s head with wonder, and my own heart overflows. She’s not reading a book or looking at her phone while she feeds him. She’s looking at Soren, marveling at this precious gift. I think I often fail at that. I don’t always give God’s gifts my full attention. Sometimes I wonder why He continues to bless me so abundantly, exceedingly, when I let so many of His “smaller” blessings slip by unnoticed.
Oh, right. It’s all grace.
I do fail to appreciate the small things sometimes, but He continues to pile on the blessings, filling my cup to overflowing – and then continuing to pour more on top. He is good, kind, loving. His mercies are new every morning. This morning, I am going to keep watch and really see the mercies and the blessings, big and small. And give thanks for my family – every one of them, individually.