Noel

Much of our family chatter, of late, has swirled around gifts.

Gift choosing.  Gift making.  Gift wrapping.  Gift wishing. 

Needles fly through fabric and crayons glide across paper as each of us hand-crafts for another.

Secrets are held close as Mama wraps a gift for Daddy.  Owen, my helper (and firm secret-holder!) carefully places the tape between my two pointer fingers and whispers, "I hope he'll like it." 

And little ones long for special somethings. 

Seven years ago, this very day, I received a gift.  It was small but etched out a large place in my growing heart.  It was wrapped in love and patience and joy and hope.  In return, I am learning (continually learning...) to give wholly of myself for another. 

It was the gift of sleepless nights and drooly grins and noise and grass stains and tire swings and Lego scenes. 

It was the gift of motherhood.

It was the gift of Gavin. 

And as fiercely as I want to relish each moment, time is flowing through my fingers. 

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord.  For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.  1 Samuel 1: 27, 28

Happy Birthday, Gavin!

Mama