Childhood

I want my daughter to have a vibrant childhood. I want her to pursue her curiosities, read so many books, make mud pies, climb and run and dance and sing. I want her to know she is capable and has the ability to learn and master new skills with her hands and new intellectual pursuits with her mind. I want her to know that she can be kind and generous. I want her to be responsible and confident, for it to be second-nature for her to give and receive honor. I want her to do all the crafts she sets her mind to, pursue various hobbies, and know that she is always learning. I want her imagination to be stirred and touched by the literature she reads and that we read together as a family. I want to be so intentional in the first 5 years - the most formative years - to establish a rhythm and routine and value system that will define our family. Principles of honor, accountability, compassion, and more.

I have studied various parenting styles, both by reading/listening/researching, and also hands on as a nanny to various families over the years. And, of course, by being a parent to Shiloh's big brother Uri. Maybe someday, when I am an empty nester, I will write a parenting book myself. But for now I can do no better than to point to my three favorite parenting books. For the Children's Sake is 100% pure gold, I would hand out copies to everyone alive if I could. Hunt, Gather, Parent is a very practical book of which one must "eat the meat and spit out the bones" so to speak. But I tell you, the meat is so SO good! Shepherding a Child's Heart does an excellent job outlining solid biblical parenting, and blended with the heart and soul of the other two books is a wonderful backbone.

I am enjoying my cuddly little baby to be sure, so so so much! And at the same time, I am also looking forward to raising her and enjoying each stage that is to come! The joys of childhood must be nurtured, we must make space for all the wonder that can be. As Susan Schaeffer Macaulay says, "Careful, we only get to be a child once!" 

(Jamie as a child)

3 - New Creation vs. Old Creation

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. - Romans 8:5-9

While God has given us a set of guidelines to live by, we must recognize that they are the protection of a loving father, not the restrictions of a tyrannical bully. Also, we must recognize that there are different parts of a human being. Perhaps another time we will talk about Spirit, Soul, and Body... but today the focus is on our "New Creation" vs. our "Old Creation".

When we die with Christ, we die to the "Old Creation", the part of ourselves that is hostile to God and incapable of pleasing Him. The Old Creation is selfish, evil, and petty. The New Creation is kind, holy, and beautiful. Some believers get caught in a trap of "performance", constantly trying to force their Old Creation to live righteously. This is not good! The only solution is for the Old Creation to stay dead!!! When we live from our New Creation, we do not make righteous choices to "perform", but rather because it is our nature to live rightly. So it must become a daily habit to say "no" to self, and keep the Old Creation in the grave. Then we live in life and peace that comes from being who we truly are: the New Creation.

Shiloh Ocean Hyland

I recently posted an update on our gofundme, announcing Baby Ocean's official name (Shiloh Ocean Hyland!), and asking for help with our next surrogacy journey for our final embryo. Here's the link where you can read the update. :) Also feel free to share and help get the word out!

https://gofund.me/cbc86ca8

2 - Water Baptism

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” - Acts 2:37-39

After salvation, the next step is water baptism for the remission of sin. It is a declaration and an expression of a new reality, that the "old creation" has been put to death, and the "new creation" is now alive. That we have died with Christ on the cross as an old creation, and have been raised to life with Him as a new creation. If you look at the Hebrew words for baptism, there are two different words. The meaning of the Greek words is made clear by an ancient Greek pickle recipe, in which you are instructed to briefly dunk the cucumber in boiling water (this is the word for water baptism), then submerse it in vinegar and leave it there too soak it in constantly (this is the word for the baptism of the Holy Spirit). Obviously we do not want to physically dunk people in water and leave them there, they would physically drown! But, like the pickle being dunked quickly in the water and removed, the physical act of water baptism is quick and finite. The act of spiritual baptism is different. We are called to dwell in the spirit, just as the pickle then dwells in the vinegar, and this is not a physical reality but a spiritual reality.

Again, not an exhaustive explanation, just jotting down a few quick thoughts on each topic here! My baby has fallen asleep wrapped to me, so I take the opportunity to stand and get some typing done.

1 - Salvation

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. -  1 John 1:9

Of course, everything starts with salvation. I recognize that I am a sinner, I repent for all my sins, and I am born again as a new creation in the family of God. Viola!

Well, actually, there is of course a lot more to it than that. But this is where it all starts, and this is holy ground. Some believers have been given the impression that all their sins and problems will magically melt away in this moment, and alas, this is not so. For we must "work out our salvation with fear and trembling", and there's a lot of nitty-gritty to walk through. But that doesn't make this initial moment of salvation any less sacred or holy. For in that moment, our accounts are washed clean. The list of charges charged against us is now on Jesus' tab, for He has paid for it, and we are no longer responsible for all our outstanding debts; He has paid.

Praise the Lord. :)

Christianity 101

While Ocean was napping, I settled down with my notebook and worked on my list of "Christianity 101" topics. This is not an exhaustive list, but it's a start. And I'm planning to make an individual post touching briefly on each item. They won't be anywhere near exhaustive, but it'll be good. Whole books could be written on each topic, and indeed, whole books have been. There is value in such books, but, at the end of the day, it is scripture alone that we need to teach us. Still, I hope you'll enjoy my small thoughts on each topic, for small thoughts is all I have time to write in this season! I definitely have big thoughts as well, but perhaps in another season of life I will write more.

 

Favor upon the Children

 "The Blessing" by Kari Jobe always causes strong emotions in my soul.

The Lord bless you

And keep you

Make His face shine upon you

And be gracious to you

The Lord turn His

Face toward you

And give you peace

Amen, amen, amen

Amen, amen, amen

Amen, amen, amen

Amen, amen, amen

May His favor be upon you

And a thousand generations

And your family and your children

And their children, and their children

My heart resounds with the words. Even with the loss of my son, I know the favor of the Lord carried him seamlessly from our arms to the arms of the Father in Heaven. Until that last line - (May His favor be upon you, and your family and your children) And their children, and their children. My heart breaks again every time. Uri's blood cries out from the ground, for his entire bloodline was cut off. Uri's children, and their children, and their children. 

But just as Abel's bloodline was cut off and his blood cried out from the ground, he had a younger sibling, Seth, who came to carry the legacy forward in place of his brother. So now does Uri have a younger sibling. Ocean will never replace Uri just as Seth never replaced Abel. All the same, here she is, a miracle and treasure all in her own right. May she be blessed, and her children, and their children. Amen.