Bird Watching

Today (May 13, 2011) we had a little party to celebrate your arrival on planet earth and to give words of encouragement to your moms.
Great Aunt Ardy opened her home to receive those closest to you and Great Aunt Ruth drove all the way from Chicago* and brought your cousin Ariel.  Ar lives in Chicago now, but wanted to hang out with us, too. Grandma Martha and Aunt Kelly drove quite a ways, too. Grandma Kate (she’s gonna be mad at me for that cuz she’s not really a grandma yet) was there.  Aunt Melissa, too, although, she loves to come to Grand Rapids nowadays.
We had an awesome time.  We laughed, we ate, we drank, we swooned, we took pictures, we laughed and cried .... well, Max you did most of the crying and Lilly, you were a bit bored with it all and slept most of the time.
But I’m sure you could feel the love.  Your parents hog you most of the time, but tonight, for a short time we got to hold you and pray for your young lives.
It’s a crazy world we live in, and our prayers for you hovered over us all in that warm home in the heart of the city. We offered them up to ask the God of the universe to watch over you, protect you and guide your paths to follow him.  You won’t remember them but He will.
The next day we hung out in our old house down the road a bit, and the warm feelings lingered.  Sitting around sipping coffee, watching sermons, and telling stories of how we’ve seen God work in our lives, made for an awesome Saturday.
Before Aunt Ruth hit the road to Chicago and we took our quick little road trip along Scenic Drive, she shared this with us.
“Don’t worry parents!  God will take care of Max and Lilly, because he says so in his Word.  In Matthew it says “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
Most everybody in your extended family loves to watch birds.  We feed the birds, we look up rare ones, we memorize their songs.  Your great grandpa Lloyd loves a red Cardinal so much he will actually cry when he sees one.  So look at the birds!  Watch the birds and let them remind you how much your heavenly Father cares for you.
Love,
Grandma Juls