One Month, Five Weeks, It All Blurs Together

Lil Guy last Monday, at exactly one month.


Lil Guy this weekend with his new playgym purchased with gift cards and a 15% off coupon at Babies R Us.

He is such a good baby, and a breath of heaven to my soul. Some days I feel saddened that I missed out on 2 weeks of his first month, but I hold tight to God's word:

"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten..."

This verse has held so much promise to me in other areas of life; in particular, it was a "life preserver" verse for me when our marriage was on the rocks and there had been more unhappy times than happy ones. God spoke to me through these simple words and helped me to cling to the hope that there was a happy future ahead for Charlie Brown and me.

And, wouldn't you know, God came through for us with that happy future. He has blessed us immeasurably over the past 18 months, but particularly since we took our vacation last July. Our love is deeper, stronger, and more alive than ever. And after our recent struggles, we can truly say "for better or for worse, in sickness and in health," and know that we will get by and that He will repay us for those trials.

After my recent health ordeals, my relationship with my mother has become closer than ever and all of the crap we've been through is now water under the bridge. I truly feel as if God has repaid us for all the years the "locusts" of petty fighting have eaten.

With Lil Guy, I know that this verse will also hold true, even if I still mourn the loss of those 2 weeks.

And....how's this for meaning....

Lil Guy's middle name is Joel, mostly because of the meaning - God has heard - as we prayed and talked to God a lot about creating this precious little boy. But the fact that this verse that has helped me to stay the course, that has given me hope and let me trust in God's promise, is in the book of Joel suddenly makes his name all the more meaningful. I can remember what Scripture says usually, but remembering book, chapter and verse is another thing....I knew this verse was Old Testament, but never realized the significant tie between Lil Guy's namesake and this verse before tonight.

More often than not the "locusts" are sin, that of our own, those we love, or usually a little on both sides in a relationship. Sin separates people from each other, causing them to be fearful, distrusting, insecure and broken. And sin definitely separated us from God. Sometimes the locusts are trials and not sin at all; however, had sin not entered the world and caused it to become a fallen place, such trials wouldn't exist.

But God is the Great Reconciler. His desire is to always bring people back to each other in relationship, and moreover, back to Him and the cross. Jesus bridges the gap between us and God that sin created. And that's pretty awesome in my book. What a mighty and loving God we serve!




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