Oh God of Jacob!
As I sit here and type in the warmth of my home under the light of the Christmas tree with my sweet boy napping in his crib, I can't help but think...we are ridiculously.blessed.
I spent today surrounded by life...
But as I sit here, my heart mourns for the Mommies out there who are currently experiencing an unimaginable terror. It makes me literally sick to think that there is a Mommy whose arms will be empty tonight.
My mind drifts back to the little boy in the crib in the room next to me...he has NO CLUE of the tragedy that happened today. As he was enjoying a beautiful day taking a wagon ride down the street with his cousins to visit his Gee-Gee and Pappy, innocent children like him came face to face with death. In just a few moments, I will hear that even-sweeter-now "Mommy chirp" as he stirs from sleep in his crib, and I can't.wait. To hug him - to squeeze him - to cherish.this.ridicuosly.blessed.life.
And doesn't it all seem so.much.worse that this tragedy would happen in this season of Christmas - a season where hearts are normally more in tune to love, to give...not take. And yet, it opens my eyes all.the.more about WHY we celebrate Christmas.
Years ago when Jesus entered the scene of this world, it too was not a pretty world. It didn't make sense...people cried out for a SAVIOR. And He showed up in the most unlikely of places...in a lowly manger to an unwed teenage girl. He showed up because he love us with a ridiculous.love. The story starts with the manger and climaxes at the cross and resurrection to RESTORE.US. Ridiculous.love.
And He still shows up - He is still showing up in our messy, upside down, doesn't-make-sense world that continues to push Him aside. Restoration - how our world needs restoration! My heart only finds peace knowing that these sweet babies are in the arms tonight of One who loves the more than we can imagine.
And admist this now tragic Christmas season, all I can feel is the tug to put behind the stresses of shopping and wrapping and bows and party and focus on how I can ridiculously.love people.
Tonight, I will not speak of tragedies to a sweet little boy who still sees this world as good. I will try to look at life through his lens...a lens that does not yet know hate. Tonight, I will choose not to fear for him b/c THIS IS the world he WILL grow up in. No, I refuse to let the Enemy use this fear tactic to get ahold of my little boy.
Tonight, I instead will carry him to my loving Fatherasking begging him to use this little boy to BE.LIGHT! To ridiculously.love hurting people. To carry His restoration to a broken.world.
There is hunger.There are orphans.There is brokenness...WE are the vehicle God uses to bring restoration!
When I first sat down overwhelmed with emotion, these lyrics from Caleb's nap mix pierced me through the baby monitor...
"Oh God let us be a generation that seeks Your face, Oh God of Jacob"
Other lyrics say...
"Give us clean hands and give us pure hearts.
LET US NOT LIFT OUR SOULS TO ANOTHER"
Oh, God, may this be a generation that rises out of the ash of this tragedy to seek YOUR face, Oh God of Jacob...one who ridiculously.loves....one who brings restoration to a broken world!
Father of love, wrap these families so ridiculously tight in the peace that can only come from You.
I thank you for the gift of life that now stirs in his crib.
I spent today surrounded by life...
But as I sit here, my heart mourns for the Mommies out there who are currently experiencing an unimaginable terror. It makes me literally sick to think that there is a Mommy whose arms will be empty tonight.
My mind drifts back to the little boy in the crib in the room next to me...he has NO CLUE of the tragedy that happened today. As he was enjoying a beautiful day taking a wagon ride down the street with his cousins to visit his Gee-Gee and Pappy, innocent children like him came face to face with death. In just a few moments, I will hear that even-sweeter-now "Mommy chirp" as he stirs from sleep in his crib, and I can't.wait. To hug him - to squeeze him - to cherish.this.ridicuosly.blessed.life.
And doesn't it all seem so.much.worse that this tragedy would happen in this season of Christmas - a season where hearts are normally more in tune to love, to give...not take. And yet, it opens my eyes all.the.more about WHY we celebrate Christmas.
Years ago when Jesus entered the scene of this world, it too was not a pretty world. It didn't make sense...people cried out for a SAVIOR. And He showed up in the most unlikely of places...in a lowly manger to an unwed teenage girl. He showed up because he love us with a ridiculous.love. The story starts with the manger and climaxes at the cross and resurrection to RESTORE.US. Ridiculous.love.
And He still shows up - He is still showing up in our messy, upside down, doesn't-make-sense world that continues to push Him aside. Restoration - how our world needs restoration! My heart only finds peace knowing that these sweet babies are in the arms tonight of One who loves the more than we can imagine.
And admist this now tragic Christmas season, all I can feel is the tug to put behind the stresses of shopping and wrapping and bows and party and focus on how I can ridiculously.love people.
Tonight, I will not speak of tragedies to a sweet little boy who still sees this world as good. I will try to look at life through his lens...a lens that does not yet know hate. Tonight, I will choose not to fear for him b/c THIS IS the world he WILL grow up in. No, I refuse to let the Enemy use this fear tactic to get ahold of my little boy.
Tonight, I instead will carry him to my loving Father
There is hunger.There are orphans.There is brokenness...WE are the vehicle God uses to bring restoration!
When I first sat down overwhelmed with emotion, these lyrics from Caleb's nap mix pierced me through the baby monitor...
"Oh God let us be a generation that seeks Your face, Oh God of Jacob"
Other lyrics say...
"Give us clean hands and give us pure hearts.
LET US NOT LIFT OUR SOULS TO ANOTHER"
Oh, God, may this be a generation that rises out of the ash of this tragedy to seek YOUR face, Oh God of Jacob...one who ridiculously.loves....one who brings restoration to a broken world!
Father of love, wrap these families so ridiculously tight in the peace that can only come from You.
I thank you for the gift of life that now stirs in his crib.
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