I Am___?

In the beginning was the Word.  John 1:1

Welcome to the first blog from my screen porch!  I’ve wanted a screen porch my whole life so I’m feeling pretty grateful this morning.  I love entertaining people, but a mosquito is never a welcome guest so I’m pleased to be outside typing with my coffee and no buzzy little friends!

This first week of summer break began with a gigantic exhale and the cutest four month old grandson you can imagine.  Gramma duty was the best possible shift from crazy school to lovely summer.  While I watch this beautiful, happy little person I realize how much I missed or was too busy to really  notice when my own kids were this age.  I watched Lewis for ten minutes as he tried to pick up a teething toy and get it into his mouth.  I’ve watched him increase speed and agility as he tries to grab his toes and pull them to his mouth.  There has been no hurry…no rush…no impatience…no agenda and that has felt amazing.  He can take as long as he wants to finish his bottle or fall asleep on my shoulder.  As I laid him down for a nap, I realized it wasn’t that way with my own kids because there was laundry and cooking and other kids but with Lewis and summer I’m free to soak it completely in.  Absolutely nothing else is important or urgent when he’s here.  It made me wonder a few things.

The first thing my wondering led me to decide was that God probably looks at us pretty much the same way I look at Lewis.  He probably wants to remind us that he is as mesmerized and dedicated to our every move and accomplishment…all the time, not just a few hours a day.  I don’t know about you but I need that reminder often.

The second thing I wondered was what kind of Grandma will I be.  I’ve only been at it a few months but I want to be a good one.  I also wondered what Lewis will call me when he’s old enough to talk and I even wondered what kind of impact I might have on him and what he would tell others about me when he was older.  All of that led me to a book I started reading over Christmas break and didn’t finish.  I know I’ve only been out of school a week but I already feel the desire to assign homework.  The book is called  I AM ______.  How would you fill in that blank?  How would your family fill in that blank, your friends, your co-workers?  And the big question, how would your Father in heaven fill in that blank.   I think for most of us, the Father’s words might look different than our own and that’s a summer project!  The other big thing I’m wondering is, who are we letting fill in our blank?  Are we letting the world fill it, are we filling it or are we taking a cue from the Creator?  I think this is going to be some important work this summer so we’ll begin with todays Seed To Plant.  Speaking of seeds, landscaping around the porch is on the summer list so I’d better post this and grab my shovel.

A Seed To Plant:  Make a list of ten ways you would fill in the blank I AM _____. For extra credit, ask three people to fill it in for you.  Then take that list to prayer and ask the Father what he sees.​

Blessings on your day!