August 7 Beloved

Thursday:  Today is the birthday of my second-born son. Forty-four years ago he came into this world without hardly any pain whatsoever in his birthing. The OB-GYN said he had never witnessed such a birth in all of his years delivering children! It was a happy delivery on a Friday, at 11:32 a.m.

I've been asked not to post any pictures of him--and I've tried to comply with this over the last dozen years or so; consequently, no pictures of him. However, I will post the card I made for him because I worked really hard on it, it came from my heart, and wanted it to be meaningful to him. 

Here is the front of the card:

Why this picture? Why Grand Haven? Well ... I love it out here at Lake Michigan. When he was a young boy, he and his brothers and I would come here to swim and play together. I love the beauty of this location so much. 

I have always loved his name. His dad and I had zero disagreements about naming him! His middle name too (which I will not reveal here) is Irish--or at least Celtic in its origin. And when he was born, with that little splash of deep red hair, the name fit him so well. It always has--he just couldn't be named any other name.

"God is gracious." "Gift of God." Yes, God IS gracious. Yes, this son IS a gift of God! I often wonder if he knows how much I love him ... the years have not been kind to us communicating with each other. But I cannot seem to change that; and if/since I have to, I accept it as it stands.

I felt that Numbers 6.24 was appropriate because it's rather bound up in his name ... and I love to pray this verse for him specifically.

 

The Scripture on the back of his card has been special to me for years as well. I do look to the LORD, and He has removed the shame of my past sins and filled my heart with His joy. So I pray that He will do that for all of my descendants--He alone has the power to undo our past, forgive us, and lead us, by His love and grace, in our everyday lives and His promised future. 

SO ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, dear Shane.