I prayed for this child. . . .

And the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.  The greatest physical gift on this Earth is the gift of a child.  You always hear "you will never know the love a parent has for their child until you are a parent yourself."  How true this is. 

Many years ago I read an article about a study conducted on couples, half of which had children.  They were all asked if both their spouse and their child were drowning which would they save if they could only save one?  Quite a morbid study but the findings were quite interesting.  The majority of couples with no children said they would save their spouse over their child and the majority of couples with children said they'd save the children. At the time I thought about it and couldn't decide.  Now I know definitively and without reservation that I would save my child.  I'd do so knowing that not only was I doing this out of overwhelming love of my child but because my spouse would want the same.  As any parent would lay down their life for their child, Jesus had died that we may live.  

The sermon at church today was about loving those that aren't easy to love.  Of course, it's easy to love those that love us but it's not easy to love those that don't love you back.  But God commands us to love one another as he first loved us.  That is why to God forgiveness is so important.  Without forgiveness we are unable to love others as God loves us. 

In speaking to my associate pastor recently about the loss of my precious Spencer she quoted C.S. Lewis.  To abbreviate it, he said that God will let us pass through the gates of heaven holding hands with any/all of our beloved pets we chose as long as we are willing pass through the gates of heaven holding the hands of our enemy.  How beautiful?

On a lighter note, here are some pics of my cutie-pie and me. 

 

 

Yesterday Robert and Kathryn went ahead and decorated for my birthday.  Kathryn picked out the party decor (could you tell??) and set the table.  She was very proud.  At the back of the table you can see the Toy Story bouncy ball she picked out for me.  And, yes, it's sitting on top of a cup which Kathryn said is like Doc McStuffins on TV???