I Know You By Name

There are quite a few verses in the Bible that refer to God knowing us or calling us by name. The most common explanation of what exactly that means for us is that God knows us intimately. We're not some person that He passes everyday on the street - He knows us. He knows our name and our position; He knows our personality, who we are.

Having recently found out that we are having a girl, we also now know her name. And it gave me a slightly different perspective on that phrase. I loved my baby when it was only "my baby" - before she was "my girl." I wanted the best for my baby. I considered and decided (hopefully even through the pain of labor) not to have an epidural because that would put my comfort before what I believe is the best for my child.

There were things that, when I looked ahead to the future, I had to brace myself against. Things that I would endure for the sake of the child, but ONLY endure because I had to, because there wasn't another way. Visits to the Dr., childbirth, nursing, the hormonal upset of the "Baby blues," myriads of dirty diapers, spit-up and not being able to stay clean through a single day - I was determined to trudge along through it by will-power and grit because there was no other option.

It's a different thing now. I know who it is that I'm doing this for. It's not just "the baby." It's not just even "my baby." It's my girl, and I know her name. It's not a chore now. It's an adventure, an act of love. Childbirth is going to be painful and hard and exhausting and I'm probably going to have a hard time remembering this feeling, but if I can, it'll be better and easier because it's not just something to get through.

All those things that I was dreading - they were because of "the baby." It wasn't a blame thing; it was a fact. If I hadn't been pregnant, I wouldn't need to go through any of that. It was because of the baby. It's not BECAUSE of her now; it's FOR her.

Christ died because of us; but that's not how God writes it. God says, Christ died FOR us. He knows our names.

And it was ridiculously hard to write this without sharing what her name is! Haha. I wonder if God has that feeling about the new names we're going to get in Heaven. I wonder if He feels anticipation at wanting to tell them to us. Hm. God feeling excited about something - not an idea I've pondered much. Another time perhaps. :)

Oh Politics. . . .

You know those verses in Proverbs that say one after the other "Answer a fool according to his folly" and then "Answer not a fool according to his folly?" I seem to run into many situations online where I'm left wondering, Is this the time to answer or to just let it go?

Internet trolls are one thing and the advice, "Don't feed the troll" is, in my opinion, usually sound. It makes sense. Like when your older brothers tease you in order to make you mad - if you don't get mad, they either step it up (and hopefully get scolded) or they give up and you win. =)

But then there are those people who aren't just trying to be foolish, or trying to get to you - they're actually fools who say really dumb things. And since it's the internet and you're seeing this on your friend's friend's status, it's hard to tell if they're actually being a fool, or being a troll.

Today, I happened to look at Congressman Amash's voting report, which he has faithfully given us since taking office. If for no other reason than that he hasn't given up on that part of things, I admire the guy. But that's beside the point. He voted "yes" on a bill that was supposed to cut some military spending, something about developing more nukes, it sounded like. And someone made a comment, "So leave us defenseless korea and china and iran would love that."

Is that guy serious?? When you have enough firepower to blow up half the world, do you really need enough to blow up the ENTIRE world in order to feel secure? Honestly???? It's not like Star Wars where you can blow up a planet, and yeah, it's sad, but it really doesn't impact a whole lot. If ONE major nation were wiped out, that would have an ENORMOUS impact on how our world runs. Think about it. When Greece was having (is having? Been a while since I've heard about them. . . ) all that financial trouble, there was talk that it could take down the entire European economy. Greece. How often do we in America hear about Greece, think about Greece, care about what's going on in Greece? But we would certainly care if Greece went down and that took France and Spain and Britain and Germany with it.

Also, what good will it do us to spend all our money on producing weapons if then China calls up our debt and, oh oops! Now we can't pay the guys who know how to shoot the weapons and drop the bombs. Yeah. . . . It's like people think the "military" is a robot - not a bunch of people who need to, you know, eat and sleep and pay the electric bill otherwise their alarm won't go off and, oh boy, now there's no one to shoot down that incoming missile. It's as if all the movies about the machines taking over have made people actually believe that's how it goes. From Terminator to Iron Man 2, we don't have to risk human lives because the machines can do it - that's not how things actually work. Somewhere, there's a Person pulling a trigger or pushing a button - and that person is what's keeping us safe. Not the threat of us making more nukes.
 

Anyway. . . .I was thinking about responding, but I couldn't decide if he was the fool you talk to or the fool you ignore - so I figured I'd leave it be. Chances are someone else will respond anyway. With politics, they almost always do.

My Girl

We're having a girl! =D I was pretty sure, but it's so cool to know. Poem-inspiring stuff. :) It may very well expand over the next few days. It's kind of coming in pieces.

There's a little one growing right now as I write

A little one stirring around

Ten fingers and toes; she's a beautiful sight

But from her you'll not hear a sound

She's not ready to come, not ready to play

She's barely started to grow

Less than a pound, we heard just today

But someday she'll gnaw on her toe

My little girl, little babe, little precious one

What an amazing gift you are

I love you already, my cute little bun,

Little Biscuit, my twinkling star

I saw your face, your eyes, your cute little nose

Saw your bones and maybe a sneeze

We got lots of pictures of you in your pose

You're cuter than the bee's knees!

We've not quite met, but I know just the same

That you are a gift from my Lord

No matter how you turn out or shift the blame

You cannot sever this cord.

Because you are my girl, you belong to me.

You'll always be mine in a way

Though you may marry and move over the sea

You'll always have a place here to stay.

But while you are ours, and we love you so much

In God's hands you rest

I cannot keep you, protect you or such

To trust Him is your test

So each day I'll bow my head and pray

I'll ask the Lord for you

To quicken your heart so that you can say

You love Him deep and true.