The day of his birth draws to a close.
As I put my 5-year-old to bed just now, tucking him under the covers, he said to me, "Mom, would you sing the song that you always sang to me when I was a baby?"
I've told him about this song; I've told him how, for the first three months of his life, Justin and I walked the halls of our small, New York apartment with this little guy while he cried and cried and cried... When it was my turn to walk, I'd often be singing.
Though I never planned to make the Romans Doxology the song that I sang to my first little one, it somehow became our song together in those early, endlessly-hall-pacing days.
Oh, the depth of the riches
The wisdom of God
How unsearchable are His ways
How profound are His judgements
So high above our thoughts
And His pathways no man can trace
For from him, and through Him, and to Him are all things
To Him be glory forever more
To Him be glory forever
Amen
As I put my 5-year-old to bed just now, tucking him under the covers, he said to me, "Mom, would you sing the song that you always sang to me when I was a baby?"
I've told him about this song; I've told him how, for the first three months of his life, Justin and I walked the halls of our small, New York apartment with this little guy while he cried and cried and cried... When it was my turn to walk, I'd often be singing.
Though I never planned to make the Romans Doxology the song that I sang to my first little one, it somehow became our song together in those early, endlessly-hall-pacing days.
Oh, the depth of the riches
The wisdom of God
How unsearchable are His ways
How profound are His judgements
So high above our thoughts
And His pathways no man can trace
For from him, and through Him, and to Him are all things
To Him be glory forever more
To Him be glory forever
Amen
The truths of those words are, of course, eternal.
The days of singing them as a lullaby quickly drew to a close.
So big he is, now. A five-year-old. A kindergartener. A big brother. Today, on his 5th birthday, his class celebrated the completion of the first hundred days of school. They marched in a parade and, with a big smile, Jake led the way.
My Jacob is growing and becoming. The more I see, the more I'm amazed at the grace we've been shown; This person, this incredible little guy, this is my son. He's pretty awesome.
And it's not just that he's clever and cute and funny and likable and joyful and entertaining and cool. Though he is all of those things.
It's also that he's growing into this boy who is tender and compassionate and careful and loving and humble and gracious. His heart, his inner person, it's soft and pliable and quick to hear correction and to respond with repentance.
And that's all grace.
As he grows and experiences more of life, he's learning that there will be bumps and heartaches along with much fun.
One recent heartache comes to mind: Jake's kindergarten class is full of neighbourhood friends that he's played with for the past few years since we've lived in the Junction. He has no loss for buddies who want to hang out with him. But sadly, for his little heart, the one person that he desperately wants to hang out with is a girl who wants nothing to do with him.
A couple weeks back, he started asking me indicative questions: "Mom, I always want to sit beside her and play with her and I always ask her to sit beside me at snack-time, and to play in the drama center with me but she never wants me around. What should I do? How can I make her want to play with me?"
I offered what advice I could: "Well, maybe just don't talk to her so much. Maybe you're kind of bugging her. Maybe don't ask her to sit beside you all the time."
Jake scorned this advice. "Mom, you're telling me to be rude to her? To ignore her? I won't do that. I won't be unkind to her."
I clarified that I would never encourage him to be rude to someone, but that she might just want him to stop talking to her so much.
He reflected upon this advice for a few moments, and I'll never forget the resignation in his voice as he concluded our conversation. "I just can't do that, Mom. I can not stop talking to her. I just... I just LOVE her face."
If he grows into the young man that he's on course to be, I'm fairly certain there will be many a girl who will want him to sit beside her in the days to come. But for now, he may just need to be patient. And listen to his Mommy's advice.
Dear Jake,
We love you so much. Your life has brought such rich, profound joy and delight. Your life has already brought much good to so many. You are loved so deeply. And already, at such a young age, you love others so well. I hope that never changes. I hope that the fierce loyalty and soft tenderness of my 5-year-old is something that stays a part of you always.
More than anything else, we long for you to have faith in Jesus. We long for the words of the Romans Doxology to become words that you believe with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength.
May God give you many, many more birthdays. And may He, in His time and for His glory, give you new life in His Son, so that you and I may join hearts and sing in worship together:For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things
To Him be glory forevermore.
Happy Birthday, Jacob Eby Galotti.
You are so loved.
