I just sent off my older two kiddos and their AMAZING daddy to have a Costco hot dog date and pick up a list of groceries for mama. I love time with just my little Henry boy (18 months). I have spent the last 30 minutes just enthralled with his little growing personality and now he is curled up next to me pushing the delete button every two seconds.
The third born child is a funny one, am I right? They grow WWWAAAYYY faster than the first two, yet have a certain way of not growing at all. Henry doesn’t seem like a baby anymore, yet every time a sibling touches his toy, or anytime he wants a toy anyone else has, he comes running for mommy. He is in hog heaven at the moment trying to throw away all the clean diapers one at a time, play with all of his sister’s princesses while she can’t hide them, and break apart Jack’s lego boat (yes, he is totally done with the snuggling and is now on the loose). My favorite is his little voice. He has been a lot slower to talk than the older two, I mean… everyone just talks FOR the third born, right? He blurts things out as if I know exactly what he is saying, and sometimes sounds so hilarious. He is starting to realize that he DOES NOT like the word, “no,” and he is learning to throw pretty good fits. BUT.. nothing is different than before when he runs to mama and needs to snuggle after he is done kicking. I still love him the same and find the same joy in him and wrapping him up in my arms.
Such a simple analogy, but I just can’t help thinking about how much joy we bring to our Heavenly Father. I mean, we can all act like a third born at times, ya? Sometimes I think I know what I am doing and let pride creep in, and to the Lord (and maybe sometimes to others) I may look like I am simply blubbering words that don’t make sense. I throw little tantrums in my heart when I don’t get what I want, or maybe am extra slow in learning or picking up on lessons the Lord is trying to teach me. But guess what? Just as I still love and adore my sweet little Henry, even when he looks and acts like a hot mess, our God is so overjoyed and in love with his sweet children. Why? Because we are HIS. This hot mess belongs to Jesus and He is quick to forgive me and wrap me up when I run to Him.

Just a little reminder for myself and ya’ll as we walk through our day. No matter what we have done, who we think we are, or how often we feel we mess up—God finds joy in us today and wants to USE us IN SPITE of our weaknesses and maybe lack of maturity. He finds joy in seeing us learn (as slowly as it may be) and grow. Let’s run to Him today.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)