Overflowing

I should be going to bed right now. Daniel's at the hospital visiting a church member who was rushed to the ER. Both kids have been sound asleep for over an hour now. I've been dying to go to bed early the past few nights but haven't done it. It's not going to happen right now, either, because I am about to burst with thankfulness to our Father, and I just had to write about it.

Pretty much immediately after I found out I was pregnant with Ella, I began praying for Riley and the transition he would face as a new little one entered our family. I never wanted to hear him say, "Can we take her back now?" I prayed and prayed that he would love his sister and recognize the value she had in our family. I even wrote in my journal on 11/7/11 (19 days before she was born), "I pray that you will give him a supernatural understanding of what's about to take place in our household. May he feel an overwhelming love for his little sister!" Oh, how our Father has answered that prayer, and then some!

My cup runneth over in gratitude right now for what I witnessed tonight. Daniel had already left for the hospital and I was playing with the kids before bedtime. Ella was on a blanket in the living room while Riley was busily moving about the room as an almost-3-year-old does. I left the room for just a couple of seconds to take something to the garage, and when I walked back in, Riley was laying beside Ella on her blanket. I heard him say, "and I hope you will keep her safe and strong. Amen." I said, "Were you just praying for your sister?" And he looked at me and said, "Yeah!" and then ran off to continue playing. I tried to get him to repeat to me what all he'd said, but he had moved on to the next activity (as almost-3-year-old's do!).

As I was texting back and forth with my mother-in-law tonight and sharing this story, she asked if Ella had been upset or crying. I told her that no, Ella was completely content and having fun on her playmat when Riley prayed for her. And then I began to think...how like God to allow me to experience such a thing. I prayed and prayed for a strong relationship between my children. Not only did He answer that prayer with a resounding YES, but He is giving me MORE than I could have ever asked or imagined! Why? Because I deserve it? Absolutely not! Because He is that loving and that gracious. Because He wants to bless His children and cause their cups to run over. And for that (and SO much more), I will worship and glorify Him all the days of my life.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

May these precious ones be used for YOUR glory, Lord!