My Hope

Thought I would tell you about my daughter Hope.

Jason and I and our baby boy Justice had been living with my in-laws for about ten months, when I was crying out to the Lord - oh WHEN are we going to have our own place? When would I be able to have a home of my own and fulfill these dreams in my heart? I heard the Lord say, that I was pregnant with 'Hope' (and I saw myself about eight or nine months pregnant). At the time I thought He meant that my hopes would be fulfilled and given birth soon. We ended up being able to move into our house fairly soon after that and I also found out that I was pregnant.

We didn't know what gender we were getting until she was born - and even then I couldn't believe I got a girl! I thought surely we were going to have boys. I have three older brothers, and my oldest brother has five boys, and well, I must have been preparing my soul early on in life that I might not get a girl. But here she was in my arms, and all mine. And we named her HOPE. :) Isn't Yahweh funny?!

When I'm pregnant I always ask the Lord for a word or song or something for my kids and with Hope He just said, He was crazy about this one! She is loved by everyone who meets her. She is the most affectionate child I have ever beheld, her love-language is most certainly "touch". She is also very perceptive -

I have ALWAYS hated my ears. When I've looked in the mirror I always saw thick, sticking-out ears. (This is me at nine months... and my ears) I had never told Hope any of this of coarse. One night, several months ago, as Hope and I were commencing with our bed-time ritual of me laying beside her in her bed and her smothering me with kisses and hugs and "petting me" as she calls it: rubbing my arms or face, she grabbed my ear with her little hand and said, "oh, I need to hug your ears!" then she had to move my head over and do the same with the other ear and each ear got a kiss. "I love your ears momma... Their beautiful."

Oh dear. Oh my. Oh... Father. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so both came out. All these years of ear-loathing and self ear-mocking! Wow, God gave me those ears and just like Hope, He thinks their beautiful (so do my parents). I suddenly realized that I had been despising something He gave me and He created and, as silly as it sounds, must need love too. heh heh.

So, one little story (long though, sorry) among many about my Hope who will probably always be a giver of His HOPE wherever she goes. What a treasure.

So, don't forget to love yourself, 'cause I think it hurts His heart when we don't, you are His creation after all, every little bit of you.

Love,