We are glad to report a new addition to our family. Lincoln Dietrich Ariel was born Nov 24 weighing in at 8lbs 5oz. Measuring 55 centimeters. Tara did a great job delivering without the comforts of USA hospitals.
Having a new baby in the house again is great, we see how fragile they are. His brothers and sisters are taking turns caring for him. They are learning how to be careful to watch his neck since he can't support it himself. We cover him up so the sun doesn't burn him and the wind won't take his breath away. Lincoln's arms are so small, and it is a little tricky manipulating them into his shirts. He has no hair and the soft spot on his head is easily visible. The entire handling of a newborn is with the utmost gentleness for fear of hurting the weak little child.
During Advent as we wait for Christmas I thought about God's wisdom.
"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. He upholds the universe by the word of his power.You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them He... forms the mountains and creates the wind..., and treads on the heights of the earth...All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, 'What have You done?' All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made."
1 Chronicles 29:11 Psalm 147:5 Hebrews 1:9 Nehemiah 9:6 Amos 4:13 Daniel 4:35 John 1:3
This greatness of God can demand and compel whatever He wishes
This great God in His wisdom decided to send the Savior of the world as a baby. His wisdom trusted a man and woman of low standing to do the right thing and care for a vulnerable baby. Seeing our baby now startles me to see that God knew it was safe to trust a young couple without a hospital, without proper housing, without the luxuries we insist on today as a perfect plan to bring salvation to the world.
Jesus Christ was weak and as a baby fulfilled,
" you are he who took me from the womb;
you made me trust you at my mother's breasts."Psalm 22
He was completely dependent on His mother. He needed His neck supported, His diaper changed, and kept safe from the wind. This is a wisdom that is the opposite of the wisdom of this world. As humans, our saviors can't be weak. The movies show heroes that are strong, smart, or winners. The struggle of men and women today is equal shares of power and wealth. Weakness is still a negative in our world. The Promise of God to favor weakness to show His glory is good for us. We can be assured that we are not to insignificant, that God loves to "chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong."
Have a Merry Christmas. God bless~.
