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Dear Elliot,
Happy birthday to you (last week)! Reading through the blog post from last year provides such interesting parallels ... similarities and differences for where we are today.
In the past month, we have again faced an extended visit by a stomach bug. We again had to cancel your combined birthday party plans. Daddy again tested positive for Covid. Again there have been quite a string if disappointments as we need to miss one event after another. We are again in a longer-than-expected season of staying home because of all these crazy bugs.
This round, instead of pregnancy complications we have had the joy and challenge of nursing our sweet little Jemima through illness.
But again, God is faithful. He is good. He has provided for our needs. He is using this for our good.
What else have we seen in the past year? What are you up to these days?
You are growing in amazing ways. Academically, you surprised me by picking up reading this year, without my particularly intending to teach it. You have a good mind for math and numbers, and you enjoy the cursive handwriting sheets you work on.
You are a creative fellow! In addition to amazing drawings of rocket ships and monsters, you also impress by constructing intricately designed Lego creations.
You are a great playmate with your brothers. Over the past weeks when Victor was out of commission, you, Josiah, and Calvin had a great time together, like the 3 Musketeers. And now that Victor is back in the mix, you are all engaged in fun 2-on-2 games and adventures again.
You have grown tremendously in cheerfully eating what you are given, finishing the chores that are your responsibility, and demonstrating self-control when you encounter frustrations or challenges. You can be quite a helper when I need someone to care for Jemima or help with a project around the house.
This year I have enjoyed a special time with you and Calvin after lunch, reading through a Bible lesson with just the two of you. You are memorizing verses, practicing prayer, and gradually gleaning small truths about God's ways and His wonderful gospel. I am so thankful for the evidence of grace in your heart as you listen, rehearse, and remember these most-important realities.
You are a most specially tender brother to your little sister. I marvel to see how patient, protective, and attentive you are as you care for Jemima, bring her fun toys, protect her from eating tiny things, or come to get me when she needs Momma.
Through the past weeks, we have been disappointed many times. We have wanted to go to small group. But someone got sick. We have planned to host a birthday party, and it got cancelled. We have had special guests come to celebrate, and someone else got sick. We have looked forward to homeschool co-op, and everyone had to stay home. We have missed church. We have missed Wednesday Connection. We have cancelled play dates. We have had special retreats interrupted by illness.
This was the week when I was supposed to teach at Bible study. The final reviewing and revising time was cut short by needs of our sick family. I couldn't be with the women as they gathered, just recorded my message to be shared digitally. It didn't turn out as I expected or hoped. I was disappointed.
This season feels like sticking a dry, unpromising shriveled little kernel in the dirt. It feels a lot like being stuck in the dark, with much breaking and not much beauty. It feels a little like dying, in a miniature and insignificant way.
To our eyes, this is all bad news. It reminds me of John 12:24-25:
Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
When life feels a little like dying, it takes eyes of faith to see that God can actually turn it for good. He can do a miracle that He puts on display every single spring: multiplied life through a single seed's death.
It's not that bad is good and good is bad, like some "ying-yang" where nothing is truly light or dark. Rather, we see that God transforms. Our enemy (who is very active!) steals, kills, and destroys. We groan in the world that is so marred by sin and its effects. But our God, the holy and righteous Lord, won a victory over sin, death, and the grave by sending His own Son into the cold, dark embrace of death.
And there, hidden away from human sight, Christ exploded the power of death and rose to new life ... forging the path that He promises for everyone who will trust in Him. Resurrection life--eternal life--is the outcome for those who die and are buried with Christ.
So we'll keep on trying to look with eyes of faith for the goodness of God in the midst of the struggle. And one day, our faith will be sight. And then we will experience "what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). Hold fast to Christ, my son. He is worthy of your trust.
I love you so much!
Elliot (4.25.22) 6 years old
1. What is your favorite color? gray
2. What is your favorite toy? my doggy
3. What is your favorite fruit? pear
4. What is your favorite video to watch? Lightning McQueen
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? peanut butter honey sandwich
6. What is your favorite thing to wear? skateboard shirt
7. What is your favorite game? Candy Land
8. What is your favorite snack? veggie straws
9. What is your favorite animal? black panther
10. What is your favorite song? I can’t remember
11. What is your favorite verse? For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
12. What is your favorite book? If I Had a School
13. Who is your best friend? Isaiah
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Swing on the rope swing
15. What is your favorite drink? Root beer
16. What do you like to sleep with at night? my blanket
17. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? pancakes
18. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? McDonalds
19. What do you want to be when you grow up? soldier
20. What was one of your favorite things that you did this year? go to the Como Zoo
21. What is your favorite place to go? Lees’ house
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