5 Years Old!

5 years old!

 

 

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Dear Elliot,

Happy birthday, my dear fellow! This has not been an easy birthday season... Last week we had to cancel our (combined with Josiah) birthday party plans, because Josiah got hit with a stomach bug the night before. And then Momma got the same bug, which turned into a day of pain and contractions and several more days of not much juice in the batteries... 

In God's kindness, though, Grammy and Grandad came to the rescue, so that you could still have delicious cinnamon rolls for breakfast, nachos for lunch, and pizza (thank you, Papa Murphy's) for supper. 

That week at home is turning into a substantially longer stretch, since Daddy tested positive for Covid on Friday. What a time of being flexible and seeking to give all our plans and hopes to God! I know that there have been a lot of disappointments, but I pray that throughout the adventure you will see that God is very faithful and worthy of our trust.

Now you are 5 years old! It is amazing to see how you've stretched out so tall.

In the past year, you switched to sharing the triple bunk with your two big brothers, and I think you like being in the middle of the action in there.

You are doing a much better job cleaning your plate without any help, and that kind of independent persistence is also demonstrated in your help cleaning the bathroom, getting your own winter gear on, and so forth.

You're starting to learn the basics of reading, because you wanted "workbook time" like your big brothers. It's great to cozy up in the big blue chair and work on letters with you! And you love to leaf through books, carefully examining the pictures and studying the ideas. You were a part of the lower grammar class in homeschool co-op, and you certainly have grown in your knowledge and understanding. You join in with the big boys for history, science, geography, and memory work in the mornings too. I think you'll be ready to jump into kindergarten this fall!

You have a strong will and stalwart disposition, and you are slowly learning to bring that under the control of God's Spirit for good responses when you're upset, obeying when it's hard, and using kind words when emotions are running high. I'm so thankful for evidences of God's hand at work in your life. 

You are a great playmate with your brothers. More and more, you help construct imaginative games and complex ideas, and I love to hear your belly laugh when you're having a great time with them. You can be a good collaborator and idea-sharer.


These past couple weeks have been hard in our family, and we're sad about missing church, small group, and homeschool co-op right at the culmination of the school year. Here are some thoughts I shared with my Bible study discussion group, in light of missing our final discussion. We've been looking at selected psalms, with many encouraging and fruitful truths discovered along the way.

 

Haven't there been some wonderful prayers and promises to reflect on in our study? 

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (Psalm 103:8). 

O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption (Psalm 130:7).

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days (Psalm 90:14). 

I was really hoping to be with you this Wednesday to wrap up our Psalms study together, but my husband is positive for Covid, so we'll need to miss again. (But I know you'll have a sweet discussion of Psalm 139!)

The verse that has stood out to me from our psalm this week is vs. 16, "In your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."

I confess that there were some very scary, out-of-control-feeling moments in the past week, where I didn't like the chapter I was in and didn't know how we were going to get through. But reading this verse today reminded me of how we comfort one of our little boys if we read a book or watch a movie that has a very intense, stressful, or frightening scene: "It's okay, buddy! This has a happy ending."

When you're reading about a very dire situation, it greatly calms your nerves and steadies your emotions if you are confident that all will turn out well in the end. 

And I am both holding to that promise and offering it as a reminder to you: in Christ, not only is each one of our days carefully planned and scribed in God's book (by a wise master Author), but also He has revealed to us the end of the story. We have a happy ending! We are absolutely assured that all will turn out well in the end! 

So I pray God will continue to draw you nearer to Himself in the study of His word (join us this summer! I think it will be a wonderful study!). And when the pages in your story hold pain, uncertainty, or sorrow, may you remember the beautiful scenes that are secured as our most true and definite "happily ever after": 

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11).

 

I pray that you will have that same comforting conviction throughout all the uncertain days you may encounter. May the Author and Perfecter of our faith use each day to shape you as a strong and faithful servant of Jesus until you reach that happiest of days when we can be together with Him forevermore!

I love you so much!

Momma

Elliot (4.5.21) 5 years old

1.       What is your favorite color? black

2.       What is your favorite toy? golf set

3.       What is your favorite fruit? pear

4.       What is your favorite video to watch? Wild Kratts

5.       What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? pizza

6.       What is your favorite thing to wear? t-shirts

7.       What is your favorite game? Outfoxed

8.       What is your favorite snack? granola bar

9.       What is your favorite animal? black panther

10.   What is your favorite song? “Tractor, Tractor” from Slugs & Bugs

11.   What is your favorite verse? In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Gen 1:1)

12.   What is your favorite book? Lightning McQueen

13.   Who is your best friend? Isaiah

14.   What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play

15.   What is your favorite drink? Lemonade

16.   What do you like to sleep with at night? My dog

17.   What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? cinnamon rolls

18.   What do you want for dinner on your birthday? pizza

19.   What do you want to be when you grow up? motorcycle rider

20.   What was one of your favorite things that you did this year? going camping

21.   What is your favorite place to go? McDonalds