The Hills Roll On

As a new Father I will gladly admit the joy of having such a title. With the coming of Eden’s birthday I have been blessed in so many ways. To reflect on one year of the precious gift given from the Lord is a great joy. Boy the time flies. Reflecting on today is so fun. Waking up early with Eden is not always my idea of a great way to start the day as I can be cranking in the morning, but she has always made it worth while. Today for instance I got up with her on a particularly difficult morning as Tara and I have both been ill. Well as I was trying to figure out how I was going to fall asleep on the couch Eden cruises over to me and gives me a little kiss, and then another, just to let me know that she loves me. Well if my day had to start early at least it started off great. Eden has never siezed to amaze me. From day one we knew she had her own little personality. She has always known what she wanted and is always content with everyone. It has been a blessing to say the least because of all the travel we have done within her first year. In total she has visited 5 countries within her first year, Canada (of course),USA, England, Spain, and Greece. She has been a gem in them all. To me Eden is an absolute angel. Of course being her father I may be slightly biased. So why do I want to write this post, well as I reflect I can see just as much change in Eden (and there has been a lot) as in myself. As a human being you should expect some change from a person when they become a parent. It startled me to see myself reflecting the heavenly heart of our Father God though. I have learned more about the loving care of my heavenly Father through being a father to Eden. She has also taught me a lot about how we are to trust in God and lean in on Him. Complete dependance on Him.

Eden’s curiousity for new things, for discovering what she can and can’t do, has taught me that there are times to encourage her to develop her skills and let her make mistakes. Life is going to be full of ups and downs for her as it is for everyone else, my job is to encourage her to continue on, that mistakes do not form her identity. It is easy to encourage Eden to do things that are good for her but it is also my responsibility to teach her what is not good for her, chewing on chokable sized toys is not a good thing regardless of how good it tastes. Eden may not understand why she can’t have the immediate gratification but it is still my responsibility as her father to look beyond what she can comprehend and to make decisions based on TRUTH not on what she wants. The more aspects of fatherhood I look at the more I see how God is. I’m not saying I’m like God. God is the PERFECT Father, he is the one I learn from, He is the one that shows me the truth about himself. I look forward to the future years of fatherhood and the lessons that Eden and the Lord will teach me about being a father.

One of the simple pleasures in life is watching your darling child discover chocolate cake.

We had baked chocolate fudge pudding cake on her official birthday, but she didn’t get around to eating her mini sized cake (mommy and daddy and the Towner kids finished off the big one!) until Tuesday lunch.  For your pleasure, here is a picture story of the 20 minutes of uninhibited chocolate revelry:

First, she touches it ever so gently, curiously, with her classic furrowed brow of concentration gracing her lovely features.

Then she discovers the spongy surface can be peirced with her little fingers, and she plunges her whole hand in!

I’m really enjoying this!  Thanks mommy & daddy!

Oh bliss!  Oh joy! She shouts with glee in her multi-syllybaic banter.

Ooo-ooo-oooo-aaaa-aaaa-aaaa!!   

 Hmmph!! Hmmmphhh! Hmmmppphh!!!(she blasts air through her nostrils repeatedly..is it chocolate up there hon?) 

Guuuuhhhhh!!!!  (Whiiiiiiiiiiiiiine!!!)  I’m DONE!  Get me outta this thing!  GossssshhhhhH!!!!

Chocolate fudge pudding cake smooshed all over the table, sploops of it on the floor, wedged in her nose, smooged in her hair…time for a mid-day bath!  Yay!

When I get really restless and everything in the house seems so disorderly and annoying it’s usually just as much if not more true within me. That restless lack of peace in my soul (my mind, emotions and will) [and the characteristic great lengths my 'old sinful nature' goes to to provide self-driven temporary false peace...aka, eating for non-nutritional reasons, spending an inordinate amount of time on the internet, spending sprees, etc..you know what I'm talkin' about!]
Read the rest of this entry »