Our 2nd Birthday celebration with a difference.

       

Yesterday we celebrated Thomas Adam Falconer's 13 blessing. He is not yet 13 but with the busyness of this time of year we thought we would get going a little early. We began this tradition for our family with James when he turned 13. That was a meaningful experience for us all.

Yesterday afternoon, we gathered to thank God for Thomas . The families who came are all people who love Thomas deeply and who have had a profound impact on his life. These are our friends, his friends. Some have known Thomas all his life and are our dearly loved friends and  Thomas' God parents. 

Thomas is a really unique young man. He is indeed a gracious and marvelous creation and we love him more than words can possibly express here. We are grateful to God for his for ALL he is and we rejoice in the work of Gods spirit at work in and through him.

 The ideas, love, thoughts, blessings extended towards and over Thomas' life, were examples of his unique and creative person that God has specifically and purposefully made.

With God there are no mistakes.

I am not going to write here about our Thomas but rather about the real and tangible wonder being part of a community of Jesus Christ is for us all.

As we gathered , adults and children alike , drew near to listen. And while a lot of what the adults shared was ' adult speak' for the younger ones, there was in this moment a profound feeling ; experience of God. He who calls us by name and he who gathers us together . We all just sat and soaked up the words of blessing, kindness, godly wisdom, advice, pointers and prayers for Thomas life. 

Profound and unique are the words of God and profound is his work in our lives.

We are truly blessed to have Christ who dwells in us richly and a community that is true, real and honest. One that is really available and engaged . One that speaks into others lives with words of life.

And so we look forward to what God is doing in Thomas' life. Our prayer is for him to hind himself in the wing of the almighty and find his rest in God alone.

Thank you Jesus.

One of my observations of yesterday was this....

Other people notice things about our children that we think only we see. They notice, they care, they pray and they love our children. This was a real heart moment for me with Thomas.

Secondly, the weight of words spoken into a life struck me again. Words are so easy to say. They flow and find root in the hearer. I am reminded of the strong council in Gods word to gaurd our tongue. But the converse of this is when thought is put into our words, well, these carry weight and find a good place to rest and grow in us.
Friends have something to say too- I was really struck by the beautiful words Thomas friends spoke . These are insights and thoughts into him as a friend and they really warmed my heart.

The last observation is that our children being so different and individual ; just as God has made them; means that these celebrations , though they have a central idea, they have worked out quite differently. They have each reflectd something of the boy-man and his unique personality, gifts and wonderfulness:)

I love this about God, His creativity in making man is astounding in that we are each so different from one another. A truth to be celebrated.

A birthday celebration of a different kind

 This weekend we celebrated James 13th birthday. It was definitely not the usual kind of celebration.  We did not sing happy birthday and we did not play games. We gathered together so that the men in our special group of Christian families  could encourage James with some wisdom for life and we prayed for him.

Doug and I decided upon this idea around when James was born. Back then we read a great deal about children and one great book was Steven Biddulph - Raising Boys. He pointed out that many cultures have a marking of the shift from boyhood to manhood with a certain and sure mark and so we decided , way back then to give this idea some thought . The time between then and now has flown so quickly and so arrive at the dawn James adolescent years.

The families and their children all gathered and after a time we settled together, under the tree and we began. It was a rich and special time when these men after God's heart, shared wisdom and biblical truths and life challenges with James. Then we had a time where we could all pray for him.

The key things that stood out for Dougie and I were firstly the real community that God gives in his family. we are a group of different people with diverse cultural and family backgrounds. Here we were, all gathered in Jesus name to bless James. The rich love that these families shared with us and James in the things said, encouraged and offered was really a testimony to God at work in us all. It was beautiful and a real privaledge for Dougie and I to be a part of so much care and love.

Secondly the picture that was created by the men that spoke  drew for us a big picture of Gods wonderful work and the experience we have when we are called and live for him. One man spoke of God's word and the importance of that; another of keeping on in the faith and the support of others, of friends ; another spoke about the wisdom God gives in the world with words and ideas and yet keeping focused on living for him ; another spoke of relathionship with Jesus; and Hid daddy spoke of his character. What a rich and full, all inclusive picture these words of wisdom and truth created.

Thirdly we were encouraged by the common purpose we all had. Jesus! and from him flows all meaning , true freedom, real hope and purpose.

And so we contine to live out the gospel and pray for our James as he begins this next phase of his life. May God protect him and guide him and indeed be his all in all.