beautiful life

Tonight Seth and I went to the hospital to welcome our friends' new baby into the world. As I held this little warm cuddly bundle in my arms, I was amazed anew by the beauty of creation as reflected through a newborn. She really is a beautiful baby. Her parents are so proud (as well they should be!). And also tired ... she was just born at 2:00 am this morning. I don't think I've ever held a baby this new. It really was a worshipful moment for me. I was in awe that our big, splendid God would "knit together," as the psalmist says, this tiny creation to reflect His glory. What must our God be like? That He chooses to put His image into each little human! All of you who are parents know this wonder magnified 100s of times over as you hold this baby who is yours. So...that's my tribute to little Aiyla Altman. Here's a picture of her:
It's been a good few days of getting doses of beauty ... Seth and I had a last-minute opportunity to get away to a friend's oceanfront home at Long Beach Island, New Jersey, for a few days this past weekend. What a refreshment it was for us to just be there ... to wake up to the sounds of the ocean and the occasional squawk of a seagull ... to walk 50 yards and be on the beach with the sand between our toes. It was a renewal for us as we worshiped the God of glory so evident in His creation and as we rested in His love for His children and our love for one another. (the latter impossible truly without the former!) As I journaled, I wished that there was a way to bottle up the day to be opened "as needed" in the winter to come. I do dread it ... but am SO thankful for the very rare summer-like warm days October has held so far ... and so I will ask for grace to endure winter when it gets here. And enjoy this beauty while it lasts.

Glory -- seen both in the magnificent things of creation like an ocean and in miraculous tiny newborn babies. What a God we have that He would hide His majestic glory in such fragile little creatures! And display it so magnificently in an ocean.