Happy 6th Birthday, Hannah!

Our sweet little Hannah had a big birthday last week and we are just so thankful for six precious years with our little girl. We'll hit another milestone next week when she starts kindergarten at the public school. So pray for our family please as we adjust to early mornings, new friends, new teachers and a new routine. As I write this, my little angels are both still snoring quietly in their beds. These blissfully late summer mornings are rapidly coming to an end!

Please pray also for RUF!
RUF kicks off week after next and we are excited to welcome the freshmen and another intern- Nicholas from Belmont. Ben has been working hard to make arrangements for the new meeting place (All Faiths Chapel), to get a better sound system working, to write sermons for the Fall, to meet with incoming freshmen and parents as well as existing students, and to travel to several Texas churches for speaking assignments and networking. We're excited to have Callie Brack for another year and ask that you'd pray for our interns as well as our family as we seek to further the gospel through the ministry of RUF.

"God is in your tummy."

Jerked out of sleep,
I felt a voice
pierce the quiet morning.

"You SAID you would get my pid-uh (pillow)
wast (last) night!"
He wailed of the injustice.

He said it again
and again and again
until my brain moved into focus.

"I'm sorry...I forgot." I moaned
"We'll get it down today."

And then in his odd little
three year old way
He threw his mother a curve...

"Which one came out first?" he quizzed,
breathing in my face.
"Did me or Hannah come out your tummy FIRST?"
I wanted to beg for grace.

"Hannah did," I managed to say
as I rolled over to see how early the day
was starting.

"And then I come-ed?" he asked
with the lift of his brow
and I'm wondering how
he came up with this so early.

"Yes, two years later, son,
you were born."
And I hoped the quiz was done.

"But how do babies get in your tummy?
HOW do they get IN there?"
I'm questioning now at this early hour
why does he even care?

But too cute to ignore
and I'm thankful for
this bright, inquisitive child.

"Moms and Dads have a special time
and God makes a baby grow."

"But not everybody HAS one in their tummy..."
he concludes, shaking his blonde little brain
He said it as if it's a shame.

"Right, Nathan, not everybody...
but we trust God to know
when the babies should grow
inside their mother's tummies."
His expression is precious and funny.

"But God is way UP there" he points,
a change in direction of thought.
"God is with us, son, God is everywhere."
a truth that I was taught.

"God is in your tummy."
he said with self assurance.
The need for coffee took me over then
and my brain lacked endurance.

"Come here, son, and snuggle
with me,
but quietly,
because Daddy is still sleeping."

~~~Beth Hailey