B-I-B-L-E

I just have to write this out, because I always want to remember it.

For Isaac's first Easter, Jay and I bought him a Bible. He loved it, even at 1 year old. He would look at it all of the time and he never even tore a page. When he was a little older (probably 3 years old), we went to the Christian bookstore in Dalhart and he picked out a new Bible for himself. He was so excited and carried it with him everywhere.

A few months ago, Isaac started going to a Sunday evening children's service at our church. The first night he went, the teachers passed out Bibles for each child to use during the service. The kids were supposed to turn them back in before they left...we all know that, right? Well, Isaac was so excited about the Bible, he came home with it. I asked the teacher if he was really supposed to have kept it. She looked at me and said something like, "How could I make him give it back? I've never seen a kid so pumped about a Bible before." That Bible became his own and he asked if he could write in the notes section in the back of it. I told him he could and this is what he wrote, "I love my Bible."

Most home school curriculums come with a Bible. Well, imagine Isaac's great joy when he found out that his first reader this year was going to be his Children's Bible that came with the books. He is only supposed to read one story a day, but he begs me to let him read more. On the first day of school, Isaac read about 4 stories and wanted to go on. I told him to just finish up the 4th and we would read more the next day. He almost started crying and said, "But Mom, please let me keep reading. I just love the Bible so much." If you could have seen it, you would have cried with him. It was such a tender moment and it spoke so clearly to me. This son of mine has a calling on his life.

Today, as he was reading somewhere around the 5th story of the day, Olivia had come up next to him and he didn't see her. I didn't notice her either, or I would have stopped her. She had a pencil in her hand and she started writing on the side of the page that he wasn't looking at. Josiah noticed and told Isaac. Isaac started crying so hard that Olivia started crying. I erased it all and Isaac continued reading with hiccup sobs. When he finished the story, he grabbed his Bible, closed it, and pulled it close to him as he cried some more.

When we are at church, I love to watch Isaac because he takes everything in. He especially watches our pastor and looks up to him so much. He has such a heart for God and for people. He prayed last night as we headed out to church. (I asked if one of the boys wanted to pray because they were acting like little hooligans!) This was (sort of) his prayer, "God, please give us good attitudes and give us a new heart to love you with. Please help the people who don't know you to believe in you and love you. Thank you, God, for sending your son Jesus to die on the cross for us. I love you so much."

I'm so excited to see life unfold for Isaac. Jay and I knew from before Isaac was born that God would use him to change hearts. Isaac's middle name means "Jehovah Saves", and we believe that God will use Isaac to bring people to Himself. All that I could ask for each of my kids is that they would love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. And that they would love others as themselves.

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."

3 John 1:4