New Baby

We have a new baby in our tribe. Cottonpicker's daugther, our niece, had a beautiful baby girl. Everyone is excited. It's amazing how you can fall so completely in love with this total stranger and how their presence effects the whole tribe. A Mother was created that day, a Grandmother, Grandfather, and us, Great Uncle and Aunt. We like being great at something.

My own grandchildren changed who I am. They made me want to be a better person. I thought about the fact that this is my second chance at giving these little folks the best person I can possibly be. So I determined that my grandchildren would never see me without patience, kindness, goodness and all those gifts of the Spirit. That they could honestly tell someone that their grandmother never got mad and acted ugly or said ugly things about anyone.

They only stayed for 2 or 3 days so I could pull it off. But one time they stayed for a week. And I realized the whole week I had controlled my tongue, my attitudes and had sustained my patience. It dawned on me- if I can do it with my grandsons for a week, I could keep practicing on others around me and see if I could do it for longer than a week. I couldn't depend on my own natural self - I had to draw on the well-spring of Christ's life and image. It was only with His help. Well, of course, I still fall out of sorts. But I'm better. Thanks to two little boys for giving me the gift of second chances. Their's is the purest love I've seen given to me and it has changed me.