Miracle Girl

In my family, I have developed a tradition. With the arrival of each grandchild, I write a song. Whitney arrived nearly five months ago in November. So, I am a little behind on getting her song written. Her parents, Lauren and Dean, have been very patient. So, I give you "Miracle Girl."

Miracle Girl

A miracle even before she was born

Coming into their life, it soon was clear

She would be one who would change their world

Always keep growing, and lead us from here

Miracle Girl making a believer of me

Every time I greet you, new miracles I see

Telling the world that you believe

Miracles will happen when God is near

Light in her eyes, as this little one grew

Her face had a charm that welcomed you

More than the trait of eyes of blue

You knew that this was a Godly hue

Miracle Girl making a believer of me

Every time I greet you, new miracles I see

Telling the world that you believe

Miracles will happen when He is near

Her life won’t be easy, time takes a toll

There will be moments, of scoffs from the crowd

The Spirit inside gives her strength to stay whole

Determined to keep living her faith out loud

Hey, Miracle Girl, you’re a wonder to see

And you are bringing miracles to be

Follow her, and you will soon believe

Supernatural things are easy to see

As the years wear on and life takes its course

Her face will always stay tuned to the light

She’ll take each moment for better, for worse

Leading many to change wrongs to right

Miracle Girl making a believer of me

Every time I meet you, new miracles I see

Telling the world that you believe

Miracles always happen when He is near

With God as Our Father

The Bible repeatedly refers to God as father and his followers as his children. Dependent upon our relationships with our earthly parents, this can either be a calming thought or one that leads to tension. Some of us were taught that our heavenly father was mostly a judge who showed his disappointment and anger when we made mistakes. Most of the time when I think of the relationship between father and son, my mind goes to how I feel as an adult, but perhaps the better way to imagine the concept is between a wise father and a very young child. The Bible tells us that God is far superior to humans in reasoning and love (Isaiah 55:8 is only one place we find this truth) and we can readily see that as the creator of this vast universe in which we live, he is far beyond us. When we are mere babes-in-arms or toddlers, and our fathers are given the responsibility to care for our needs and train us up in the ways that we should go, perhaps that is when we are most like the relationship between God the father and we the children.

Pastor Steve McMillan at Bow Valley Christian Church recently used an illustration that points to the truth in this. When a child reaches that age where they begin to walk (usually within a few months of their first birthday) we see the pride of the father in the child. The child manages to get up and hold onto some piece of furniture and walks along it before coming to the end of safety. At some point, they must launch out on their own and so they stretch a leg and arm out and take those first halting steps. Soon the awkwardness of legs, body, and heavy head get in the way and the child thumps down on the forgiving cushion of a nicely padded bottom. At this point we don’t see the father berate the child for falling. We don’t hear him say, “What is wrong with you? You only took three steps!” No, instead the father is ecstatic. He cheers the babe on and says, “Wonderful, you did so well. You took three steps before falling." He pulls out his cell phone and tries to capture the next steps on video. He calls his wife into the room and says, “Honey, come in here quick, see what our daughter has just done!” He calls his parents on the phone and acts like his child is the most brilliant and coordinated child on the planet. He jumps around and hoots like a mad-man, all because this child took three steps and fell hard.

So too, our heavenly father is more interested in the steps we take than in the many times we fall. Sure, he does not want to see us fall and get hurt; there is pain in his heart when he sees us scrape our knees and bruise our muscles. Yet, he is more interested in the fact that we actually walked for a while. He is there to encourage us to get up, wince at the pain, bandage the scrapes, and get moving again. Fathers do not worry about the falls. Certainly, if the child keeps falling for the next several years there may be something wrong and the father intervenes to find a way to help the son walk, but that is not the usual case. 

So, what of my life here on this earth? Am I focussed on how many times I fall or on how much progress I am making? I would do well to set myself some goals and aim toward them rather than focussing on the time I spend on the ground. My heavenly father is certainly looking at foot-steps and progress, otherwise he could not be my loving father at all.

The Heart is Full

Upon this day, my heart is full
The fam’ly tree that once was two,
Now has branches fully pulled,
And bowed and stretched and turned askew

The stems are laden with the fruit
And fill the soul with rev’rent bliss
The outflow of two hearts that grew
As sealed upon the lips that kiss

A little girl has come today
To add more joy and fill the way
With toys and strings for all to play
Oh Katie love, we bless this day

Oh maid’n love and knightly power,
We turn our hearts in holy praise,
To give the scent of sweetest flower,
And hands that stretch and fully raise.

Oh mystery of all complete,
We wonder at these gifts we take
Fully blessed with life replete,
On this your day, our precious Kate.

A little girl has come today
To add more joy and fill the way
With toys and strings for all to play
Oh Katie love, we bless this day

Love, Love, Love
Love is in this home
Love, Love, Love
Love is in this home

A little girl has come today
To add more joy and fill the way
With toys and strings for all to play
Oh Katie love, we bless this day


Welcome Kate Evelyn Mitchell.