It's a Boy....a Big Boy!

Hello dear friends and family,

Today marks the 5th day, 4th hour, and 4th minute of our son James' young life. The whole of my heart keeps singing a song...'Blessed be the name of the LORD, blessed be Your name. You give and take away. You give and take away. My heart will choose to say, LORD, blessed be your name!'

I love our son so much, more than I thought possible. I hope you will join me in directing (as much as my sinful, divided heart can) my utmost love to the Giver of such great gifts. It is so easy to thank and trust God when things are real rosey, like the cheeks of a newborn baby after rubbing them real hard. It's easy to praise 'when Your streams of abundance flow.' But I really hope and pray that the same faith and praise will be drawn from us and we can say 'when I'm found in the desert place, though I walk through the wilderness, Blessed be your name.'

It is a snowy morning here in Cxxxxxxxx and my dear wife is reading with James on her chest. Our girls are taking naps after eating a wonderful lunch provided by our church family. I am thankful to have this time off work and just sit in awe of the providence of God. Q. 28 of the Heidelberg Catechism asks, 'What does it profit us to know that God created, and by His providence upholds all things?' A. 'That we may be patient in adversity, thankful in prosperity, and for what is future have good confidence in our faithful God and Father, that no creature shall separate us from His love, since all creatures are so in His hand, that without His will they cannot so much as move.'

Our God is good, and He does good. He has recently given us James Russell Elliott, who tipped (literally) the scales at 9 lb. 3 oz., and 20 1/2 inches. He is a good, and quite handsome man, if I do say so myself. God, in His timing, gave us Psalm 15 to read on the day James was born (Jan. 17). My Bible titles it a 'Description of a Citizen of Zion.' I hope James will be such. I hope that that Psalm describes him all his life. Thanks for your prayers to this end.

Our girls, Emily and Isabel, seem to like their baby 'brudda,' though Isabel did once try to do a WWF-style full body slam on him with an elbow, jumping from the top of the couch, and aimed at his neck/chest. Thankfully, Papa had a good night sleep and his reaction-time was cat-like, though barely sufficient. The girls do like holding him and stroking his somewhat fuzzy, not-too-full-but-just-right amount of widow-peaked hair. I really like to hold him and call him suitable names, such as 'Son of Zebedee,' 'Boanerges,' 'Son of Thunder' (Mark 3:17), 'Son of my flesh,' 'Chubby-chunk,' 'Son of a double-chin,' 'Old man,' and the like.

Here are some photos for your joy/amusement.Praise the LORD, who is so worthy.

Love, because He first loved us,

~Chad, for the Elliotts

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'Blessed be Your name

In the land that is plentiful,

Where Your streams of abundance flow,

Blessed be Your name.

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Blessed be Your name

When I'm found in the desert place,

Though I walk through the wilderness,

Blessed be Your name.

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Ev'ry blessing You pour out

I'll turn back to praise.

When the darkness closes in,

LORD,Still I will say,

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Blessed be the name of the LORD,

Blesses be Your name.

Blessed be the name ot the LORD,

Blessed be Your glorious name.

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Blessed be Your name

When the sun's shining down on me,

When the world's all as it should be,

Blessed be Your name.

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Blessed be Your name

On the road marked with suffering,

Though there's pain in the offering,

Blessed be Your name...

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...You give and take away

You give and take away,

My heart will choose to say,

LORD, blessed be Your name.'

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Amen.