Today, we celebrate my little girl’s 7th birthday. I’m reposting this poem I wrote for her, last year. Most if still rings true except for the age reference. ~ Happy Birthday Ellie! Dad and Mom feel no greater privilege than the gift of stewardship that parenting brings to us, by God’s grace, each and every day.
My little girl is growing fast,
I wonder who she’ll be,
She’s quite unique and very strong,
Remarkably smarter than me.
I truly ache, sometimes, I do,
The wounds that time inflicts,
And turns its laughing hourglass,
Its sifting sand so quick.
Remembering in years gone by,
How frail–she’d have to cling,
And now she’s only nearing six,
Already off and running…
Away from me and on her own,
She loves to be with friends.
Her choicest play and time away,
With others she’d rather spend.
It only serves to jog my mind
I like to hit recall,
And think of nightly, quiet times
Just she and I, were all.
So late at night or early morn’,
So quiet, peaceful, still,
Gently resting, snug and tight
Or testing lungs with shrill.
Still, does not matter to my heart,
My memory fades and clears,
And only holds reflections of,
The sweetest times so dear.
My little girl is growing up,
And now she’s strong in tongue.
She’ll weave a whopper story, tall,
And sing with might and lung.
She loves to read and write and teach,
Her wit meets every turn.
Each morning, she enjoys her school,
Her passion is to learn.
If I could teach her more than school,
Ignore the subjects taught,
Please listen closely, dear daughter,
Please listen to this thought:
“Little girl, my dear sweet child,
If just one chance impressed,
Please take these gifts and even now,
With righteousness, please dress.
If it were left to me, somehow,
A prideful, sinful thought,
I’d dress you with my parenting,
My heart, such sin, does wrought.
But not with impotence and source,
Will dress you with such grace,
Only by His pre-formed love,
Will you ever see His face.
So dear sweet girl, my only one,
Please, never in your life,
Look for any other grace –
Than grace from Jesus Christ.”
I know for years, I’ll often ask
Wondering who she’ll be alike,
My surpassing desire is she becomes,
A beloved Sister-in-Christ.
~Kim Noble
Dedicated to my daughter, August, 2010.
