Happy 5 Months, Maks!

(I am completely copying off of my friend, Lauren's blog with this :) ~)

I can't believe it's been over 5 months since my sweet baby was born!!! It's true that time REALLY does fly by!

Here are some of your likes, Maks:

-You LOVE to hear your Daddy preach, talk, sing, etc. Any time we go to church and Daddy is up front, you will strain your neck to hear him.

-You are my little worm! You squirm sooo much! It's hard to feed you unless you are extremely tired because you don't want to miss a thing! You will jerk your head in one direction and then back to the other. You are very attentive and aware.

-At your 4 month doctors appointment, that was the first time you rolled over from your belly to your back. You rolled to the right and the left. Daddy and I looked like dummies when we said you hadn't rolled yet. The doctor had to go back to her developmental chart to change the results! So proud!

-At that same doctors appointment you weighed 13 pounds! You are growing from your preemie 5 pounds 14 oz! Doctor says you are long and lean and that's how they like it! In a world where "Biggest Loser" is a hit (sad for the people, but happy they are doing something about their weight), I am glad you are starting out just like your Daddy.  Here is a picture of your Daddy and your Uncle. I can't tell who is who. I THINK your Dad is on the left! :)

-You LOVE your Johnny Jumper! You first tried it out at your Grandmommy and Grandpa Nixon's house. I think you like chewing on it more than anything!

-You had your first snow of 2011 this past month and we actually sat you down in it! It wasn't your first time to see snow, but it was still fun!

-You aren't the best napper, but when you have someone holding you, you can sleep like a champ! 

-You helped celebrate your Grandpa Morella's Birthday last month (along with Aunt Kristina and Aunt Beeb's, too and Uncle Mikey's this month)

-You started cereal in January and you like it ok, but you LOVE IT with your fruit! Apples, pears, peaches! YUM! 

-We will see if Grandma Morella reads Mommy's blog, because sometimes, her fashion choices for you are questionable :) She's gotten much better, though :) She would blame this next picture on me not giving you your winter coat

-You are a people person like your Mommy and Daddy! 

-Mommy LOVES to dress you up and show you off! Though you rarely keep one outfit on for very long...you like to drool a TON (I think you started teething back at 3 months) and throw up as soon as I take your bib off. 

-Dad, Grandmommy and Grandpa Nixon think it's funny, but I LOVE to give you raspberries like in this picture and make "gun" noises (as your Dad calls it) at you ...Phew, phew, phew, phew, phew! You love it! :)

-We moved you to your crib this month...yes, we should have done it earlier, but I am ok with it. The first two nights you cried for a while but the third night you cried for 5 minutes and from then on, you go right to sleep. You are still waking up in the middle of the night, but that's ok. I do wonder, though, if it is out of habit or necessary. Doctor says while you are still small, it might be a necessary feeding. 

-You LOVE anything colorful! I think we made the right choice with the colors in your room!

-You love your bouncers...for about half an hour

Quit growing up so fast :)

Humility

I received this devotion from crosswalk.com today and thought I would share it with the blogging world. By Margaret D. Mitchell (give credit where credit is due :) )

This hit home and convicted me big time.


Humility
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."  ~Col. 3:12

Very recently, God sent me back into the workforce.  One of many things He said to me beforehand was "Humility."  What I sensed that meant for me was that He purposed this job assignment to do a work of humility in me and that humility would be a key for survival.  Whoa, was He right!

Divine humility is the opposite of pride.  It is confidence in God, not self.  It is unpretentiousness at its finest.  It was the walk of Jesus, and it can be ours if we choose it or, as in my case, thrust into it.

Contrary to some beliefs, true humility is not passive, pathetic or weak.  Rather, it is divinely powerful.  It does not pause at or placate to foolishness.  Rather, it ushers in unity.  It does not damage us or grieve the Holy Spirit.  Rather, it honors God, and God, in turn, honors us when we exercise it according to His plan (Prov. 15:33).  Like truth, humility is a swift and divine weapon of righteousness, unity, love and wisdom that we can choose to wield.

Many of us understand that we are to humble ourselves before the Lord.  But what about choosing humility in the face of false accusers, persecutors, people who intend to harm us?  People who compete with us?  People who react out of fear and insecurity?  The ones the enemy uses to separate believers and thwart divine plans.  The ones God uses to test us?  Jesus chose humility.  His example was an important demonstration for us, a divine strategy, an assignment from The Father.

Surely, as He painfully hung on the cross with undeserved insults hurled at Him, His flesh and His heart ached for relief.  But He knew He was on a high mission to save a world of people for generations.  He knew His role of obedience and love, of priority, of divine purpose.  He knew divine truth in the face of ignorance.  He knew His Father and the humbling power of His love and mercy, and He was obedient to the call, even though it opposed man's limited understanding.

Jesus did not fall to the enemy's devices.  He needed no man's approval, only His Father's.  He trusted in His Father's plan.  He understood that humbling Himself unto the Father also meant responding with humility to man (Titus 3:2).  He knew that God's grace would sufficiently carry Him through the mission and that His divine purpose would be fulfilled regardless of man's actions.  Indeed, God was in control.

It is difficult to provoke a truly humble person into a dispute because they will lean into God's powerful love, peace and mercy when attacked, just like Jesus.  Simply put: Humble people do not react to other people's issues.  They are not controlled by them.  They respond in the Spirit because they do not feel the need to prove their worth to others.  They know their security and identity rests in Christ, even if others do not.  They are committed to the Lord's ways, and they are purposed.  They are too dedicated in seeking the Lord's righteousness and humility to give way to futile, self-exalting spats.  They hold onto God's power like a lifeline, and they are not willing to foolishly let it go.

You will know humble people by the fruit they bear and the mercy, peace and sincerity they exhibit (James 3:13-18).  This is because God can work His virtues through a humble person, whereas, with a prideful person, this cannot be.  Rather, selfishness rules, leaving little space for God to operate.  When we choose selfishness, we get what we choose: Our limitations.
Conversely, the humble journey is a true adventure.  There is great freedom and excitement in soaring with our trustworthy God.  Yielded to Him, He will take us higher than we can venture on our own or even imagine.  Yielded to Him, we receive His supernatural power, favor, rewards, strength, provision, love, grace, mercy and strategies to complete divinely-appointed assignments that are larger than we.  Is there any greater thrill?

Who among us couldn't use more divine humility?  I am challenged daily to respond to circumstances like Jesus, in His strength, His power and His love.  It is a process, a lifestyle, a series of moment-by-moment choices, a walk.  If you would like to break out of the prison of limitation, repent and take hold of the Lord's hand.  Choose to trust Him.  Soar with Him.  And prepare to be awed like never before!