God's timing

One week from today, my little Noah will turn 2. I should be saving this blog for his birthday I guess, but I've been thinking so much about it, I'll go ahead and do it now.



I don't have favorites with my kids, but there is just something special about little Noah. God's got big plans for him, and I can't wait to see what they are. God is teaching me all about HIS timing through Noah.



Noah surprised US (not God) 2 years ago by entering the world 6 weeks early. Not due until the end of January, I was shocked to wake up December 14, 2001 with contractions. After spending several late night hours in the hospital, they succeeded in stopping the labor and sent me home. 2 hours later, we returned and Noah made his entrance into the world at 9:56 am on December 15.



To the surprise of everyone, except our mighty God, Noah came out screaming and needed no stay in the NICU.



From then on, Noah has brought delight to us all. He is full of mischievousness and you can see the sparkle in his eye when he has done something out of his boundaries. Yet he also has the tenderest heart imaginable. One disappointed look from his dad or my eyes will bring him to tears. Don't think for a minute that this stops him from getting into things that his older brother has never thought twice about. Noah receives his share of disciplining in our house!



Because he was 6 weeks early, Noah has been a late bloomer. He crawled late, walked late, and we're still waiting on the talking part. His vocabulary consists of about 10 words, only 2 of which a bystander would be able to understand. His understanding of language, however, is not lacking, as he makes up signs for words that he cannot yet pronounce.



This lack of vocabulary has left me helpless. Expecting him to be a carbon copy of his brother was the first thing I had to ask forgiveness for. God has helped me see how unique each one of my children are. But his speech is something I continually have to turn over to God.



The other day, we received a Focus on the Family publication. There was an article in it that caught my eye, and I know God placed it in there especially for me. The article spoke of a little boy, who, like Noah, was late speaking. He finally began speaking in his own time. At the end of the article, his mother stated:



"All those months, while I waited and worried, he was developing just as God intended. While I quietly doubted God's timing, my son listened, learned and grew according to the clock God gave him. That's how it is with God. He has good plans for us, but seldom do they fit our self-created timelines."



Thank you, Lord, for the reminder that Noah is your child and you have created him in your image and with a great plan for his life.