Your Gaze is Your Aim - Lessons from snowboarding

Dear Gigi,

Your father loves winter sports. He loves the mountains, the snow and he especially loves skiing. I, on the other hand, do not. I like warm weather, sand and sunscreen. Mine, are a southern people. But I love your father and I love that he wants to share his passion with you and your brothers. So for spring break this year we gathered with friends and drove seven hours to the mountains. 

I did not enjoy the first day. I attempted to attend beginner lessons, but the boots set my feet on fire (an injury and story for another time). So after a mini pity party, I opted to try snow boarding, something very far out of my comfort zone. But I wanted to participate in something winter with my family, so snow boarding lessons were my next stop. I confess, strapping both legs onto a board on the side of a mountain, was not my idea of a good time. 

But I had an excellent instructor. After 5 minutes of how to fall correctly, up the chairlift we went. I was terrified, having never done anything like that nor being that high off the ground with my feet strapped to a board! She all but yelled at me on the lift when I started crying out of fear. "no, crying! you can't do anything when you're crying!" She held my hands and helped me off the lift as smoothly as possible. I was actually shocked (and pleasantly surprised) at how much easier the dismount from the chairlift, compared to the takeoff! 

At the top of the mountain, (aka bunny hill) we discussed how to ride down. After multiple falls and lessons in balance, it was possible. Then she gave me the best advise and to my utter surprise and delight, it worked! Then she said the same thing over and over in different ways, but the same message. 

• Look at where you want to go!
• Don't focus at what you want to avoid!
• You gaze is your aim.
• Keep your eyes up!

And I needed lots of reminders. So do you. So do all of us. 

So what does snow boarding mantras have to do with life? A lot, I think. It matters where you place your focus. It matters that you have a goal and work towards it.  It matters that you look ahead and not dwell on passed failures (more me, multiple falls) or potential pitfalls (trees).

I am not just talking about positive thinking. I am talking about mindfulness, thankfulness, faith and joy. 

Mindfulness, because we all need to watch where we are going, and we are all going somewhere. Don't just float, follow the crowd and worry about the future. Yes, we live in a broken world and its not hard to get caught up in the chaos and get distraught. But God has a plan for you, and me and anyone that still has breathe. Look up. Pray. 

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Phil 4:8

 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you . Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Proverbs 4:25-26

Thankfulness - When we are thankful, our load is lighter, our path is smoother, and the day is brighter. I fell, a lot. The more I fell the more I was afraid. Yet, each time I was thankful I was not injured and could get up again. You will fall. You will fail and you will get discouraged. Be thankful that you got THAT far. Get up and then start again at whatever it is you're aiming for, a grade, a job, a race or goal. We usually don't hit the mark on the first try, but what a difference it makes to be thankful that you get to try again. Be thankful for another day.  

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phil 4:6

Faith and Joy - These go hand and hand, because it's impossible to have joy without faith. Joy is not like happiness, which is tied to our circumstances. Circumstances change year by year, month by month and day by day. Joy is tied to Faith. Faith in the One that has a plan for you. Faith in the One that is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.   Heb 13:8 

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.   John 15:11-12

I hope you try something that scares the poop out of you and you learn something new, like I did. But in the meantime, I hope you can take my lesson and apply to your life. 

Love, 
Mom 

I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalms 121:1-2

Dear Gigi, Be disappointed, but keep going.

Dearest Gigi:

I am glad you are only 7 years old and missed the majority of the ugliness of this campaign season. I am thankful, that I am writing to you here rather then explaining to you now. But I know that will not always be the case. In fact, I believe things will get worse and your simplistic life will awaken to the darkness and complications of reality.  For now I write to you so you know my thoughts are on you and your brothers. I pray you will find hope and joy in God and not a person. People are fallible and will disappoint you, but God will never disappoint. His purpose is to give you hope and future and not to harm you. (Jer 29:11)

So there was a presidential election last week and I am disappointed. I say that because I am. The choices in the two major parties were both complicated and crooked. Both harmful and ugly. The difference is one had hidden sin and the other outward hate.

One candidate appeared to say all the right things, she appeared decent and honorable and trustworthy, but stories of how she lied and cheated and bullied surrounded her. She was called a traitor and cheater and yet she promised only good for the country. She preached tolerance, acceptance and hope, and yet I wondered how much was true. She worked for the government for 30 years, working at multiple levels of public service, yet there were stories how she used her positions to gain more wealth and power.

The other candidate was worse. He was loud and mean and outwardly hateful. He preached open hate. He made fun the disabled. He objectified and belittled women. He did not even try to appear  honorable, but was proud of his ugliness, ostracizing entire classes of people, religions and genders. I disliked everything about him. A man of multiple wives and multiple mistresses, and unashamed.

I disliked both if them, yet I still voted. I voted for the best person running for president. Although both dislikable, I really felt that more voters like me would vote for hope rather than outward ugliness.  That is how I voted. I would rather have hidden sin the outward evil. That is how I saw them. I know that is not very bright either.

Throughout the campaign I was disappointed in the hate that would spew from each party. I was disappointed at those that would ridicule and insult those that supported opposing parties, and I was disappointed by those that would make excuses for the failings of their candidate. I was disappointed how others would follow based solely on the party's views and not the candidates flaws, as if the views of the party over-shadowed all the candidate's failing. There was/is no guarantee of their future decisions. I wanted good men and women to stand up and say No, that is not right. But that did not happen, and when it did, it did not last for long.

On election night, the votes were tallied and I was disappointed again. In my naivety, I hoped that voters would choose that which was honorable, or at least appeared outwardly honorable. But they did not, and an ugly harsh, mean, rude man was elected. Then riots in the street. More hate spread at the aftermath, and more hope lost. I saw many who put their hope is a person completely devastated. Anger, sorrow, depression followed. There is no worse feeling than disappointment.

Dear Gigi do not put your hope this world. Do not put your hope in people. We live in a fallen world with fallen people. Your hope should firmly stand on God and God's word. God's word, the Bible recounts that this world is not our home, it is but only a grain of sand that is the ocean of heaven and a redeemed world.

All wrong will be made right, all tears will be wiped away and our God will take us home.
In the meantime, do not wallow in disappointment. In the meantime, get up and keep moving. Make your part of the world better, volunteer, love anyway and for goodness sake stand up for what you believe it. If it is wrong, say it is wrong! And if its right and true and follows God word, then stand for that too, even if its unpopular. Two things will last forever, People and Gods word.

Love God and Love others.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.        Micah 6:8

Dear Gigi, You are enough

Dear Gigi,

When meeting a new person, I am often asked, "What do you?" An unassuming question to try to get to know me.  I confess I struggle with this question. I do not struggle with the answer, I struggle with the reaction of the person that hears my answer.

I struggle when I see questioner's eyes glaze over and suddenly we don't have that much in common any more. Or I struggle when the immediate response is, "I couldn't do that." But in the undertones it sounds like I couldn't do their job.

Recently the questioner went even further. A kind man, with no ill-will intended (I think) followed up with, "What do you do all day?"

I was shocked at the question, and found myself stammering and rattling off things I do to prove my worth. He seemed content with the answer and moved on.  I did not.  I played over and over in my head my possible answers. How could I have answered the question better?

Then, I had an idea. I would answer the question. For you, for the curious guy who has no idea, and for myself. I decided to take pictures of my day. A picture every hour documenting what exactly I was doing with my day.

5:30 AM start with 6 mile run

At the end of day, when all the work was done, all the errands and chores (for that day) and you were in bed, I sat and thought and felt empty and a little worthless.  I did something that day, that I had hoped to stop doing.... I was striving for acceptance.

There is nothing about my day that I changed. The pictures show a typical Monday. From early morning run, to Meals on Wheels, weights, piano, boy scouts, that is our typical Monday.  I did not change my day to take more pictures...but what I did do was THINK about it. I thought about those pictures all day long. I thought about what I was doing and why I was doing it and deep down, subconsciously I was asking for approval.

Is this enough? Am I doing enough? Am I enough as a Stay-at-home-mom? Would working and earning a paycheck make me enough?

If I rely on myself to answer this question, the answer is No.
Of my own power, I am not enough. Going even further, if I rely on other things, other than Christ the answer will still be a resounding no.

The magic number on the scale will not be enough. Even if you reach that magic perfect number on the scale, it will not be enough.

That large paycheck will not be enough. The promotion to put you above someone else will still not be enough, as there is still a higher rung on that ladder.

That degree, that race, those clothes, that house or car will not be enough to stop striving for acceptance. Because all of those things only perpetuate the problem.

It is the false belief that if we can only get X, our hearts be satisfied. But it is those things that empty our hearts even more and so we continue to strive.

It is when I stop striving and accept that Christ felt that I was worthy enough to leave heaven and die for me that I find peace. It is with that realization that I can go on with my day, knowing that I have been placed here for a reason. I am your mother for a purpose and God has a plan for my life.  It is then that I can smile at those that do not understand what I do all day or why.

Dearest Gigi, you are worthy. You are enough. God has a plan for you now, in this place and at this time.

I am not saying not to get that degree. I am not saying never to step on the scale. I am definitely not saying not to go for that promotion or to run that race. Houses, cars, clothes and all the luxuries we are afforded are not evil in themselves. What I am saying is those things in which we strive will not fill the God-shaped hole in our souls. Only God can fill that. And the wonderful part, God did that on purpose!  He has something better for you than the shallowness of this world.

I hope that you learn this sooner than I did... and am still learning. You do not need to strive.

You are enough....just the way God made you.

"For we are God’s Masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."    

Ephesians 2:10

Finish Anyway (Boston edition)

Dearest Gigi,


I had a goal race. The big one for many marathon runners. I have heard it described as the Olympics for mortals. If you can't qualify for the Olympic trials then qualify for Boston. Many a runner will know what I am talking about .....you might not. As much as I hope you'll become a runner and love this sport...you might not, so I'll explain.

Boston is not just any marathon. This race requires a qualifying time in order to participate. So there's really a series of tasks that must be completed in order to even gain entry and start on Patriots Day. First you have to train for a marathon. Not the Boston Marathon, but a different marathon in which to submit qualifying time. Next you have to actually run a qualifying time. This is no easy task. Training might be right on target, but on race day it might not happen. Injury, illness, weather, and travel are all factors on race day that can derail efforts to qualify. Once the BQ is attained, then you have to register and train for another marathon...this time the coveted race. And finally, race Boston. A race that is at least a year in the making and usually more.

Now that you know the background, that is where I was. Having trained and raced two marathons for the past two years, I arrived in Boston with visions of grandeur. My training had gone well and I arrived with no illness or injury. Having completed 3/4 of the Boston journey, I fully expected to have the race of my life and wear the jacket and metal with pride. That did not happen and the lesson I learned I want to share with you and hope you apply it to your life and struggles.

Within 4 miles of this race, I knew my goal race was over. My legs hurt, my HR was too high for that early in the race and I generally felt worn out. I stopped and walked and thought about the 22 miles remaining to finish that day. It was daunting. I considered stepping off the course and getting a ride to the finish line. I thought about the many people tracking my race online and the thought of disappointing them with my terrible race confronted me.

Among runners there is a runner code of conduct, a sort of runners rule when it come to races and especially the Boston Marathon. Each year the Boston Athletic Association produces a jacket. It is the equivalent to the adult letter jacket, something to wear to show your accomplishment. The rule follows that you can only wear the jacket if you run and finish the race. It is similar with the metal, but the metal is given at the finish line, so the chances of breaking that rule is less.

I already bought the jacket. I bought it two days earlier when all my dreams were intact of PR times and a glorious race. Now as I walked more than I ran, I considered what I would do with this jacket, because I couldn't wear it.

I had to decide. Would I step off and end my race? I could accept that I already came this far. So many have said, "what an accomplishment to even qualify!" Should I suffer and risk injury by pushing thru? Would anyone doubt my decision?  I was hot, tired and miserably disappointed.

But I also had another choice. I could enjoy this moment. I would not run the race I planned, but I could enjoy what I did not plan and finish. I could celebrate for what remained, have some fun and accept the day given to me.

Really that's all we can do. There is very little we have control over, but we have control over our own attitude. We can choose to accept the day for what it is, or we can give in and go home and lick our wounds in disappointment. I would NEVER get over stepping off the road and quitting. I would have remembered that day with sadness always and deep down, I knew it. I tell you this and hope you learn this about yourself, and choose accordingly.

Your precious father, who was tracking my every step online, called to check in and I told him my plans to stop racing and celebrate the day. I know he worried but understood. Had I run the race I wanted, I would not have had nearly as much fun. Had I stepped off and not finished, I would have ruined the day and regret would remain.


So I continued. I took pictures, talked with locals, drank beer and enjoyed the view. I had an amazing day.

As I crossed the finish line, I was sad that I did not run what I wanted.  I did not train to walk most of the course. I trained to run hard and fast... I did not train to take pictures.

It took me a while to mentally recover. I tried to figure out what happened. I followed my training schedule exactly. I ate right, I tapered. What happened? Then I realized, it didn't matter. I finished! No one seemed to care if I PR'd (personal record) or not. Not many asked my time either. Even among runners, my time was an arbitrary number that did not matter. What mattered is that I finished.

I completed the long task of training, running, training again and then finishing the Boston Marathon!

We live in an age where if things get difficult its accepted to give up. You will hear phases like, it's not worth the trouble, you've done enough already, you don't have to prove anything to anyone.
I will confess it was hard to finish. I was disappointed. The pull to walk off and give up was strong. At the time it was easier to quit. Now, looking back at the great fun I had, the memories and feeling of accomplishment, I am surprised I considered it.

That is how it will be for you. Not necessarily in a race, but in other times of your life. Quitting will seem like the easier more logical choice than to stick with the pain and frustration of completing the task.  It will seem easier, but the weight you'll bear afterward is heavy. Heavier than we imagine. 

I want to share with you some of the things I considered quitting but completed: job obligations, promises, breastfeeding, master's degree and even marriage. These things are hard but worth the struggle to complete. They were and are for me. 

Dearest Gigi, you will want to quit, don't. Hold on and finish the task. You have a great many people cheering you on. Some you know and many you don't, cheering you on to finish your race. I assure you, it is worth it.

At the end of the race, when I could see the finish line. I was overwhelmed at the crowd. Cheering for  runners to finish. They did not know me, my time, nor my disappointment. Yet, they cheered.

I am cheering for you. Don't give up. Slow down, change your plans, change your focus, but hold on, continue and don't give up. 


~ Mom


"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us"     Hebrews 12:1

Grace, Mercy and Ice Storms

Dear Gigi,

I tell people the main reason we live in Texas is for the mild winter. Currently there is a massive blizzard in the North, and today in Texas we will enjoy 60* temps and some outside play in the sunshine. I love the sunshine. I never get enough of it, but that is a different story. 

As you can imagine, when winter does come to Texas it causes a bit of upheaval. Without adequate sand machines (I don't know technical name) and snow plows, the city in which we live shuts down and we stay inside and wait for the Texas heat to melt it away. At least, that's the plan when you stay at home, or you are already at home when the storm hits.

That was not the case during the last terrible ice storm in North Texas. We had just returned from a trip and needed to get home. Roads were iced over, traffic stopped for hours and travel nearly impossible. We were only 2 hrs away but were stopped in gridlock along with hundreds of other cars for hours. There were police traveling on 4 wheelers and handing out water and gasoline as there were hundreds of people stranded in their cars on blocked roads with no where to go.

We exited the freeway the first chance we got. Not that it lead anywhere, but it was closer to gas, water and even lodging, which is far better than sleeping in our car on the highway with un-known strangers.  Back roads were not better, but at least there was no traffic.  So although the roads were still covered in ice, no one was blocking our way to pass.

Slowly and and ever so slowly, we pushed forward. I think we could have walked faster than we traveled. Although walking in that weather would not have been very comfortable.  After multiple starts and stops we made it back to the freeway. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw then. I was hoping to see moving traffic along the road home, what we saw was pristine ice on a major roadway. Not one car, not one truck, just us on 2 inches of perfect ice. It was like driving on an ice rink, but without a zamboni.

As delicately and carefully as we could, we moved forward slowly, keeping the wheel straight as to not skid out. I am not sure what was behind us to impede the traffic but we were alone on ice. It felt very unsettling, like were exploring new undiscovered territory.  A short time later a large pick-up truck came flying past us! Like we were standing still this truck flew by going 90+ mph on ICE!

Astonished, I thought to myself, "Serves him right, if he crashes!"  I imagined that truck had four-wheel drive, but that does not prevent it from sliding into a ditch. It might get you out of a ditch, but it might not. Fool-hearty and reckless, relying on a false safety mechanism it drove like there was no danger at all. The mom in me wanted to scold the driver of the truck for even being out on a day like this.

As I sat in judgement of the speeding truck, I realized.....that's me! Speeding off on my own believing I have security when I only have an illusion. I put trust in a bank account number. I put trust in a job in which I am of some importance. I trust a relationship to be solid, an insurance plan to protect me, my health and wellness and I feel safe. And yet, in a blink of an eye, I slip on ice and slide out of control. The job is lost, the relationship ends, the money dries up, and where am I left? I am left on the side of the road with no way to move forward. Broken and stuck. And that is where Grace and Mercy show up. The come from the only one that can be trusted.

Mercy can be defined as NOT getting what you deserve.  Reckless high speed driving on iced roads leads to (and deserves) an accident, a spin out or at least a good scare. Then having to walk in the cold to find a phone and/or a tow truck. Mercy would not only help a distressed driver, mercy would help prevent the accident from happening.

Grace can be defined as receiving what you do not deserve. Grace would help pull the stranded vehicle from where it stuck and carry them home. After such reckless behavior, do they deserve such treatment? The answer is no, but that is what Grace does.

Grace does not leave me by the side of the metaphorical road of life stranded, dismayed and no way to move forward.  Mercy sets my feet on the rock of a solid foundation. The foundation that my worth is based on what God says about me and not a job, a relationship or a number in a bank account.

Dearest Gigi nothing in THIS world is sure, no job, no marriage, or amount of money will give you the security and peace we all so desperately crave. Only Jesus. Put your heart and trust in HIM. Find peace and comfort in the one that knows you best. It will save you many a sleepless night and keep you on the road and out of a ditch.

Scripture that helped me:

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire: he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. Psalms 40:1-3

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matt 11:28

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Matt 24:35

Your feelings are not always reality

Dearest Gigi,

Next week we are going on a cruise. I am over-the-top excited. I am not a fan of cold weather, one of the main reasons we live in Texas, so your brilliant father is taking us to the Caribbean.

This reminds me of the last time we went on a cruise as a family.  You will not recall the experience, but it is worth retelling. For the first two days I was terribly sea sick. I had all these great ideas about how I was going to work out and then relax on the boat, but it was everything I could do not to lose my lunch. After two  precarious days, with the help of sea bands, I got used to rocking and the movement. Not enough to run on a treadmill, but enough to enjoy myself.  In fact, by the end of the trip, I almost found the swaying and noise of the ocean to be relaxing as we went to bed. However first thing in the morning the sway of the ship would unbalance me.

The trip home was difficult. There had been an ice storm while we were away. We landed in flip flops and shorts to a cold front that even chilled the Galveston coastline. As we drove north, weather went from bad to worse. In Dallas, highways had been closed due to massive ice accumulation, and we lived north of Dallas! That night, armed only with our vacation clothes, we stayed in a hotel as we quickly lost daylight and the roads re-froze. All five of us, plus your grandmother in one hotel room. Imagine that.

That night as we settled as best we could, I laid in bed and felt the room sway. Gentle, methodic and rhythmic swaying. Had we not been on the ground floor of the hotel, I would conclude the winter north wind was shifting the building. I could almost hear the ocean waves in central Texas.   I felt I was still on the ship. My equilibrium was so set on the movement of the ship that even though we were in the Texas Hill Country, I felt like I was moving.

And here is my point, not all feelings are reality. Not all feelings are true, truthful or even logical. We live in such an age where we are encouraged to do what we feel. Slogans and billboards preach if it feels rights then it must be right. That is not the case. Our feelings can deceive us, as did mine in this occasion and others.

I have had times in my life where I felt unloved and hopeless. Strong feelings that produced a physical reality for me in fatigue, weariness and deep sadness. Yet these feelings were not and are not reality.  I am a deeply loved child of God. (Col 3:12)

You will be told to follow your heart, go with your feelings and do what you feel. Let me caution you to test your feelings with truth. And yes, before you ask, there is truth, there is absolute. Not everything is grey. Your feelings may tell you to break a promise, compromise your values or even condemn yourself, but feelings can be wrong. Seek counsel, seek reality and truth and then and only then act on those feelings.

Not all feeling are wrong, but not all feelings are right.

Verses that spoke truth to me: 

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. (Psalm 40:1-3 NIV)

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18 NIV)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:12, 13 NIV)

It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. (Psalm 119:71 NIV)

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32 NKJV)

The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV)

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. (Psalm 94:19 NIV)

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. (Deuteronomy 7:6 NIV)

And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is. Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with the fullness of God. With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:18-20 NCV)

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say: “His love endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.” When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down. I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. (Psalm 118:1-14 NIV)

You're the Best Song I'll Ever Write

Dear Gigi,

I found this song that so closely expresses what I feel about you (and all my babies) that I have to save it, share it and even explain it  bit to you.  I've posted the link of a live performance by the artist but here are the lyrics.

Good Morning, You and the sun the sun are up, before I'm ready.

But ready or not, you need me,  So here I am 

I am learning that in the long hard days
There is beauty
You know my favorite place to see is
Its when I look at you.  

And though Im tired now,
you're worth every sleepless night.
You're worth it all because I know 

Chorus
You're the best song I'll ever write.
And we're humming and dancing through the years together
You're the best song I'll ever write
And I pray you"ll hear Jesus in it
When you're older 

I remember when you were just a heart beat that I heard
and now our eyes meet, forever
It's not enough to love you.  

Chorus  

Every  prayer for you is like a seed in the ground
Every tear I cry is like rain.
And in it's due season, I pray a harvest will be found
Your heart and mouth confessing Jesus' name
Your heart and mouth confessing Jesus' name. 

Chorus 

This song speaks so much loves and describes a little bit how much I love you. I love you with all my heart. My mind is constantly thinking of you.  From the moment I discovered I was going to have a baby until now, you are in my thoughts and my thoughts are of a deep love for you.

There is nothing you will ever do, ever say, no place you will ever go that will cause me to stop loving you.  I will always love you.  I will never purposely cause you harm, never purposely discourage your dreams.  I confess, I am a selfish person, limited and lacking, and yet I would move heaven and earth, if I could, to show you love.  My precious child, I will do everything in my power to protect you, comfort you and encourage you to what God has planned for you.

What does God have to do this? Everything!  My love for you, although great is imperfect. My love is a grain of sand in the sea of love God has for you. God's love is perfect and his thoughts of you are infinite.

Psalm 139:17-18 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them, Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. 

That is only a very small picture of what God's love is like. His love allows me to love you at  a human capacity. His love is so much greater.  He loved you so much that he gave his precious child up to save you. I am understanding this mystery at a deeper level now, because of you.  How could I ever give you up?!? Never!  I love you too much. Yet God gave up His only child, so that we could know Him.

 Romans 8:32
"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all---how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?' 

You see we were separated from God. Because God is perfect and we are not. We are separated because God is Holy. But God provided a way. He sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for you!

John 3:17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

You see, Jesus made a way for an unholy world to be with a Holy God, for an imperfect people to be with a perfect God, for the broken soul to be made whole again.

So my prayer for you is that you will one day understand this love, you will understand your need for a savior.   This love is greater than any love you will ever know and it will fulfill you more than anything else you'll ever find.   I pray my actions toward you will point you to God.

I pray that as you get older you will come to know this truth, and each day grow in knowledge of His love.