I Will Praise

 Our gift to Mabel: a flannel blanket and a silver spoon.

We visited a new baby yesterday.
I don't know if any baby I know has been so covered in prayer,
so loved, so much on the minds of many people,
as this little girl.
This is the baby whose mama made my colorful quilt.
You can read my post about her brother here.

When we got to the hospital and I held her in my arms,
of course I cried.
Her parents were calm and happy and tired,
and her mama told me a sweet story.
When she had Mabel, it was ten o'clock at night,
and she and her husband spent most of the night
cuddling their new baby.
But around five a.m., Liz got so tired that she placed Mabel in her isolette
so she could catch some sleep.
She thinks the baby just lay there for a long time, thinking about things.
After half an hour, furious cries erupted from the isolette.
Enough was enough, said Mabel.
Time for more cuddling.

On our drive to visit this little one,
we listened to hymns by Fernando Ortega.
I heard these lines as though for the first time:
"For the Lord our God He is strong to save,
from the arms of death,
from the deepest grave.
And He gave us life in His perfect will
and by His own grace I will praise Him still."

What a timely song.
It reminded me of the power of praise,
even during terrible loss,
and the promise that we have beyond the grave.

Yesterday was a day to celebrate life.
Such an easy day to give praise!
Thank you Jesus for Mabel Grace.
Bless her and keep her all the days of her life.
May she live to bring you glory.

Malachi and his doll, Sadie Jane.

We only held him near Mabel for a moment,

because I was nervous he would think she was Sadie Jane

and jab her in the eye!

Listen to the hymn by Fernando Ortega here.