Britton Daniel's 1st Saturday

Well, watching college football on Saturday morning has not started yet for this little tike, but we can't wait for those memories to come.  We just spoke with his NICU nurse and she said he had a great night.  His temperature is now 95.1 degrees so he's got about 2 degrees to go until he's completely off the warming blanket.  It took him all day yesterday to go up 3 degrees so by the end of today he should be good.  All of his vitals are coming back strong as well. 

 

Last night when we went to visit him, he had a sweet blue baby cap on--it was the first time he was allowed to have any kind of clothing on.  

He slept the whole time we were there but he held one of my fingers for what seemed to be a long time.  I began praying for him right there for all the fun and hurts he'll have through his life. (The little league games, playing on the beach, hopefully tearing up the slopes by age 3 :), the first girl that breaks his heart, his future wife and children).  All of these events raced through my head as he just clung to my finger.  We'll have a story to tell his whole life of how God rescued him so early in his life. I'm sure we'll even exaggerate the numbers (Emily claims I have a bad habit of this) telling him that literally millions were praying -- or the whole world.  

I've continued reading Octavius Winslow on grace and sorrow.  His words are like pure gold to us as we struggle through this faith-strengthening time.

BRING YOUR SORROWS TO ME

"Bring him here to me." Matthew 17:17

In your moment of disappointment and despair, Jesus meets you with the gracious words, "Bring it here unto me." And now your spirit revives, your heart bounds, at the words, and you exclaim, "Behold, Lord, I come."

Jesus says, "Bring your sorrows to Me." Never did the soul find so powerful a magnet, attracting to itself affliction in every form, and sorrow in every shade, as Jesus. Standing as in the center of a world of woe, He invites every daughter of sorrow, of sin, of grief to repair to Him for support, sympathy, and healing. As the High Priest of His Church for whom alone He suffered, and wept, and sobbed, He unveils a bosom capacious enough and loving enough, and sympathizing enough, to embrace every sufferer, and to pillow every grief. Accept, then, His compassionate invitation, and bring your grief to the soothing, sustaining, sanctifying grace of His heart!

"Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

How full of soothing and repose are these words! Where, in the world's wilderness, grows the flower of heart's-ease as it blooms and blossoms here? What cares have they lightened! What anxieties have they removed! What burdens have they unclasped! What springs of joy and comfort and hope have they unsealed in many a sad and oppressed heart! But do you not, beloved reader, need to be put in constant remembrance of this divine secret—of rest amid toil—of repose amid disquietude—of soothing amid corroding cares—and of confidence and hope in the midst of change and depression?

Bewildered and oppressed by the multitude of anxious thoughts within you—is there not a danger of being so absorbed by the care as to overlook the Caretaker? to forget the heart's ease in the overwhelming of the heart's anxiety? Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you!