Day 22

Fun-filled, action packed, and exhausting are great terms to describe day 22!

There are a couple of things I wanted to discuss today:  God's amazing workmanship and my cool son.

We decided to go to the Bronx Zoo today.  It was the most  awesome and beautiful zoo I have ever visited.  Almost the entire time you are there, it's like you're in the forest.  I have never seen so many animals.  It was incredible to experience.

Throughout the day, I was in awe of God's workmanship.  The beauty in everything around us.  The trees, the Bronx River, every feather in every bird, and the beautiful big brown eyes of the gorilla...they are all God's creation.  As I pass each exhibit, I enjoy reading about that particular type of animal.  I noticed that if the animal lacks speed, then it makes up for that loss with it's incredible hearing.  Such is true of this animal:

How amazing is that?  It cannot outrun the lion like the gazelle can, but, instead, it can hear the lion coming in time to make a getaway.  It's remarkable. 
God has created us in the same way.  We must all work together to serve Him and this world.  Person A may be gifted in one area, but completely lacking in another.  Person B is the same.  We all are.  We must work together and help each other compensate for the losses, and compliment each other for our gifts.

I was amazed at the details of the animals.  The face of the monkey, the feathers of the peacock...God created each and every one.  He knows the number of feathers each bird has, and He knows the number of hair on our heads.  It's comforting to know and accept that as truth.  What a true gift He has given us...the gift of the amazing earth that we live on. 

The gorilla exhibit blew me away.  I stood for about a half an hour just looking into the eyes of this huge gorilla.  He would look back at me, then look around, then simply stare off into space as if he were in deep thought.  He had beautiful big brown eyes.  I literally could have stood there all day watching him.  He was so human-like.  It was almost as if I found myself feeling sorry for him.  He looked so smart, and seemed so aware of what was going on.  He was looking at me as if to say, "Seriously, you are choosing to stand here and stare at me locked up inside this glass?"  I fell in love with a gorilla today!  I really did!  After staring at something straight in the eyes for 30 minutes, a connection begins to form. 
As I watched that intelligent gorilla sit there, trapped, with absolutely no way out, I started to think:

This gorilla is smart, he has enormous strength, and he could probably escape if he really put his mind to it.  But, he doesn't.  He really is trapped behind that glass with everyone staring at him all day long.   Sometimes, I feel like that gorilla.  I'm intelligent, I am physically and mentally strong, and I could probably escape some glass cages that are holding me back if I really wanted to.  Anxiety used to be that glass cage for me.  It boxed me in and held me captive.  I was strong enough to escape, but I didn't...for YEARS! Finally, with a lot of prayer and support, I broke the glass cage that surrounded me.  I destroyed it.  I no longer sit there, looking out, watching everyone watch me deal with the anxiety. 
There are other issues I still keep boxed up in the glass cage that I am plenty strong to overcome:  body image, am I really "good enough," are a couple that I continue to work through.  I know I was made in the image and likeness of God.  My body is fine.  I have arms, legs, a working and strong and healthy body...so I'm not a 5ft. 9 in. with a DD bra size!  I have to accept that.  Am I really good enough?  Well, the Lord made me because he saw that I WAS good enough.  So, I obviously know the answer to that one too; still, I have to break out of that box and set myself free of those issues.

Lastly...my son.  He is a remarkable gift straight from the Lord Jesus Christ. 
He is the most curious child I have ever encountered.  He has what I refer to as an "engineer's mind."  Today at the zoo, instread of looking at the animals like everyone else, he was finding every electrical outlet and trying to figure out what it goes to and what it makes "run."  He would investigate each cage and what was holding it together and looking at the underground water systems that kept water in each exhibit.  That is just how his brain works; it is how he was "wired." 
He probably asks, and I am not exaggerating, at least 200 questions per day.  Most of these questions I simply can't answer, so he'll ask that we go "figure it out."  Simply saying to him, "I don't know," just doesn't work. 
He has more energy that ten kids put together.  It is energy that never stops.  He goes full speed ahead from the time his feet hit the floor in the morning until he is in bed at night.  He
He is LOUD.  God blessed him with a great big voice.  I can't wait to see what he does with that voice some day. 
He loves to "pester."  He's the king of pestering...especially his sister.  As far as that goes, I know he is a six-year-old boy, and some good old-fashioned pestering should be expected.

Does his 200 questions a day feel like a burden sometimes?  YES
Does his LOUD voice become overwhelming?  YES
Does his ENERGY wear me out after a short while?  YES
Does his pestering annoy the heck out of me?  YES
Does his neverending curiosity tire me?  YES

However, this is how my precious son was made.  This is how the God of the universe made my little boy.  THAT is my baby's personality...the personality and the characteristics that he was given.  Jesus knew my child would be this way before he was even born, and, he trusted me to be his mom.  What a job and what an honor! 
What will this amazing boy do when he grows up?  Most importantly, I pray he serves the Lord with all of his heart and is leading others to the Lord as well.  I know he'll be bold, and LOUD about it!  I can't even begin to fathom the contributions he will make in this world. 
His curiosity, energy, and intelligence could cure the world of a disease.  He would have the boldness to carry out his plan and make it pass.  His pestering...well, he would just pester the people in charge until they listened to him and let him demonstrate his research.

He brings out every emotion in me to the extreme...love, frustration, laughter and tears...He is my bright beautiful boy, and I am his mom.  What did I do to deserve such perfection?
Thank you, Jesus, for my son.