Like Father Like Son

We recently celebrated Mitch's birthday. I awed over Mitch's baby pictures and tried to think what he was like as a baby. I know he must have been adorable! Now that I have a baby of my own, I find myself thinking about babies all the time.  This may be weird, but I picture people I know as babies and wonder what they must have been like.  It is so interesting to think about my friends, my dad, or my grandmother as a baby! After all, we were all actually babies at one point.

Carter on the left, Mitch on the right. 

When looking at Mitch's baby pictures I immediately thought "Oh Carter looks just like him!"  But the funny thing is, the more I analyzed the pictures... I more I saw differences. Don't get me wrong, there's no mistaking that they look alike- everyone who sees Carter comments on how much he looks like Mitch.  But, it hit me all the sudden that Carter is not really a "mini Mitch." Nor is he a mini version of me (obviously). Carter is a completely unique individual and there is no one else in the world exactly like him.  Before July 9th, 2013, there was no person in our lives named Carter Thomas Terry, on paper anyway.  Every move, every giggle, every like and dislike… they are all his own.  Wow!

Carter at 8 weeks old.

Carter is more than just my little baby... He is a person who is a baby right now. For the most part, he cannot choose the events that he goes through today, that's my job.  One day, however, he will make his own decisions. That is both terrifying and beautiful... I pray that Carter will chose to do great things with his life. I pray that he will know Christ deeply and find satisfaction in Him. I pray that when he makes mistakes he will embrace the forgiveness and redemption found in Christ.  My parents gave me a devotional book for new moms that has been so encouraging for me (when I can find quiet time to intelligently digest it).  One small part of the book is a prayer that a father prays for his infant child. He prays for the baby's body as symbols of what he hopes the child will become.  "He prays for his legs, that he will stand strong in the Lord; for his knees, that he will be the sort of person who kneels in prayer; for his tummy that he will feed on God's Word" (Arthur 2013). I want to add to that prayer.  I pray for Carter's hands that he would allow God to use them for the good of others.  I pray for Carter's mind that it would be daily renewed by God.  I pray for his mouth that it would speak the truth.  I pray for his ears that they would hear the gospel and believe it.  I pray also that God will equip Mitch and I not only just to raise Carter well, but that He will help us to be lived out examples of God's redeeming love.  In that sense, I hope that we are all more like our Father.

My one and only Carter, 2 days old.