Mini Me

If you ask many people that know us, they would say that Eden gets her fun, silly personality from Clint.  It is no secret that he has a TON of personality, and I am known to be the reserved listener.  However, as Eden's first year has progressed, and she has learned more and more things...it is apparent that I have indeed reproduced myself.

It all started when I figured out that Eden liked to play hide and seek.  I would run into another room and she would come find me, then turn around and crawl faster than I ever imagined possible, and scream.  I was so confused by this for weeks.  One day I decided to show Clint our new game...and told him I wasn't sure why she screamed when I chased her.  He watched, and laughed, and then informed me it was because when I ran from her I screamed.  Great thing to teach her!  I have since taken this shadowing to a whole new level.  I have successfully taught my child how to do a heel stretch, a toe-touch, and the sign for Touchdown.  These are 12 month old versions, of course, but quite impressive ones if I do say so myself! 

I secretly love this.  I love that she wants to be like me.  It feels amazing to have someone look up to you and want to mimic your every move.  I learned in college, as I started walking with God, that I needed to be an example ALL of the time.  I hated it at first, I felt like I could never not care what people thought of me.  But eventually I learned that I was representing Christ, not Rachel, ALWAYS.  When I walked to class, led Bible studies, ate dinner, watched movies, went to basketball games, I had to be a light to darkness.  I never thought people were looking at my life.  I found out as years passed that women all around me were indeed watching my every move.  I pray that I represented Christ well to everyone who was watching! 

I am thankful I learned that lesson in college!  I am living it out in a very real way now!  As Eden grows by the day, it is becoming more and more obvious that Clint and I are her examples of what to be.  I pray we would not only reproduce our love of football, cheerleading, eachother and family.  But that we would ooze the love of Christ and that she would see that all the days of our lives.  The pressure is on!  As my little mini me grows up and learns more it intensifies my need for Christ for multiple reasons.  I can not love if I am not first loved by Him (1 John 4:19).  I can not have patience to discipline and correct her if I am not meeting with God.  The fruits of the Spirit are a necessity more than ever in my life.  I can not teach her about the Lord if I do not know His character.  My knowledge and love of the Word needs to grow!

I can rest in that the Lord gives more grace (James 4:6), and to know that he will graciously give me what I need when I need it.  We have the opportunity to teach her the goodness, loving-kindness, sovereignty and hope of the Lord before her mind is filled with any other lies!  What a gift!!  I pray that we would take hold of the command to teach her diligently the words of truth!  Lord fill our hearts with your love, that we might gracefully teach her your ways!