The king is enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.
Psalm 45:11
Manicured fingers climbing courageously up a rock wall. Irish step dancing toes clicking down the flag football field in between plays. A glittery pink tee in the midst of blue-shirted neighborhood boys on the basketball court. Silky curls peeking out of a helmet as she gives a dirt bike a whirl for the first time. A sweet voice singing worship songs as her body swings back and forth on the monkey bars. Pretty hands playing the flute one minute and clapping to Toby Mac the next.
That’s our Gabrielle.
She has always been a beautiful blend of delicate yet strong, soft yet bold, tender and courageous, sensitive and tenacious.
Gabrielle keeps it real. She loves deeply, and she cares with a tender heart. She is passionate and discerning.
At the age of 10 months, she stubbornly wanted to feed herself in her highchair. Determination.
At the age of 10 years, she still tenderly treasures our reassuring bedtime routine. Sweet sentimentality.
We are celebrating a decade of Gabrielle today. We are thankful to the Lord for her vivacious life.
Yes, the waves of pre-tween-ness have already been washing up on our shore, and I know this momma needs to honker down and stay anchored in God’s Word in order to serve my sweet daughter well as her mother during these next several years. {Oh, Sweet Jesus, I need You!}
As I look back at her first decade, I am very aware that this next decade’s joys and challenges will be very different. But there are a few things that always remain the same and on those I rely: God’s perfect love and His perfect wisdom and His perfect Word. Needful and thankful for all of His truths that are my foundation, I am humbled and honored to be Gabrielle’s mom. She inspires me. She loves me.
Happy 10th Birthday, Gabrielle! We love and adore you! You are a treasure to Daddy, me and Joshua (and Holly too)! May you always honor Jesus and abide in Him.
For we are God’s workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10