TEAMWORK (From Archive 6/6/2010)

Hi all,

Wow, what a crazy last couple of days, but some of the best days of our lives. Bonnie and I are truly blessed, as our daughter, Julia Grace Joseph, entered our world on June 3rd, 2010 at 1:50 pm, 8 lbs 10 oz (big girl), blue eyes, and lots of hair.

As there are many parents, and grandparents, out there who read my blog, all i can say is WOW! The first time that Julia looked into my eyes was a moment I will never forget. The first time I saw our daughter in the arms of her mommy, I will never forget.

Even when you are trying to do something other than stare at the gift of perfection that you are now the parent of, (like say, sleep), they often interrupt and you don’t really mind because they are so precious to you. While this infatuation hangs around for quite awhile (I think it always does in it’s own way), it is certainly not enough to sustain baby momma’s and daddies forever. Mommy can’t do it alone, Daddy can’t do it alone. It has been difficult, but a great joy, to see how both Bonnie and myself are working as a team to help this little one grow physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

This has led me to think about how precious life is. . .and how we take it for granted so much. In an instant, our lives can change. God uses those moments to transform us in amazing ways—but we also have to understand that God set up life so that we would be not only in community with Him, but also with the people around us.

And this has also brought to the forefront of my mind that LIFE IS TEAMWORK!! Just as in sports, especially basketball, you won’t get anywhere if you don’t work as a team (I know Kobe is not well liked, but you can’t argue that he still does work beautifully in a framework of a team).

This video beautifully captures the idea of family, and community being one. This scene is from Friday Night Lights—Matt Saracen’s father was in the army, and Matt just learns recently that his father died overseas. He is angry at first at his father until at the end of the memorial service, he begins to realize he died so that Matt might live life abundantly (interesting metaphor). So as workers are shoveling dirt on the casket, Matt grabs one of the shovels, and begins to help shovel as well. In the bad, and in the good, we are there for one another….we support one another always, even in death, and the life after. May this encourage you this week. . . (YOU TUBE TOOK IT DOWN SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO FIND IT)

I leave with you these 2 quotes from parenting:

You don’t really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around – and why his parents will always wave back. ~William D. Tammeus

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ~Elizabeth Stone

Much Love, Grace, and Peace,
Peter Joseph (A Proud Daddy)