Jace's First Birthday
Cake with Small Arnold 2011 |
Arnold's Second Flight 2011 |
This little book is dedicated to Jace Parker Slentz (my grandson). It was inspired by his birth on July 31, 2010 and presented to him on his first birthday, July 31, 2011 by his grampa Slentz.
Thank you, Jace, for teaching me so much about how God loves us, not because of what we do or don’t do, but just because we are. I learned that from just watching you sleep in my arms one day when you were four months old.
I thought you might like to read my journal entry for that day when you get a little older. Here it is:
Thursday November 11, 2010
“I had the pleasure of taking care of Jace for about three hours today while Bridget (my daughter-in-law) was with Dan (my son) during his surgery. Jace was great all day, hardly any fuss at all. The last thirty minutes or so he was asleep in my arms. As I sat there holding him and just looking at him, my heart filled with a love I haven’t felt in many years. I remember feeling that same love for my children and my other grandchildren, but it was easier back then before the troubles and disappointments of life had kicked me around. As I sat there holding him and looking at his little face, tears came to my eyes and I just wanted to hold him forever and feel the love I was feeling right then.
“Then I tried to analyze why I love him so much. He wasn’t doing anything. He was just there! And as I was feeling so close to him and letting my love pour out to him I felt a happiness that I haven’t felt for many years. So I just drank in the moments, wishing that feeling would last forever. Again, he wasn’t doing anything. He was just there letting me hold him and love him.
“Then I thought about God’s relationship with me. I have always thought I needed to perform; to do something for Him to make sure He will love me. But as impossible as it seems, His heart is capable of loving me even more than I love Jace, and when He looks at me His heart fills with love too. I just have to be there. I don’t need to give Him a reason to love me, He just does!
“Thank you, Jace, for just being there and letting me love you and teaching me how to really love again. You don’t have to do anything but be there.
“Thank you, my Father, for showing me You love me in the same way. THIS HAS BEEN A REMARKABLE DAY!”
Jace, I hope you will always remember how much God and I love you no matter what you do.
I hope you enjoy “The Adventures of Arnold A. Airplane” as much as I enjoyed creating him for you.
Thank you, Jace, for teaching me so much about how God loves us, not because of what we do or don’t do, but just because we are. I learned that from just watching you sleep in my arms one day when you were four months old.
I thought you might like to read my journal entry for that day when you get a little older. Here it is:
Thursday November 11, 2010
“I had the pleasure of taking care of Jace for about three hours today while Bridget (my daughter-in-law) was with Dan (my son) during his surgery. Jace was great all day, hardly any fuss at all. The last thirty minutes or so he was asleep in my arms. As I sat there holding him and just looking at him, my heart filled with a love I haven’t felt in many years. I remember feeling that same love for my children and my other grandchildren, but it was easier back then before the troubles and disappointments of life had kicked me around. As I sat there holding him and looking at his little face, tears came to my eyes and I just wanted to hold him forever and feel the love I was feeling right then.
“Then I tried to analyze why I love him so much. He wasn’t doing anything. He was just there! And as I was feeling so close to him and letting my love pour out to him I felt a happiness that I haven’t felt for many years. So I just drank in the moments, wishing that feeling would last forever. Again, he wasn’t doing anything. He was just there letting me hold him and love him.
“Then I thought about God’s relationship with me. I have always thought I needed to perform; to do something for Him to make sure He will love me. But as impossible as it seems, His heart is capable of loving me even more than I love Jace, and when He looks at me His heart fills with love too. I just have to be there. I don’t need to give Him a reason to love me, He just does!
“Thank you, Jace, for just being there and letting me love you and teaching me how to really love again. You don’t have to do anything but be there.
“Thank you, my Father, for showing me You love me in the same way. THIS HAS BEEN A REMARKABLE DAY!”
Jace, I hope you will always remember how much God and I love you no matter what you do.
I hope you enjoy “The Adventures of Arnold A. Airplane” as much as I enjoyed creating him for you.
