8/29/18 – Papa’s Blog –
To: Micah Daniel Baguma, coming in at 6lbs 12oz at 4:42 AM on August 29, 2018 at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY.
Micah, by now, you have met Nana. Even though you may have slept through most of that 1st encounter, you will never forget her. See, Nana has been praying for you every day since she heard that you were coming into our family. She daily prays for your parents, for your two brothers, for you and she even prays for your future wife. Now I know that you probably are not interested in women yet, but it is important that Nana prays for her because that is how your Mom found your Dad; he was the answer to Nana’s prayers.
You and I won’t meet until late Sunday. I am leaving after church and should arrive around 9 PM. I don’t really expect you to wait up for me, so don’t try. If you have any Gower blood in you, I will make sure that I bring a Happy Meal with me and we can split it when you wake up!
If you don’t know already, everyone is excited about you being here. Nana and I are excited because you are the youngest of 17 grandchildren. But you need to take advantage of this now, because it is not going to last long. I am not sure if you have heard yet, but your Aunt Candice is going to give birth to our 18th grandchild, within the next week. Now that doesn’t mean that you still won’t be important, you will just have to share some of the limelight with your cousin.
As your Papa, I have been thinking about what I wanted to say to you. Try to listen, as I am pretty sure what I am about to write will mean much more to you in the future than it will mean to you today. If you have any questions, we can talk about it when I arrive on Sunday.
I don’t know if you remember your Mom screaming and crying this morning as you arrived, but know that those loud noises were sounds of joy… A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. John 16:21
God knew you were coming for a long time, even before your Mom and Dad knew… “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.” Jeremiah 1:5
And knowing you all this time, God created you just like He wanted you to be, one of a kind… For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:13-16
When you arrived this morning God gave you as a reward to your Mom and Dad… Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Psalm 127:3
There may be a few times in your life when you might feel unloved, but understand that is so far from the truth, because God has been and always will be passionate about you… Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Isaiah 49:16
And even if God could forget you (and He can’t) He would remember you because your angel is consistently talking to Him about you… “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.” Matthew 18:10
I know that things seem pretty good right now, I mean where else can you go where everyone is fussing over you! Think about it, you make any kind of noise and people are running to check on you, wanting to serve you. You get to sleep all day, and eat whenever your want and Nana… well, she acts just like you are her 1st grandchild!!
Yet there will be days when things don’t go exactly like you want them to go. There will even be some days when you will resist what God has for you and you might even experience some negative consequences for that. Papa had a few of those days when he was growing up. But understand that when your parents do not allow you to do everything you want, it is not because they don’t love you, on the contrary, they discipline you, they set parameters on your life because they do love you… He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him. Proverbs 13:24 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him. Proverbs 22:15
You may not always agree with what your Mom and Dad say, you may not always understand, but make sure that you always listen, because that will be good for you… Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them. Proverbs 1:8-10
And when it comes to your parents, not only obey them as you live in their home, but always honor them no matter what age you are. If you do, God says He will make it worth your while… Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”–which is the first commandment with a promise, “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3
But the most important thing I could ever tell you, is that God loves you. Papa and Nana will fail you, even your Mom and Dad may fail you, but God, He will never fail you or forsake you… God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
Nana tells me that you look very handsome today and I am sure you do. But on the inside, that is a different story. See Papa is a sinner, and I passed my sin on to your Mom, and your Mom and Dad passed it on to you. Yet even though we are sinners, God loves you and me so much, that He died for us… But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
When you get old enough your Mom and Dad will tell you just how much God does love you… For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. John 3:16-17
Micah Daniel Baguma, know that you are a huge blessing to Nana and me… Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children. Proverbs 17:6
Know that Nana and I see you as a gift from God… Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17
And know that there is nothing you could ever do that would please Nana and me more then to be a man that walks with God… I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4
I am looking forward to meeting you on Sunday. Make sure that you save some room for that Happy Meal!!
