Our little Presley will turn 2 in July. From the moment Presley was beginning to form in my womb, she has been a firecracker, so its only fitting she was born 2 days before the 4th of July.
I became very sick a week before I even knew she was developing. Baby girl was so strong her earliest kicks were visible from the outside. Caleb and I began to play a game nightly to see how far she could kick an object off my growing belly.
I will never forget one night in our hospital room hearing a baby cry down the hall in the nursery and looking at Caleb and saying, "that's Presley". The nurse walked in giggling while Presley was red faced from screaming her lungs out. The experienced nurse gently said, "I have never seen one get so worked up the moment she was hungry. She was fine and then she wasn't and she let me have the whole way here." We all laughed because we had heard her as they made the entire walk through the halls to our room.
My brother recently commented about Presley being the most opinionated baby he has ever met.
Its true.
Its a running joke in our family that if you sit with or around us during Sunday morning worship, you need to be prepared to duck in the event of flying objects. You see, if you offer Presley a bowl of goldfish and she wants raisins, she doesn't just nod no or turn away. She takes them and launches them back at you. Despite my best efforts, this is still her response.
These are characteristics of Presley that people notice. These are the things that speak the loudest. These are the things she is known for the most.
However, in the simple moments of bath time, ball practices, car rides, and playing in the living room floor, Presley is a beautiful encourager.
Brady recently lead a song and prayer at a singing service. He did an excellent job. For the entire 30 minute drive home, Presley exclaimed at the top of her lungs, "Yay, my bubba, Yay!".
At Brady's ball practice, she passes the time by cheering and encouraging her brother from the sidelines.
Go, Bubba, Go Go Go!!!
While Rylan (a friends 1 year old I watch during the week) figured out how to work a toy, Presley was there shouting, "Yay, Baby Ry! Luh you!".
When I hand her her blanket and paci in the car she sweetly replies, "Thank you my Momma! yay!"
When a waitress at a restaurant brings food, Presley yells, without fail, YAAAAY! I have yet to see a waitor or waitress walk away from her cheers without a smile on their face.
In a world where everyone seems to seek personal gain and spotlight, Presley loves sitting on the sidelines and cheering others on. She has her desires, wants, and opinions. She makes them VERY clear. But she is genuinely happy when others seek and find their desires, wants, and opinions.
I am in the midst of studying the book of John. Recently while studying chapter 3, this very lesson Presley has been teaching me jumped out and smacked me in the face.
John the Baptist is being questioned because Jesus is now baptizing more people than John. John the Baptist once again exclaims he is not the Messiah and continues into a story of how the bridegroom gets the bride, not the bridegrooms friend.
Then John the baptist turns the world upside down with this response.
At the end of verse 29 through verse 30, John the Baptist states "Therefore I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater, and I must become less."
Joy at his success.
Not my success.
I become less and in this I find joy.
As Presley finds joy in the success of her brother, my heart is softened to search where I need to become less and find joy.
I also am reminded that the encourager has a huge role in the kingdom. The encourager keeps spirits high, the encourager motivates to keep going, the encourager moves people to seek the Lord working in their lives, the encourager brings us back to focus, and the encourager challenges those to run faster.
The encourager is important.
I am so in love with our little encourager and I beg you to never overlook the encourager in your life.
I beg you to appreciate them, learn from them, and encourage them in response.
My prayer today is that I can help Presley see the importance in this gift of encouragement she has been given. I pray I can provide an environment which allows her gift to flourish. I also hope to become an encourager myself through her innocent example.
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