Happy Birthday, Ella!

Tomorrow, January 4th, my Ella will turn 7 years old. Oh my goodness. Where has the time gone? She is so big!

Last week I told her that I would take her on a "daddy date" on Sunday for her birthday and that we could do anything she wanted...movie, ice cream, whatever. Her choice was to go to Lakeshore Retirement Home today to see the "old people". I went about 2 1/2 years ago to do a communion service there one Sunday afternoon and took Ella with me. She has never forgotten it. In fact, she has asked to go many times since. Today, it was her one wish.

So, after church she and I headed to Kroger where she picked out some very beautiful roses which she wanted to buy with money she had saved up. We took the roses and went to the 1pm service at Lakeshore. The Harpeth Hills Church of Christ youth group led the service today. I'm sure they wondered what we were doing there. Ella and I sat down before it began and Ella leaned over and whispered, "Can I go sit over there with those grandmas?" So, we went to the side where she plopped herself down on a couch between 2 older women. I sat in a chair near them. Ella helped turn the pages in the hymnal, she smiled, she sang.

After it was over Ella pulled out her roses and handed them out. Miss Margaret sitting next to her was one of the first to receive a rose. Margaret was a beautiful Southern lady. After Ella handed her the rose she told us that she had 3 daughters. One of them died last month. She told Ella how much it meant to her to have her sit next to her.

Ella and Miss Margaret

Ella's wish was one that blessed many people today. It's so like her. She has always had a special gift of encouragement and compassion. It seems to me to be God breathed and I consider myself one of those most encouraged today. Seeing her excitement, the thrill in her heart to be there and the gleam in her eye as she talked and ministered to those sweet people today really showed me the way of Jesus today. I am being taught the Kingdom of God from my 7 year old. What a treasure!

After the service she and I went to Cold Stone Creamery and had some yummy ice cream. I just kept looking at her thinking about all the things I hope for her. I also wondered how many wonderful things I will learn from this girl over the course of my life.

Last night we celebrated the New Year with our dear friends Grant and Jill Batson and their kids. We were again reminded of the true gift of friendship we have in this world. I snapped this pic of Grant as he worked on tuning Ella's new guitar. Grant makes guitars. One day maybe Ella will play a Batson guitar!

Happy New Year everyone! And Happy birthday, dear Ella!