More than 31 years ago the baby Cristina on the left sat in a bathtub.. and her mother Helen looked on proudly. Who could have known then what this baby's son would be like when he lay in his bathtub in the next picture. Cristina was reflected in this mirror in Pensacola, Florida as Jared was reflected in a little toy mirror in Bunker Hill, Virginia. Even though Jared weighed in less than his mom did at birth it wasn't too long till he passed her up.
What a joy babies bring when they come to a home. even with all the getting up at night and all the work, life is never quite the same after their arrival!
Cristina's great grandmother, Velma Whitten, was thrilled to know Cristina. I remember when Steve and I drove to Weir, Mississippi on a cold December day in 1976 and knocked on her door upon arriving. "MaMaw", as we grandkids called her, opened the door grabbed Cristina in her arms, and disappeared behind the door, practically closing the door in my face! She had what she had been waiting for, her newest great grandchild!
So 32 years later in 2007 Stephen and Cristina flew to Mississippi from Washington D.C., which was close to their house in West Virginia, and rented a car after that to drive from Jackson to Clinton where they came to visit Jared's great grandparents (my parents).Even though "Maw" Whitten (my mother) was in a nursing home you can see the same look of a proud great grandmother looking speculatively for the first time at her great grandson Jared.
"Paw" Whitten, who was in a separate Assisted Living Residence at the time, was equally happy to get to know his great grandson. Due to his Macular Degeneration he was not able to see Jared as he would have liked but he nevertheless enjoyed holding him and seeing him up close.
Children's children are the crown of old men (and old women I might add!) Proverbs 17:6
Here you can see three generations of the first born children in their families. My mother was the the oldest and the only girl in her family of three boys after her. In my family I am the eldest and have a sister and two brothers. When I had my children Cristina was the eldest with a sister with two brothers.What a blessing to have such a rich heritage in the Lord! I have come to love a scripture in Isaiah 61:9. Ever since my children began leave home to go to college this scripture has sustained me.
I have personalized this scripture and have used it as I have prayed for my children.
"My descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, and my offspring among the people.All who see them will acknowledge them, that they are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed."
I am thankful for my heritage in the Lord that goes even farther back than my Whitten Granparents. My great granfather Whitten was a circuit preacher that covered a number of little country churches in rural Mississippi. We heard many times of his adventures riding a horse in the snow to different churches on those cold wintery days and getting paid in chickens and other produce that the people had handy at the time. Having said all that I am so glad that as John reminisced in his gospel he said, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name." I am glad that I have received him and that He is faithful to let me be a child of God. What a privilege! What a joy to see how the Lord has continued to bless our children as they follow Him and will now continue to bless our first grandchild Jared and Luke who is soon to make his appearance.
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