Our First Words

My son, Nathan, will be 10 months old tomorrow, and he’s just started babbling. His quiet voice, trying out sounds for the first time, is a much welcomed change from the loud screeches of the last few months, let me tell you!

My daughter’s first word was “mama”, much to my heart’s delight, so, of course, I’ve been saying “mama” over and over to my boy, in hopes that he might catch on and follow suit. No luck. This kid gives me nothing but smiles. No matter how many times I say “mama”, he just grins, goes in for an open-mouth baby kiss, and grins some more.

For daddy, however, it’s a different story entirely. Nathan LOVES his daddy. Jon enters the room and Nathan’s head snaps to attention, and then he starts clapping. Talk about a warm reception! So, what do you think my son’s first word is?

“Dada.” Obviously.

Not just his first word, mind you, his ONLY word. And now he says it all day long. While he’s eating, while he’s playing, while I’m rocking him to sleep – “dada…dada…dada…dada…” He says it to me, he says it to himself… it’s his answer to everything!

As I put Nathan in his crib for a nap this afternoon, he clasped his hands together and whispered, “dada,” right before he fell asleep. And I watched him with a melting heart while my son taught me his first lesson about the Lord.

His daddy’s name is the first thing off Nathan’s tongue in the morning. It’s the last thing he says before he goes to sleep. It’s the song that he sings all day long, the focal point of every “conversation” he carries. It’s the most natural thing – why would he say anything different? He loves his daddy.

I’m trying to be more mindful of this in my own life. So often, I’m guilty of chasing my own agenda as soon as my feet hit the floor, but I want to be a woman who pursues God first. I want my Father’s name to be the first thing on my lips in the morning. I want His love story to be the song I sing to my children all day long. I want to write words for you that carry His hope, that speak of His plan for your life. I want to talk with Him before I fall asleep, acknowledging that everything in my day is because of Him. I want my words to be a natural extension of our relationship, because why would I say anything different? I love my Abba, and more incredibly, He loves me.

My own agenda aside, I want to live my days as a wife, a mom, and a writer who shares the hope of salvation, every moment of the day.

The adoration that my son has for my husband serves as a reminder for me, that I have a Father who is more than worthy of my adoration. My son’s singular word reminds me that my own words need a singular focus as well.

May we all be challenged to be mindful of our words, both spoken and written, that they may reflect the glory of Christ in the everyday.