When Daddy Leaves Us Gifts
In December 2020, 39 year old Jody Murphy passed away suddenly in his sleep.
His partner, Alex Leggatt, was only two months pregnant at the time. The two had known each other their entire lives through family friends. Their relationship started during the Covid lockdown with a first date sharing chicken nuggets in a McDonald's car park. Jody was incredibly excited to become a father and had already filled his flat with toys. Alex felt their baby's first kicks during the eulogies at Jody's funeral. She later gave birth alone. Now, ... to help him build a connection with the father he never met, Alex Leggatt maintains a yearly birthday tradition. Before they visit the cemetery in Lincolnshire, England, she places a wrapped present at the gravesite so Malone can find the gift his dad left for him. Malone brings his own gifts to the grave as well, including flowers and a Spiderman scooter, and he still asks when his daddy is coming back.
Click here to view a video of little Malone's birthday tradition.
When our Lord breathed His last on the Cross, our Father in Heaven knew we would need reminders of His great love for us until we could be united together again.
First and foremost, He sent us the Holy Spirit to indwell, guide, direct, and comfort us in His "physical" absence. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever" (John 14:16, ESV).
But on top of that, He has granted us His daily provision in countless ways, reminding us that, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17, NIV).
Like little Malone, open each gift with excitement and anticipation of that wonderful day when Daddy (Abba!) will come back for us! "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13, KJV).
Our Children Are a Part of Us
What an amazing piece of art, digital though it may be. In it, the essence and even substance of the child is "made" from the essense and substance of the parent. The one's holes are the other's gain.
[Though it is digital] it is not an AI-generated piece. It was created by Chad Knight, a digital artist known for his surreal and emotionally resonant 3D art … this sculpture is a digital creation and doesn’t exist as a tangible, physical object. It was rendered using 3D modeling software and is meant to be experienced visually on screens rather than in a gallery or museum space.
This grpahic artistry captures beautifully the symbiotic relationship between parent and child. Our children are literally formed out of the matter our own physical being -- the egg, the sperm, the DNA which we contribute. Then as we raise them, we continually, sacrificially give ourselves to them for their growth and welfare. Over time, they are molded and shaped by the fabric of our being, and then reflect, to some measure, the image of our likeness. We are inextricably intertwined.
And yet, as significant as our own symbiotic relationship is with our children, it is infinitely more true of our relationship with God, our Father. We are made in His image. It is He that has made us. In the Person of Jesus, He sacrficed Himself for our own welfare. He is our ultimate model, and we are called to be conformed to His image.
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27, ESV).
"And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24, ESV).
Saving Up to Pay for Adoption
Fourteen year old Tyce Pender of Cayce, S.C., has started his own lawn mowing business using a $200 loan from his mom to buy a new lawnmower, rake, and leaf blower. To date, he’s mowed nearly 20 lawns and earned over $400.
That’s a nice stack of cash! He could now afford a new video game system, a primo new bike, or even some great new threads. But Tyce isn’t saving for games, gadgets, or new clothes. He’s saving for something far more important — his own adoption!
Tyce’s step-dad, Eric Jenkins, came into his life when he was just 2 yrs old. He’s been there every step of the way to raise him, mentor, him, encourage him, discipline him, provide for him, and protect him. He’s been everything a father could and should be to Tyce.
The family’s goal, from the beginning, was for Eric to adopt him. Yet times are hard and finances are short. So both Tyce and Eric have had to be patient and settle for Eric's fulfilling the role of "awesome step-dad" rather than "adoptive father." But their patience may not have to hold out much longer if Tyce has his way.
He has committed himself fully to raising money and saving toward the legal fees necessary for him to officially take Jenkin’s name and to be able, finally, to call him his legal father.
"This is important because Eric teaches me respect, independence and what a man is supposed to be," explained Tyce. "If anything ever happens to my mom, Eric is who I'd want to live with. … Court is expensive," said Tyce. "I thought I could make enough money to pay for the adoption."
Tyce may have to work hard to pay the legal fees required to be officially recognized as Jenkin’s son, and good on him for doing so!
But thanks be to God that adoption into His family has been paid in full by Jesus Himself!
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:4-7, ESV).
“This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring” (Romans 9:8, ESV).
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God … “ (John 1:12, ESV).