On Monday, January 26, at 1:55AM the newest addition to our family officially arrived.  In a moment of incredible joy, the kind that erupts with both tears and giggling, little Noah Charles Mitchell emerged to snuggle in his beautiful mommy’s arms.

I’m actually smiling (and fighting a tear) now.  I can’t help it!  There is nothing that compares with that image etched on my heart.  It’s just…powerful…and I am, thankful.

Upon bring our precious little Noah home we discovered that one of the other children has a runny nose, is coughing, and apparently didn’t mind sharing their germs.  So now three of the children have colds.  Man I wish somebody would have suggested that I invest in Huggies and Puffs twenty years ago!

As I hold Noah in one arm while using the other to type, Jenny is resting and the rest of the kids are just beginning to stir.  From the sounds echoing through our house, it’s going to be another interesting day.

Once again I am keenly aware of just how important my role is as a husband and a dad.  On this pre-dawn early morning there are two Scriptures capturing my attention:

1Peter 3:7 “…husbands, live with your wives in an UNDERSTANDING way, showing HONOR to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that YOUR PRAYERS may not be hindered.” (emphasis added intentionally!)

And Proverbs 20:7  “The righteous [dad] who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him!

Do you want God to hear you when you pray?  Love your wife by being understanding and honoring to her.  Do you want your children to be blessed by God?  Seek God through Christ and practice integrity.