Friday, March 18, 2011

To Know and Be Known

One of my deepest desires in my relationships, be it my marriage, friendships, or relationships with family, is to know others and be known. Deeply. Authentically. And really, I believe all of us deeply desire for someone to really know us... to really understand. We know that is possible through a relationship with God; in fact, scripture tells us in Luke 12:6-7 "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows" (emphasis mine). Psalm 139 is filled with a beautiful picture of how deeply the Lord knows us... each of us, who He has uniquely created. Yet I know that it is the heart of so many, particularly many women, who deeply desire to be in relationship with others here on Earth in a way in which we are also deeply known.

Being "known" in our immediate family has had some really interesting, and heart-warming developments. I've shared before about how it is our desire that Eliana always understand that Isaac is her brother... that from the start, he is part of her schema of who are family is. Lately, when Ellie gets up from her naps, she'll point to the picture of Isaac on the shelf in her room and squeal with delight. As we walk downstairs to the playroom, we'll often stop to look at all of the framed photos that we have hung on the wall. We point to Mommy, to Daddy, Auntie Kate, and to others. When we ask her, "Ellie... where is the picture of your brother Isaac?" She points to him. Immediately. She knows.

Most touching, though, is how Eliana will walk over to the bookshelf in the living room and pull Isaac's photo album out and bring it over to us. I'll sit her in my lap, and look through the pictures with her, carefully narrating each one. This past week, she started to lean over and interact with the pictures. Whether it is pointing to something in the picture and asking " This?" (her way of asking "What is this?"), putting her cheek against Isaac's picture and saying "Awwww.....", or bending over and giving his picture a kiss, it is clear that she now only knows who Isaac is, but that she knows that he is someone worthy of her affection. He is known.

My heart swells. With joy, with sadness that Ellie won't get to meet Isaac on this side of Heaven, and with gratitude for God's faithfulness in allowing Isaac's life to continue to hold a prominent place in the tapestry of our family as Eliana continues to grow and learn. I am so grateful that our sweet little one year old understands who Isaac is, even if it's in the most simplest of ways.

11 comments:

Green Girl said...

That is truly awesome.
How sweet for both of your children!
She is indeed lucky to have a big brother to watch over her in a way most big brothers are unable to do so!

Jenny said...

Amazing!! I love that!

Lindsey said...

That is so sweet! My sister was tragically murdered almost four years ago and I often worry about my children not being able to know her like I did. But my daughter who is almost a year old recognizes her picture and points at it a lot. (Or maybe she's just pointing at her nose.) Either way it warms my heart. I love reading your blog by the way. So inspirational!

David said...

The innocence of a child is amazing. How cool is our God that he perfectly designed a little girl who knows her brother is so special? That she gets to minister to your heart daily like in the most sweet innocent way possible.

Carly said...

Oh my gosh, Ellie, so sweet. That is so amazing and touching.

Taylor said...

So wonderful and precious!

Whitney said...

That is so wonderful!! I hope we have the same experience with Nathaniel when he's older.

Ava said...

Brought tears to my eyes!

Miche said...

I think about a post you wrote just after Eli was born a lot lately. It was the post about you carrying her down the stairs while she was gazing at Isaac's picture.

In the nursery we have one wall that belongs to Megan. It seems like Lauren's eyes always drift to that wall and we tell her that is her sister.

I love that she tends to stare in that direction and can't wait until she can begin to grasp who is she is seeing.

Great post!

Liz and Will Timmerman said...

This post fills my heart with a smile to hear about the ways that eliana knows her brother. It is my belief that she knows him even more than you could comprehend. I thing that Isaac is connected to his sister in amazing ways that we will never completely understand this side of heaven. As painful as it is to watch eliana grow up without the physical presence of her sweet big brother, I hope it is some comfort to know that there are now three members of isaacs family on earth that are connected to him and his legacy.

Holly said...

I just love this-how she knows her brother.