LILY

We're praising God today for His greatness and for the goodness of His gift to us - and we wanted to let you in on it....

Lily Kathleen Zenz worked her way outside early Friday morning, February 21 2003, 3:15 am.  The obligatory facts and figures ring in at 6 pounds 12 ounces, 20 inches long.

The Lord has blessed us with a beautiful little girl, completely healthy, sound body, no complications during her arrival.  If Lily resembles any relative, it's probably Isaac from a side, nose-and-lips profile.  She has dark dark hair, super-wide opening mouth, and slender feet almost as long as mine.  She's very animated and expressive....  And what a sweet face.  She's 100x cuter than even a completely biased father has a right to think.

Amity's doing very well after a wild and boisterous labor.  The kids have seen their new sister but haven't gotten to be in the same room yet due to their terrible colds -- we're praying they get well soon, for Lily's sake and theirs....  But they like her lots and hit it off well from behind glass.

We're so thankful to the Lord, and know this is one very very prayed for baby.  Thanks for your participation in that.  We're so grateful God has seen fit to answer in this way.

Lily's name comes in part from our thankfulness of the Lord's care.  With all we've been through, His blessing to us has been like the 'lily among thorns' mentioned in Song of Solomon 2:2.  And as we've learned to trust ourselves to God's care in the midst of trouble and confusion, we remember Jesus' words in Matthew 6:27-28:

'Consider the lilies how they grow: they do not toil or spin, and yet I tell you that Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as one of these.  If God so clothes the grass, which is in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?'

We hope and pray Lily carries these lessons with her on this short journey, and comes to 'seek first the kingdom of God' as the Matthew passage goes on to say.

We hope you all get to meet her soon!

- Happy Dad for the Zenzes