God's Kiss

A few nights ago I was driving home and listening to Chuck Swindall on my local radio station. I honestly can't remember the message he was giving but one thing he shared stuck out. He talked of his time in seminary with another man who had a birthmark on his face. He was amazed that this birthmark didn't seem to bother this man and one day he asked him about it. The man shared that when he was young his father told him that right before he was to be born God kissed him on his face and the resulting birthmark was proof that he was loved by God for all the world to see.

Chuck said that this fathers story helped shape the way the boy saw himself and thus he never saw himself as ugly or damaged but special because he was kissed by God. I loved that story.

When Elijah was born we noticed that he had a small birthmark on his right knee. I honestly don't understand what "causes" birthmarks but my mom commented that maybe that birthmark was a reminder of what Elijah had to go through to get here - with my surgery and all.

A few days ago Isaac reminded us that Gabriel too had a birthmark. What is so interesting about this is that Gabriel's birthmark is a similar size and found on the back of his leg right behind his right knee. And if you compare pictures of Gabriel and Elijah they are almost difficult to tell apart. Isaac is very similar also - but Elijah resembles Gabriel to a tee.

So I showed Gabriel the birthmark on his leg and then the one on Elijahs'. Gabriel was a little freaked out by the birthmark and kept trying to rub it off. Then I remembered the story that I heard on the radio...about God's kisses.

So I told Gabriel that it was a kiss from God - that before he was born God kissed him and it left a mark. This apparently worked for Gabriel also. He has asked several times in the past couple of days where his "God kiss" was. He likes to look at it - although difficult to see because of its location on the back of his leg. But he knows it is there and he knows that it makes him special to God.

Isn't that awesome?! Who doesn't want to know that they are loved by God, kissed by the Father right before they are born?! Each one of our boys are amazing gifts, given to us, entrusted to us by One who loves them all. Today I am so grateful for each of our sons!