~ Excerpted from The Power of Spoken Blessings by Bill Gothard
When we started thinking about Maria and Daniela’s first birthday celebration, we knew it would be the first of many at Grace Babies’ Home and we wanted to plan something simple yet significant. It could not be so extravagant that we would have difficulty matching it throughout the coming years. Nor could it be something so overwhelming that it compromised the girls’ feelings of security in our home. Understanding that the girls would in all likelihood not remember the event, it needed to have an eternal purpose that went beyond gifts and cake. We also wanted to include the multitude of extended members of our GBH family who love the girls and touch their lives through prayer and support. This is when we came up with the idea of creating a time capsule and filling it with written blessings.
We invited our extended GBH family to send in their written blessings for each of the girls. At the party we took the time to read aloud and speak each blessing upon the girls. Those blessings were then placed in a container that will follow the girls when the Lord moves them on to their forever families.
The celebration was full of special memories and princess themed decorations. The girls enjoyed their own personal cakes, homemade by Tia Jody and Tia Mary. Their time capsules were personalized and decorated by Tia Donna. Gifts were opened, laughter was heard, and lots of photos were taken.
It is however comforting to know that while the cakes and decorations are now history, the blessings of God’s word will endure. They will go on channeling God's goodness to them and directing Maria and Daniela into the Lord's will for eternity.
