segunda semana

Silas turned 2 weeks old this morning. He seems to change more with each day and apparently is enduring some sort of growth spurt or appetite increase...poor Momma Mel. :) Mel celebrated her first Mother's Day on Sunday and I've been back at work full time a week now. We're settling into some sort of sanity and routine but we're still emotional wrecks because the little man has wooed our hearts.

It is astounding how many people are happy with the birth of our son, this was obvious on Sunday as we went to church. Our church is great and the people there are loving...and not the type that act that way but the type that really are. Silas slept through the entire service (don't tell Pastor Randy). We spent a good part of Sunday afternoon enjoying one of Mel & I's favorite hobbies, watching movies. We rented Run Fatboy Run from the local Red Box (amazing $1 video rental machine). Click HERE to find one by you. Anyways, the movie was hilarious but very meaningful, especially to me since the birth of Silas.

I've discovered that deep inside every man is a longing to be a dependable, responsible, courageous, and confident leader. I think God made us this way so women will want to make babies with us...because men don't really have much to offer if we can't offer leadership (let's face it, women are much more attractive than men). Well here's the point : when the opportunity comes for us guys to step up and be men (it may be something dumb like when the guy at the post office gave me one too many two cent stamps today or it may be something HUGE, like being a dad) we have a choice. And here's a little secret--every guy is scared out of his mind.

He's scared he'll wimp out, he's scared he won't be good enough, he knows he'll fail, he fears that others might actually follow him and he might not really be all that followable. When Silas came into the world these thoughts and emotions overwhelmed me like darkness in a cave. The movie is basically about that. It's basically about a man trying to be a man and teach his son to be a man. You should watch it.



It's hard to believe we're only two weeks in and I think I've messed up more that George W. and Obama combined (don't vote for me). But I think the thing that's most important isn't not messing up but how to respond when we do. That's the true measure of a man. My prayer for myself, for Silas, and for all the young men I shepherd at Christ Community is that we would find our life and our manliness in Jesus. That we wouldn't try to prove ourselves but rest in the promise of God through life in Jesus. That's my hope for Silas and me. So when Silas asks me, "dad, what's it mean to be a man?" I'll have an answer.

"Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness." -Romans 4:4-5

Also...I wanted to make one thing very clear:

Silas, your mom is my hero.

She is utterly amazing, authentic, and lingerable. I fell in love with a seed that captivated the entirety of my affections. The simple seed was beautiful and amazing. Ever since Silas was born the seed began to blossom and now I am forever drawn to the blossom of my tender flower. Dietrich Von Hildebrand wrote that, "...every intrinsically fulfilled marriage is fruitful even in the deepest sense of the word. The fact that the closest communion of love between two people produces a new human being mysteriously reflects the fruitfulness of love as such." We love each other Silas and we love you--you are the fruit of our love my son.

ok...now what you really want: more pictures...

Mommy & Silas, Daddy & Silas - first family walk, Grammy Rochelle & Silas, Great Grandma & Grandpa Grunig (& Silas), and the amazingly handsome and silly Silas Randy Parson.