The meaning of David

 

My son is one of the most peculiar people that I know. He is a four year old whose had an abundant amount of energy since he was in the womb and doubled the amount of testosterone.

For the the first few years, raising him was so challenging. With the combination of him not being a big sleeper and his frustrations of not being able to verbally express his emotions effectively, produced temper tantrums that were comparable to taming a wild animal.

Our discipline consists of verbal warnings, time out and pops (spankings) only on the tushy (where there is plenty of cushion:)) We discuss with him the emotions that were involved to trigger the action. We explain with scripture as our reference why it is inappropriate and what the correct heart posture should be. Then we always end with hugs.  Even with that type of discipline, it used to and still hurts us to discipline him.  Oh, but believe me, we did it often. Especially when he was going through the ''terrible two stage."

But his acts never made me love him less. The disciplining process was more work than what we were used to compared to our daughter, but when it's all said and done, Daddy and I still have to get our kisses, I love you's and cuddling time as if he had never done anything wrong. Why? Not just because he's the best cuddling partner ever, but because we love him. We are very grateful to God for opening our eyes to see His unconditional love for us through the mannerisms of our son.

I am sure, that like my four year old while he was going through his terrible two stage, we adults throw our own kind of tantrums when God doesn't give us our way. Or we try to exercise our will over God's will just like David used to grabs his shoes from me and say "My shelf (which means myself) Mommy!" Then he would put them on the wrong foot.:) We do the same... yes we do the same, but no matter what or how many flaws, insecurities, or levels of immaturity we own, God's love doesn't lessen.

The meaning of David's name is Beloved. Which is all him. Just like King David in the bible,  with all the mistakes that he made, God still loved him with a very, very special kind of regardless-of-what-you-do-wrong-love. We are all  beloved to God.:)

I love you David more than you will ever know and God loves you even more.

~For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angles nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39