So I was feeling crummy. Less than feministly fussy but more than indignant, you could say. Then my almost 11-month-old crawled in to my lap, opened her mouth as wide as she could, and came at my face with her tongue out. She began to lick my face repeatedly and giggle. It was disgusting, but simultaneously the sweetest. My baby was playing with me, and it made her so happy that she was erupting in hysterical laughter. I didn’t stop her, which made the germaphobe inside me twitch, but the pure joy being slobbered all over my face was far too precious. My crummy feelings subsided, all because this tiny person was moved to joy just by my face, and I appreciated what a blessing she is to me. She doesn’t even know.

And then it hit me—a thought that, if Hook was a real life movie, would be the happy thought that gave me the powers of flight—one day, by God’s grace, she and I won’t be mother-daughter. We will be sisters in Christ worshipping God forever. And, maybe I cried a little bit while laughing (who can’t laugh when tiny babies are laughing?), and maybe this should be a thought that had dawned on me sooner. Our children, these tiny people that seem to have this firm, fixed place in our life, are only our children temporarily. With God, they are fellow heirs to the throne that will stand in eternal worship of our Creator alongside us. It was hard to imagine in that moment full of slobber and laughter that she will one day be my sister, but I simply can’t imagine anything more joyful than that.

This is a miscellaneous post so switching gears stilettos, I’ve long been a skeptic of devotionals, particularly the kind geared toward womenfolk. What’s with all the flowers on the covers? Is that all women are interested in? I’ve never particularly cared for flowers. And I definitely don’t need any more flowery, puff pieces in my life (do you?). I’m always dubious of what’s inside a book covered with flowers. Anyway, women have been asking me for devotional recommendations and number one, I highly recommend getting the Morning and Evening app. You can’t go wrong with Spurgeon, and the convenience of having it with you on your phone is awesome. Second, I highly recommend Paul Tripp’s devotional, New Morning Mercies. It’s the one I’ve been going through since last year, and Tripp does what he does best—delivers all the conviction and doesn’t forget to send you to the cross for grace. It’s wonderful. No gaudy flowers here. If you’re in a devotional lull, buy this one.

Finally, do me a favor. Take a minute. Sit down. Ponder. What’s your favorite work of contemporary fiction? Pride and Prejudice is not the answer. Okay, sure, it’s contemporary. I’m not asking for your favorite classic, though. What piece of fiction have you loved that was written in the last 60 years? Let me know. Comment on our page on Facebook where we link to this article and let me know. Don’t mess this up. You can do it.