Cooper Stanley Frei

^“Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.”Psalm 127:3 (NLT)Cooper Stanley Frei was born on Wednesday June 18, 2014, at 4:10 PM, all 20 ½ inches and 7lbs 10 oz of him. Is there anything as soft as a new-born? Is there anything as precious as that first cry?Cooper Stanley entered this world as a gift of God. For the rest of his life his parents get to unwrap him. Susie and I talked about it, you get that precious bundle of life handed to you but you have no idea what that little life holds, and there are times when you ask God if it is too late to exchange that gift, or get some store credit. But they come without a receipt (except for the hospital bill) and so the exchange idea usually doesn’t fly.Cooper Stanley came into this world blessed. He was wanted, not dreaded. He is a dream come true, not an interruption or inconvenience. He had grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, cousin, and friends show up to cheer his arrival; and they are already fighting over babysitting rights and holiday privileges. His parents have been preparing the “nest” for months. He wasn’t born into poverty but in into plenty as well as into freedom and opportunity. He has a Mom and Dad who follow Christ, worship, pray, and strive to please God. Yes, little “Mini-Cooper” is blessed.Cooper Stanley doesn’t know it, but he was born into responsibility, “to whom much is given much is required” (Luke 12:48). All this love, all this privilege, all this opportunity, all of the freedoms that greeted him when he popped out can be taken for granted or even be claimed as a birthright, or they can be recognized as precious gifts that call for giving thanks to God. They can be used for indulging self or an enabling to be a servant; they can be used for the pursuit of good or bad.Cooper Stanley was born a as a creation of God, as a son, as a grandson, as a nephew, cousin. He already has roles assigned to him. Hopefully he will have lots more of them, and hopefully he will embrace the roles assigned to him. Hopefully he will choose to use his roles to glorify God and bring joy, blessing, goodness, and positive influence as a son, grandson, nephew, cousin, friend, ….Cooper Stanley came into this world exposed (quite literally). He, like all of us, came into this world that is filled with brokenness, corruption, disease, pain, injustice, violence, accidents, disasters, and death. He too is exposed to the decisions and the sinfulness of others, the workings of history, the machinations of evil, and above all the sovereignty of God. These will shape him. These can break him. But may they cause him to rely on, to lean on, and to trust in God.Cooper Stanley, 1000 times cute as he is, was born a little sinner. His Mom and Dad will not have to teach him how to sin or to embrace sin. No, in fact they will spend much of their parenting to keep that little sin nature from running amuck. God in his greatness and wisdom not only gave this little boy life and breath but in his mercy has already provided for him a Savior, Jesus Christ, who is able to forgive him, liberate him from sin, and give him eternal life. May he above all else come to know, love , and follow Christ, God’s Son.To God be all glory, one proud Grandpa/Opa, Pastor Hans