And God said......"Ta-da!"

Happy Birthday -- Celebration time! Today, is my granddaughter, Alexia Wallace’s, 20th birthday, and my beloved Shawntel Wuerch's 50th. Thirty years apart as you can see in this photo! Two of mine who I thank God for and who I love and adore. When Alexia was little, she loved wearing princess dresses. It was inbred into her because, right from the start, she was introduced to princess-dom with a room and crib arrayed in princess décor. She was our Princess Alexia right from the start. Our first girl amongst five boys. Alexia knew that she was beautiful, precious, and special to us because we told her so and she believed us!

Before God said, “Ta-da, here’s Alexia”, He said to us: “Ta-da, here’s Shawntel” when our son married our beautiful, precious, and special Miss America 1996, Shawntel Smith. We claimed her as another daughter to us right from the start. Our Princess Shawntel!

God made the earth. God made the stars, the moon, the oceans, the dry ground. He made man and woman. And the scripture that followed was “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31). In essence, God said, “Ta da!” It’s like the dramatic entrance of royalty into the court when a servant announces “I present to you…..” God made the announcement “What I made is very good! Ta da! And THAT includes YOU!”

This blog today is to remind us all that God says “Ta-da” about us as He says: “I present (add your name here) and I call her/him very good!” Maybe you’re not feeling so “ta da-ish” today, but you should. Psalm 149:4 says: “For the Lord takes pleasure in His people.” You bring Him pleasure. Maybe you don’t feel so beautiful or handsome but try looking at YOU through your Father’s eyes. He doesn’t simply accept you, forgive you or put up with you. He delights in you. Think about this “As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will God rejoice over you.” (Isaiah 62:5)

I saw an Instagram reel of a groom bawling his eyes out when his gorgeous bride, in-full-bridal-array, step through the doors of the church with her father. It was, no doubt, a “Ta-da!” moment. That young man was rejoicing over his bride. Sounds magical, doesn’t it? But nothing can compare to the rejoicing that God has over us.

When God looks at you and me, He doesn’t evaluate us based on our family history, or how cute and spunky or how popular we are. He doesn’t consider our education, our resume OR our bank balance. What may impress others, doesn’t impress God. None of that changes how He values us. In fact, whether we behave well, or not, He loves us because we’re HIS! “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called Children of God” (1 John 3:1).

This blog began with the birthday celebrations of my granddaughter and daughter and how they both know how precious and special they are to us. Let me give YOU some good news. God says “You are beautiful and precious and special – not just slightly attractive, but BEAUTIFUL! My mom used to say: “Pretty is as pretty does.” I remember those words and they are true, but whether we are on our best behavior or not, God sees us BEAUTIFUL, because we look just like our Dad. “God (Dad) created mankind in His own image.” (Genesis 1:27). And that includes you AND me.

We are God’s unique work of His creation. Maybe it’s time for us to stand in front of the mirror and say it like we mean it…..”Ta-da!” And the ultimate “Ta-da” comes when we know that we know that our Father is holding his outstretched arms and announcing His daughter or son with the greatest pride and joy any Father could have “I see what I have made, and she/he is VERY GOOD!”