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Thursday, January 24, 2008

Who are these children and why are they calling me "Mommy?"

On a "girls' weekend" one year, a few friends and I purchased a bag for another girlfriend. The bag was embroidered with this caption- Who are these children and why are they calling me "Mommy"? If you knew the girlfriend, you would see the humor in the whole idea. Since then, I have seen the phrase a few times and done a double-take each time at the woman sporting it. Who is that woman? Does she really hate being a mommy?

Now I have two children. I see the humor in the idea.

It seems to be a season of mommies. A close friend just had her first baby this Saturday. Precious. Other friends seem to be getting pregnant and giving birth monthly. According to national data, more babies were born last year than any time in the past 40 years. A had a girlfriend email me about this, "A mini-boom. We're both contributers, huh?"

It is no surprise that when we feel comfortable with our lives on this earth, we desire to bring children into it. We exalt in God's command to be fruitful and multiply. And life has been good. I look around at my friends and family. We are all blessed! For some reason, at this time in history, in this group of people, our Sovereign Lord has desired that He would give us the tools to be able to support multiple healthy children. Healthcare is available (available, not perfect), the economy is relatively stable thanks to globalization (the international markets freefall and right themselves the next day), food is plentiful (but watch out for sugar, white flour, and additives), and our husbands have jobs that allow us to stay at home and raise our children.

It is convicting to see that the source of my own discontentment is a lack of thankfulness and a lack of understanding of the enormity of the blessing and responsibility God has entrusted me with. These children are calling me Mommy because God has given us to each other. He has been in control for the beginning of time, so of course He has been in control of our lives from the beginning. My girlfriend who just gave birth for the first time had no drug intervention, and I told her I was proud of her. She responded that she could not take credit for being "super-strong"- it was the Lord who gave her strength through each contraction and each push. She did not want any of the glory. "...But let him who glories, glory in this: that he knows me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness throughout the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord" (Jeremiah 9:24).

I have been meditating on this verse for the past few days. My God is the God of eternity, who stands before time and sees everything. He put the stars in the heavens and knows them all by name. How can I do anything but bless Him for His perfection?

Bless the Lord, O my soul. Let all that is within me bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits,
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals al your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction, and
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies

Ps. 103:1-4

2 comments:

Boone Frenzel said...

Another encouraging post! Praise God that he is using you as such a huge source of light to all of your readers! Again, we are blessed to know you guys!

Anonymous said...

Well said.

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