Okay, I'm ready now!

An-y-time now...

I try so hard not to get discouraged, and just allow labor to come on in God's time. Yesterday I realized that, in spite of my efforts, I had indeed mentally worked out my own time frame for this birth instead of leaving it to the Lord. I was in tears as I got dressed for church, remembering that last week I had put my maternity church dresses aside to wash so that I could put them away, since I would not be needing them anymore. Ha!

So I went to church Sunday morning, to face everyone there who were all certain I would have had this baby by now! It's been raining and cold b/c of a hurricane in the Gulf the past few days, and I thought how lovely it would be to stay warm at home alone, laboring to the sound of rain falling outside... Only thing missing was the contractions.

I took a nap in the afternoon, "patiently" waiting for a good, hard contraction. Nothing significant came. So then it was time to get ready for the afternoon church meeting, and I couldn't think of any reason not to go (besides depression?? Well, that's actually a good reason to GO :o), so I rolled my pregnant self out of bed, dressed again, and went with my family.

I have to admit, both morning and afternoon services I was glad I went (once I got there) and especially enjoyed playing the piano. It was soothing, and it took my mind off myself and the baby, as I played and sang unto the Lord!

After getting home later, I put on my nightgown again and went to bed early, "just in case". I awoke a couple hours later. My brother in Wisconsin had called, so I paced the house while talking with him. That conversation was so refreshing! I didn't mind waking up for that.

Daniel and I were both feeling a bit excited, and had a hard time settling down. We talked until late, then finally went to sleep. I had good, hard, low contractions until around 2:30 a.m., then slept well until the sun came up.

SO.. Here I sit, still craddling this little cuddler in my womb. My mom says she just enjoys the ride. She's certainly in no hurry to find the exit! But there is no doubt she will be born soon. I can't wait to share the news. :o)

Thanks for all your prayers!

Overdue?

Early this morning I was pondering this word that we use, overdue, referring to pregnancy. Is there any such thing as being overdue? Sometimes I hesitate to tell someone my due date, because people tend to fixate on that date as THE day for a baby to be born, or something is not right. The baby might get too big, or the mama is uncomfortable, or, worse, the doctor is leaving town and the mother must submit to induction if she wants her doctor to be present for the birth.

How impatient we get, and unwilling to submit to God's timing! Is not the time of one's birth just as fixed in the mind of God as the time of one's death?

"My times are in thy hand..." Psalm 31:15

The reason I think patience matters first of all is because God is deserving of our confidence in all circumstances, and not just in the circumstances in which it is convenient to trust Him. Has He not proven Himself faithful in all areas of my life? Then why should I not trust Him with the timing of the birth of a child He created in the first place?

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:14

Another reason patience matters is because many women, for lack of patience and faith, get anxious and begin to make bad decisions. When a woman gets impatient she starts to take the controls into her own hands (or turns them over to the doctor) instead of leaving them to the Lord. Then she tends to subject herself and her child to unnecessary medical interventions, and one thing leads to another.. Before she knows it, God has been left completely out of the birth process.

"But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts." Psalm 22:9

In other areas of our lives we say we trust in the Lord, and resign ourselves to wait on Him. Why is it that we isolate pregnancy and birth from this principle, and do everything we can to induce labor and hasten delivery? I am convinced that the timing of a birth can be completely and safely placed in the hands of Jehovah. He is forming this little one in the womb. Let's not disturb the Artist as He completes His masterpiece! His work is never overdue.

"For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them."

Psalm 139:13-16