Yearly Archives: 2014

A Birth Day

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It isn’t every day a grandma gets to help birth a baby! But today was one of those amazing days.

Even though my role was minor (conversing during labor, fanning an overheated mama, running for cool cloths), the grand finale’ was extraordinary for all six of us as we welcomed baby Isaac William into Linnea and Adam’s family. He joins Skylar, Micah, and Autumn, a happy pack of 4 children born in 5 years.

???????????????????????????????Birthing a baby is no small feat, and labor is well named. But Linnea was a trooper, enduring her unexpectedly long ordeal with stoicism and patience. As labors go, her 8 hour effort wasn’t especially long, but after 3 lightning fast labors, this one was a surprise.

As always, though, once the baby was in-arms, the duration of labor no longer mattered. As the book of Proverbs says, “the desire accomplished is sweet to the soul” (13:19), and nothing could diminish our joy. Later, as we sat pondering who “little” Isaac (9 pounds 1 ounce) would turn out to be, we knew that our wonderings had already been personally determined by God himself. And since that was true, we knew he was headed for a grand future.

Isaac William.“Father in heaven, may Isaac hear you calling his name while still a little child, and may he love you so steadfastly that he never turns away.”

“May you become blameless and pure, [a child] of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.Then you will shine…. like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.” (Phil. 2:14-16)

Dance to the Music

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They say music is the universal language, and from what I can tell, God has programmed it into all of us. We see it in little children, when they begin bobbing up and down to elevator music, tunes on store speakers, or notes floating in from the car pulled up next to us. Some begin wiggling to songs in their high-chairs in something similar to the chair-dancing at retirement villages. Surely our loving God is responsible for all this joyful response to music.

Emerald, at 14 months, loves music. She’s learned to dip and bob, swaying to whatever tunes she hears, expertly waving her arms high in the air. She’s also a pro at chair dancing.

Discovering musicThis week she discovered a new way to make music, the piano, and as I opened the lid, she literally baby-gasped with delight. The two of us spent a long time at the keys, me plunking out Twinkle Twinkle while she worked on harmony. Eventually she spotted the foot pedals and learned to make them thump out a little rhythm, too, beneath her pushing. Now the piano holds intense fascination for her, and she’s always up for a jam session.

Music is keenly important to nearly all of my children, and they make sure to work it into their daily lives. Those who are parents of youngsters encourage them to sing and dance, some by way of formal classes.

Skylar dances, far rightMaking musicAll of them end each day by singing songs at bedtime. Hans, here with his 3 oldest, makes sure they know how much fun it is to make music.

I believe God puts a song in our hearts for all kinds of reasons. In Scripture we see people singing after winning battles, and making music as part of their worship services. Instruments are played at celebrations, and gratitude for God’s blessings is sung out loud. People also sang at weddings, while in prison, and when they wanted to express the greatness of God.

The Bible also gives us one more way to think about music. When we’re buried in sorrow, God says we can anticipate that there will be singing in our future.

Apparently there’s never a wrong time to sing, for 3 reasons: (1) to express delight; (2) to please God; (3) to demonstrate joy in the Lord in front of others. And when we’re asked why, he is the reason for our song.

If we don’t feel confident of our abilities, though, we should remember that God can initiate songs within us in a variety of ways: through descriptive poetry, lilting prose, quiet humming, even the jaunty snapping of fingers. And because he’s the Creator of music, he can also put songs where they’ve never been before.

Chair dancingAs for those who still feel under-confident or self-conscious? They can always dance…. even if it’s just in a chair.

“Speak… to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:19)

Comin’ Up!

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Having delivered 7 babies, I well remember the struggles of that last month. I was quite a sight in my snug maternity clothes, and comments from strangers in the grocery store didn’t help.

???????????????????????????????“My heavens! Are you overdue?” Or, “Looks like you’re carrying twins!” My favorite was the gasp of an elderly gentleman who said, “You look like you’re ready to explode!” I tried to view it as his way of sympathizing, though I did see him back up ever-so-slightly when I passed him with my shopping cart.

Our Linnea is currently in that self-conscious 9th month when the whole world feels free to editorialize. Actually, she’s in her 10th month, having passed her official due date several days ago.

9 months pregnantIt’s bad enough to feel uncomfortable, exhausted, and fat. But on top of all that misery comes the burdensome bob-and-weave of unpredictable emotions.

When a woman approaches (or passes) her due date, she can be just as surprised as those around her at the sudden weeping or flash frustrations. But the truth is, it’s hormonal, and it’s normal.

I remember being a week overdue with our first baby, Nelson, gradually accepting the fact (or so I thought) that the baby just wasn’t ever coming out. Tired of guessing if “tonight would be the night,” I felt better once I decided I was going to be permanently pregnant. And so goes the wild-‘n-crazy thought-life of a full term woman-in-waiting.

Sometimes those of us who are not waiting to give birth might have similar thoughts about another coming event, something many generations have been waiting for: the coming of Jesus. The Bible says he’ll return to our earth as the triumphant King of the World to set everything straight.

The second comingWhen I read today’s news and learn of the horrors in our world, I plead with the Father to orchestrate his Son’s return quickly, so people can be rescued from evil a.s.a.p. Though we know about some of the atrocities, there are many others going on in secret, even involving young children. And sometimes I wonder, “Lord, what are you waiting for?”

The only reasonable answer is that he’s hoping unbelievers will recognize the truth of his Gospel so they, too, will be saved. He may have other reasons, too, but whenever he comes, it will be “in the fullness of time,” his time.

For now, though, when I find myself crying for the sad, sometimes tortured situations of others, God reminds me of an encouraging statement he put at the end of the Bible. Jesus himself said it: “I’m coming soon.”

Meanwhile, in a couple of days I’ll be flying to Florida, bringing another pair of helping hands to my daughter and her family of about-to-be-six. And when I get my first look at her 10-month tummy on Sunday, I know the very best thing to say: “Honey, you look absolutely beautiful!”

“Jesus said, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)