Imagine this: your boss comes to you one day and tells you,
"You've been doing an excellent job! I think you're ready for more. So I'm bringing in a new person to your department. He doesn't know anything about our company, but I know you'll do a great job training him. You're probably going to have to work more hours for the same pay, but you're the best person for the job. I have faith in you."
What are you thinking at this point? More hours?! A new guy?! More responsibilities?! Same pay?! I can't do this!
That's close to how I felt when I found out I was pregnant. Only, of course, I don't get paid. And honestly, I don't mind a little extra work. I just wish I feel as confident about my mothering skills as my Boss does.
It's helped that many people around me are excited about the new addition to the Baird family. They tell me what they see of my family, and they reassure me that I will handle seven children just as well as I am handling six. To all of them, I say, "Thank you for your encouragement! Your confidence in me is starting to rub off."
Then there are a few people who don't quite know what to say, except, "Was this a surprise? Or do you plan to have more?!"
I still haven't thought of the best, quick way to answer that.
In our present American culture, babies fall into two categories: planned or surprise. It doesn't make sense to leave something like the number of children one will bear up to "chance", not when there are drugs, surgeries, and other methods to prevent pregnancy.
But this is what I've observed, and this is what I know: children are not a result of "chance". I have friends who cannot get pregnant. I have friends who have sadly experienced multiple miscarriages. Many people who "plan" to have a certain number of children at a certain age find that they cannot fulfill this plan. Which means that ALL babies, either expected or unexpected, are a gift from God, a person that God has purposed, a new life that He has entrusted to two people.
And so, though our baby #7 was not planned, neither was he a surprise. God has blessed me with a body that can carry babies well. And he has called me (as I've come to realize with this child) to this special mission field. Some fly to Africa to spread the Gospel, some go into the inner cities; I am at home, training the next generation of Kingdom Builders. And here's the best part: he has equipped me with all I need to fulfill my tasks. He's not a Boss who sits in a nice suit, in a fancy office, and just observes; He gets in there with His workers, into the sweat and muck. I feel confident in my job because I have complete confidence in Him.
It took me a long time to gather my thoughts together for this post. I am now 21 weeks along. We find out today if the baby is a little boy or a little girl (the tie-breaker!). I pray that all will continue to go well during these last four months, so that I can say that, by the grace of God, I've given birth to seven children and have never experienced a miscarriage.
Seven blessings from God. All by God's grace. Hallelujah!
"You've been doing an excellent job! I think you're ready for more. So I'm bringing in a new person to your department. He doesn't know anything about our company, but I know you'll do a great job training him. You're probably going to have to work more hours for the same pay, but you're the best person for the job. I have faith in you."
What are you thinking at this point? More hours?! A new guy?! More responsibilities?! Same pay?! I can't do this!
That's close to how I felt when I found out I was pregnant. Only, of course, I don't get paid. And honestly, I don't mind a little extra work. I just wish I feel as confident about my mothering skills as my Boss does.
It's helped that many people around me are excited about the new addition to the Baird family. They tell me what they see of my family, and they reassure me that I will handle seven children just as well as I am handling six. To all of them, I say, "Thank you for your encouragement! Your confidence in me is starting to rub off."
Then there are a few people who don't quite know what to say, except, "Was this a surprise? Or do you plan to have more?!"
I still haven't thought of the best, quick way to answer that.
In our present American culture, babies fall into two categories: planned or surprise. It doesn't make sense to leave something like the number of children one will bear up to "chance", not when there are drugs, surgeries, and other methods to prevent pregnancy.
But this is what I've observed, and this is what I know: children are not a result of "chance". I have friends who cannot get pregnant. I have friends who have sadly experienced multiple miscarriages. Many people who "plan" to have a certain number of children at a certain age find that they cannot fulfill this plan. Which means that ALL babies, either expected or unexpected, are a gift from God, a person that God has purposed, a new life that He has entrusted to two people.
And so, though our baby #7 was not planned, neither was he a surprise. God has blessed me with a body that can carry babies well. And he has called me (as I've come to realize with this child) to this special mission field. Some fly to Africa to spread the Gospel, some go into the inner cities; I am at home, training the next generation of Kingdom Builders. And here's the best part: he has equipped me with all I need to fulfill my tasks. He's not a Boss who sits in a nice suit, in a fancy office, and just observes; He gets in there with His workers, into the sweat and muck. I feel confident in my job because I have complete confidence in Him.
It took me a long time to gather my thoughts together for this post. I am now 21 weeks along. We find out today if the baby is a little boy or a little girl (the tie-breaker!). I pray that all will continue to go well during these last four months, so that I can say that, by the grace of God, I've given birth to seven children and have never experienced a miscarriage.
Seven blessings from God. All by God's grace. Hallelujah!
No comments:
Post a Comment