After last week's rollercoaster I have so many stories I want to share. This one is bubbling up inside, and won't go away til I do....

Over twenty-five years ago, as a young mother of one daughter (Sarah) I went to a Bill Gaither Concert. Of all the songs sung, one stuck with me over the years. Maybe because I was a young mother. I absolutely cannot sing. It's a stretch to say I make a "joyful noise." These are the lyrics I found myself singing over and over last week:

"God Sent His Son, They Called Him Jesus;
He Came To Love, Heal And Forgive.
He Lived And Died To Buy My Pardon;
An Empty Grave Is There To Prove My Savior Lives.

How Sweet To Hold A Newborn Baby,
And Feel The Pride And Joy He Gives;
But Greater Still The Calm Assurance:
This Child Can Face Uncertain Days Because He Lives.

Because He Lives, I Can Face Tomorrow
Because He Lives, All Fear Is Gone
Because I Know He Holds The Future
And Life Is Worth The Living
Just Because He Lives"

I sounded awful, out of tune, didn't get all the words right. I sang while blubbering. I sang with quiet tears running down my face. The "This Child" WAS this child, Addison Elisabeth. Singing this song over and over was about as close to praying as I could get. Romans 8:26 says "for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." Psalm 139:13-16 comforted me deep in my soul: "For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were written all the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!" This scripture I knew by heart. I better understand this week why we are to "hide His word in our hearts."

Reciting Psalm 139, I knew God didn't get distracted for a moment, too busy to tend to the details of knitting this child in Sarah's womb. Holes in her heart, and whatever else might be her "inward parts" were no accident, but rather His hand fearfully and wonderfully making her.

I'm not sure men would understand this, but I believe women will. On Mother's Day I finally got to actually hold this little girl. I'd been singing about it, albeit it off-key, all week. Sarah asked me if I wanted to change her outfit. (She has a LOT of outfits!) When I took off that little diaper and saw her little bum I was struck - SHE will be a mother someday. She will bear children and love them as her mother does her, as I do my daughter, as my mother does me. The comfort that washed over me is indescribable. It was, seriously, the most moving diaper-changing experience I've ever had.

This Child Can Face Uncertain Days Because He Lives.

Labels: Dusty Stuff