Here is another one that will most likely be worth paying attention to and watching. And, it will be free.
A Fear of Down Syndrome (et al)
God: “Fear not.”
Fear is debilitating. And that is the main purpose of fear. Whether it is staying in a marriage that is difficult, losing a source of income, or, as in the example above, having a baby after the age of 40, buying into fearfulness means that we believe God doesn’t notice when swallows fall anymore.
I’m just unsure why the collective *we* think we are due a life that is easy and enjoyable and fun and full of all of the people and things we want. And that when people disappoint us and things go awry, all we need to do is read up on more self-help books, get counseling, quit parenting, get divorced and give those annoying people (even mentally) the hand signs that mean, so to speak, “get lost.” Then there are those spirit-filled-with-what-kind-of-spirit-IS-that kind of people who preach and teach that all we need to do is WANT an easy life, and CALL one to ourselves, and CHOOSE to have one; that the reason things are hard are because the easiness isn’t getting “spoken into” existence or, perhaps, you need to just choose a different pet as your own personal spirit guide. And when the god you’ve made doesn’t suit you anymore, just trade he/she/it in for a different model. The world is full of people excusing and glorifying themselves. That is one reason why when hardship occurs, when the rug gets pulled out, the fruit is anger, resentment, bitterness, cynicism, and even more hatred of God. And fear. Lots of fear.
The truth is that our world has fallen. We’ve rebelled against a holy God who gave us our very breath. If our own hearts convict us (and we all have consciences), if our own homes are not the picture of heaven-on-earth (and we all have selfish selves in them), how might we expect the world at large to serve our own expectations? We can’t even meet our OWN expectations!
When those expectations clash with reality, faith really is the only way to turn. Faith in our own efforts and plans or faith in God’s sovereignty and goodness. Yes, go forth with those plans and efforts to correct the wrong (see a doctor when you’re ill) but don’t put all of your hope and trust in that doctor, and certainly do not sin in the midst of trying to “fix” a problem.
I’m glad I didn’t know that Ruby had Down Syndrome when I was pregnant. I know I’m weak-kneed and would have traded my peace and enjoyment of the pregnancy for fear of the unknown. And other than in my Bible, there are not a whole lot of places in the world that are telling me to “fear not”. Rather, there are multiple places blaming me for any fear I have.
And you know what? As much as I wish Ruby didn’t have Down Syndrome, I’m still glad she is here. I’m 40 now. I don’t know if I will have another baby, but I don’t fear having one. I don’t even know if the children I have right now will get through life unscathed by tragedy or illness or hardship, but I somehow doubt it.
All I know is that the peace of God in the midst of trials is very sweet, indeed. And so, sometimes, are the results of those trials. Fear not. God is bigger than the boogie man.
Life or Death
The frogs are newly noisy in the evenings so even though the calendar disagrees, I say spring has sprung! When I am able to meander outside during the day, I find myself looking for signs of life, whether they include bulbs pushing up through the soil or buds ripening on the fruit trees. I also find myself more aggressive in shooing the hens out of my kitchen garden because if my garlic gets dug up there is going to be major amounts of chicken pot pie on the stovetop, pronto!
I do have some areas in the gardens that cause me pause. I’m just not sure if particular trees and whatnot are going to pull through and live, much less thrive. When I gently bend back the twigs, some are, well, green and “bendy”……and some just sadly snap off. So I just keep them in the ground, tending to them, waiting. Waiting to see if life prevails.
This wee magnolia tree I rescued from an overgrown patch of woods last fall. Lichen is growing all over it (is that bad?) but several branches have buds. I think. I’m almost sorry I moved it when I recall the beautiful white flowers that originally came forth through the brambles. I’m waiting to see what happens.
This crab apple tree was taking over all of the sunshine in my kitchen garden, and up here in the Pacific Northwest, we need all of the sun on our vegetables that we can get! So I moved it last fall to a place where my chicken tractor had been parked. Unfortunately, I didn’t think until later about all of that great (and hot) chicken-poo that was now mixed into the soil. I think I fried half my tree. But I’m waiting to see what happens.
Roses got moved as well. I love roses. But I do wish they loved living in maritime weather; it is always a struggle to keep their leaves unpunctured by bugs and blackened by mold. I’m sure using a chemical solution would be helpful (and I have done so in the past) but now that I’m keeping honeybees I’m a lot wiser about that sort of thing. So I just live with whatever holes the organic essential oil sprays can’t keep from occurring. And yes, I’m unsure how the transplants went. I’m waiting to see what happens.
My daughter’s been making valiant efforts to save two runts from the two litters of rabbit babies (kits). She’s been successful (we think) on saving one by helping the mom to nurse the wee thing, but there is another one who the mother has completely rejected and won’t let nurse. My daughter’s been struggling with fostering the runt on the other doe. It’s unsure what will happen to the little one. I’m waiting to see what happens.
Do you see a theme here? I have no guarantees about how my efforts will play out when I care for anything that’s been gifted with life. All I know is that life is beautiful, and whatever the future holds, I will always be grateful to God for having even just a small part in the wonder of it all. Even if a lot of it seems to be…waiting to see what happens.
Blessings,
March for Life
40 Days to Save Even One
This morning as I nursed the baby, I turned from marching through the genealogies of 1 Chronicles to Habakkuk. He has an interesting name, I remember thinking.
He laments the ungodly culture he is living in the midst of and pleads with the Lord,
O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! (1:2)
I understand. I long to see the Lord’s infants, nestled in their mother’s wombs, come to life full of days. Instead I am acutely aware of knives, buckets, suction devices. Life ripped out. I cry from the deepest parts of my spirit. O Lord, how long……
It wasn’t so long ago that I would have easily considered an abortion had the opportunity (that is, an *unwanted–or untimely–pregnancy*) showed up. I am guilty of putting myself and my own wants and needs above the people I love best who are here, so it isn’t a stretch to forgo care for someone I haven’t even met. But God….thanks be to GOD!…revealed my thoughtless sin to me before I did any such dreadful thing. I am thankful. But humble enough to know it could have, would have, easily been me.
I do not hate women who have abortions. I anguish for them instead, for I know the truth will come and they will know deep sorrow. I truly fear for those who hide the facts, who profit from such evil, who coerce and convince these mothers to do the unspeakable.
There is much to do to turn the tide. Events are taking place all over the nation, and you can find out more here. Humility, though, in our own hearts, is where we must begin.