Preparing To Open Gifts

I thought the third time was going to be the charm when I was up late into the early morning hours with contractions keeping me from a blissful sleep. Yet, it’s just another tedious night of consistent uncomfortable contractions, the third false alarm. The contractions are consistent but they have yet to be painful enough to signal my cry towards the hospital.

God is preparing my body and family for the big day. My due date is now 11 days away and my mind is cluttered with various details pertaining to baby, the holidays, birthdays (my oldest son’s 10th birthday is just days away), and schedules.

To pass the time, I’ve been checking items off of my list left and right and slowing down the pace of my heart, body and mind. Partially due to the physical limitations with this expanding belly and also my own sanity, I’ve been saying no to that request, finishing this job, and wrapping up that commitment…all to prepare my heart, mind and home for our precious new gift.

It’s nice to have something concrete to release myself from all sorts of expectations; and the fact that I know God has prepared all of this in advance for me to do (Eph 2:10) drives my heart to be like Mary was described in Luke 2:19 “…treasure up all these things and ponder them in her heart.”

Slowing down to embrace the God given treasures of your life is good practice even when you are not 9 months pregnant.

I don’t want to forget this…not this moment and not this truth! For God, surely gives us one gift after another. (John 1:16) Surely there is a gift waiting to come forth once these contractions take over with gusto and there will be another and another until the final gift with Him for eternity. (Just to clarify, I’m not talking about more children—but one blessing after another which God promises).

I don’t want to sit here and whine and complain about the discomfort I am feeling for this short time, or be distracted by any other discouraging thought…but take it all in with great anticipation.

You may not be pregnant anticipating the day of your newborns arrival, but there is a gift awaiting you in the horizon too. Let’s roll up our sleeves, put our minds in gear and be totally ready to receive the gift…whatever it may be. (1 Peter 1:13).

Maybe we can open them together!