This Mother’s Day….I find myself with a different perspective. Three months from now my husband and I will enter the “empty nest”. I’ve never been there before. I find myself thanking the Lord over and over for the blessing of having this final child with us for almost 28 years! I have enjoyed every moment with this dear girl of my heart. Our hearts and home will miss her. It is right that she marry and set out to establish a new home with her husband, but on this Mother’s Day, I see motherhood having come full circle. The longing for my little girl has already begun and yet I find myself so thankful for the joy of having been a mother to three precious and healthy children. All three are saved and serving the Lord today. How blessed I really am.
I would like for you to meet another mother who has been a blessing to me….
In February of 2009, I made a new friend when my husband and I went to Wisconsin for a preaching meeting. My friend, Deneen, was the mother of ten children at the time. She did not look old enough to have delivered ten children, but ten children happily filled her quiver.
This past February when my husband and I returned to this same meeting, I eagerly looked for Deneen in the crowd of people. I anxiously sought her out and blessing upon blessing, she was now pregnant with her eleventh child! I was thrilled for her! We were able to visit and share tidbits of our lives. She immediately asked about my daughter, Cherith. You see, the year before when I first met her, I had shared my prayer concern about finding a husband for our daughter. We prayed together about this and she promised to pray for me and for Cherith’s need.
What a joy it was to share how God had answered our prayer and led us to just the right man for Cherith! The fact that she even remembered that a year later, really touched my heart! It also endeared her to my heart even more.
Just last month, we received an email from Deneen’s family requesting prayer for the coming baby. As it turned out he had many health complications. He had received a confirmed diagnosis of Trisomy 18 or Edward’s Syndrome. They had chosen his name as Philip and were waiting for labor to begin in the next couple of weeks. They had been told that this kind of infant was usually born stillborn or lived just a short while after birth.
They asked us to pray for an uncomplicated and safe delivery. We did.
Tears came to my eyes when I read that email. This sweet little baby boy with an under developed brain and many physical handicaps was named and loved by his waiting family.
I began to think once again about the value of one child’s life. I could see how my own children have affected my life, yet how seldom we think that “special needs” children can have an effect on our lives as well.
Philip was born April 24, 2010. He weighed 5 lbs 6 oz. and was 19 ½ inches long. He was born by cesarean section into a loving family with open arms. Philip was not stillborn. God obviously has a plan and purpose for this little one’s life.
In announcing his birth, his parents stated: “Philip’s brain didn’t develop fully and he can’t always remember to breathe. We don’t know how long he’ll live but we are enjoying every minute with him. All the kids visited him last night and we got to talk to him and hold him for about 1½ hours. Please continue to pray that we’ll have wisdom and strength in the upcoming days, weeks and months.”
“We don’t know how long he’ll live but we are enjoying every minute with him…”
That spoke to my heart. How many parents with perfectly healthy children, do not cherish the moments they have with their children? There are so many homes where the children are not enjoyed, nurtured or loved properly.
As our girl leaves our home, she leaves knowing she was loved, wanted and cherished. She leaves knowing her parents will sorely miss her. What a blessing every child is!
If you are blessed to be a mother….enjoy these brief days of motherhood…and enjoy every minute, for too soon it is over…
1 comments:
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story! My uncle found his precious daughter had died during the night this weekend. His "baby" was 46 years old and he and his wife had enjoyed every day with her. Whether our children live moments or decades this is a reminder to treasure every moment the Lord blesses us with! By His grace I will NEVER forget this!
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