Let it Be Done Unto Me

As I have said before I am very pregnant and anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new little man Eli.  I don't do very well with the waiting part.  For some reason my body does not go into labor on its own so I have a lot of experience in this department.  I have six great friends from High School and College who were all pregnant with me and due this summer. They have ALL had their babies now except for me. :) So I am next right?

When I am this pregnant and am feeling all of the pregnancy symptoms, fears, anxieties, etc. I always think about Mary.  I think about the fear and anguish she must have gone through. Here she was just a sweet little 14 year old girl working for her parents. Then, she was visited by an angel and told that she would not only become pregnant without being married, but her son would be the King, the Messiah, the man her family had been waiting on for generations. Mary was a good little Jewish girl and she knew exactly what the scriptures foretold about the Messiah. Can you imagine the weight she must have felt?  She could have said no. She could have run away from God's plan for her life, but she didn't. She said "Lord Let it be done unto my according to thy will." She openly said "yes" to God knowing that it would make her life difficult and challenging. I guess she knew that being the mother of the son of God would be well worth the pain and fear.

The part of this story that really comes to mind right now is the actual birth of Jesus. I am REAL pregnant. As my husband said yesterday "You remind me of the B 52s." I thought "this outfit doesn't look like anything they would wear" then he started singing "I got me a Chrysler it's a big as a whale!" Thanks friend love you too! So I am as big as a whale. When Mary was this pregnant she and Joseph made the long trek back to Bethlehem for the census on the BACK OF A DONKEY! Can you imagine? Your husbands says, "yeah I know you are real pregnant but I need you to ride on a donkey for a few days". Ummm no thanks! But again she willingly said "yes" and followed her husband. I think about all of the fear of the unknown you have right before giving birth. "Will I be a good Mom?", "Do I have every tiny little baby contraption to make this baby happy?" "Will the baby ever sleep again?", etc. Her fears would have been different though. "Will my baby be safe in this world?" after all he was nearly murdered right after being born by King Herrod. "Will I know how to care for the Son of God?", "Will my friends and family accept this pregnancy?", "How will my little man change the world?" I figure these thoughts must have been swirling in her head as she rode along on that donkey.

Then she goes into labor, not in a hospital, not even in a barn like we are used to seeing. She most likely gave birth to Jesus in the side of a cave. In Bethlehem caves were used as stables for animals. She was surrounded by animals and animal feces. It wasn't sterile, she didn't have her parents waiting in the next room to hug their new grand-baby, she didn't even have a doctor. All she had was her faithful husband and her in faith in God.

I believe we have so much to learn from Mary in this story. She led her life with Grace and love for God. Every decision she made was not for her own glory but for the glory of God. She loved Him and would follow Him wherever he leads. I pray that I can do the same. I pray that I can say "yes" to God with no limitations just as Mary did.

This is my first experience with a little boy. I just keep thinking what if I knew he was destined to change the world. How would I parent differently?  I actually had an extremely spiritual and sweet family friend tell my mother-in-law that her grandson would be a priest one day. Father Eli sounds pretty good doesn't it? That would be the ultimate dream of my life to know that I raised a man of God. Even if Eli is not called to be a priest I still want to look back and say that I raised a man of God. I can't wait to meet you tomorrow little Eli!