When I first found out I was pregnant, I was so excited. We got online, found a due date calculator and were so excited at the due date, 3/26/10… my grandfather’s b-day! One day before my sister’s b-day. Very exciting… then, we went to the doctor and they wanted to do an ultrasound to confirm 1. a baby in the belly (instead of the tubes) and 2. the number of babies… in our case one. But, I didn’t expect to hear a due date change… to 4/4/10… Robbie said, “That’s a Sunday.” I said, “That’s EASTER Sunday!” I wasn’t expecting a change in dates, especially not Easter. It made for a lot of fun jokes with the church family about singing in the cantata this year and with my family about Easter bunnies and having babies on Good Friday because of the state holiday schedule (most of my family members are state employees).
But it took me until a couple of weeks ago to see the significance of an Easter due date. God made the greatest sacrifice he could possibly give when he let his son die a painful death on a cross for our sins and we celebrate that at Easter. A morbid story, sure, but only if you skip the part where he rises from the grave to defeat death and sin once and for all. It’s not about cantatas or bunnies or baskets, eggs or dresses.. It’s about forgiveness, mercy, grace…. there was a significant message in the Easter due date for this girl who struggles with forgiveness. I see my past in my head, sometimes daily. I know where I’ve been, what I’ve done. I know how badly I let God down, also sometimes daily. I’ve known people with bad outcomes from pregnancy for mom or baby. I’ve heard them say, “I deserve this” or “What did I do to deserve this?” I didn’t have to say those things. I look at my beautiful little miracle and say “How could I deserve this gorgeous, sweet gift?”… it’s like God was reminding me again that my past is forgiven by giving me a perfect gift of life due on the same day we celebrate the death and resurrection of his son. It’s also a reminder of how much I need him, DAILY, to know how to guide her and raise her to know Him and just to know what to do even about simple things as a parent. I hope she sees him early and never takes her eyes off of him.
This Easter, think about your blessings, all the grace God has extended to you and say an extra prayer of thanksgiving… if you don’t know God, then it is time to figure him out. He’s been looking for you and wants you to come home to his family. It’s time for your spiritual re-birth.
Here are some more pics of our new little one, Emily! All these pics were taken by a local photographer and close friend, Heather Sullivan. Her website is www.heathersullivanphoto.wordpress.com . Please contact her if she can be of service to you/your family She is an awesome photographer!
.
Recent Comments