Why I'm AuntieB, Part3

I know you feel like this is dragging out forever, but this has been a looooooong and paaaaaainful process.

Anyway, I sat with Sister and we talked for a loooong time about the baby. She knew she was having a girl - and that her name would be Savannah.

I will never forget the morning that Mom called. It was 7:50 am and I was an hour away from home (taking C to work - we had one car and burned up lots of gas with me working another 20 minutes from home in the other direction). I made it to the hospital with the hour.

By the time I got there, Sister was getting her epidural. I asked Mom how long they'd been there - since 3:something am?! This would be a long day.

Sister didn't do bad. Her water broke at the 3:something in the morning and by 8:30 she was getting her epidural - and by noon, we had a baby girl!!!!!

I got to feed her first. That was something I'll never forget. Despite what I thought - you'd never believe how strong the bond is that formed that beautiful November day.

That was 4 years ago. Now, I have a 4 year old girlfriend - AND SHE LOVES TO GO TO WALMART!!!! Good taste runs in the family! What can I say.

Why I'm AuntieB, Part 2

I totally understand that most people think the way my pastor's wife and all those deacon's wives think.

Why wouldn't it work that when you're in service to God? And why wouldn't he bless your marriage with a house full of kids? Doesn't scripture say, "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them." (Psalm 127:3-5a)?

Then why, oh why, is this happening to me?!?!? I don't understand.

There's a phrase that I've heard used about prayer requests - it's "labor in prayer". Like a woman labors having a child, that's the way we sometimes "labor" in prayer over some things. This was one of those things. Days and nights were spent weeping and crying out to God about us not having children because this happening to us wasn't fair. I've spent my whole life in church and involved myself in music and kids ministries.

Was God not happy with my service? Was I doing it half-hearted? I just didn't know what was wrong. And then, I heard Him. That's right. I heard Him speak to me as clear as you would speak to me. He said, "Why are you worried about this? I have the plan all laid out for you. If you will continue in your ministries and be obedient, you will see what I have planned for you. It's stuff you can't even imagine."

Well, that was all I needed to hear. I was done "laboring" over this. It was on to bigger and better things...

Why I'm AuntieB, Part 1

When I found out my sister was pregnant, I thought the world was going to stop.

See, I'd already been married for 5 years. And when you grow up in church under the watchful eyes of your pastor's wife and deacon's wives, you must understand the way the "older" generation thinks about the "natural order of progression".

Step one: get a good education. (Good idea.) Step two: find a "good christian man" to marry. (Yes, those are their exact words, and I agree with those.) Step three: get married. (That's the easy part.) Step four: have babies. (Sometimes it's not as easy as it sounds.) Step five: do some work in/for/at the church. (Despite how much you've got going on at the house.) Step six: grow old with your "good christian husband". (Ok. Whatever.) And step seven: die. (Graduation day! I like that!)

For the most part I can agree with this philosophy, but somewhere on some level, I disagree.

Background for this thought:

I heard a sermon from Chuck Swindoll about people, their ministries, and their families. He said that there are some people who remain single that will have the least "distractions" while serving God. I agree totally. Then, there are the people who are married and don't have kids - for whatever reason. The only "distraction" is the spouse and maybe the job. Otherwise, they can commit themselves more to God's work. I agree. Then, there are the people who are married and have kids. They have the most "distractions" but can commit some time to God's work - mainly because they have the spouse, job AND kids to attend to. This causes more time restraints than the other 2. I agree. Then, dear Mr. Swindoll said something that I'll never forget: "You people who have kids, get off those couples backs that don't have kids. Leave them alone! It's not God's will for everybody to get married and have kids!". And at that point in the sermon, the congregation laughed and took it in stride.

I could've reached through the radio and hugged that man. I'm married and don't have kids. Right now, we kinda think we can't have them. This totally upsets the whole philosophy from earlier - and there's nothing I can do about it.


Stay tuned for...........the rest of the story. Yup - just like Paul Harvey.