8.07.2010

Blessin's and Lessons of Baby K

Well, it has been over two months since my last post. Since I have been gone from blog world, I have been blessed to give birth to a sweet baby girl. I don't know that my blogging (or lack there of) can get much less frequent, but if it does, you now know why. :)

So far, the transition has been HARD. Everyone tells you that it's a joy, but it's hard. But you don't really know what that means until you get there. There has been much pain, ample frustration, many tears shed, and much sleep lost - all in all, great sanctification. This period of life truly has been one of the most difficult ones I have faced thus far, but I am so grateful. Oh how we prayed for this baby girl! I am already re-learning how I can't and shouldn't control everything, how much I am truly dependent upon the Lord for every little thing, and how precious I, as one of His children, am in His sight.

Before little K was born, one of my sweet sisters-in-Christ Erica introduced me to the work of Noel Giger, an artist who has been gifted and inspired by God to redeem into art what others cast off. What an amazing concept, and what an opportunity to share the gospel! I bought a sweet hymnal plaque from Noel for K's nursery.

Then Erica surprise gifted me with one of the necklaces (a redeemed domino) that Noel donated to her auction/garage sale fundraiser that she held for her year-long mission/teaching trip to Czech. You can follow Erica in her adventures here.

As I prepared my heart to take important pieces, including times of trials and suffering and all the sanctification that came with those, with me into becoming a mom, I asked Noel to create a custom necklace representative of this occasion. I gave her general preferences but left the design up to Noel's creativity and heart, as we both have fellowship in learning the hard way that God truly is good through all circumstances (See her blog - link above - for her story). You can't see the whole necklace (especially as it is designed on both the front and back), but here is a picture of it around my neck with little K's hand reaching up and grasping it. :) Makes my heart happy.

This beautiful custom piece was created out of a hymn written by Charles Wesley (music attributed to Dmitri Bortniansky). I am posting the hymn below both because it is a good artistic expression that speaks my heart better than I can in my own words and because I hope it encourages you:

Thou Hidden Source of Calm Repose

Thou hidden source of calm repose,
thou all-sufficient love divine,
my help and refuge from my foes,
secure I am if thou art mine;
and lo! from sin and grief and shame
I hide me, Jesus, in thy name.

Thy mighty name salvation is,
and keeps my happy soul above,
comfort it brings, and power and peace,
and joy and everlasting love;
to me with thy dear name are given
pardon and holiness and heaven.

Jesus, my all in all thou art,
my rest in toil, my ease in pain,
the healing of my broken heart,
in war my peace, in loss my gain,
my smile beneath the tyrant's frown,
in shame my glory and my crown.

In want my plentiful supply,
in weakness my almighty power,
in bonds my perfect liberty,
my light in Satan's darkest hour,
in grief my joy unspeakable,
my life in death, my heaven in hell.