Monday, April 27, 2009

baby Delivery


Maibel the Mouse
Originally uploaded by J.Chin
How do I describe this feeling of expectation?

As the D-day inch ever closer, I am full of anticipation. I can’t wait to see her. Also, the nights are getting sleepless, the leg cramps catching up (so painful!), the breathlessness, etc, etc.

I am enjoying listening to Mozart for Mothers-to-be CD (available from www.amazon.com) as I work on my laptop. I listen to it especially at night to help me go to sleep.
But of the day of delivery, who am I to say what it’s gonna be like? I had caesarean before. What will the contraction feel like? Oh, dear.
My sister (who had two boys) says it’s nice and she would like to enjoy it again. Yaiks. I think she meant for me to treasure it because it’s a once in a lifetime experience.
Right.

I find myself dreading it and yet can’t wait for it at the same time. I believe it’s gonna be wonderful, one way or the other.

I’ve been thinking about it, praying about it, trusting it all to the Lord of hosts. He is and will be in control.

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." (Psalm 18:2 NIV)

The more I think and pray about it, the more I know, that it would not be me who will deliver my baby girl. It would be the Lord. He will open the way, He will provide the way. I should not be afraid. He who is in control over the farthest star and over the smallest atom, He will be in control over my baby’s delivery.

He is my Deliverer. In Him I will take refuge as I count my days down. Oh yeah.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Pregnant Ladies in the Bible

Being pregnant gives me a certain perspective on how some Bible characters must have experienced. When we were passing christmas three months ago, my heart went out to Mary. How tiring it must have been, even just riding on a donkey for a few hours. Let alone all the way from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

Later on I was doing Bible study on Sara who had been waiting for the promised Isaac so long. I could feel her anticipation and happiness. Usually my mind just skipped right to the delivery. But this time it occured to me how long they still have to wait. The day to day pregnancy, etc, for over 9 months. Sara was 90 years old. How they must have trusted in God’s promises, that God will carry the baby through despite the impossibility of such an old lady being pregnant. And what about the prospect of giving birth?

Rebekah too, was struggling with the twin babies jostling inside of her (Esau and Jacob). Right now I am enjoying my girl’s kicking and turning around in my tummy. Sometimes it is very hard and persistent, to the delight of her dad and big koko (brother in chinese). But it’s always fun. How terrible and worrying it must have been for Rebekah to have the babies fight inside her tummy. Maybe she thought something had gone wrong somewhere. After all she didn’t know there were twins (no ultrasound machine, yet). She prayed and God answered her that there were two inside her womb.

At 7 months I had my first ever contraction that I have ever experienced. With my first child there was never a contraction, he had to be delivered immediately by caesarean procedure due to the baby not moving for 12 hours already. So when I had my contraction last Sunday I did not recognize it immediately.

I guess I was just too tired after an especially busy two weeks. Anyway, my hubby rushed me home from Sunday School (I had to leave all my little kids in class to my partner, thank God for her!). All is well after I rested. But my, on a scale of 1 to 10 it felt like a 3 only. Yet it was bad enough for me. What of the real thing?

I will just trust in the Lord. Oh, baby, wait for your time. Do not come early. I want you healthy, gal.
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19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah lay with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,c saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
c Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard of God.
The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. 1 Sa 1:19-20