Friday, May 22, 2009

Celebrate the Child

I wonder how long it takes most people. I'm feeling pretty proud of us as a family. It really only took Bart and I about 4 or 5 days to celebrate the child. It took our kids less time.

I am hoping that the response of most parents in our position is immediate celebration of the baby to come. But I am guessing that for most folks it is a grieving process in the midst of the joy, as it has been for us. It's the loss of our daughters future as we had all envisioned it and the what ifs and the concerns for the future are all so overwhelming.

When Salinda first talked to me I said all the right things. I said that it was not the baby's fault and that we would be happy about the baby. That there was nothing we could do about the past, but that the baby was a gift - that the act that created the baby was over could not be undone.

But inside I was grieving and frustrated and upset and well -- all those emotions that run through the mind of anyone else in this situation.

Within the last few days though, the song "Celebrate the Child" has been going through my head consistently. You should click and listen to it, because it has a catchy tune and you'll see why it has been in my head, but if you are too lazy or too busy to click over, the lyrics say:


Celebrate the Child who is the Light
Now the darkness is over
No more wandering in the night
Celebrate the Child who is the Light

You know this is no fable
Godhead and manhood became one
We see He's more than able
And so we live to God the Son

First born of creation
Lamb and Lion, God and Man
The Author of Salvation
Almighty rapped in swaddling bands


It is obviously a Christmas song, but I can't help remembering that the Christmas story began with a teenage pregnancy.

And we have arrived now at a point, in the midst of grieving about losses involved, that we can celebrate the child. And knowing that God is more than able... we can move forward.

And I'm thinking that getting here in about five days is pretty good. I'm going to grade myself high on this one. ;-)

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