The Wonder of the Small

The following I share with gratitude to Michelle Karr, a hope*writer from Southwestern Ontario.  She speaks with a profound "knowing" of the interweaving of heartache and joy; something I am living in as well. You can follow her writing journey at instagram.com/thewonderofthesmallwhere she shares her reflections on motherhood and the beauty of Christ in the midst of our everyday ordinary.

"Last year at this time we were preparing to learn how to make space for holding both sorrow and joy - a lesson that comes best with life experience, and a lesson we continued to learn throughout the year.  December saw Christmas cards blended in amongst sympathy cards. January finds us holding sympathy cards and grief in one hand...birthday cards and celebration in another.  Before 2019 I think I had a clear divide in my mind of times of sorrow and times of joy - life hadn't yet taught me that at times the two will co-exist.  The soul can make space for both.  Tears can intermingle with laughter.  You don't need to fear or avoid one in favor of the other - they both just simply need to be lived and authentically experienced for what they are.

This week I find myself writing thank you cards for meals, for donations, and for flowers, while also shopping for a birthday meal, birthday decorations and a big "1" candle that will garnish our little girl's first birthday cake.
Yet again we will experience the depths of sorrowful times in the midst of joy, and joy in the midst of sorrow.  We will eat cake and shed tears.  We will reflect on what will never be and celebrate all that is.  And we will remember and thank our great God who is in the midst of it all."

A Time to be born --Seaton Tadeo

Seaton Tadeo

Sunday January 5, 2020 2:18 am  7lb.2oz

Born at Home

I have been hearing for years of the absolute joy of being a grandparent.  The oft repeated quote--"If I had known grandchildren were this much fun I would have had them first!" has not been grasped--until now.  Now--I gaze upon, snuggle, kiss and simply bask in the beauty of this sweet baby boy and I am completely undone and captured by this incredible life-changing experience.  

Seaton's Grandad is completely "taken" by him also and I have enjoyed watching my husband relish moments of time with this fresh-from-God gift.

 

 

   I feast eyes upon this treasure, remembering 27 years ago with my firstborn--Seaton's Daddy and I am so deeply grateful to be part of this new generational story.

How I enjoy watching these two grow into this new family.  Never were there doubts of the wonderful parents they would be, but oh my, how fun and moving it is to see them mother and father their son.  It is equally beautiful  to observe my son care for his wife.  I'm enraptured and grateful for it all.

Seaton Tadeo--

so well prayed over 

 perfectly and divinely created

I watch as you

stretch and squirm and rest tiny hands in all manner of poses

I listen as you

murmur and squeak and cry and sigh and yawn and

make countless facial expressions 

When I am with you my "other" world ceases to exist

When I walk out the door to come home

i miss you already

you are a timely, gracious gift for this Nana's heart 

Gift of God, precious child, miracle, my little one. 

Lay your head on my shoulder. 

It seems that it was yesterday that I held your father in my arms just this way. 

You are a sweet blessing to me, a tiny messenger of joy. 

Welcome to this magnificent life.

May God grace you with all things that are good and shield you from all harm. 

May the bonds of our family be your strength. 

May our love be your comfort. 

May our faith sustain you. 

May God be with you, now and always. 

Amen.  

 Naomi Levy

(Grateful thanks to my cousin Lori for sending me this prayer)

A Time for Everything --2020

I confess I don't even think about making a New Year's Resolution anymore.  It's something I moved away from a number of years ago.  Instead I begin asking God during the week of Christmas if there is a word and verse of scripture that I could take to heart over the coming year.  This year it's phrase-- 

"A time for everything"

It's from a familiar passage in the book of Ecclesiastes. 

1For everything there is a season,

a time for every activity under heaven.

2A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

3A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to tear down and a time to build up.

4A time to cry and a time to laugh.

A time to grieve and a time to dance.

5A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.

A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

6A time to search and a time to quit searching.

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

7A time to tear and a time to mend.

A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

8A time to love and a time to hate.

A time for war and a time for peace.

9What do people really get for all their hard work?  

10I have seen the burden God has placed on us all.

 11Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. 

He has planted eternity in the human heart, 

but even so, 

people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work 

from beginning to end. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 

Even as I write the words--"a time for everything", I wonder how far I would be willing to stretch this phrase?  Do I truly believe there is a time for everything?  EVERYTHING???!!  And if so, what does this mean? 

I sense that there is a wealth of meaning in simply the word "time" and I don't doubt that if I am wide awake to this I will glean much.

But then to add to this that Solomon proposes that there is "a time for everything" ----- this changes everything.  

Verses 1-8 hold many questions for me.  I am unsure of how to read them, believe them, explain them with some of the horror which life holds.  It's easier for me to skip over some of the phrases and chalk it up as a mystery.  The latter part of verse 11 says this in so many words--

"people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end."

Ultimately it IS a mystery and cannot be understood by the human heart.  Still, it remains that the title of this chapter is "A time for everything" and it goes on to list many of them.

So I purpose to study and reflect and question and learn and keep turning over and over in my mind and heart this brief portion of God's Word.

For sure I have a faithful Guide.