Today we had the boys dedicated at church. For those of you not familiar with this practice, it is an opportunity to "vow" to bring up your children for the Lord. Our church does not practice infant baptism, but it was very important to us that our boys were dedicated. Since we missed the service last year, we got to have both the boys dedicated at once!
I had asked that our pastor, if possible, mention those individuals still waiting on the perfect completion of their family, whether it be a spouse or a child, and was so blessed that he took the time to do that. I know pastors have a lot of requests and demands on them, and I so appreciate him incorporating such a seemingly trivial request. For all the weeks that I avoided church on the infamous "Dedication Sunday," I had always promised that if it was ever my turn, I'd try to make sure those people felt remembered. I was so blessed that my pastor took the time to do so. That really blessed me. It made me feel that I stayed true to that promise that I had made. I never want to forget where I came from, and sometimes I find myself starting to forget. I pray that the Lord never lets me forget and that I am never insensitive to the women who are still where I was.
I also, surprisingly, found myself choking up when he mentioned how after such a long wait we went from zero to two in a matter of a few months. I am not the type to cry so my sudden 'bout of tears welling up surprised me. I think that I am so busy with the two boys that I often don't have the opportunity to sit and smell the roses. I know how quickly this time will go, and I really do strive everyday to stop and play with Isaac, hold Elijah, talk to each of them. I don't want to look back and have regrets about how fast their childhood went. That being said, I still do find myself not taking the time to just sit and thank the Lord for both of their lives. I need to do that more often. I really do feel remarkably thankfully for the direction our lives have taken. I truly feel unworthy of this remarkable gift times two. As hard as we prayed for just one child, to have two, often takes my breath away.
I remember during our last IVF that when Dr. C. came into the room where I was being prepped for surgery he put his hand on my arm and told me he was going to do his best. I looked at him, started sobbing, and said, "I just want one child ... if it could just work one time." He nodded and looked as if he could cry as well. What an amazing and sensitive doctor he was to understand the plight of a barren woman. My prayer did not come true in the way I wanted. IVF negative again. But I am so blessed that it didn't come true. If it had, I wouldn't have either of the boys that I have today.
The rest of the day has been spent with a lot of odds and ends: a trip to the grocery store, unpacking JB, going to brunch at the Officer's Club, visiting with some friends, grilling out, time with both boys in the pool, things like that. I can't believe my Dad leaves on Tuesday already! It's been so wonderful having him here.
Off to give Elijah his last bottle ... night folks!
5 comments:
Dear Wendi,
I have never been to an infant dedication meeting, but I think it's a neat idea. Thanks for writing about what it entails.
I pray that your Isaac and your Elijah will both come to have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, and that their lives will bring honor and glory to Him! That is what we pray for our children as well.
As I was reading your post, I was reminded of these verses, and thought I would just leave them here:
"For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him.
Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD." 1 Samuel 1:27,28
God bless you and your family!
Steph
My prayer did not come true in the way I wanted. IVF negative again. But I am so blessed that it didn't come true. If it had, I wouldn't have either of the boys that I have today.
This made me cry, because I understand it so well. Not that anyone WANTS to be grateful for a pregnancy loss, but if our first miscarriage had ended in a FT pregnancy, we would not have JK. And if our second miscarriage had not happened, we would not have M2 due in a few weeks.
I HATE that cliche comment, "Everything happens for a reason...", but in our two cases, our outcomes would have been MUCH different if what I'd wanted to happen, actually happened!
So today...we are waiting on the Lord for some very specific prayer requests in our lives. While we fully understand He might not answer them (again!) in the way we would want, we also know that His imagination is much bigger than ours. Whatever He provides will be much more amazing than we would ever deign to request. What's so strange is that we finally have a peace in the unanswered state we're in...because we're attempting to have a more anticipatory state of mind, rather than a, "God, we're begging of you...please" state of mind.
That's very interesting about the "dedications" I have never heard of them before so I did some research online to read up on what/where this was mostly practiced. It is very interesting, thanks for sharing.
We do dedications and infant baptisms, but I've never seen it done as a big group like that. Around here they do it individually.
What a special thing you did, remembering those still hurting!
Happy dedication Sunday to you and your boys!!
It was SO GOOD to see the 4 of you up there! :) I saw you tear up! I was right there with you. Just standing amazed at God's kindness to you ... and me!
Love you
*we all need to better about stopping to smell the roses with our children. God will help you do it!
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