A Bundle of Myrrh

September 25: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.”

It seems nothing has gone as we have planned every step of the way during this pregnancy. From the diagnosis, to the exclusion from the Fetal Surgery, to the original date we had set for the birth of our baby, nothing has worked out the way we thought it would. But as we know God’s ways and plans are for our good, our times are in His hands not in ours and though so much has not gone as we expected we give God thanks for His constant provision.

For months our hope and ‘the plan” we had arranged with our doctors was to get Rose to 39 weeks and do a normal delivery. However, after a frustrating week of uncertainty, conversations with our doctors, much thought and prayer we have decided that a C-Section at 37 weeks is the best choice for delivering our baby girl.

So our plan as of today….insert laughter here….is to have a baby this Wednesday, September 29th!

I’m relieved to have an end in sight and honestly also scared about all that begins now. It looks like the surgery to close her back and the shunt placement will be done the following day on the 30th.

Thank you all for the prayers you have offered during this pregnancy and for your ongoing prayers as Rose enters the World and continues the path God has given her. You are all such a blessing to our family.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

September 19: I’ve never announced any of our baby’s names before they were born but decided to do that this time. Actually I’ve rarely even known what our baby’s name will be this “early.” So yay me!😁

We have named her Rose Victoria. Those names together speak Christ’s Resurrection to me and that’s something I constantly need to be reminded of, His victory over death. This child will have so many challenges and many victories in her years but her greatest victory is that which Christ has won for her and will gift to her in her baptism.

‘Rose’ also reminds me that of all God’s glorious and beautiful creations, mankind is His highest and most lovely. And as He says in His Word, if He tends to the needs of mere flowers and birds how much more will He impart His care to His dearest creation. It’s also a glorious flower surrounded by thorns, the picture of II Corinthians 12;

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

We Christians pray and trust that our hardships and crosses will strengthen our faith and focus our eyes on our great Eternal Hope. We don’t want these trials nor do we ask for them but in faith we bless God’s name when He sends them, believing they are for our good and depending on His grace to be our Help in the midst of them. We also know that in the life to come He will do away with all the pain and tears and strife. We long for that day.

Anyway, all those thoughts were in my mind when I decided on her name months ago. I do try to choose names for our babies that confess God’s goodness and I wanted to go ahead and share so you will have a name to use during your prayers, which I am so thankful for.

We can’t wait to meet our little Rosebud.