Three Decades with God’s Gift

Dorothy Mommy & Daddy

Kneeling on the floor or labor room bathroom, I cried out to God.

Having never experienced the “Joy of Childbirth” as our birthing classes were called, I was terrified.  Lynn’s water had broken about 19 hours ago, Pitocin had been administered shortly after to “help” things along so we had been in hard labor for a long time, but things were not progressing.  The fetal monitors were beginning to indicate some distress.  Doctors having whispered discussions just out of earshot cannot be a good thing.

So on the floor I went, pleading that God would intervene and bring Lynn and our new baby through this safely.

The doctors came in to let us know that they were preparing for a C-section.  Lynn was not really paying attention because she suddenly entered into a stage of labor that I would become quite familiar with over the next 13 years … they label it simply, transition.  A quick check and then off to the delivery room.  20 minutes and 2 pushes later, I was holding my baby girl,  Dorothy – Gift of God.

“He called a little child and had him stand among them.  And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  (Matthew 18:2)

 

Through this little girl, I would learn about God’s heart.  Yes, there is the discovery of the tremendous amount of love that we as parents feel for our children and yes, I never knew that I could love like that.  We have all heard all of that before and I am not in anyway unique in that experience.  The lessons in love that I am talking about were and are poured out from God through this little girl.

From the beginning, she was sensitive to the feeling of others. Gifted to feel the pain and hurts of others, she strove to bring joy to others.  Always eager to please, she reached out to everyone often making friends quickly.  Unfortunately, sensitivity and an over-developed need to make others happy often makes people uncomfortable.  So close relationship did not always come easily.  It took me many years of witnessing her struggles and tears  to understand that God was allowing me to see a glimpse of His love through my precious

little girl.  Even now, I am just learning about how many times I have rejected His love just like so many turn us away when we reach out to them.

Dorothy & Daddy

What an honor it has been to watch that little girl grow into the beautiful, intelligent, witty (all be it nerdy), and sensitive young woman of God that she has become.  You were the perfect gift delivered at just the right time to a young Mom & Dad that needed to learn how to love.  Now that you are “coming of age” I look forward to watching you share this gift with a world that so needs to know that love.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl,

Daddy

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