Baby Gear
How much does a little infant need? It's a question I've been wrestling with, especially as I stare at our furniture-filled, humble 940 sq. ft. space. Is there room for a playard? Will baby need a separate change table, or a swing? In light of my previous post on all of our excess and the many material blessings we've already been given, I question the "need" for half the stuff that shows up on these baby checklists.
I mean, Jesus was born in a dirty place where animals are kept for the night. He didn't have a Jolly Jumper or a high chair (or an exersaucer or a Bumbo seat or organic cotton/bamboo sheets), and He is the King of Kings. Instead of a fancy crib, Jesus slept in a feeding trough (manger) and rather than be visually-stimulated in a dedicated nursery covered in colourful paint, He probably stared at smelly animals and dirty, dusty walls (and inhaled more than His share of animal waste and toxins). And yet, because His days were ordained for Him by the Father, He was fine, and grew up in both wisdom and stature.
Of course, my little one is not Jesus nor has she been chosen to bear the burden of the world's sins like our Savior has. However, she too belongs to God. And somehow, I suspect that He has already numbered her days just as He has numbered the hairs on her little unborn head. So, whether I get the playard or jumper or crib, I don't suppose it will make much of a difference to her life in the long run. God's got it handled. Right?
Right. It's a constant struggle, a tension between getting what we need for baby and what we want for her. I keep having to wrestle with myself when it comes to buying more "stuff" in preparation for her arrival. When I recall the generosity of my students' parents, who've gifted us with juicy Babies R'Us gift cards, suddenly I begin to ponder the spending possibilities (remembering that I do have a shopaholic problem). Then I revisit my registries (yes, plural) again and attempt to pare down the list into something manageable and not so excessive, only to end up adding as much as I delete.
So, how much does she really need? I have receiving blankets, quilts and swaddles, clothes, diapers, a baby tub, a car seat/stroller system, a playmat, and as of today or tomorrow (or whenever they deliver it) a convertible mini-crib. I have emergency formula and bottles and a pump that I borrowed from my dear sis Vanilla Con. I have some infant care items for bathing baby. I have bags and bags of toys, courtesy of my mom who loves to shop for grandbabies. What more do I really need?
Oh, that the Lord would give me wisdom and direction, and guide my purchasing decisions! May my spending be honouring to Him and may it not be blindly excessive, but wise and self-controlled. And may His Spirit give me the discernment to know what we truly need versus what we simply want.
PS - I'm contemplating spending the gift cards on a playard that has a bassinet and change table attached to it. Or maybe a humidifier. *sigh* First-world problems, seriously.
I mean, Jesus was born in a dirty place where animals are kept for the night. He didn't have a Jolly Jumper or a high chair (or an exersaucer or a Bumbo seat or organic cotton/bamboo sheets), and He is the King of Kings. Instead of a fancy crib, Jesus slept in a feeding trough (manger) and rather than be visually-stimulated in a dedicated nursery covered in colourful paint, He probably stared at smelly animals and dirty, dusty walls (and inhaled more than His share of animal waste and toxins). And yet, because His days were ordained for Him by the Father, He was fine, and grew up in both wisdom and stature.
Of course, my little one is not Jesus nor has she been chosen to bear the burden of the world's sins like our Savior has. However, she too belongs to God. And somehow, I suspect that He has already numbered her days just as He has numbered the hairs on her little unborn head. So, whether I get the playard or jumper or crib, I don't suppose it will make much of a difference to her life in the long run. God's got it handled. Right?
Right. It's a constant struggle, a tension between getting what we need for baby and what we want for her. I keep having to wrestle with myself when it comes to buying more "stuff" in preparation for her arrival. When I recall the generosity of my students' parents, who've gifted us with juicy Babies R'Us gift cards, suddenly I begin to ponder the spending possibilities (remembering that I do have a shopaholic problem). Then I revisit my registries (yes, plural) again and attempt to pare down the list into something manageable and not so excessive, only to end up adding as much as I delete.
Oh, that the Lord would give me wisdom and direction, and guide my purchasing decisions! May my spending be honouring to Him and may it not be blindly excessive, but wise and self-controlled. And may His Spirit give me the discernment to know what we truly need versus what we simply want.
PS - I'm contemplating spending the gift cards on a playard that has a bassinet and change table attached to it. Or maybe a humidifier. *sigh* First-world problems, seriously.
Comments
For sure we're not over-buying at this point. We already have too much furniture (2 storage ottomon benches, a full size reclining couch, a reclining chair, and 6 dining chairs).