Beautiful Wonderment

My God, who made my body, amazes me with His handiwork.  Though Hubbs and I were there at the conception of this baby, we were not so much baby-makers as active recipients of our God's goodness and grace to us.  He hand-picked the right "swimmer" to enter into the egg, and He nestled this little embryo inside my womb (which He prepared to be fertile enough to host it).

And since then, He has been at work knitting this babe together, fearfully and wonderfully making her into His image-bearer.  Some days it seems surreal, like I'm watching events unfold in a movie.  Every kick and hiccup and shifting movement that she makes is by His grace.  I have no control over it.  But I love it.  I love witnessing the changes God is making in my body to prepare me for being a mommy, and to help her continue to grow and be nourished.  When I stop and think about it, every complaint I could have ever uttered about this pregnancy is unfounded in light of the miracle that is shaping up inside of me, in spite of me.

Sure, I could do without the stretch marks - but that is hardly something to raise my fist to heaven in protest against, especially when I consider that God has allowed my skin to stretch to sufficiently accommodate baby's growing body.  He allows me to wake up every couple of hours to use the bathroom or switch positions in my sleep; is this not His hand at work, preparing me for the days and nights when I will need to feed baby in 2-3 hour increments?  He gives me pseudo-contractions (called Braxton-Hicks contractions) so that my body can learn how to deal with labour when the time comes.  He even permits my joints to shift around; though this requires more trips to the chiropractor and massage therapist (blessings!), it also prepares my back for the task of birthing her out.

God has not only been gracious to me, but His mercies have been new every morning.  Day after day, He has spared me from a good number of the side effects that so many women experience during this gestational period: morning sickness and nausea, constipation, patchy skin and acne, food aversions and cravings, severe heartburn and indigestion, diabetes, and varicose veins, to name just a few. 

I am so grateful and in such awe of my Creator, who is looking after this little one inside me.  What a privilege to participate in His work! 

Oh Lord, You're beautiful
Your face is all I see
And when Your eyes are on this child
Your grace abounds to me.