The Miracle and Gift of Birth

Kissing the Face of God,  Morgan Weistling

I am due to have a baby sometime this week and naturally have been thinking about pregnancy and this whole process of creating a new life. The more I think about it, the more unfathomable it is to me.

As far as I can tell, we human beings are unique on this earth in our ability to reason and create. Obviously animals can reason to a degree and can create some pretty spectacular things: spiderwebs, beaver dams, honey--I could go on forever. But animals seem limited to a degree in what they are able to create.

We, obviously, are limited too. I haven't seen a human being create a spider web the way a spider can (at least in a way that wasn't done digitally)--but the breadth and scope of what we are able to think and do seems to go beyond that of other animals. We paint, we sing, we write, we build, we find ways to recycle, we pull fuels out of the ground to power our world, we discover medicines to heal--we create. And all of this creation takes a lot of thinking, research, and lots of trial and error and lots of time and lots of work.

But nothing we have ever created so far has ever had the capacity to think and create (the way we can) on its own. As much as we like to be creeped out by movies that portray human inventions like computers and robots coming to life and taking on human-like capacities to reason and create (and as creepy as it is when Siri responds to you when you talk at your phone), it is something that is beyond our capacity. Except in our ability to reproduce.

And here is where it all goes beyond me. About 9 months ago, a life began to grow inside of me. At this very moment, I feel him moving around in me. In a few days, he will be outside of me, a living, breathing boy, who will be capable of thought, motion, reason and creation. How did it happen? It is the one creative process that I have been a part of that required almost no work or thought from me. Obviously, pregnant women experience nausea and sickness during their pregnancies. Some become very sick and are put on bed rest. So our bodies are working hard and their is certainly sacrifice involved (and you do have to push the baby out of you in the end--no denying that).

But their has been no mental exertion or creativity on my part in the building of this new life. I haven't had to spend hours or minutes of my day, willing my baby's hand to form, building my baby's heart and lungs and digestive system piece by piece. I haven't had to go through several rough drafts until I came to the right form or idea. It all just happens inside of me, with very little effort on my part. And the end result is something that will be able to think and create on its own.

In short, I am convinced that pregnancy and birth is divine. It is nothing short of miraculous. Nothing I have ever attempted to do on my own--with all the thought and work and time that I have put into things I have written, music I have performed, physical and mental exercises--has come close to creating what is created when a baby is born. It is a process that God allows us to be a part of. It is a gift He gives.

I am grateful today for the gift of my life. For the gift it is to be a part of creating life. And for the gift of the birth and life of God's son, Jesus Christ, who brings peace and joy to life.

-Elin
Who hopes to better understand that spiritual re-birth that the scriptures so often speak of: Eph. 4:24 , 1 Jn. 4:7,  Mosiah 27:25, Alma 5:7–14, 26–28, Mosiah 5:2, Jer. 24:7

His Hand is Stretched Out Still

I've really dropped the ball on posting the last few weeks. But here I am, back at it.

Isaiah 7-9 (and 2 Nephi 17-19) are chapters filled with prophecies of destruction that are going to fall on Jerusalem. It isn't pleasant reading. But in chapter 9 (or 19) a single phrase is repeated three times (2 Nephi 19:12, 17, 21):

For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

My interpretation of this is that despite the wrongdoings of the people, and God's displeasure with them because of those wrongdoings, His hand is still stretched out toward them. He still wants to help them and protect them, and He has put himself in a position to do so, but it can only happen when they reach back.

I've had many experiences where I was playing the role of the people of Jerusalem, and life was difficult. Sometimes I didn't understand why, but I usually knew that I was doing things wrong. The miracle is that whenever I turned toward God, and reached for Him, I did find His hand "stretched out still." It was always there, and as soon as I made the slightest move towards Him I felt His hand in my life.

Isaiah 9 and 2 Nephi 19 also contain another well-known passage of scripture, one that is particularly quoted or heard at this time of year (v. 6):

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

God extends His hand towards us by giving us His Son, Jesus Christ. It is because Christ paid for my sins that the hand is stretched out even when I am not reaching for it and "his anger is not turned away." It is because a child was born, "unto us a son is given."

For Unto Us a Child is Born--Handel's Messiah

Mormon Tabernacle Choir

 

Good Tidings of Great Joy: The Birth of Jesus Christ--Mormon Channel

 

Forrest

--Who loves all things Christmas, with the exception of the songs "Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time," "Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart," and "The Christmas Shoes."



Making Room in Our Lives for Him

One of the lovely things left to me by my mother and father is a beautifully carved, wooden nativity. My family did quite a bit of traveling while I was growing up, and everywhere we went, my parents kept their eyes open for just the right pieces to add to the manger scene. Dad even found a branch of dried wood which he crafted into a gnarled tree for the shepherds to rest beside. The figures are small, but each piece is so delicately sculpted that you can read the expression on their faces.

The real heart of this nativity for me, however, is the stable itself. I remember as a child sitting in the carport watching my father build it, carefully fitting the crossbeams into place, chiseling the roofline, and sanding the base. It was truly a labor of love, and over time, it has come to represent something important and meaningful about the kind of person Dad was. Just as he physically made a place for that tiny wooden Baby, he always made room for the Savior in his own life.

My father was a man of many talents, a renaissance man. He loved music, art, literature, science, history, theater, opera, politics, gardening, traveling, architecture, and so much more. And he didn’t just want to know about them; he wanted to experience them. He had the voice of an angel. He wrote. He acted. He played the violin, the viola, the recorder, the guitar and the mandolin. He grew fruits and vegetables, beautiful flower gardens, and tiny bonsai. He traveled extensively and spoke French well, German a little, and even a bit of Farsi. He sketched. He served on community and university boards and committees. He had little patience when we, his children, complained of being bored. How could we be bored when there was always so much to see and do and learn?

All these “loves” could easily have consumed all of Dad’s time and energy, but at the heart of everything he did was my father’s love for his Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. He showed that love by serving freely in any church assignment he was given as well as by taking every opportunity to bless the lives of his family, friends, and neighbors on his own. He truly made “room in the inn” for the Savior every day of his life.

-Marilyn

Who tries not to be bored. . 

.  .

You might enjoy this true story about a kind Frenchman who made room in his inn on Christmas Eve.

Beautiful Christmas Music and the Message of Christ

The Road to Bethlehem, Joseph Brickey

Good News! The annual Christmas devotional that our church broadcasts will start in one hour (7 pm central time). This is probably my favorite thing to watch during the Christmas season (Muppet's Christmas Carol is a close second).

The music is always incredible and the messages--well, they are messages about Jesus Christ and the Christmas season, spoken by living prophets. I hope watching and listening makes you feel as happy as it makes me.

Watch it here!

-Elin
Who watched Muppet Christmas Carol two days ago--and it was just as delightful this time as the first time I watched it...

Peace and Calm

Two days ago, I had one of those days. You know what I'm talking about, right? My little sister, after having one of those days, said it felt like there were dementors all around her. And everything she tried to do or accomplish seemed to backfire. Yeah, that was my day two days ago. My little girl hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before and she had a bad cold and was very volatile. It was basically one mishap after another. Like when I unsuspectingly reached into the cupboard, and an entire shelf literally crashed down on me and a jar of molasses fell on my big toe. My toe was remarkably uninjured but the molasses jar broke into a million pieces--and I had molasses all over my kitchen floor. Meanwhile, my little girl had decided to climb onto the kitchen table and dance around. In retrospect, I am really glad that it was the molasses that fell on the ground and not my child. (I know this day doesn't sound impressively overwhelming...things could have been a lot worse. But I felt like things were a lot worse than they were...)

Anywho, I will stop complaining now. But I wanted to contrast the chaotic moments of that day and the extreme amount of effort it took for me to remain calm (which I was able to do most of the day), with an experience I had today when I felt completely and utterly free from stress, worry, frustration and was filled with complete calm. I had started to feel a bit frustrated with some of the things going on, so I turned on some Christmas music while I finished making dinner. I listened to some happy renditions of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "Do You Hear What I Hear"--and they were good. But they didn't really help the negativity go away like I hoped. So then I found a song that I remember really loving a few years back while I was listening to our church's annual First Presidency Christmas Devotional. (You can find information about this year's Christmas Devotional that will be broadcast this Sunday, December 7th by clicking here.)

While I listened to this song, I was literally engulfed with peace. I have always been strongly affected by music, and today, listening to this song, all the negativity drained away and I felt complete peace. I hope you have the same experience:

I live for moments like these, because they show me the Lord's promises are real. What is Christmas, what is Christ really about?

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord [. . .] Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:10-12, 14)

"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you [. . .] Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:18, 27)

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-5)

"And it came to pass that I was three days and three nights in the most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a remission of my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did find peace to my soul." (Alma 38:8)

Christmas, the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about finding peace...even in the difficult and awful times. Even if it is 5 minutes of complete peace in the middle of a hectic day. I have felt that peace given to me in the most unexpected ways at the most unexpected times.

-Elin
Here is an interesting tidbit: the solo instrument in that rendition of "What Child Is This" is a recorder. Who knew a recorder could sound that incredible? I sure didn't.

Grateful For...

Sometimes on Thanksgiving, the thing I am most thankful for is the first Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry, Merry Christmas.

-Elin
Who can't imagine what it would be like to have a baby in a stable...

Unopened Gifts

For thirteen years I taught religious education classes to teenaged members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The classes are called “Seminary” and they are just one of many wonderful sources of strength for youth everywhere (check out this resource, for example: Youth ) In Seminary kids study, over the four-year period of high school, the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price.

Each Christmas I tried to come up with some little token of love and appreciation for my kids for Christmas—something inexpensive but through which they could feel my love for them as a teacher, as well as the Savior’s love for them. They were teenagers, they were in a challenging part of life, and I wanted my love—as well as God’s love—to be a source of strength and encouragement for them.

One year I came across a great idea I used with my students. It was called “Ten Things I Love About ________________ “ (fill in the blank with the student’s name). I bought some cute Christmas stationery and sat down to list for each of my fifty-some students ten things I loved about them.

Happily, many kids I could have listed twenty or thirty characteristics for; and sadly, there were a few I really had to think and pray about in order to come up with ten genuine points of love. But I did it!

I rolled each paper up like a small scroll, sealed it with a golden “Do Not Open Until Christmas” seal and tied it with a festive ribbon, then put the gifts in each student’s cubby right before the holiday break.

Almost all the kids were excited and intrigued with the little gift that year and couldn’t wait to open them, but sadly, there was one student who never did take his gift with him or even open it there at the Seminary building.  Christmas passed, the school year ended and he walked out of the classroom for the last time, the scroll with my statements of love still sitting, unopened, in his cubby.

I have reflected on that fact with sadness. This young man had troubles: problems at home in his family; academic challenges at school; social deficiencies regarding his peers. If there was ever someone who needed to know that he was loved, it was this.  But he left the statements—the evidence--of love on the shelf.

From time to time over the years I think about that boy. I still feel sad for him. But I have come to recognize, to a degree, a bit of all of us in him.  

There is Someone who loves us intimately and perfectly. Think of that: He knows us intimately and perfectly—and still loves us! He has prepared evidences—statements, if you will—of that love, and placed them  all around us, within our reach, hoping that we will pick them up, open them up, and feel His love for us. Those gifts of love include priceless offerings such as the holy scriptures; living prophets; the stunning beauties of nature; strategically placed people in our lives; and most of all, the Perfect Gift of His Son.

Every time we turn to one of those sources of love, encouragement and strength,  I think our Heavenly Father is pleased. He wants us to feel His love.

--Miriam

Who, writing about Christmas, is starting to get excited