
Here they are: Anna Grace and Benjamin age 5 and
Zeke and Samuel age 2.
My friend Lydia and I have been pregnant at the same time for about 80% of our gestational experiences thus far and so it has been a bit strange that we're not sharing the same physical manifestations of welcoming new life into the world this time around. In a way, I feel like I'm flying solo.
But even though she's not pregnant, she is. She's pregnant just as much as I am- waiting on the imminent adoption of her
baby girl. For me, it's been a really different and almost strange experience waiting for news of Bethany's birth and I know for Lydia that it's making her a little bit crazy. At least I have a due date. She just has to wait.
Today, I was chatting with my friend and discussing the conundrum of how much money we're going to have shell out for the birth of our little Chaney. That's life with a high deductible HSA. In the midst of my schpeel, Lydia shared about what she has learned through fighting for Bethany by having to garner support and raise money for the expensive venture of taking in orphaned children.
She reminded me that Jesus told us that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21)
It helped me take a step back and look at the proverbial big picture. It's going to cost us- lots of time and money and energy. But what is a life worth? We will endeavor to raise this child to know and love Jesus and in turn inherit a life that will eternally glorify God. A few thousand dollars is nothing in the long run. Neither is a string of sleepless months or a few years of having to deal with toddler tantrums.
Where is my treasure? What am I investing in?
When you think about investments, you think about your return- what kind of gains you might make or what kind of losses you might sustain.
In the short term, adding little family members can seem like a loss, but I don't want to be short-sighted. The return on this investment is eternal and it's all to the end of giving your life away, in love, to the One who gave it.
Malachi 2:15 "Didn't the LORD make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want?
Godly children from your union. So guard yourself; remain loyal to the wife of your youth." (NLT, emphasis mine)
For those of us in the place of being able to bring forth life, we do well to respond to the Spirit's nudges to give ourselves to the work of parenthood. But even if you're not in a place to have a baby, you're in a place to promote life. Check out Randy Bohlender's
thoughts on the subject. It may not be all that comfortable and it may not make all that much sense to the world at large and admittedly even to me and my selfish tendencies, but the investment is going to pay off.
It's worth it.
Whether it's giving financially or breaking through administrative red tape or dealing with morning sickness, sometimes we just have to fight for life and know that every exhausting battle is worth it all.
Post Script: And sometimes you get your lawyer friend to pump you up for a gang-busters meeting with your OB's business office to advocate for your rights as an insurance carrying consumer. Turns out, there's lots of ways to fight for life. Thanks friends. :)