As a parent there have been many things I have look forward too. First steps, first words, first "I love you mommy", first please and thank you, and in my house first "yes ma'am" ;). These and many more milestones and firsts have crowded my heart with anticipation. But there was one first I was not prepared for. One first I had not thought of. One first that caught me completely and utterly off guard. That first happened last night.
The service was only and hour and 15 minutes. They did a little skit, worshipped with music (unfortunately for Kathryne they did NOT play Glory to God and she was a bit put out by this), and then the pastor spoke of family and unity. I stood with my babies watching them take it all in. Watching their eyes and their smiles as they examined other people, other families, worshipping the One and Only God. Seeing them watch other Mamas and Daddys with their hands held high (yes we go to one of THOSE churches) singing and praying. It was wonderful. I listened to Jesus as He spoke to me. I audibly heard Him as He told me "These are your babies. I have blessed you with their lives and their spirits. Enjoy them, love them and be content". I felt genuine shame for my greed in wanting ANOTHER baby. I squeezed my Presley Rose tight and breathed a quiet but firm "Yes Sir" to my Heavenly Father as tears ran down my face.
The girls got antsy as the night went on. Once the music stopped they colored as we listened. And then it happened. The sermon was over and the pastor explained that we, all of us, were going to do communion. I looked over at Doc and whispered "do the girls do it too!?" he nodded and smiled. So we sat and we waited our turn and when it came up we went as a family to get our "cracker and juice" (which by the way is the body of Christ and the blood He shed for our sins). But in my family it was crackers and juice. We waited as patiently as we could for the rest of the congregation to join us. All the while Presley whispering (in a Melanie whisper which is NOT that quiet) "mama, do I get a cracker too?". Oh my sweet babies. They have gone 4 and 2 and a half years without a Ritz cracker or a Goldfish or any kind of cracker for that matter. They were so looking forward to their little cracker. I nodded assuring her that once all the other kids got one, we would eat. And then it was time. The pastor spoke and I handed that sweet blue eyed little person her cracker. She ate it with the same big smile on her face that her mama had but for a completely different reason. I looked over at Kat sitting beside her daddy carefully drinking her juice grinning ear to ear and the tears just came. There I was with my family all of us recognizing the death of our Saviour on the Cross. All four of us sharing in the body of Christ and the blood that He shed. I smiled, I cried, and looked at their daddy that was doing both.
I had never even thought about it. I guess I knew one day they would take communion but I did not know when it would be or that I would be there. It was not a first that I had dreamt of or imagined. But it was a first that I will never, ever, forget. We spent the next few minutes with my spirited Presley Rose begging for another cracker, I have to imagine Jesus was just giggling as He watched.
1 Corinthians 11: 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
He will come my friends. Probably, hopefully, sooner than we think. He will come and He will save us, all of us, from this sick, perverted, wretched world that we live in. This world full of death and pain and sickness and sin. He will come and He will take home those that believe He is the Son of God and acknowledge that He died and rose for our sins and our eternal life. And the ones that believe now, the ones that acknowledged who He is and what He has done for us today in the middle of the chaos of this world, the ones that give their heart to Him and live to spread the Good Word for the Kingdom, they are the ones that get to go first. I don't know about you, but I want to go first. I want to be in the front of the line waiting eagerly to cross to the other side of the veil. The side where there is nothing but Joy and Love and Beauty. The side where some of the people I love most in the world live. The side that houses my Heavenly Father and my baby boy. So until He comes I will live for Him, praying for the heart and the guidance to make the kinds of decisions that will get me to the front of that line. I hope to see you there fighting me for my spot. ;)
Blessings Friends,
Melanie
No comments:
Post a Comment