Today the sun is shining in Cleveland and my heart is happy. It's my dad's birthday and also the 28 week milestone for our two little ones. Hooray for good lives of love! Without really knowing how, Tyler and I have made it through 7 weeks of bed rest with our bodies, minds, and spirits intact. To be honest, we didn't really think we'd get here. Seven weeks ago, even one week seemed like a marathon. Seven weeks seemed nearly impossible. Tyler may have felt a bit more optimistic than I did (if so, not much), but I was certain that even if the babies made it to this point, the rain clouds would settle in and my spirit would be hovering just above depression. Just the thought sent me looking in that direction listening for thunder.
And yet, here I am, nowhere near the pit of despair. Each day has been a struggle, but each day has brought us closer to hope and deeper into grace. I've finally allowed myself to buy some decorations for the nursery. My wonderful family is throwing me a small family baby shower in a week (something I thought I'd have to give up since I can't leave home). Tyler and I even agree on four full names--perhaps the greatest miracle of all! With greater than a 93% chance of survival, we can finally believe that our babies will be in our lives, arms, and home for the long-run. That, in itself, is grace and beauty.
However rocky, there have certainly been an overwhelming number of times over the past seven weeks when we have been able to praise God and celebrate. I've tried to share those with you and others who I have written or spoken with. The concept of bed rest was and still is daunting, but finding and sharing the moments of hope and joy have been part of what gets me through each day. At the same time, this journey has been one of the most difficult I have ever been through. Yes, it's gracious...but it's also grueling.
More than one person has said to me over the past weeks, "Be thankful for this time of rest -- it's like an extended paid vacation!"
Say, what?!?
It always takes me a few moments to figure out how to respond to this comment (sometimes said honestly, sometimes passive-aggressively). My first inclination is usually to laugh at what must certainly be a joke...but then I hesitate.
I hesitate because it's true -- I am so very thankful for my loving church family who are continuing to pay me even though I am not able to be fully present with them right now. I hesitate because I know that most people would do anything to have a day or two of breakfast in bed, reading, writing, watching a TV show or ten, crocheting, friends coming to visit and bringing food. Seriously, I
I hesitate to respond by justifying myself to the passive-aggressive ones because even if this is restful time off of my regular (fairly stressful) routine in ministry, doesn't scripture tell us in the story of Creation that even God rests after a time of fruitful work? Aren't the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament) full of mandates to allow workers and fields a Sabbath time of rest every 7 days or 7 years? Don't we all know that good rest can be crucial to the renewal of our energy, passion, and commitment to our areas of work and ministry? I hesitate because I don't think I should feel guilty for resting. Even God rests without guilt!
But then I speak up. Truly, this isn't a vacation in any sense of the word! I'm not really sure that I can even count it as Sabbath. To fully rest, to find that renewal, we need time and space to care for three different aspects of our selves: body, mind and spirit.
I may be able to call this a Sabbath rest for my body. I am able to sleep enough during the day to make up for interrupted sleep at night and I am certainly not stressing my muscles by over-use. But then a good friend reminds me that my body isn't fully resting.-- ever! -- it's working hard to create and nurture not one, but two lives! Plus, my muscles may be at rest, but they are surely not thriving. Many aches and pains are intensified by muscles crying out to me for exercise and care that I cannot give them. Overall, my body feels far from rested as it is stretched, pushed, and even neglected in places.
I certainly can't call this time Sabbath rest for my spirit and mind, either. My mind has been full of information and worry, working through scenarios and counting down days if not hours that the babies stay put. Navigating multiple doctors means keeping track of who-said-what-and-when so that I can be sure the babies and I get the best care. I count contractions and glasses of water, servings of vegetables and hours. I worry that I haven't been able to go to prenatal classes (will I know how to go through labor without someone explaining it beforehand?!? Of course! With these complications, I am 500% sure that there will be an over-abundance of people in the room to help. But I still worry)! I can't visit possible daycares, or interview pediatricians. And even though my congregation is continuing ministry without me just fine, I am still thinking about them -- planning worship by email, praying when they're sick, thinking about what I wish I were able to do with them during these months and what I hope to do in the future (and yes, wondering whether I'll be able to keep up with my hopes and plans for ministry when I also have two tiny babies throwing off my entire routine. Church folks-- who wants to babysit?) Seriously. My mind is far from vacation...it's on overload!
And my spirit? Well, there are three things keeping me from the brink of insanity. The first is an overwhelming community that has spanned multiple states and countries! We have received the gift of food from family and friends here in Ohio, someone sponsored house cleaning every other week, and a friend comes to straighten things in-between. I've received more books than I can read in a lifetime, and care packages continue to roll in from other states. Soon I will be writing a blog post about community -- because I've realized that even if people find God by being "spiritual but not religious," there is something holy and crucial about a church community. My spirit, my connection to God, the very substance of my faith would not be where it is today without a community who have represented God to us in these days.
The second thing keeping me from the brink of insanity is attitude. Tyler and I could have responded to this overwhelmingly difficult journey in so many ways. Understandably, anger, frustration and depression are almost impossible to avoid in times of illness and stress. We have experienced our share of those. We do our best to acknowledge and share them with one another; If we don't, they may turn into bitterness. So we've shared all of these crazy emotions with one another -- sometimes at the most ridiculous hour of 3:00am! But the biggest saving grace is that we made an intentional effort to keep light spirits and loving appreciation for one another. We cannot change our situation, but we can make every effort to keep our relationship healthy through the storm. Heaven knows, we'll need every string holding us together when the stress of two newborns becomes a constant part of our marriage! (Wait, what?!? Didn't someone tell me once that all a baby does is sleep, eat and poop? How hard can that be, right?)
Finally, watching for God, watching for grace, and working toward growth has been a huge part of my every day. I guess it's part of that attitude-thing. I could lie here feeling resentful of the situation and frustrated that I cannot go out to enjoy the changing leaves or coffee-shop dates that I miss so much. I could let my over-active mind control me (and, to be honest, too often I do). But my most healthy times, the most beautiful times, have been those in which I channel my frustration or worry into growth. I have learned so much about myself and how I deal with stress during these weeks. I have grown in my identity as mother and wife, not to mention what it means to be a good friend. (And oh, have I been showered with examples of "good friend" these days. Sheesh!) I have encountered situations much like those whom I care for in the congregation -- the starkness of hospitals, the agony of awaiting test results, being home-bound, struggling to adapt to a quickly changing identity -- and these situations have (hopefully) made me a more compassionate pastor and person.
Honestly, this time isn't really a Sabbath and it's certainly not a vacation! It's stressful and challenging in mind, body, and spirit. In these seven weeks I have worked so very hard -- not only nurturing dear Gummi Bear and Junior Mint into life, but also becoming my best self in the face of adversity, giving crucial attention to my marriage, continuing to grow in faith and hope as I rely on the Spirit of Life to sustain the babies and me when medical care cannot, and finding ways to put all of this into words so that others can understand and share in the journey.
And, wow. What a marathon of a journey this is...
...People cheering on the sidelines, offering a cup of cold water here and there, exhaustion and hope mixing to form adrenaline...will someone be holding a "finish line" sign and a gold medal at the end?!? Please say yes!
Someday we'll tell your beautiful children the story of how loved they were before anyone even met them, and of how their incredible mother and father cared for them with such passion and intentional growth. Not all children are able to enter the world into such wise and loving arms! Sending a hug~ Christin
ReplyDeletesome people say stuff like that because they genuinely feel the need to say SOMETHING, and they think that is an optimistic way of looking at it. but you're right,some people say it because they are somehow jealous...either way, it is ok to point out that, even when you are being still, your body is working triple time. and extended rest of this nature is WORK, never doubt it. also, it is ministry--bringing good news to life is the first part of this calling every day. you are just being a little more literal about it right now :)
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