Moon Meanderings

Nurseries and God's Work

At church this last Sunday I had the chance to share my testimony, and thought I'd just add a post here about that.  It is so neat to take the time to reflect on everything the Lord's done in my life!

I don't have a big, dramatic conversion experience to share -- at times in my life I thought maybe I needed to have something like that.  But as I grew I realized how greatly blessed I have been to know the Lord early in life.  I was always taught that Christ was my savior, so I don't remember a specific day when He became that to me.  I just know that He is my Savior today and he has worked in my life in so many ways throughout all of my days.  Psalm 78 speaks of teaching the things of the Lord to your children and that was definitely true in my experience.  Verse 5 says, "We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation teh praiseworthy deeds of theLord, His power and the wonders He has done."

The Lord has worked in my life in a countless number of ways, so it is hard to pick out a few to share here.  There was childhood, high school, college, dating, marriage, Mom's death, children, . . . and even everyday things such as sunsets, snows, and dandelions!  So what I've decided to share is His work in my life and my family's life as reflected in the nurseries I've had for my babies.  I didn't start decorating them with this in mind, but it has just sort of evolved this way!

Before kids, I had really struggled for several years with not being able to have kids.  I know my struggle was very minimal compared to many, and many would say how can she say she struggled when she is pregnant with her 4th!?  But for me it was real -- it wasn't happening when I thought it should and how I had it planned!  Before I was even pregnant with Esther someone had given me a wall hanging of Noah's Ark that said "God Always Keeps His Promises" --  I knew that God had not promised to give me children as my heart desired, but He had promised that He had a plan for me, and not only any plan but a plan to prosper.  He used that in my life to come to grips with His perfect plan form my life, not my own.  So when Esther came along, her nursery was decorated in a Noah's Ark theme. 

By the time Jenna was expected we (Nate and I) were wrestling with what he should be doing vocationally.  I had made a radical change when Esther was born when I became a stay at home mom and suddenly had time to look at the world through a child's eye!  I was away from that hectic, busy schedule that had become so normal.  But now Nate was putting in lots of hours and feeling called to a new path.  But to follow that meant we had to give up a fair amount of security -- were we willing to risk the security of a consistent paycheck, willing to risk the disapproval of others, willing to risk failure??  The verse that often came to my mind was one I had learned in Kindergarten, Matthew 6:26, "Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?"  So as all that swirled in our heads, we welcomed Jenna into our home and into a nursery decorated with ducks (my version of the birds!).

The next to come along was Kaelyn, and by this time Nate had made the jump from his school job to working on his own to follow a passion and calling he felt the Lord leading him to.  It was still very much a month-to-month venture.  Not sure whether he would still be doing the same the next month or searching for another job.  I really struggled with a sense of control.  I wanted so badly for things to "work."  I struggled with pride, thinking we needed to do everything exactly right so that we wouldn't look bad.  Wanted others to see that "we could do it!"  Thankfully the Lord didn't let me continue in this but lifted my self-imposed burden by bring me to the verse in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  We weren't going to do things perfectly.  Actually the success or failure of this whole venture was completely in the Lord's hands -- His power would be shown through our weakness.  So Kaelyn's room was done in sheep.  "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want."  I think as Kaelyn entered our world the Lord was still working out all this in my life, but how appropriate the implication of the Psalm.  The peace He promises even dumb sheep -- leading to green pastures.

Now we are expecting another and of course I just have to change the nursery again!!  (Ugh, Nate says!. . . no, actually he hasn't said much yet. . . we have yet to paint it!)  But this time it is going to be ocean animals!  Since Kaelyn was born we have started to homeschool our kids.  Another instrument God has used in countless ways in my life.  I'm amazed at how much God teaches me about himself through our study of His world even on a very elementary level.  At the beginning of this school year we studied about the ocean and all were just amazed at the creatures that fill it!  Amazed at God's wisdom and creativity.  So it seemed a perfect theme for a nursery!  Psalm 104 says, "Your works Lord are many, in wisdom you've made them, the things you created, they fill all the earth.  And also the ocean, how vast and how spacious, is teeming with creatures too many to count.  The ships are there sailing, and in the deep waters the sea monsters frolic for that is their home." (v 24-26).

It is such a blessing to be able to look back and see the things the Lord has done.  I'm sure I'm only seeing the tip of the iceberg.  I anxiously anticipate getting to heaven and being able to see the rest of the iceberg -- all the ways he worked in my life that I won't even be aware of here on earth.

Untitled Comment

10:35 PM, May. 8, 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

Thank you so much, Kara, for sharing your insights. They are encouraging and instructive for me too. Some of your experiences and mine are similar. We'll have to talk about it sometime. Love you all, Auntie Meg

Amen

9:06 AM, May. 10, 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

Yes, and amen.

Much love, Aunt Kathy

Nemo and Dori?

11:01 PM, May. 17, 2008 .. Posted by mama5boys

Just kidding, I hope I can see your nursery for this one...I never saw the others. Thanks for this post- it was a blessing to read.

Untitled Comment

9:09 PM, May. 20, 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

Aww...I think I'm going to cry!!

Love,

Tesha

hi

2:19 PM, May. 31, 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

Loved the post Kara - came across your blog when reading Tesha's. Lovely to see all the pics of the girls!

Karen (http://www.reyburnphotography.blogspot.com/)