Labor to Enter...

I was hoping her labor wasn't like my first.

After all, most of what I had seen in the last 10 years, by those she would call her peers, were quick births. Some happened so quick, they became “delivery van” births.

One of my initial thoughts in our 10 minute ride to the hospital was -

"I hope we make it!"

But it was not to be the way I was hoping for. 

This was LABOR 

strong,

 long, 

and hard, 

as most births are. 

Halfway through - she pronounced ”I am done!” She felt like she could not do it any more...and trust me, she had more than a few offers for drugs to stop the pain.

Sensing her desperation – stirred me deeply and then - I remembered when I began to tighten my fist, clench my jaw, and I too pronounced ... "I can't do this...!"

Alan remembered too.

"Don't let her do that, remember our training, she can't tighten up like that, it makes the pain even stronger. Have her focus on when the relief will come, then she can and will. That's what you used to do, remember, you would set your mind to just get to that easing off point of the intensity of the contraction."

At one point, one of the nurses told her, “don't close your eyes, focus on your husband. Doing that will help you turn your thoughts away from yourself, and listen to him, and do not let your pain lead you.”

Courage sometimes comes 

through the commands of others. 

When we have lost our grip - allowing the words of others to carry us to the end.

I watched in awe as Tim did this. He breathed almost every breath with her. He commanded strength by his words. "You can..." 

And something changed in her at this point. She would not even have known it, but we all saw it. She found a place to endure to the end. Her eyes focused upon her husband and strength came. That strength that comes even in our own weakness, that sometimes cries, and that breathes long hard breathes, but instead of screaming and clenching...

yields to listening and trusting.

Its an amazing thing to watch. It looks feeble and weak on the outside, but it reflects a powerfully beautiful submission. 

It says, I can't, but He Can. And as Joy can count it all worth it...Pain shows us the path to Life.  

Jesus walked this path for us. 

He showed us the way. 

For the Joy set before Him, He endured.  

We need more of this strength as we labor to enter His REST. Clenching fist, or pain stopping drugs, will either intensify or delay His True Rest for our lives.

The great temptation I faced while watching my daughter in such great pain, and all of us face when gripped by our own desperation, is we want to stop it! We are swayed by the urge to sympathize with it, instead of understand that this is what Labor and Life is all about...learning to let PAIN have its Perfect work. 

We will know when this full work of Rest has been entered.  All the pain and struggle begins to diminish in our minds.  And the child we hold in our arms tells us, it was worth it.

And His Rest is better understood when we let Pain bring what it will, in due time....REST and JOY!

And my view from here, watching this beautiful story unfold...is amazing...Thanks for your prayers.

Jesse Jon was there first child.  They will be having their 6th child in July, 2022.