|
“For this child I have prayed.” 1 Samuel 1:27
For as long as I can remember, I have loved making hand-stitched baby gifts for family members and friends. My favorite gift to make is a hand-smocked daygown or a cross-stitch pillow with the baby’s name, date of birth and “God’s Gift of Love” embroidered across the top. Back in the day when we didn’t know the baby’s gender ahead of time, I would often make two pillows-one pink and one blue-so the name and date could quickly be added to the appropriate color pillow at the last minute. I made the baby pillows rather routinely back then, not really thinking about the words I was stitching on them. Years later, that would change.
Motherhood came easily for our oldest daughter. Within a span of five years, she and her husband were blessed with three children. We were now grandparents! I was prepared each time with my cross-stitch baby pillow and hand-smocked daygown, even for the two boys. Our younger daughter took on the title and role of Auntie Meghan. What a wonderful auntie she was! She traveled through snowstorms to visit her sister in the hospital after the birth of each baby. She traveled long distances to be present at all three babies’ baptisms. She had her niece and nephews for sleepovers, baked and decorated cupcakes with them, took them shopping, swimming, and attended their special school events. Over the years, Meghan showed no resentment or jealousy toward her older sister and her sister’s three children, only LOVE. But deep down, she yearned for children herself. Like Hannah, Elizabeth and Sarah in the Bible, Meghan prayed for a child of her own.
After many prayerful conversations, Meghan opted to pursue invitro fertilization (IVF) treatment in hopes of having a baby. With the odds clearly stacked against her and being given a 5% chance that IVF would work at her advanced maternal age, she decided to “roll the dice” as her doctor said and proceed with her plan. I will never forget August 16, 2021, the day we learned that against all odds, Meghan’s embryo transfer had been successful on the first try! That following April, Hannah Elizabeth, the first of our two miracle grandbabies, was born! (Emma Catherine would follow two years later). Our prayers had been answered. With tears in my eyes, I carefully stitched my traditional baby pillow with the words “God’s Gift of Love” at the top and Hannah Elizabeth at the bottom. Those simple words would forever hold a new and different meaning for me. They reminded me not only of God’s LOVE for us, but also HOPE in the power of prayer, and JOY that comes with trusting God’s greater plan for our lives.
Dear God, in this Advent season of HOPE, PEACE, JOY and LOVE help us to remember that God’s greatest gift to us is love. God showed us His love by sending His one and only Son into the world that we might have eternal life through Him. Amen.
| 
