Today, as I reflect and celebrate 27 years of life in which God abundantly blessed a couple with a precious jewel, I am in awe. I am in awe that He chose us for her, and her for us. I am in awe of how He meticulously created a being, genetically using little sprinklings of sugary somethings, lots of sassy sauciness, buckets of bold spiritedness, oodles of opinionated thoughts and extra additives of an adventure-seeking mindset. He further molded this creation with subtle characteristics of grandparents, great grandparents and other lineage even further down the branches of the Cherry, Ballance, Peele and Melton family trees. It is absolutely amazing, the gift that was packaged so perfectly, just for us, by The One who always gets everything right. God gave us a Daughter…A Divine Gift.
When I think of the very moment when the nurse uttered the words, “It’s positive…You ARE pregnant, ma’am.”, I still get a warm feeling that mimics a heart being illuminated by some sort of supernatural light. As my memory continues on this reflective journey, I remember standing in a small space holding a pay phone feeling like, Wow….This is for real!! I am going to be a mama!! Recovering from the instant shock, I slowly, like thick syrup pouring from a bottle, began to realize that my life had just made a major, but magical change. I was handed a present that had to be handled with care, loved deeply and particularly nurtured before I could deliver it to be opened to the entire world. It was my assignment that God entrusted me with. It was like Maternity Special Forces ;-). I was completely and logistically responsible for precious cargo that would later be revealed as a Daughter…A Divine Gift.
Like the overwhelming feeling of love that overflowed on that day in March of 1989, raising, parenting and supporting our child was overwhelmingly powered by responsibility, fueled by faith, and charged every minute by the love of God. I knew that we (her dad and I) had to not only pour into her physical, mental and emotional well-being, but also had the task of cementing the foundation of her spiritual path. It was our duty, our responsibility, as parents. Finding that balance (no “pun” intended) with being young parents who, trust me, took every single opportunity to enjoy life, was sometimes a challenge. However, we had to remain grounded and rooted in what we were made of….simple, country folk who were reared by church-going families who had strong faith in God. We may not have gotten it quite right as much as we should’ve along the way, but The Creator knew our flaws and gave us the tools to keep tweaking our skills to mold the spirit of our special Daughter…A Divine Gift.
Today, like every day since that November 12th evening, I’m so proud to be the mother of this now young, vibrant, God-loving, God-fearing woman. This beautiful soul, who I felt was the epitome of awesomeness, the second that I knew I was her carrier. Although none of us are perfect, she entered this world perfect to us—perfectly designed for her flawed, yet favored parents. Weighing in at only 5 lbs. 15 oz. in Newark, Delaware, she was the smallest baby delivered at Christiana Hospital on that day. Twenty-seven years later, she’s still a small package, but a giant in being sweet, thoughtful, giving, caring and most of all loving…Not just having an abundance of love for people, but she chose to love God enough to give her life to Christ at an early age, about nine years old. Interestingly, she is the one who posed the question to me, riding down highway 301 in Rocky Mount, NC in what seemed like the sweetest voice ever, “Mama, What do I need to do to be saved???” Trying to hold back some big ole crocodile tears, I asked her to grab the bible, still in the car from our most recent church service, and find Romans 10:9. Coincidently, my mother had referenced that very scripture earlier that week, so I knew exactly how to respond… See how God works?? She thumbed through the pages, finding words that would change her life forever, and read, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Tears are about to flow as I type, thinking of my Daughter…. A Divine Gift.
I believe that moment set the tone for the favor that God has had on her life. I believe that at that moment, she somehow felt the warmth that would later become the awareness of the unconditional love and power of The Most High, who would be her comforter, her protector, her guide, her source of strength and foundation of faith. I believe that at that moment, the connection of mother and daughter was taken to a new level and God was happiest about His mother-daughter pairing. I knew at that moment that parenting had truly met Godly purpose. Although I never had any doubt that she was a marvelous and magnificent blessing, it was at that moment that I recognized the profound Godly significance of being a mom to the love of my life, Kelsey, my Daughter…A Divine Gift.
I am celebrating everything that you represent today, Kelsey B! You are, and always will be your mommy’s Munchkin, a pictorial image of her heartbeat, elements of the very air that she breathes, a delicate blossoming flower…The Voice of the Vine’s Daughter… A Delightful and Divine Gift from an Awesome God. Happy Birthday!
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. ~ Psalms 127:3
Peace & Blessings,
Lisa B