BOUNTIFUL GIFTS

I find it truly amazing the unexpected turns that our lives can sometimes take. As I sat this morning watching my two older children fishing from our dock, laughing and jumping with delight at each new catch and my littlest one was cheering them on from a cushy spot beneath the shade of our porch. It was like a scene straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Just good old fashioned fun and entertainment! My thoughts drifted to a day about a year and a half ago
when my spirits were at their absolute lowest. I had just completed a half marathon and achieved my personal best time in 10 years running a local 10K race. I was gearing up to begin training for a full marathon . Now for those of you who are the athletic, energetic type...this may not phase you. But I had never really enjoyed exercise of any particular sort. In fact my husband had been nagging me to join his gym for years. I emphatically refused!! My children were no longer babies, as my youngest then was about to start kindergarten. So I had plenty of spare time on my hands. But I would be the one to decide when I would lose the" baby" weight and where and how!!! Well ...I did it....I found a bridge nearby which I actually enjoyed walking over, joined my local Curves gym for women, and within about 3 months I lost 35 lbs. I was in the best shape of my adult life!! And I had so many friends who said that they had been encouraged themselves by my success. The funny thing is that I was so touched by the effect that I was having on others that I actually prayed for God to show me a "purpose" for my running. I thought perhaps a charity running event or the Susan G. Komen "Race for a Cure"....something like that. But His answer to my prayers was something else ....indeed! Three days after running in the 10K, I woke up not quite feeling like myself. I couldn't put my finger on it but I knew something was different. I went for a good 4 mile walk and when I finished it hit me. I had not had my menstrual cycle that month. I had been so busy getting ready for the race that I had not even noticed. I hurried to the nearest pharmacy, bought the needed test, and rushed right home to take it. And yes...my suspicions were confirmed..... I was pregnant!! My head was spinning! I began sobbing convulsively. How could this be? Another baby.. now...at my age...(41) which should definitely be too old for that! I mean there are women all over the world my age trying TRYING to get pregnant. And I did it by accident? I started crying even harder when I realized that the "running" thing was done...no marathon....none of the eagerly anticipated spare time I had been looking forward to with both kids in school. And the best part...puttin' back on the lbs. That day a funny thing happened though . I was so depressed and I just didn't know what to do with myself. I didn't yet have the nerve to tell my husband about our new "gift" and I wasn't comfortable with the idea of confiding in any of my close friends about this gossip worthy tidbit. But I remembered that a woman named Darnell, whom I barely knew from my gym and who also happened to be a member of my church, had been asking me for months if I would like to volunteer my time to help with some cause that involved making blankets for the needy. I had not really been interested but didn't want to seem impolite. However, on this day I figured "what else do I have to do?"-- " where else can I go right now?"So I agreed to meet her and help out. Now I want you to listen closely to what I can only say now was GOD working at his absolute best!!! When I arrived, there were about 20 or so women there.. of all ages.. working fastidiously. Making blankets in several different colors...but all were for BABIES!!! I couldn't believe it! As I sat there making blanket after blanket, I was suddenly feeling better somehow about my own little bundle of joy that I was carrying. I confided in Darnell that I had just discovered I was pregnant...at 41. She wasn't shocked or disgusted, however, as I had expected ,which also made me feel better. Now what were the odds that I would end up there, in that place, at that moment when I needed it the most? Phenomenal!! I still have a small blanket which Darnell insisted I should keep that day.
Fast forward....a year and a half later....A few weeks ago this story came full circle when I was walking through an arts and crafts fair with my family some 300 miles from where I live. I noticed a woman who I knew looked strikingly familiar. But I couldn't figure out for the life of me where I knew her from. Suddenly as she was walking away, I remembered....Darnell! I called out to her, and as she turned around her eyes flew open wide in surprise . She had a huge grin as she reached to touch my baby on the hand. No words were necessary. We both knew that God had worked yet another miracle.
So there I sat on the porch this morning, with my beautiful unexpected little gift from God just next to me in a high chair. My older two kids were fishing on the dock and the baby was smiling and squealing cheerfully at their activities. I am so thankful now that I have this wonderful child in my life when I had thought that I just wanted a medal for running in a silly marathon. With Summer winding down now and the kids starting back to school next week I am hoping to get myself motivated to once again begin exercising....with the baby, of course! I am running a marathon of a different sort these days...but who knows....maybe I'll run in a real one too someday. I certainly am now convinced that anything is possible!!


SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY
"Follow me," Jesus told them, "and I will make you fish for people!"
MARK 1: 17