reflection on birth

I drove to a quiet park and sat in the woods alone for hours, working on a project for the baby. It is a sort of board book but can also be a wall hanging. I got the idea out of a book on mixed media. Using matte board, I glued together pieces to make four squares. I sanded the corners of each one to round them slightly. Then I painted them gradient shades of pinks and purples. Using a process I learned in my last art class, I transferred photocopied images of nature (I had photocopied some weeds) onto the squares.

Yesterday friends from our tiny Strathcona Vineyard church came over and shared gifts and prayers with me for the baby. Some of them prayed that I would have an amazing birth experience. It reminded me of an article I just read about Ecstatic Birth – giving birth in ecstasy and also the concept of the kingdom breaking through the pain and brokenness that has been associated with birth ever since the fall. As I prepare for the birth, I hope to actively seek God, and get ready for this experience, not just focus on gathering the material and aesthetic items needed for the baby.

At 37 weeks, many women are anxious to get labour over with and meet the baby. Personally I treasure this time to relax and prepare. This month off, this rare and precious “month of Sundays.”