Carnival of Natural Parenting: Ode to My Maya Wrap Sling

Welcome to the February Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting Essentials

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared the parenting essentials that they could not live without. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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Upon hearing the news of my pregnancy with my second child, I ran immediately and found my trusty pocket sling where my firstborn had spent the vast majority of his infancy. It was the only tool I had, other than my ability to nurse. It was the only help.

But even though I was the same mother, the baby that was born to me was different. He enjoyed the sling but it wasn't necessary for him. Except, I had a 22 month old and needed some way to hold my new little person as he grew.

It was then that I found the MayaWrap ring sling in a consignment store near my home. I found it in a natural, cream color. It was undyed, natural, elegant and simple. My six month old took to the sling with such zest and joy that my older son began to request a sling for his own baby. I ordered some tiny rings and fashioned him a tiny sized sling out of some fabric. We baby-wore our little ones everywhere. His baby slept a lot more than mine, and always at very convenient times.

As my younger child grew into his legs, we moved to the Ergo carrier, where he would nap on hot summer days after mowing the lawn with his daddy or attending a baseball game. The MayaWrap was hung in a closet and, though occasionally touched with fondness and nostalgia, remained unused.

Until this summer, when my daughter was born. With two brothers, ages 4 and 6, she was born into a world that demanded her flexibility and portability. She was easygoing and delightful from the start. And, 13 days after her lovely natural birth, I was ordained as an Elder in the Methodist Church. Our ordination service looks a lot like a huge graduation ceremony. I had to be there, and she had to be with me. I nursed her on the side of the stage while my colleagues were processing to the Bishop. As I was packing for the event, I knew that this was the sling that I needed to have. It was gra c eful and perfect for my newborn girl. It vaguely resembled a stole. I found it as we were preparing to leave, and she spent the entire trip nestled next to me.

I toted her from meeting to meeting, unfazed by the expectations of the other clergy. Most of them were men and had never seen a baby being worn. I did my best to make it look effortless, and mostly, it was.

This sling has provided for me a way to hold my baby close to me, even as she grows, and take her to all of the places we need to go together. She comes to work with me and frequently naps on my chest while I answer e-mails. The sling has made this possible. She has accompanied me to protests, parades, and lobbying days, always in the sling.

It is more than a tool, it is my best way of parenting. It keeps us close and happy. I can nurse her, hold her, teach her and show her. In turn, she continues to communicate with me her joy with the world.

Also, this sling has a pocket. Really, need I say more?

Find this post on Baby Center here.

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Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• Not Without Him — The love Starr at Taking Time shares with her husband is the foundation of her parenting.



• I Cannot Imagine Parenting Without B(.)(.)bs — From an uneducated dreamer to a breastfeeding mother of a toddler, nursing has forever changed Kristy at Strings to Things's relationship with her daughter and her outlook on life.



• Raising a Child in the Internet Village — When Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction has a question or concern about parenting, she turns to the Internet. What did parents do before Google?



• Partner in Crime and Parenting — Bethy at Bounce Me to the Moon can't imagine parenting without her husband's sense of humor - he brings her laughter and love every day.)



• I Make Milk — Patti at Jazzy Mama can't imagine trying to mother her babies without her breasts, but she could do it if she had to.



• New Perspectives Bring New Beginnings — MJ at Wander Wonder Discover, who is a former authoritarian mamma, has gained perspective via parenting.



• Time Out! — Mrs. Green at Little Green Blog explores how time apart can increase your capacity to give unconditionally.



• Unimaginable Without Him — Kristina at heyred designs is celebrating her amazing partner, without whom none of her parenting experience would be possible.



• My Parenting Necessity — Claire at The Adventures of Lactating Girl needs "me time" in order to be the Mama she wants to be.



• Babywearing As a Way of Life — Darcel at The Mahogany Way talks about the benefits of babywearing in everyday life.



• Parenting Partnership — Sometimes Abbie at Farmer's Daughter doesn't appreciate her husband enough, but she definitely couldn't imagine parenting without his help.



• Parenting Essentials — Momma Jorje loves her parenting products, but she needs you even more.



• My Parenting Must-Have: Support — Joella at Fine and Fair wrote a letter to her daughter about the role that support from friends and family plays in her mothering.



• It's More Than Just Hair — Think doing hair is full of fluff? Too girly? Useless? Karli from Curly Hairdo Ideas used to think so too.



• The Minimalist Parent — The parents at Living Peacefully with Children embrace a minimalist perspective when it comes to baby gear. A good sling is all they need.



• Without My Breasts — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama can't imagine parenting without her breasts; here's why.



• Loves Books, Loves People — Seonaid at the Practical Dilettante discovers that the library is a perfect fit for her family's needs.



• An Ode to the Maya Wrap — RevMama's next child might be named Maya, because of her fondness for the sling.



• Avoiding the Padded Room — Pecky at Benny and Bex is here to testify that it takes a village to raise a child.



• My parenting essentials, from Tivo to battery-operated monstrosities — Lauren at Hobo Mama presents a list of parenting essentials you didn't even know you needed (and probably don't…).



• Attachment Parenting Through Separation: It Makes It a Little Better — Jessica at This Is Worthwhile talks about how she couldn't survive her separation without attachment parenting and the bond it's afforded her with her 3 year old son.



• Parenting Essentials — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares the principles she used to parent her children from infants to adults.



• My Parenting Essentials — The things that are truly essential to Kim at In Desperate Need of Entertainment aren't things at all.



• I'm No One Without My Sling — How baby carrying is essential to the parenting of Jessica Claire at Crunchy-Chewy Mama.



• I Cannot Imagine Parenting Without... — Isil at Smiling Like Sunshine talks about what she needs to raise her children.



• February Carnival of Natural Parenting — Through her experiences over the last five and a half years, Casey at Love What Is has discovered her most important tool for parenting is using her instincts.



• CNP: I Cannot Imagine Parenting Without __________. — The Artsymama discloses the one thing that gave her back control of herself as a parent.



• Laugh Until I Cry — Laughing with her sons keeps Acacia at Fingerpaint & Superheroes connected and grounded.



• I Cannot Imagine Parenting Without — Luschka at Diary of a First Child realizes what the one thing she can't imagine parenting without is, and it turns out it's not a thing after all.



• It Takes Two — Here are a few of the reasons why Jenn at Adventures Down Under cannot imagine parenting without her fabulous husband.



• Stopping to Listen — Though it wasn't easy at first, Knocked Up - Knocked Over cannot imagine parenting her daughter without listening first to what she is telling her.



• The Essence of Parenting — There are many wonderful resources that make life easier for Michelle at the Parent Vortex to parent, but the essence is the relationship between parent and child.



• What I Cannot Live Without — Sybil at Musings of a Milk Maker considers her computer to be a parenting lifeline.



• True Blessings: White Noise and Grandparents — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment can't live without her white noise machine and the support of her parents.



• The Necessities! — What "stuff" does a natural parent like Lily, aka Witch Mom really need? Not much, it turns out.



• Mama Showed Me — Mama Mo at Attached at the Nip writes about how parenting wisdom is passed on by example.



• Ode to the Loo — For Joni Rae at Tales of a Kitchen Witch, the bathroom is her safe place, where she can take a minute to calm down if she is feeling touched out.



• Go, Mama. Go! — Andrea!!! at Ella-Bean & Co. has been able to integrate her many roles through her get-up-and-go parenting essential, exercise!



• My Other Half — Becky at Old New Legacy realizes what a relief it is to have her husband parent alongside her.



• Grace, Love, and Coffee — MrsH at Fleeting Moments realizes that lifelines can take the form of the profound, or the mundane. Both are ok.



• Supportive Spouse, Check! — There are so many parenting tools and gadgets that are superfluous, but the one essential, for Danielle at born.in.japan, has been her supportive spouse.



• Why I'm a Babywearer — Meredith at Becoming Mamas reflects on the ways babywearing has enhanced her mama baby relationship...and made life easier to boot.



• It's Marvelous Out Here, Kiddo! — Rachael at The Variegated Life can't imagine parenting in the big city without the marvels of Prospect Park to share with her Critter.



• Yes, Thank You — Amy at Anktangle offers tips on how to ask for and accept help, an essential for successful parenting.



• Parenting Essentials Checklist: Mom’s Inner Rebel and Her Kids’ Voices — Olivia at Write About Birth reflects on raising global citizens and saying no to societal norms.



• Eco-Mama Online! — An Eco-Mama living in the mountains of a nature island, Terri at Child of the Nature Isle finds it essential to connect to nature and to connect online.



• Sorry, We Just Sold the Last One — Nev at The Adventures of Lime confesses she missed out the day they handed out patience.



• Laugh — Tashmica at The Mother Flippin' Blog reveals her super power, her talisman agains mean mommy.



• My Priceless Parenting Resource — What do books, a magazine community, my mother and the local playgroup have in common? Lucy at Dreaming Aloud tells us...
  



• The Gift of Shared Time — Tree at Mom Grooves strives to experience the world from her daughter's perspective.



• Follow the Giggles — Dionna at Code Name: Mama can’t live without the sound of her child’s giggles - come watch her video and you’ll agree!



• Can I Mommy Without Boob? — Emily at Crunchy(ish) Mama shares her fears about weaning and losing part of that the mother/child bond.

An exchange between old friends...

HEY! How are YOU?!

Wow... it's been a while. You look great! Wow! I can't believe it's been so long... how is your job? Yeah? Well, that's good to hear. I know you always loved doing it. And, your beloved? Still well? Oh! A dog! That's terrific.

Yeah, I'm good... great, really. I'm buried in a pile of good things. It's been a busy year - but all so, so good. Matt is great, his job is fantastic. He loves his work and his colleagues and is getting invitations to do all kinds of interesting things. My job is going really well. Actually, I got ordained this year. I KNOW! Seven years... it's a long process, and now it's done. Oh, the kids? The kids are great. Jackson's in kindergarten, and learning to read better and better each day. Yeah, he'll be typing these before too long! And Cooper, well, he's a physical wonder, that kid. Bright as they come, and such an athlete. I keep joking that we have a new entity in the house, and that being is Baseball. The boys are really doing well. They play baseball almost every day, and are doing splendidly in school.

And, then ... there's Sloan. She's 7 months now. Can you believe it? She slept for the first 10 weeks or so - just a dream baby. She woke up at three months, and began charming everyone in sight. She became a champion eater at 5 months, learned how to sit up at 6 months, and is now working simultaneously on crawling, standing and swimming. She's a delight. I knew I wasn't done being pregnant... it's like I was waiting for her. And now, she's here, and life feels so full and complete. I am blessed.

It's been a good year.

Really, it's so good to see you again. Let's not make it so long until we do so. I've missed you - a lot. I just felt like I had to save up all of my words and parcel them out carefully. Between ordination and the huge expectation of Sloan... it was just more than I could express. But, now that's all done and I'm reveling in the joy of what's come from that expectation. I don't feel like I have to be stingy with my words, and I have so much to catch up on with you.

So, let's stay in touch, okay? How about something weekly - next week, if not sooner? Sounds good! Tell your puppy hello for me!

Talk to you soon. It's nice to be back.

Sermon: Where the Spirit of the Lord is…

Mandy Sloan Flemming
Saint Mark United Methodist Church
Transfiguration Sunday
February 14, 2010

Where the Spirit of the Lord is…

2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:2

¹²Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, ¹³not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. ¹⁴But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. ¹⁵Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; ¹⁶but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. ¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

4Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. ²We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.

    Today is Transfiguration Sunday, the day when the Church celebrates Jesus revealing the fullness of his identity to his closest disciples – Peter, James and John. They were his closest friends, his inner circle, and as you heard [Bill/Carol] so beautifully read, Jesus took them to a mountain, and while he was praying, his face and clothing changed to dazzling white. His friends suddenly saw Moses and Elijah, who "appeared in glory," and as Peter was offering to make a monument to what has occurred, a cloud overshadowed them. Peter, James and John were afraid, but a voice from a cloud said, "This is my Son! My Chosen. Listen to him!"And, they were left alone once again with Jesus.
    This is a beautiful story – a classic, Jesus story where something strange and miraculous happens and the disciples keep silent about it. And, in typical "mountain top" fashion, they descend from their mystical experience into a world that's filled with demons and unrest. Jesus rebukes the demon out of the man's son, and chastises his followers saying, "You faithless and perverse generation! How much longer must I be with you and bear with you?" It is an understandable crash after a very big high. Jesus has revealed himself in all of his glory, in company with Moses and Elijah, and in response, the disciples aren't even able to rebuke a piteous demon. Their thick-headedness is clearly getting the best of our Messiah.
    Jesus says little to interpret this experience for them. So, this leaves us to try and do so. Is this the gift of the Holy Spirit? Is it the culmination of the prophecies of old? Is this a foretaste of glory divine? This is where we turn to Paul.
    In the letter to 2 Corinthians, Paul is writing an apology of sorts. Paul writes at the end of 1 Corinthians that he will visit them after he passes through Macedonia. He doesn't; the events that transpired in between writing these letters caused him to cancel his visit. He feels terribly about this, and grounds his letter in a plea for forgiveness and understanding. This leads him to speak of the work they are doing together, as people who have the confidence through Christ toward God.
    In our text, Paul is just getting warmed up. Maybe he is still trying to console the jilted Corinthians, but he makes brazen claims about "such a hope," that allows them to "act with great boldness." He speaks about moving from "one degree of glory to another," and talks of finding freedom in the Spirit and hope in God's mercy. It all sounds good – wonderful, even. He encourages the Corinthians to consider that they are "not like Moses," who veiled his face to see the "end of the glory" that was found in Christ. I assure you that on our best days, we can only hope to be anything like Moses, who was welcomed into the presence of God, and did his best to lead God's wayward people.
    But Paul puts great confidence in the Corinthians, exhorting them to do be bold in their faith. It's as if he thinks that they have truly been converted, that they truly believe that there is something new happening in their midst. He thinks they really believe this stuff…
    He thinks this because he does really believe it. Paul had the hardest of hearts – one that literally left him blind on the road to Damascus, until the scales fell from his eyes, and he came to understand that Christ's love was for him – even him, a sinner and persecutor. It was this man, hated and feared by many, who was chosen to be an instrument for the revelation of God's great mercy in Christ. He was threatened and plotted against, and the people who came to his rescue were the very ones he had persecuted. It is difficult to find a bigger zealot for the grace of God than Paul, and he imparts his own enthusiasm for the Gospel in these letters to the Corinthians. Paul writes as one who understands what it means to be veiled – and his criticism of Moses, even if not literally true – points to his understanding that the glory of God is being revealed, and nothing should prohibit those who have received it from sharing the good news of their salvation.
    We encounter this text, as people who have not seen Jesus or Moses or Elijah. We have read the Scriptures, found our footing, and are trying to walk a life of faithfulness and hope. But, it feels sometimes like our hope is foolish and our faith is empty. We read things like Paul's letter and hear of the hope that we share that should lead us to act with boldness, and we think… really?
    This week opened our latest round of "Theology on Tap," and we encountered Flannery O'Connor's twisted story, "Revelation." In this story, she tells of a woman who sits in a crowded and small doctors office, chatting with a fellow patient. She criticizes everyone – judges all of them – until a young woman grows tired of her ranting and throws a book at her head, shouting, "You warthog from hell!" The incident stuns Mrs. Turpin, and sends her into a good fit of Catholic guilt. She returns home, recounting the incident to her husband and the folks who work for her family. She seeks their assurance that she most certainly is not a warthog from hell, but she cannot shake this image. She asks herself, "How can it be that I am me and a warthog at once?"
    In her fretting, she sees a vision on the horizon of all the people she knows marching toward heaven. She is at the end of the line, and joins their number in singing "Hallelujah!" as they go. It is a stunning vision, a bleak one. We wrestled with whether or not this story was hopeless or hopeful. Her vision was powerful, but couched in her own limitations – each person was still grouped, classified. In our conversation, there was little expectation that she might be changed by this vision or helped into her own glory by turning aside from her judgmental ways and embracing the understanding that we are all headed down the same path – into God's arms. This story is the antithesis of Transfiguration. It does not call us to believe, but to reject her vision of the world.
    Paul is writing with conviction, as one who has had a revelation that led his life to change radically and completely. The book of Acts tells us that, "a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' ⁵He asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' The reply came, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." It was Christ who blinded him that he might know true darkness, and it was Christ who gave him sight, through a man in Damascus named Ananias. When Ananias laid his hands upon the man, who has done "much evil to your saints in Jerusalem," he imparted forgiveness and restoration from God to the man who would become a testament to God's abiding grace to all people. If Paul could be forgiven, so could the most egregious of sinners.
    But, Sisters and Brothers, I wonder if we could have the same conviction. Do we know that Christ died for us – even for us? Me and you. Today. Here. Do you have that bold assurance that Christ is yours, and that you are going "from one degree of glory to another?" If so, then what are we doing about it? Do you have the confidence to say, "My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine?" (I hope so, because we're singing it as our closing hymn.) Do you have the hope to act boldly and invite a colleague to church? Do you know God's mercy in your own life that you might not lose heart when life is difficult?
    It was common growing up for me to hear of our church's prayer warriors. Do you know them? They were the brave souls who dared to pray without ceasing, who talked openly about how they had prayed for you, and who seemed to have a direct link to God. It was funny how often their prayers were answered – more quickly than mine and yours. The hard times did not faze them, but encouraged them to pray with thanksgiving, rather than lamentation. I often wondered how they could remain so steadfast. My flimsy prayers seemed to go unheard, and they became flimsier. But God never gave up on me. God gave me examples – gave me prayer warriors – that I might see that what it means to be faithful. I learned from them how to put my own words into action, how to pray and really mean it.
    And, I ask you today: do you really mean it? What brings you here, my friends? Is it the fellowship you find? Wonderful. Is it the nourishment for your soul? Fantastic. But these things can change and even fade. If that is what has brought you here, then I encourage you to consider what it would mean to change your answer to what Paul has written: that you have such a hope that you may act with great boldness.
    We see so much good being done in our midst. This church is filled each day with the presence of the Holy Spirit as we go about our work driven by your efforts, time and giving. You feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and give generously of your time. But, I ask you… when was the last time you did so and experienced the boldness or freedom we are promised in the Spirit? Paul writes, "when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed."
    I am desperately trying to avoid the sermonic cliché of asking you about the veils that you wear, but consider what it is that holds you back, keeps you from acting boldy, hidden from the glory of the Lord? Is it embarrassment? Fear? Shame?
    I ask because we are a few days from turning our hallelujahs into silence. We will be entering into the reflective season of Lent, and your faith will be asked to deepen, root, grow. Some of you will give things up for Lent. All of us are being encouraged to read the Gospel of Luke together. But, can we do it with the understanding that Christ is our all in all? The true supplier of our every need?
    My family and I watched clips from the Opening ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympics, and we stopped and listened to K.D. Lang's haunting version of Cohen's "Hallelujah." It was such a moment of pause in an otherwise celebratory event. The death of Georgian luger (Nodar Kumaritashvili) earlier on Friday hovered in the air as the parade of nations took place. It was strangely liberating to hear this powerful voice sing with such unabashed passion, "It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah…" My children asked, "Why is she singing such a sad song?" We explained that the Olympics were fun, but people both won and lost. Some train very hard and yet, they go home without a medal. They had heard of the death of the Olympic athlete, and they understood that even fun and games aren't all fun and games. As she sang, a thousand doves, created from light, flew around her. This symbol of peace was a comfort in a difficult time. It was a reminder that there is the possibility of hope in the midst of sadness. It was glorious.
    I don't think the Olympic Committee was trying to make a theological statement, but they did a fine job regardless. The doves that encircled this single figure, in a shining white suit, standing bravely in the center of a massive structure as she sang to the fullness of her own voice, represented what God has promised to us: that the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. K.D. Lang was unbound by embarrassment or shame, but sang as if no one was watching, even though the world looked on. And all of us, with unveiled faces, could see the glory of the Lord in this truth – that when we renounce our shame and refuse to hide, when we are transparent about the faith we share in Christ – then we are turned from darkness to light. We open ourselves up to seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, and we are transformed into that same image of God from "one degree of glory to another."
    Paul writes of the church's ongoing access to the glory of God in the face of Jesus. This is a gift we have received, and it changes us. The next time you look in the mirror, I want you to stare deeply into your own eyes, and look for the reflection of the living God, the passionate Spirit we have been given. It is alive in you – you are created, loved and embraced by God, and we have that Spirit in us to prove it. So, act boldly! Proclaim your faith! We may be burying the hallelujahs today, but we are entering into a time of reflection and spiritual growth. There will be a time for shouting our "hallelujahs," but now is the time to claim the freedom we receive in Christ and act with authenticity and integrity in our faith. My Jesus, I love Thee, I know thou art mine...
    Let us sing boldly.
    Let us act faithfully.
    Let us claim the Spirit that has been given to us.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit we pray. Amen.

If you are going to take it to the bank, then you better cash it in.

I am pushing aside all efforts to be humble, because I have to tell you that Cooper is emerging as a tremendous athlete. He's the kid whose team you want to be on. He's got a knack for anything involving a spherical or oblong-shaped object, running, or competetion, and watching this super tiny three year old do his thing makes me weepy. During soccer this fall, he scored 46 goals in 5 games. Keep an eye on this one... he's got the gift.

This is an excerpt from his second ever basketball game, and documents the first of seven buckets he scored today. For the record, we gave him a basketball last Christmas, he took it out of the box, and started dribbling. For real, folks. You can't make this stuff up.

Sermon: From Generation to Generation

 

Mandy Sloan Flemming
Saint Mark United Methodist Church
December 20, 2009

From Generation to Generation

The Sanctuary They Make in Meeting - Artwork By Jan Richardson

Gospel Lesson: Luke 1:39-55
Mary Visits Elizabeth
3In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be* a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’

Mary’s Song of Praise

46 And Mary* said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord, 4and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
51He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
53he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
55according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

             
              To Abraham and his descendants forever… Our salvation begins, not with the telling of this Gospel story, but with a woman in Genesis. And it does not conclude with Mary, nor will it conclude with us. We have been connected through a chain of faithfulness, in which God has linked together one generation to the next. In her song of praise, Mary makes reference to the descendants of Abraham and Sarah, echoes the song of Praise that Hannah offers, and sings with joy at the news of her relative, Elizabeth. God has been working since the dawn of human history to seek us out and draw us in, and will continue to do so until Christ comes in final victory. 
              But, in this story, the chain of faithfulness begins with Sarah. She had counted the moons – marking each one with disappointing regularity.[1] As the narrow crescent disappeared into the darkness, so did her monthly hopes that a child would be born in the course of nine more moons. Months became years. She saw 924 moons die and rise again. But, her hope did not return. As the moon waxed, so waned her dream, her hope, her faith, her identity. A wise woman once told her that a child could bring her many blessings, but it could not bring her true faith. That faith had to come whether or not the child did. This was no comfort to her. Her empty arms, barren womb and useless breasts provided nourishment and sanctuary to no one. Her once joyful smile turned to a furrowed frown. Her infectious laugh ceased to be heard. All who knew her watched as her spirit faded.
              Until that one day, when she sat in the tent and listened as three strange men talked with her husband. They told him absurd things as they ate her food. They said that a child would be born to them. To her. Not only that, they told her husband that their ancestors would number more than the stars. Listening at the tent entrance, she couldn't help but laugh to herself. Now? After all this time! After she had grown old and her husband was even older?
              The messenger heard her laugh, and questioned her response. She was afraid to admit to him that laughed; but, she was more afraid of this news. Now? How can this be?
              She looked up at the sky that night, deep chortle lodged in her throat, and she began counting the stars. When she got to 925, she stopped.
              She counted the moon. There was only one – a thin sliver of shimmering silver to remind her that this heavenly being never disappeared, even on the darkest of nights. If she tried her hardest, she could see a perfect, circular outline in the sky. The moon remained in the sky, even if she could not see its beaming face.
              Sarah’s laughter was muted. The moon had always been with her. Its light had been dimmed, but it never disappeared. The child, whether it came in the Spring of her Youth or the Winter of her Discontent, was promised, and it was coming. Suddenly, there was nothing funny about the prophecy.
              The stars that shone on Sarah as she birthed her son, Isaac, shone down when the Lord said that his descendants would number more than the stars. The moon continued to wax and wane through years of exile, tribulation, and warfare.
              Generation upon generation came to be, as Sarah’s descendants became a nation and God called upon another woman who had counted these moons, her barren womb and empty arms, mocked by her rival. The chain of faithfulness continues with Hannah, the wife of a faithful man, who went to the temple each year to worship and sacrifice to the Lord their God. He had two wives, one of whom had children, but Hannah did not. Because he loved Hannah, he gave her a double portion of the sacrifice.
                These gifts were always deeply saddening to Hannah. Though she loved her husband, she could not bring herself to eat the meat that he prepared. His other wife mocked her, never allowing her to forget that the problem was not with their husband, but with Hannah herself. Year after year, Hannah wept and would not eat his gift. Finally, she took it upon herself to visit the priest in the temple. There, she prayed silently to the Lord, that she might be remembered. She promised that the Lord would open her womb, give her a son, and that she would return the boy to the temple when he was weaned. The priest looked at her with disdain, thinking her to be drunk as she moved her lips without making a sound.
              She stated her case before him, and he sent her away with the words she had forever longed to hear: "Go in peace, the God of Israel will grant the petition you have made."
              That night, Hannah ate and drank. She feasted and felt the tension of her burden lifted from her shoulders. She would strengthen her body for this duty to carry a child. She would know the joy and pain of labor and birth. She would know, at last, what it meant to be remembered by God.
              Three years passed, and Hannah treasured that time with her son, Samuel. She nursed him, she clothed him, she taught him her favorite melodies and let him assist in the preparation of the coarse meal and flour mixture. And on that day, when he was weaned, she prepared to take him back to the priest as she had promised. This child, though born of her womb, was a gift from God, and one that she freely offered.
              As they walked to the temple where Samuel would find his new home, she brought gifts of food and sang quietly to keep her heart from becoming heavy. For, in those three years, she had continued to count the new moons, knowing that this day would come. But, this time, it was a day of her choosing. God had been faithful, and now she could be faithful in return.
              When Eli took Samuel's hand, Hannah prayed, saying, "My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in my God! My mouth derides my enemies because I rejoice in my victory."[2] This was faithfulness, and its proper response. Her heart was not heavy, but rejoiced in the fulfillment of her lifelong dream. Samuel would always be her son, but now he was entrusted to the care of the priest, where he would be raised in the temple and would be called by God in the quiet of a night, to be a prophet and judge for the people of Israel, the descendents of Sarah.
              That night, as she slept in her too-quiet home, the same stars shone upon her, and the moon was dark. She slept deeply, peacefully, and long.
              Through Samuel, God named the first kings of Israel, including David, from whom Jesus would be descended.[3] As the moons continued to fade and return, the prophets arose and declared that the Lord would send one who would rule in Israel. One declared that “He would be from Bethlehem, one of the little clans of Judah.”[4] The story of our salvation is becoming more focused now; the prophets have told us from where our savior will come. The Israelites heard God’s promises, and they waited and watched for the day when the chain of faithfulness would be connected in their presence.
              And, in their waiting for the promised and coming king, the moons continued, and another woman began to count them. The chain of faithfulness, which was pulled taught by years of struggle, was connected to the faithful Elizabeth. She was the wife of a priest, and both of them were righteous and blameless. But, like so many before her, she had seen the moons become round and full, then waste away in the heavens. Her monthly hopes, scattered like the proud. She had come to a place of relative peace, when an angel of the Lord appeared to her husband as he offered incense in the temple with the news for which she had always longed to hear. They would have a son, who would be filled with the Holy Spirit and would be endowed with the power to turn the people of Israel to the Lord their God.[5]
              As Elizabeth watched the moons in this season of her life, she counted for a new purpose. Her husband silently helped her as she struggled through her days. The fatigue was more than she could endure, and her house was beginning to show it. Her old body was weak, and it took all that she had to make their bread each morning. He made her hot cups of tea, and she kept to herself as her body began to show physical evidence of the miracle growing inside. Her strength returned. Her smile brightened. Her husband patted her hand, communicating as he could that he was glad to have her back.
              And, as she watched the sixth moon disappear in the sky, she received her first visitor since she conceived. It was her relative, Mary who knocked on her door, and the instant she looked upon the young girl’s face, she knew something marvelous was happening. Elizabeth felt her heart take a beat that made her breathless, the baby felt like it was dancing inside, and her mouth opened as she exclaimed loudly, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” Elizabeth’s own silence had been broken – she, herself, muted with no one to speak with for these six months. Her voice was loud – too loud – it shouted the words that came to her with exuberance and without hesitation. She didn’t know where this voice, these words, had come from. But, she knew what she was shouting was the truth. She was the mother of a prophet, and this was the family’s first prophecy. Here, before her, was her young relative, blessed with child. It was just as miraculous as her own conception, and together, they could celebrate the mystery that was occurring in their wombs. As they stood at the door, women who intuitively knew the other’s deepest secret, they created a sanctuary. A small habitat where life could be created and they could share the words of women in this peculiar state of life. As Elizabeth welcomed Mary into her home, she welcomed Mary into her story, her miracle.
              That night, Mary and Elizabeth counted the stars together in silence. The moon, plump and round, shone on their grateful faces.
              Mary, unable to tell anyone, even her betrothed for fear that he would reject her, had come to Elizabeth knowing that here, she would be safe. Elizabeth had received the same message of a child coming in a season of inconvenience and impossibility. For Elizabeth, this meant the end of her shame. But for Mary, it was just the beginning. She did all she knew to do, which was to travel to her relative, who was older, wiser, and yet a peer in this journey.
              When Elizabeth opened the door, Mary saw the oddity of this thin woman with a protruding belly. She saw the light in Elizabeth’s eyes and the shared secret of what their bodies were producing. As Elizabeth shouted her greeting, Mary felt her own silence broken. Her dreams as a young girl were taking a new turn. She had always envisioned her life proceeding in a particular direction – saving for a dowry, being betrothed to a good man, making a life and a family together with him. As far along as this plan had proceeded, she could not have imagined that they would be interrupted by an angel.
              How terrified she had been in his presence! He said such strange things to her, telling her that she was favored by God He told her that she would conceive a son through the Holy Spirit, and that his name would be Jesus – the Son of the Most High, the heir of David’s throne, and the rule over the house of Jacob forever. These names were familiar to her, but only as an uttering in the temple. They were lauded men, not a humble young girl such as her. And, here they were, being named as if they were close relatives.
              “How can this be?” She replied. How could it be, truly? How could she be pregnant? Who was she to be remembered by God? God had gifted her with this responsibility, but how could she possibly fulfill it? Before she could say any more, the angel told her about Elizabeth, her relative who was said to be barren. She was carrying a son and was in her sixth month. “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
              Nothing will be impossible with God… Not for Sarah, not for Hannah, not for the prophets, not for Elizabeth and not for Mary. Nothing will be impossible for God, who had found her to be favored.
              Then, echoing the words of all of those who had been called upon before her, Mary replied, “Here I am, a servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
              When she arrived at Elizabeth’s home, her reception warm and just what she had needed. Elizabeth softly touched her belly as she shouted, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” Caught in the same spirit of joyfulness and acceptance, Mary unleashed the hopefulness she had contained within her since the set out on her journey:
              “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on, all generations will call me blessed!”
              In the next generation, the stars continued to shine as the chain of faithfulness was continued through Jesus’ disciples, who taught the Good News of our salvation in Christ.  They preached Good news to the poor and release to the captives.
              In the next generation, the church rooted and grew in cities and nations and countries far from Bethlehem, far from Nazareth, far from the people of Israel, as God’s promise to shine light on those who walked in darkness came true for people of all ages, nations and races. The power of the Holy Spirit, who has been present with each link in the chain, continues to be present with us today.
              In this generation, as we gaze upon the stars, their light still shines as the moon waxes and wanes and continues to be a reminder of the promise that God made to Sarah… to Hannah… to Elizabeth… to Mary…  to us. God is with us. God is always with us. In this is the faithfulness of a loving God to a people whom will never be forgotten. We have walked in darkness, but we will see a great light, for the true light, which enlightens everyone, is coming into the world, according to the promise God made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
              And ever.
              Amen.

---

[1] Genesis 17-18, 21, 26:4

[2] 1 Samuel 2:1b-10

[3] I Samuel 7, 9

[4] Micah 5:2-5

[5] Luke 1:8-25

The Great Santa Debate

The season of Advent is upon us. But, really, who am I kidding. Our tree is up, our house is festively decorated (I even bought a tablecloth!), and Matt's been building some fantastic fires in the evenings. It's Christmastime, folks. And, the boys are getting the spirit. And by spirit, I mean "of receiving."

To be honest, we put a lot of emphasis on these wrapped things under the tree, and J - generous soul that he is - keeps wrapping up things at home and at school to put under the tree for Mommy and Daddy. I don't think Cooper has registered on his mental list of people to please, but he's getting it.

I'm not sure if this is pure generosity, or more of a works-righteousness philosophy, because J keeps asking to go to Target to pick out presents. Despite all of our theologically-correct efforts to tell them that Christmas is about Jesus rather than Santa, that's all been blown out of the water.

Last year, on Christmas morning, the president of the seminary and her husband showed up at our house (with our permission, of course). He was dressed as Santa. She was dressed as an "elf" with reindeer antlers. It didn't matter that they drove there in an burgundy Toyota Camry. What mattered was that the REAL LIVE SANTA showed up to give my children an awesome fire truck on Christmas morning.

I just can't tell them that wasn't real. Because it was. Totally and completely real.

The problem is that the president has since moved to Texas to take another job, and I'm thinking that this duty is not in the current president's job description. So, we're left with very high expectations and no plan except some lame excuses about why Santa didn't drive up to our house and bring a rockin' toy.

We've toyed with bribing other adults to show up in costume, toting a nice set of blocks. But, that seems to take the magic out of it for us, as well. The beauty was that none of us had any expectations around this event. Christmas had gone just splendidly, and we were cleaning up wrapping paper and readying ourselves for some hard-core gift exploring. When all of a sudden, there was a knock on our door.

It's funny how little it takes to shift someone's world. For 11 1/2 months now, the boys have kept this memory close to their hearts; Santa came, they saw Santa, and the mystery was conquered.

So what do we do this year?

Your Christmas Gift

Dear Blogoshpere,

You have been so good to me this year, and I wanted to give you something that would show the depths of my appreciation. It must be somethig warm, something personal, something Jesus-y.

So, for Christmas, I am making you all Snuggies out of this authentic Jesus, Mary and Joseph fleece. As a bonus, I'll include the picture of the angel Gabriel(la?) so that you'll always know that s/he is watching out for you.

Enjoy, be warm, and thanks for reading.