You will no longer be
called “Forsaken”…
But you will be named my
Delight…
For the Lord delights in
you.
-Isaiah 62:4-5
Two years ago when I was
seven months pregnant with our youngest, Michael, I wrote a post (more like a
rant) entitled, Comments to Mothers of All Boys. I shared about the bizarre, sometimes hurtful,
and always unsolicited opinions I received from the individuals I encountered upon
their discovery that I was pregnant with yet another boy. Surely I had been hoping for a girl,
right?! Were we trying for a girl? Would we try again after this baby was born
and maybe next time get that coveted girl?
And on and on it went. And these
comments were made in front of my sons!
One dear friend and
reader, who is older and wiser than I, suggested coming up with a simple song
to sing to the boys— a way to speak God’s truth over them and to show them how
special they are to us. And that we
wouldn’t have picked any other children for our family!
I am neither a composer nor
a lyricist, but I took the plunge knowing how profound truths can be cemented
in young brains through a simple song.
Here is what I came up with to the tune of “Three Blind Mice”:
“All These Boys”
All these boys,
All these boys.
I love them,
I love them.
God picked each one for
me,
I’m so happy, can’t you
see?
With all these boys,
All these boys.
Yep, that’s it, my one and
only song I’ve ever written. And it is the
boys’ favorite song. They absolutely
light up when they hear it. Why? Because they know they are cherished when I
sing it to them. And why are they
cherished? Because they belong to
me. Not because I prefer boys. Not because they’re perfect. But simply because they are mine. God entrusted
these precious lives to Meade and me.
What does this mean for each one of us? Just as I take great delight in John’s belly
laugh, Daniel explaining his latest, highly detailed drawing (of some type of
vehicle of course), Andrew tucking his arms in when we fold him into a big hug,
or watching Michael wave goodbye and blow kisses, I am beginning to understand
what it means, and the difference it
could make in my life, to truly grasp the love our Father has for us.
Honestly, even as I type that last sentence, I feel like a
hypocrite. I rarely grasp how much God
loves me. (As an aside, I really don’t
want y’all to come away from this thinking I’m the perfect mom. I wrote one song. I fail every single day. I feel like the worst mom much of the time. I crave alone time. Hours fly by as my sons’ eyes are glued to
the TV. Just want to keep it real!) Anyway, I struggle to allow the truth of
God’s relentless love to permeate my life and outlook. I know I am not alone in this struggle or
with the lies our enemy feeds us.
Christ’s love can feel intangible, too good to be true,
unmerited, or lofty. But I get a little
glimpse with my boys and how much I cherish them, despite my shortcomings. I think we need to shift our perspective of God’s
sacred, consuming, and pursuing love. It
is not just an elevated version of how we care for ourselves, nor is it even
close to our feeble attempts to “give ourselves grace,” as a good friend may
urge. God doesn’t love as we do; He is
not harsh as we are harsh with others and ourselves. His love isn’t based on our intentions,
attitude, or achievements. And yet, we
do get a glimpse with our earthly relationships and the love that swells. Nevertheless, God’s love goes so very far
beyond that.
Undoubtedly, it is difficult to grasp. Fortunately, the Lord’s love isn’t based on our
finite understanding. It is there
regardless. He loves us simple because we are His. He calls you His Delight, His Beloved, a
pearl of great price. He gives us His name, His covering. He rejoices over us. His steadfast mercies never fail; His love
endures forever. As far as the East is
from the West, so far has He removed our missteps and failures from us. Even when we cannot grasp it, and, despite
the fact that we see in a mirror dimly, His love remains.
The Lord,
your God, is in your midst,
the
Mighty Warrior who saves;
he will take great delight in you,
he will
renew you in his love;
he will rejoice
over you with singing.
-Zephaniah 3:17
A few closing remarks:
I am very secure in my boy
mom status these days. I love it (good
thing I was a tomboy as a child). I am
no longer caught off guard by the comments about my band of brothers, and now I
typically cut people off at the pass when they ask how many children I
have. I smile and chuckle as I say, “I
have 4 children and they’re all boys! It
is wild, and we love it!” If I think they are up for it (or for added
shock value), I may even tell them I have 5. :)
I am beyond grateful for
the older, wiser friend who encouraged me to come up with that simple
song. I would strongly encourage you all
to invest in intergenerational relationships.
What a gift we have if we only take advantage of the people God has
placed all around us! If you don’t know
anyone, I’m sure you can find a mentoring program at your church or just ask
someone there to grab a cup of coffee.
Lastly, ALL human life has
value, regardless of gender or ability.
Why? Because we are His.
