I'm doing some early morning cleaning while the rest of the house is asleep. Often this time turns into deep thinking and long talks with the Lord. Dani Marie hasn't been feeling well lately, and we have really worried about her being such a picky eater. She doesn't have much of an appetite and a very short list of approved foods. She definitely doesn't share our genes on that one. Well, I started praying and thinking about how to get her to try more foods. This turned into a full out on the floor, on my knees, in tears situation pretty quickly. That line of thoughts led to me thinking about how tiny Dani Marie's birthmother was. She had a petite frame with the palest complexion. I know she was sick and her body was recovering from the traumatic events leading up to Dani Marie's arrival. She had just delivered a baby way too early with absolutely no prenatal care. Her organs and entire body had taken a toll from a hidden pregnancy and the stress that surrounded her circumstances. Her eyes had dark circles which stood out more so because of her fair skin. They were beautiful, absolutely beautiful. They were the most beautiful mix of Caribbean blue with a touch of stormy grey. I'd never seen eyes quite that color at the time, but now I see them daily. Even though her eyes were beautiful, they were tired and weak. The crystal blue was a stark contrast to the black circles underneath them. When Dani Marie's allergies flare up or she isn't feeling well, it's an automatic flashback for me. This morning, as I was praying about Dani Marie needing to eat a little more and try some new foods, my heart was overwhelmed.
I thought back to her mother. I can't tell you how many times I have replayed our only meeting. I guess by now, it's in the thousands. All the things I wish I had said, I should have said, always come to mind. Today is different. This time, I realized that somewhere right now she is still that same person. While I don't know where, who, or how..God does. I thought about this Christmas season and how it lends itself to witnessing to people more than any other time of the year. The secular world stops and celebrates our precious Christian holiday. We, as Christians, know the entire story. We know that Jesus didn't stay in the manger, and we also know why He couldn't. How many times this season already have I run in a store without speaking a word? I have been in a rush to pick up food for a Christmas party, accessories for a Christmas outfit, a gift that was on sale, and so much more. How many people have I passed? People eager and willing to engage in conversations about spiritual matters simply because it's Christmas time.
The reality is that Dani Marie is so much ours. She is like me in so many ways, but then at the same time I see things that I know were ingrained in her from somewhere else. My mother tells me often a child couldn't be more like their mother than Dani Marie is me. She has the same silly sense of humor, adores her daddy just like I do, laughs from way down deep, cares about others almost to a fault, wears her heart on her sleeve and loves Jesus so very much. Still, we honor and are ever thankful for the legacy of who it was that helped God get her to us and gave her those stunning features and certain traits. I realized for the first time that Dani Marie's birthmother is just a version of Dani Marie all grown up. We teach Dani Marie about Jesus, thanks to EBBC Awana she knows as much if not more scripture than I do. She has been brought up already understanding the importance of our Savior and His love. She already has the tools to know where to turn when things get tough. She already has a foundation on which to build a life of knowing God. That gives us hope for her to face the world. I don't think her birthmother had this. In fact, I'm pretty certain she didn't So does that mean that she is a lost cause? That she will never understand that God's grace allows us to lay any and every burden, even the self inflicted ones, at His feet? At times, when I have reflected over our meeting that's how I felt. I felt responsible for not saying enough. I told her that I wanted the three of us to be sisters in Christ someday, but that's all. I left it at that. I didn't tell her how or what that really meant. I told her she had renewed my faith in a God that works ALL things for good, but I never offered her an opportunity to accept Him then and there, I thanked her. That is all. For years I have carried a guilt and regret that I didn't do or say more. This precious and beautiful girl gave me the greatest gift of my lifetime, and I have always felt as if I failed her that day. I want eternal salvation for her with all my heart, but I have feared I didn't do more to guide her that way when we met. God absolutely overwhelmed my heart this morning. For the very first time in all these years, I realized it isn't over. She is no longer a girl, but now she is a woman. She is older and hopefully her heart has healed somewhat. Maybe she still remembers our meeting, or maybe she has long since forgot the words we exchanged. I don't know. I do know that I have read in sermon notes that sometimes it can take seven times of hearing the gospel for someone to really receive it. Where this statistic came from, I really don't know. I have held on to it though. The message said something along the lines of, "Don't take it personal if you witness to someone and they don't receive Christ that day. God may have just planted the seed that day. The next time they hear the gospel may be like watering the seed. The next time a little more tending to the garden, and then a little more. Eventually, that seed that was planted will be ready and produce. That person may later accept the Lord. You don't know. You don't know whether you are the first to plant, the first to water, the first to weed, etc." I don't know if that was the first time Dani Marie's birthmother heard someone speak about God's goodness, and I don't know how many times she has heard it since. What if she needs to hear it just once more? What if the very next time is the 7th time? That fills me with so much hope. That's why I need to ask you for a favor! Yes, you!
As you are going about the hustle and bustle of the most wonderful season of the year, will you be mindful of those you cross paths with? I'm going to challenge myself to slow down and use each opportunity I see to share the joy of Christmas. It might be a quick chat in the checkout line about an upcoming Christmas musical at a local church that ends with an invite. It could be simply asking someone sitting next to you while waiting for a table about their favorite Christmas tradition and then sharing yours, or it could be as simple as holding a door for someone with a big smile and really wishing them a "Merry Christmas!" Today, this very day, maybe one of you will bump into a young lady tired from working long hours who is carrying the weight of the world. Maybe you will both be grabbing coffee in the quick hustle and bustle of one of the season's last shopping days, maybe she is Dani Marie's birthmother. Our hero, who gave us our baby girl, would you really wish that girl a Merry Christmas? Maybe you will go to pay at a local fast food restaurant and who knows maybe she even messed up your order, but could you still dig down and really wish her a Merry Christmas?
For the first time this morning, I realize that her salvation is not my task alone. While I have prayed for it every single day for the last seven years and will continue to for the rest of my life, it's not my sole responsibility. It didn't have to happen in that single conversation we had. It could happen today. It could happen because a complete stranger simply really wished her a Merry Christmas, and just maybe that stranger will be you. I have promised myself and the Lord this morning that I would slow down and be mindful of every opportunity this Christmas to share the greatest story ever told. Dani Marie's story is one of my favorites. There is a story even greater, and it's because of the Christmas story that we have the opportunity to be living Dani Marie's story this very day.
Thank you in advance for loving on the people around you this Christmas. All of them....The ones you know and love and even the ones you don't. It's amazing what God can do when we are willing to notice His people we meet and take the time to really wish them a Merry Christmas!
I love y'all!
Ashlee
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