Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Giving Birth

Giving birth. When you hear that expression, I am guessing what comes to mind is the birth of a baby. Same for me. This expression is especially meaningful because five days ago I witnessed the birth of a baby--our second grandchild, Riley Daniel. I will never forget that experience. Even now, I have a picture in my memory that surfaces--the incredible image of this tiny creature emerging, eeking out his first audible cries, covered in the stuff of birthing, beautiful--a miracle!

Giving birth is an appropriate and often used expression for other kinds of creative processes, as well. And today, that is the kind of birth I am thinking of too. I want to begin a series of blogs about the process of giving birth to dreams--those seeds of ideas, visions, imaginations that each of us are impregnated with and have the awesome task to deliver into this world.

I am in labor. I am not sure where I am in the birthing process. I suspect somewhere in the middle. A dream is about to crown (I hope) and sometimes the joy of anticipated birth is eclipsed by the fear and pain of giving birth.

In my next post, I will share with you the specifics of this "baby."So for now, let me ask you a question: where are you in the birthing process? Have you conceived a dream? Does it reside deep in the belly of your imagination, just beginning to take form? Or are you in the early stages of gestation, beginning to feel life? Are the labor pains intense? Are you about to give birth?

I invite you to journey with me as I cooperate (or not:) with the birth pangs and learn through the process of giving birth to God's dream planted within me.

2 comments:

HisFireFly said...

Oh...this.

I know, yes, I know, and yet I don't know what I'm carrying. I know that it is His and I am being trusted to steward, nourish, cherish and protect, but how long?

A natural baby is 9 months... His creations can trascend time.

Unknown said...

Yes! So, true. We often don't know what we are carrying. I think I carried this "baby" for at least three years before I was able to know what it is. And the timing--ah, the timing of birth! I am so impatient and birthing is a slow process. I have some thoughts about that, which will show up in one of my posts. Keep stewarding, nourishing, cherishing and protecting....prayers for your birthing.