Afterwards he said it was like helping a ewe birth a lamb, something he – my hobby farming man – had done numerous times. And why apologise?, he said; it was his favorite birth. By FAR his favorite birth. He got to sign the birth certificate as the doctor. The name that was top on his list – Matilda (meaning “Brave Warrior”… and hero of the Australian outback “Waltzing Matilda”) – proved itself to perfectly fit this circumstance. She was brave. And her coming was certainly “outback.” Our Matilda won the day.
Those few short moments – hectic, intense, scary, thrilling… They comprise one of my most cherished memories. I think of how admirably my husband performed in our accidental home birth scenario, how well we both performed, and to this day it fills me with pride and gratitude. Amidst moments of strain or disunity, normal fare in the midst of every marriage, we pulled together when it counted. And we pulled together well. We shone. I will always be grateful for that most unexpected event, for how God led us through it (all three of us) and carried the whole thing off. This, my daughter’s birthday legacy to me, is one I’ll always ponder when middle April rolls around.
One thing in life is certain: we will be handed adventure. In all shapes, in all sizes, and all kind of unexpected times. Usually in a tangle of rapid-fire and mixed emotions – surprise, fear, thrill, disbelief, overwhelm. Some adventures will be painful and disappointing; others will turn out to be shining moments, one we’d never anticipate could shape and define us as they ultimately do.
May I live with a heart open and ready to welcome the unexpected, whatever adventure may come. May I live with a heart of trust and courage, like my Brave Warrior daughter did on the evening of her birth….. The same trust and courage that I pray will characterise her, and all my children. May we each remember the sovreignty and goodness of our unexpected God who holds the moments of our lives in his hand. This same God who – in Jesus – willingly lived out the biggest adventure and performed most bravely of all.
This article originally appeared at SusanBArico.com.
