I remember opening my eyes early in the morning on this day over fifty years ago and realizing that I was a mother! I had delivered my first daughter in the wee hours of the morning and as was common back then they shuffled “baby” off to the nursery so the new mother could sleep and sleep I did. About the time I was thinking of getting up to go see my baby down the hall in the nursery, in came the nurse pushing a cart with a little pink miracle wrapped so tightly that she could hardly move. The nurse was no more in the room than another nurse summoned her to lend a hand. I lay there, hearing those newborn noises that for a while were soft but eventually grew to a full lung cry. At that, every cell in my body stood to attention as motherhood coursed through my veins. I got to my feet, feeling woozy, but I was not about to stop. My baby needed me! I took the little bundle in my arms and a sound came from my lips that I had not heard before. It was the sounds of a mother. My body swayed and jiggled this little one until she was quiet, like I had been doing it all my life. How right she felt in my arms, how close to heaven I felt as I held her. Where did this love come from? I wondered. How could this little one so quickly be such a part of me? As my eyes filled with tears, I turned my eyes upward to the Author and Creator of love and thanked him for my precious little child!  

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19 NIV)

Until that moment, I did not thoroughly understand Mary treasuring up these things surrounding the birth of Jesus. But as I looked at the beautiful face of my first child, I knew I would ponder this moment all my life and treasure being a MOTHER.

That would only be the first of many times motherhood would course through my veins at the sound of her cry. My heart would reach out to my child in need and break as her heart was broken. Many times, I would look upward to petition the Lord on her behalf, but more often I would thank him for blessing me so abundantly with this gift.

There is only one other glorious day that I will ponder for all eternity. It is when each of my children and grandchildren asks Jesus into their hearts and lives.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in truth.” (3 John 1:4 NIV)

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the LORD, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, For he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.” (Luke 1:46-48 NIV)

Jeanie Nihiser
Volunteer and Prayer Warrior with Answers2Prayer Ministries
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 NIV)