Intro

We named our blog “Raising Mustard Seeds” after the famous parable in Matthew’s Gospel. We had some mustard seeds of our own laying dormant in our hearts, and finally, the year before our marriage, we began to let those seeds grow. Our journey with Christ hasn’t always been easy, but it has bore more fruit than we could possibly imagine. And through the mustard seeds He planted in our hearts, He opened them to receive little mustard seeds of our own…

While Jesus in this parable is talking about how faith and our relationship with God should grow from something very small to something mighty and powerful, it’s applicable to our children as well. It is our hope that through prayer and proper parenting, our children will grow from small and helpless (tiny mustard seeds) to being mighty in Christ, so that they will be shining lights in the world and people will come to “dwell in the branches” of their faith.

So, this is our little space in the big internet where we will share our most likely crazy experiences as we start our family and we hope those who are close to us will enjoy laughing at us and with us, and maybe even learn something new :)

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Luke 1 and Motherhood


Part of the “Magnificat” from Luke 1 has been stuck in my head lately. Upon Elizabeth greeting Mary, St. John the Baptist leaps in her womb and Elizabeth cries out “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to see me?” To which, Mary replies:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.”

When Mary said this to Elizabeth, she was proclaiming the greatness of God and saying in humility that she had been chosen to carry the Living God, Jesus, in her womb. I would even extend this quote to all mothers. After all, God also says in Jeremiah 1:5

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart”

So, to draw a logical, mind exploding conclusion, God knew our little baby before conception. God knew both Chris and I before we were conceived. He knew that He would give the child we created this particular soul to be these particular two people. We got to be co-creators with God to make a new, unique human life. We provided the body; He provides the soul. Cool. Stuff. 

I’ve carrying a unique, individual life that God specifically PICKED OUT for us to love, shepherd, and nurture for a time on this earth. What a responsibility and blessing! 

The beauty of it all is that I’m not special. It’s not just Chris and I and our little baby that get to take part in this divine partnership of creation. It’s every person ever created—those born AND unborn. 

So in my own little way, I feel (and hope other mothers feel too) like Mary when she said “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord” because of this special creation I have wiggling around inside of me. A creation that is human and unique and has a purpose that I helped to make! The creation of life and soul are a testament to God’s existence and love for us. 

I truly “rejoice in God my savior”, because “he has looked with favor on his lowly servant”. I’m just me, just Rachel, a sinner, an imperfect person, but God somehow trusts that I can care for the beautiful little person growing within me. I look to Mary in her humble acceptance of God’s will and mission to shepherd the Savior of the World to adulthood and pray that I can mirror her life’s example, even if only .1%.  

Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us!
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