Clancy and the Father’s Care

We recently were given a turtle. She’s a yellow bellied slider that we named Clancy after the author, Holling C. Holling. Clancy is smart and can recognize the persons that feed her. So now every morning when I come upstairs, she’ll slide off her basking island and wait expectantly at the glass. I’ll sprinkle a capful of turtle food in the water and observe her as she eats. She reminds me of the game Hungry, Hungry Hippos. Her neck fully extending as she gobbles up the little pellets and freeze dried mealworm bits.

I was laughing today, delighting in Clancy as she was stuffing her little gluttonous face. Naturally my mind drifted towards how my Heavenly Father must enjoy all the ongoings of my life. How He is deeply invested in my well-being. How He lovingly provides all the things I need. And I am more precious to Him than a sparrow or a flower or a turtle. I am His child.

I have felt the tender care of my Heavenly Father recently. About two weeks ago, we suffered a miscarriage. It has been heartbreaking losing a child. But this is a road we have walked before. We had a stillbirth about 14 years ago. Both times, I have seen how the Lord laid up things beforehand for our time of need. With Nicaea, there was Pineapple sage in my garden for tea to help dry up my milk. With Pascal, there was a little Peter Rabbit keepsake box that I had bought in a bundle with some other Beatrix Potter items off FBMP.

Besides little things like that, the Lord had stored up more things for us. There were many passages of scripture that the Lord brought to mind in the midst of this trial, particularly 2 Sam 12:23, Job 1:21 & 1 Cor 15:51-57. We listed those and Psalm 100 on Pascal’s little casket.

Psalm 100 was included in my Bible reading plan on the day I miscarried. Verse four declares, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” The thought of my son entering into heaven in this fashion both makes me weep and brings joy to my heart. What glories his eyes now behold!

The Lord flooded my mind with song lyrics that had been stored up, particularly Thy Mercy My God & It is Well with My Soul. Listening to hymns & songs of praise also brought comfort. I handwashed dishes one night to old favourites by Caedmon’s Call & Indelible Grace.

Another gift the Lord laid up for us was the support of the saints. It was overwhelming, in a good way, the amount of cards, flowers, Edible arrangements, meals, phone calls, emails, text messages, DMs & comments we received from people letting us know they were praying for us. I am so thankful for our church family at East River and for the Body at large.

Through it all, I was reminded of how important it is that I’m regularly reading the Word of God & seeking to memorize passages. How important it is to be filling the house with praise, so that it may soak into your family’s souls. How important it is to regularly attend a church and be connected with a church body that can come around and support you during both the sorrowful & joyful times of life. These are the means the Lord uses to fill our cup so we don’t run dry when we are down in the Valley of the Shadow.