I was sitting in my unborn daughters room yesterday, watching my wife take the tags off the new clothes that were given to us at a recent shower. I had just gotten done putting together a brand new white dresser of hers to put the clothes in. When we moved recently we traveled across the U.S. with some of her furniture in the U-Haul, a rocker, crib, stroller, bouncer, swing, clothes. We've talked extensively about getting ready for our little one. We've weighed the pros and cons to certain products, colors, and locations of furniture. Do we need curtains, what about a fan, will the bus noise keep her awake? I've researched insurance and health care and we've looked for doctors to look after her health once she arrives. We've worked to set aside money to pay for the birth, Bradley classes, and doctor's visits. Public schooling, or home schooling, settling down or moving, shots or no shots. We've had several sonograms to see what she looks like, how the heart is beating, and whose nose she has. So as I'm watching my wife strategically place all the "stuff" that we've been blessed with in it's right place, everything having purpose in it's position, with thought given to each piece of clothing, diaper,and toy that we keep, it hit me. All this preparation we were doing for Azzi reminded me of our great and merciful God, who says in scripture "In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that here I am you may be also." John 14:2-4 God is preparing a place for me right now at this very moment. He has been since the beginning of time. He had me in mind, he's waiting for me to get there, just like we wait for Azzi to arrive. Yet it's leaps and bounds beyond the yearning we have for our daughter. "What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Me, a sinful, finite, limited, human being loves my unborn daughter. I think about her, I watch my wife hold her stomach and smile at the movement inside. I think about what she will be like, who she will look like and what traits she will carry. Yet it doesn't compare with the love my Savior has for me. It doesn't compare with the thoughts my Savior has for me. It doesn't compare with the pray my Savior prays for me. It doesn't compare with the preparation my Savior is doing for me. My Heavenly Father knows me better than I know myself. He is the one who gave me my desires, talents, and dreams. He is the one who knitted me together in my mother's womb. He knows what I like, and what I don't. He knows what makes my heart sing, and where I find beauty. He's knows me more intimately than anyone ever will, or could. I'm glad He's the one preparing a place for me. It brought me great joy as I sat there in my daughters room. Still unborn, still developing, having yet arrived and she was on my mind. To think that we have a Creator, a King, who cares so much more than I ever could. Not only about our lives here on earth, our souls, and the number of hairs on our head, but about our eternal destination. He's preparing for us. None of this preparation is based on me. None is based on my performance, or outcome. In the same way that we prepare for Azzi, not because she will be a child who respects us, loves us, and follows our rules. No we do this because we love her. Because she is our child, from our flesh. We try to model the unconditional love of Christ, who knew that we would spit in his face, return to our vomit and worship created idols instead of a sovereign God, yet he still died in my place, still prepares for me, still prepares for you. How humbling, how amazing, how beautiful...I can't wait to see it!JTH
