Sleeping in on Saturdays ’til whatever time we wanted suddenly became a thing of the past.  Huh, sleeping at all was no longer even a possibility.  Why hadn’t someone told me this was going to happen?  Just days before I didn’t even know what Lanolin was or that it even existed and all of a sudden I was buying it by the gallon.  I went from calculating numbers on a computer one day to being a whiz at the microwave sterilizer days later.  I felt like a walking zombie and a very unattractive half deflated balloon yet completely in love with the one who had caused all this ruckus in my world.  Yes, a baby does change everything.

I guess I was a bit naive and even a bit arrogant about becoming a mommy.  Yes, I’ll admit it.  I didn’t read ONE parenting book when I was pregnant with my first child!!  Someone, even asked me what books I was reading to prepare and I said “oh none really, just the Bible!”  Looking back (four kids later) I cannot even believe my response!  What a moron!   I was so excited to be a Mommy and could not wait to get that baby in my arms.  I really thought emotionally I wouldn’t be able to wait 9 months!  I dreamt of rocking him, strolling him through the park, taking his picture, kissing his tiny cheeks, taking him to church and peacefully lying him in his bed at night where he would sleep until 10 in the morning.  I really had never considered the other “fun” stuff that comes along with a baby.  I mean, hello, I had babysat!  What else could I possibly need to know?

Well, our little projectile puking, non-sleeping, nursing challenged little angel rocked our world!  But it didn’t matter.  As shocked as we were about our sudden lifestyle shift (mainly the sleep deprivation part) we were willing to sacrifice that much more because of our great love for this little babe.  Whatever he needed we were willing to give.  Looking back we see how much not only our lifestyle changed but we as people changed.  When you become a parent you realize just how selfish a person you were before.  For the first time in your life someone is completely dependent on you and their survival is dependent on you meeting their needs.  Their needs come before yours …   period.  Not just when you’re in a good mood and feel like being selfless but always … period.

I kept hearing a song on the radio these past few weeks and every time I would just catch the same line of the song as I was getting in or out of the car.  I still haven’t heard the entire song but this one line I kept hearing stood out to me, “A Baby Changes Everything.”  It made me think back on becoming a Mom for the first time and how my world was rocked by such a tiny innocent little boy sent from Heaven to be my son.  How he made my heart feel love in ways that I didn’t know was even possible and has helped me become a better person just by being him.  I think about how God did not give him to us to stay a baby forever but to grow into a man and carry out the big plans God has for his life.  I think about how grateful and loved I feel that God would give me such a gift.

Then I thought about the baby that did change everything.  (Don’t act like you didn’t know it was coming.)  I googled the song lyrics as I was starting to write this and now know that the song is in fact about Jesus being born.  God sent His perfect son here to change everything.  He didn’t send Jesus here just to be rocked by His Mommy or to win a Baby Gap Modeling contest.  No, His plans for this baby were much bigger.  He sent Jesus to make our hearts feel love in ways we didn’t know were possible and to make us into the sons and daughters He created us to be.  He sent Him here to grow into a man and carry out the big plans God had for His life … and His plans weren’t just for His life but for yours and mine too.  This baby changed everything.  Not just His birth and not just His death but He changed everything when he defeated death and gave eternal victory to you and to me.  I think about how grateful and loved I feel that God would give me such a gift.

As we wrap up the holidays let’s not get stuck at the manger and forget about the empty tomb.  Maybe this past year has been a hard one for you and you really just want to punch me in the face right now.  It’s ok.  I know Kung Fu.  All kidding aside, whatever the circumstance is, this one thing I know … Jesus is bigger.  He wants you to know how wide and how deep is His love for you.  No matter what you are going through He is your victory.  Let’s celebrate the One who changed everything as we begin the year 2011 and walk in the victory and freedom that He came to bring!

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”  Isaiah 43:18-19

Kelli Jones