Rachel's Gift

A Most Beautiful Institution

My gorgeous younger daughter ( I have two) , and fourth child ( I have five), is soon to be married.
Late last year, I was inspired to write her something special as a 26th birthday and pre-wedding gift.
This wasn't to encourage and instruct her alone, but it was also for my own benefit: to put myself into remembrance of the things I need to be mindful of in my own life and walk before the Lord.

"If you want to learn something, teach it to someone else." 

This quote that I have heard echoes the principle in Philemon 1:6, which reads,
and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

In several place, we read that as we are active in sharing what we have, we grow accordingly. In the same way, what we do not use, we lose hold of, coming to a place of knowing the theory but unable to walk in the experience of it.

So, I wrote for myself, as much as for my daughter, and it is this idea of passing along godly truth, from one generation to the next to be as beautiful an institution as marriage. Although I turned my back on these truths, divorced and wandered terribly, shipwrecking my faith, God restored me and it is by His authority and the expereince of having known both Light and dark that I share the Truth.

In so doing, I hope also, to deter others from making the mistakes I have.

A Change in Genre 

As November's Nanowrimo approached (National Novel Writing Month), I determined to write her a 31 day devotional based upon Proverbs 31:10-31, teaching on how to be a true woman and wife of noble and godly character. I intended to write an entry every day and complete around 30 000 words by the month's end.

However, before I began, the idea of writing a novel, rather than a traditional devotional, and to intertwine the devotional aspect into the stories and mulitple characters and their experiences. With that change, it became apparent I would need to aim for the typical 50 000words expected through Nanowrimo. 

November came and went, and I had about 18 000 words done. I was committed and determined as Rachel's Birthday was Jan 5. I stayed with it, quickly designed a cover and struggled to get it on Createspace. ( Not a problem because of Createspace-just issues between devices, software and devices'countries of origin! lol)

I printed out and bound two copies myself, so she and I could have a copy, and sent it off, not too late for her birthday. I set a goal with my writing group, Shiloh Scribes, to have the formatting fixed and the book uploaded for sale by the beginning of Feb. I had two proof copies sent and it was SOOOO exciting to have those in my hand.

I did fairly well, but distractions and moving around and corrections and so many other things...lol, but it can be bought NOW -yay! 

https://www.createspace.com/6837045?ref=1147694&utm_id=6026

 Being Engaged

My heart longed to be involved in the prepration of the wedding, but being more than 7000 miles ( 11400kms) away, I ached and feared missing out. Writing this work gave me a great sense of spiritual connection with my daughter's life and a beautiful way to become even more engaged in the process emerged.

It turns out, that I will arrive home to Oz ( Australia) on the eve of Feb 25 and will make the bridesmaids dresses  (and a little something for me) for our March 10 wedding day. We conferred over weeks, concerning patterns and measurements and final decisions, compiling a shopping list and coordinating a shopping day with a dear friend, in my stead and now, having acquired all the materials and things needed ( after midnight phone calls as they shopped in real time) Everything is ready, even two sewing machines :) , to undertake this endeavour once I arrive!

An Ongoing Notion.

So, as it turns out, the book finished, but I had only got as far as Proverbs 31:22. Biblical womanhood has been under attack since the beginning, in the Garden, but never more than now. It's important we understand how critical we are to the will and design of God. My own expereince bears testimony to the truth of this.

I was lying in bed this morning, pondering whether there might be a sequel and how it might go.

Pr 14:1 The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish ones tears hers down.

I have been both women.
I am grateful to be on the side of the wise once more. I believe this book can help others like me and like my daughter, Rachel.