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Chatter
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 Prince William and Kate Middleton just got married, by the way. Just in case you have been living in a deep undersea pod of isolation. Her engagement ring looks very much like the aquamarine ring my grandparents gave me for my 18th birthday, except hers has a sapphire, a sapphire that looks like it may be even just a little bit SMALLER than my aquamarine if you look at it in the right Hyde-Park sun or in the right tabloid. I like to think Kate and I could be BFFs what with our blue gems, our brown hair, and the fact we are female and speak English. All through college, I kept my birthday ring hidden away in my dorm room, or in the desk in my sorority house I shared later with two girls, or in the dresser of the house I had as a senior. I never wore it. I kept it close by, like a secret stash of Twizzlers. Expensive Twizzlers. Friends would ask to see it. I would pull out the box and wait, perhaps for a bell to toll or for a disembodied choral ensemble to sing the Doxology, and then click the lid open. I wear it more these days. And the more I wear it, the more I wish I had been wearing it all along. Even though we are technically in the joyful season of Easter and beyond the contemplation of Lent, it doesnt seem right to box up the beauty of Jesus sacriPhoto: flickr user UK_repsome

a letter from

UPDATE: Easter Eggsperience

On Saturday April 23, IBCers and families from the community attended IBCs annual Eggsperience, an Easter celebration complete with bounce houses, a petting zoo, egg hunt, face painting and more including the Easter Path, a hands-on experience designed to connect kids and parents to the story of Jesus crucifixion and resurrection.

fice. Isaiah tells us our peace with God our restful state before him and in him as a beloved, forgiven child came at a costly price. Punishment brought peace, nothing less. Are you stashing away the greatest gift you own? Living in worry, caught up in distraction, mired in self-obsession? Have peace. Peace is already yours, in a little black box, sitting in velvet, sparkling, bought and paid for. Take it, own it, wear it. Others will wonder where you got such a rare gem, such an incredible freedom of spirit and quiet settled-ness of mind. And you will say from The Prince of Peace, of course, who is greater than any dude from Wales. Or even that guy with the purple guitar.

Editor Julie Rhodes Art Direction, Design & Goodness Josh Wiese, Dennis Cheatham, Lindsey Sobolik Photography Patty Thompson (Three Questions, Four Mothers) Trey Hill (Find Your Spot, A Peculiar People) Amanda Guevara (Easter Eggsperience) The Big Cheese Bill Buchanan

Contact Chatter at chatter@irvingbible.org.

Chatter is a publication of Irving Bible Church | 2435 Kinwest Pkwy, Irving, TX 75063 (972) 560-4600 | irvingbible.org

THE ADOPTIVE MOTHER

ALEX HALE (age 27) Mother of Vaughn, 4 (biological) and Banke, 2 (adopted from Ethiopia) I became a mom about five years ago when I got pregnant with our son Vaughn. Then, when our son was 20 months old, my husband and I both felt God directing us to adopt. We began that process when our son was about 20 months old and 17 months later we welcomed our daughter, Banke, into our family. We are currently in the process of our second adoption and we plan to grow our family through adoption from here on out.

THE SPECIALLY SUITED MOTHER

AMY SCHUH (age 39) Mother of Andrew, 15; Hailey, 12; and Adam, 12 Andrew and Hailey are my birth children from my first marriage, which ended when my husband shook seven-week-old Hailey, destroying about 75 percent of her brain. I acquired Adam through my second marriage to Don, who adopted Adam as a single father during Adams infancy. Both Hailey and Adam are low-functioning due to multiple severe disabilities, and Andrew has Acute Teenager Syndrome.

THE SEASONED PRO

ALICE McQUITTY (age 54) Mother of five children, ages 30, 27, 24, 21, 18 and a grandmother to two I have been a mother for 30 years! I am also the proud grandmother of two beautiful grandchildren. I cant believe I am that old! As they say, the days were sometimes long, but the years were short. Still, I dont think I ever quite figured it all out. Children have a way of keeping us humble!

THE NEW MOTHER

EMILY SNELLING (age 26) Mother of Ryan, 8 months I am a first-time mom going through the wonderful ups (and downs) of life as a new mother along with being a full-time working parent outside the house.

Its been said that a mothers job is never finished, and many others laugh at the redundancy of the phrase working mother. Its with these sayings in mind that Chatter would like to honor the wonderful mothers of Irving Bible Church for their amazing gifts and sacrifices. We decided to sit down with four mothers to get a little insight into the real world of mothering and asked these women a few hard questions. Their responses were humbling and honest.
What do you fear the most for your children? My greatest fear for my children is that I will fail to cultivate in them an understanding of who they are in Christ and the gifts God has given them. Being an adoptive mother, I find that this concept has taken on an even greater level of importance. My husband and I have a lot of wounds to heal in our children before we can instill in them a sense of their value within our family and, most importantly, of their value to God. I believe that if, and only if, we can get our kids to understand their worth they can achieve the work that God has for them. (Alex) My greatest fear for my two children with disabilities is their long-term care. When I am no longer able to care for them, either because of my age or health, or because Im no longer here at all, someone else will be responsible for them; and I dont know whether that someone else will take that responsibility as seriously as I do. Whether it be a family member designated in a will or an institution, I cant expect any other caregivers commitment or integrity or even love to be as intense as mine, and that scares me. (Amy) When my children were all under my roof, I tended to fear for their physical safety the most. The mother bear in me was very protective of them, and I couldnt imagine how I could live if I lost one of them. That would still be a fear if the Lord hadnt dealt with me in the area of my imagination. Most of what we fear never happens, so we waste a lot of time and emotional energy fretting unnecessarily. Besides, over and over again in the Scriptures, God commands, Do not be afraid, Do not worry. It is a trust issue not trusting that nothing bad will ever happen trust that Gods grace will be there the moment I need it and it will be sufficient. This has been the biggest and hardest lesson to learn. (Alice) I fear many things as a mother, but my three main concerns are finances, world economy and education. The first two kind of go hand-in-hand since my finances fear comes from the world economy and what it looks like today and where its going in the future. Will my child have enough money to do what he needs and wants and be able to retire when he expects to? Lastly is the state of our education system and where that is headed. Ive heard talks of possibly taking kindergarten out of the school and having more children in a class with fewer teachers. Will my child get the education and attention he needs to thrive? Should I think about private school? Just all the uncertainty is nerve-wracking! (Emily) What is the most gratifying thing about being a mom? In my experience, the most gratifying part of being a mom is how it has forced me to rely on God above all others. When our son was about 18 months old I suffered a miscarriage. This was one of the first times in my relationship with my husband that I simply could not be comforted by him alone. I quickly came to the realization that he would never suffer that loss in quite the way I did and, if Im being honest, still do. Through my grief and loss, God brought me to a place where I finally understood just how intimately he knows me. Similarly, through becoming a mother, God has opened my eyes to my need for community with other women. Ive been blessed with some amazing friends who understand my struggles and triumphs, my good days and my bad. (Alex) My two children with special needs dont bring home trophies or good grades; they cant say thanks, Mom, and theyll never give me grandchildren. The many opportunities throughout childhood that enable most children to give back to their mothers the memories and milestones that tell a mom shes doing a good job simply

arent available to me. My reassurance comes in knowing that I am within the will of God (Ive been outside it, and this is way better, even with the back pain). My joy comes in the sight of their smiles and the sound of their laughter; they are angels who can brighten any day. (Amy) The most gratifying thing about being a mom is watching my children develop into adults who love and walk with God. I am also gratified to realize that I actually like and enjoy being around my grown-up children! I will always love them because I am their mom, but it is a joy to say that I like them, and that I would choose to be around them even if they werent my children. They have become more like young friends, each of them gifted in their own way, so that I find myself asking their opinion on a variety of things. When I look back and remember all the times I had to keep repeating myself, and all the prayers I had to keep praying, and all the nights I fell exhausted into bed, I can say it has all been more than worth it. (Alice) The most gratifying part about being a mother for me is when Ive had a stressful day at work and all I have to do is see his smile and Im reminded it doesnt matter, and the stress just melts away. Just knowing God created him special for my husband, Tim and me. (Emily) What advice would you give to people thinking of becoming mothers? Before embarking on the journey of parenthood, I believe the most important thing to consider is your support system. Entering parenthood is difficult at times even for the strongest of people and the strongest of marriages. As for those considering adoption, I think it is imperative that people consider their motives and their commitment to their whole child. In adopting our daughter, my husband and I have read more books than I can recall about attaching in adoption and have attended just about every function that Tapestry has put on in the past two and a half years. Looking back now I can say that adopting our daughter has changed me, my marriage and our family for the better. It has been the greatest trial and the greatest triumph God has blessed me with as a mother. (Alex) Advice for potential moms: get yourself a good village. Whether its the butcher, the baker, or the candlestick maker, your villagers will come to your rescue and enhance your childs life in ways you never imagined. Motherhood has taught me that the village is part of Gods design; life works best when its shared. (Amy) If you are waiting until you feel ready or until you have enough money, you will never become a mother. Nothing can really prepare you, and there will never be enough money. So I say, if you are in a strong marriage, go for it! It will change your life forever; it will be the hardest thing you ever do, but you will never regret it. God will teach you things you could never otherwise learn, much of it about yourself,

but most of it about him, as you run to him daily for wisdom, strength, stamina and grace. You will be astonished at the overwhelming love you have for your children, and then you will begin to realize something of the love God has for you as his child. I would also advise being intimately connected to the Body of Christ. You will need lots of support in this endeavor, so make sure you have people in your life who hold your values and who will be an encouragement to you along the way. (Alice) I would give others the advice I was given by my parents: if youre waiting until you have enough time, money, career in a perfect place, etc., you will never be there. Now is the best time, God willing, and his timing is perfect. (Emily) Special thanks to Kristy Alpert for compiling this article.

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.
-Rajneesh