Wednesday, May 26, 2010

The Dance...

The dance….

There has to be a way to find a balance between hope and guarding your heart from disappointment. I haven’t figured it out yet and I was frustrated this cycle because I wondered if I would ever figure it out…or would I fight this battle every month for the rest of my life?

The week before my cycle is always the most difficult. I get this glimmer of hope that maybe this month God will perform a miracle and that the three years of being off the pill with no success will suddenly come to a halt. Every month I think, “Maybe this is the month!” If I don’t let myself think that maybe this month is different, am I saying that I don’t think God is capable of performing a miracle? But if I do hope, then I am doomed to be heartbroken, month after month. I feel like if I choose to believe that nothing is going to happen without medical intervention then I am putting God in a box. So how do I protect myself from the vicious cycle of hope and heartache? I titled this entry, “The Dance…” because that is what it often feels like…I mentally and emotionally sway from side to side. Hope…convince myself not to hope…hope…despair… hope... talk myself through all the reason why it is NOT possible…hope…and it goes on.

One of our friends, Adam Alexander, pointed out to me that when Jesus performs miracles in the Bible, He always asks, “Do you think I can do it?” and when they believe He blesses them with a miracle because of their faith. That always comes to my mind as I am attempting to steady my heart on the balance scale…lingering somewhere in-between hope and despair. If I convince myself that this is not the month and ACCEPT my infertility in order to protect myself, am I saying that I don’t think God can open my womb? But if I hope that He will indeed miraculously create life in me this month, when it doesn’t happen my heart is shattered into a million pieces. At what point to you just accept it? I don’t know how long my heart can handle the tortures of this battle.

I told Brad this week that I just wish God would remove the desire. That would make it so much easier. I know all the responses to that comment… that life is not promised to be easy nor should it be. I am just being real.

Every month I am reminded. Every cycle is a reminder that we may not have a child that is a piece of both of us. Every cycle is a reminder that our family tree may stop with us. Every cycle reminds me that I am not like every other woman standing around me. It forces me to this place where I feel less female and less valuable. I know that I am not here to solely bear children, and that we have a greater purpose, but I can’t ignore the deeply imbedded desire and nature that God created in us as females to mother.

An encouraging tid-bit from an infertility newsletter I am subscribe to:

“So what do you do when the anger wells up inside of you so that you begin to fear the person you are becoming? How do you lay it down and walk out of the furnace? The answer is found in Colossians 3:15: ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts’. There’s an amazing little nugget of truth for you here. The original meaning for the word “rule” here is awesome, especially for sports fans! It literally means ‘to act as an umpire’! With your permission, the peace of Christ will act as an umpire when anger and calm wage war within you!” ~ Sarah’s Laughter-Christian Support for Infertility & Child Loss

Although I do feel angry at times…or jealous, I would say hope and despair are my prevailing emotions. It is encouraging to know that God is umpiring amidst all the emotions that wage war within me. I have said from the beginning that I do not want to be ruled by my diagnosis or my situation. I found this statement highly encouraging. As long as I allow it, God’s peace will be the referee. If I can remain under the umpire’s hand, then maybe…just maybe… I can keep my situation from ruling my heart.

Hopefully the next entry will be a little lighter. Haha. I just have to get through this week. :) Sorry if this is all over the place. I was long over due for a post, so forgive me for any grammar mistakes or if it doesn't make any sense. I wanted to give you a quick update while I had a minute.

We are still waiting for our appointment on the 16th with High Risk peeps. Praying for a divine appointment with the right doctor who has experience with unicorns like me. :)

2 comments:

Chevas said...

Thanks for the update Shar and for letting us be a part of your journey. We are in this with you.

Sharlieharby said...

Thanks, Chev!! love you