TRANSITION

TRANSITION

Aug 17th 2010


When I hear this word the only thing I can think of is my labor with Annabella. She was my first homebirth and I really was expecting a much different labor. She was my 4th child so I was expecting a 5 hour labor, no problems and that I would be calm and quiet, able to deal with it with grace. Haha!


In labor, transition is supposed to be the shortest, yet most intense and painful part of labor. It is the body preparing for the final stage and it’s characterized as the “give-up” phase of labor. It’s when the woman usually feels she can’t do it anymore, that she says she needs meds, that she feel out of control and can be confused or disoriented. The contractions are more intense, shorter together, sometimes with double peaks. You can physically observe a woman in transition; they sometimes are shaking very badly, shivering, vomiting or nauseated. Sometimes the only focus point at this phase or help you can offer is letting them know they are in transition; knowing the end is very near and this stage and pain will be relatively short.


Transition in the dictionary is defined as: Passage; the act of passing from one state or place to the next conversion: an event that results in a transformation a change from one place or state or subject or stage to another cause to convert or undergo a transition


Transition is a temporary place of “no man’s land” and has two defining characteristics.


1.) It is not intended to be lived in permanently


2.) Has the purpose of going from one thing, transforming into another; much like a butterfly.


Some interesting things:


There are 4 stages of development for every butterfly.


Egg, larva, pupa, butterfly


The egg has to be laid on the type of leaf that type of caterpillar will eat because it’s born on the leaf and immediately begin eating. The caterpillar is very hungry and eats and eats to grow. I suppose we only see growth in us when we eat and eat the “right” kind of food. It can’t be just any old leaf.


The caterpillar doesn't grow by stretching; instead his exoskeleton has to be shed, it does this several times. I think of the verse that says being changed from glory to glory. In our walks we have to go through several times of shedding our ways, beliefs to grow. We may have thought we arrived at something only to find we only saw in part, understood in part.


When they have reached a place of growth they form this chrysalis and on the outside it looks like nothing is happening that they are just resting or sleeping. But really on the inside a complete transformation is taking place…hidden from sight. As change happens in the heart, our motives are exposed to us. Even those hidden things. The old body parts are going through a metamorphosis and changing into something beautiful and different. Like the physical, we can see the spiritual application. here; sanctification.


As the butterfly comes out, its wings are folded and soft because it was tight in there, it rests and then it gets the blood pumping into the wings for them to be able to fly. Their whole life purpose as a butterfly is to look to reproduce. Isn't that what God wants us to do? Share and grow that into other people, reproduce what we have learned and know.


If you help a butterfly out of its cocoon its wings will be too weak to fly because it didn't go through the struggle and it will die. If helped, it will simply fall to the ground, crawl around with a swollen body and shrunken wings, and soon die. Think about when we have knowledge of something. The Bible says knowledge puffeth up but love builds up. The Bible also says that all the gifts and tongues and prophesy are basically nothing w/o love. We can have these gifts, the knowledge and be all puffed up but not have the strong wings needed to fly. Those wings only get strength through experiencing the struggle to make them strong. We also see that its Gods loving-kindness that He allows the struggle and doesn't just "do it all" for us. He knows what will produce maturity. James 1:2-4 "2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.


Weird to think we can go through all the stages of growth, go through eating a ton, being transformed etc and we will still die if we aren't given the opportunity to struggle. Wonderful that the Lord gives us all the tools needed to become the butterfly but its when love and perfect timing enter into our lives that we can fly. I guess that is why His holiness demands righteous order; because He knows we would perish w/o this.


Now back to my story…Annabella was positioned ever so slightly wrong. She was slightly posterior, making the labor non-progressive and causing back labor (which you cannot understand this kind of  excruciating pain unless you experience it). Unfortunately, where I got “stuck” was in transition. Normal transition lasts 15 minutes to 2 hours. I was stuck for 7 hours!! I wanted to give up, I wanted to go to hospital (so I said). I couldn't do anything but writhe in pain and even though I groaned and moaned and had no control over what was happening, and as I insisted I wanted to go in, I really didn't. What I really wanted was for someone to tell me how much longer I had so I could mentally deal with it. But nobody could tell me. I was desperate and at the end of myself. I had been praying the whole time but now it got different. I began begging the Lord to do something, asking for mercy, anything!!


All at once I fell asleep from complete and utter exhaustion. I had already been sleeping for 30 seconds here and there, it was going on 21 hours now and I could not do anymore. I fell asleep and for 10 minutes straight I didn't have a contraction. Suddenly I woke to a feeling of Annabella moving and positioning herself correctly. I could feel her move down into the correct position. She was ready to be birthed. I yelled out that she was ready, she had moved! I was worn out, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually at the end of myself, and this movement gave me hope. I knew deep inside it was time, that I had finally come through the transition and now was going to meet my daughter. She was born very soon after that, all 10 pounds of her, and it was beautiful and peaceful! Great was my blessing!


I am forever grateful of that experience as it taught me to rely on the Lord, it taught me that pain itself cannot kill me, and it taught me about the pain of transition in our lives; the struggle to be transformed into something different. The pain is part of the process. It also taught me I don’t want to be “stuck” in a transitory state and the slightest re-positioning may be all that was necessary to facilitate progress.

In the spiritual application, I can see this ever so true. If someone would have been able to tell me exactly what that specific birth scenario was going to be, I may not have chosen it; for fear of the pain, the sacrifice. I am glad I went into w/the faith it was going to be great, had I not I would have missed out on the lessons learned and growth. Growth can only come by overcoming. Transition is not only good but necessary but it is possible to get stuck, and if we find ourselves in a stuck transition, we may need to evaluate if we are aligned w/God. Is our position in line with God’s, are we expecting Him to align with us or do we need to align with Him. God is holy; He will not realign Himself to fit into our thoughts or ways.


Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts


Be encouraged if you find yourself in transition, for it means something beautiful is about to be birthed!

PEACE

PEACE



Recently I have had several conversations on “peace”. I think on these conversations and am grateful for the hopes of peace and that people still believe in peace. But as I pondered more and more I realize my views on peace are much different than those that possess worldly or secular views.


Over and over in the Bible the Lord is called the God of Peace. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace and so on. Several references being made to peace in Christian life, yet we also see and know that there will be wars and nation rising against nation. So how do these fit together?


The Jesus that some perceive in worldly view, is one that is peaceful and desires for us to be in peace. He stated that, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid”. (John 14:27)

As this is true we also see that Jesus Himself says, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household.” (Matthew 10:33-36)


So how can the two views be seen as one? How does the peace teaching Jesus, also say this? It is because true peace will never be on this Earth. Jesus knew that. We see the world trying to strive toward unity and peace and yet it will never happen. Wars will go on, fightings and killing will persist. He tells us the key, “I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

It is only IN HIM that we can have true peace. Peace is not “no war”, it is a state of being IN HIM. Peace is not dependant on circumstances, health and financial prosperity. It is not dependant on war or no war. It transcends earthly understanding and makes an imprisoned man free. It is the PEACE OF GOD. The world cannot offer this peace, even if no war was happening there isn’t peace. However my God gives peace in the midst of war, in terror, in prison, in sickness in persecution, even unto death! He gives peace that cannot be attained by this world. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7)


The peace of God surpasses ALL comprehension; we cannot lay hold of understanding this kind of peace. It guards you heart and mind IN CHRIST JESUS. It is only if you are in Him that you can know this peace. So all the scrambling and human effort will never truly understand or offer peace. He told us that in HIM we may have peace but we would have tribulation in the world but cheer up because HE has overcome the world. He tells us "And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified; for this must first take place, but the end will not be at once. Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven." (Luke 21:9-11)
Only the Lord can tell us to not be afraid when we see these things happening because HIS peace is not comprehendible.

So why doesn’t everyone understand this peace? Jesus answered, My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world. Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice. (John 18:36-37)


Jesus declares HIS kingship isn’t of this world, it’s not earthly…if it were His servants would fight (fight to not hand Him over to those who would crucify Him)! Then He goes on to say that everyone who is of the truth (In Jesus, saved) hears His voice. So those who are not in Him, cannot hear His voice. They cannot understand the things He teaches, their eyes are blind to it unless they become saved and their eyes become open to the truth. This is why the world cannot grasp peace; because it’s only in Him they can have peace.


Thank you Lord that the peace you offer is unlike the world’s ideas, that it isn’t dependant on our surroundings, that instead it is a gift that only You can give and something that can make us stand in the face of terror, fear, hardship, sickness, war, financial ruin, persecution and even death. Thank you Lord, for Your peace. In Jesus, Amen.