I GAVE UP BUT WON - Ugochi Oritsejolomisan
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I GAVE UP BUT WON

07 Feb I GAVE UP BUT WON

Posted at 13:37h in Hope, Love by
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There was nothing unusual about this night, I had my regular clients and I did quite well with business. I was very excited because I could now take better care of the tiny extra mouth I had just brought forth, it was not easy because I was still sore from it.

I wish I could find something better paying and more respectful to do but I feel like I am stuck with this, I know no other trade and I think it is a bit too late to even make any attempt. This has become my normal and change for me right now looks irrational.

 

After I had my shower and put my little one to sleep, I had little or no energy to think any further. In spite of my roommate’s newborn’s cry I dozed off very deep into sleep and I must say my mind went blank, I guess my subconscious was tired too.
In the early hours of the morning I stirred and jumped up when I realized I had not woken up at the usual time to feed my baby. I must have been unusually tired, I felt a bit guilty as I picked up my son surprised that he slept through without waking me up with his usual cry for food. He seemed to be in very deep sleep because all my efforts to rouse him with my nipple to his lips proved abortive. After so much more efforts I began to panic, my eyes ran over him from head to toe and my heart started beating faster than I could ever remember. I jumped up brought up the lamp flame to its fullest and one good look into the child’s face told me two things, he is not mine… and he is not alive!
I screamed and went over to my roommate’s bed in hurried stumbling steps. When I shook her awake she looked at me angry that I disturbed her sleep. I told her my experience and thoughts and asked her what had happened. She said she didn’t know what happened and claimed that she and her son had slept through the night. I insisted the child I had was not mine and I wanted to have a good look at the child she was with. She would not let me and she raised her voice and accused me of accusing her innocently, she refused to listen to my pleas to let me look at the child and threatened to take me to the king’s court if I insisted the living child was mine and the dead child hers.
How could I claim a child that is not mine, worse still how could I accept a dead child that is not mine when I see my child alive?
So to the king’s court went even though I trembled for fear that my story would not be believed, and I wondered if we were even going to be listened to considering our occupation. But I was not going to just give up my child without a fight.
Thankfully the king would hear us. When we were brought to him and he asked us to speak, we ended up in back and forth arguments. The king called for a sword and asked that the child be divided between us and just then I thought my heart had stopped, when they held up the child I saw my son.
I went on my knees and begged for my son’s life to be spared, I would rather let her have him than watch him die. I broke down in uncontrollable tears as I felt like my stomach and its contents were about to gush out of me. My body suddenly felt too heavy for my knees and I thought I was about to die.
I told the king to let her have him, I was hopeful that at least I would get to see him someday and probably his features would reveal who his mother truly is.
Just as these thoughts were crowding my mind I heard the king say because I wanted him alive while she wanted him dead he was sure the boy is mine. And then I heard him ask them to give the child to me….
Those to me were the most beautiful words I had heard in the last hours. My mistaken giving up of my child and taking another battle position had helped me win…
Culled from the story of the two harlots in 1 Kings 3:16-27
Have you ever been in a battle where your sudden change from a particular strategy won you the victory? When playing the loser or fool was your ticket to victory?
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Ugochi Oritsejolomisan
teshuva7@gmail.com

Ugochi Oritsejolomisan is a mentor, encourager and influencer. She writes to inspire you to live a full life. Ugochi lives in Canada with her husband Benson and their children; Joshua, Joseph and Josiah.

26 Comments
  • Rosey
    Posted at 16:19h, 07 May

    It’s such a powerful passage, and if only justice did work out like this all of the time, here on Earth… I have faith things work out as they should in the long run, even if they don’t while we are here.

    • Ugochi
      Posted at 21:01h, 07 May

      Very true Rosey, I believe this too. Thanks for coming by, do have a super blessed day!
      Love

  • Unyime-Ivy King
    Posted at 13:49h, 25 February

    I love the way you re-enacted the story. You are so right. Sometimes, when we give up our right to be right, God steps in and we end up gaining in ways we never envisaged. Nice lessons to grasp.

    • Ugochi
      Posted at 15:28h, 04 March

      Thanks a lot sister!
      Have a super blessed day!
      Love

  • Christina Morley
    Posted at 18:37h, 09 February

    Thanks Ugochi for telling this story in a new way with new lessons to be learned. When we are weak, He is strong! God bless!

    • Ugochi
      Posted at 20:32h, 09 February

      Amen!
      Thanks Christina, I appreciate your coming by and leaving this note.
      Have a super blessed weekend!
      Love

  • misssrobin
    Posted at 17:52h, 09 February

    Very powerful written in the first person. Nicely done.

    Thanks for sharing. Happy Sharefest. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

    • Ugochi
      Posted at 20:31h, 09 February

      Thanks Robin, I always appreciate your coming by.
      Have a super blessed weekend!
      Love

  • Connie Arnold
    Posted at 16:16h, 09 February

    This is a beautiful telling of the story, very moving! God bless you!

    • Ugochi
      Posted at 17:02h, 09 February

      Thanks Connie, I appreciate your coming by.
      Have a super blessed day!
      Love

  • Katherines Corner
    Posted at 03:01h, 09 February

    xo P.S. thank you for sharing at the hop

    • Ugochi
      Posted at 17:01h, 09 February

      The pleasure is all mine Katie!
      Have a super blessed day!
      Love

  • RACHEL TaoOfPoop
    Posted at 02:24h, 09 February

    You gave me chills! Thank you for visiting my blog and now following back!

    • Ugochi
      Posted at 17:00h, 09 February

      Thanks Rachel, I appreciate your coming by and following too!
      Have a super blessed weekend!
      Love

  • Judy Haughton-James
    Posted at 20:03h, 08 February

    You did a great job in relating this story Ugochi. The message is so clear. Take care and have a wonderful weekend.

    • Ugochi
      Posted at 22:06h, 08 February

      Thanks Judy, you have a great weekend too!
      Love

  • Kathleen Caron
    Posted at 00:20h, 08 February

    I’ve never read the story that way before—I always thought it was a story illustrating Solomon’s wisdom. Now I see that it is a moral/object lesson about humility and sacrificial love. Beautifully told.

    • Ugochi
      Posted at 16:55h, 08 February

      Thanks Kathleen.
      I always appreciate your coming by, do have a super blessed weekend!
      Love

  • LuAnn Braley
    Posted at 00:14h, 08 February

    The day after a doctor confirmed I was pregnant with my daughter, I started bleeding one night at work. I drove myself to the ER and the doctor there refused to believe I was actually pregnant until a blood test and an ultrasound confirmed it.

    I lay there, alone, and prayed to God. I asked Him what should I pray for, that I wasn’t actually pregnant, even though I had wanted to be for so long, that I was pregnant and might be losing the baby, or that I was but the baby could be born with problems.

    I surrendered my will to God’s, because on my own, I could not have dealt with this dilemma. I said that whatever happened, I could handle it with the Lord’s help.

    Ten years later, my daughter just stood beside me and asked what I was doing. She was concerned because she saw the word “bleeding” in my comment.

    • Ugochi
      Posted at 16:48h, 08 February

      God knows how to give out His abundant love and mercy! Who knew these ten years later…
      Thanks LuAnn for sharing this awesome testimony here, I appreciate you.
      Have a super blessed day!
      love

  • Theresa Benoit
    Posted at 18:19h, 07 February

    Hi Ugochi and thank you for following my blog. I’m following you too. You are an awesome writer. I enjoyed reading the story and I hope you have a wonderful day and weekend!
    Theresa

    • Ugochi
      Posted at 19:47h, 07 February

      Thanks Theresa! I appreciate your coming by, do have a super blessed weekend too!
      Love

  • sykik
    Posted at 17:19h, 07 February

    Beautifully written, I was entralled. You are definitely gifted with words. God bless you

    • Ugochi
      Posted at 17:27h, 07 February

      Thanks a lot Sykik, I appreciate your compliments.
      Do have a super blessed day!
      Love

  • Myne Whitman
    Posted at 16:58h, 07 February

    A nice retelling 🙂

    • Ugochi
      Posted at 17:25h, 07 February

      Thanks Myne, I appreciate you.
      Have a super blessed day!
      Love