tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27435549602375335142024-03-18T20:13:39.892-07:00Pursuing Peace and Proverbs 31 attempts at being peaceful, living a God honoring life, and being more like the "perfect" Proverbs 31 womanAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.comBlogger163125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-28262285210385717772014-05-29T13:57:00.000-07:002014-05-29T13:58:04.790-07:00God's Princesses<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A while back Little A and some of her friends we had a "Royal Red Tea Party".</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The whole idea for it came about after we read the story "God's Little Princess, Gigi's Royal Tea Party".</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once we had finished reading it Little A asked me if she could have a tea party too. She said that it should be red and not pink and then she proceeded to choose her guests.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I asked what we should have at the tea party, meaning what food or drinks we should have. Her response was wonderful, " Cups, and plates, and spoons." Perfect. Easiest party ever.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So we went about planning a Royal Red Tea Party, since we couldn't call it a princess party since we had some little princes we were inviting.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The day was perfect. Little A was so excited about having all her friends over and about all of the decorations. She had seen some of the pieces of it as it was being put together, since I did some decorating before hand so that I wasn't doing it all the morning of the party. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since our party was set for the morning we kept it somewhat healthy and had fruit (red ones of course), White Chocolate Raspberry Muffins, Banana Berry Bread (Gluten Free- made by my sister), and some sparkling fruit juice for the little tea cups.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The kids had a wonderful time during tea and then headed outside to jump and dance around on the trampoline and play in the sand.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the party Little A must have changed her outfit a handful of times. She loves playing dress up. Most of the royal guests were also dressed in their finery and it was a lot of fun seeing them oo and aa over each others outfits. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the party Little A and I read through the book again and talked about what it meant to be Gods Little Princess. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She then told me that she wanted all her friends to be God's children as well. (Music to my ears)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<span class="Apple-style-span">See what great love</span><span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30581A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span">the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!</span><span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30581B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span">And that is what we are!"</span></span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1 John 3:1</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="text 1Pet-2-9" id="en-NIV-30409">But you are a chosen people,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30409S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup> a royal priesthood,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30409T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup> a holy nation,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30409U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)"></sup> God’s special possession,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30409V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup>that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30409W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup></span> </i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1 Peter 1:9</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span">The most wonderful thing about knowing that you are a child of God, is the closeness that comes from that. I know that the little tea party was fun for the kids but I really wanted to give Little A something to remember and that would remind her that she is a princess because she belongs to the Father. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span>
<i><span class="text Rom-8-14" id="en-NIV-28131">For those who are led by the Spirit of God<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28131AC" title="See cross-reference AC">AC</a>)"></sup> are the children of God.<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28131AD" title="See cross-reference AD">AD</a>)"></sup></span> <span class="text Rom-8-15" id="en-NIV-28132"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>The Spirit<span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28132AE" title="See cross-reference AE">AE</a>)"></sup></span> you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again;<span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28132AF" title="See cross-reference AF">AF</a>)"></sup></span> rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.<b> </b>And by him we cry, “Abba,<b> </b>Father."</span><span class="text Rom-8-16" id="en-NIV-28133"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28133AH" title="See cross-reference AH">AH</a>)"></sup> that we are God’s children.<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28133AI" title="See cross-reference AI">AI</a>)"></sup></span> <span class="text Rom-8-17" id="en-NIV-28134">Now if we are children, then we are heirs<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28134AJ" title="See cross-reference AJ">AJ</a>)"></sup>—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28134AK" title="See cross-reference AK">AK</a>)"></sup> in order that we may also share in his glory.</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text Rom-8-17" id="en-NIV-28134" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Romans 8:14-17</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text Rom-8-17" id="en-NIV-28134"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span">I love those verses. They speak to my soul every time I read them. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the Spirit we call Abba Father. "Abba" is used as a term of endearment for a father, it is translated not just to father but to daddy, papa, or dear Father. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
There is something wonderful about being able to cry out to the God of the universe and call him daddy. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span">Daddy is used by children as a term of endearment. It would be strange to hear a child call their father, daddy, if they never see them or barely know them. Daddy evokes thoughts of trust and comfort, closeness. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span">And because of being Gods children we can approach God with freedom and confidence. We can put our trust in him. We can hope in him and know that he has plans for our good. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text Eph-3-12" id="en-NIV-29264"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>In him and through faith in him we may approach God<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29264V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup> with freedom and confidence.<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29264W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup></span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ephesians 3:12</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span">There is nothing more I want for my children then for them to know Christ and be able to approach God with freedom and confidence, knowing that they have been adopted into sonship. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span">Blessings</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-75197445003204973862014-05-10T22:57:00.002-07:002014-05-10T22:57:21.202-07:00From A Regular Mother<br />
I know that mothers day is supposed to be about celebrating moms but I have been thinking lately about what it means to me to be a mother and what my job really is. <br />
So this mothers day I wanted to share with the world an open letter for my children. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2CELX9BtJDeO2ScoUUxkMb3Yt3Umj7BnqyjpqeKY1NENw_gtZ0LNm1HePYemH13iF4XNojlPrB0bB7mSkMFKLx1G4WULXZ6C5AVEz-csNTcU1ZnWmwW0gwYNktKQhS3Gd6eVif6P88o/s1600/IMGP0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2CELX9BtJDeO2ScoUUxkMb3Yt3Umj7BnqyjpqeKY1NENw_gtZ0LNm1HePYemH13iF4XNojlPrB0bB7mSkMFKLx1G4WULXZ6C5AVEz-csNTcU1ZnWmwW0gwYNktKQhS3Gd6eVif6P88o/s1600/IMGP0063.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I Love You (ASL)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My Precious Kiddos, <br />
You are my world. Each of you have been given to me as a tremendous blessing. There is nothing else I would ever want to do with my life and nothing I am more proud of than being your mom. <br />
Each day that I spend with you I learn more about you and the characters that God has created you with and to be. You change so much all of the time and as you learn and grow you are teaching me more about myself and about God. <br />
<br />
You fill my life with so much joy. But you also make me crazy. You test my patience more than I ever thought was possible. Sometimes it feels like you are teaming up and trying to make me go bald from pulling out my hair. There are times that it feels like I can never do anything right but they are out numbered tenfold by the times that you make me feel like I could do no wrong in your eyes. <br />
<br />
I know that there will be times in our lives together when you will feel like I don't love you. Times when you feel like I am being unfair and unkind. But I pray that you will remember that we discipline because we love you. We only want the best for you and we pray blessings over you everyday. So, I hope, that when those times come when you feel like you hate me and that we will never see eye to eye, that you will at least remember that I love you and will continue to love you no matter what you do. <br />
<br />
You will make mistakes. You will hurt my feelings and I will hurt yours. We will misunderstand each other and sometimes we will understand each other but not agree. But being your mom is the greatest joy and blessing and I want you to know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you can never make me stop loving you. <br />
<br />
I know that the choices that you make in your life are yours to make. You will have to live with the consequences of your actions and only you will be judged for them. I want you to know that I know I am not your judge, I will do everything I can to teach you the path of the righteous but in the end it is you who will choose which way you will go. <br />
<br />
I will keep loving you when we fight, when we yell and when we make up. <br />
I will love you even if you get piercings, tattoos, or have any kind of crazy hair (its just hair, I may have crazy hair right along side of you).<br />
I will continue to love you if you fail in school, don't do your homework, or get called into the principals office. <br />
My love is still there if you sneak out of the house, if you drink, smoke, or do drugs. <br />
I will not stop loving you if you choose to be straight or homosexual. <br />
I will continue to love you if you have sex before marriage or if you abstain until you are married.<br />
I will continue to love you when you have a baby, married or not. <br />
My love for you wont disappear when you parent your kids in a strange way I don't understand or agree with. <br />
<br />
My love will not go away if you walk away from God. <br />
<br />
I may not agree with what you do, where you go with your life and how you act, but there is nothing you could do that would make me ever stop loving you. I am your mom and that means you have my heart, you carry it in your heart. <br />
<br />
I tell you this because I know that I am not the best parent in the world. I know that I am a flawed human being. I know that our Father in heaven is the best dad there is, and that his children make horrible decisions, just look at how corrupt and hurtful people from the church can be. I know that that heavenly father is the best there is, and his children, even though they try, are often not like him, they are not perfect. <br />
<br />
So, I, your not perfect mother, just want you to know that I love you as much as I possibly can, more than I ever knew was possible and until the day that I die and beyond. <br />
<br />
But I also want you to know that as much as I love you, your Heavenly Father loves you more. There are people who would want you to believe that there are mistakes that you can make that will make God stop loving you. They are absolutely wrong. There is nothing you can do that can separate you from His love. <br />
<br />
God has given us choices, he allows us to make mistakes. And just like me, watching you make those mistakes hurts him. The sins that we commit hurt him, hurt you, and distance you from God because he cannot be close to your sin. But that does not ever make his love leave you. I pray that you will always know that and be able to stand up to the lies of the enemy and of the people around you, that try to hurt people with those lies. <br />
<br />
Because there are those people, the ones that think they can judge others and their sins. People that believe that they can hurt people and make them feel small because they think that the sins that they commit are less bad than your sins. They are wrong, no sin is bigger than another and all sin hurts us because of keeping us from God (But not keeping us from his love).<br />
<br />
So know these truths and never let go of them, share them with those that are hurting because of the lies people tell. <br />
<br />
<em>For the Lord your God is living among you.<br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Zeph-3-17">He is a mighty savior.</span></span><br /><span class="text Zeph-3-17">He will take delight in you with gladness.</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Zeph-3-17">With his love, he will calm all your fears.</span></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Zeph-3-17">He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.</span></span></em><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Zeph-3-17"><strong>Zephaniah 3:17</strong></span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Zeph-3-17"></span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Zeph-3-17"><em>The faithful love of the Lord never ends!</em></span></span><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Zeph-3-17"><br /><span class="indent-1"><em><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-22">His mercies never cease.</span></em></span></span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Zeph-3-17"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Lam-3-22"></span></span><em><span class="text Lam-3-23" id="en-NLT-20354">Great is his faithfulness;</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-23">his mercies begin afresh each morning.</span></span></em></span></span><br />
<strong>Lamentations 3:22-23</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<em><sup><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></sup>God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. <span class="text 1John-4-10" id="en-NLT-30574"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.</span></em><br />
<span class="text 1John-4-10"><strong>1 John 4:9-10</strong></span><br />
<span class="text 1John-4-10"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span class="text 1John-4-10">I love you Kiddos. Always have always will. </span><br />
<span class="text 1John-4-10">Your Momma </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-86656810021925718342014-04-23T15:30:00.001-07:002014-04-23T15:30:53.203-07:00Shaken and Afraid<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The other night was quite and interesting one. We spent the weekend away visiting family and had a wonderful time. But Sunday night was difficult, both for Little A and for myself.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We had the kids off to bed by 8 o'clock which is a huge accomplishment when we are visiting family, they always have too much fun to really want to go to sleep. The kids were sharing a room, E man in a playpen and Little A in a big girl bed, but they share at home so they had done pretty well. But Sunday night was different, Little A talked and sang for quite some time. Then suddenly we heard sobbing and calling for mommy.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At first we thought it was E man trying to get me to come and give him another hug or something, but then I realized it was Little A and she sounded very upset. Hubby went in quickly because I was feeding the baby. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apparently Little A saw something scary in her room.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hubby prayed with our little princess and cuddled her until she calmed down. Together they cast the thing out and prayed the blood of Jesus over her and the whole house. He reminded her of how big God is, that he is always with her and that he loves her very much. Then he tucked her back in and left the room.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shortly there after it happened again.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This time I went in and prayed with her. But she could not calm down. She said that it wasn't leaving even after we prayed. So I asked her what she thought we should do and she said we should pray with Grandpa and Daddy. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We all prayed again and tried to comfort my sad little girl. The men left and Little A asked me to stay with her for a minute. And after quite a few minutes of holding her hand while she tried to go to sleep I had to go and feed the baby. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We got the kids to bed that night at 8 and she finally slept by 12:30 am. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTNEKg4WveoC0Yq4_OGMDOLUrsKlY3kNs8uAeTMshW62CdbanzZ29haro0U6aBKW8kafNE8e6ONDamEccodIkJP1JsGrl7NZE_0jCdjE8egsgYjVbTbwYQ6zU3c3nDuj5CwE3_vtmdJY/s1600/125_15356525178_4203_n-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTNEKg4WveoC0Yq4_OGMDOLUrsKlY3kNs8uAeTMshW62CdbanzZ29haro0U6aBKW8kafNE8e6ONDamEccodIkJP1JsGrl7NZE_0jCdjE8egsgYjVbTbwYQ6zU3c3nDuj5CwE3_vtmdJY/s1600/125_15356525178_4203_n-1.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Lovely Sisters and Myself. ( I am the cutie in red)</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The worst part of this for me was the feeling of helplessness that I had the moment I heard her cry out and say she was seeing something scary. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I can still remember all of the horrible things that I saw while alone in that room. We moved into the house my parents are in when I was 12 years old. But that time I had been having spiritual dreams and visions for many years and when we moved into that house they got worse. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Around the same time as our move to the new home, my family began to work at a downtown children's church working with inner-city kids. It was a huge blessing to work with these amazing kids that were so excited to learn about Jesus' love when they were being so neglected and abused at home. Working with those kind of kids brings a lot of hard things, the least of which was the lice that we dealt with on what felt like a weekly basis. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The worst thing I had to handle was a little girl telling me, a little girl myself really, about how she was raped by her uncle. Hearing things like that from the mouths of sweet children that are drowning in sorrow and hurt, that are starving for someone to love them, hearing those things breaks your heart and changes who you are.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sunday afternoons with those kids was the hardest, most heartbreaking and rewarding thing I have ever done. Every Sunday we started our ministry with prayer, for safety, for help to get through it, and for God to speak his message and his love to all that came. Then we would get onto buses and go and pick up the kids from the filth that they were living in, praying as we went. Once we got all those hundreds of children into the building we fed them physically and spiritually. It was an amazing thing to be a part of. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then when we were finished and finally pulled into our driveway, we would all just sit in the car for a moment, so drained physically, emotionally, and spiritually that we could not even move. Then we would pray and we would leave the car feeling so thankful for the opportunity to speak to and love on those kids and feeling a new overflowing of the Fathers love for us and for the kids our hearts were broken for. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The problem was that the battle never just ended after we got out of the car. We would get out of the car and begin to fight a battle in our hearts over the next week. The enemy would send an onslaught through the week that would leave us tired and feeling like we were empty and had nothing to offer those children. Every Sunday we would have to struggle against our selves to get back in the car to go downtown and again and again God proved faithful to be our strength and shine his love when we had nothing left to give. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I share all of that with you because it played a huge role in what happened while alone in my room, feeling not just physically alone but spiritually alone as well. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I can still close my eyes and see some of the horrible and frightening thing that came at me in my sleep. There was many a time when I would wake up in cold sweats from a battle I was fighting in my dreams only to find that with my eyes open they were still there, sneering and trying to fill me with fear and steal the blessings that God was giving me. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Those "things" that were in my room as a child all came flooding back into my mind as I heard my daughter cry out. I felt me skin crawl and my stomach wretch. I was stuck somewhere between wanting to cry and wanting to run in sword and tongue set ablaze with righteous anger. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When it was my turn to be in there with her, when she saw the scary things for the second time, I felt a crawly feeling on my skin and a sneering, familiar glare looking at me. I was taken aback and was shaken. I was reminded of all those fears all over again and of praying and worshiping and trying to force the demons to leave. And as I prayed with Little A I felt like a child again, a helpless child that couldn't make the "scary things" leave. The enemy was using my daughters fears to get to me and I was letting him. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But thankfully my daughter has already learned a few things from struggles in the past. There is strength in numbers. And that we serve a God that is always with us. It was actually her words that pulled me from my fear filled stupor and reminded me of the God that I love and serve. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That night we were both frightened, Little A because she saw "scary things" that she could not make go away on her own. And myself, because I was reminded of my own fears from long ago and because I realized that my little girl is going to have to fight scary battles sometimes, just like I did. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I take comfort in knowing that I was never really alone, the enemy just wanted to make me feel that way. I was never weak or small, I am filled with the Holy Spirit and he has already conquered death and all of the things of this world. I would never have changed any of my childhood, attacks, battles and all. And I am comforted because I know how real God was to me because of what I struggled through as a kid. I don't want my children to have to face hardships and trails, but I know that I have never questioned the reality of my God because of the things I have seen. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Have I not commanded you? <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-5861N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup>Be strong and courageous. <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-5861O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup>Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.</span></i><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Joshua 1:9</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am working hard on teaching the kids about the Armour of God, and reminding myself that I too need to remember to dress myself daily in that armour as well. </span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Eph-6-10">Finally, be strong in the Lord<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29348A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup> and in his mighty power.<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29348B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup></span> <span class="text Eph-6-11" id="en-NIV-29349">Put on the full armor of God,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29349C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup> so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.</span> <span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350">For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29350D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup> but against the rulers, against the authorities,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29350E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup> against the powers<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29350F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup> of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29350G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup></span> <span class="text Eph-6-13" id="en-NIV-29351">Therefore put on the full armor of God,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29351H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup> so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.</span> <span class="text Eph-6-14" id="en-NIV-29352">Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29352I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup> with the breastplate of righteousness in place,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29352J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></sup></span> <span class="text Eph-6-15" id="en-NIV-29353">and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.</span><span class="text Eph-6-16" id="en-NIV-29354"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29354L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup> with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.</span><span class="text Eph-6-17" id="en-NIV-29355"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>Take the helmet of salvation <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29355N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup>and the sword of the Spirit,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29355O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup> which is the word of God.<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29355P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></sup></span></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Eph-6-18" id="en-NIV-29356">And pray in the Spirit<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29356Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup> on all occasions<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29356R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup> with all kinds of prayers and requests.<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29356S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup>With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29356T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup> for all the Lord’s people.</span></span></i><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ephesians 6:10-18</span></b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-20415135117824488782014-04-15T14:26:00.001-07:002014-04-15T14:26:45.536-07:00Life in GeneralI am sorry that I have been so MIA lately. But life with three definitely is hectic and takes more time away from being able to blog.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBXIkOpvqESGfaGvEP175gBBWM_ewWSm2E99MOy8YP7msZdNUZs4xfBUkoJJlMmaU5oQfkKx1qXT_AQh9e2FpPa_DmDDC8XkfmRKWutcS-X2b58gNELjPL0MIS78H_WOtbMIt3MjKCfQ/s1600/IMG_4805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBXIkOpvqESGfaGvEP175gBBWM_ewWSm2E99MOy8YP7msZdNUZs4xfBUkoJJlMmaU5oQfkKx1qXT_AQh9e2FpPa_DmDDC8XkfmRKWutcS-X2b58gNELjPL0MIS78H_WOtbMIt3MjKCfQ/s1600/IMG_4805.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a>Baby Joy has been such a blessing. She really is a joyful child and she started smiling and laughing within a few weeks after birth. (I know everyone always says its gas, but trust me, her gassy face looks nothing like a smile) The big kids adore her, they are constantly trying to hold her and cuddle or kiss her.<br />
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Its funny how things change from your first to your third. I remember trying to be so vigilant to have Little A sleeping in her crib for all her naps, with E Man it was about half as much and with Baby Joy, she is rarely in her own bed. It is a little different for her also because Hubby is home from work so he gets to enjoy cuddling her while she sleeps and during the big kids naps the poor girl looses her bed to her big brother so that he can nap in peace. (The big kids share a room and talk and play if they are both in it during naps)<br />
<br />
Baby Joy has also become very used to it being loud. With Little A the house was always very quiet while she napped since it was just me at home. Now as we have added more children each has been exponentially more used to it. Baby Joy can sleep through almost anything. The other day while trying to work on some crafts during the silence of their naps, Joy kept waking up crying. Finally I turned on some worship music and she went right to sleep, the only time she seemed to stir was when the songs were quieter or when it was changing songs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxpj1dWgNfn665tFG5skV803B16ANW0ADmQpkb_pV95jQ2CLVse_wyEYibglF7foOVrX-fiDdtfbud1Iunic4lIIv0mrF8LOKicKU8C0BZYsIRfWdu10oDFp4WP6CciOZ1k9oiHohwWQ/s1600/IMG_4801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxpj1dWgNfn665tFG5skV803B16ANW0ADmQpkb_pV95jQ2CLVse_wyEYibglF7foOVrX-fiDdtfbud1Iunic4lIIv0mrF8LOKicKU8C0BZYsIRfWdu10oDFp4WP6CciOZ1k9oiHohwWQ/s1600/IMG_4801.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what a lot of our days are like lately (minus the snow), <br />
we are loving all the family time we get to have. </td></tr>
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We have been doing pretty well these past 8 weeks. I cannot believe she has been with us that long, it really has flown by and when I think about it I am saddened to think it may be the last time we have a newborn. I know that you should never decide if you are done having children while you are still dealing with a newborn, but the more we talk about it the more we feel like we may be done. Both Hubby and I have started to feel like it will really have to be a God thing for us to have another baby. He will either have to surprise us with a pregnancy or bless us with a child to adopt. <br />
<br />
Neither Hubby nor I have ever really thought about adoption but while we were pregnant with Baby Joy we both started thinking of it. And that feeling has grown stronger since having her. I think we are still a long way from adopting a child, but it is now something that we feel God is putting on our hearts and possibly preparing us for. ( I know it kind of seems crazy to adopt more when we already have three, but someone needs to care for them and we have enough love to offer to more than just our own children)<br />
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Anyway, I realize that this was a very random and all over the place kind of post but I thought maybe I should fill you in on some of what life has been like here in our crazy nest. Things are calming down and becoming more normal as I get used to Baby Joys schedule and having my Hubby around 24/7. And hopefully the calming brings more time for me to take for myself and for writing. <br />
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I am always so shocked by how much I miss it when I don't blog. I never thought I would ever blog in the first place and now I cannot imagine not writing.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-23221167292985064392014-03-18T19:27:00.004-07:002014-03-18T19:27:57.061-07:00Welcoming Baby - Part 2<br />
Last week I began to tell the story of the birth of my little girl. <a href="http://pursuitofproverbs31.blogspot.ca/2014/03/welcoming-baby-part-1.html" target="_blank">Read it Here</a>.<br />
The story of this little girl has been long and confusing. She was planned by God and his hand has been evident in her story from the beginning. <br />
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Looking back on the weeks leading up to her arrival I was terribly impatient. I wanted things to happen and to happen quickly. I read up on ways to induce labor and get things going, and tried a lot of them. Walking, Chinese food, spicy food, essential oils, greasy food, sex, reflexology, massage, squatting, and the kids and I even did zumba.<br />
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But, thankfully God is wiser than I. Thankfully He has a plan. And thankfully, He had my little girls life in His hands.<br />
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For I know the plans I have for you," declares The Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."<br />
Jeremiah 29:11<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="text Ps-94-11" id="en-NIV-15443" style="position: relative;">The Lord knows all human plans;<span class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-15443C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-94-11" style="position: relative;">he knows that they are futile.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-94-11" style="position: relative;">Psalm 94:11</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-94-11" style="position: relative;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-94-11" style="position: relative;"><br /></span></span></span>
When I left off, I was squatting and walking the halls. My contractions were continuing despite the nurse telling me that they would stop since I wasn't in real labor. <br />
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I was squatting in my room listening to worship music while waiting for hubby to return with some food. Suddenly I hear a mans voice outside of my room, not my husbands voice. For a second I assume it's just a person visiting in the room next door. But then my door opens and in walks my doctor (at 9 o'clock). </div>
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Thankfully, the aunt of a dear friend was on shift as a nurse that night, she had come to my room with my doctor so he could check on me. It was hard not to cry with joy as he said that things were progressing and that as soon as they had a room they would break my water and really get things moving. </div>
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Thank God for doctors that keep their word and check on you when they say they will.<br />
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Shortly after the doctor left Hubby arrived with my mom following shortly there after. Hubby, Mom and I tried to pass the time while we waited on a delivery room and we played games, walked the halls and chatted through contractions. It was really laid back and I was in a much better mood despite the mild to moderate pain. Knowing that she was coming and that I wasn't going to have to wait much longer really helped to lift my spirits.<br />
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At just after 11 we were finally taken down to a labour and delivery room. The doctor came and broke my water, I have had to have this done with each delivery and normally they brake it and I have the baby within an hour. This time, it hurt when he broke it and there just seemed to be a never ending amount of fluid. My other kids were so low by that point that they broke the water and barely anything could get out around their <strike>giant </strike> little heads.<br />
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The pain began to worsen after the doctor left so I got in the tub in hopes it would dull the pain a little. But I didn't last too long in the tub because I was just so uncomfortable and the pains were getting worse. <br />
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Now, here is where you need to know some background info. I have a pretty high pain tolerance for someone who has never had to endure much pain. I was induced with Little A and was talked into a demerol/gravol mix that made me really tired but numbed nothing of the pains. E Man was delivered naturally, no drugs, no gas, just breathing through the pain (and some groaning and crying). With E's delivery, my doctor assumed that I had an epidural because when he came in to deliver I was talking and laughing with Hubby and my mom. The dr was shocked when the nurse told him I hadn't taken any thing that they had offered for the pain. <br />
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So, back to this time, I got out of the tub and was in such immense pain that I started to loose it. I started sobbing and saying, " I can't do this! I don't want to do this!" Which Hubby has heard me say before, twice actually. Apparently I was saying the exact words I say every time I am moments away from delivery. So Hubby sent my mom to go and get the nurse, we were about to do this thing.<br />
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We were all wrong.<br />
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The nurse checked me and I was 4 cm!!<br />
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I cried worse at this point and tried to get through the onslaught of contractions while they made me lay in the bed hooked up to monitors again.<br />
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"I want the epidural," I managed to say between sobs and a contraction. "Wait, no I don't" <br />
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Contraction. "Yes! Yes I do want it. I can't do this."<br />
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The nurse sent for the anesthetist and Hubby consoled me because not only was I in a truckload of pain, I was getting an epidural and I was having a panic attack in my head as I weighed the risks with the pain. <br />
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I felt like a failure. I had done this whole labour and delivery thing twice before and made it through just fine. I had tossed around the idea during this last pregnancy that maybe it would be nice to have an epidural, see what all the fuss is about and not experience all the pains. But every time I really thought about it, I knew I probably wouldn't get one, they scare me too much.<br />
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By the time the anesthetist arrived I was fully convinced I was making the right choice. The contractions were just getting worse and nothing was helping me get through them. I couldn't understand how they were so painful when I was so early in labor.<br />
<br />
They made me hug a pillow and arch my back. Told me not to move and they began their process. While they jabbed me with that giant needle ( I never looked, Hubby did and nearly passed out, he doesn't do so well with that kinda thing), I prayed. I prayed that God would pause my contractions so that I could get through the epidural stuff without moving. I prayed that there would be no mistakes and I would be able to walk after. And I prayed that it would work and that the pain would lessen.<br />
<br />
I thank God that he answers prayers no matter how little and silly they seem. <br />
<br />
I can honestly tell you I had a contraction as they made me hug the pillow and didn't have another for a good ten minutes. They had been 2 minutes apart.<br />
<br />
They finished putting in the epidural and asked me to lay down. Somewhere in all of the needle stuff Hubby and Mom had switched places. Mom helped me to lay down and as I went down things started to go a little funny.<br />
<br />
"Am I supposed to feel it in my head? My ears feel funny. My mouth tastes weir...." And then my eyes rolled back and I was out.<br />
<br />
Apparently, my blood pressure dropped to 60/30 and I went unconscious. They started pumping me full of IV fluids and got me back awake fairly quickly. They said it was a reaction to the epidural, probably because I hadn't eaten much of anything all day. (Thank the Lord I snuck food after the grumpy nurse took out the medicine) After they got my blood pressure back up to a good range (thankfully baby did alright during all of that), they started to check if the epidural worked.<br />
Now I can honestly say that I understand why people get them, no more pains, it was awesome.<br />
<br />
Then the nurse tried to get me to rest and let things progress. But honestly, how do you rest after you face your fears and have a giant needle put in your back, then crash and go unconscious, I was so full of adrenaline, sleep was not going to happen. Thankfully, Hubby did manage to sleep and my mom rested a little while I tossed and turned on the bed and chatted with the lovely nurse for an hour or so.<br />
<br />
We stayed like this for a while, Hubby sleeping, Mom resting, nurse checking my blood pressure and the babies almost constantly, and me laying wide awake waiting for baby and praying not to have a csection. Mom had left the room to grab a drink and use the restroom and I looked at the nurse and said, " Am I having a contraction?"<br />
"No."<br />
"But I am now, aren't I?"<br />
"Yes, why can you feel that?"<br />
"Yeah, it feels like as much pain as before the epidural."<br />
"Is it pain or just pressure." She asks as mom enters the room again.<br />
<br />
"Pain, and its not going away."<br />
"I am just gonna check you, okay?.....<br />
...You're 10 centimetres." says the excited nurse.<br />
"Shut up! I am not!" I respond laughing.<br />
<br />
We woke up the Hubby and the nurse started to ready herself and the room.<br />
The pains got worse and I was kinda surprised I could feel anything. But she said that feeling it is good and it will help me know when to push. ( I kinda wish they had upped the dose so I wouldn't feel anything) <br />
"How many babies have you delivered yourself?" I asked the nurse as she tried to ready everything as quick as she could.<br />
"2, and I am not delivering yours." She quickly responded.<br />
"Please, come on, just catch it, I just need to push!"<br />
"No, Hold it in, he is almost here. I am not delivering your baby."<br />
<br />
She did let me do a "practice push" to see how good I was at pushing but she immediately made me stop and told me not to do that again until the doctor came.<br />
<br />
As I began to contemplate just doing it without her and catching it myself, the doctor finally arrived.<br />
<br />
A couple pushes and the head was out.<br />
<br />
But she was blue and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck, twice. <br />
<br />
They told me not to push and it took everything in me not to, her head was out and I wanted her out.<br />
They had to clamp both cords and cut them both before they allowed me to push the rest of her out.<br />
Finally out, they placed her on my belly and tried to rub her. It was like "all hands on deck" as both nurses and myself were rubbing my blue little girl. Then one nurse scooped her up and took her across to a table and continued to rub her and clear her airways.<br />
<br />
My doctor sat quietly trying to bring down the placenta and he left the baby to be tended to by the nurses. His face was stoic like he was completely focused on his task until the quiet lasted too long for him to bare and he left me to go to help.<br />
<br />
<br />
Quiet.<br />
<br />
<br />
A quiet that turned my husband pale white as he collapsed onto a chair, and caused my mom and I to sob as seconds felt like hours.<br />
<br />
Then finally the most beautiful sound I have ever heard, the scream of my little girl cut through the silence. Shortly followed by laughter as she peed all over the table.<br />
<br />
Baby Joy (as the kids have called her since last summer) scored 8 out of 10 on her first apgar and 10/10 on her second. She "fully" entered the world (there was some confusion on when they should say she was born because her head was out earlier) at 5:12 am on February 19th.<br />
<br />
<br />
After all of the craziness died down and I finally got to hold my precious Joy, the doctor, a christian, looked at me and my mom and said, "Well, its obvious someone was watching out for you guys." To which my mom replied, "We all know who."<br />
<br />
Talking with the nurse and the Doctor and looking at how things played out, we've learned a few things that point to Gods grace and his plan:<br />
<br />
1. Even though I hated it, being overdue was a blessing because I was induced.<br />
2. Because I was induced, myself and baby were monitored all day.<br />
3. Likely, the reason I was overdue was because she couldn't drop low enough into the birth canal to help bring on labor. (She could have basically hung herself with her cord if she dropped earlier)<br />
4. We were told that I should have had a cesarian section and even then it could have been iffy.<br />
5. The added pain was likely because her head wasn't low enough to help things along<br />
6. thankfully, I had extra pain because it caused me to have the epidural.<br />
7. Without the epidural I don't think I could have made it through holding her in for so long while waiting for the doctor, or holding her in so they could clamp and cut the cords.<br />
8. Thankfully, we had a nurse that wanted to play it safe and she forced us to wait. (After everything had settled, the nurse looked at me and said, "see thats why I always wait for the doctor.")<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
God has blessed us so much and has walked us through so much to get to this point. We are constantly reminded of his plans for us and for our family and each individual child. His hand is so evident.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbdXQNXbC2jno3GqQK50VncoS2P-XJ46yrZmFEony9WC2c5l7C6nIuh4kfkAYeSMO70MYFTDPtTbVctoRV9QZc7UPqhWL2WhWRD6S0Qx6qsqotjokXTCxzE2MhxBEvfedSAInLAlaQMw/s1600/IMG_7965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbdXQNXbC2jno3GqQK50VncoS2P-XJ46yrZmFEony9WC2c5l7C6nIuh4kfkAYeSMO70MYFTDPtTbVctoRV9QZc7UPqhWL2WhWRD6S0Qx6qsqotjokXTCxzE2MhxBEvfedSAInLAlaQMw/s1600/IMG_7965.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proud Daddy wouldn't leaver her side.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0hWKpdrIcX3FdxEp6UrAyAajyxlwuCyhni2zgREZZaB9oAUNfV5Yvzea_dle_gPn00gJlsROAAwaqOJrAikjVgAn2rWsk1RLERmwtuAM3GapNWYBlg9z5wMdmf4CCZTjnFFpKPa1eoQ/s1600/IMG_8130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0hWKpdrIcX3FdxEp6UrAyAajyxlwuCyhni2zgREZZaB9oAUNfV5Yvzea_dle_gPn00gJlsROAAwaqOJrAikjVgAn2rWsk1RLERmwtuAM3GapNWYBlg9z5wMdmf4CCZTjnFFpKPa1eoQ/s1600/IMG_8130.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long fingers and toes. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7suwVobmAgoZaHO8UdlyOyEWMZxJlN6TPF10j50OuRDbrykRWqoKm31VHRD1woI2c2xXOHr3-HDfsy7WEhRWyE6JBaDcIKQj1dYWIDx-00sk7qJYGx_fCAKPZHCCqD9DLdAWeyp7yV0/s1600/IMG_8007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7suwVobmAgoZaHO8UdlyOyEWMZxJlN6TPF10j50OuRDbrykRWqoKm31VHRD1woI2c2xXOHr3-HDfsy7WEhRWyE6JBaDcIKQj1dYWIDx-00sk7qJYGx_fCAKPZHCCqD9DLdAWeyp7yV0/s1600/IMG_8007.JPG" height="197" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting examined by her siblings. Her toes were tickled and even smelled by her big brother. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93v9fxtkjc6AyD90hUbusvbHzaUFLcK05P40b6e_xPyOM9kM77yF10PkutvhqKrkJeXH5Lr7TCrPeL-84woKfyfgq9WV5wfsql7eM94y6msmKxXjpGJvEjh-y61cDVHDf7d4gxSHkImU/s1600/IMG_8140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93v9fxtkjc6AyD90hUbusvbHzaUFLcK05P40b6e_xPyOM9kM77yF10PkutvhqKrkJeXH5Lr7TCrPeL-84woKfyfgq9WV5wfsql7eM94y6msmKxXjpGJvEjh-y61cDVHDf7d4gxSHkImU/s1600/IMG_8140.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little A was so excited to get to hold her and give her kisses.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnc3QgJjL9GIR8E6Tj2TPg-9OCAVC-ouUXaK4oteqYud5PzUmwPWzk5bRTPfOxR27UmPynGKKn-PqtIkP3JMKosZsKuzcA7Wii4XY2dcE9GvP_tQM30Vy2coKmjoY8XXhMJZKOke_Zp0/s1600/IMG_4731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnc3QgJjL9GIR8E6Tj2TPg-9OCAVC-ouUXaK4oteqYud5PzUmwPWzk5bRTPfOxR27UmPynGKKn-PqtIkP3JMKosZsKuzcA7Wii4XY2dcE9GvP_tQM30Vy2coKmjoY8XXhMJZKOke_Zp0/s1600/IMG_4731.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only one of us in this photo was very tired after being awake more than 24 hours. (Hint: Its Me) </td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgCpljg7K2h6gks8ZRz9Rc7_TtxqqAOcPmY1AJ9r657l35mb8K2BCfMn3nT97weoff4hFh_OOs_XRsdhyphenhyphenOIgOqNkTEU5h8WntOrQck7xvIC_sRIeae7zshKWWCWbNyTWHGZslx4DIXbY/s1600/IMG_4735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgCpljg7K2h6gks8ZRz9Rc7_TtxqqAOcPmY1AJ9r657l35mb8K2BCfMn3nT97weoff4hFh_OOs_XRsdhyphenhyphenOIgOqNkTEU5h8WntOrQck7xvIC_sRIeae7zshKWWCWbNyTWHGZslx4DIXbY/s1600/IMG_4735.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So snuggly and perfect. I am in love. </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-23776764131694270842014-03-12T14:41:00.001-07:002014-03-12T14:41:15.574-07:00Welcoming Baby - Part 1<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I don't even know where to begin to fill you in on what has been happening to me and my family for the past few weeks. Life has been a whirlwind of emotions and stresses and amazing blessings. </span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It all started nearly a month ago when I woke up in the morning feeling the pain of contractions and they were already at regular intervals. I had a doctors appointment scheduled for later that day but I was hopeful that I would be heading in to the hospital to deliver my little one instead. I gave my mom a quick call to let her know that it seemed like things were starting. </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As I began my day and started to get ready to head to the doctors office, my contractions stopped. I was more than frustrated. I was hopeful though, that the doctor would at least tell me that I was progressing and that things had started. The doctor was kind and said that likely I was right and that things had started. "Your labours normally progress pretty quickly after a slow start," he said as encouragingly as he could. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Shortly after my doctors appointment my parents arrived. They spent the day with us and we had a lovely time. But, to my further frustration, things never really got started again. My parents went home, though they were both concerned that they would leave and then things would begin and they would miss it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This starting and stopping went on for days. Then it just stopped all together and I felt totally normal. Tired and cranky, but normal. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My doctor scheduled an induction for February 18th, 9 days after my due date. I hoped and prayed that I wouldn't make it to the induction, and that our baby would make her appearance beforehand. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-NKJV-29449">Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-NKJV-29450">and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.</span></span></span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-NKJV-29450"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Phillipians 4:6-7</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I tried to cling to this verse but honestly, I failed. The night before the induction I lost it. My poor husband. He did his best to console me and try to bring me back to sanity, but I was freaking out about everything. I was terrified. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have been induced before, with Little A, and it was horrible. Thankfully, with Little A, my body took over since I was already in early stages of labor on my own (the doctors decided to induce anyway to hurry things along). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This time, I knew what to expect, and I was not excited. I was lying in bed sobbing. I was afraid that they would start the induction (they often use a drug put directly on your cervix (thats what they did with Little A)) but that it wouldn't work the same and I would spend the entire day in the hospital to have nothing happen. Then they would start again the next day with an IV drip of pitocin, which I have been told is horribly painful. Most women who are induced end up in so much pain that it makes even the most die hard natural labour fan choose an epidural. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And, I am terrified of epidurals!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In my downward spiral of freaking out from fear, the next step from being induced is an epidural, and the next step after an epidural is a c-section. And, for me, the only thing scarier than an epidural is a c-section (I have never broken any bones, or had any surgeries, the only time I have ever been in a hospital is for delivering my babies). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Anyway, after loosing my marbles before bed, I fell asleep with a tear soaked pillow and tossed and turned the whole night. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The induction was set for 7:30 February 18th. That morning, my son woke up crying for me at 5:00 and after that I could not get to sleep again. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We went to the hospital and were taken to our room that we would be in for the next few days. We then had to sit and wait for the OB/GYN to show up to get things started. He came by 9:30, stuck the induction stuff in and then left. I was then hooked up to a monitor for a few hours to make sure my body didn't react badly to the medication. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVCA7Tq7F15nWgAH-puoVIp9L0Swg1X0jCz1iSJ9xC_jD1tLMxf-bM8lCzF7St03jWsLza4burDbwrLfsSU-_oOlw-wUwX1Ii9_L-_oYPI4ZruTwci7PSDmIWKtEzGs3ZDGeb0CW1yCM/s1600/IMG_4703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVCA7Tq7F15nWgAH-puoVIp9L0Swg1X0jCz1iSJ9xC_jD1tLMxf-bM8lCzF7St03jWsLza4burDbwrLfsSU-_oOlw-wUwX1Ii9_L-_oYPI4ZruTwci7PSDmIWKtEzGs3ZDGeb0CW1yCM/s1600/IMG_4703.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The top is the baby, the black thick <br />lines are her movements, and the <br />bottom is my contractions.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The monitor measures my contractions, the baby's movements, and the baby's heart rate. After the first 2 hours of monitoring, I was allowed to walk the halls and sit in my room. They hooked me back up to the monitor about every 45 minutes for 20 minutes or more. It was incredibly boring. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">With Little A, my induction started at 9 and I had her by 4. So that was what I was hoping would happen. It did not. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I sat and walked and then was monitored, sat and walked and then was monitored. And I was only allowed to have clear fluids, so I drank water and ate jello and popsicles. It was a very long day. Hubby was entertained by the Olympics on the 8 inch television and we tried to nap and play card games. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Finally around 4 o'clock my doctor came to check on me. I knew what he was going to say. I had been having barely any contractions all morning so I figured, likely nothing was happening. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OHCqJ0W5TVhJfGmfFF_TEE53QNThn2Mz9DGmgc6XX1Ojz_-lrPh8bk14IiyzBrl5JxxcFXwT582U6kE1o5paK-48ONReWkeYKNEbFnORYBJf1YJ8cAjbKwz5QXK4kO0FIw7RhxyZplk/s1600/IMG_4710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OHCqJ0W5TVhJfGmfFF_TEE53QNThn2Mz9DGmgc6XX1Ojz_-lrPh8bk14IiyzBrl5JxxcFXwT582U6kE1o5paK-48ONReWkeYKNEbFnORYBJf1YJ8cAjbKwz5QXK4kO0FIw7RhxyZplk/s1600/IMG_4710.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is what happened to my contractions<br /> right after the doctor adjusted things</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">His response actually surprised me. Apparently the medication they had put in that morning wasn't working, it had shifted and wasn't in the right spot. He adjusted things, said he would be back at 9 to break my water and then left. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After he adjusted the medication, my contractions became much more consistent and painful. There was a constant pain in my cervix that didn't let up between contractions. I was finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe now that things were actually in the right spots, my labor would take off like with Little A and I would have my precious baby in my arms before midnight. I was very hopeful. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">At 7, my hopes were dashed. A very grumpy nurse barged into the room and told me she was going to check me. She was short with me and very gruff. She checked said I had barely changed since my doctor had checked and that if I didn't progress more by the time she came back in half an hour she would take out the medication and not let me continue. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">She came back in a very short half hour, checked me and aggressively pulled out the medication. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was shocked and kind of angry. I told her that my doctor said he would be back by nine to break my water and I asked what he said about taking out the medication. Her response was, " I don't care. I just had four women come in in labour and I don't have enough beds for them let alone you. So we will be stopping wether he wants to or not." She told me I would likely have a few more contractions but that I was not in real labor so I should just stop and go to sleep, they would start again tomorrow. Then she was gone. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was heart broken. I did not want to have had that whole day of being in the stupid hospital be for nothing. I was starving so I sent Hubby home to grab some food for me and to have some himself. While he was gone my frustration with the grumpy nurse increased. I decided that I didn't care if she wanted me to or not, I was going to have my baby tonight. I was going to prove her wrong. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So I started walking the halls hoping that she wouldn't come out and get after me and when I was back in my room I would squat and get into labor progressing positions. I did whatever I could think of to keep my labour progressing. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now I must go, My adorable little girl is no longer sleeping. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">TO BE CONTINUED....</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-5306959429532299262014-02-07T08:26:00.003-08:002014-02-07T08:27:45.913-08:00Anxious <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We are still waiting for the arrival of our little girl. She technically is not due until this coming Sunday but I started having some regular contractions Tuesday morning that eventually just stopped cold. So now I have been sitting waiting very impatiently. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The worst part of this waiting game is that I know what I am waiting for. I know the pain that lays ahead and I know the immense joy that follows that. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have to say, I am experiencing much more anxiety this time around that with the other kids. I don't know if its from having done this twice now or if its because of all the craziness that happened after the last time, but I am having a harder time being at peace. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tuesday when the contractions started, I was so excited and so terrified. Contractions meant things were really going to happen (or at least thats how it felt until they stopped). I opened up the bible app on my phone and the verse of the day was as follows. It was like honey to my soul. </span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text Phil-4-6" id="en-ESV-29432">do not be anxious about anything, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29432B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>but in everything by prayer and supplication <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29432C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-ESV-29433">And <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29433D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup>the peace of God, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29433E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup>which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.</span></span></span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text Phil-4-7" id="en-ESV-29433"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <b>Phillippians 4:6-7 </b></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love how easily Gods Word can speak to us where we are and what we are going through. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My mom has reminded me of that verse a few times since Tuesday and it has brought me back out of my anxiety and allowed me to focus, pray, and worship. Which has brought joy instead of anxiety and peace in place of fear. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">John 14:27</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Last night as I was sinking back into some anxiety and fear, my friend texted me. It was perfect timing. Her message was simple. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">" Praying and thinking of you tonight!! "</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">I told her a tiny bit about how I was freaking out and basically over-thinking things. And again God spoke to me through her words. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"...God has already proved over and over that he is watching over you and your little girl :) all will work out. "</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is the truth. God has already brought us through so many scary things with this little girl and He has shined victorious over each of them. He holds us in the palm of His hand, us and our little baby girl. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love this verse from Isaiah. I totally get a silly picture in my head when I read it that is not at all like the rest of the chapter, but I still like it and it speaks to me the way I envision it in my head. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Isa-41-13" id="en-NKJV-18465" style="position: relative;">For I, the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> your God, will hold your right hand,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Isaiah 41:13</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This may make you laugh, but I totally see God as the gentleman helping me step over a puddle. It must be the hormones or maybe just the romantic side of me, but thats totally what I see when I read those lines. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And isn't it wonderful to think of God in that light. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That He, the Lord your God, would hold your hand, comfort you and help you through it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That is the picture I see in my head of my God today. The God that will hold my hand, give me comfort, and help me through the turmoil. I hope that you can see him like that today as well. That He meets you where you need Him and He helps you through while holding your hand. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Blessings Friends. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anita</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-27317696990474069422014-01-31T09:13:00.000-08:002014-01-31T09:13:13.439-08:00Almost There <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well, I still am waiting on this little girl to make her grand entrance, but our lives seem to be at their busiest they have been for a longtime. I apologize for the lack of blogging, but in this season of my life there is a very very small amount of energy left over when I hit the <strike>end of the day </strike> noon. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There have been a few small moments of peace and quiet in our home lately when I can gather my thoughts and converse with God, but they have been short and are ended abruptly when the fighting, crying, or screaming (from my kids) begins. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The kids are both getting really excited to meet their little sister. Little A has been talking about the room they will someday share and how much fun they will have dressing up like princesses. The E Man has been running up to me and telling me to "open it" as he pulls at my shirt. He waits til he sees my gigantic belly and then begins to hug and kiss it. But they are not ordinary kisses, it's like a machine gun of kisses. He bobs his head and kisses my belly at 100 kisses a minute, somehow managing to say "Mwah" with each kiss. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hubby cannot be more excited or more nervous about the baby coming. He hides it well but I know that he is feeling anxious about the idea of all that will come after her arrival. Hubby's job allows him to receive full pay while on paternity leave, he will be home with the kids and I for about 17 weeks. But not only does he get that time home, he will need to go back for a few weeks and then will have his normal summer vacation time of 8 weeks. I would be lying if I told you we planned it out that way, but it did work out wonderfully. Except, my hubby, who enjoys working with his hands, staying very busy and not sitting idly at home, will be <b>home for 25 weeks</b>. I think we are both a tad worried he will go crazy. He will be kept busy taking the kids on special dates we have set up, running Little A to dance classes, and a long list of projects I have been trying to compile. But please pray that he doesn't go nuts stuck inside....or that I don't go nuts having him around so much, I am used to him being busy and taking care of the kids in my own for most of the day. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As for me, I am beyond excited to meet this little blessing and hold her in my arms instead of my belly. But I finally hit the point in my pregnancy where I am totally torn by my feelings. On one hand, I want my body back to somewhat normal without a human being inside of it causing all sorts of pain in my legs, back and everywhere else. Because of our little miracle, I am not sleeping, only able to stomach small amounts of nourishment, have heartburn like my chest and throat will soon let away, oh and, did I mention, I waddle like a duck? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> But on the other hand I don't want her going anywhere! I remember what labor was like, and I really don't want to do that again. So I am a giant ball of emotions waiting to explode and my poor kids are, I am sure, just stuck wondering what's up with their crazy emotional mom. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anyway, that what's up with us lately, I will try to be back on here to share our exciting addition. But I can't promise that it won't take a while....as you can see my writing gets a little more, well, hard to follow when I am not sleeping. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Blessings</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A very large, but hopefully not for much longer, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anita </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="text Eccl-11-5" id="en-NIV-17519" style="position: relative;">As you do not know the path of the wind,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-17519C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Eccl-11-5" style="position: relative;">or how the body is formed<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> </b></span> in a mother’s womb,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-17519D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup></span></span><br /><span class="text Eccl-11-5" style="position: relative;">so you cannot understand the work of God,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Eccl-11-5" style="position: relative;">the Maker of all things.</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Eccl-11-5" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;"><b>Ecclesiastes 11:5<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZBMwhowWtB5vaeHh88WOvpuED_1-GNnI8YUWoJgrD-LvxnL2NJvYtonBGIN1itAfBMW7iz6kDI7zcB_UfpbmtKdwnbI5eKUeZVFhRhfar385fWQRgT_Do9OW6xH2kN8Z9BdPWKB6-ns/s1600/IMG_8100a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZBMwhowWtB5vaeHh88WOvpuED_1-GNnI8YUWoJgrD-LvxnL2NJvYtonBGIN1itAfBMW7iz6kDI7zcB_UfpbmtKdwnbI5eKUeZVFhRhfar385fWQRgT_Do9OW6xH2kN8Z9BdPWKB6-ns/s1600/IMG_8100a.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is not how I look this time around<br />
...we haven't had a chance to get a nice picture yet. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsivs8kaCPqfvbBtYW_N9oKlwPVbGXSK4ttB33s-_gzBdtwZFdSTQmDcqZ7NvNyWY2FvFx-Fr3Bxe2Sg4KvxFYqYBHNV8rT1BKx7NqhsqnSq5ORytwuwOvaZZuZ1j1Yz0doOivqU12XYE/s1600/IMG_8232b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsivs8kaCPqfvbBtYW_N9oKlwPVbGXSK4ttB33s-_gzBdtwZFdSTQmDcqZ7NvNyWY2FvFx-Fr3Bxe2Sg4KvxFYqYBHNV8rT1BKx7NqhsqnSq5ORytwuwOvaZZuZ1j1Yz0doOivqU12XYE/s1600/IMG_8232b.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These were from when I was pregnant with Little A. </td></tr>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Eccl-11-5" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;">Both photos were taken by the lovely Krystal, of <a href="http://www.moorephotographyanddesign.ca/" target="_blank">Moore Photography and Design </a></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-41891382147519867932014-01-18T18:06:00.000-08:002014-01-18T18:09:42.108-08:00Called to Be a Mommy<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are few things that can break the heart of a mother more than her child being sick or hurt. There is just something in us that breaks when they are hurting and I am sure that for the rest of our lives it will be like that. Every broken heart, every cold and flu, every fight with one of their friends or siblings, each will effect us nearly as much as it does our children and for possibly longer.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other night my heart was squeezed nearly to its breaking point as my daughter looked me in the eyes and told me she wished she had a different mommy.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hubby and I were putting the kids down for bed in their new shared room. We just made the switch to having them together so that we can be prepared for the babies arrival, we didn't think it would be as smooth of a transition as it has been. Hubby finished their bedtime story and we all cuddled together to say our prayers. The kids call it their "thanks you prayer", probably because we begin by them saying a number of things that they are thankful for. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After our prayers I picked up Little A and hugged her tight. She squeezed me back and I said, " Oh, I just love hugging you!" In response she squeezed me again and continued to squeeze while she said, " Hug,Hug, Hug, Stop!" It's a little cuddle game she learned from my mom.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Afterward I pulled back from her and she looked up at me while I said, " did you know that I thank God, everyday, that he chose me to be your mommy?"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I wish he chose me a different mommy." Was her response.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(I think my heart nearly broke just writing that out)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My pregnancy hormones and lack of sleep totally do not help me much but I was able to choke back the tears that threatened. All I could say in response was to tell her that saying things like that hurts my feelings and makes me sad. But that I love her no matter what and that God chose me to be her mommy for a special reason and I wouldn't want anyone else. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think Hubby had a talk with her after I left the room and he finished tucking them in. But what she said just kept churning in my mind. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am sure that there were times as a kid, actually I remember some times, that I wished that God gave me different parents or a different family. But that family taught me a lot and made me who I am. There are still times that I cannot believe that we are even related because we all seem impossibly different but they are my family and I wouldn't change that. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfctbxZuHc7C2qlydpJ_TMEkt4seUlxGg_jJ2EkDzspCksz25DyzqkQ-mgc40nmLJtXYq8ZF96rYK5j8OLuo5qBVjlJt643uh7xRWuHW9kAryuoXcHnl_g-dTGA6vGjfeqKy7AEySHwbA/s1600/IMG_5536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfctbxZuHc7C2qlydpJ_TMEkt4seUlxGg_jJ2EkDzspCksz25DyzqkQ-mgc40nmLJtXYq8ZF96rYK5j8OLuo5qBVjlJt643uh7xRWuHW9kAryuoXcHnl_g-dTGA6vGjfeqKy7AEySHwbA/s1600/IMG_5536.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Apparently I am the funny one. ( Too bad they were laughing AT me not with me) </span></td></tr>
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<span class="text Ps-127-3" id="en-NLT-16101" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Ps-127-3" style="position: relative;">Children are a gift from the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>;</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-127-3" style="position: relative;">they are a reward from him.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-127-4" id="en-NLT-16102" style="position: relative;">Children born to a young man</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-127-4" style="position: relative;">are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-127-5" id="en-NLT-16103" style="position: relative;">How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-127-5" style="position: relative;">He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.</span></span></span></i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Psalm 127:3-5</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Read <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%201" target="_blank">1 Samuel 1</a> for a wonderful story of family and being blessed with a child. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I really feel like God blessed me with each of my children. I know that I was a part of creating them while they were inside of me. I know that he has blessed me with an amazing opportunity to teach them and train them in the ways that they should go. And that they are a part of the purpose that I was created for. </span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Ps-139-13" id="en-NLT-16229" style="position: relative;">You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-13" style="position: relative;">and knit me together in my mother’s womb.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-139-14" id="en-NLT-16230" style="position: relative;">Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-14" style="position: relative;">Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-139-15" id="en-NLT-16231" style="position: relative;">You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-15" style="position: relative;">as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-139-16" id="en-NLT-16232" style="position: relative;">You saw me before I was born.</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-16" style="position: relative;">Every day of my life was recorded in your book.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-139-16" style="position: relative;">Every moment was laid out</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-16" style="position: relative;">before a single day had passed.</span></span></span></i><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-139-16" style="position: relative;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Psalm 139:13-16</b> </span></span></span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Prov-22-6" id="en-NLT-16998" style="position: relative;">Direct your children onto the right path,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-22-6" style="position: relative;">and when they are older, they will not leave it.</span></span></span></i><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-22-6" style="position: relative;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Proverbs 22:6</span></b></span></span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Ps-127-3" id="en-ESV-16125" style="position: relative;">Behold, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16125A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>children are a heritage from the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-127-3" style="position: relative;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16125B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>the fruit of the womb a reward.</span></span></span></i><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-127-3" style="position: relative;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Psalm 127:3</span></b></span></span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Titus-2-4" id="en-ESV-29896">and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,</span> <span class="text Titus-2-5" id="en-ESV-29897"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>to be self-controlled, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29897F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup>pure, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29897G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup>working at home, kind, and <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29897H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup>submissive to their own husbands, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29897I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup>that the word of God may not be reviled.</span></span></i><br />
<span class="text Titus-2-5" id="en-ESV-29897"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Titus 2:4-5</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="text Titus-2-5" id="en-ESV-29897"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe that there is a biblical calling to motherhood. There are many other callings in our lives that we will walk in, but there is a time and season for everything. </span></span><br />
<span class="text Titus-2-5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text Titus-2-5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But throughout everything we walk through there are a some callings that will remain constant. We are called to respect our husbands, which is the best way to show our children how to love their spouse. We are called to train our children and direct them to the right path. And we are called to show them the love of Christ. We are also called to lead them by our example, when we walk out the love of Christ we teach them what his love is like and how they should love others. </span></span><br />
<span class="text Titus-2-5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text Titus-2-5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe that first and foremost, my job is to be a mother to my children....even when they think I am the worst, when they feel like they hate me, and when they wish they had a different mom. They are the gifts that God has given me and I will love them more than myself for the rest of my life. </span></span><br />
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<span class="text Titus-2-5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Titus-2-5" id="en-ESV-29897"><b><br /></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Titus-2-5" id="en-ESV-29897"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Titus-2-5" id="en-ESV-29897"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>**Edit** </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> I just listened to this sermon about <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/honoring-the-biblical-call-of-motherhood" target="_blank">Honouring the Biblical Call of Motherhood. </a> Its about 45 minutes long but it was well done and speaks to the heart and touches on some of the same things I talked about. Enjoy </b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-79638989634276076312014-01-16T14:17:00.002-08:002014-01-16T14:17:57.470-08:00Words From the Little Pink Book<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just had to share.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This afternoon Little A found a little pink bible that she was given from a woman at the church baby shower when we first had her. She opened it up and said, " I am going to read to you about grace."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"God gives us grace. We need to say thank you for the grace that God gives us. "</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She flips through the little bible some more then says, " Yupp, the grace God gives us. Love Grace. "</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am so glad to see that the lesson she learned, <a href="http://pursuitofproverbs31.blogspot.ca/2014/01/teaching-grace.html" target="_blank">Found Here</a>, the other day actually is sinking in. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">For from</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26050AH" title="See cross-reference AH">AH</a>)"></sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">his fullness we have all received,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26050AI" title="See cross-reference AI">AI</a>)"></sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">grace upon grace.</span></span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">John 1:16</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b><br /></b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-22762408575212365472014-01-14T13:53:00.001-08:002014-01-14T13:53:25.540-08:00Nana's Glazed Orange Cookies<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been meaning to share this recipe with you for a very long time. I made them a while back with a big mess and a lot of help from Little A, but now that my stash of Christmas Baking has been just about depleted, I need to whip up another batch and thought I would share. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, without much ado, here are the cutest little chubby fingers helping me to make some very tasty cookies. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAIUkr12WHxjMv579CTly6arPF3MIgcUpSUTM3BdQOU19WH1z-yvouj5DkYKL8WhmW9BtSmhx-D5lnh5ITydllyjrIHWPYDTo-3oKqY1P2p85znuf2LRQXXarWedkRTL17GaQR1F4HCDc/s1600/IMG_6050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAIUkr12WHxjMv579CTly6arPF3MIgcUpSUTM3BdQOU19WH1z-yvouj5DkYKL8WhmW9BtSmhx-D5lnh5ITydllyjrIHWPYDTo-3oKqY1P2p85znuf2LRQXXarWedkRTL17GaQR1F4HCDc/s400/IMG_6050.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So excited to crack the egg all by herself</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHVkFIa3iXziLIPaOBiIn0tsxi5GZ98SarQkmeGqphML3V__6LeHUOlG58zs5GA5_e6pbTeYAEdwEGP3To_NtcB_9tsib4UdAXjkOZ1uN_Il3FJ9ojs06fQQrSoTXhveHSxWox-8odSw/s1600/IMG_6052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHVkFIa3iXziLIPaOBiIn0tsxi5GZ98SarQkmeGqphML3V__6LeHUOlG58zs5GA5_e6pbTeYAEdwEGP3To_NtcB_9tsib4UdAXjkOZ1uN_Il3FJ9ojs06fQQrSoTXhveHSxWox-8odSw/s400/IMG_6052.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thankfully I had the forethought to use a different bowl. </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMRf_R7q1l931_Foc1AcGbqypLHHi445Fig49fHbRwSB1FCKaXhR1oOtwDBsOPNY6zulOKDVz_xWB6egfpy2UpymkNrq2E2bsOQoevuO6wvHySUEzP49nvQMNqjAws4Ds5sxWwFiQoVI/s1600/IMG_6054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMRf_R7q1l931_Foc1AcGbqypLHHi445Fig49fHbRwSB1FCKaXhR1oOtwDBsOPNY6zulOKDVz_xWB6egfpy2UpymkNrq2E2bsOQoevuO6wvHySUEzP49nvQMNqjAws4Ds5sxWwFiQoVI/s400/IMG_6054.JPG" width="266" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Washing up...then playing in the sink with the bubbles. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaddAlGCGVoOo6h7Dpod5JPof8FKcTbcrAEHeaU016Fwe2AL2N4_a0I3-ceH4PuOoGO2GHm0gOtoKEfCAC0_LZt55bjFZQC3ZuqOZ2V4irZjH5FXv4C2uewhHktJj7uI1ZclKxdhDeayU/s1600/IMG_6062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaddAlGCGVoOo6h7Dpod5JPof8FKcTbcrAEHeaU016Fwe2AL2N4_a0I3-ceH4PuOoGO2GHm0gOtoKEfCAC0_LZt55bjFZQC3ZuqOZ2V4irZjH5FXv4C2uewhHktJj7uI1ZclKxdhDeayU/s400/IMG_6062.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She didn't want to use a knife to flatten the top of the measuring spoon, I guess <br />she has seen mommy using her hand in a hurry too many times. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdy0Sz-1RncUxToO1JM6w8PkBpXsaYeEYDKtzERBilvt3fM0yntiCZ2IElZW5PEd8Gxv7_skTJY9HxFn9rwuZA-g9mNMyruXl3-5jqmz6bYv4GZvi8mmgHw2dttEZE9wcTunmTciEnFI/s1600/IMG_6064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdy0Sz-1RncUxToO1JM6w8PkBpXsaYeEYDKtzERBilvt3fM0yntiCZ2IElZW5PEd8Gxv7_skTJY9HxFn9rwuZA-g9mNMyruXl3-5jqmz6bYv4GZvi8mmgHw2dttEZE9wcTunmTciEnFI/s400/IMG_6064.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A little flour on the floor (and counter and the stool she is on) is good for ya. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-ZjF0cNOfWsnNgp_oUk-U0C5O-1rBns9l-Y2A9ZkdNanjW89FMowsXtZd9kQxb8EYj4tafif69oqcVzrwyu8Vzy55vq0wLa4iTLI2WG8S4lZsn9AaKjx6Wfw0e-UuaV6rK_Mqyqgwck/s1600/IMG_6071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-ZjF0cNOfWsnNgp_oUk-U0C5O-1rBns9l-Y2A9ZkdNanjW89FMowsXtZd9kQxb8EYj4tafif69oqcVzrwyu8Vzy55vq0wLa4iTLI2WG8S4lZsn9AaKjx6Wfw0e-UuaV6rK_Mqyqgwck/s400/IMG_6071.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I spy : two pink ducks, a baby doll, and the baby dolls bottle <br />along with the rest of the mess in my kitchen. </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3iKbk9k4lrEQu7Y_X3RcGGo4WPpxerjnFacQR1mQFqiNBhn-0QwQ0obY3XUfWHVtuHG-gRD6S5KYLHj8ZfAsvdMHKIH1gZVFwRPRBK6231p0wh7P8QZyOTkayRgV1Q5WbZhCgpRNDV0/s1600/IMG_6067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3iKbk9k4lrEQu7Y_X3RcGGo4WPpxerjnFacQR1mQFqiNBhn-0QwQ0obY3XUfWHVtuHG-gRD6S5KYLHj8ZfAsvdMHKIH1gZVFwRPRBK6231p0wh7P8QZyOTkayRgV1Q5WbZhCgpRNDV0/s400/IMG_6067.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRDkL_4oa2trsRhYYEj1cKhv3NIWm8XIVugcoZaFNfDwgx4qlLZlv-fYuUebb629LP1Ay3bkIZN5R6sF30k8HDuAd8UU8AP9ULgpDyIDpwcjXiKluTp0F34UyoDfcwb3vrnvNJglCWwM/s1600/IMG_6076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRDkL_4oa2trsRhYYEj1cKhv3NIWm8XIVugcoZaFNfDwgx4qlLZlv-fYuUebb629LP1Ay3bkIZN5R6sF30k8HDuAd8UU8AP9ULgpDyIDpwcjXiKluTp0F34UyoDfcwb3vrnvNJglCWwM/s400/IMG_6076.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She loved trying to get the orange zest. It took her a very long time to get a <br />very small amount but she had a lot of fun and was so proud of herself. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlNCKvZ5X98S2PjUvCvPuql9DOuT0xwviV4olw5mV7x6-VkEEElzO0qLRyHTCcpmx9HYFr5xpaLZullF0A6qNF9iOmuiUC5wBY115R9hFA5Mwb6ieM0kFS0l3I-huw5o888PVNCyuH-k/s1600/IMG_6080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlNCKvZ5X98S2PjUvCvPuql9DOuT0xwviV4olw5mV7x6-VkEEElzO0qLRyHTCcpmx9HYFr5xpaLZullF0A6qNF9iOmuiUC5wBY115R9hFA5Mwb6ieM0kFS0l3I-huw5o888PVNCyuH-k/s400/IMG_6080.JPG" width="266" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Squeeeeze!! Real orange juice is better than the rest. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbHk8xEsN8yco8R7sCaNEfXj2SpKV_wNCF7Qjm8j7lyrFClKjRJnal3j8Oh0HGsNXJqaepvzKMXSNArwzVwUN-7db0oHgnwvGF_rwSpj_UCetADUHphqr8i6XamOLj1Nk9KCCCP_8M7Y/s1600/IMG_6175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbHk8xEsN8yco8R7sCaNEfXj2SpKV_wNCF7Qjm8j7lyrFClKjRJnal3j8Oh0HGsNXJqaepvzKMXSNArwzVwUN-7db0oHgnwvGF_rwSpj_UCetADUHphqr8i6XamOLj1Nk9KCCCP_8M7Y/s400/IMG_6175.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I prefer to only bake them for about 10-11 minutes so they aren't too crisp. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nana's Glazed Orange Cookies</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3/4 Cup Crisco </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Eggs</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Cups Sifted Flour</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tsp Baking Powder</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 tsp Baking Soda</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">pinch Salt</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">11/2 tsp grated Orange Rind</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Beat shortening and sugar until well blended. Mix in eggs. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stir in flour and remaining ingredients. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes depending on desired crispness. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spread on a spoonful of topping as soon as cookies are removed from the oven. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then allow to cool on the pan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Topping:</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Cup Sugar</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 Cup Orange Juice</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 tsp Orange Rind ( or more if you like) </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just like most of Nana's cookies, these taste awesome frozen. But they are also great fresh with a big glass of milk or a nice cup of tea. </span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-11603558690219370562014-01-11T21:41:00.000-08:002014-01-11T21:41:14.375-08:00Teaching Grace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last night I had a very interesting experience with my Little A. She was being a grump as we neared bedtime and was not playing nicely with her brother or her baby cousin. I had already sent her to her room for a break and to think about her actions and while we were up there we talked about what God has told us about how we treat others. Before letting her go back downstairs to play, I reminded her of the consequences of her actions and told her that if she wasn't sharing and playing nicely she would be sent back upstairs and would go to bed early. (There wasn't that much time til bed, but any thought of an early bedtime is a bad thing in her mind)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a few happy, playful moments Little A wanted to cuddle her Daddy and read a book. She climbed up on the couch with her chosen literature and as the were about to read, the worst thing happened! Her little brother wanted to read to! (Insert sarcastically shocked face here)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So of course, the best way to handle this terrible situation is to try to push him away from her and Daddy, <b>with her feet. </b>She kicked/pushed him and knocked him into the coffee table. I looked at Little A sternly and she immediately began to cry as she realised that she was going to get into trouble for the choice she made. I sent her upstairs to her room to think about what she did and went up after a couple of minutes to talk with her. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I got upstairs I began our usual discussion. There are always 3 things on my list to talk with her about when she has gotten in trouble or has gone for a break. We always try to ask her:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) what she did that was wrong?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) why is that wrong? ( normally we try to talk to her about what God has called us to do or behave like when we talk about the why, it's not just a simple "it's not nice" kind of answer)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3)what should we do next time ?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This time when I asked her what she did that was wrong, she started to answer then began to sob and say "<i>I have to go peeee!</i>" So we ran to the bathroom to do her business and continue our discussion.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She knew exactly what she had done that was wrong and began to sob as we discussed the rest. It took a long time to get through our 3 point discussion. She had a hard time answering my questions because she kept saying things like, "<i>I don't want a spank, you shouldn't give me one.</i>" </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spanking is not something that happens very often in our house, I would rather exhaust all other alternatives consequences first. But we have actually sat down with Little A and asked her what she thought we should be consequences for certain behaviours and she herself chose spankings. I was shocked but it is what works for her.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, to try to help her understand things I asked her what should happen to her little brother if he kicked her. "He should have a spank." She responded without tears. "<i>So, if you kick him, what should your consequence be?</i>" "<i>I should have a spank,</i>" she replied with a sad nod.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is when my heart was rocked by 8 little words from the cutest girl I know.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>Mommy, I want you to show me grace.</i>"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please just let that sink in for a second.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How would you respond?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was horribly torn. On one hand she had just been trying to get out of her consequences for kicking her brother and she really did not want to have a spanking. On the other hand, I believe that we are the best example of who God is for our children until they have a chance to experience his love on their own. So because I feel like we show her a picture of who God is, in how we love, show grace and in discipline and correction, I was stuck with indecision for a moment, thinking"what should I do?"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is not a normal request for a 3 year old, to ask for grace. Maybe to ask not to be spanked or not to have a time out, but the words that she chose made all the difference. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Probably a week and a half ago Little A got into trouble for being disobedient. It was mild and really wasn't something I needed to stand my ground on, but I had told her to do it and she chose not to listen. She did not get a time out but I did pull her aside, sit her on my lap and have our normal 3 point discussion. She asked me if she was going to get a spanking for what she did. Really, I was not about to give her one for something I didn't think was a big issue, but I used the opportunity to teach her about Grace. " <i>Do you think you should have a spanking for doing what you did</i>?" </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>Yes.</i>" she responded downcast. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>Well, this time mommy is going to show you some grace. I know that you were caught up in what you were doing and that you were not trying to disobey, so I am not going to spank you. I am going to show you grace just like God shows us grace.</i>" That was all I said. I didn't go into much detail of what grace is or tell her a long story about what God has done for us. It was short and sweet and I didn't think it sunk in at all. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She had not talk about grace since then and never had before that time. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Until yesterday. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, there I am torn, her sad little face staring into my eyes waiting for my response. I had to ask myself, is it more important for her to have the consequence we just discussed her deserving, or is it better to show her the grace of God and let her continue without the consequence. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't allow my kids to manipulate me with their tears (they are both amazingly gifted at faking them), and we, Hubby and myself, both believe that we must follow through with any consequence that we have set out, consistency is key with parenting. <b>But.</b> She really seemed sincere in her request for grace. It didn't feel like manipulation and I felt a stirring in my spirit to allow this to be about something bigger than a consequence. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I sat her down in front of me and held her hands. "<i>You know what sweetie, this time, I am going to show you grace. It was not okay that you kicked your brother. God has told us that we need to be kind to our brothers and sisters.</i> ( <b><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13%3A34-35&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 13:34 </a> </b>simplified for kids) <i>But God has also shown us grace, we sin and he still chose to send his son and forgive us even when we don't deserve it. Next time when you don't like what your brother is doing, you need to remember that I showed you grace and that you need to show him grace as well."</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She hugged me with tears in her eyes and ran to her room to finish getting ready for bed. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thats when I started to doubt. I started to feel like I had been played and she just got away with something and was going to continue to use the "show me grace" thing to get out of trouble. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But then, when she was laying in bed and saying her "Thank you" prayers (when she says thank you to God for a million things that she is thankful for), part of her prayer went like this:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"And thank you God that Mommy showed me grace like you do."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The doubt began to slip away and was able to trust again in the leading I had thought I felt. Today, to add to the reassuring, Little A stopped herself a few times when she was being mean to her brother. Then at one point she actually stopped herself when he was being a pest and said "I am showing you grace, here let me help you."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I almost cried. It was amazing to actually see her grasp hold of grace and what it means. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grace is something that most of us adults don't really understand. We get the basic idea but we constantly fight against it feeling like we must do something to earn it instead of allowing the real miracle of grace to cover us and all of our sin. Then, because we don't walk in grace, we fail to show the grace of God to others as well. </span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Eph-2-8" id="en-ESV-29221">For <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29221A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>by grace you have been saved <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29221B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>through faith. And this is <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29221C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>not your own doing; <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29221D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup>it is the gift of God, </span><span class="text Eph-2-9" id="en-ESV-29222">not a result of works, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29222F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup>so that no one may boast.</span></span></i><br />
<span class="text Eph-2-9" id="en-ESV-29222"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ephesians 2:8-9</span></b></span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Heb-4-14">Since then we have <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30012Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup>a great high priest <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30012R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup>who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30012S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup>let us hold fast our confession.</span> <span class="text Heb-4-15" id="en-ESV-30013"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;">15 </sup>For we do not have a high priest <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30013T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup>who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30013U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)"></sup>tempted as we are, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30013V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup>yet without sin.</span> <span class="text Heb-4-16" id="en-ESV-30014"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;">16 </sup><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30014W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup>Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.</span></span></i><br />
<span class="text Heb-4-16" id="en-ESV-30014"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hebrews 4:14-16</span></b></span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Rom-6-13" id="en-ESV-28066">Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28066W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup>present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.</span><span class="text Rom-6-14" id="en-ESV-28067"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>For <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28067X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></sup>sin <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28067Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></sup>will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.</span></span></i><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Romans 6:13-14</span></b><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-7093210277929108682014-01-06T12:39:00.001-08:002014-01-06T12:39:22.015-08:00My One Resolution<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I sat down the other day to think of some resolutions for this new year. This is not something that I normally do, or at least do well. I have on occasion chosen a resolution and went at it hard and heavy for about a month or so before it died out. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As I sat thinking of all of the things that I could do better this year:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ be more involved at church</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~spend more time in prayer</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~spend more time outside with my kids (especially in the snow, I hate being cold so they miss out on playing outside while its really cold, unless Hubby takes them out)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ read more & study more </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ go on more dates with Hubby</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then it finally hit me. The best thing I can do this year, the thing that I can do that will actually make a difference is this:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Love God, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Live like Christ, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do what He made me to do. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That's it. That's all folks. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My resolutions really just need to be those things and everything else will fall into place. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That is how we are supposed to live anyway, aren't we?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There are so many times in our lives that we feel the pressure of being more perfect, more like someone else. We feel like we need to do more and be more. But what we really need to be doing is spending more time Loving God and letting His love shine through us, making us More Like Christ, and causing us to walk out what He has planned and created us for. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">All of the resolutions that I was adding to my list of things to do better, are good things. But even though they are intended for good, if we are doing them out of our own selfish desires to seem more Godly or more "perfect", than they are a hindrance and not a help. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Looking at my first list of resolutions, they are all attainable things. It should be easy to get more involved in church, be with my kids and date my Hubby. But, those things will flow naturally when we are Loving God and Living more like Christ. Those activities will be easy when I am doing what He made me to do. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We don't need to think about what we can do better. We need to think of what we need to get rid of, walk away from, and let go of in our lives. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When we get rid of our distractions we can focus on God and spend time basking in His love. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When we walk away from negative relationships and unhealthy habits we have more time to Live Like Christ. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When we let go of our need to be perfect, our guilts and our baggage, we can actually Walk in what we were Called to. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, What are you resolving to do this year?</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-75597007078460738102013-12-16T09:42:00.001-08:002013-12-16T09:42:45.543-08:0013 Frugal, Romantic Gifts that Mean a Lot <br />
Since it is the season of giving, and I am all about being <strike>cheap</strike> frugal, I thought I would share a little list I have compiled for gifts for your significant other. Each Gift should cost you anywhere from free (using your own grunt work and things around the house) to less than $50, and that would be being extravagant.<br />
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You may want to send the link to this to your spouse, that way there are no excuses, he has seen the list, and all he has to do is pick one and personalise it to you. <br />
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<i>I am basically giving him Awesome Husband Bonus Points! ( And none of these involve flowers! unless you want them too)</i><br />
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<u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Frugal not Cheap, Romantic Gifts that Mean a Lot</span></b></u><br />
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<b>1. Create a book out of all of your communications while dating. </b><br />
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When Hubby and I started dating, and even before that, we had to send a lot of emails back and forth to each other. He went away on a missions trip after we had only been dating for a few months and once he got back we continued to email back and forth as well as call and message. <br />
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A year or so ago I went through both of our emails and found any that we had still (apparently we are both email hoarders so it was really simple to find them all). It was really easy to just search his name or email on my own email to find any that he had sent to me, and the reverse on his email. Then I went through them all and put them in order on a word document and sent it to a printers to have it printed and bound. The book ended with a new letter from me to him. <div>
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I didn't do anything fancy with the book but I am sure there are a number of sites that you could use to create a book or keepsake with your notes or emails.<br />
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<b>2. Create a Memory Box</b><br />
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If you and your spouse have been together for a while I am sure that there are tons of ticket stubs and knickknacks around that would be great as keepsakes, if you could ever find them and get them into one spot.<br />
There are a number of great ways to do this.<br />
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<ol>
<li>Use a Shadow Box and fill it with the items. (<a href="http://www.projectwedding.com/forums/post-wedding-keepsake-shadow-box" target="_blank">Like the one found here</a>)</li>
<li>Find a nice wooden keepsake box and fill it with knickknacks from trips or other special mementos.</li>
<li>Use a photo book or book with envelope pockets to store your trinkets.</li>
<li>Create a Scrapbook. There are many tutorials on line for simple scrapbooks that are made like accordions or done as a small fold out scrapbook.</li>
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The most important part of doing this is that you need to write a note or two talking about what you loved about your time together on that outing and why its a favourite memory.<br />
If you don't write a note, set aside time to go through the book/memory box together so that you still have a chance to share your feelings about the memories.<br />
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<b>3. Compile Special Dates or Places</b><br />
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I don't mean special dates that you went on but dates (15/12/13) that are important to you. Ie. the date you met, your first kiss, the day that you got married, when your kids were born etc. There are also a ton of different ways that you can create this gift. Here are just a few:<br />
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<li>Create an art print of special dates to you, there are a lot of sites and stores that can do this for you but you can also do it fairly easily by yourself. <a href="http://www.lemonsqueezyhome.com/2012/12/christmas-present-special-dates-print.html" target="_blank">You can find a great tutorial at this site here </a> or you can purchase them from some great Etsy stores by searching " special dates prints"</li>
<li>A fun way to make this would be to create a gift using a map to mark the special places where you met, grew up, owned your first home, travelled, etc. </li>
<li>For a fun way to make this gift for a guy who loves to use gps and maps but without having to cut up a bunch of maps and things, you could make a print using all of the gps coordinates of the special to you places in your life. A <a href="http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/geocode" target="_blank">good tool to find the locations is found here </a></li>
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<b>4. Creatively List the Reasons You Love Them</b></div>
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There are quite a few tutorials out there of how to make this using a deck of cards, but I think that the best way is to find something that is special and significant to your relationship.<br />
You could:<br />
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<li>simply fill a jar with little notes folded in origami or tied up. </li>
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<li>Write on a deck of playing cards or any kind of card game that is significant to you. ( there are also a few sites like<a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts/playing-cards" target="_blank"> shutterfly</a> where you can create your own deck of cards with your picture on it) </li>
<li>You could buy a bag of their favourite wrapped candy and attach to it or write on each with the reasons you love them. Then if you seal up the bag like it was never opened, what seems like simple bag of treats becomes a huge surprise of romance. </li>
<li>If you have an old copy of a favourite book that they love, you could write on the top or bottom of every page or every chapter if it is a really long book. If you don't want to write in the book you could always leave sticky notes on pages of a book they are currently reading. </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjCVtzw_tNALhd9DdGxLzAYVu7aAxIxg7OxhqA51DiyUw_J_XNWuAHTKEOfs0mdvUrG4tg2DHBVzUlWKT5zdKZbnyfyxsx-AoiMHGrlcDrwKLzQ4Wr7ziyzd7NzDnG2eoyAPYniQM6FI/s1600/IMG_6975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjCVtzw_tNALhd9DdGxLzAYVu7aAxIxg7OxhqA51DiyUw_J_XNWuAHTKEOfs0mdvUrG4tg2DHBVzUlWKT5zdKZbnyfyxsx-AoiMHGrlcDrwKLzQ4Wr7ziyzd7NzDnG2eoyAPYniQM6FI/s320/IMG_6975.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li>If your spouse is a big tea drinker, you could even sneak into the box of tea bags and leave notes on each of them. </li>
<li>For a Golf Lover, a bag of golf balls with notes written on each. </li>
<li>You could even buy a box of Bandaids and write on each one, that way next time they are hurt they not only get the bandaid, they get to see your love written on their pain. </li>
<li>You get the idea, find something specific not just the same as everyone else. </li>
</ul>
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<b>5. Set up a Scavenger Hunt</b><br />
<br />
Depending on the skill and amount of adventure your spouse enjoys, you could do this by setting up a simple clue by clue hunt (extra points if you use romantic spots you have visited before and you use "remember when..." kind of clues). But if they are on the more adventurous side (or they just love their new gps) you could use the same website as listed above in idea 3, to create a geocaching type scavenger hunt.<br />
<br />
<b>6. Create a What I Love About You Gift Basket or Bucket ( </b>this one could get pricey, it just depends on what you fill your basket with)<b> </b><br />
<br />
This is one that needs a little more visual explanation and will take a little more work for you to pull off well.<br />
The idea here is to fill the basket with things that signify what you love about them. ( they don't have to be puns but it is kinda fun to try)<br />
For example:<br />
( this would be good gifts for a Handyman type Husband) (<b>Each is listed as Item - Note</b>)<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li> A telescoping Magnet (for picking up dropped screws or something?) - You are magnetic. </li>
<li>A small bag/jar of nuts (the metal ones) - Nuts about You</li>
<li>Work Gloves - You are so Handy </li>
<li>Roll of Shop Towels - My Mess Doesn't Scare You (or a sexier twist- I love to Get Dirty with You)</li>
<li>Measuring Tape - No one Measures up to You</li>
</ul>
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Again this is something that should be built around Who they are and what they value. The basket could be filled with things that are all similar theme or they could just be a jumble of things they would really enjoy. Even a basket full of their favourite candy or chocolate can be something wonderful when it is covered in meaningful notes and reasons you love them. </div>
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<b>7. Write them a Song. </b></div>
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There are a lot of helpful tools on the Internet that can give you tips and tricks on how to create your own song. </div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>8. Make them a Mixtape style CD.</b></div>
<div>
It doesn't take long to search for and download a few great memorable songs, but what sets your mixtape CD apart is that you can take voice memos with your phone or computer. Put the track of you speaking to your spouse before or after each song telling them why the song makes you think of them or why that time you first heard it, danced to it, etc., was so special and how you will never forget that special moment. </div>
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Give a gift that lasts all year. </span></u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b>9. Buy them a new Organiser and write a love note in each day or each week. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>10. Find a desktop calendar that has space to write a note in and write a little something for your spouse on every day. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>11. Fill a jar with their favourite treat and a whole bunch of notes </b>(365 of the two together) Give them the option of taking a treat or a sweet nothing each day of the year.<br />
<br />
<b>12. Write 52 Love Letters and send one weekly </b>on the same day every week, all year long. ( the big price in this is the postage) Who doesn't love getting real snail mail. You could include photos of fond memories or special times to give you more ideas of what to write about. Some <a href="http://www.artofmanliness.com/2012/01/03/a-resolution-for-romance-the-52-loves-notes-challenge/" target="_blank">great tips are found here on the Art of Manliness Website</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>13. Create a Book or Journal with fun Date Ideas on Every Page. </b><br />
If you do this one as a Scrap Book you can add a photo of you on the date as you complete it. The goal here is to actually do dates that you are going to want to do so that you can accomplish every one in the book. (ie don't add - ride a hot air balloon, unless you really mean to do it. )<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Basically anything you give as a gift will receive extra value of meaningfulness if:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Its for no reason other than that you were thinking of them</li>
<li>It is specific to them </li>
<li>It took effort and time to bring it together</li>
<li>It expresses your love in a new and different way. </li>
</ul>
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Hope this was helpful, and happy Gift Giving. </div>
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Blessings. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-44235535392749365032013-12-13T14:52:00.000-08:002013-12-13T14:59:40.098-08:00"So Proud of My Naked Self"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I know, I know. That title is kinda ridiculous. But trust me, it fits this post perfectly.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So the other day my kids were eating their breakfast in their pj's. My little man was just covered in milk and cereal by the time he was done so instead of just wiping his face and hands I pulled of his pj's as I wiped him off. Of course, wanting to be like her little brother, Little A asked if she could have a naked time too and yanked off her pj's before I could say otherwise. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The two kids went running circles around our main floor of our house E man in his diaper and Little A completely buck. They were laughing and squealing and having so much fun chasing each other and surprising each other as they jumped out from around a corner. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After a few minutes of this loud and hilarious playtime, Little A slumped her shoulders and sauntered to the couch sighing, "I am just too tired and I need to have a rest." She climbed up on the sofa and laid down for only a moment before exclaiming, " I am so proud."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I chuckled to myself and asked, "Why are you so proud?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She sighs again and says, " I am just so proud of myself mommy. I just am so proud of my naked self."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I choked down my laughter as I watched her glance down at her little "naked self" with a smile on her face. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then she looked up at me and asked, " Mommy, are you proud of your naked self?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A long pause.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Ahh...um...yeah, yeah honey I guess so," was all I could get out. And then she ran up to go and get dressed and ready for the day and I went to go and change the little mans diaper. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But those words kind of haunted me all day. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well, those words and the fact that I had such a hard time telling her that yes I am proud. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But the whole honest truth is, I am not proud of my naked self. I don't know if I have been for a very long time. I don't know if I ever was, or if I was, I don't know when I lost it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Genesis 2:25</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Most people would tell you that they have struggled with a negative self image at some time in there lives. Some people would tell you that they have always struggled with a negative self image. But, most people would also then blame the media; magazines, music, tv, and advertising (and lets not forget pornography, both still and film), for their negative view of themselves (and others). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I totally agree, what we see is totally messed up. But I think that by blaming our problems on those things we are just seeing the symptom and not the cause of that symptom. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We live in a messed up world. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The day that Eve was tempted into her sin and shared that sin with Adam, the whole world changed. It is not that we made a choice and allowed sin into the world, sin was already there hiding out of the presence of the Lord and waiting for its chance to entice and corrupt. The choice that Adam and Eve made did not allow sin into the world, it created a divide between us and the Father, they gave into sin and their evil desires and they divided themselves from God allowing sin to be more evident and easier to fall into. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When in the presence of the Lord, there cannot be sin. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Increase the divide between you and God and sin and darkness have freedom to roam. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our world encourages a great divide between faith and life. Most regular church attenders go to church on Sunday and spend the rest of their lives doing exactly what the rest of the world does. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We are not walking with the Father. Our world, our society, does not walk with the Father. Sin, Death and Darkness are allowed to roam free, no, not just to roam free, but to run rampant. So no, it is not the fault of the media or all of the horrible things that we see, the fault lies with our distance from the Father. Yes, those things suck to see, and yes they do horrible injustice to our image of ourselves. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When we dwell near the Father, we hear his voice. And his voice speaks truth, it speaks truth that flows into us like honey to our souls and water to our dry and cracked neglected spirits. His words build us up. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please sit back and allow His words to nourish your soul and to give you pride, not in yourself but in your naked beauty, the beauty that is unhindered, unashamed, and designed purely by a Father that adores you enough to make you how you are. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>(Not all of these are whole verses and emphasis has been added) </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did you know that you were created. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i>For <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29223A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>we are his masterpiece,</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><b>Ephesians 2:10</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did you know that you were created intricately and exactly how you were intended to be. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="text Ps-139-15" id="en-ESV-16255" style="position: relative;">My frame was not hidden from you,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-139-15" style="position: relative;">when I was being made in secret,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-15" style="position: relative;">intricately woven in <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16255T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup>the depths of the earth.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-139-16" id="en-ESV-16256" style="position: relative;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; vertical-align: top;">16 </sup>Your eyes saw my unformed substance;</span></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Ps-139-16" id="en-ESV-16256" style="position: relative;"><b>Psalms 139:15-16</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That He knows you intimately, that even down to the number of hairs on your head, He knows you. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i>Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.</i><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-25467A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><b>Luke 12:7</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did you know that God made you in His image, that you were created to be like him. That he has both a masculine, powerful side and a feminine, gentle and kind side. That neither is more like him, but that both together make a more whole view of who God really is. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="text Gen-1-27" id="en-ESV-27" style="position: relative;">So God created man in his own image,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Gen-1-27" style="position: relative;">in the image of God he created him;</span></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Gen-1-27" style="position: relative;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-27A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>male and female he created them.</span></span></i></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Genesis 1:27</b></span></span></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We are created in the image of God. A God that creates beautiful things and <b>is</b> beautiful.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i>One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I will look for: that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, <b>to look upon the beauty of the Lord</b>, and to worship in His holy house.</i></span></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Psalm 27:4</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When God created man, he sat back and saw that it was <b>very</b> good. Not just good, Very good. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">God saw all that He had made and it was very good.</span></i></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Genesis 1:31</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Be reminded, that nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="text Rom-8-38" id="en-ESV-28139">For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, </span><span class="text Rom-8-39" id="en-ESV-28140">nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.</span></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Rom-8-39" id="en-ESV-28140"><b>Romans 8:38-39</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">God loves the work of his hands (you), he does not see a fault in what he has created, what you are looking at in the mirror and judging as a flaw or fault, the maker sees as perfection, the marks of the one that created you, different than any other creation.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Isa-29-16" id="en-NLT-18186" style="position: relative;">How foolish can you be?</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-29-16" style="position: relative;">He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay!</span></span><br /><span class="text Isa-29-16" style="position: relative;">Should the created thing say of the one who made it,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-29-16" style="position: relative;">“He didn’t make me”?</span></span><br /><span class="text Isa-29-16" style="position: relative;">Does a jar ever say,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-29-16" style="position: relative;">“The potter who made me is stupid”?</span></span></span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Isa-29-16" style="position: relative;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Isaiah 29:16</span></b></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Feeling proud of our naked selves, or our selves in general, does not come from us working out or trying to love ourselves more, or anything we can really do on our own. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The only way to really feel pride in who we are is to feel pride in Who made you, why they made you, and that the one Who made you for a reason specific to you, loves you unconditionally. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Blessings, </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Go run around naked for a little while, its kinda freeing. (just close the curtains and lock the door) ;)</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfc3cC8Y8MDltHKi49tTJ_1aqV2LN0jbwHAFP2O85OEbUXSw0x8OW1HIJhwX63BoNM_KQM5RALynha9epa7kIZDJCDT2Azax4nkFW9Z3qmdhSUe-so8EOntpRrEWCRswkhTkGRQSCy9tg/s1600/1461109_10151980221872834_832366344_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfc3cC8Y8MDltHKi49tTJ_1aqV2LN0jbwHAFP2O85OEbUXSw0x8OW1HIJhwX63BoNM_KQM5RALynha9epa7kIZDJCDT2Azax4nkFW9Z3qmdhSUe-so8EOntpRrEWCRswkhTkGRQSCy9tg/s1600/1461109_10151980221872834_832366344_n.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo was taken recently, it was a candid taken of me as a bridesmaid in my friends wedding. I was really nervous about being in the wedding party because I have been feeling large and round as my belly grows, but I am also a good number larger than any of the rest of the wedding party. This photo was snapped when I was unaware and it is my favourite picture of myself in a very long time. Despite how I felt about how I looked that day, (large, awkward, and in a lot of discomfort from wearing a dress that was too small) I can look at this picture and actually see beauty in myself. <br />Does help that the photographers were amazing!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-7501345212828504462013-12-05T13:19:00.000-08:002013-12-05T13:19:06.286-08:00Not Anxious? Well, Maybe a Little<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sorry for the quiet here on the blog, but looking at what will be happening in our lives over the few weeks and months, I think it will be history miss if I can find time and energy to sit still and have anything meaning full end up on here.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our lives have been moving very quickly in many different directions but today I will only fill you in on one.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As many of you have read or been told, last time I was pregnant I had a wonderful pregnancy but a terrible recovery after delivery. I developed an infection from being at the hospital and it caused my body to form a blood clot on my right ovary (ovarian vein thrombosis is what they call it). It caused me tremendous pain and I hurried back to the hospital thinking that my appendix had, or was going to, burst. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After much searching and a few scary hours of thinking it could be a few different things, the doctors finally came in to tell us what it was. And that they wanted to put me on blood thinners for the next 6 months. At the conclusion of the six months, I was tested for anything and everything under the sun that could have caused me to clot how I did. They didn't find anything.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fast forward to this pregnancy, at 20 weeks gestation, the doctor told me that he had been talking to some colleagues about me and they had decided that the best course of action would be to likely put me on blood thinners for the remainder of my pregnancy. My GP sent me to an OB/GYN, it took a month for me to get in to see him. Then he decided he didn't really know the best course of action so he sent me to meet with a Haematologist. That also took another month, good thing it wasn't a serious, potentially fatal thing, like getting a blood clot, having a heart attack or stroke, that they were worried about. (I hope you caught my sarcasm)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anyway, yesterday, I finally got in to see my Haematologist. He believes there is nothing to worry about and that this time around I should be totally fine. (This was now 10 weeks after my GP saying that I would likely need blood thinners via injections 1-2 times a day for the rest of my pregnancy) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Throughout the whole ordeal I was able to feel a great peace with everything. I knew that really nothing would be gained from my worrying and, most of the time, I felt peace.</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23310AT" title="See cross-reference AT">AT</a>)"></sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">span of life?</span></span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>Matthew 6:27</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="text Prov-12-25" id="en-ESV-16745" style="position: relative;">Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-12-25" style="position: relative;">but a good word makes him glad.</span></span></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-12-25" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;"><b>Proverbs 12:25</b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-12-25" style="position: relative;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-12-25" style="position: relative;">But one worry of the world gone and another takes its place. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-12-25" style="position: relative;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-12-25" style="position: relative;">Yesterday, I also had a GP appointment. In which I commented on how differently this moves than my last two. She seems to do a lot more jerky movements and a lot less real hard kicks. Most often if I feel her move at all, it is minor shifts and adjustments like she is just trying to get comfortable. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-12-25" style="position: relative;"><br /></span></span></span>
With Little A, I could put on music and watch my whole belly wiggle and roll as she kicked and squirmed to the music. She would also do the same thing at the sound of Hubby's voice. She just loved to move. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I realise that every child is different as is every pregnancy so I didn't think anything of it at first. But as things continued I decided I should mention it to my GP. He seemed a little more concerned and sent me for an ultrasound and a non stress test. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The ultrasound was completed this morning and the non stress test this afternoon. During the ultrasound scan the Dr did what is called a biophysical profile test (BPP). The test looks for <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">muscle tone, movement, breathing, and the amount of</span> amniotic fluid around the baby. Baby, (who is confirmed for sure as a girl), scored 6 out of 8 on her BPP at the ultrasound but the rest of the score comes from the non stress test. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The reason, I was told, for her being docked the two marks was that she didn't move as much as he would have liked to have seen. He also informed me that her cord was wrapped around her throat. He said that he had to look at it a few times to make sure it wasn't wrapped around twice, at first it appeared to be but after further examination it became apparent that it was wrapped once then had the cord resting on top of the wrapped portion. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The non stress test was interesting. Of course it could have been a lot less stressful and frustrating if the nurses I had were at least somewhat compassionate, or could have at least faked it. Baby was hard to get a good heart rate on because she is still so small at 30 weeks, but they did eventually get a good reading and then I had to lay still for 20+ minutes while the machine watched her heart rate and movements. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The nurses seemed uncaring about my concern or fears and treated me like I was just some silly woman who was fretting over nothing. I tried to make it clear to them that it was actually my doctor who sent me for tests, not myself, and that he was the one that had some concerns. They just continued to tell me that maybe I should pay more attention to the movements and its probably hard to with two other kids running around. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sadly, the nurses were not present for my ultrasound in which they would have seen that all of the movements that their machine was picking up and they were saying I was just not feeling (I was by the way), were actually really small twitches and wiggles, not kicks like I would normally expect to be feeling. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anyway. I have no idea what is happening and really all of the tests and things do not tell me anything. And if they do tell me things, most of the time there is nothing I can do to change it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This little girl is and has always been, in Gods hands. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am constantly reminded that my worrying and fear will not change a thing. This is his baby, he has a perfect plan for it, and I just get to enjoy being a part of that plan. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But, if you remember to, please pray for me and my little one. We have come through a lot of needless stresses and we seem to always have more added on top. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Peace I leave with you; <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26684B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26684C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>Let not your hearts be troubled, neither <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26684D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup>let them be afraid.</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>John 14:27</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJ4x0Y497pGKNa4Gw7mnH4jme-2rEE9YertNzx3HPVk3PubJA9PYL8gQmBZ5JPQhFTsZWrM6aGhBZhdz96x5ywfOneOPmxpMdQlvDvK3chm93Rqo501OL4FAJ5CcWvqoPA0jnZ8USva4/s1600/IMG_4526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJ4x0Y497pGKNa4Gw7mnH4jme-2rEE9YertNzx3HPVk3PubJA9PYL8gQmBZ5JPQhFTsZWrM6aGhBZhdz96x5ywfOneOPmxpMdQlvDvK3chm93Rqo501OL4FAJ5CcWvqoPA0jnZ8USva4/s640/IMG_4526.JPG" width="476" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This was what I was greeted with when I woke up to go to the washroom. Hubby new that I would need a little boost and since he couldn't go with me to the tests he left me this. It brought tears to my eyes, he is so loving. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36cVqQMIVYd3gOKjFyLI1OjRQ9D6sz_v2cM-SageJRyVFX4-12Op5pvdXbypKTUTVL2vfHpnBQsM1aLAoltPy1yQT_ct9HA5zcw5AglyrybEy6wRNMlDkEtaGDVtPCcD4Tt3Dbp74suQ/s1600/IMG_4527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36cVqQMIVYd3gOKjFyLI1OjRQ9D6sz_v2cM-SageJRyVFX4-12Op5pvdXbypKTUTVL2vfHpnBQsM1aLAoltPy1yQT_ct9HA5zcw5AglyrybEy6wRNMlDkEtaGDVtPCcD4Tt3Dbp74suQ/s640/IMG_4527.JPG" width="476" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I kept this verse Hubby left for me with me all day and held to the truth in it. </span></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-4469246601124201952013-11-22T15:26:00.003-08:002013-11-22T15:27:04.344-08:00Christmas Excitement<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
I am so excited for Christmas, I just have to say it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
We have done nothing to start preparing for Christmas here in our house though. There are no decorations up and the only reason I am nearly done my Christmas shopping is because really I don't like Christmas shopping and I have been looking for deals and sales since before the summer. Well, its because I don't like shopping for Christmas with all of the people who have left it last minute and are frantically running through the stores. </span><br />
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What is really getting me excited about Christmas is that my kids are starting to exclaim "Happy Birthday Jesus!" with every house decorated in Christmas lights. We started this fun tradition with Little A last year, she was always so excited to see the lights and we told her that they were to remind us that Jesus' Birthday was coming. It has continued on since last year and I have actually really enjoyed the few houses that have left up their lights all year since it keeps the kids celebrating Jesus' Birthday. The kids are also very excited about the cupcakes that we are making for Jesus' Birthday party, Little A has decided that he would probably like strawberry cupcakes with strawberry icing (this is something she made up and has never had them before). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
The second reason that I am getting more excited is that with every song about Christmas that the kids hear, they ask me questions about the story of Jesus. </span><br />
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So far this week we have not only talked about Mary being Jesus' mom and that she had to have her baby in a barn not a hospital like mommy. (The look on Little A's face was pretty priceless with this one, she was shocked and slightly disgusted) </span><br />
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</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Heb-9-15" id="en-NIV-30121"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today I had the pleasure of discussing the Little Drummer Boy song with the kids. Little A and E Man loved listening to this song and "pa-rum-pa-pum-pum"ming along. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Little A was so intrigued with the whole story told through the song. I told her that it was just a story but that there was really people who brought Jesus gifts. And then we got to talk all about the wise men and their gifts. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We also had an interesting discussion about baby Jesus and big grown up Jesus. For some reason Little A has it in her head that they are two different people. So we talked about how Jesus grew up and how once he became bigger he started to do God's work and then died on the cross for us. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
Then, to my surprise she asked with a very serious and sad look on her face, "But why did he have to die mommy?"</span><br />
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She looked so sad, I felt a little like I was ruining this exciting story of Christmas and new life of a baby king. But within an instant I was reminded that without Easter there would be no reason for Christmas. </span><br />
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Without the death of the Saviour, there could be no forgiveness. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span">In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,</span><span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30128A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span">and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hebrews 9:22</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><br /></b></span>
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<span class="text Heb-9-14" id="en-NIV-30120"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit<span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30120A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup></span> offered himself<span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30120B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup></span> unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences<span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30120C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup></span> from acts that lead to death,<b> </b>so that we may serve the living God!<span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30120E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup></span></span></i></span><br />
<span class="text Heb-9-15" id="en-NIV-30121"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b> </b></span>For this reason Christ is the mediator<span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30121F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup></span> of a new covenant,<span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30121G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup></span> that those who are called<span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30121H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup></span> may receive the promised<span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30121I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup></span> eternal inheritance<span class="Apple-style-span"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30121J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></sup></span>—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.</span></i></span><br />
<span class="text Heb-9-15" id="en-NIV-30121"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hebrews 9:14-15</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Heb-9-15" id="en-NIV-30121"><br /></span>
<span class="text Heb-9-15" id="en-NIV-30121">I told Little A that Jesus died for our sins because without his blood we could not have been forgiven. She nodded sternly in agreement and went on her way. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Heb-9-15" id="en-NIV-30121"><br /></span>
<span class="text Heb-9-15" id="en-NIV-30121">I know that everyone has wonderful, happy things that they love about Christmas, I just feel so blessed that my family and I have something so wonderful to celebrate that means more than just presents and family time. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Blessings. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTtUqNNzMRVBiQlbnCe7tr01vq2hCgDLR-3I23uKG2yuSFx6H-jIAWoB39uFmo90q55ALupinUwKf9vutwN2Fe1HBOQtsqd2Yl1ICACqghmbMBsizhtx6x3whZxA2iNMxtDlah6Qipm8/s1600/IMG_8429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTtUqNNzMRVBiQlbnCe7tr01vq2hCgDLR-3I23uKG2yuSFx6H-jIAWoB39uFmo90q55ALupinUwKf9vutwN2Fe1HBOQtsqd2Yl1ICACqghmbMBsizhtx6x3whZxA2iNMxtDlah6Qipm8/s640/IMG_8429.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the photo from our Christmas Card, from 3 years ago! (thats Little A in my belly)<br />
We made those Ugly Christmas Sweaters ourselves</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-687466142605361392013-11-21T12:04:00.000-08:002013-11-21T12:04:44.686-08:00A Faith that Works<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hello Dear Friends. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Life is wonderful, hectic and full of new and sometimes stressful adventures for us lately. I was reminded the other day that there are 5 weeks until Christmas. That also means that there are only 11 weeks until baby should arrive (give or take a few days). The next few months hold many new challenges, as I am sure the time to follow will also.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our Moms group just completed a wonderful study of the book of James. We were blessed to have one of the volunteers, that would normally be watching our children during our study, come and bless us with some wonderful testimony and wisdom. It was such a blessing and it renewed my spirit as I studied and read through the book of James and to hear the Lord speaking through it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The following was not a part of what we studied, being that our sessions are short and there wasn't nearly enough time to cover it all.</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Jas-2-14">My Christian brothers, what good does it do if you say you have faith but do not do things that prove you have faith? Can that kind of faith save you from the punishment of sin? </span><span class="text Jas-2-15" id="en-NLV-30309"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>What if a Christian does not have clothes or food? </span><span class="text Jas-2-16" id="en-NLV-30310"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>And one of you says to him, “Goodbye, keep yourself warm and eat well.” But if you do not give him what he needs, how does that help him? </span><span class="text Jas-2-17" id="en-NLV-30311"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>A faith that does not do things is a dead faith.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Jas-2-18" id="en-NLV-30312">Someone may say, “You have faith, and I do things. Prove to me you have faith when you are doing nothing. I will prove to you I have faith by doing things.” </span><span class="text Jas-2-19" id="en-NLV-30313"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>You believe there is one God. That is good! But even the demons believe that, and because they do, they shake.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Jas-2-20" id="en-NLV-30314">You foolish man! Do I have to prove to you that faith without doing things is of no use? </span><span class="text Jas-2-21" id="en-NLV-30315"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>Was not our early father Abraham right with God by what he did? He obeyed God and put his son Isaac on the altar to die. </span><span class="text Jas-2-22" id="en-NLV-30316"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>You see his faith working by what he did and his faith was made perfect by what he did. </span><span class="text Jas-2-23" id="en-NLV-30317"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>It happened as the Holy Writings said it would happen. They say, “Abraham put his trust in God and he became right with God.” <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NLV-30317A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>He was called the friend of God. </span><span class="text Jas-2-24" id="en-NLV-30318"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>A man becomes right with God by what he does and not by faith only. </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Jas-2-25" id="en-NLV-30319"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>The same was true with Rahab, the woman who sold the use of her body. She became right with God by what she did in helping the men who had been sent to look through the country and sent them away by another road. </span><span class="text Jas-2-26" id="en-NLV-30320"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>The body is dead when there is no spirit in it. It is the same with faith. Faith is dead when nothing is done.</span></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>James 2:14-26 </b>(New Life Version)</span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>James 2:24</b> (NKJV) </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This statement that James makes could be taken by some as a contradiction of what Paul teaches, that salvation is based on faith alone. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For we hold that one is justified by faith <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28004AS" title="See cross-reference AS">AS</a>)"></sup>apart from works of the law.</span></i></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Romans 3:28</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The study notes in my bible put it nicely, "A faith that knows for certain that God exists but fails to trust him or to manifest itself in a transformed life is not faith at all."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">James views our works as the acts of living out a Christian love that inevitably accompany real, genuine faith. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love that James gives two really profoundly different examples of the kind of faith he is talking about. Firstly, he goes to the story of Abraham, this story would be one that the Jewish followers of Christ would be able to easily understand because he is the patriarch of Judaism. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Abraham shows his faithfulness by being willing to take his son as sacrifice to God. But he shows it even further by actually <b>doing</b> it. It was not enough for him to say "Okay God I'll do it" and then not go. He had to take action and live out the faith that he had. Abraham was tested in his faith and because of it his faith was strengthened. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The second illistration is of Rahab who protected the spies of Joshua. Again, it was her actions that demonstrate her faith. She protected the spies because she believed in the power of <b>their</b> God, she had heard of stories of the great things that were done by God to save his people and she had faith. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love that James goes from the patriarch to the prostitute. I talked a while back about God's grace being sufficient and how he uses sinners to do His works, despite their sins. <b><a href="http://pursuitofproverbs31.blogspot.ca/2013/10/we-all-suck-well-i-know-i-do.html" target="_blank">Find It Here</a> </b>What a great show of how God's people, those that are "great" in our eyes and those that are not, He gives them each opportunity to act out their faith.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I often feel like I am not living out my faith like I should be. I feel as if my job as a wife and mother leaves me with so few opportunities to show God's hand in my life and show that Christian love that goes with my faith. I do not want to live out a faith that is a "dead faith".</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My prayers have been full lately asking God to show me opportunities to live out my faith, to act on it, and to be more like Christ in what I say and how I act.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">May you also find opportunities to do, to act and to live out a living, genuine faith.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Blessings.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-7537010570210671752013-11-06T13:43:00.001-08:002013-11-06T13:43:49.748-08:00Paper Bag Garland<br />
Next up for my Thanksgiving Decorations, Paper Bag Garland.<br />
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I was hoping to find a fun and simple decoration that I could hang up on our piano. The kids had fun helping my with this one too. Little A had a blast helping glue on the paper pieces and threading the hemp string through the holes.<br />
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The pumpkin was created using the same scallop circles that I used for the <a href="http://pursuitofproverbs31.blogspot.ca/2013/11/turkey-place-cards.html" target="_blank">Turkey Place Cards</a> and were also done in the burnt orange color with a red distressing done to the edges. I placed one flat onto the paper bag and then folded three more in half before hot glueing them onto the center, holding in place until the glue hardened.<br />
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The paper was a scrap pack that came with some fun Harvest colors and patterns. It made it a lot easier to put them all together nicely and made them coordinate.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-76269976564181634682013-11-06T13:18:00.001-08:002013-11-06T13:18:40.931-08:00Turkey Place Cards<br />
I am a little behind with my decorating lately, technically Thanksgiving here in Canada has long passed. I am just now getting my house decorated for it. I enjoy fall and all the tasty treats and warm colors that it brings. It seems sad to pack away all of our fall things already and bring out the Christmas decor but it is already snowing and winter white here and Hubby is already asking when we get to start our Christmas decorating.<br />
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But I have told Hubby that he has to hold off until December 1st. We are going to be celebrating Thanksgiving for the second time this year and will be carving up a giant turkey around America's Thanksgiving. We are having a few close friends over to celebrate and we will be doing a potluck so we can all share the burden of cooking for 15 people.<br />
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I have been working on a few fun little decorations with the kids in honour of the occasion and I thought I would share them with you.<br />
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First up is our place settings. Cute little turkeys still don't have the names written on them yet, I am having my sister write them since her writing is much prettier than mine.<br />
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Aren't they just adorable. The kids loved helping stick on their googly eyes and using the big cutter to cut them out. <div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ271OVNXkcStBGmkW6-jWrXP56ioQ2P62ECu3-FX5qDwIGZDfrPCMDCyDdEaET1_9vXGctSnnOqxfIM8oGGfTpkRxqB5Wv4wjRR68EHloK_GZD6L9PV47fEi8zQguxES89rrJWP5-R_g/s1600/IMG_4490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ271OVNXkcStBGmkW6-jWrXP56ioQ2P62ECu3-FX5qDwIGZDfrPCMDCyDdEaET1_9vXGctSnnOqxfIM8oGGfTpkRxqB5Wv4wjRR68EHloK_GZD6L9PV47fEi8zQguxES89rrJWP5-R_g/s400/IMG_4490.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my lovely Big Shot Cutter. I love it, but have barely been able to use it lately. <br />The kids thought turning the crank and seeing that the paper was cut was amazing. <br />They couldn't get enough. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scallop Circles in a burnt orange and mustard yellow. I added some extra <br />color to the edges by inking a sponge and distressing the edge. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5rqfHRL7fIPBTXIh0dUf3uwJQWX-AUQg0kiK1U3zR1NJqYaw2DI8fpwO-cubRUYUhkGlnwASEoULMdgSbp8WQEMm3QiLX2CQ1aDnMoV9YM9zgf_my_ak225UdgWnvhqbskmC16N2KMg/s1600/IMG_4493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5rqfHRL7fIPBTXIh0dUf3uwJQWX-AUQg0kiK1U3zR1NJqYaw2DI8fpwO-cubRUYUhkGlnwASEoULMdgSbp8WQEMm3QiLX2CQ1aDnMoV9YM9zgf_my_ak225UdgWnvhqbskmC16N2KMg/s400/IMG_4493.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Brown circles for the bodies. </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-13243955556928930132013-11-05T12:57:00.002-08:002013-11-05T12:57:59.806-08:00Love is... Partnership<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have a few paths that my brain is running down here and a lot that is just exploding out of my head (Sorry a tad graphic), but on top of all of that, it is almost one in the morning and my brain just will not quit. God and I have been in conversation about this topic secretly for a while and I myself am just fully coming to a realisation of the conversation we have been having.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, since Hubby is up sleeping peacefully and our kids are out like lights and so is the baby down in the basement, my brain wont turn off as it is finally enjoying the quiet and is working through some things. I have a few key points, hopefully they become clear. ( This didn't get fully posted online at one in the morning, but if it makes you ignore any spelling/grammar mistakes, it totally did ;) )</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Firstly, I am going to begin all of this by saying that yes, I think love, and respect, is a partnership. Yes, it is a partnership between you and your spouse, and yes I think that God, like any good teacher would, would appoint a lead. You know, like when you would be doing an assignment in school and you were put into groups, there was always someone that would have to take the lead or it would be chaos. Well, I believe, my Hubby has been given that huge responsibility. And thank God its not my role, that's a lot of pressure and responsibility and I would totally mess it up.</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Eph-5-22">Wives, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29310B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>submit to your own husbands, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29310C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>as to the Lord.</span><span class="text Eph-5-23" id="en-ESV-29311"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>For <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29311D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup>the husband is the head of the wife even as <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29311E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup>Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29311F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup>himself its Savior.</span><span class="text Eph-5-24" id="en-ESV-29312"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29312G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup>in everything to their husbands.</span></span></i><br />
<span class="text Eph-5-24" id="en-ESV-29312" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Ephesians 5:22-25</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i>But I want you to understand that <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28587A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>the head of every man is Christ, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28587B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>the head of a wife is her husband, and <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28587C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>the head of Christ is God.</i></span></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Corinthians 11:3</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Gen-3-16" id="en-ESV-72">To the woman he said,</span>“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;<br /><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-72O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup>in pain you shall bring forth children.</span>Your desire shall be for<b> </b>your husband,<br /><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;">and he shall <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-72Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup>rule over you.”</span></span></i><br />
<span class="text Gen-3-16" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;"><b>Genesis 3:16</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;"><b></b></span><br /><span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;"><b></b></span>
<span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;">I know that these verses often really bug people. And the society that we live in today is hugely at fault for how we choose to run our lives and homes. Please bare with me, I know that there are probably a lot of women that if this were a book, would have thrown it across the room already, there is a point to this, I promise. The way that the world treats our men, and the way that they live because of it is hugely detrimental to our homes and marriages. This is because the world has been treating men like they are incapable of everything, that they are only useful for some things, that they can act like animals, and that really, we would be better off without them. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;"></span><br /><span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;"></span>
<span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;">Our society has also helped to turn our men into what has been so kindly referred to as Man-children. These are men that act like children, they are immature, incompetent, and would rather just let their wife be in control and run the show. This stereotype is all over the television and all sorts of media. The problem is that we often feed into this problem. I have too many times to count heard the joke about our husbands being just another one of our kids. (He is not and should never be referred to as such, he would likely be very hurt and upset by this reference to him)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;"></span><br /><span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;"></span>
<span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;">Today was my "day off." Hubby stayed home with the kids all day so that I could go shopping in another city with a friend. It took a lot for him to do it, not because he cannot handle our kids, it was hard for him because he had to say "no" to a handful of people who asked him for his help on projects this weekend. Each time, Hubby said no, he was unavailable. I was so proud of him, I know it is hard for him not to help others ( A good problem to have if you ask me). </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;"></span><br /><span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;"></span>
<span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;">There was a few times today when I wanted to call or text to check in and make sure that things were running smoothly. But I know that I married a man that was wonderful with kids, but he is even better with our children. I married a man that I knew would be fully capable of any task that was put before him, I had nothing to fear. And yet, I have, in the past, referred to Hubby watching the kids as Hubby babysitting (Its not babysitting if you are the parent). </span></span><br />
<span class="text Gen-3-16" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;"><br /></span>
<span class="text Gen-3-16" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;">When we treat our spouses like they are manchildren, or just another person that we have to take care of, we not only make them feel disrespected, but as less than and not in the role that they so desire to be in, the role they were made for. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;"><br /></span><span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;"></span><br /><span class="text Gen-3-16" style="position: relative;">So, first we have the head of our partnership being the man. But my second point is actually that God is the key to a healthy partnership. A real, healthy working partnership will have a third member, God. And without Him, our marriages often fall apart. </span></span><br />
<span class="text Gen-3-16" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;"><br /></span>
<span class="text Gen-3-16" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;">Gary L. Thomas wrote a book called Sacred Marriage <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/sacred-marriage-designed-more-than-happy/gary-thomas/9780310242826/pd/42827" target="_blank">( found here)</a> the main question that the book asks us to consider is if marriage is about making us holy more than it is about making us happy. </span><br />
<span class="text Gen-3-16" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What a challenge to think about. Maybe marriage is not about all of those butterflies and happy feelings we had at the beginning. Maybe all of those flaws and shortcomings we have and our spouse has are about teaching us something, making us holy. </span><br />
<span class="text Gen-3-16" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; position: relative;"><br /></span>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Eccl-4-9" id="en-ESV-17391">Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.</span><span class="text Eccl-4-10" id="en-ESV-17392"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!</span><span class="text Eccl-4-11" id="en-ESV-17393"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>Again, if two lie together, they keep warm,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-17393P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></sup>but how can one keep warm alone?</span> <span class="text Eccl-4-12" id="en-ESV-17394">And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.</span></span></i><br />
<span class="text Eccl-4-12" id="en-ESV-17394"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ecclesiastes 4:9-12</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This verse is often quoted at weddings, and for good reason. But my favourite part of this is that it talks all about two being better than one, reward for their toil, lifting each other up, keeping warm, and in a fight. But at the end of the passage it says "a <b>threefold cord </b>is not quickly broken". All of those things about being a pair are wonderful, but a threefold cord is harder to pull apart, break and destroy. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsFrM5lDOWSG-UPm6_OgGVOyCyrILaPjOdyoft9OmNUaLiTRUligVbswMhZKic3bJ0-3Vp2-20uwdBFNcnz5pl5viZvAHVPOLXs_p0493uHNTdATYvQcL9w0wCtLnKkSAsgbCEYKBVSM/s1600/IMGP0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsFrM5lDOWSG-UPm6_OgGVOyCyrILaPjOdyoft9OmNUaLiTRUligVbswMhZKic3bJ0-3Vp2-20uwdBFNcnz5pl5viZvAHVPOLXs_p0493uHNTdATYvQcL9w0wCtLnKkSAsgbCEYKBVSM/s320/IMGP0107.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Somehow God knew we would work, <br />I never would have guessed it!</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our partnership with our spouse is wonderful, we benefit from it greatly and it is a blessing to have found someone to share our lives with. But when we invite God into our marriage and he is the center of our partnership, we will not be easily broken and our lives and marriage can be a testament to the goodness and mercy of the Father. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lastly, God put us together to teach us more about His character. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Often in movies we hear some version of the overly used and sentimental line, "you complete me". I hate that line. It has always bugged me. I am whole on my own, God made me a whole person and has made me enough. But over time I have softened and I am able to take from that cheesy line and glean something that doesn't make me groan. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We work together, we fit together. We are complete on our own but we will grow so much more because of having the other person. God has brought Hubby and I together because without him I am good but with him I am so much better. Hubby challenges me, makes me crazy, calls me on my crap, and forgives me when I mess up. He is a living breathing picture of two things, our sins and Gods love and mercy. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hubby's sin is so evident to me, even from the first day that we were married, his sin became more real to me. His little sins and big sins, little mistakes and mishaps, all of it and how it makes me feel shows me God. God uses it to show me that I am not perfect either, that my sin is no better, and that it hurts loving someone so much and not being able to control them and keep them making good, right decisions. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">God's love through my Hubby is also very evident to me. Through my sins and failures, Hubby has shown me forgiveness, just as God has shown me forgiveness. Even through hard times and disappointments Hubby has shown me that his love, like God's, has not changed. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">God uses us and our partnership to show our spouse Himself, if we let him and don't get in the way. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text 1Pet-3-1">Likewise, wives, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30409A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>be subject to your own husbands, so that <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30409B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>even if some do not obey the word, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30409C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives,</span><span class="text 1Pet-3-2" id="en-ESV-30410"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>when they see your <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30410D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup>respectful and pure conduct.</span> </span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Peter 3:1-2</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-2311427614778303802013-10-22T14:49:00.000-07:002013-10-22T14:53:48.672-07:00We all Suck (Well, I know I do!) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It has been far too long since I have been able to write. I was almost scared today as I went to set myself up in front of the computer. There are about a billion different things crashing around in my head lately that I am excited to share and get out onto <strike>paper</strike> the screen. But our home hasn't been the most peaceful place as of late with my two busy, loud, messy, but oh so wonderful kiddos and my sisters little man (who has been teething and having a hard time going down for naps and bedtimes). I normally sit down to write during naps since it is quiet and I can actually think a (mostly) complete thought without having my kids distract and divert my attention but lately naps our quiet for my kids and loud for my nephew. (It is rather tricky to write when instead of silence you hear crying, but the little guy now has the start of an adorable toothy grin that he loves to share with his aunt so I don't really mind)</span><br />
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<br />
Anyway, back to the point. </span><br />
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The other day a friend posted this picture on facebook and I felt an immediate connection to it. </span><br />
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</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCw0cIn9XpZo6wJrksQF0ZNpBKVpB9C7XSLrmOY9R1zdgKGJIR-WQ3ynMbBUJ6xr0ejT7h5TNxv0owdWYC_QRF4zMaJueU2heJwNlMFZ1fp4HK0St9LWGJAt7iDx73Wq2qsF_eOTa5Cvk/s1600/Jacob+was+a+cheater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCw0cIn9XpZo6wJrksQF0ZNpBKVpB9C7XSLrmOY9R1zdgKGJIR-WQ3ynMbBUJ6xr0ejT7h5TNxv0owdWYC_QRF4zMaJueU2heJwNlMFZ1fp4HK0St9LWGJAt7iDx73Wq2qsF_eOTa5Cvk/s1600/Jacob+was+a+cheater.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
The original picture can be found <a href="http://jesus-is-my-love.blogspot.ca/2012/09/jacob-was-cheater-peter-had-temper.html" target="_blank">HERE. </a> </span><br />
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Often the ending of this...saying (? I don't really know what to call it), is as follows:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">" God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called. "</span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
I do like that ending but I think that the one in the picture above speaks volumes and is something that has been speaking to me for weeks. </span><br />
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Grace. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
God has been putting this word on my heart and in my thoughts over and over again throughout the past few weeks. But He is not just giving me subtle hints and reminders, He is hitting me with it from all sides. </span><br />
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We have had a few conversations around the dinner table about some of the key players in the bible. We have discussed how children's stories put the characters in such a great light most of the time and kids are lead to believe, for a time, that those people were great so they did great things. But really they were sinners and God brought them out of their sin to do <b>His</b> works, which were pretty great. </span><br />
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Today at our Mom's Bible Study, there was a wonderful woman that came to share with us about her experiences with adultery and marriage and God's grace. She was with the group last week as well, but I had missed it. My sister told me a short snippet of what I had missed but it was only of who the speaker was and that her perspective was from being the one who had cheated and who felt/feels like she ruined two marriages and two families because of her sins. </span><br />
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I have to admit I was shocked. I didn't/ don't know the whole story of what happened to her since I wasn't involved, but I was struggling to see what I was going to take from hearing her talk about it. (That's sounds horrible and judgey but if I am trying to be honest, I was nervous for what she was trying to bring to the group) I wrestled with whether I wanted to go this morning and was feeling like there wasn't going to be a whole lot I would take from it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
But God was trying to show me His Grace. The amazing thing that happened to this woman through all of the sin and strife, was that God has shown her grace. He has brought healing to her and her family and the other mans family as well. God has blessed them by using it to bring the ex-wife and the children of her new husband to the Lord. God has used her to speak to many women who are struggling and she has countless opportunities to use the story of her sin for His glory. </span><br />
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I felt blessed to be there and I am so glad that I went. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text 2Cor-12-9" id="en-NKJV-29032"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>And He said to me,<span class="woj">“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”</span>Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text 2Cor-12-10" id="en-NKJV-29033"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.</span></span></i></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Corinthians 12:9-10</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="text 1John-1-8" id="en-NLT-30509">If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.</span> <span class="text 1John-1-9" id="en-NLT-30510">But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.</span> <span class="text 1John-1-10" id="en-NLT-30511">If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.</span></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text 1John-1-10" id="en-NLT-30511"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 John 1:8-10</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text 1John-1-10" id="en-NLT-30511"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text 1John-1-10" id="en-NLT-30511">I think we often forget how sinful we are. We loose sight of how imperfect and dysfunctional we are, that we lie and bend the truth, cheat or steal, look down our noses or judge, and that we are no better than the person sitting to our right or left. </span></span></span><br />
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I like this story in John chapter 8, it always knocks me on the head and gives me some perspective. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text 1John-1-10" id="en-NLT-30511"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span"></span></span><br />
<div class="first-line-none chapter-1">
<span class="text John-8-3" id="en-NLT-26350"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.</span></i></span></div>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text John-8-4" id="en-NLT-26351">“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery.</span><span class="text John-8-5" id="en-NLT-26352"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”</span></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text John-8-6" id="en-NLT-26353">They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.</span> <span class="text John-8-7" id="en-NLT-26354">They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, <span class="woj">“All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” </span></span><span class="text John-8-8" id="en-NLT-26355">Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text John-8-9" id="en-NLT-26356">When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.<span class="Apple-style-span"><b> </b></span></span><span class="text John-8-10" id="en-NLT-26357">Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, <span class="woj">“Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”</span></span></span></i><br />
<span class="text John-8-11" id="en-NLT-26358"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“No, Lord,” she said.</span></i></span><br />
<span class="text John-8-11"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And Jesus said, <span class="woj">“Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”</span></span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text 1John-1-10" id="en-NLT-30511"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">John 8:3-11</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text 1John-1-10" id="en-NLT-30511"><br /></span></span>
There are none of us that are sinless. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Romans 3:23</span></b></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span class="text Rom-3-10" id="en-ESV-27986"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">as it is written:</span></i></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“None is righteous, no, not one;</span></i></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Romans 3:10</span></b><br />
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We need to remember that we are not sinless for 2 key reasons:</span><br />
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1. So that we never forget the grace that God has poured out over us time and again. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="text Eph-2-8" id="en-ESV-29221">For <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29221Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup>by grace you have been saved <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29221R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup>through faith. And this is <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29221S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup>not your own doing; <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29221T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup>it is the gift of God, </span><span class="text Eph-2-9" id="en-ESV-29222">not a result of works, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29222V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup>so that no one may boast.</span> </i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Ephesians 2:8-9</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="text Rom-5-8" id="en-ESV-28040">but <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28040L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup>God shows his love for us in that <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28040M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup>while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.</span> </i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Romans 5:8</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span">2. So that we can show and offer God's grace to others. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Who are you to tell another person’s servant if he is right or wrong? It is to his owner that he does good or bad. The Lord is able to help him.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Romans 14:4</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="text Matt-7-3" id="en-NIV-23320"><span class="woj">“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? </span></span><span class="text Matt-7-4" id="en-NIV-23321"><span class="woj">How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?</span></span> <span class="text Matt-7-5" id="en-NIV-23322"><span class="woj">You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.</span></span></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text Matt-7-5" id="en-NIV-23322"><span class="woj"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Matthew 7:3-5</span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text Matt-7-5" id="en-NIV-23322"><span class="woj"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<b><br /></b>
I hope that made sense to you. I am a little rusty and these thoughts have been bouncing around for a long time. ( No wonder God has been smacking me in the face with it over and over, he didn't want me to forget it) </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="text Num-6-24" id="en-NKJV-3848" style="position: relative;">“The <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> bless you and keep you;</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="text Num-6-25" id="en-NKJV-3849" style="position: relative;">The <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> make His face shine upon you,</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="text Num-6-25" style="position: relative;">And be gracious to you;</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="text Num-6-26" id="en-NKJV-3850" style="position: relative;">The <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> lift up His countenance upon you,</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="text Num-6-25" id="en-NKJV-3849" style="position: relative;"></span><span class="text Num-6-25" style="position: relative;"></span><span class="text Num-6-25" style="position: relative;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: inline !important; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; line-height: normal; position: absolute; text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"> </sup></span></i></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="text Num-6-26" style="position: relative;">And give you peace.”’</span></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="text Num-6-26" style="position: relative;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="text Num-6-26" style="position: relative;">Blessings. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="text Num-6-26" style="position: relative;"><br /></span></i></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-56524308014622505122013-10-10T15:20:00.005-07:002013-10-10T15:20:44.459-07:00Dedicated <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bare with me, I was going to jump back into the next part of the <a href="http://pursuitofproverbs31.blogspot.ca/p/deliberate-love.html" target="_blank">Love Is... </a>series but my head has been a thousand other places and I have not quite completed some of the aspects of the next one. It will be coming soon though, hopefully. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving! We are so excited to be spending the weekend with our family from both sides and I can't wait. Another wonderful part of our weekend is that we are dedicating our son. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We have been doing our dedications a little differently with our kids, our church does have baby/child dedications, but they are not laid out exactly how I wanted and our extended family never seems to be able to be there at the same time. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With Little A we had been talking and praying about dedicating her for a long time and had started to fill out the paper work to have her dedicated at the church, but it just didn't ever seem right. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, one weekend we were up visiting my family and hubby's and we just asked them all to join us back at my parents house after lunch to pray over Little A and join with us as we commit to raising her for Christ. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was exactly what I wanted (albeit a little thrown together and missing a few members of the family). It was intimate and personal and not at all scripted. My dad and Hubby's dad prayed blessings over Little A and us, there was no standing at the front of the church and taking turns with a few other families to pray and bless. It was just us and I loved it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This weekend, since our families were all planning on being in the same place anyway, we asked them to all join us at my in-laws acreage for a lunch and dedication celebration on Sunday after church. It sounds like it will be a pretty full house since it will be both sides of our family and a few of Hubby's aunts and uncles are close by and are going to join in too. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the things that I am very excited about that will be happening at the celebration is that everyone will have an opportunity to write in E man's Blessing Book. ( I will actually have one out for Little A too since it was something I really wanted but forgot to do for her dedication) The kid's Blessing Books are little journals that we plan on filling with prayers, dreams, and visions that we, or others, have for our children. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Each of the Blessing Books start out with the full names of the kids and the dates of their births. The second page is about their names and what they mean. For example, Little A's name means lioness in Hebrew but it also is a musical term in other languages. Hubby and I both felt like we were given her name, there was never any doubt that God had told us what her name would be and it completely suits her. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">E man is the same, his name was totally one that was chosen for him not by us. Hubby had his doubts about the name at first and kept looking for a different one but I knew E's name before I even knew I was having a boy. When I was pregnant with E man, everyone that prayed for me and the baby would pray that God would give the baby strength and that it would be strong and healthy, his name means "God's strengthens". </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The rest of the book will be written in by us and our friends and family. I know that we won't fill the book this weekend but as the kids grow Hubby and I will add to them and write new prayers and blessings for them. When the kids graduate from High School we plan to give them their books as part of their graduation gift. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am very excited about having a book that will be full of spiritual heritage and a reminder that we have decided to raise them for Christ with His guidance. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My Sister and Brother in Law just recently dedicated their son at our church, a picture of it was posted on a cousins Facebook page with a description of the event. A friend of the cousin questioned why Christians would dedicate their children since there is no biblical foundation for it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">An example of an infant/child dedication is the story of Hannah found in <b>1 Samuel 1</b>. </span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text 1Sam-1-10" id="en-NLT-7199">Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.</span> <span class="text 1Sam-1-11" id="en-NLT-7200"><sup class="versenum" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>And she made this vow: “O <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, his hair will never be cut.”</span></span></i></div>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text 1Sam-1-12" id="en-NLT-7201">As she was praying to the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, Eli watched her.</span><span class="text 1Sam-1-13" id="en-NLT-7202"><sup class="versenum" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. </span><span class="text 1Sam-1-14" id="en-NLT-7203">“Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”</span></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text 1Sam-1-15" id="en-NLT-7204">“Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the<span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.</span> <span class="text 1Sam-1-16" id="en-NLT-7205">Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”</span></span></i><br />
<span class="text 1Sam-1-17" id="en-NLT-7206"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”</span></i></span><br />
<span class="text 1Sam-1-18" id="en-NLT-7207"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.</span></i></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Samuel 1:10-18</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is exactly how I felt when I was trying to get pregnant. I was in anguish over having miscarried so many times, struggling to trust in God's plan and wanting so badly to have a child. When I did get pregnant with Little A my prayers and conversations with God were long and at times very heated. But I knew that He was in control and His plan would be for good. Over and over through the pregnancy we gave Little A back to God and right after delivery we prayed over her and praised God for our little blessing. </span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text 1Sam-1-19">The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the<span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> remembered her plea,</span><span class="text 1Sam-1-20" id="en-NLT-7209"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,<b> </b>for she said, “I asked the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> for him.”</span></span></i><br />
<span class="text 1Sam-1-20" id="en-NLT-7209"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Samuel 1:19-20</span></b></span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text 1Sam-1-24" id="en-NLT-7213"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bull<b> </b>for the sacrifice and a basket of flour and some wine.</span> <span class="text 1Sam-1-25" id="en-NLT-7214"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli.</span> <span class="text 1Sam-1-26" id="en-NLT-7215"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>“Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the woman who stood here several years ago praying to the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.</span> <span class="text 1Sam-1-27" id="en-NLT-7216"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>I asked the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> to give me this boy, and he has granted my request.</span><span class="text 1Sam-1-28" id="en-NLT-7217"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>Now I am giving him to the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, and he will belong to the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> his whole life.” And they</span><span class="text 1Sam-1-28"><b> </b>worshiped the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> there.</span></span></i><br />
<span class="text 1Sam-1-28"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Samuel 1:24-28</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hannah took her child to the Tabernacle and left him there with Eli. Can you imagine? It would be so difficult for Hannah to take this little boy that she had longed for and prayed for and give him back to God's service, leaving him in the care of someone else. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What we do is a symbolic gesture, we stand up in front of our family and friends or our church family and we make a promise to God to do all we can to raise our children His ways, not our own, with prayer and help from Him until our children can choose to follow on their own. What Hannah did was so much more than just a gesture, she literally gave her son back to God. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We are continually reminded that our children are God's children. That no matter how much we worry and fret about the little things, God has a plan for all of it, big and small, and he works it together for their good. He constantly reminds us that he loves them more than we can imagine (which is crazy to me since I can't imagine loving them any more).</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Ps-139-16" id="en-NLT-16232" style="position: relative;">You saw me before I was born.</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-16" style="position: relative;">Every day of my life was recorded in your book.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-139-16" style="position: relative;">Every moment was laid out</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-139-16" style="position: relative;">before a single day had passed.</span></span></span></i><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-139-16" style="position: relative;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Psalms 139:16 </span></b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, I guess, all of this is me "standing" up before you, making my pledge to God saying that I will work diligently and prayerfully to raise my children in His word, in His way, praying for them, and trying to lead them by example with God's help. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thanks for being there for me to walk along side of and know that I am not alone in my struggles. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy Thanksgiving. </span><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">May you be filled with joy and peace and may God open your eyes to the richness of blessings that he bestows upon you, so that you can be ever thankful. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-NyttpJ7V7trY6rzNnV2kVUlotIa3GcbnnjByFaitZdKyMptroMdjGZXuTSRVyRjNgjgoy1s6IwjGIo3bKDi67WHln6enqhb7dk09yHzO6zhQ-N_XW-hoa4lgm4GZ9xVil9hromakoc/s1600/IMG_4408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-NyttpJ7V7trY6rzNnV2kVUlotIa3GcbnnjByFaitZdKyMptroMdjGZXuTSRVyRjNgjgoy1s6IwjGIo3bKDi67WHln6enqhb7dk09yHzO6zhQ-N_XW-hoa4lgm4GZ9xVil9hromakoc/s400/IMG_4408.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Little A's favourite thing right now. She loves pointing out<br /> any tree that she is seeing yellow on. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfBAFIPJ3Wk7ld6Sw0vq_pvtr8XuqejP1p_W3V-BUYb5Mdd0ZaxHLztSSlQbZkPI4nlIXZnt-9lYeEFKbhQ2F3lWEDiKjggS281JmZ7OkUh1DeRTUeLWV9DxU42-aeO3vswsPxh1A10Y/s1600/IMG_5754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfBAFIPJ3Wk7ld6Sw0vq_pvtr8XuqejP1p_W3V-BUYb5Mdd0ZaxHLztSSlQbZkPI4nlIXZnt-9lYeEFKbhQ2F3lWEDiKjggS281JmZ7OkUh1DeRTUeLWV9DxU42-aeO3vswsPxh1A10Y/s400/IMG_5754.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love these guys!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-40639582912388007832013-10-08T14:47:00.003-07:002013-10-11T09:16:47.116-07:00Join Me in a Giggle<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just thought I would share a few hilarious moments that we have had in our house recently. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My kids are always good for a chuckle and since we should:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Rom-12-15" id="en-NIV-28261"><i>Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.<sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28261AB" title="See cross-reference AB">AB</a>)"></sup></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i> </i> (<b>Romans 12:15)</b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why not laugh with those who laugh. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other day as we were getting into the car my lovely little two and a half year old, Little A, looks up at me with a grin and says, "<i>I am perfection.</i>" </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>Oh really? Who taught you that?"</i> (since there are 4 adults in our house as of late I was interested to know where she learnt this phrase, since it wasn't from me) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>Nobody, I just am perfection,</i>" she replied with the cutest shimmer in her eyes. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>Yes you are sweetie, God made you perfectly how you are supposed to be.</i>" Really how else do you respond to this but than to agree? She has a much better self esteem than her mommy, that's for sure. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My son, E man, has started to get himself into all kinds of trouble lately. He is totally the opposite to what his older sister was like at this age, 15 months, and he is the epitome of a little boy. He is constantly running around stealing his sisters toys and laughing while he does it. He often will walk up and take a toy Little A has put down, begin to run away but once he realises that she is not upset or chasing after him, he will stop and call to her and show her the toy before starting back into his running away game. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">He also is very good at knowing when he is doing something wrong. He will start to break the rules and he will shake his head and say, "<i>No, no no! No,no,no!"</i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIa-D-wTMEMP0A0ewHxJ3uL4oIva5RUJv2zIh3kiFWAU4O7ggNuHvr1BLY6Ebta63G_GOFG-N3tbgXwkUyC8I5NfTKrM0RT0_Of4iem4efAopOuAkJUaoj4FBo5KG6_zwSAADMkztl38/s1600/IMG_5854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIa-D-wTMEMP0A0ewHxJ3uL4oIva5RUJv2zIh3kiFWAU4O7ggNuHvr1BLY6Ebta63G_GOFG-N3tbgXwkUyC8I5NfTKrM0RT0_Of4iem4efAopOuAkJUaoj4FBo5KG6_zwSAADMkztl38/s400/IMG_5854.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the view I most often see of my son. <br />
Blurred and of his behind as he laughs and runs away.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A couple of weeks ago I was carrying something down the stairs to take to the freezer. I was trying to get E man to come with me but he refused so I took his hand and was leading him toward the stairs. We made it to the top step and I got him to sit down on his bum so that he wouldn't fall. But again he didn't want to cooperate, so I was trying to help him down the stairs with one hand full of frozen food. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Somehow I knocked him off balance and he toppled down the stairs, rolling all the way down and hitting his head on the wall at the bottom. Top to bottom it was only 7 stairs but I felt horrible. It was totally my fault, he has never fallen on his own down them before. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But to our surprise, he gets up laughing and begins to climb back up the stairs to try to fall down them again. Kinda helped me not feel so horrible but left me in shock by how silly my crazy little guy can be. </span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYH46MtkoQSJp4HWIpdGbeaGTgYml89ooz2mcimmTA4Q3SdPkqJyd7_BfPrGucxfxtKQLOPQqg2xW3s4JaFmyOGK9yi3z-FKpRxY1T0xOrQJapF9BOm5vKC3MSEuKjKUMneF-kaXogw8/s1600/IMG_3908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYH46MtkoQSJp4HWIpdGbeaGTgYml89ooz2mcimmTA4Q3SdPkqJyd7_BfPrGucxfxtKQLOPQqg2xW3s4JaFmyOGK9yi3z-FKpRxY1T0xOrQJapF9BOm5vKC3MSEuKjKUMneF-kaXogw8/s400/IMG_3908.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is apparently how we get ready to go to the lake in my house. <br />
Because really, you cannot go to the lake without your face being painted, <br />
and the only way to sit still and have your face painted is to paint on the painter. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, Tuesdays specifically, are one of the busiest days around our house. We all have places to be and it always seems to be a struggle to get the kids up and fed and ready to go. Tuesdays is our moms bible study at our church and today my sister and I were taking our turn bringing snacks. We brought the <a href="http://pursuitofproverbs31.blogspot.ca/2013/09/scone-fail-turned-must-try-success.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin Spiced (Better Than) Scones</a> and even brought some Gluten free versions as well. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are blessed at our bible study to have wonderful women and men from our church that come and take care of our children so that we can enjoy the study free from distractions. The last few times we have gone to the group, Little A has a meltdown when I try to take her to play. She only cries for a minute or two after I leave but while I am trying to drop her off she is inconsolable. She loves being there and doesn't stop talking about all the fun she had once I pick her up and she is always so excited to go, until I get her to the doors to go in. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been trying to find things that would excite her and give her something to look forward to once I get back, but nothing seems to help. But as a bonus, Hubby comes home for lunch on Tuesdays, and that coupled with being filled up from the bible studies, makes dealing with the sobbing kiddo and feel horrible about leaving her with others while she cries, totally more bearable. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, at lunch, Hubby was blessed with the chance to take our adorable Little A to the potty. She asked him to take her, "<i>not mommy"</i>, which is totally fine with me. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Up in the bathroom, Little A finished her stinky business, looks down into the toilet and exclaims, "<i>That's a family poop! That one is the mommy, but the daddy poop has to go to work, in my bum!"</i> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seriously. How do you even respond to her. All you can do is laugh. Well laugh and then go and write it down in our Hilarious Moments Journal. (That's the book we are keeping for the kids of all the wonderful and ridiculous things they do and say as they grow up, its so much fun to look through and I can't wait to read through it with them when they are grown) </span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03547467580063257033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743554960237533514.post-26054463212369168462013-10-03T13:47:00.000-07:002013-10-03T14:05:37.600-07:00Complete Authenticity <div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was going to post today for the Love is... series but wanted to talk about something that has been tumbling around in my head this past week. I am not sure if I am any closer to an answer or truth but maybe it will resonate with you. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At our moms group we have just begun to read a book called "No More Perfect Moms" by Jill Savage. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The website, <a href="http://www.hearts-at-home.org/index.php/nmpm-home" target="_blank">found here </a>, has a lot of great information about the book and Jill. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week we discussed being real and authentic with other women and not trying to put on a mask of perfection and having it all together. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a group we talked about the importance of being real with other women. There were a few that feel that we should be real but only be fully open with a few very select people so that we are not always just airing our dirty laundry for the world. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am torn. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On one hand I agree. It is a really good idea to guard ourselves with some people and not just let everyone into our deepest darkest selves. (I think really just our spouses should be at that level of openness with us anyway) </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I disagree in that I think we should walk in complete authenticity with the world. If we are not truthful and honest about ourselves we get caught up in portraying perfection, we trap others into feeling like they have to be perfect and we make anyone who doesn't measure up (which is everyone, including ourselves) feel like a failure. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>But here is the key to making it all work the way that it should. </b></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Matt-5-14" id="en-NIV-23249"><span class="woj">“You are the light of the world.<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23249A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup> A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.<b> </b></span></span><span class="text Matt-5-15" id="en-NIV-23250"><span class="woj">Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. </span></span><span class="text Matt-5-16" id="en-NIV-23251"><span class="woj">In the same way, let your light shine before others,<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23251C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup> that they may see your good deeds<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23251D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup>and glorify<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23251E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup> your Father in heaven."</span></span></span></i></div>
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<span class="text Matt-5-16" id="en-NIV-23251"><span class="woj"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Matthew 5:14</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-5-16" id="en-NIV-23251"><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Col-3-9" id="en-ESV-29510"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29510S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup><i>Do not lie to one another, seeing that <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29510T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup>you have put off <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29510U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)"></sup>the old self<b> </b>with its practises</i></span><i> <span class="text Col-3-10" id="en-ESV-29511">and <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29511V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup>have put on <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29511W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup>the new self, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29511X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></sup>which is being renewed in knowledge <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29511Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></sup>after the image of <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29511Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)"></sup>its creator.</span> <span class="text Col-3-11" id="en-ESV-29512"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29512AA" title="See cross-reference AA">AA</a>)"></sup>Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,free; but Christ is <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29512AB" title="See cross-reference AB">AB</a>)"></sup>all, and in all.</span></i></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Col-3-12" id="en-ESV-29513"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29513AC" title="See cross-reference AC">AC</a>)"></sup>Put on then, as <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29513AD" title="See cross-reference AD">AD</a>)"></sup>God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29513AE" title="See cross-reference AE">AE</a>)"></sup>compassionate hearts, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29513AF" title="See cross-reference AF">AF</a>)"></sup>kindness, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29513AG" title="See cross-reference AG">AG</a>)"></sup>humility, meekness, and patience,</span><span class="text Col-3-13" id="en-ESV-29514"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup><sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29514AH" title="See cross-reference AH">AH</a>)"></sup>bearing with one another and, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29514AI" title="See cross-reference AI">AI</a>)"></sup>if one has a complaint against another, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29514AJ" title="See cross-reference AJ">AJ</a>)"></sup>forgiving each other;<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29514AK" title="See cross-reference AK">AK</a>)"></sup>as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.</span> <span class="text Col-3-14" id="en-ESV-29515">And above all these put on <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29515AL" title="See cross-reference AL">AL</a>)"></sup>love, which <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29515AM" title="See cross-reference AM">AM</a>)"></sup>binds everything together in <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29515AN" title="See cross-reference AN">AN</a>)"></sup>perfect harmony.</span><span class="text Col-3-15" id="en-ESV-29516">And let <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29516AO" title="See cross-reference AO">AO</a>)"></sup>the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29516AP" title="See cross-reference AP">AP</a>)"></sup>in one body. And <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29516AQ" title="See cross-reference AQ">AQ</a>)"></sup>be thankful.</span> <span class="text Col-3-16" id="en-ESV-29517">Let <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29517AR" title="See cross-reference AR">AR</a>)"></sup>the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29517AS" title="See cross-reference AS">AS</a>)"></sup>singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29517AT" title="See cross-reference AT">AT</a>)"></sup>with thankfulness in your hearts to God.</span><span class="text Col-3-17" id="en-ESV-29518">And <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29518AU" title="See cross-reference AU">AU</a>)"></sup>whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29518AV" title="See cross-reference AV">AV</a>)"></sup>giving thanks to God the Father through him.</span></span></i><br />
<span class="text Col-3-17" id="en-ESV-29518"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Colossians 3:9-17</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If we are to be the light to the world just like we are called to be, how can we be honest and let the people around us see how completely sinful we are? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How can we let them see our struggles and shame without turning them away from Christ? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who really wants to hear all about how horrible things are going in our lives at times, isn't being negative going to turn people away?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The key to all of this is simple to understand but difficult to walk out in life. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We need to be <b>COMPLETELY AUTHENTIC.</b> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay that sounds scary, let me break it down a little. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. We need to be real with people so that they do not feel like they will never measure up, that their sin is too terrible, and they cannot be loved. Living authentically as a Christ follower, we can show our sin and failures and show that we are loved and forgiven anyway. We can show the world that we still make mistakes, we still aren't even close to perfect, but God still loves and still forgives. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Living like that shows Christ's love and helps keep us away from acting "holier than though".</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People don't always want to hear about how horrible you think things are going for you.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> No one wants to see a million and one Facebook statuses about how terrible everything in your life is going. Yes, your being honest, but part of being a Christ follower is that we have a HOPE. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We need to start walking in that hope and sharing it with others. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So instead of our status reading:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> Anita is so sick of her grumpy kids screaming and having meltdowns. I just need them to nap so I can rest for a single second today. Man am I glad there is coffee. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe it could read something like this:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> Anita and the kids had a rough night, I am feeling very thankful today that my kids still nap and that I live in a place where I can get coffee easily. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or if you were feeling honest:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Anita is having a rough morning and is struggling to find something positive to hold onto to get me through today. Pray for me. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or if you were really working to try to be positive:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Anita is struggling today but is choosing to find the ray of sunshine in my dark and crazy morning. I thank God for these children he gave me and that their voices can be so loud. I can't wait to see how God uses them for his glory. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I totally understand that not everyone is ready to just share their faith all over Facebook and that's a personal thing. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But we can share our negative life events without always sounding negative. And that is really important. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If all we ever share is negative stuff, we loose our ability to reach people for Christ. People start to think "What's so good about being a Christ follower if everything is always negative for them?"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. We need to walk this out in our lives and conversations too. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Often as moms, we get together and we unload. We meet with other moms and we finally have another grown up to talk to, that can somewhat understand what we are going through, so we explode with all of the frustrations and heartaches and troubles we are going through. But if we are trying to be Completely Authentic, we need to not only share the hard things, we have to shine the light on the positives as well. Or at least show that we are trying to find the positives or holding onto the hope that there will be one soon. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My dad joked with us the other day saying, "I know the will of God for everyone I meet." Then he laughs and says, "That they would give thanks in all circumstances." </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The crazy man is right. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="text 1Thess-5-16" id="en-ESV-29621">Rejoice always,</span><span class="text 1Thess-5-17" id="en-ESV-29622"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29622B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>pray without ceasing,</span><span class="text 1Thess-5-18" id="en-ESV-29623"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;"> </sup><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29623C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.</span></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text 1Thess-5-18" id="en-ESV-29623"><b>1 Thessalonians 5:16</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If we can be Completely Authentic and show that we are even trying to rejoice in the hard times it shows great character and shows others that we do have something different that may be worth searching for. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* This is something I have totally been failing at lately but am working on, those close to me please remind me what I am working on and remind me how important it is to find the positives and hold onto hope. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope that made sense, It has been bouncing in my head for days so I don't know if it made it onto the screen with all of the parts intact. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blessings Friends. </span><br />
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