I had the blessing of praying for Rebecca at Shoved To Them this Advent!
I felt especially honored to be able to pray for you, Rebecca, and I hope God used my prayers to bless you this season.
The following was an Advent prayer I found online (it was supposed to be for the first week of Advent, but I used it the entire time! I thought it was beautiful, and I adapted it just for my prayer buddy by inserting her name for "me".
Advent Week 1 Prayer
Come, long-expected Jesus.
Excite in me a wonder at the wisdom and power of Your
Father and ours.
Receive my prayer as part of my service of the Lord
who enlists me in God's own work for justice.
Come, long-expected Jesus.
Excite in me a hunger for peace: peace in the world,
peace in my home, peace in myself.
Come, long-expected Jesus.
Excite in me a joy responsive to the Father's joy.
I seek His will so I can serve with gladness, singing and love.
Come, long-expected Jesus.
Excite in me the joy and love and peace
it is right to bring to the manger of my Lord.
Raise in me, too,
sober reverence for the God who acted there,
hearty gratitude for the life begun there,
and spirited resolution to serve the Father and Son.
I pray in the name of Jesus Christ,
whose advent I hail.
Amen.
Thank you for sharing your blog Rebecca, it is such an inspiration to others! You are such a blessing!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Friday Quick Takes #10
1. I LOVE our Christmas tree this year. For some reason it is not dropping hardly any needles, unlike last year when I was vaccuuming every day! We have had to devise a contraption to keep the cat from drinking all the tree's water. Our cat is obsessed with water. He prefers to drink out of a running faucet, rather than his water bowl. If he hears water, he comes running....so refilling the Christmas tree makes for an adventure. Luckily our anti-cat contraption is working and you barely notice it. It's a piece of dark foam rubber that we cut to fit around the base of the tree and over the top of the water tray.And most importantly, it works! Our poor cat is just furious over it.
2. We are battling a long-lasting viral cold in this house. It started with Isabel, spread to me and I gave it to Ian. Isabel was doing better, and I was just starting to get it on Saturday when we went to a potluck dinner....I think that was a bad move. I dosed up on dayquil before we went and felt well enough to make it through the party, but I think we just ended up spreading our germs instead of joy and Christmas cheer. :( That was last Saturday, and the running noses are continuing....I hate when colds hang on. Hopefully we will get through it and be well for Christmas week!
3. Ian is cruising along furniture and starting to let go with one hand, turn around and then just sort of freefall- IF someone is there to catch him. He doesn't really do it if he knows he's by himself. I don't know if he expects that he can stand on his own or thinks he's going to take off walking or what!? (He's definitely not got the balance yet to just stand on his own yet). He's growing up faster than Isabel did....I swear! In our house, Ian is a big ham...always smiling, giggling, getting into mischief, but as soon as someone else enters the house he becomes very serious.
4. We made salt-dough ornaments this week and they turned out AWESOME! I used this lady's recipe and I think this will be an annual tradition. Very frugal, but they turned out much nicer than I expected. I need to take a picture :)
5. We watched Nicholas: The Boy Who Became Santa this week for the Feast of St. Nicholas and the Christians in the show are being persecuted. Well Isabel asked me, "Why don't they just tell the bad guys that they (the Christians) don't really believe in Jesus so they don't kill them and throw them in jail?" Ohhhh boy! Big discussions at 5 years old....how to explain martyrdom as a good thing. Any ideas? I was so caught off guard. I told her that it's always important to show your love for Jesus, even when people are teasing you or want to throw you in jail, etc. and that maybe that you standing up for Jesus will lead to the bad guy changing his heart to love Jesus too!
6. I don't have a 7th quick take this week, so for my 6th, could you please send up some prayers for Rob's dad? My FIL had a stroke and is currently in the hospital. He does not seem to understand what people are saying and is having trouble forming sentences. :( His prognosis is very uncertain at this point and we are kind of taking it moment by moment until the doctors give us some more info. Please pray for our whole family that God will show His will and bring good out of this situation. Thank you!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Prayer Buddy!
Hey Prayer Buddy! I've got a request! I'm really struggling with an issue of overindulgence over here. And it's not what you think. I'm actually the one who is trying to keep things simple. But I'm getting overwhelmed by the overindulgence of others, especially since this time of year is supposed to be about JESUS, preparing for Him, slowing down, reflecting....
...and instead I'm panicking and a little sick to my stomach, because of "too much of a good thing".
I know...it's rather vague. If you could just pray that God will work all of this out, and that I can leave it up to Him. That would be great.
There's something about a simpler life that I am drawn to. Less materialism. Less clutter to occupy my house and my mind. Maybe it's time to move out to the country and raise chickens.
And on another note, a big Praise God! for so many new pregnancies around me lately! Praying that these are all blessed and healthy! Praise God for new life all around.
...and instead I'm panicking and a little sick to my stomach, because of "too much of a good thing".
I know...it's rather vague. If you could just pray that God will work all of this out, and that I can leave it up to Him. That would be great.
There's something about a simpler life that I am drawn to. Less materialism. Less clutter to occupy my house and my mind. Maybe it's time to move out to the country and raise chickens.
And on another note, a big Praise God! for so many new pregnancies around me lately! Praying that these are all blessed and healthy! Praise God for new life all around.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Put a Sock In It!
Oh not you!
Me.
This is what I've decided to work on during Advent.
God kind of alerted me to this at Adoration last night. I went in and knelt down and started rambling.
Then I got distracted. Lost my train of thought. I couldn't focus. My mind was everywhere. And I sensed God telling me to slow down and bask in His presence. I needed to put a sock in the "mouth" of my mind, which was apparently running in overdrive.
And I'm so glad He let me know. Because I was able to stop. And let go. And truly bask in His presence. I took all of my sin, and all of my worry, and frustration, anxiety, sadness, you name it....and I gave it to Him.
And I felt light.
I thought I might fall over in the pew....I literally felt that weightless.
It was supernatural.
Until I started thinking thoughts like, "what if I really do fall out of my pew and all these people see me?" And then that "light" feeling started to slip away.
Trust Me.
Okay Lord. You know best. I trust in You.
I had over an hour of glorious adoration time.
And my new reminder when my mind starts to think about "too much" at once, is to put a sock in it.
Here's my little mascot to cheer me on:
Lord, help me to slow down, put a sock in it, and listen to what you would have me hear this Advent.
Me.
This is what I've decided to work on during Advent.
God kind of alerted me to this at Adoration last night. I went in and knelt down and started rambling.
Then I got distracted. Lost my train of thought. I couldn't focus. My mind was everywhere. And I sensed God telling me to slow down and bask in His presence. I needed to put a sock in the "mouth" of my mind, which was apparently running in overdrive.
And I'm so glad He let me know. Because I was able to stop. And let go. And truly bask in His presence. I took all of my sin, and all of my worry, and frustration, anxiety, sadness, you name it....and I gave it to Him.
And I felt light.
I thought I might fall over in the pew....I literally felt that weightless.
It was supernatural.
Until I started thinking thoughts like, "what if I really do fall out of my pew and all these people see me?" And then that "light" feeling started to slip away.
Trust Me.
Okay Lord. You know best. I trust in You.
I had over an hour of glorious adoration time.
And my new reminder when my mind starts to think about "too much" at once, is to put a sock in it.
Here's my little mascot to cheer me on:
Lord, help me to slow down, put a sock in it, and listen to what you would have me hear this Advent.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Welcome Back AF!
What a title! But my cycle did indeed return....on Thanksgiving Day.
I told you I ovulated, afterall. And right before the return of my cycle came the return of the insanity I like to call "me obsessing over whether or not I might be pregnant right before AF returns".
I WAS that person in the Dollar Tree, the day before Thanksgiving, buying a pregnancy test....
And on top of that, I was dragging Isabel up and down every aisle. (They moved the tests, you see).
Meanwhile she is asking what it is that I'm shopping for.
"I can't tell you." I reply.
"Oh boy!" she says....then breaks into a litany of ideas; "Is it a toy? Is it a coloring book? Is it a princess wand? I really want a princess wand on my Christmas list...." Uh-oh, now she thinks it's a surprise for her. Geez...this is not going like I had planned.
Just walk into the store, discreetly buy a test and get out.
Nope. Go up to the check-out and ask the lady at the register if they have any tests.
"Yes." She says and stares blankly at me.
"O-K....Can you tell me where you keep them?" I'm trying to prompt her...
"Right here under the counter." She doesn't make a move. Still staring blankly at me.
"Okay, I'll take two." (You always need a back-up!) She kind of half-smiles at me, but I don't bother to explain to her the necessity of two tests.
Check out. "Happy Thanksgiving!" Leave store. Get home. Take test. It's definitely negative.
Hmmm....what if it's wrong?
AF shows up the next morning!
*sigh*
I would have been thankful either way :)
I told you I ovulated, afterall. And right before the return of my cycle came the return of the insanity I like to call "me obsessing over whether or not I might be pregnant right before AF returns".
I WAS that person in the Dollar Tree, the day before Thanksgiving, buying a pregnancy test....
And on top of that, I was dragging Isabel up and down every aisle. (They moved the tests, you see).
Meanwhile she is asking what it is that I'm shopping for.
"I can't tell you." I reply.
"Oh boy!" she says....then breaks into a litany of ideas; "Is it a toy? Is it a coloring book? Is it a princess wand? I really want a princess wand on my Christmas list...." Uh-oh, now she thinks it's a surprise for her. Geez...this is not going like I had planned.
Just walk into the store, discreetly buy a test and get out.
Nope. Go up to the check-out and ask the lady at the register if they have any tests.
"Yes." She says and stares blankly at me.
"O-K....Can you tell me where you keep them?" I'm trying to prompt her...
"Right here under the counter." She doesn't make a move. Still staring blankly at me.
"Okay, I'll take two." (You always need a back-up!) She kind of half-smiles at me, but I don't bother to explain to her the necessity of two tests.
Check out. "Happy Thanksgiving!" Leave store. Get home. Take test. It's definitely negative.
Hmmm....what if it's wrong?
AF shows up the next morning!
*sigh*
I would have been thankful either way :)
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
What's a good number?
Lately, I keep getting asked how many children Rob and I want to have. It's interesting because this article on the Duggars recently flew all over facebook and blogs, and I thought it was terrific.
So maybe people are asking because the Duggars are having another child. In any case, my response is usually the same as Rob's, "We will have as many as God chooses to give us."
But this answer seldom satisfies the person who asked the question.
"Well, what's a good number?"
For me? In my head it's usually the same answer! "However many we are blessed with!" But what I have been saying lately is "five".
I think five is a great number. But let me quantify and clarify!
When I was 10, I thought "three" was a good number of kids. Because I am one of three children in my family.
When I was, oh, about 16, my opinion changed and I thought "four" was a good number. At that point I thought I was being really generous...I mean FOUR KIDS??? That's a whole lot! (Or so I thought.) And my reasoning at the time was that with three children, someone was always a "third wheel", so four would even things out.
My point is, perspective changes over time, and with experience. Losing babies has made me desire more babies! Having Isabel made me wish I had started having children sooner. There is no way to explain the joy that comes with having a child, and after Isabel, I couldn't wait to see what new creation God might have in store for Rob and I in the addition of another child to our family. And from my perspective of having lost several pregnancies, I think five might be an ambitious number, just because of my history.
So I say "five"....but I would be thrilled with six, or seven or eight...you get the picture! It's not my desire to attempt to limit God by saying "this is the limit, we're not open to any more". And sometimes I think when people talk to me they want to know that I have "a limit".
Having children comes with great responsibility! Rob and I take this seriously! You have to be able to provide for them, among other things! But would my children suffer if they never got to go on extravagant vacations, instead opting for cheaper family camp-outs in the backyard? I'm not sure why people are eager for my "limit".
Would 20 children be too many? Well, considering my history and age there probably isn't much of a chance of that happening! Ummm....and we'd definitely need a bigger house. And what about this BIBLE verse?
"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
the fruit of the womb a reward.Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
Psalm 127:3-5
That makes you wonder...how many makes a full quiver?? I think the answer for each family is different and it takes discernment, openness to God's will and some deep prayer with You Know Who!
Just my 2 cents for the day.
So maybe people are asking because the Duggars are having another child. In any case, my response is usually the same as Rob's, "We will have as many as God chooses to give us."
But this answer seldom satisfies the person who asked the question.
"Well, what's a good number?"
For me? In my head it's usually the same answer! "However many we are blessed with!" But what I have been saying lately is "five".
I think five is a great number. But let me quantify and clarify!
When I was 10, I thought "three" was a good number of kids. Because I am one of three children in my family.
When I was, oh, about 16, my opinion changed and I thought "four" was a good number. At that point I thought I was being really generous...I mean FOUR KIDS??? That's a whole lot! (Or so I thought.) And my reasoning at the time was that with three children, someone was always a "third wheel", so four would even things out.
My point is, perspective changes over time, and with experience. Losing babies has made me desire more babies! Having Isabel made me wish I had started having children sooner. There is no way to explain the joy that comes with having a child, and after Isabel, I couldn't wait to see what new creation God might have in store for Rob and I in the addition of another child to our family. And from my perspective of having lost several pregnancies, I think five might be an ambitious number, just because of my history.
So I say "five"....but I would be thrilled with six, or seven or eight...you get the picture! It's not my desire to attempt to limit God by saying "this is the limit, we're not open to any more". And sometimes I think when people talk to me they want to know that I have "a limit".
Having children comes with great responsibility! Rob and I take this seriously! You have to be able to provide for them, among other things! But would my children suffer if they never got to go on extravagant vacations, instead opting for cheaper family camp-outs in the backyard? I'm not sure why people are eager for my "limit".
Would 20 children be too many? Well, considering my history and age there probably isn't much of a chance of that happening! Ummm....and we'd definitely need a bigger house. And what about this BIBLE verse?
"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
the fruit of the womb a reward.Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."
Psalm 127:3-5
That makes you wonder...how many makes a full quiver?? I think the answer for each family is different and it takes discernment, openness to God's will and some deep prayer with You Know Who!
Just my 2 cents for the day.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Friday Quick Takes
1. I'm going longer and longer between posts these days....I'm sure you've noticed! ;) Not sure if it is just the addition of Ian and less time on my hands, or if I've got less to say these days. Sometimes I wonder if I should keep this blog going if there's not much to say, but then I am reminded that people discover things when God wants them to....and Mary Grace's story still has relevance for those who are struggling with pregnancy loss, even if I am not currently in that same struggle.
2. I put Ian on the scale yesterday and he was 15 1/2 pounds! YAY! I am just thrilled that he is gaining weight on this high-cal stuff! The fact that he is gaining outweighs the frustration and sadness I have that I am not exclusively breastfeeding.
3. Homeschooling is going well this year and through it, and a book that my mom recommended: The Way They Learn I am learning to approach her in different ways, and recognize that she has a particular way of learning that may in fact be different from the way I learn!!! (How novel!) It has been really useful. Isabel really likes to do things right the first time, even though she may not know how! So when things aren't perfect the first time she is easily frustrated. And it doesn't help for me to get frustrated about that. (I should have already known that, right?) But I've found the different ways to work through it and help her to persevere!
4. I'm pretty sure I ovulated. More on that in another post...
5. I'm very excited about eating Thanksgiving dinner. :)
6. I found a nativity felt board on Etsy that I am just so thrilled about! It comes with a pregnant Mary and a "delivered" Mary, and you can put baby Jesus in and out of the crib. These things may seem trivial, but they are going to be so "big" for Isabel! I can't wait for it to arrive.
7. Speaking of being "delivered", there is an abundance of new babies around here! Several friends have had their babies in the last couple of weeks and I'm so happy for them! Praise God for safe and healthy deliveries, mommas and babies!
2. I put Ian on the scale yesterday and he was 15 1/2 pounds! YAY! I am just thrilled that he is gaining weight on this high-cal stuff! The fact that he is gaining outweighs the frustration and sadness I have that I am not exclusively breastfeeding.
3. Homeschooling is going well this year and through it, and a book that my mom recommended: The Way They Learn I am learning to approach her in different ways, and recognize that she has a particular way of learning that may in fact be different from the way I learn!!! (How novel!) It has been really useful. Isabel really likes to do things right the first time, even though she may not know how! So when things aren't perfect the first time she is easily frustrated. And it doesn't help for me to get frustrated about that. (I should have already known that, right?) But I've found the different ways to work through it and help her to persevere!
4. I'm pretty sure I ovulated. More on that in another post...
5. I'm very excited about eating Thanksgiving dinner. :)
6. I found a nativity felt board on Etsy that I am just so thrilled about! It comes with a pregnant Mary and a "delivered" Mary, and you can put baby Jesus in and out of the crib. These things may seem trivial, but they are going to be so "big" for Isabel! I can't wait for it to arrive.
7. Speaking of being "delivered", there is an abundance of new babies around here! Several friends have had their babies in the last couple of weeks and I'm so happy for them! Praise God for safe and healthy deliveries, mommas and babies!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
