God's purpose for me...

A while back I was reading an article about God's purpose for women.  The author focused on how we are to help our husbands and care for our homes and children.  I knew this but was reminded of this today.

I won't go into a lot of detail, so I apologize in advance if this is a bit confusing.  Today a situation occured in our family where I was not able to be the helper.  It was beyond my control (but certainly not God's) and I had to give the situation completely over to God.  While this was a great reminder that God is in control I was amazed at the feeling I had of being displaced.  Someone else was taking on my role of helper (granted for a very short and necessary time).  

After thinking this over and praying about it I am very thankful that God allowed this situation into my life.  Oftentimes I can take for granted, and dare I admit, resent the helping position God has placed me in (Selfishness can crowd so much joy from our lives).  This situation has made me so grateful for the family and home that God has given to me and the privilege that I have to serve and help them each day.  I was reminded of just how much they mean to me and how I must guard my heart from selfishness and ungratefulness.  

When I mentioned this to my husband he described it as "protective".  After thinking over several verses that speak of being the keep of the home.  I agree with him.  How protective we as mothers & wives need to be of our families and the things we allow to enter our homes.  While I could not (and it wouldn't have been wise to) prevent the situation today it was a good reminder to me to truly be the keeper (some devotionals I've read have said this is akin to a gate-keeper) of my home.

Cord blood donation

I've been wanting to write this blog for a while but as usual time & the energy to write rarely coincide. When I was pregnant with Ethan I received many brochures, mailings and information on banking/storing the cord blood for later use. The stem cells in cord blood are being successfully used to treat over 70 diseases (such as leukemia, non-hodgkin's lymphoma, breast cancer, renal cell carcinoma and many others). After looking over the information it was clear that the cost of storing the blood was way out of our reach financially and because we are very low risk for inherited disorders (also being successfully treated) we opted against storing the blood. When I was pregnant with Hailey I saw a special on Discovery Health Channel about a boy who was successfully treated for leukemia with cord blood stem cells. By the end of the special I was so in awe of how valuable this blood (the stem cells) are. At the end of the special they discussed how you can now donate the blood if you do not want to store it. What a great idea! I mentioned it to Matt when he got home and decided that I definitely wanted to donate. I contacted a company called Cryobanks International (based in Florida and a reputable company) that has an international database for hospitals to use. I filled out a quick health questionnaire online and requested an information packet. I received a more extensive health questionnaire in the mail, filled it out and mailed it back. Then I received the packet of materials that would be needed. I had discussed this with my midwife and she was willing to do the extra collection step. When Hailey was born my midwife followed the detailed instructions and collected the valuable blood. It was packaged in a postage paid fed-ex package and the nurse called to let them know it was ready to be picked up. That's it! It was such a simple process to give someone the chance at a new life. Plus it's great to know that if my children ever had one of these conditions there is a place we can go to to receive these life-giving cells, one where no human life has been destroyed. By the way, none of these diseases that are being successfully treated with cord blood stem cells can be successfully treated with embryonic stem cells. So if you are pregnant, or know someone who is I would strongly encourage you to consider donating the cord blood. I know I will be going thru this process again and will be donating this baby's cord blood also.

How willing are we to change?

Once again, I've had this blog floating around in my mind but finding the time to sit down and put my thoughts together has been a challenge lately.  Usually by the time the kids go to bed I'm too exhausted to put thoughts together. :)

I've been attending a Bible Study at church and we have been studying the book by June Kimmel entitled "That I may Know Him".  It's a wonderful book teaching the truths of God and showing how He worked in individual lives.  She takes you thru how God worked in Hagar's life, the woman at the well, and Hannah's life.  Right now we are going thru the chapters dealing with the woman at the well.

One of the things we were discussing was how Jesus broke the social "rules" and went thru Samaria.  He showed by His example that we are not to judge or neglect people based on race, history or our social perceptions of them.  In John 4:1-42 this event is relayed and not only did the woman marvel that he spoke to her (Jews did not like the Samaritans and avoided even passing thru Samaria) but his disciples also were suprised that he talked to her.

Jesus saw this woman's great need to believe.  She was a an outcast from the Jews because she was Samaritan and an outcast among her own people (she had been married & divorced 5 times and was now with a man that she was not married to).  How often do we look at someone and think "they would never come to Christ" or not even think of speaking to them because of some sin we know of in their life or because of how we might be perceived among our own friends/social group.  

Not only did Jesus minister to this woman and reveal that he was indeed the Messiah she was waiting for (which was an enormous privilege, seeing as he didn't admit this to many) but He also challenged his disciples to look and see the Samaritans that needed him that needed to be told the good news, that Jesus is the Savior they have been waiting for.  

Many times the Holy Spirit convicts us of something in our life and we may admit it needs to be changed but how many times do we just continue on our comfortable path. One of the most encouraging things to me thru studying this is the realization that the disciples took to heart what Jesus had said and done (Jesus stayed with the Samaritans for two days ministering to them).  In Acts chapter 8 the account is given of how Peter and John returned to Samaria to minister to the Samaritans.  How wonderful for them to minister to and fellowship with these believers, think of how much they would have missed out on if they had not followed Jesus' example to overcome the social barriers and see these men and women as lost souls needing Jesus and then as fellow believers.

I think one of the reasons this truth really spoke to me is that I have recently read a book entitled "Light Force" written by Brother Andrew (the author of "God's Smuggler").  In this book he shares his dealings with the Christian church in Palestine.  Many times we see this region of the world as being all Muslim (who, by the way desperately need Christ and should be in our prayers also) and don't realize that we have brothers & sisters in Christ desperately trying to reach out to those around them with the Gospel.  In one particular chapter it discusses a camp that they have set up where Jewish believers and Arab believers are sent into the desert together to labor and worship together, to break down those social barriers and predisposed ideas and to see each other as brothers and sisters.  What a powerful picture of what Jesus was doing when he went to Samaria!  May we all see each person for the truth of what they are, a soul that Jesus loves and longs for them to come to Him.  What a powerful reminder to always be aware that nothing is impossible with God and that only He knows where a person's heart is!  May we be diligent in sowing the seeds that God has called us to, regardless of who that person may be.

Blessings from God

I've had this bouncing around in my head for a few days but haven't had the time to sit down and write.  So here goes...

I had my ultrasound on Tuesday.  After some confusion which caused them to be 1/2 hour late getting to me, things went great.  I had given the kids the choice to either come in with me or stay in the waiting room with my mother-in-law (she was down visiting for Easter and a few days).  Ethan decided to stay with her but Hailey came in with me.

The baby was very active which is always fun to see and the heartrate was 160 bpm.  Hailey was fascinated by watching the baby, I'm sure she's going to make a great big sister.  One of the "highlights" was getting to listen to the heartbeat.  I know it might sound corny or cliche but it's always emotional for me the first time I hear my child's heartbeat.  After chasing the baby for a few minutes the technician was finally able to get some pictures to measure how far along I am.  I was 10 weeks 3 days on Tuesday so my due date is October 18th.

After getting home the kids wanted to see pictures online of what the baby looks like at this stage. So we went online and looked at pictures and read about how developed the baby is at this point.  I wanted to share this information here:

(this was taken from www.babycenter.com)

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.

This just reminded me of what an awesome God we serve and how he cares about us and knows us even at our smallest.  This is such a comfort to me that God knows this child, it's unique personality, needs and path.  That God, in His Word,  has provided all the resources Matt & I will need for parenting 3 unique children.  I wanted to share a couple verses that I was reminded of while reading this description.

Psalm 139 1:1-18

 1O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

 2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

 3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

 4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

 5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

 7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

 8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

 9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

 10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

 11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

 12Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

 13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

 14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

 15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

 16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

 17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

 18If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Easter Dinner...What's on the menu?

I thought it would be fun to share what our menus for Easter dinner will be.  We will be hosting my mother-in-law, my brother-in-law and his family and possibly a close friend of ours.  My menu will be:

Spiral Ham

Scalloped Potatoes 

Asparagus

Cauliflower

Salad

Bread (my brother-in-law will be bringing this so not sure what kind)

Nana's Apple Cake (a Tastefully Simple product)

God's direction for our family

I know it's been awhile since I've updated this.  Life has been crazy.  My husband got home from India on the 14th.  We were all VERY happy to see him.  I was a bit surprised at just how much it affected the kids.  They both, at different times, started sobbing because they missed him so much.  Thankfully, he had a smooth trip and actually arrived home earlier than we expected.  This is almost unheard of because India is notorious for delayed flights.  

So this past week we have been adjusting back into our routines while he adjusts back to this time zone.  

I wanted to tell a funny story on how God changes the direction of our lives.  My daughter was born 3 yrs ago (in May) and at that time we said "that's it we have two we're done".  Neither of us had any desire to have any more children.  We sold or gave away almost all of our baby gear and I sold my maternity clothes on E-bay.  We were very content with two children and felt that our family was complete.  

Over the past year I've had thoughts of maybe wanting another child but would always go back to the fact that we were settled and that I was to be content with the two beautiful, healthy children that God has blessed us with.  Well, in February I wasn't feeling well and was having some strange symptoms so I took a pregnancy test and it was positive.  At first it was a shock but over the last few weeks I have already begun to feel an attachment to this new life growing inside me.  I still can't imagine what it will be like to have three children but I am grateful to God and enjoying the fact that His plans are best and I should never say never to Him :)  

I had my first appointment with my midwife today.  We were able to catch the sound of the heartbeat for a second.  The baby was very active so we weren't able to get a heart rate but I will be having a dating ultrasound on Tuesday to determine my due date (I always have to have one because we can't tell how far along I am without one).

So, our family will be growing.  I am grateful that God has chosen to bless us with another gift from heaven.  I just wanted to share this news and would covet your prayers for a healthy pregnancy and baby.  This blog isn't going to turn into a "pregnancy" blog but I will probably update after my appointments.

Back from being MIA

Wow, this past week has been very busy.  Last week I helped my husband pack up and head to India for a two-week business trip.  Thankfully he has arrived safely and is doing well.  With him leaving I had extra preparations to do (i.e. making sure all the laundry was caught up so he would have everything he needed to pack, etc.).  

I decided to take a few days and spend them with my parents so on Friday I packed the three of us up and headed north.  We had a nice time visiting with my parents Friday evening.  On Saturday some very close family friends joined us for dinner, it was very nice to visit with them and the food was delicious (they actually brought dinner to my parent's house).  On Sunday we went to church with my parents.  It happened to be the day for their monthly fellowship dinner.  It was nice to once again visit with old friends and enjoy some very yummy food. 

 On Monday my mother-in-law joined us and we headed to the Simon Pearce Glassblowing workshop.  The kids had been very excited about going to see the glassblowing, unfortunately the workshop and store were closed for inventory & furnace cleaning.  I decided to take advantage of being so close to where I grew up and took a trip down memory lane.  Showing the kids where I lived and around the town I grew up in, they also saw the church that my father was pastor of for several years.  We stopped at Applebees for lunch and then back to my parent's house.  

Monday night we went to visit my grandmother who is now in a nursing home.  It was great to see her and she really seemed to enjoy the kids being there.  On the way back we stopped at my other grandmother's house for a bit.  It was so nice to see them both as it's usually months in between visits.  

Today we spent the morning packing up and are now home.  My mom was very kind and did all my laundry while I was there so I was able to come home and not have a lot of housework to do.  

Tomorrow is back to our "normal" schedule.  We'll go to storytime in the morning and then to prayer meeting tomorrow night.  It was a very nice time away but I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight :)