Well, it has been many moons since my last post! Since we last met, my husband and I have joyfully discovered that we are expecting our THIRD little blessing from the Lord, due April 2012! We are incredibly thankful to the Lord for His continued favor on our little family. Since that news in early August and until the past couple of weeks, I have been utterly exhausted and nauseated, which has kept me from blogging as much as I would've liked to. (Praise the Lord some of that has subsided!) I've been dying to sit down and get some thoughts out, but between chasing my one and three year old and trying to nap when they do, there just wasn't time. :-)
So now, here we are...finally. Where to begin? I have several thoughts kind of jumbled in my head all scrambling their way to the front of the line to be the first one out!
Since this one is fresh on my mind, I'll start here. Last night I went to the basement with my sweet 3 year old daughter so that she could help me build a fire in our wood stove. She was happy to help bring me small pieces of wood when I would request them. I realized as we were sitting there, watching the fire begin to consume the logs, that I could simply finish up the task and head back upstairs. Instead, I looked at my daughter and began to teach a lesson. I asked her, "Is this fire a good thing (while holding my thumb up) or a bad thing (while holding my thumb down?") She didn't know quite how to answer. So I continued, "The fire is a good thing because it provides heat to our home and keeps us warm when it's cold outside, but it has to be contained inside the stove, or it will destroy the whole house." I began to try to explain boundaries to her, as I outlined the stove with my fingers, "this is the fire's boundary. If the fire were to cross it's boundary that we've set, it would be very destructive, a very bad thing." I went on to explain that like the fire's boundary, we have boundaries set in place by our authority, who is ultimately God. The boundaries aren't meant to restrict us, but to protect us from destroying our lives. I told her how important it is to trust the authority that God has given to our parents and to our leaders. They are placed in our lives to help guide us in the path and boundary that He has set for us. Oh, how I pray daily that I'm able to point her to Christ! The responsibility of shaping a heart is overwhelming at times! I pray that she remembers that small lesson (I'm sure it will be reiterated many times this winter:) and that she begins to view the boundaries that her daddy and I have set and that the Lord has set as freeing, not restricting. I also pray that I'm able to remember that lesson as a wife and mommy.
Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21
So you may walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness. Proverbs 2:20
Going back to the announcement of our new blessing... I have to share these thoughts. When our son was born, we had lots of comments made such as, "Oh, now that you have one of each, are you done?" Or, "How perfect, a boy and a girl! Now, you can be done..." Now, I know these well-meaning folks are only being polite in their own way, but I was left to wonder what kind of responses I would get if we were to be blessed yet again with, Heaven help us, another child. After all, the average American family has 2.1 children and most of the time if you do "try" for another child, it's because the first two were of the same gender. Now, let me say this - I most certainly do not find it wrong to only have two children! I believe that family planning is a personal matter between couples and the Lord. For us, though, at this time we are trusting the Lord with the size of our family and the timing that He chooses. So when we did happily discover that we were expecting again with the youngest only 12 months old, I was not excited about the comments from others that I might receive. And sure enough, when we announced at 9 weeks gestation, we had the typical comments.. "You do know what causes that, right?"...."Might want to check the water at your house!" .... "You sure are brave!" .... "Better you than me!".... even, "You know the Bible says 'Go and make disciples, not go and make children." Wow. Now, do I think these folks were trying to be rude? No I truly don't. But those things still aren't very edifying. I love when people say to me in the grocery store when I have both of my toddlers and I'm visibly pregnant.. "Oh, bless your heart! You sure have your hands full!" My response now... "Yes, thank you, I sure do! They are full of such beautiful things!" And when I hear, "You do know what causes that, right?" I respond with, "Well, we tried keeping our toothbrushes in separate cups, but the kids just keep on coming!" ;-) I LOVE my little family! And I'm so thankful and grateful that the Lord has blessed us with children. They are blessings, not inconveniences. Does it take a little more planning and strategy to go grocery shopping? Yes! But honestly, I love going with them. They don't always act perfectly (actually I had one throwing a fit last time we made a trip) but if I never take them along and teach them how to conduct themselves in public, then all I can expect to have are loud and obnoxious children. Babies aren't born knowing how to control themselves, be respectful, and obey. They must be trained! And we have been given, as parents, that overwhelming, sometimes daunting task. If there's one thing I've learned in the past 3 years of training children, it's this - parenting is not for the faint of heart! Honestly, I do get exhausted. It's tough. But here are my promises:
And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap a harvest IF we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 (emphasis mine)
He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:29-31
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11
Praise the Lord for His promises! I, for one, am believing and receiving them!
Until next time...
