He's here!

Baby Lee

July 27, 2009

8:24 pm

7 lb. 9 oz.

19 1/2 inches

Thank you for all your prayers and best wishes!!

Saturday night

A/C on a hot day

These sandwiches for dinner

Oldies playing on the computer

Sisters admiring the sunset together

Waiting on a birthday (mine, tomorrow--hopefully baby's soon...)

Kids to bed soon

and it will be 

just him and me.

(reminding me of this Saturday night.)

God's time

There's nothing like waiting on a baby to be born to make you fully aware that we live in God's Time. God's Time is a mysterious thing to try to understand. 

I can think of so many things of which I am waiting for, not to mention the arrival of this baby.

God doesn't want us to push things along, He prefers that we wait. (Isaiah 40:31)

Our human minds cannot comprehend this, as we prefer to take things into our own hands and be God ourselves.

When has God's time come? When all human resources fail. When has God's time come? When the wisdom of men comes to nothing. When has God's time come? When something appears for which there is no natural explanation. ~God Meant it for Good: A Fresh Look at the Life of Joseph  by R.T. Kendall

Needy

No, this is not my baby. *smile* But I will have one soon...

I remember when I had my first baby.  The labor was long, I was tired, and when they placed her in the hospital bassinet beside me, all I could think was, "I want her back in there!"

I seem to remember feeling overwhelmed that this little baby was going to need me--for everything. Nourishment, love, care, dressing--well, you mamas know.

And now, I have the same sort of feelings. Because I've "been there, done that", I know a newborn needs that much more. Let's not forget I have four other children--and one of them is a teenager. =)

I never understood why God gave mothers a needy baby--lots of work--when you feel the worst: emotionally (hormones) and physically (you just gave birth!) It just made more sense to me that the mother should be in the most rested state in order to care for her newborn properly.

I began to see that this is just where God wants us. He wants us in a state of being needy. He wants us in a place where the only thing we have is Him to draw strength from.

I love this quote from Joni Eareckson Tada:

"When you are leaning on Him, you are pressing closer.

The weaker we feel, the harder we lean on God.

And the harder we lean, the stronger we grow."

Aimee has an encouraging post on being "needy" and having gracious acceptance in that place. I like what she says:

"I shudder at being needy, and here I am at the cusp of entering a "needy" season of life. A season where I must ask for help. I must confess my needs to a community. A season of feeling "undone" in many ways...my i's won't be dotted and my t's won't be neatly crossed."

I could not have expressed that better myself.

So...I will embrace this needy season in my life.  I need the Lord daily to take on this endeavor of raising five children! I need help with meals, emotional support, prayer, childcare--whatever!! Though it is hard to write that, I need to express it and accept it.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

enjoying one moment at a time;

accepting hardship as the pathway to peace;

taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;

trusting that He will make all things right, if I surrender to His will;

that I may be reasonably happy in this life,

and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen.

~Reinhold Niebuhr "The Serenity Prayer"

photo by Ta 

enjoying.....

sunshine

clear blue skies

water-logged children

summer food bounty

waiting on a baby

computer-less living

i'll be back when number five makes his debut....

photo from here

Friendship reads

I've compiled a few links on friendship.

Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend!!!

New book: "Do you want a friend?"
To be known
The friendship--details
A Go-to friend

Abundant Life--living at His banquet table

I have come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly..." ~John 10:10

For a great deal of my Christian Life, I disregarded this verse. Not because I didn't believe it, but because it was, in my mind, intended to be about the future of my life as a Christian. Jesus came to help me in this life, sure.....but when I accepted Him, it also meant that I would live with Him forever, that I would partake of the banquet table He has set--in Heaven. It was something to look forward to...

I lost perspective on that along the way...

I forgot that Jesus desires me, His child, to have Life abundantly, here on earth. Now. In this moment.

In "living Heavenly", I forgot He desired that I have the freedom to live abundantly here on earth.

It means, I can live my life more fully. That I have the ability to love, to be at peace, to be free, to enrich the lives of others to a much greater and richer degree than without Jesus.

And what's more???

I will have this abundant life not even now....but in the future....in Heaven....with Him.....forever.

Jesus came so that I would have life more abundant....NOW. A life worth living.....NOW.

How do I do that? 

Some thoughts:

1. Live day by day. Take each day as it comes. Begin each day in prayer and the Word to see what He would have me do. Have no worry of yesterday or tomorrow.

2. Give everything to Him in prayer. Is something bothering me? Continually pray. Will this bring an "answer"? No, not always. It will bring me to Him, and will allow me to see He is at my right hand, and He supplies all my needs.

3. Look for the everyday blessings: "What will be magnified?" 

What will you choose to magnify everyday?

4. Take refuge under His wings daily. Our circumstances may not be ideal, they may be terrible, horrible, unbearable. He desires we reside under His wing, in His protection.

5. Fight for Joy 

some posts on my "Fighting for Joy" series I did a couple of years ago.

Simple Woman's Daybook

I forgot if I was clear on this: Mama Monday will be taking a break for awhile while I wait on this baby and readjust to life with five children.
Today? The Simple Woman's Day Book.

Outside my window...
Gorgeous weather: low humidity, clear blue sky. I am loving this summer so far!

I am thinking...
Of Joy, Aimee, and Laurel--all due very soon along with myself. (one more week?)

I am thankful for...
My husband wrapping up a very busy week. I think I've seen him a total of one hour all week.

From the kitchen...
This morning? Grits and eggs. And peaches and ice cream for desserts--yum.

I am wearing...
flannel pj pants, t-shirt

I am creating...
a baby in the oven, a Tumblr  page. Like I need another web tool to occupy my time.

I am going...
to be busy today. Errands, chiropractor visit. But I've got all my "to-dos" done for the most part. Now just keeping up with laundry and waiting on this baby. Staying close to home. I'm hibernating!

I am reading...
The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule

I am praying...
for two specific worries that keep creeping in my mind. Trying to give them to Him and have peace.

I am hearing...
The washing machine and the girls playing a computer game.

Around the house...
I am loving being able to open the windows every morning and let the fresh, cool air in. Makes me happy.

One of my favorite things...
My chiropractic care this pregnancy. It's been sooo great. I'm pretty sure I'm addicted.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Nada. Zip.Nothing. Try to not go crazy waiting on this baby.

"If mothers could learn to do for themselves what they do for their children, we should have happier households. Let the mother go out to play! If she would only have courage to let everything go when life becomes too tense, and just take a day, or half a day, out in the fields, or with a favorite book, or in a picture gallery looking long and well at just two or three pictures, or in bed, without the children, life would go on far more happily for both children and parents."
~Charlotte Mason

Some good reads this week:

Daily dose of food for the soul
Brains, breathing, and play: A new kind of counseling
Perfect: Not a word high on my vocabulary as an expectation of life
365 days of grateful
The Art of Now: Six steps to living in the moment

Happy weekend! And happy reading!

How can you take Charlotte Mason's advice in the coming week, mamas?? Remember, this advice was way before it was "Oprah-ized".

and speaking of "Oprah", read this awesome post. 

sweet simple things

I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.
~Laura Ingalls Wilder

::a favorite spot in my home::

::fried rice made by my daughter, seltzer with mint, a good book, sunshine::

::a gracious, gracious and dear friend sent me this robe (a big surprise) i have been eyeing for awhile...

it spoke God's love to me in volumes--when i needed it the most::

::a belly with baby::

What sweet, simple things are you loving lately?

Somethin' ain't right...

Okay, so I looked at the ticker tape of how far along I am in this pregnancy, and it said, "38 weeks, 8 days to go.." Huh?? Isn't that math off a little bit? Help me out here, people. 

Trying to understand

reading Ann Kiemel Anderson's book I Love the Word Impossible:

"no, life isn't so simple now.

it can be complex and sometimes very frightening.

in my traveling i have met many people...Christians...with

seemingly impossible situations. there are not a lot of easy answers. sometimes i cannot even think of one. people call for advice. i have no pat answers. i can share what is right for me, what the Bible says about various things...but i don't know where people are coming from, or all the wounded parts of their emotions.

i cannot make judgements.

i don't believe Jesus Christ asks that from me. He wants me to listen, to give warmth and love. to try and help a person grasp God in his/her life and decide, through God, what is truth for him or her, to understand the power of total commitment.

but judgement, no.

i've not walked anyone else's road; i've not carried others' crosses.

i've not felt their childhood. i've never crawled behind their skin where hearts and minds beat.

only God has.

only i know me, and only God and i, alone, know what place God has in my life...and if what i say is honest."

This little book has so many nuggets of wisdom in it. I am eating it up.

This passage reminded me of a recent post I read that I will share:

Understanding

May I seek to understand others not only in the Christian body, but everywhere.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For a long time, I've been wanting to participate in Peggy's "Simple Woman Daybook".
I love catching a glimpse into everyone's day. It's my favorite part of Facebook. (Maybe I should "Twitter"?)

So, without further adieu, here is mine:

For Today...

Outside my window... bright sunshine, perfect shadows--looks like a beautiful day.

I am thinking...about making another cup of coffee.

From the learning rooms... enjoying all that summer has to offer. Sunshine, fresh food, eating outside, just "being".

I am thankful for... my husband and how he takes care of us.

From the kitchen... craving a greek orzo salad with lots of feta and some blueberry muffins with cream cheese icing.

I am wearing...my husband's tee and striped pajama bottoms.

I am reading... I Love the Word Impossible by Ann Kiemel Anderson

I am hoping... to get my house in order this week so I can just wait on the baby. (2 weeks left!)

I am creating... a life inside me, with the help of a great and powerful God!!

I am praying... all day long--so many things to turn to Him.

Around the house...bags that need to be unpacked, laundry that needs to be folded, baby stuff that needs to be set up.

One of my favorite things... I really, really love Northeast summers, after growing up in Southeast summers.

A few plans for the rest of the week... swimming lessons for the kiddos, midwife visit, trying to take it easy and not plan too much.

Biting off more than I can chew

In these last days of pregnancy, it's easy to start feeling overwhelmed about the future. How am I going to add one more to this already crazy mix? How am I going to meet everyone's needs? How am I going to survive on little sleep? How the heck am I going to do it all????

It's in those moments when I need to tell myself: One day at a time.

We are given daily bread for each day. Enough grace to make it each day. With a daily dose of the Word, we are only asked to do this day, this moment. Man is born of trouble, but we are not asked to do it past this day.

The antidote for feeling overwhelmed at the many unknowns, is to not bite off more than we can chew. It is to take one day at a time. And that's what I'm telling myself as I wait.

Related:

One yes at a time

ht: Elizabeth