Do the Next Thing

If you're a long-time reader of my blog, you know how different it used to be. I used to be the queen of schedules, routines, organizing, and planning. I blogged almost every day and I had some advice about everything! HAHAHA! This past year has taught me that I ain't the queen of nuthin! First we moved across the country to a tiny house, then my husband deployed, then I had a baby making for 3 under 3, four 4 and under, six 7 and under! Add to that an onslaught of sickness, emergencies, and having to take everyone everywhere--I very quickly lost control. He has been gone almost 11 months now and I have yet to get control back. In fact, it's worse than ever!

I still have routines and goals for my day that I strive for, but most days it's just a matter of simply surviving. I'm just glad to have made it though each day having the basics done, which means food in their bellies and clothes on their bodies (well, except for the 2-year-old. They'll never wear clothes!).

I find so much encouragement in that old line from a poem we've all heard, "Do the next thing." Elisabeth Elliot's daughter Valerie said it perfectly, "Don't sit down and think of all the things you have to do. That will kill you. It's overwhelming. It's daunting if you think of all the things that are involved in a task. Just pick up the next thing."

My favorite lines of this poem are posted in my kitchen:

Do it immediately, do it with prayer,
Do it reliantly, casting all care.
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on omnipotence, safe 'neath His wing,
Leave all resultings, do the next thing.

Read the entire poem here.
Read Elisabeth Elliot's Back to the Bible broadcast where she discusses this poem. It is such an encouragement and one I go back to over and over again.

Now it's time for me to do the next thing--give these kids a bath and put them to bed!

Ways to spend my days with Him

This is one way I make time in my day for prayer and bible reading. Two places where I spend the most time are at the kitchen sink and in the laundry room. Here is what is over my kitchen sink. A calendar that I use to pray for my children and a copy of Philippians 1 and 2. A few months ago I memorized chapter 1 this way and now I'm working on chapter 2. This is the first time I have memorized long passages and it is amazing! I hope I can find time to write about it soon.


And here is my laundry area. This is where I fold laundry so I spend a lot of time here. It's another place I work on my memorization (which also becomes meditation and prayer).

If you want to read more about the hows and whys of scripture memorization I recommend His Word in My Heart by Janet Pope. There is also an excellent series on Revive our Hearts by the same title. That is what sparked my desire.

Satan's lies about God's Word: Do you believe them?

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4

Satan does NOT want us to read the Bible. That is an obvious statement, but the sad thing is that he has fed the world so many lies about God's Word that even Christians believe. The Bible is the very Word of God. It IS His words to us. It is how He leads us and teaches us, it is how He fills us with His Spirit which produces His fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It is the answer to every problem, every question, and every decision. Yet many of us don't even know what's in it. Let's look at some of the lies Satan has fed us and see if we have been fooled.

1. You don't need to read the Bible. You can hear the Bible at church.

2. The Bible is too hard to understand!

3. The Bible is boring!

4. Lots of things in the Bible do not apply to this day and age.

5. It doesn't matter if you read the whole Bible, or if you read it every day.

6. You can't really know it or understand it enough to apply it to your lives. It's all up to interpretation after all!

7. Your spiritual state does not depend on how often you read it, how well you know it, or how much you abide in it.

8. You don't need it to know right from wrong, or to help you know what is best for you.

9. It is too much and too hard for your children to understand. Just read them Bible story books!

10. Study? Meditate? Memorize? Why??? That is pointless. Let the preacher feed you--that is all you need.

11. You don't have TIME to read the bible!

12. You have better things and more important things to do than read the bible!


Those last two were brutal weren't they? If you believe any of these things, you do not know your Bible! As my own passion and hunger for God's amazing Word has grown, I have felt an urgency to plead with women that they must, they must, they MUST be in God's Word every day! Not because it is required or because God will love us more, but because we NEED it! If we miss it, we are missing out!

I don't even know where to begin telling you what the Bible means to me, what He does for me through it every single day. The benefits are endless. The side-effects are guaranteed. It is so incredible that it blows me away that most people blow it off!

You don't have time NOT to read it! There is NOTHING more important, nothing better. If you want to know God, if you want to live your life for Him, if you want wisdom, joy, peace, you MUST know God's Word! You must know it so well that it shapes your every thought, every belief, every decision. You must get enough to drown out all the other voices in this world that are feeding us lies lies lies! Drown out the media, drown out our culture, drown out tv, movies, music. And I promise you, once His Word gets into you, you won't even want that stuff anymore. You will see how destructive it is, but you won't even care anymore because it will be WORTHLESS to you! The things this world has to offer is sewage compared to the riches that are ours in Him through the life of His Word!

I feel like I could go on and on, so I think I will just say more about this later. I want to talk about the incredible value in reading it, both to ourselves and with our children, praying it, memorizing it, studying it, meditating on it. But for now, if you haven't gotten your daily bread, sit down, gather your children around, and drink in the life He gives.

Current Meal Plan

Remember my simplified meal plan? We used it for quite a while and it really made that area of my life so much easier. I never had to think about what was for supper or what I needed to buy at the store. It worked really well. I had to stop making smoked sausages because they gave me headaches so we changed that night to breakfast.

After a while of that I felt ready to broaden it a bit, so I have revised that meal plan and it is still pretty simple but also gives us more variation.

Monday--Bean night. When I first started making beans a few years back, my kids would groan. Now they LOVE beans and we usually don't even have any leftovers for me to work with anymore.
Most of the time I make pinto beans, but sometimes we have black beans. We have "soup beans", sometimes just with cornbread, other times with fried potatoes, or macaroni and cheese. Sometimes we load them with toppings: cheese, onions, salsa, sour cream. Sometimes we have beans and rice and cheese. Sometimes we even make bean tacos.

Tuesday--Spaghetti Night. This could be regular spaghetti with meat sauce or meatballs, it could be made with spaghetti noodles or ziti or rotini or any kind of pasta. If I really feel like cooking, I might make lasagna. If I really need a break, I might make frozen ravioli (which is really good!) Sometimes I make it with chicken or meatless. (If we're really tired of spaghetti sauce, I might make some sort of casserole.)

Wednesday--breakfast for supper.

Thursday--pizza night. Since we do our grocery shopping on Thursdays I have moved pizza night from Friday to Thursday. Yes, sometimes I still order pizza, sometimes I even get frozen pizza. Lately I've been really adventurous and have started making my own pizza again. It has been fun.

Friday--"Cookout" night. Hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken. Whatever you might have at a cookout. I bought a cast iron grill pan and I love it! I also make my cornbread in it. It works!

Saturday--taco night. Tacos, burritos, taco salad, etc. If we have leftover beans, I use them.

Sunday--on weeks we go to church we eat out. During this season of life, I stay home every other week for a day of rest. Then we have sandwiches or something easy that will allow me to kind of "take off" that day.


I don't stick with this 100%. There might be a new recipe I want to try or something else we might be wanting to have. But during this season of life, this menu plan is working for me.

It's all about You.

It's all about You, Jesus.
All this is for You, for Your glory and Your fame.
It's not about me, as if You should do things my way.
You alone are God and I surrender to Your ways.



This has been my sing-all-day song lately; my sing through the mess and the noise and the chaos and the exhaustion song.
It's so easy for me to give into selfishness in the midst of these long hard days when I am constantly cleaning only to have it messed up,
constantly disciplining only for the same child to commit the same offense 30 seconds later,
constantly shushing only to have the noise level rise,
constantly cooking only to have it all gobbled up with nary a thank you, mom!
Constantly going going going and giving giving giving, and never a moment for me.
It sounds like a good way to forget about "me" but I find myself crying out "Me! Me! Me!" What about me? I need a break! I need quiet! I need something for me me me! WHY do I have all these little children? WHY am I keeping them here 24/7?

But then the Lord reminds me, life is not about me. My purpose in existing is not so I can live and die and have as much fun as I can and just enjoy life while I have it. My purpose is to serve and glorify Him. It's ALL. ABOUT. HIM.

I can think of no better way for the Lord to teach us unselfishness than through motherhood. Because of motherhood, I am all but forced to die to my self daily, to take up my cross, to deny my self.
The world wants to tell me everywhere I go that I am crazy because children are burdens, I need to have an easy life, I need the money children will take, I need what my flesh wants. Can no one see how selfish they look when the glare at me, shake their heads, point their fingers, make their condescending comments? I may be just as selfish, but my heart is crying out to them, "It's not about ME!"

It's all about You, Jesus.
All this is for You, everything I do all day, I offer it up to You as a sacrifice of praise, for Your glory and Your fame.
It's not about me. No matter how many times I lose my temper, lock myself in the bathroom, or think about giving up--I know it's not about me, as if You should do things my way!
You alone are God. I'm not God. You alone are God, and I surrender to Your ways.

Prof. Horner's Bible Reading System

I have tried almost every Bible reading system and schedule out there. It is always fun to try fresh new ways, especially at the beginning of the year when we are fired up about about reading through the bible in a year. A few months ago I found a new system on Facebook that got me really excited and I love it! It is called Prof. Horner's Bible Reading System. You can read all about it on the facebook page. There is a lot of info there about the what, how, and why. It will really inspire you to try it out.

In a nutshell you read from 10 lists:

THE TEN LISTS:
List 1 (89 days)
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

List 2 (187 days)
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

List 3 (78 days)
Romans, I&II Cor, Gal, Eph, Phil, Col, Hebrews

List 4 (65 days)
I&II Thess, I&II Tim, Titus, Philemon, James, I&II Peter, I,II&III John, Jude, Revelation

List 5 (62 days)
Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

List 6 (150 days)
Psalms

List 7 (31 days)
Proverbs

List 8 (249 days)
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I&II Samuel, I&II Kings, I&II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

List 9 (250 days)
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah,
Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

List 10 (28 days)
Acts


We are enjoying this method so much--I use it both alone and with my children. I try to read at least one chapter in the morning (I'm not a morning person), we read several chapters at rest time and bedtime, and then I read more at night when I go to bed. Sometimes if the rest of the household does not require too much of my attention, I will read while I am nursing too.

If you decide to try it, I posted some really nice bookmarks for it on my facebook page a few posts down.

Facebook Page

In case you didn't notice, I have created a page on Facebook for the blog. I post there more often than here and would love to have discussions! Come "like" me!

I Need Thee Every Hour

Did you know the hymn "I Need Thee Every Hour" was written by a wife, mother, and homemaker? I can understand why an everyday wife and mother would have such a prayer in her heart. This job is not the vacation some people see it as. It is HARD. In fact--I can't do it! I cannot be a "good wife" or a "good mom" without Him! I need His help, His wisdom, His presence every minute of the day--drawing from Him moment by moment.

Annie Hawks was in the midst of her daily duties at home when the words to the beautiful hymn came to her. She said, "I was so filled with a sense of nearness to my Master that, wondering how one could live without Him in either joy or pain, these words, 'I need Thee every hour,' were flashed into my mind. Seating myself by the open window in the balmy air of the bright June day, I caught up my pencil and the words were soon committed to paper."

I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.

I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee!
O bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour,
Stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power
When Thou art night.

I need Thee every hour,
In joy or pain,
Come quickly, and abide,
Or life is vain.

I need Thee every hour,
Teach me Thy will,
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill.

Children are a Blessing

I am so excited to tell about this! I have a dear friend that I have known for about 15 years and she now has 10 beautiful children. They are just an amazing family and she has been one of my Titus 2 mentors, always faithful to counsel me and pray for me. They are the real deal! When she mentioned they were sending me a copy of a documentary they made called "Children are a Blessing" I was expecting a cute little home movie. Wow--was I surprised when I watched it. It is an incredible professionally made film, and as much as I was blown away by the quality, the content is what touched my heart and fueled my passion. This film could change your life.

From the description:

Children are a Blessing - DVD

A Family of Twelve Shares a Biblical Vision of Life

Produced by Moore Family Films

Watch this family of 12 enjoy family life together. See them in action as they anticipate, give birth to and welcome their 10^th child into the home.

You will hear them expose the history of the birth control movement on the 50^th anniversary of the Pill and how God opened their eyes to the blessing of children, in spite of their different ideals at the beginning.

It is a delightful documentary.

Not only will you be inspired, but you can show it to other families or lend out to promote the blessings of embracing children.

Includes 60 Minutes of Bonus Features

You can order "Children are a Blessing" from Above Rubies and it will be soon be available from the Moore's own website.

Creating an Atmosphere

Have you been following the "Making Your Home a Haven Fall Challenge" with Courtney at Women Living Well? Week 1 is "Are You Distracted and Distant or Making Your Home a Haven?" and today began week 2, "How to Make Your Home Sing". Some REALLY good stuff there that has really inspired and challenged me.

Today she touched on having music softly playing in your home. I love to have music playing here and I do confess that it is not always playing softly! Music can create a peaceful atmosphere that promotes calmess, or a fun atmosphere that promotes productivity, or a worshipful atmosphere that promotes a God-centered home.

I thought I would share some of my favorite music to have in my home as we are working and playing.

Serene and Pearl Their songs are so soothing and peaceful and inspire me to be a godly wife and mother. I especially recommend the cd's "Peace All Over Me" and "Soothe Me".

Seeds Family Worship We have all of these scripture memory cd's and they REALLY do get God's Word into your head and your heart. It's so funny when we are reading the bible and we come across a verse that is included on one of these cd's, someone will always burst into song when they recognize it.

Worship music. Some of my favorites are Hillsong, Desperation Band, and Jesus Culture.

Kari Jobe

Hymns. I love hymns! They are so powerful!!! I especially love the covers that contemporary artists have done and I hear that Serene & Pearl are recording a hymn cd!!!

When the children and I are working together in the kitchen we like to listen to upbeat music--contemporary Christian, Christian rock, etc. I think they would say TobyMac is their favorite. :-)

What are some of your favorites? Please share in the comments or on the facebook page!

The Ultimate Microscope

Have you ever read something you wrote long ago and it is like someone else wrote it? I posted the following in September 2006 and I barely remember writing it but I am SO convicted by it right now:

More than anything else in this life I want to love and serve God with everything that I have and I want every single area of my life to be in the center of His Will. Have you ever put all the little details of your life under the ultimate microscope of God's Holy Word? It's easy to overlook things a lot of times. Every thought and attitude, every action and pastime, every interest, every decision, every possession, every spoken (and unspoken) word. This is what I want for my life. I want every single little thing to give glory and honor to Him and to be in line with His glorious standard. Isn't that an awesome goal to reach for? I pray that God will open my eyes to any thing in my life that is not pleasing to Him and doesn't bring Him glory. As I read His word and pray in my private times with Him, I will be asking Him to show me His ways and teach me His paths, to guide me in His truth and teach me. Reveal to me what needs to change in my life. Show me any areas of hidden sin that I may obey You; for if I love You I will obey You.

My private thoughts?
My attitudes?
My behavior toward my children?
My respect for my husband?
My TV/movie/music choices?
My family size?
My ways of spending precious time?
My sleeping habits?
My eating habits?
My conversations?
My desires?
My spending habits?
My vanity?
My self-focus?
My homekeeping?

Oh Lord, as usual, I need a lot of work. I pray You will lead and guide and help me as I seek to bring every part of my life into obedience to You.


This goes along with a song that has been MY song this week. God has really spoken to me through it. And now I come across this old old blog post. I think He's trying to tell me something :-)

Homeschooling: It’s about TIME.

When people find out you homeschool, they usually assume it’s ALL about shelter and wanting to keep your children away from negative influence. Some are defensive when they think we are implying your schools are bad, your teachers are bad, your children are bad, anything outside the door of MY home is bad!

Some may even realize the educational benefit and acknowledge that your children ARE receiving a wonderful education, but they too may get defensive when they think you are implying THEIR educational system is inferior because of that.

While I fully agree with the truth of Psalm 1 and I do believe that in most cases the education received is exceptional, those are not my number one reasons for being passionate about homeschooling. Why do I believe in homeschooling so much then? It’s all about TIME.

Homeschooling gives us TIME which we already have so little of as it is! Time is so precious and the years we have with our children are so few and so fleeting! The children who live next to me get on the bus a little after 7. They usually get home at 4:15. That is nine hours! If they are at school 9 hours and need 10 hours of sleep, what does that leave us? 5 hours? Which is mostly eaten up by homework, dinner, maybe ball practices, or even church? Where is the time? Oh, as long as I make these few hours and weekends and summers QUALITY time, it will all work out! No, I don’t think so.

In order to raise children according to God’s Word, we NEED the quantity time homeschooling allows us.

TIME to teach God’s Word and impress it upon their hearts “when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up”. (Deut. 6:7)

TIME to “bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord”. (Eph. 6:4)

TIME to acquire a biblical worldview, which directly contradicts the worldview learned in school. I could write a whole other article on this, so I will move on...

TIME to be together as a family, time spent learning and playing, time with siblings (which teaches so much all on it’s own). Yes, there should be a balance of family time and social time, but family should far outweigh others on that scale. Homeschooling brings that perfect balance of making our priorities first God, then family, then others. We need this time to keep our hearts connected to our children’s. That is one of the keys to raising children who will eventually make your faith, their faith. I’m so thankful for the precious memories I have with my children--all the little things that happen every day that I would have missed if they were gone.

TIME in the home, a home where God and His Word are the center and the focus of everything. The atmosphere is permeated with the Lord, every school subject is about Him, everything about LIFE is all about Him. Home is primarily where we teach our children God’s ways, where we train them, where we discipline,and yes, where we have fun. Home is the center of it all. Even a few hours out of our home is enough to make me see a decline in all these things.

TIME to learn responsibility and real life. I cannot see how public school prepares children for the “real world”. The real world is not about sitting in a classroom with 20 other people the same age as you. The real world is about responsibility, relating to people of all ages, growing in your walk with the Lord, acquiring life skills, entering the workforce, and being a godly and skilled husband/wife and mother/father. Homeschooling is the “school” for learning about life because homeschooling IS life. It’s a way of life. It’s not sitting down to do a few workbooks from 9am to 3pm and then resuming life. It is a lifestyle that is happening from sunup to sundown--a lifestyle of learning and growing in the Lord.

TIME to pursue your own interests. I cannot say enough about this because as a homeschool graduate myself, I see the importance of it; and I already see the fruit of this in my own children. Children learn best through doing the things that interest them individually. Whether it be through hobbies, the books they choose to read, music, art, even the movies they watch, the possibilities are endless. If a child has an interest or a talent, they need to be allowed the freedom to pursue them as deeply as they desire.

TIME to pursue God. This would be my number one. When I was about 13 or 14 years old, I really began to cultivate my own relationship with the Lord. From then until I graduated at the age of 17, I would spend hours upon hours reading and studying the bible, writing in a prayer journal, and just learning how to commune with Him. When did I do this? When everyone else was in school. Otherwise I would not have had the TIME. Who would I be today had I been communing with teenagers in school rather than the Most High God? I shudder to think. That is the time period of my life that I look back on that truly shaped me. Looking back, I credit who I am today to my high school years--homeschool high school years.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me and don’t hold them back.” So for as long as I can, that is what I’m going to do. I will point the way and when they are ready to go, I will let them come to Him.

Homeschooling is not really home schooling. It’s TIME. It’s living, learning, growing, preparing, enjoying, and so much more

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children- with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.Psalm 103:13-18

Consider everything you do in the light of eternity...

Save money on dishwasher detergent

Homemade cleaning products are all the rage right now. I have been making my own for years because there was a time when it was all we could afford. Not only does it save money, but it is better for your health and the earth. Years ago I made my own laundry detergent, fabric softener, and cleaning products, but never could find a recipe for dishwashing detergent that worked well.

A while back I came across this recipe. It is not non-toxic, but it is much more so than regular, and much much cheaper. And I have found that it works BETTER than detergent alone. Here is how I make it:

You need Cascade Complete, borax, baking soda, measuring cup, a container, and a scoop. I'm using an old wipes container and a small measuring cup for my scoop.





Measure out equal parts of each ingredient. Mix well.


To use, you do NOT need to fill the entire compartment. Maybe just a little more than halfway or even less--it depends on your water. You can play with it to see how much you need. Sometimes less is best. Keep some type of scoop in the container--a 1/8 c. measuring cup or tablespoon works well. I had an extra 1/4 c. measuring cup so that is what I use.


If your dishwasher has a JetDry dispenser, fill it with white vinegar about once a month. It will do the job as well as the real stuff.

I hope this helps someone save some money!

Resting together for learning, quality time....and quiet!

I think I've blogged about this a few times over the years, but I've had several recent conversations that made me want to talk about it again. For me, rest time and early bedtime for the children is KEY to my sanity. Not that I don't love to be with them (as you will see, I AM still with them during this time), but it's like I have said before: I don't need a break from my children themselves, but I do need a break from noise, messes, and chaos! And so do the children.

This is how we currently do rest time at our home. At noon we stop school to make lunch. We eat lunch and do whatever cleaning up we can get done before 1:00. At 1:00 sharp, it's rest time, no matter how much progress we've made in the kitchen! It's the law!

ALL of us from birth to mommy-size find a spot in the living room to sit or lie down. Sometimes a toddler may still need to go to their room for a nap, but if they are able to nap with us, they can stay. If Cara gets too disruptive, I put her in her room to sleep. Actually, if ANYONE is persistently disruptive, they will rest alone in their room. This is a great disappointment to them--they love rest time! The younger ones may get a pillow and/or blanket, or sometimes they just cuddle up with me.

Everyone knows the rules of rest time--sit down, be still, be quiet.

What we do at rest time varies throughout the year. This is our current lineup:
First prayer--this is when we pray over our prayer list.
Homeschool Bible (we are using BJU Bible Truths and it is amazing! They do the corresponding worksheet after rest time.)
History (Monday and Wednesday)
Science (Tuesday and Thursday)
Reading from Everyday Graces (I love this book!)
Reading from Gladys Aylward (We are reading through Christian Heroes Then and Now biographies)

Of course most of this is way over the little ones' heads, so what do they do? Well, first of all, they absorb WAY more than you think! Then...they get bored and fall asleep! Yes! Now they are getting their much needed nap and you are getting much needed one-on-one time with the older children. And if it has been an extra busy day, they will fall asleep too! And yes, there are those seasons where mommy will fall asleep before anyone else!!! During those times, I will either turn on a movie for them or have them quietly read or look at books. Either way, the same rules apply--sit down, be still, be quiet!

Rest time ends at 2:00--or when you wake up!

Now, bedtime. Do you dread bedtime? I've had complete strangers remark to me after noting the size of my family how hard bedtime must be. It is actually one of my favorite times of day. This is how we do it. 7:00 is baths for the little ones, followed by showers for the older ones if needed, and once everyone is ready for bed, we all head into the bedroom. I have 4 boys in one room, and Cara also comes in there with us, and Tyson crawls around on the floor.

The rules are: lie down, be still, be quiet.
This is our current bedtime booklist:
First we pray. Whoever wants to pray may pray.
First I read a book of a child's choice. Each child has a day of the week that he gets to pick the book.
Then I read from Hymn's for a Kids Heart (We are on volume 2)
Then I read from the Bible. We are currently reading John and the Proverbs and Psalms of the day. For instance on today, the 9th, we read Proverbs 9, and Psalms 9, 39, 69, 99, and 129.

What I do next I just recently started and it has been such a blessing to me. I pray over each of the children. By this point, most, if not all, are asleep. If they are awake, I might talk to them or ask them if there is anything I should pray for first. So I just go to each one, lay my hands on them, and pray. This one thing has changed my life as a mommy.


There are so many benefits to having a daily rest time and early bedtime with your children. It provides togetherness and cuddles, peace and quiet, learning and discipleship, rest and relaxation, training and structure--and a precious time of prayer. We ALL look forward to these times every day.

Is the Bible ALWAYS True?

I thought since I don't have much time to blog these days, I would move some things from my old blog over to here. This is something I wrote years ago--I'm a little older than that now ;-)
But four more children later, I believe what I said even more strongly than ever!


Today I overheard 2 SAHMS talking. All they did was complain about their children. They don't get any sleep. They never get to take a shower. They never get any time to themselves. They never get to go out with friends. Their children are so strong willed--NO method of discipline works. The children are so draining on their marriage. I hear this so often from moms and it saddens me.

These statements were actually said OUT LOUD:
"I love my children, I just don't LIKE them very much."
"I know she's a blessing, but she's a big burden, too."
"It's a sacrifice, but how much sacrifice is WORTH it?"

My heart was just breaking for these women. Is it really just my personality to love being a mother and making it my lifelong career and ministry? Is that why I feel they are missing out on so much blessing?

I whispered a prayer to somehow be able to minister to these ladies' hearts and perhaps help them catch God's vision for their families.

I am only 26 years old, but I feel that He might have me here as a representative of a woman whose heart is at home with her family. I would feel honored if He used me somehow in the life of some young mother who may be seeking to recognize her calling.

I was feeling somewhat similar 3 years ago when I only had 2 children. I wrote this email to Beverly:

First conversation last week. Talking to D, 38, mother to two girls age 4 and 1.

D: I don't want anymore, of course. Do you?

Me:Yes!

D: You do??

Me: Of course!

D: Well, I'm just too old.

Me: Well, my mom (I always refer to you as my mom) is 43 and desperately wants at least one more. (she already knew you had seven children.)

D: (Jaw hits floor hard) SHE does? Your MOM does?

Me: Of course. Why would you NOT want another precious baby?

D: (brief silence) Because! I'm tired! They cost money!

Second conversation last week. Talking to C, 30, mother of three girls around 10, 9, and 2. And L, 24, mother of two girls 3 and 2.

Me: C, whenever you want your baby seat back I will bring it. David doesn't really like it.

C: Well, there's no rush. We aren't having anymore. If we got really really blessed financially we might consider having one more. But only if it's before I turn 35. That's my limit.

L: Whew! No more for me! Do you want any more?

Me: Of course! I want a lot more.

Both laugh.

C: A lot! (thinking I am joking and or exaggerating)

Me: Yes. We believe children are the greatest blessing God gives.

Complete silence.

C and L: (In their minds) That poor stupid naive child.

L: (mumbling) only if insanity is a blessing.

These two conversations would have bothered me a lot a couple years ago. Now I only feel sorry for them. I've been thinking about their reasoning a lot this past week and last night as I got into bed these thoughts came to me.

The bible says children are a blessing. Whenever God blessed anyone in the bible, He blessed them with offspring! Is the bible true? Yes, so children MUST be a blessing. But is the Bible ALWAYS true? Any of these wonderful ladies would wholeheartedly agree, yes. So are children ALWAYS a blessing? We must further conclude, yes. But anytime they give any of these reasons they are essentially saying that children are a burden. Whether they realize it or not, they have bought into Satan's lie that children are a burden, not a blessing. Let's examine these reasons for not having children.

"I'm tired." "I couldn't handle more children." "I'm too old." Translation--children are a physical burden. But this is contrary to God's word. According to God, Children are a physical BLESSING! God gives grace for the moment. He will give you strength and energy when you need it. He will give you grace to handle every child He gives you. Children will keep you young. And they will be an extra blessing to you when you are REALLY old and really tired! You will stretch and grow in so many areas because you will HAVE to!

"They cost money!" "We can't afford any more children." Translation--children are a financial burden. Again, not according to God's Word. Are children always a blessing? Then children are a financial BLESSING! Don't you have a rich Father? Don't you truly believe that He will provide for His own? With each of my children I have seen a significant increase in financial blessing. Plus, having children makes you learn to be frugal and will keep you from being materialistic, thus SAVING you money and saving you from the sin of materialism.

"I would go insane." "I don't have enough patience." Translation--children are an emotional burden. No! Children are resoundingly an emotional BLESSING if you will start looking at them through God's eyes instead of the worlds! Please, start enjoying your children. Start seeing them as the tremendous blessing they are!

How I wish I could say all this to so many people. If they ask I will. But I can't convince them of anything. Only God can. I wish I could write something like this and hand it out to so many people. It breaks my heart that they are missing out of this wonderful life because they unknowingly believe these lies. They just don't KNOW. I pray one day they will.

Love, Jennifer

Happily married to Kevin, who is more than I deserve

Joyfully raising Justin and David for God's glory

Tell me what the world is saying today, and I'll tell you what the church will be saying seven years from now.

--Francis Schaeffer


Beverly's response to me:

"Two things:

GOOD FOR YOU!

and

ONE DAY I THINK YOU WILL WRITE THOSE THINGS FOR OTHERS TO READ."

You were right, Beverly. I did. Thank you for encouraging me to.

2010 Homeschool Plans

(The pictures are not uploading right. Sorry about that!)

I've been wanting to do this for so long, but our life is just so busy with out-of-home activities right now that I'm finding it hard to do anything like this. I'm so excited about next years school year. Here is a little of what we'll be using.

Bible:
BJU Bible Truths
We will all be doing the same level together and I'm using the first grade level A Father's Care. This is absolutely AMAZING! I wish I had discovered it sooner.


Language Arts:
Language Lessons from Queen homeschool.

Reading:

Justin--A Beka third grade readers and CLP Nature Readers
David--A Beka first grade readers and CLP Nature Readers
Isaiah-- CLP pre-k and possibly K readers
All of the books are not pictured because I think someone has been sneaking them ;-)


Math:
Justin--Teaching Textbooks 4
David--Horizons math 1
Isaiah--have not decided. Will probably begin Horizons math either mid-year or next year. I don't feel he's quite ready.


History:
We get most of our history through read-alouds, but just so I feel secure we are also going to use A Beka 1-3 grade textbooks. These are really good! I love what I have read so far.


Science:
A Beka. Like Bible and history, we do science together.
CLP Nature Readers also count :-)

Other:
A Beka Health, Safety and Manners
Everyday Graces
Authors and Artists (character)


Preschool:
The two older children and I will be "teaching" preschool to the 4 younger ones using a wonderful curriculum I found called ABC Jesus Loves Me. You can access it free online or buy it in book form. We started it a little last year and I can't say enough about it.

We will also be doing co-op this year.
Justin--gym, science, and lego science
David--art, math, science, and reading
Isaiah and Zachary--preschool
Cara and Tyson--nursery

One of the things I'm most excited about is using the Workbox System this year. I have not gotten it set up yet so no pictures to show, but I absolutely love the concept and I think it's going to help us so much, not just with school, but with everything. I don't think the system has to be limited to school.

Sorry I didn't link to anything. If you need more info on anything, feel free to ask, or use google ;-)

A few of my favorite things

Favorite Baby Carrier
Ergo

Favorite Diaper
Anything from BumGenius--Flips, Pockets, and AIO's

Favorite Bible
Sanctuary Women's Devotional Bible

Favorite Quiet Time Aid
The Busy Mom's Guide to Prayer

Favorite Magazine
Above Rubies

Favorite Resource
The Homemakers Library from TEACH
You can stock up if you get the newsletter and watch for sales and coupons.

Favorite Children's Music
The Donut Man CD's

Favorite Blog
Women Living Well

Favorite Radio Program/Podcast/Daily newsletter
Revive Our Hearts

Favorite Calendar
A Heart at Rest
Some days this is the only "quiet time" I get and it is always amazing, and very frequently straight from God to me.

Favorite Nursing Bra
Bravado Body Silk Seamless

Favorite homeschooling resources
A whole post coming soon!

(If you happen to have an Android phone, if you download the app "App Advocate" and you are my facebook friend, then you can see all my favorite apps too!)

May the Mind of Christ, My Savior

May the mind of Christ, my Savior
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling
All I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His power.

May the peace of God my Father
Rule my life in everything,
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing.

May the love of Jesus fill me
As the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing,
This is victory.

May I run the race before me,
Strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus
As I onward go.

May His beauty rest upon me,
As I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only Him.

Simplifying Meal Planning

I am making a new menu plan. I have gotten really bad about planning breakfasts and lunches so I am getting back to that. As for dinner, I really don't see how anyone gets by without planning that (how do you shop otherwise?), but I am REALLY simplifying my dinner plan.

I'm going to trying having the same plan every WEEK. Yep, you heard me right. Beans on Monday, Taco Tuesday, and so on. It might get boring, but I really don't think the kids will mind. They might even like it! And it will make things easier for me in so many ways.

1. It will me one less thing (or LOTS of less things) for me to think about. My life is crazy full and busy right now. The last thing I have time for is making menus, lists, cooking things that I actually have to think about.
2. I won't have to make the dreaded shopping list every week. Type out one list and it's done.
3. The more I make these same meals week after week, the more I will be able to make them without even thinking. And if I include the kids in making these same meals week after week, they too will learn to make them well, they will be more and more help and eventually be able to even do it themselves.
4. I will save money by having the same inexpensive meals each week--and eating out less. It will also be easier to buy in bulk knowing that the same things will be used over and over.
5. Shopping will be much easier too. I will know exactly what I need and can zoom right through!


I decided to use the menu plan Debi Pearl shares in my old worn out copy of Created to be His Help Meet. If you have the book, it is on pages 149 and 150. There are many more details there. This is one of my favorite menus because it is extremely frugal, healthy, uses the crockpot, takes advantage of leftovers and cooking ahead, and is also delicious.


Monday--pinto beans. We eat "soup beans" with just cornbread and sometimes fried taters (you have to call it "taters"!) She suggests serving the beans with minute steaks and sweet potatoes so we might do that sometimes to mix it up.

Tuesday--taco salad, using the leftover beans for refried beans. We'll also do tacos and burritos some weeks to add variety.

Wednesday--Spaghetti

Thursday--Black beans and rice with smoked sausages. You can load toppings on this--cheeese, onions, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream. I like mine with just cheese. It really is so good.

Friday--Fried rice. I love this meal because you can throw in whatever leftover meats and veggies you have on hand. We order pizza on Fridays a lot and we still will because it gives us a fun night without daddy here. But I'm going to try to cut down. It's so expensive!!

Saturday--Cookout night. Hamburgers or hot dogs or chicken or steaks or whatever. This is hard to do with my husband gone because I really don't like to grill outside. Maybe I can invest in a countertop grill if I can promise myself to cut down on pizza deliveries.....

Sunday--chicken and dumplings. Her recipe is so simple and good, I might be able to give up McDonald's drive-thru on Sunday afternoons. Maybe.


I am excited about doing this, for this season of life anyway. She tells about another meal plan on page 151. Maybe eventually we can branch out to 2 weeks of meals. For now though, the simpler the better. Which is why all these meals will be eaten on paper plates.


ETA: I found the best little menu plan template! You can download it and fill it out yourself! I just made mine. So cute!

Love is...

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (highlights from various translations and paraphrases)

Amplified Bible

Love endures long and is patient and kind.
Love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy.

It is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly..
Love (God's love in us) does not insist on it's own way, for it is not self-seeking, it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best...Its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].

Contemporary English Version

Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude.
Love isn't selfish or quick tempered.
It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do.

Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.
Love never fails!


God's Word Translation

Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love isn't jealous.
It doesn't sing it's own praises.
It isn't arrogant.
It isn't rude.
It doesn't think about itself.
It isn't irritable.
It doesn't keep track of wrongs.

Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up.
Love never comes to an end.


King James Version

Charity suffereth long, and is kind,
charity envieth not,
charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil...

Beareth all things,
believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Charity never faileth.


New Century Version

Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others.
Loves does not count up wrongs that have been done.
Love patiently accepts all things.
It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures.
Love never ends.

New Living Translation

Love is patient and kind.
Loves is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
It does not demand it's own way.
It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Love will last forever!


The Message

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first",
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies.

Today's NIV

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.


NIV

When I was a child I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully...

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Two Hour Quick Clean Up

Today every room in my house is a disaster. Laundry is piled up, clutter is out everywhere, and floors are disgusting. If I followed my normal schedule today, I would never be able to catch up, so today is definitely a "Two Hour Quick Clean Up" day. It was written by Crystal Paine, but I can't find it on the web anymore. It really helps when your house is so out of hand you don't know where to start!

Two Hour Quick Clean Up


1. Put on an apron, turn on some uplifting music, light a candle, and start a load of laundry.

2. Go to the kitchen sink and wash, dry, and put away the dishes. Then, shine the sink (ala FlyLady!) and wipe down the counter tops. Try to get this completely finished in 30 minutes or less.

3. Set the timer for 15 minutes and briskly go through the house and pick up as many items as you can which are out of place and return them to their proper places (and if it's trash, throw it out!).

4. Switch the laundry in your washer to your dryer or clothesline and start another load of laundry.

5. Take some all-purpose cleaner and a few rags and go quickly spray and wipe down all the bathrooms. Remember, this is just a simple spray and wipe of your bathrooms which should only take five minutes maximum per bathroom. Save the heavy-duty cleaning for later!

6. Do a quick sweep and mop of your kitchen and bathroom floors if they need this (and if your home is anything like our home, they will need this!).

7. Vacuum the main living areas of your home--don't worry about moving furniture or going over every inch of carpet, just make sure and hit the main traffic areas.

8. Pull the laundry out of the dryer and fold and put it away. Switch the laundry from the washer to the dryer, and start another load in the washer if you still have more laundry to do.

You're done! Make a pot of tea or coffee (or a glass of iced tea or lemonade since Spring is finally here!) and put your feet up for a few moments. Way to go! Your whole family will enjoy the fruits of your labors.

My Kids

I haven't blogged in so long, I thought I would give a quick update on each of my children. They are all growing up so fast! It makes me sad, but at the same time, I wouldn't trade who they are now for their younger selves either. They are each so unique and fun--it is such a joy to watch each of them develop into their own person with their own personalities and interests!

Justin is 8 now. He has always seemed so much older than he really is. He's so mature and smart and will do anything for you. I don't know what I would do without him. He is such an amazing help to me and never once have I gotten the impression that he resents a single thing he's asked to do. On the contrary, he's on the lookout for how he can help and wants to be a help. He just has that giving spirit. He's very into sports and video games, and although he wouldn't admit it, sometimes I find him hiding in a corner with a book too.

David turned 6 in February. He is the one who broke his arm and currently sports a cool blue cast. He broke it when he fell from a tree and that statement tells a lot about him. He is adventurous and brave. He'll try anything once. He's also the one who brings in various bugs and crawly things to show me. He recently decided to keep a caterpillar for a pet in a jar and although he supplied little Bob with an assortment of grass and leaves, he didn't last the night. David was pretty upset that Bob would never be a butterfly and now lets all the bugs live outside where they belong.

Isaiah is 4 and he is such a sweet little guy. He has always been very quiet, but I can tell a lot is going on in behind those blue eyes. He has the sweetest smile and a little dimple in each cheek. He loves to do school with his big brothers and has successfully worked his way though his preschool workbooks, but after a while he is just more interested in playing superheroes or building a robot out of Duplos.

Zachary is 2, but will be 3 next month. Zachary--oh Zachary! He is the child God gave me after I pridefully thought "I can do this mothering thing. It's not so hard! This child-training thing is easy!" When God heard that, He laughed and sent Zachary to teach me a lesson! Oh my, this child is a handful all on his own. He gets into everything and is mean just for the sake of meanness, is so strong-will that he laughs in the face of discipline, and is not scared of anything! He has the bumps, bruises, scars, and injured teeth to prove it. One minute he makes me tear out my hair and then next he's running to me with his arms open, saying just "Mommy!" just for the sake of saying it. And he is so sweet with his little sister and brother. There aren't many 2-year-olds out there that have both a little sister and a little brother, but he got the job and he's good at it. He might terrorize his older brothers, but you better not mess with the little ones with him around.

Cara Grace, my little princess and one and only baby girl, is already 18 months old. Oh she is a sweetheart and melts my heart all day long. I am so sad to realize how her babyness is slowly slipping away and she is becoming a big girl. She still sucks her thumb and has to have her blankie to do so. She has her big brothers wrapped around her little finger and they spoil her rotten. If Cara wants it, Cara gets it. They beg me to buy her what she wants in the store so that she won't cry. She was a daddy's girl before he left, and even though he's been gone three months, she still cries out "Daddy!" when she sees him on the webcam or hears his voice on the phone. She hasn't forgotten him at all.

Tyson is 2 months old. Already my tiny newborn is gone, but now I have a sweet baby who looks at me so adoringly and giggles and coos when I talk to him. He is such a sweet spirited baby! He sleeps all night, which I don't strive for, but I don't argue with either! He prefers his own bed but occasionally will sleep in with me in the mornings. He loves each one of his brothers and sister. It is amazing how even a baby knows his family. He sits in his swing and just watches everything that is going on like it is so captivating. Although he was born with hair, he is now quite bald except for one thick and long patch of hair right on his crown that I like to call his toupee. He is such a cutie!

Of course I believe that children are blessings whether you have 1 or 20, but I have to say that the more I have, the more blessed I feel! Each one that comes along is just so precious and so unique and brings something special to the family that only he could bring. The dynamics of a large family day to day is just an amazing thing--it is so hard for me to describe, I think only you mothers of large families will understand what I'm trying to say. It is hard to imagine when you haven't been there, but it just works. Children ARE a blessing from the Lord. The fruit of the womb IS a reward. Happy IS the man that has his quiver full of them! I just love my children so much it hurts. I feel so undeserving of them. They are amazing.

The Word of God

The Word of God will help you make the right choices;
it will heal your wounds and settle your heart;
it will warn of danger;
it will protect and cleanse from sin;
it will lead you;
it will make you wise.
It is bread;
it is water;
it is a counselor;
it is life.

~Nancy Leigh DeMoss

He who began a good work in me...

Recently several people have encouraged me to blog. Blogging has been the furthest thing from my mind lately, but maybe it is just the outlet I need and will motivate me. The past six months of my life have been nothing short of a whirlwind and the past two and half months have been the hardest of my life.

It has been difficult adjusting to a new home, a new baby, and a new life without daddy. Emotionally it has been more than I can bear, but by God's grace I am starting to see the sun again. I don't know how I could have made it through any of this without Him. His presence and His Word have been the only thing sustaining me. He has taught me the true meaning of joy.

On top of the emotional side of it, we seem to have been slammed with physical affliction. We've had severe sinus infections, strep throat (one at a time), stomach flus, ear infections. Justin's tonsil stones got bad again and we had to visit the ENT. Zachary had a scary accident that miraculously only required stitches. David fell and broke his arm so badly it required surgery. The doctors and hospitals here already know us by name.

Tyson seemed to have colic for a few weeks, but praise the Lord he doens't do that at all anymore. I was so afraid we would be going through that for three or four months. But now he goes to sleep around 9 or 10 at night and sleeps till 8 or 9 in the morning! He prefers his own bed and these long sleeping hours are not always the best thing for a nursing mother! But I'll take that discomfort if it means I get to sleep.

My marriage has been going through the ultimate test with this separation. I never thought my heart could stand the things it has gone through.

So I kinda feel like Job and I must admit that I haven't handled it all as well as he did. There have been nights where I have wanted to curse God and die as Mrs. Job suggested. But He is faithful even when I am not. His Word and His promises are life to me. I know I will emerge from this season stronger than ever.

Thank you so much for your encouragement and your prayers. Whenever I see that people actually read this and care, I am blown away. Right now I don't even feel like that same person who wrote this blog. And if you were with me way back in the Xanga days, I don't even recognize that girl! But you know what--I don't want to stay the same. I'm not who I was ten years ago and I hope that ten years from now I will not be who I am today. I want to keep growing in the Lord and changing for the better. I want to keep learning and becoming. I don't want to be that proverbial leopard who can't change his spots. I want to be a butterfly.

The birth of Tyson Jeremiah

For those of you who know me or have been reading my blog a long time, this birth story may come as a surprise to you. But even though this birth experience was quite different than my most recent previous ones, it was beautiful and blessed.

During the last few weeks of pregnancy, I had two nights of "false labor". One night at 38 weeks I had strong, real contractions that convinced me I was going to go early for the first time. Then they just stopped. Then again at 39 weeks, I called people and warned them to be prepared that night. Again, they stopped. So last Sunday morning when I woke up at 6am with hard painful contractions 15 minutes apart, I didn't get my hopes up. Ok, I did get my hopes up. I got up and got everything ready to go. By 9am they were 10 minutes apart. I was starting to have to stop and breathe through them. But since they were still so far apart, I got myself and everyone ready for church and headed out. I went on to church and told family today was the day. But I realized the contractions didn't hurt anymore and were slowing down. Then by noon, they were gone. Again. I was so frustrated! All this work seemingly for nothing!

After church I brought my brood on home, fed them lunch, and then joined them on the couch to watch movies and rest. I had contractions here and there but by that point, I just didn't want to pay attention anymore. Around 5 or 6 pm I noticed they were picking back up and by the children's bedtime I was in real pain again. I went on about my business and got ready for bed myself. I read for a while and started timing my contractions and saw they were back to a steady 1o minutes apart. I finally turned off the light and decided to try to get some sleep, but every time I would drift off, the pain would grip me again. Somehow I endured many of them in a state of semi-consciousness as I drifted in and out of sleep, but that didn't last for long. I was suddenly in unbearable pain and panicked when I realized that these babies were 3-5 minutes apart! At around 2am I hurriedly called my friends who were watching my children and my mother-in-law to come and get me quick!

When we got to the hospital at about 3:15am my doctor was waiting for me. She must have known I needed relief because she asked me if we were still doing everything the way we discussed. My answer: "Forget it all. Give me my epidural as soon as possible."

I had been going back and forth in my mind about whether or not I still wanted the natural birth I had been fighting for. With my husband gone (he's been gone almost three weeks now), I didn't think I was mentally prepared to handle it. I finally decided that I would make my decision whenever the time came, and when the time came there was no decision to be made. I had pretty much been in labor for the past 18 hours and now with my body engulfed in pain after pain, I knew I needed it to be over.

I still endured another half hour or so before the anesthesiologist was ready. I was 7 cm. I was so nervous about the epidural. I had them with my first two babies and I really hated them. I hated the sensation of the needle going into my back, I hated the numbness in my legs, I hated not being able to feel anything to push, I hated being immobile for a while afterward. I was reminding God of all these things I hated while at the same time begging Him to please make it work quick!

They got it put in and maybe it was because I had 3 contractions in the process, but I hardly felt it at all. After it was in I laid back onto the bed and, oh my, where did all that pain go? I instantly began to feel relief. My biggest complaint was now that my left foot was numb! I waited for that awful heaviness to take over my body, but it never did. I could still move my legs and my whole body, yet I could feel no pain. By the time I got to 9cm, I felt so relaxed and wonderful I wanted to take a nap. As I was lying there enjoying my rest and relaxation, I could slowly feel the sensation of the baby moving down a little every minute or so until finally I could feel the pressure of his head. I let my doctor know that I was ready to push and she said go for it. She had told me before that she wouldn't coach me--that she believed it was best to push whenever I felt the need to do so. Amazing for a doctor, right?! This was the first time I have not been coached when to push and I was amazed that with this epidural I could feel everything, yet it was painless. I could feel everything so clearly that I could tell exactly what to do. I pushed a couple times and the bag of water broke and splashed out! (This was also the first time I had not had my water broken.) After my water broke, the sensation was more intense, maybe a little painful, but just enough to be just what I needed to get this job done. At 7:16am, after a couple more pushes, his little body slid out all at once! My doctor scooped him up and immediately laid him on my chest while she did everything else. He was so perfect! And he was so big! And he had hair!

After a few minutes they weighed and measured him: 8 pounds 14 ounces and 21 1/2 inches. That's almost 9 pounds!! Then they handed him back to me and he nursed like a little vacuum for 2 hours.

God has blessed me once again with a perfect birth and a perfect baby. I feel so undeserving. The past few days of being home with all my children have been full of the grace of God. It has been peaceful and joyful and an amazing blessing. Well-meaning people have asked me over and over, "Do you have help? Do you have help?" I know they just can't imagine being alone with six small children and a new baby. But, oh, I do have Help! I have all the Help I could ever need or want or ask for. "Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God." Ps. 146:5. Blessed indeed!


About his name
Early on when we were discussing names, my husband suggested Titus. I loved the name, but our last name is Thomas, and Titus Thomas was just too much of a tongue twister for me. But after that I just could not get that "Ty" sound out of my head. I went over every Ty name I could find. Once my husband said, "How about Tyson?" I said, "No! That's chicken! That's Mike Tyson!" But something about it stuck with me until I just had that feeling when I heard it, that that was "it". Tyson. It was suddenly so cute and endearing and I was in love with it.

Tyson means "firebrand". I had to look up that word in the dictionary, but it means, "a person who kindles strife or encourages unrest; an agitator; troublemaker. A person who stirs up trouble or kindles a revolt." When I first read that I thought, No way! I can't name my baby that! But as I thought about it in the context of a man on fire for Jesus, I got excited. A "firebrand" for Jesus is a whole other thing!

Jeremiah means "God will raise up". So put together, his name means "A firebrand God will raise up." Wow! Being given that name in these times is exciting for me! My prayer for Tyson Jeremiah is that he will grow to be a man on fire for the Lord, a man willing to kindle strife, encourage unrest, stir up trouble, or start a revolt in the name of Jesus Christ if he has to!

Tyson Jeremiah Thomas
8 lb. 14 oz. 21.5 in.
February 22, 2010
7:16 am