Waiting for baby #7

I had wanted to write down a few things about my pregnancy before it was over, and since it's almost 1:30 am and I can't sleep I thought now would be a good time.

This pregnancy like the others had ups and downs. While I would go weeks with very painful spurts of PSD where I questioned my sanity to days of pain-free living where I loved every moment of carrying new life. I struggled off and on with the "whys" are my pregnancies so difficult when we are so willing to raise children for the Lord. To again moments of "this is the most amazing blessing to be apart of". Now at my due date there is light at the end of the tunnel the days are slow and long waiting but I anticipate with much joy the birth of this blessing.
Birth is such a miracle I keep looking over at the birthing pool in my bedroom waiting to be filled up and I am filled with so much awe and wonder. I have been thinking about my last 6 births and each one is so amazing in there own way. I can't wait to see how this story unfolds.

These last few weeks have brought with it a roller coast of emotions. From being so tired I want to curl in a ball and sleep the days away to insane bursts of energy that leave me taking apart bunk beds and rearranging kids rooms. Moments of wanting and needing friends closer than they are to pushing back.
It's so amazing all the emotions that go with pregnancy.

I have been having contractions for a good 2 weeks sitting here at 4cm dialated, with temptations of castor oil yet knowing and trying to trust that God's timing is the best time. I can't believe even doing this for the 7th time it still streches me like crazy.

Chris has been so helpful with the children, and doing what ever I need in the moment. I feel pretty spoilt, I must say I love these times in our marriage I feel extra close and in love with him. Watching his excitment as we wait and drive ourselves crazy over every twinge wondering if the time has come makes me love him more and more.

Our school work slowed down alot this past week, we've just stuck to our devotions and some flashcards. I have spent my days cleanning and just letting the kids play.
It's been pretty enjoyable.

The children are beyond excited with what is about to take place. Every night when we tuck them they say "don't forget to wake us up" Austin has made sure there is crushed ice in the freezer everyday just in case. And I look and my *baby* Jude and I am just so excited he gets to experance a younger sibling. I remember after I had Jude that night Chris and I laid in bed chatting and I remember saying "it makes me sad that one day one of our children will never get to know the joy of a new baby and becoming a older sibling".

Well it's now after 2am, and my sweet 5 year old boy just crawled into my bed after having a bad dream so here's to hoping my next blog post is a birth announcment. Please keep me and our newest little one in prayer.

When people say negitive things

My friend Michele wrote this but I just loved it, I am so guilty of not responding to people when they say something infront of my children along the lines of "being crazy".

Imagine if all people on earth acknowledged that children are a blessing, a gift, a heritage from the Lord! Even if only all of the Christians believed that! Oh, the joy we would have in raising them, having so much support instead of opposition!

I realized today that I need to have compassion on those that do not understand the high value of children, instead of letting them get to me. The Bible teaches us that the best way to overcome evil is with good. I decided that the next time that someone insinuates that my children are a burden rather than a blessing, even if it is a sly "joke" type of a comment, I am going to completely disarm them!

I am going to stop everything I am doing, I am going to give them the biggest smile ever, and I am going to tell them with all sincerity that my hope for them is that they can one day be so blessed as to have their lives filled with wonderful, life-giving children! I am going to end my comment by ever so kindly stating that I pity those that cannot see that children are the way of the future, and are too busy wasting their time on things that do not last!

I think it is high time for me to go on the offence! No more defence for me! Why do I listen to all of the comments, and never say anything of any real value back? May the Lord use me today to start changing the world's perspective on children, one naysayer at a time! Whether that naysayer be family, friend, believer or stranger!

HOW DO YOU DISCIPLINE?

Jeremiah's prayer in Jeremiah 10:23 is, "Correct me, O Lord, but with justice; not with your anger, or you will bring me to nothing." If we are a true child of God, He will correct us as all parents correct their children. God corrects us because He loves us and doesn't want to leave us in the state we are. He wants to mature us and conform us to the image of His son.



We should discipline our children the same way God disciplines us--out of love for our children. We do not want our children to be in a state of disobedience and foolishness, but to mature and grow into the image of God. This will happen as we discipline with justice and never with anger.



That's the difference between positive discipline and negative discipline. We execute positive discipline with justice, knowing that we must discipline for disobedience, rebellion and disrespect. We cannot allow our children to continue in this behavior and we have a responsibility before God to correct them with justice in order that they will learn to live the ways of God.



But negative discipline is executed with anger and frustration. Angry discipline will not benefit children. It will bring them to nothing and make them angry. Angry discipline usually happens when we do not discipline immediately. Instead, children are allowed to get away with things. They are told do so something but continue in disobedience. By the time the mother has asked the child to do something for the 10th time, she is now frustrated and angry and may discipline in anger! This is ineffective discipline. All you have taught your child is that they do not have to obey until you are screaming and angry. You have taught them delayed obedience which is disobedience. You have caused them to get angry inside and you have given into anger also.



Do it God's way. Execute justice immediately. Your child will learn the true justice of God and you will be disciplining in love. If children do not learn that there is judgment for sin, they will never understand the justice of God. Many people believe in a God of their own imagination. They see God as one who lets them do whatever they feel. Oh yes, God is a God of compassion, but not of tolerance for sin. He delights in justice.



May God give us great wisdom and teach us how to discipline with justice, but never in anger.

A Winter At Home

Last night I stayed up late all by myself, red raspberry leaf tea in hand sitting on the couch watching the snow fall. It was beautiful and very peaceful. My sweet little baby within jumped and kicked around as I rubbed my very swollen belly knowing that we are coming to the end of this pregnancy in the next few days or weeks.

We have been filling our days with school work and read alouds, little ones have been enjoying building giant forts and emptying toy bins. It's been very comforting and peaceful. I love staying home and keeping my focus everyone is blessed by it and I feel satisfied.

News Paper Math

First lay 4 sheets of newspaper on top of each other. Place the pencil in the corner and roll the 4 sheets diagonally to make a tube.

Use 3 tubes to make a triangle and staple at each corner. Repeat until you have 5 triangles.

Connect the triangles in a long line, staple together.

Use the 5 remaining tubes to make a star stapled in the middle. This is the roof. Staple in place.

This was Zac's math lesson for today, he did an awesome job!

Hapy New Year!

As you can see the Christmas season was a busy time for us, time spent with family and friends.

Now as we enter into the New Year we are preparing for the arrival of our much anticipated baby. Everyday that passes I get more and more excited to hold and smell this tiny little one in my arms. But as every New Year that comes change is also in process..
I often like to make plans and goal each January, and they are kind like how you feel at 11:59pm New Years Eve to how you feel at 12:01am New Years Day..... The same. Nothing really happens.
So my goals and passions also tend to stay the same, but one thing that does change a little is my vision it becomes deeper with more passion.

This year in 2011 I want to become a better wife,
I want my relationship with Chris to radiate joy to our children and beyond the boundaries of our home. I want to take a good look at what I am bringing to the table of my marriage. I want to be that bride he vowed to love and cherish for the rest of his life. But am I still that bride he fell in love with?. I want to give him everything that I have this year.

The scripture I am using as a reminder to be a Godly help meet is "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD."
~ Proverbs 18:22.

My commitment to mothering and raising arrows for the Lord, my * World Changers*
My goal in this area is to watch my tongue, Not in the scene of yelling or being critical to them. But to be sweet and pour out encouragement on them everyday. Being aware of every word that is coming out of my mouth about my children. Not only to them but about them. I don't need to feel pressure to share negative things about them or to "have a mommy time vent". I want to speak blessing this year not curses. I know I can not be the perfect mother but that doesn't change what God has called me to do as a mother. Every word I speak to or about my children will affect greatly the future.

~This is from J. R. Miller's classic book, Home-Making, originally published in 1882:
What we want to do with our children, is not merely to control them and keep them in order-but to implant true principles deep in their hearts which shall rule their whole lives; to shape their character from within into Christ-like beauty, and to make of them noble men and women, strong for battle of life. They are to be trained rather than governed. Growth of character, not merely good behavior-is the object of all home governing and teaching. Therefore the home influence is far more important than the home laws; and the parents' lives are of more significance than their teachings. Whatever may be done in the way of governing, teaching or training-theories are not half as important as the parents' lives. T...hey may teach the most beautiful things-but if the child does not see these things modeled in the life of the parent, he will not consider them important enough to be adopted in his own life.~

My home.

My goal for my home this year is hospitality, but not so much in the sense of more dinners and company. But more breaking free from lies and intimidation the enemy places on me. Reminding myself of what hospitality is and is not and not worrying about the things *I* think people care about. One of the biggest things I feel the Lord speaking to me about in hospitality is that it does not ask me to be impressive - with my home, with my food, and with myself. But that it is about loving people and showing them a sacred, intimate part of our life. The verse I have posted in my kitchen is
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. 1 Peter 4:8-10"