God holds so much in store for our little family in the near future! It's incredible, and thankfully, not overwhelming (at least, not yet).
We are expecting a girl the end of August. Yay! We are both so excited, and I am especially blessed to see and hear how excited my husband is to have a daughter. I thought perhaps he wanted another boy, but he was just as eager as I for a girl, perhaps more so!
She already has her own personality. She is far more active then her older brother was in utero, a lot more steady motion and kicks during the day, and is growing steadily stronger.
About 3 months after she is born we will most likely be moving into a bigger town, just a block up from our church! We'll be so much closer to all the places and stores we go to, which will be so helpful. And most of our friends live in that town, too, so that makes things slightly more accessible for us to spend time with them or invite them over.
The house we are thinking of renting is owned by some church friends. It's an old Victorian style home, with a lovely design and great wood floors...I just love the sound of old, big, Victorian houses. There's a lot of work to be done in it first, especially the plumbing which leaked from the upstairs and drove our friends out of that house to their current house! But, to help out our friends to rent or sell it, and to help us out with a good home, our church is going to finance all of the repairs and remodeling!
That news floored me. I almost cried (and I still wish I had!) when I realized that our tiny church of roughly 40 members were going to take care of us and our friends in one fell swoop. On top of that, there's another family in our church who have fixed up a number of homes and sold them, and are very knowledgeable in construction. They will be doing the work, and so they will also be blessed by this project. I don't know of many congregations that would just offer to do this without someone coming and asking for help. We didn't ask anyone, we were all set to find our own rental and we thought we had to move in less than a month. I was strangely not bothered by that, but I was incredibly moved when I learned the church didn't want us to have to move and also had a wonderful back-up plan for us.
God certainly is good, and over and over He proves to me that His mercy endures forever.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Strategic Bluntness
I was reading my former pastor's blog today, and he was critiquing another pastor's answer about homosexuality. This other pastor didn't blast homosexuality out of the water like it deserves to be, but neither did he condone it. He very diplomatically walked the fine line between yea and nay. Leaving the watching world to think it must not be too bad.
Someone commented that this sort of question in this sort of time, also considering where this pastor is shepherding (apparently in Manhattan) requires delicate strategy. He wanted to, understandably, defend this pastor from all the criticism and critique that popped up in the comment section, but he was defending pussy-footing around a grave sin.
No one attacked the pastor personally, but rather were disappointed that he didn't stand more strongly on the issue. This fellow took it personally on behalf of the NY pastor and thought what he said was appropriate.
But this particular question is not being delicately handled by the rest of the world. Homosexuality and its many facets are stuffed down our throats as something we are born with. And therefore, as part of our inherent nature, it must be a good thing.
To respond to this in-your-face attack with delicacy and strategy (as if strategy means vague wording to avoid confrontation) is not a response at all. Nor is it even close to being a counter-argument.
We need to be STRONG in our response and understanding of what homosexuality is and does. This does not mean being unkind or cruel to those we are speaking to or to homosexuals themselves, but we MUST NOT dumb down what it is, nor should we back down by vaguely insinuating that homosexuality is perhaps not what God wants us to do. In the end, just as it is in the beginning, sin is sin is sin. Let's not call it a matter of careful diplomacy to consider with caution.
This is serious. As is every sin. But most people don't think stealing and lying and murdering are fine, whereas far too many people including Christians would say homosexuality is a choice, is genetic, is okay. The proper response is not delicate strategy, not tip-toeing around the gorse bush. Rather, we need to (not unlike Winnie-the-Pooh) crush the gorse bush.
Someone commented that this sort of question in this sort of time, also considering where this pastor is shepherding (apparently in Manhattan) requires delicate strategy. He wanted to, understandably, defend this pastor from all the criticism and critique that popped up in the comment section, but he was defending pussy-footing around a grave sin.
No one attacked the pastor personally, but rather were disappointed that he didn't stand more strongly on the issue. This fellow took it personally on behalf of the NY pastor and thought what he said was appropriate.
But this particular question is not being delicately handled by the rest of the world. Homosexuality and its many facets are stuffed down our throats as something we are born with. And therefore, as part of our inherent nature, it must be a good thing.
To respond to this in-your-face attack with delicacy and strategy (as if strategy means vague wording to avoid confrontation) is not a response at all. Nor is it even close to being a counter-argument.
We need to be STRONG in our response and understanding of what homosexuality is and does. This does not mean being unkind or cruel to those we are speaking to or to homosexuals themselves, but we MUST NOT dumb down what it is, nor should we back down by vaguely insinuating that homosexuality is perhaps not what God wants us to do. In the end, just as it is in the beginning, sin is sin is sin. Let's not call it a matter of careful diplomacy to consider with caution.
This is serious. As is every sin. But most people don't think stealing and lying and murdering are fine, whereas far too many people including Christians would say homosexuality is a choice, is genetic, is okay. The proper response is not delicate strategy, not tip-toeing around the gorse bush. Rather, we need to (not unlike Winnie-the-Pooh) crush the gorse bush.
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Pleasure and Joy
My husband and I were talking about the absolute pure joy, thrill, and pleasure we got watching our almost 9 month old son learn to crawl a couple nights ago. When we saw him purposefully put out his hands and lean on his arms, dragging his kicking body forwards eagerly towards a wanted toy, we felt such heartwarming joy at his progress and success. We'd been waiting for this for a long time.
Then, as we talked tonight about it, my husband asked me, "Do we ever really think about the fact that pleasure and joy comes from God?" I kind of weakly answered yes and no. Yes, I know intellectually that all things come from God and so I subconsciously know God gives us the gift of joy and pleasure. But no, I guess when I'm really happy about something, when I feel joy and pleasure out of life I don't immediately think of it coming directly from God.
It was a good reminder, and I'm grateful for my husband for bringing it to my attention. God gave us our son. God enabled him to learn to crawl. And God gave our hearts the ability to be thrilled at his learning and to take pleasure seeing him learn new things all the time. It's all a gift, and it all comes from the Triune Lord of the heavens and earth.
Then, as we talked tonight about it, my husband asked me, "Do we ever really think about the fact that pleasure and joy comes from God?" I kind of weakly answered yes and no. Yes, I know intellectually that all things come from God and so I subconsciously know God gives us the gift of joy and pleasure. But no, I guess when I'm really happy about something, when I feel joy and pleasure out of life I don't immediately think of it coming directly from God.
It was a good reminder, and I'm grateful for my husband for bringing it to my attention. God gave us our son. God enabled him to learn to crawl. And God gave our hearts the ability to be thrilled at his learning and to take pleasure seeing him learn new things all the time. It's all a gift, and it all comes from the Triune Lord of the heavens and earth.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
One More
Hmm. I don't think I've mentioned the news here, but we are joyfully and eagerly expecting another bundle of cuteness this August!
The due date is August 24th, and I'm almost 13 weeks. God has been so good to us, and we asked Him for another child in His timing. I got pregnant right before Beowulf turned 6 months, but didn't find out until he was almost 7 months! I feel that this is the perfect timing. Anything later and we'd be dealing with a brand new baby in the middle of the school year. As long as this baby isn't too much later than the due date, we'll have a couple weeks to enjoy our new one and get adjusted to the newborn routine before we have to add in school to our schedule.
As Beowulf has grown, even though he isn't a year old yet, we have definitely seen that children are a GREAT blessing, a true reward from our gracious Lord and God.
The due date is August 24th, and I'm almost 13 weeks. God has been so good to us, and we asked Him for another child in His timing. I got pregnant right before Beowulf turned 6 months, but didn't find out until he was almost 7 months! I feel that this is the perfect timing. Anything later and we'd be dealing with a brand new baby in the middle of the school year. As long as this baby isn't too much later than the due date, we'll have a couple weeks to enjoy our new one and get adjusted to the newborn routine before we have to add in school to our schedule.
As Beowulf has grown, even though he isn't a year old yet, we have definitely seen that children are a GREAT blessing, a true reward from our gracious Lord and God.
Femina post
Nancy Wilson has done it again - convicted me!
As a wife and mother, I do need to remember that my emotions, reactions, and attitude certainly do have a huge ripple effect. It's easy when I just have a little baby to think it doesn't matter, but it really does effect him even now. Not to mention my husband. My words and attitude is important to him and effects how he gets through his day.
Speaking of thinking babies don't understand anything until they are about a year old (a common American or perhaps simply modernist conception) . . . one day I was tired and something made me sad. I was also feeling a lot of pregnancy symptoms and so I think half of the emotional breakdown was due to hormonal imbalance. I was holding my 8 month old son and comforting him but I started to cry. I tried to be very quiet, but he heard me sniffing and turned in my arms to get a look at my face. He stared straight into my eyes and held my gaze. I could see he was trying to understand what was happening to me. I smiled through my tears and tried to show everything was fine. He had a little smiled, but wouldn't stop looking at me and was awfully serious for as long as I was crying.
I cheered up pretty quick because I didn't want to upset him. He soon got back to playing happily. I was quite surprised that he noticed my mood change, even though I tried so hard to be subtle! :) I think it was fine for me to cry then, but it's good to remember that even now my son will be aware of all my emotions and to realize that I am not just affected by me; my whole family is affected by me.
As a wife and mother, I do need to remember that my emotions, reactions, and attitude certainly do have a huge ripple effect. It's easy when I just have a little baby to think it doesn't matter, but it really does effect him even now. Not to mention my husband. My words and attitude is important to him and effects how he gets through his day.
Speaking of thinking babies don't understand anything until they are about a year old (a common American or perhaps simply modernist conception) . . . one day I was tired and something made me sad. I was also feeling a lot of pregnancy symptoms and so I think half of the emotional breakdown was due to hormonal imbalance. I was holding my 8 month old son and comforting him but I started to cry. I tried to be very quiet, but he heard me sniffing and turned in my arms to get a look at my face. He stared straight into my eyes and held my gaze. I could see he was trying to understand what was happening to me. I smiled through my tears and tried to show everything was fine. He had a little smiled, but wouldn't stop looking at me and was awfully serious for as long as I was crying.
I cheered up pretty quick because I didn't want to upset him. He soon got back to playing happily. I was quite surprised that he noticed my mood change, even though I tried so hard to be subtle! :) I think it was fine for me to cry then, but it's good to remember that even now my son will be aware of all my emotions and to realize that I am not just affected by me; my whole family is affected by me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)