Just before my first volunteer doula shift, I was praising God for opening this door and He put this on my heart. This was to be a ministry. This was for Him. He had specific things I needed to do to bring Him glory through this. What an honor.
First, I realized that I had the absolute privilege of most likely being the first, if not the only person praying over this baby the minute it was born. Isn't that awesome?! I get chills thinking about what a special privilege that is! I also am able to be praying over the birthing mother through her labor. Being able to do both has been a growing experience and has drawn me closer to the Lord. Being able to caress a newborn baby, within the first minutes of life, and pray that one day he or she come to know Jesus as their savior... that they live to serve and bring Him glory all the days of their lives... it is priceless. Absolutely priceless. Now isn't that a really cool ministry?
On top of praying for these babies just after birth, the Holy Spirit laid another aspect of this ministry out for me. I bought a nice leather journal so that I could journal each birth, and each time I journal about a birth, taking a moment to pray over each child, again. I am humbled to think God would give me this amazing role. To pray for these babies, whom I will most like never, ever see again, except for in Heaven, I hope and pray.
We are each given different roles in life. Different ministries. Different gifts. I am loving the ones that God has given to me. It is truly a blessed time in my life and I am enjoying my last year in my 30's very much.
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My very first birth was for my cousin, Jackie's, first son, Temito.
This birth was so special to me for more reasons than I can name. Thank you, Jackie, for giving me the honor of being there. It was inspiring and it was this birth that planted the doula seed on my heart.
My second birth was for my friend, Kimberly's, 3rd child, Tobias.
I thank Kimberly for giving me a chance to practice my doula novice skills on her the week before I started the doula program. That birth was also so special and gave me the adrenaline rush I needed just before jumping in. It gave me the courage to know that God had his hand over me.
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ARIANA
She was my first baby in the doula program. I shared a little about her birth story in Part 1. I had prayed that God would help me to learn as much as I possibly could my first birth with a mentor. He didn't disappoint! I realized that being a part of such an intimate moment in another persons life, would prove to be one of the most moving experiences. To be able to peek into how families interact with one another. How husband's love their wives. How Daddies are concerned for their daughters in labor. How Mothers have absolute pride over their daughters about to give birth. How families come together and bond. I actually don't have to wish to be a fly on the wall. I am invited into the room and given the gift of being able to see it all unfold before me!
ADITI
As beautiful as her name. What a glowing mother. My 2nd birth in the program with a mentor, and it was just 24 hours after the last. I was still on a high from that birth! This mother was so determined. So beautiful. Her husband was her number one fan. Even as I encouraged her as she pushed (her first baby), and my mentor did as well, it wasn't until we asked Daddy to coach her and encourage her, that she really excelled. You could feel the love between them in the air, it was that thick. I did get to have a little taste of medical reality through this birth. I am not squeamish and actually find it all so interesting and here I was with a front row seat! When the room was quiet and Aditi was in the warmer, I had a moment alone with her, to pray. I placed my hand over her belly and started to ask God to protect her, keep her... when, a seed of doubt rolled in. "You are violating these parents, Veronica." The nasty thought crept. "You know they are Hindu. Your God is not their God." I quickly lifted my hand feeling as if, I had done something horrible and unjust to this beautiful family. Then, God intervened. Aditi is HIS child. She is on loan to this couple. God had me there for a sole purpose of making sure I did not leave without praying for this child, her salvation, and that of her parents. I found that what satan intended for evil, God truly used for good, because I spent a good chunk of time praying over Aditi after that. I know God has an amazing plan over her life.
DYLAN
My first solo birth. Showtime! When I arrived the birthing mother was already at 10 cm, but for some odd and still unknown reason to me, they gave her an epidural right then, and had her rest for an hour. You could tell Daddy was nervous and he was so quiet, I wasn't sure he really wanted me there. I realized later, he was just scared. But, once I assured him everything was alright and he saw me tending to mama, giving her foot massages and hand massages, he warmed up to me. To this day, he is still my favorite daddy. This couple loved Bob Dylan, so they had his music playing in the room, even through pushing and after the birth. When the mama would take rests between pushing, the daddy would sing whatever Dylan song was playing to her, and she would smile from ear to ear. They were so cute, I could hardly keep myself from squeezing their cheeks! Once, sweet Dylan, a beautiful baby girl, named after Bob Dylan-duh, this Dad became what had to have been one of the proudest Daddies this hospital had ever seen. He was sobbing with such joy and couldn't stop kissing the new mommy. He was so overwhelmed with that feeling of what, I am sure, I have experienced with each baby...joy, elation, emotions that you have never met until you meet your first child. I felt almost like an intruder watching something so intimate, but believe me, a 3 legged alien could have walked into the room, and they wouldn't have noticed. What a pleasure it was to pray for this baby, this family.
THE TWINS
As a doula for this program, we are on call for a scheduled shift. But, sometimes, they may call you before your shift begins, to see if you can come assist a mom in need. I LOVE when that happens. I love the element of surprise and the rush it gives me to get a call at 2am, have to suit up, grab a quick glass of orange juice, and rush out of the door as if I am about to go perform emergency heart surgery. In some ways, it is. Praying for mommy's heart, Daddy's heart, baby's heart, the staffs hearts...it is a surgery of sorts. Don't try to tell me otherwise, either. I totally feel like a very important of the medical world when I put those scrubs on. ;0)
1am.
"I know your shift doesn't start until 9, but could you come in? We have a first time mom of twins, 26 weeks gestation." OF COURSE! I would have gone in for any birth, but I knew that this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Wait, of course it was a once in a lifetime opportunity! God made the twins to be one of a kind, there would never be another pair like them. My heart surged with many different emotions. Excitement. Nerves. Fear. Seeking God the entire ride there. Lord, would I be prepared to see babies born that early? And, Lord, what if... you, know, what if, they didn't make it? Lord, USE ME. I loved this couple and their how open they were to share of themselves. I loved that the Dad shared how baby A was more quiet and subdued. She would be the long distance swimmer, he said (He loved swimming). Baby B would be the sprint swimmer because she couldn't sit still and was always moving around and kicking, he shared. How cute.
I had been with this couple for 14 hours. Progress was slow, but happening. I asked if they had a camera. They didn't. They had never expected to have been at the hospital at that point. She said her phone had a camera. But, the battery was dying. We had the same phone, so I offered to go get the charger from my car. She was grateful. I figured it was safe. She was at 6cm, water still intact.
Getting to my car from the labor and delivery floor is no quick thing. First, you need to the birth center floor to get the keys to the office. Then, I get my car keys from the office. Go put the office keys back. Back on the elevator to the first floor. Walk about .20 of a mile to the parking garage. Grab the charger. Call my husband on the way back, as I stuff 1/2 a turkey sandwich in my mouth, to let him know I will still be awhile. Head back to get the office keys, leave my keys in the office. Take the office keys back. Then, finally head back to the 2nd floor to my patient. This took about 12 minutes. When, I got back to the room it was empty. EMPTY. No bed. No patient. No husband. No nurses. Just Dad's sandals in the corner. Huh? Weird. I ran to the nurses station. "Where is my mommy?" Must have sounded funny, but they knew what I meant. "Sorry, she is in the OR. Her water broke and the babies are coming now." WHAAAAAAAA???!! But, I was only gone 12 minutes! Now, as doulas, we are allowed in the OR if the mother requests us, however, the doctor gets the last word. "Can I please go back with her?" Nurse 1, gives me a sad look, then looks at nurse 2. Nurse 2 starts to shake her head. Puppy dog face in action, "PUHLEEEEASE?" She said she would check. Yes! I still got it! She came back and said, ok, they will let you in but you have 60 seconds to suit up. YES!
Trying to suit up for the OR in under a minute proved to be quite the feat. I am thankful for the nurse that found me a little lost in the hallway that escorted me back. When, I got close to the OR I could hear my patient ask, "Where is Veronica?" Bless my heart.
OK. That room was packed. Like sardines. Not only were all the doctors and nurses there for her, there was also 2 NICU teams in the room for each baby. Not to mention all the students. They weren't going to let me in at first, but Mom insisted, and I got to hold her hand and wipe her brow and encourage her, and Dad, and watch the miracle of birth....twice!
Dad was right. Baby A was born quietly. I wondered if she was ok, she was so quiet. Then, baby B was born. She catapulted out. Honest! Like if she had been shot out of a canon. I am thinking many of the people in the room hadn't seen something like it before, because everyone kept talking about it for the next 10 minutes. She was too cute and came out crying! Crying, I tell you, at 26 weeks gestation, just over 1 pound! And, what beauties. I had never seen a baby born so early, so was concerned about what I might see, but what I saw was 2 of the most beautifully formed, pink little cherubs, I have ever seen.
Mom had a hard time after, and I will never forget that experience. It made me more aware of how delicate our bodies are and how fragile life is.
Each birth brings me closer to the Lord in prayer, but also in AWE of Him.
By the way. The twins are both doing great and growing and will be ready to go home soon! Mom says that Daddy got their personalities spot on.
Now do you see why I love this so much?
Friday, November 11, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Becoming A Doula: Part 1
I have been meaning to blog about the newest adventure in my life for months! Better late than never, I suppose.
Just before my 39th birthday this past May, just 5 days before to be exact, I was up in the middle of the night, just thinking about how close I was to turning 40. I didn't see it as a negative. The opposite, actually. It encouraged me to want to accomplish more. I started to talk to God and tell Him I was ready to take on something new. Especially since I wasn't pregnant or nursing(except at night or the occasional nap) at the time, which is usually not the case for me. That's when the word doula popped into my head. Thank you, Holy Spirit.
I googled doula, in hopes of being able to find a class that I could take so that if friends or family wanted/needed a doula, I could say I had taken a class, and I was ready, willing, and able to help. God always gives me more than I could ever imagine. The thing that popped out at me was this link: Hearts and Hands Volunteer Doula Program. Interesting. I started to get excited and I hadn't even clicked on the link yet! Once I did, I became even more excited and was wishing I had found the site at a more appropriate hour so I could call and find out more information. What I did find out from the website is that this program only charged $75 for training, as opposed to the hundreds of dollars for other programs. And, this one would put me to work as a volunteer! I knew that I couldn't become a doula as a business with my 6 children still at home, and while they are all in school, so this seemed perfect! God's timing is perfect and finding it at 2am gave me a chance to ponder, pray, and then sleep on it. The next morning I talked to Tim about what was on my heart and he was so supportive. He said he knew that I would be such a blessing to other women and that gave me wings.
I called the number on the link and spoke to the director, Ann. I could tell that this program is her passion and that she does not take it lightly. She asked me a lot of questions (I suppose she must need to do that a lot, with it being a volunteer program and wanting to make sure you don't take on people that aren't going to take it seriously) and told me I was in luck(I don't believe in luck, so I knew that all the glory went to God!). They had a training class that weekend, and only 1 spot left. Did I want it, or did I want to wait until July? Wouldn't you know that God would make this so clear for me to know it was Him? He knows I am a simple girl and need it spelled out for me! The class was on my birthday! I signed up and asked Tim if this could be my 39th birthday gift. How cool to get a gift like that?
I learned SO much during the training session. I met amazing women that had the same passion that I did for birth and breastfeeding and babies. I couldn't wait to start! But, remember, Ann takes this program seriously, and after the training class, we had to call in the following week and let her know if we were serious about becoming volunteers. There were a few hoops to jump through, but within a few weeks I was set up to begin.
God is in every detail. EVERY DETAIL. Wouldn't you know that he constantly was showing me that this is exactly where He wanted me at this time? I knew I had to sign up with a mentor, but had no clue who to ask when I looked at the list of them. They all just looked like names, and I didn't want to just do an eenie-meenie-mynie-moe...you know? Well, God made it super simple. I was at a hospital tour and our trainer was going on and on about a certain doula and how she had been the doula of the year. Then, as we are walking down the hall, she happens to be coming off of a birth and we get to meet her. She had the warmest smile. The sweetest face. I knew she HAD to be my mentor.
Bobbie, my mentor, is a super doula. I truly know that God made it all work out for her to be the one that trained me. She did not miss a beat, and she was a WEALTH of knowledge. My first doula birth with this program was 21.5 hours and it gave me a little taste of most aspects I would have to deal with. All in one birth! This mama started off in the birth center, but was in so much pain, they had to move her to labor and delivery. Then, after many, many hours of no progression, ended up in going in for a c-section. I had the privilege of being with her through each step and it was a blessing to be able to hold her hand after the c-section, after the baby was born, and Daddy goes off to be with baby. What a stark and cold place the operating room is! I don't know how women do it! What strong and courageous creatures we are!
I have had the pleasure of volunteering as a doula, in this program, 7 times now. However, I did have 2 births under my belt prior to the program. If you assist a women during birth; if you comfort her, encourage her; if you tend to her needs and love on her during birth you are a doula! 9 births so far! I am blessed! I honestly feel like each time I have gotten to watch a baby be born, it is a VERY special gift being given to me! By strangers, none the less! Isn't our God amazing that way? It truly is so much more blessed to give than to receive, because in the end you realize that all the giving turned into receiving an abundance of blessings in return!
**Stay tuned for part 2 where I will share some birth stories.
Just before my 39th birthday this past May, just 5 days before to be exact, I was up in the middle of the night, just thinking about how close I was to turning 40. I didn't see it as a negative. The opposite, actually. It encouraged me to want to accomplish more. I started to talk to God and tell Him I was ready to take on something new. Especially since I wasn't pregnant or nursing(except at night or the occasional nap) at the time, which is usually not the case for me. That's when the word doula popped into my head. Thank you, Holy Spirit.
I googled doula, in hopes of being able to find a class that I could take so that if friends or family wanted/needed a doula, I could say I had taken a class, and I was ready, willing, and able to help. God always gives me more than I could ever imagine. The thing that popped out at me was this link: Hearts and Hands Volunteer Doula Program. Interesting. I started to get excited and I hadn't even clicked on the link yet! Once I did, I became even more excited and was wishing I had found the site at a more appropriate hour so I could call and find out more information. What I did find out from the website is that this program only charged $75 for training, as opposed to the hundreds of dollars for other programs. And, this one would put me to work as a volunteer! I knew that I couldn't become a doula as a business with my 6 children still at home, and while they are all in school, so this seemed perfect! God's timing is perfect and finding it at 2am gave me a chance to ponder, pray, and then sleep on it. The next morning I talked to Tim about what was on my heart and he was so supportive. He said he knew that I would be such a blessing to other women and that gave me wings.
I called the number on the link and spoke to the director, Ann. I could tell that this program is her passion and that she does not take it lightly. She asked me a lot of questions (I suppose she must need to do that a lot, with it being a volunteer program and wanting to make sure you don't take on people that aren't going to take it seriously) and told me I was in luck(I don't believe in luck, so I knew that all the glory went to God!). They had a training class that weekend, and only 1 spot left. Did I want it, or did I want to wait until July? Wouldn't you know that God would make this so clear for me to know it was Him? He knows I am a simple girl and need it spelled out for me! The class was on my birthday! I signed up and asked Tim if this could be my 39th birthday gift. How cool to get a gift like that?
I learned SO much during the training session. I met amazing women that had the same passion that I did for birth and breastfeeding and babies. I couldn't wait to start! But, remember, Ann takes this program seriously, and after the training class, we had to call in the following week and let her know if we were serious about becoming volunteers. There were a few hoops to jump through, but within a few weeks I was set up to begin.
God is in every detail. EVERY DETAIL. Wouldn't you know that he constantly was showing me that this is exactly where He wanted me at this time? I knew I had to sign up with a mentor, but had no clue who to ask when I looked at the list of them. They all just looked like names, and I didn't want to just do an eenie-meenie-mynie-moe...you know? Well, God made it super simple. I was at a hospital tour and our trainer was going on and on about a certain doula and how she had been the doula of the year. Then, as we are walking down the hall, she happens to be coming off of a birth and we get to meet her. She had the warmest smile. The sweetest face. I knew she HAD to be my mentor.
Bobbie, my mentor, is a super doula. I truly know that God made it all work out for her to be the one that trained me. She did not miss a beat, and she was a WEALTH of knowledge. My first doula birth with this program was 21.5 hours and it gave me a little taste of most aspects I would have to deal with. All in one birth! This mama started off in the birth center, but was in so much pain, they had to move her to labor and delivery. Then, after many, many hours of no progression, ended up in going in for a c-section. I had the privilege of being with her through each step and it was a blessing to be able to hold her hand after the c-section, after the baby was born, and Daddy goes off to be with baby. What a stark and cold place the operating room is! I don't know how women do it! What strong and courageous creatures we are!
I have had the pleasure of volunteering as a doula, in this program, 7 times now. However, I did have 2 births under my belt prior to the program. If you assist a women during birth; if you comfort her, encourage her; if you tend to her needs and love on her during birth you are a doula! 9 births so far! I am blessed! I honestly feel like each time I have gotten to watch a baby be born, it is a VERY special gift being given to me! By strangers, none the less! Isn't our God amazing that way? It truly is so much more blessed to give than to receive, because in the end you realize that all the giving turned into receiving an abundance of blessings in return!
**Stay tuned for part 2 where I will share some birth stories.
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Saturday, October 8, 2011
The Hidden Desire Of My Heart
When Tim and I got married, I couldn't wait to have a baby with him. It was a yearning in me, that ran very deep. We waited 11 months before it finally happened, and found out on 1st anniversary about our sweet baby. The joy was overwhelming! We shared with anyone willing to listen that we were about to have our first child together.
Just after I found out I was pregnant, my little brother, Manny, had just returned from Afghanistan. His first tour. We were so proud of him and honored by his sacrifice, that Tim and I agreed that if we were to have a son, we wanted Manny to name him. He pulled a little paper out of his wallet. It had a list of baby names he loved and would write down for when he would have children of his own. (He was single at the time.) Isn't this about the sweetest thing you have ever heard? At the top of his list he had the name ELIJAH. He chose it for us. I declined telling him it was supposed to be for his son. He insisted. So, Elijah became engraved on my heart, even though I had no idea what gender my baby was, at that point. Not more than a few weeks later, we found out that our long anticipated baby, was no more. I had miscarried. Probably around the same time we were finding out and I had no idea. It was devastating, to say the absolute least. I questioned God, quietly. Why was this happening?
Tim reminded me that our baby was with Jesus. I pictured him/her in Amanda's arms, my sister that had passed away just 3 years earlier. Tim and I felt so strongly that although we had never had the privilege of seeing this precious child's face, this was still our child, and this child deserved a name. Without a second thought, we knew this child was to be ELIJAH. Putting a name to this baby helped my grieving process, and helped me to be able to talk about my experience. It has given me opportunities to share with others about the hope we have in Jesus and being reunited with our unborn child. It has been a balm to my soul as I think about the day I will finally hold him/her in my arms.
Fast forward a few years. My brother met a beautiful girl and they got married. As most newly married couples do, they started to talk about baby names, and Susan told me how my brother had pulled out his list. She was so sweet and considerate and asked me how I would feel if they still used the name Elijah. I wanted to say the right thing, but took a minute to process it. I spoke what was on my heart. Of course, they could use the name. It would be an honor. Plus, I told her, every time I would say the name, it would bring my own Elijah to memory, which would be a sweet thing.
I didn't give it much thought until the day my nephew was born. They had already found out they were having a boy and shared his name, so I wasn't surprised that they had chosen Elijah. I did find myself, towards the end of her pregnancy reminding my Mom, this is Elijah #2, because I was afraid that my unborn baby would be forgotten...but, still, it wasn't a raw emotion, just a reminder. Then that sweet little boy was born. I was sharing with friends about his birth and of course the question would come up, "What did they name him?" Easy question. Easy answer, right? I had no idea who difficult it would be to utter this name out loud. "Elijah." My throat became weak. My mind was spinning. The weight of my heart overwhelmed me. I truly couldn't bare the weight of having to hear this name out loud, and it not be because I was talking about my own child. I found myself on my knees, in tears, grieving as deeply as I had, over 9 years before. How my heart ached. How my heart longed for this child. It was about a 24 hour process. But, just like the Word of God says:
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23
What great comfort God's Word brings to me! He allowed me to grieve, once again, but then revealed some very amazing things to me. It took the birth of my nephew, Elijah Israel, to bring me full circle. I haven't even met this little cherub, but already, I can't quite explain, I am drawn to him and long to hold him. Through this little one, not even more than a day old, God was healing my heart, which (I was not even aware), was still so deeply hurt.
After those 24 hours, another friend asked about Susan. I said it. I said Elijah. This time my heart sang. My heart leaped. I had a new perspective on my life: as a mother, wife, and child of God.
Here is what God showed me.
When Tim and I were first married, I yearned for a child. My heart was wrapped in this Godly desire to have another baby. However, after Elijah, the pregnancies started to happen so fast and close together, that I started to take the ease of getting pregnant for granted. How sad that makes me today.
Now, Tim and I are facing the longest time, as a couple, without a pregnancy. When people would ask if I wanted another baby before this, I would always answer, "I'll be happy if it happens, and happy if it doesn't." I was trusting in God's will over my life....right? The birth of my nephew made me examine my heart. It wasn't pretty. I had allowed myself to start believing my own lies. I asked God to forgive me. I begged Him. I cried out in shame at my self righteousness and what a glorious thing it is to receive God's undeserved mercy and grace. It covered me. Went through me. Through every pore of me. Praise God!
God showed me something so big. I had been pushing my desire for more children down, way down, to the pit of my heart. I was afraid to face that desire, because of what others may think. I mean, come on! I already have a 1/2 dozen. Wouldn't that be more than enough for anyone? Well, I am content with the children I have. I am SO blessed! However, I still do yearn to have more children! I still do have a longing to be pregnant and give birth and nurse and raise more arrows for the kingdom of God! This is a godly desire! Why had I been ashamed to come to terms with it? Why was I allowing myself to be deceived about the desires of my heart?
Fear.
Plain and simple.
But, that is another post, entirely.
This post is about my realization of how God worked this all for good in me. (Romans 8:28) If I hadn't gone through that miscarriage, I wouldn't be going through this experience of refinement. Humility. Awe of God and His holy power. I wouldn't be appreciative of godly desires He has placed on my heart. Yes, that HE has placed on my heart! Everything was coming full circle, and God used my newborn nephew, to show me. He wanted me to face my desires and not allow my fear of them, to have me chained down any longer!
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That day, I decided I would share my desire with someone. Still dealing with a little fear, ok a lot of fear, I felt that the one person that wouldn't judge me, would be my 2 year old. I talked about a baby brother or sister (She said sister), and asked her to pray. I was still too raw to do it myself. What a sweet prayer from this child. Then, I got more bold and shared with Tim that night. He must be the best husband on this planet. I am truly blessed by this man. Then, I shared with my Mom and I shared with my friend, Tamara. I started to become more and more aware of my deep rooted desire for another child, and little by little that fear is being chipped away.
I may never become pregnant again. I don't know God's will over my life. But, I know He delights in my desire for more children. God's Word likens children to: rewards, gifts, heritage, inheritance! How could my desire for more, not be from Him??!
So, my heart is now open, exposed. He knew this all along. It took one little baby from 9 years ago, whose face is still unseen to me, and another baby here on earth, to bring me to my knees in humility. What a wonder filled thought! To know He is so mindful of me, that he would use 2 babies to do this!
"It is a safe thing to trust Him to fulfill the desires He creates." -Amy Carmichael, missionary
Thank you, Lord for helping me come to experience this desire again. I had forgotten how exciting it is to wait on you in this area. I had forgotten how sweet the anticipation of wondering tastes. I had forgotten how the longing for another child made me long for my husband's touch in a way that is all from you. I had forgotten you in this process. Forgive me, Father. Help me to come to terms with my fears, Lord. Thank you for my sweet Elijah in heaven. Thank you for little Elijah here on earth. In Jesus' Holy name, Amen.
Meaning of Elijah-The Lord is my God!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Labor of Love
I fully believe that our role as mothers does begin as soon as we are pregnant. But, lets be honest. Although pregnancy can sometimes be difficult, tiresome, and long, the real work begins on the day we go into labor. The day that we have to work hard and be diligent in our efforts to bring forth a baby into the world. It's the first act of labor as a mother, and the labor then continues, for a lifetime.
As we labor as mothers, we must stop and think about what the most important role in this ministry is. What is the action that God has called us to carry out with these most precious gifts?
Proverbs 22:6 says: Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.I love this verse because I believe it is laid out very simply. God gives us specific instruction to train our children in the way they should go. Well, in what way are we to train them to go? Our greatest commandment is to love our God with all our hearts, soul and might... Deuteronomy 6:4-8 says:
4"Hear, O Israel:The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
God puts it plainly for us, doesn't he? So, are you teaching this to your children diligently? The dictionary says that diligence is an action that is 'constant in effort to accomplish something and persistent in doing anything'. Are you diligently teaching your child to love the Lord with all his/her heart, soul and might? How might you go about that? I believe it is by example, primarily.
As I type this out, I realize I am not even skimming the top of the surface in doing what God has called me to do. I am to be DILIGENT in teaching them. It saddens me when I fail my loving Father. I do it all the time. However, he lovingly points me back to Him and gives me His Word to guide me back on the right track. These verses should not make us feel guilty of what we haven't been doing... they should bring us joy and give us strength at the amazing task at hand! They should gently chastise us to getting back on track with the Lord and just getting back to work, this labor of love called being a mommy. God has entrusted us to raise up children after His own heart! What a privilege that He would put us in such an honored position, Ladies!
So, this week I challenge you to be diligent about the example you are giving your child about loving the LORD your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might! What are some ways that you can model that?
*Prayer. Pray with your children! Look for opportunities to stop and pray for others. There is ALWAYS an opportunity. In the morning they might pray for Daddy to have a blessed day at work. Or pray for unsaved family members. In the car they might pray for an accident that you just passed or for someone that cut mommy off on the road. I used to have the habit of doing that many years ago and I found that it helped me to have a softened heart to what might be going on in that persons life. I had no idea why they were in a hurry, but God did. (If you have a very itty bitty one, you can start praying with them from the womb! They truly learn from example, so if you model prayer to them, don't be surprised when they are learning to bow their head and say amen before they even know how to hold a spoon!)
*Reading. Being diligent to seek Him first by reading the Word of God and letting your children know that this is your time with the Lord. If we are on a phone call, we might say, "Mommy is on the phone. Give me 5 minutes, then I will get back to you." We should be intentional about our time with Jesus, too. We can even start setting a quiet time where they also sit quietly and read their bible or look at their picture bible books while we have our time with Jesus.
*Service. Serving others is a wonderful example to set for your children. I challenge you to do something kind and thoughtful for someone outside of your immediate family each day this week. It might be sending a friend a note just saying "I love you." It might be cooking a meal for a family and just surprising them with dinner. It might be helping a fellow mommy out and babysitting a couple of hours so she can get some extra sleep or time with her husband. It might be taking lunch to Daddy as a surprise at work and blessing him with some time together during his busy day. The list is endless. But, I encourage you to include your child. If you babysit they can 'help' take care of the baby. If you make a meal, let them be involved. Have them write a note to someone. Let them know why you are doing this for that person. Take a moment to pray for those involved. (I would love to hear, throughout the week, in what ways your children served! Please, share.)
*Humility. Sometimes we blow it. Big time. What a great example we can set for our children of humility when we humble ourselves before the Lord and others and ask for forgiveness. If you need to ask your child to forgive you, don't hold back. You may find that they are the most forgiving of all people. And, you are teaching them humility. Use it as a time to let them know about the forgiving God you serve and how it came to be that Jesus died for your sins. You cannot share what Christ did for you enough, Ladies. Plus, I am sure as mothers you have come to know that repetition is very much a part of being a mother.
My lovely, sweet Mommies, you are your child's first example. God has given you a high calling. Will you please, take this week, day by day and think about your example to your child? Will you be intentional to be a Godly example and to ask for forgiveness when you fail, (because, most likely, you will) ? :0) Will you challenge yourself to lead by example, not just this week but for your lifetime, to the precious gifts God has given you?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, what a privileged position you have placed me in as ____________'s mommy. I know you have chosen me specifically for this time and place. I ask that you help me to lead by example. That my child see that I love you with all my heart and all my soul and all my might. That you give me a heart to seek you first in all I do. That I also know when to ask for forgiveness and to do it with humility. Lord, you are so loving and so gentle and so true to your word. Will you help me to be more like you, Jesus? Will you bring it to mind when I am not following your Word so I can correct it? Please, guide my steps as a mother this week, Father. Please, give me strength and joy and perseverance that comes only from you, Lord. That I lean not on my own understanding, but seek your will over my life as I continue on this blessed position of being __________'s mommy. Thank you, Father, for this amazing and beautiful and rewarding ministry! How blessed I am! Please, bring that to mind when I may feel frustrated or overwhelmed. I love you, Lord. Thank you for giving me your son, Jesus, to die for my sins and be my savior. In Jesus' holy name, I pray, Amen.
Have a happy LABOR day! Make it your goal to do a labor of love for someone outside of your immediate family everyday this week. Don't forget to incorporate your children and ask for their ideas. Their hearts are so open to love and serve others! For example, when I asked my children this morning what labor of love we could do for someone else, my 8 year old, Walker, and I had this conversation:
Walker: "Mom, how much are ESV bibles?" (Our Pastor reads an ESV, and Walker loves this translation.)
Me: "I'm sure we could find one under $10."
Walker: "Well, I thought maybe Christian, Zack, and I could put our money together and buy Mr. Bennett a bible and wrap it up as a gift." (Mr. Bennett is our landlord. We pray for his salvation, often.)
This is exactly what I meant by labor of love. Remember, dear Mothers, you labor not in vain, when you set out to do your Father's work!! (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Monday, August 22, 2011
Homeschool Movie Club
So, I just joined a club. The Homeschool Movie Club. I found them off of Facebook. (Thanks, Jen K.) Last week they put up a post about being able to see a FREE screening for the movie Dolphin Tale... you can check out the movie trailer here. All you had to do was be a leader of a homeschooling group. My group is for mommies, but has several homeschooling families, so I gave it a shot. 3 days later my ENTIRE family of 8, experienced what felt like VIP service, to a FREE movie screening, before the movie even comes out for the rest of the world to see! It was the 3D version, which means a TOTAL SAVINGS of a whooping $115.00. Wow!
Our family hardly ever goes to the movies for several reasons... expense, content, and being able to find a movie that the entire family would enjoy together. I also have a hearing disability, so this makes it nearly impossible to know what is being said in the movie without closed captioning. Therefore, movie nights at home are usually our best option. However, who can say no to FREEEEEEE??!! NOT OUR FAMILY. So, this past weekend, thanks to the Homeschool Movie Club, we got to do just that.
Let me start by saying I loved this movie. If you liked Free Willy, then you will love Dolphin Tale. This movie was not only fun and entertaining to watch, but it was inspiring. Moving. Encouraging. It was so pro-family and get this...PRO-HOMESCHOOL. How often do you see a movie like that? A movie where they aren't trying to characterize the homeschool child as awkward, or socially inept. It was actually the opposite. They portrayed homeschooling as something fun, and educational, and so positive. There was a point in the movie where the parent of the main character has to make a tough decision concerning her son, and it made me tear up. To know that so often as parents we are faced with what the world expects us to do, but going against the grain and doing what is REALLY best for our child, even if we may be criticized or ridiculed for it. I honestly left the theatre feeling motivated to begin our year of learning!!
This movie has some of my favorites like Morgan Freeman and Harry Connick Jr. The 2 kids that play the main characters are adorable. The little girl that is homeschooled is so cute and I loved her portrayal of that character. However, the true star of the film is the dolphin, Winter. This is her AMAZING story. I had heard of Winter awhile back, but hadn't really looked into the story. Now, thanks to the Homeschool Movie Club, we can do the curriculum for the movie. Fun! Check it out HERE...and it is FREE. Hello!!!
So, if you love FREE, are looking to find more movies geared towards family values, go register to become part of the Homeschool Movie Club here. They have fun promotions, giveaways, and obviously have the hook up to free movie screenings!
By the way... I can't exactly give you the plugged in online version of what the movie content held, due to not being able to hear most of the movie, but it seemed that the only bad word... d**n, was in one of the songs being played in the background. There wasn't any sexual content or scantily clad women. There are a couple of scenes of bare chested men (they are at swim meets). Overall, it is a movie that I would feel comfortable taking my family to see, although I will say this...my 4 year old was getting squirmy 1/2 way in. The movie is about 2 hours long, so be prepared with lots of goodies to keep them content. The 10am popcorn and rice krispy treat only kept him happy for about an hour. My 2 year old had to go potty 90 seconds into the movie, Daddy took her out, and decided to not come back in and have to climb over 10 people again, so he didn't get to see it, but Daddy said our 2 year old princess had a great time dancing up and down the halls.
The movie is set to premiere September 23rd at a theatre near you.
**2 good places to check before taking your families to the movies or renting a movie are:
Focus on the Family- Plugged In
or
Kids In Mind
Our family hardly ever goes to the movies for several reasons... expense, content, and being able to find a movie that the entire family would enjoy together. I also have a hearing disability, so this makes it nearly impossible to know what is being said in the movie without closed captioning. Therefore, movie nights at home are usually our best option. However, who can say no to FREEEEEEE??!! NOT OUR FAMILY. So, this past weekend, thanks to the Homeschool Movie Club, we got to do just that.
Let me start by saying I loved this movie. If you liked Free Willy, then you will love Dolphin Tale. This movie was not only fun and entertaining to watch, but it was inspiring. Moving. Encouraging. It was so pro-family and get this...PRO-HOMESCHOOL. How often do you see a movie like that? A movie where they aren't trying to characterize the homeschool child as awkward, or socially inept. It was actually the opposite. They portrayed homeschooling as something fun, and educational, and so positive. There was a point in the movie where the parent of the main character has to make a tough decision concerning her son, and it made me tear up. To know that so often as parents we are faced with what the world expects us to do, but going against the grain and doing what is REALLY best for our child, even if we may be criticized or ridiculed for it. I honestly left the theatre feeling motivated to begin our year of learning!!
This movie has some of my favorites like Morgan Freeman and Harry Connick Jr. The 2 kids that play the main characters are adorable. The little girl that is homeschooled is so cute and I loved her portrayal of that character. However, the true star of the film is the dolphin, Winter. This is her AMAZING story. I had heard of Winter awhile back, but hadn't really looked into the story. Now, thanks to the Homeschool Movie Club, we can do the curriculum for the movie. Fun! Check it out HERE...and it is FREE. Hello!!!
So, if you love FREE, are looking to find more movies geared towards family values, go register to become part of the Homeschool Movie Club here. They have fun promotions, giveaways, and obviously have the hook up to free movie screenings!
By the way... I can't exactly give you the plugged in online version of what the movie content held, due to not being able to hear most of the movie, but it seemed that the only bad word... d**n, was in one of the songs being played in the background. There wasn't any sexual content or scantily clad women. There are a couple of scenes of bare chested men (they are at swim meets). Overall, it is a movie that I would feel comfortable taking my family to see, although I will say this...my 4 year old was getting squirmy 1/2 way in. The movie is about 2 hours long, so be prepared with lots of goodies to keep them content. The 10am popcorn and rice krispy treat only kept him happy for about an hour. My 2 year old had to go potty 90 seconds into the movie, Daddy took her out, and decided to not come back in and have to climb over 10 people again, so he didn't get to see it, but Daddy said our 2 year old princess had a great time dancing up and down the halls.
The movie is set to premiere September 23rd at a theatre near you.
**2 good places to check before taking your families to the movies or renting a movie are:
Focus on the Family- Plugged In
or
Kids In Mind
Sunday, June 19, 2011
A Lesson Worth Learning
RULES FOR TALKING
Utter no useless words.
Reflect before speaking.
Confide these but to a few persons.
Leave it to the world to talk of the world.
Never seek information through curiosity.
Say little of your works, less of your troubles.
Restrain the tongue when the heart is agitated.
Be silent when you feel too great a desire to talk.
Aim at speaking to the purpose, rather than often.
Complain of nothing, neither of persons nor things.
Speak after others; never against others; always well of others.
Choose to listen rather than to talk, for silence is preferable to speech.
It is wise to talk too little than too much, and to speak well than to say many things.
Hope you are as blessed by this as I was...convicted, as well!
God bless your day!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
MUAH!!!
As in kissses.
As in kisses ALL DAY from the Lord on my cheek!
Yesterday Tim and I celebrated our 10th anniversary and I just had to take a minute to jot down all the kisses God was planting on me yesterday. It was truly such a sweet day. I never want to forget it.
Kiss #1. The beautiful morning. I woke up so refreshed and ready for the day.
Kiss #2. My quiet time in the Word. I chose Song of Solomon for today, since it seemed fitting. I lingered on chapters 4 and 5. I love those.
Kiss #3. The Zumba class I went to. (I shook things I didn't know I had to shake!)
Kiss #4. The negative TB test results. (I am one step closer to my first birth as a doula. I am so excited and will post about that later.)
Kiss #5. The parking attendant giving me my money back, so FREE parking! (I used the money later to buy fresh cherries. The best!)
Kiss #6. Finding the shortcut on the freeway.
Kiss #7. The visit with a sweet friend. Thank you, Kimberly for thinking of our Isa. We LOVE Kadie's hand me downs. And, thank you, Kadie, for growing like a weed. ;0)
Kiss #8. Miguel driving the kids up the mountain to Gramita's house, so I could clean. I love having a trustworthy son that can drive!
Kiss #9. The FB exchange between Elizabeth and I. E, you make me laugh. Thanks for your informative texts today. You helped me so much.
Kiss #10. Tickets to the Vicente Fernandez concert. A friend on FB posted that he was in town for a concert. I so wanted to see a mariachi on our anniversary, but seeing CHENTE was above and beyond! If you know your mariachi music, you know that Vicente F. is the KING of this stuff.
Kiss #11. Clean sheets.
Kiss #12. The scale. And, the 4 pounds I have lost in the last 10 days.
Kiss #13. The Festie. (Festie: Just the word I made up for what Katie is to me, my fit friend. She sends me encouraging texts and checks on me as I try to lose some weight. Thanks, Katie, for your encouragement, for sharing your triumphs, and for your support!)
Kiss #14. Trying on a dress I had in my closet that was tight a few months back, but fits now.
Kiss #15. The card. Tim writes the sweetest cards.
Kiss #16. The gift. I need to elaborate on this one. Tim and I have a 'rule', if you will. We decided many years ago to not get each other gifts on our anniversary. Most years, he still gets me something, but it is still the 'rule'. However, I do not expect a gift. As I was getting ready for our date, I decided to wear my hair in a tight ponytail. Tim's favorite way to see my hair. I was putting on some cute hoop earrings I found at H&M for $2.95 but, secretly dreaming about the diamond hoop earrings at my in-laws jewelry store. I am not a big jewelry wearer, but these earrings are so pretty. The thought came as quickly as it came, but when Tim laid a gift on my lap as we were headed out to dinner, and I opened that box, I could not help but squeal and cry that God was in every detail. He used Tim to give me a sweet kiss of diamonds. Those earrings will remind me that I am God's princess and that I am worth more than any amount of diamonds to Him. So, this year, we will go ahead and make an exception to the 'rule'.
Kiss #17. A sweet date night.
Kiss #18. Dessert? Nah. I took one bite and was like, ok, that was sweet. No thanks.
Kiss #19. My husband.
Kiss #20. JESUS.
Some of these kisses are on my cheek, but the last one is on my forehead, daily, minute by minute, because that is where the sweetest kisses are received.
It was a perfect day. All the glory goes to God. Looking forward to what our 20th anniversary will bring.
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