Only 3 1/2 Months Left

Here I am at about 23 weeks. Only 3 1/2 months to go. I can't wait!

Ultrasound Pics - 24 Weeks!

For those of you who are not used to viewing ultrasound pictures the first one is a picture of the baby's profile. The next one is the baby's face, and the last one is a picture of what looked on the monitor at the doctor's office like the baby yawning. :)

"Spiritual Mothering" by Susan Hunt

I recently finished this book and was very impressed. Sometimes it's difficult for me to stick with one book at a time. I usually start one, and then another one, and then another one and so on...but this time I was able to focus on just one. Yes, it was that good.

Whenever I read a book, I usually pick out one statement in it that really strikes me. In this case, it was a quote from the author on page 43 - "An exalted view of God will shape a Biblical world view that permeates all of life for the woman of faith." You're probably reading this and thinking, "Hmmmm...okay...I'm not sure what makes this so profound." Well, let me explain.

In almost every book I read by a Christian author whether it be related to marriage, relationships, depression, sin issues and just life in general each author comes back to one central point - glory. Not just glory, but God's glory. Everything we say, do and think reflects on our Savior. And what is the chief end of man (man's primary purpose)? To glorify our Savior and enjoy Him forever.

"Spiritual Mothering" is exactly what it's title conveys. Susan Hunt defines spiritual mothering as this: "When a woman possessing faith and spiritual maturity enters into a nurturing relationship with a younger woman in order to encourage and equip her to live for God's glory." I like this definition because it is two-fold. For the woman who is being mothered, she is learning how to live for God's glory and in essence is glorifying God even just in the LEARNING process. For the woman who is mothering, she is glorifying God by teaching another woman HOW to glorify God. Isn't that a beautiful picture? And how important are both of these roles! The woman who is mothering is passing something on that is absolutely necessary for ALL women of faith to learn, that Lord willing will continue to be passed on to many future generations.

Women have a major role in society on so many levels. We have the ability to build a man up, to raise our children to know Jesus on the most intimate level and to share insights and a perspective that men do not have. We can complement men in a way that will make them most effective in their labors for God. I have to mention one important fact here - a woman need not be in just a marriage relationship to have this effect. There are many ways this can be lived out, but I won't get into them in this post.

I feel like maybe I'm sounding scattered here, but with time constraints I will have to expound more on this subject another time. The point is that if our hearts and eyes are set solely on the work of our heavenly Father, this will spill over into ALL areas of our life. We have opportunities too numerous to mention - at work, the grocery store, in our relationships with other women (young and old), spouses and children (ours and others), at church, in our homes and every time we step out our front door. We need to take them so that the Holy Spirit continues to do a work in us preparing us to meet Him, and in turn will do a work in others so that they might know Him and have the joy that we are so blessed to possess.

May all women of faith heed the call to take their role in this life seriously, learning and doing the work that God has set apart just for us, and may He be glorified in such a way that the Holy Spirit exudes from our entire being and permeates the globe.

The Quest to Save $

It seems that Aron and I have tightened our belt about as much as we can.... or have we? We already clip coupons, shop sale items, buy things in bulk (at Sam's Club), use credit cardv rewards programs (5% back on grocery, pharmacy and even gas), but I have set a goal of learning what else we can do.

I've been researching ways to save more money, and I've come up with some VERY interesting methods:

1. make our own laundry detergent (thank you Becca!)

2. make our own jar/canned goods (applesauce, pickles, etc.)

3. amazon.com grocery shopping for certain items

4. buy coupons online (pay a fraction of the price for coupons online for items we purchase on a regular basis)

I will post more as I come up with them.

parallels

I have only been married just short of 6 months now, but I am amazed at how much God has taught me in such a short period of time. He has revealed sinful behaviors to me that I have either buried or just never noticed, and He has also revealed something else I'd only ever heard of and had never had the joy of experiencing before.

When Aron and I were engaged and going through premarital counseling as well as reading countless books on marriage, there was one theme we kept hearing about over and over again - that the marriage relationship between a man and a woman is a direct parallel to our relationship with God.

Our marriage has been both difficult at times and absolutely fulfilling and incredible, even euphoric sometimes. We have been learning how to treat each other, how to love each other, please each other and encourage each other to grow. We have also been learning how to apologize when we are wrong and forgive when we have been wronged.

There have been days that I've been a horrible excuse for a wife and even some days that anyone observing or speaking to me would question whether or not I'm really saved. I have been so disgusted and ashamed of my sinful actions, attitudes and words that sometimes it's hard to even believe it really is me that I'm looking at in the mirror. I have been just plain hateful and ugly, and Aron STILL manages to forgive me. He has forgiven me for things that I myself don't know if I could forgive him for if the roles were reversed.

I am in awe at Aron's ability to forgive and forget the sins I've committed against him and not to bring them up to me in the future. He truly does forgive me completely. I manage to fail him over and over and over again, and he manages to pardon me every time, no matter how badly I've hurt him. How much more does our Heavenly Father forgive and forget? It's amazing! I see how offensive I can be to another human being whom I love so deeply, and now I am even more aware of how I have been doing even worse to my Savior for the last 26 years. And He too forgives me. I am blessed beyond measure.

Recently, at one of our church's mid-week small group meetings a woman had been sharing her struggles and she said something that was so simple yet so profound it has stuck with me for weeks now. She said, "No one can love me like Jesus." How true this is, and how grateful I am.

"No one can love me like Jesus."

"Preferred Pregnant" Parking

Call me an idiot, but I always thought that the "Preferred Pregnant" parking sign at Shop Rite meant that they PREFER pregnant women to park there. It was only a couple of weeks ago that I was discussing this with Aron and found out that's not what they really mean. I know... I know... it was pretty stupid of me, but what can I say?

I have to say I go to Shop Rite AT LEAST once a week, and the two "Preferred Pregnant" parking spots are ALWAYS taken. Finally, yesterday when we got there one of the spots was open. There was another spot just as close to the front door as that one and closer to where our car was stopped at that moment but I exclaimed to Aron, "Hurry! It's open! It's never open! We have to take it!" It was silly, but I can NEVER get that spot. Victory finally!

When I was about 17 and first had my driver's license I shopped for my family's groceries often. One day I saw the pregnancy spots, and I decided to take one. I didn't feel like parking on the other side of the parking lot, and I was in a rush. I saw the sign and thought, "Oh, they just PREFER you're pregnant to park here." After checking out at the register I happily wheeled my cart out the front door right to my car. I heard an old man behind me say, "She doesn't look pregnant to me." I laughed to myself reflecting on what a cranky old man he was assuming he was jealous that he had to walk further than me to get to this car.

I get it now.

I can't even count the amount of times I've come out of Shop Rite and seen women who CLEARLY weren't pregnant getting in and out of their cars in those parking spots, and it has made me angry. One thing is certain, I won't be parking there after my baby is born.

Say "YES" to Proposition 8

http://cbs5.com/local/proposition.8.poll.2.834082.html

This is so encouraging. I realize that polls can convey whatever we'd like them to, but this still gives me hope. In our world today it's incredible how quickly it seems we, as a people, are headed in a downward spiral. That's why little things like this remind me that God is still preserving His people. I am grateful for that, and I am grateful to belong to Him.

I will still grieve for those who are unsaved. This also gives me a greater sense of urgency to share the Gospel with everyone I can. It's not about "winning people over." I want to see everyone I know or have ever been in contact with in Heaven with me. Just the very THOUGHT of the alternative turns my stomach.

Thank you, Jesus, for taking my place. There truly is no greater gift.

where my peace comes from

"...if God has given you His only begotten Son, beware of doubting His kindness and love, in any painful providence of your daily life! Never allow yourself to think hard thoughts of God. Never suppose that He can give you anything which is not really for your good. Remember the words of Paul: ‘He who spared not His own Son—but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things’ (Romans 8:32).

See in every sorrow and trouble of your earthly pilgrimage the hand of Him who gave Christ to die for your sins! That hand can never smite you except in love! He who gave His only begotten Son for you, will never withhold anything from you which is really for your good. Lean back on this thought and be content. Say to yourself in the darkest hour of trial, ‘This also is ordered by Him who gave Christ to die for my sins. It cannot be wrong. It is done in love. It must be well.’"
-JC Ryle