2 Days Down

So this week looks like its gonna be a busy one. On the schedule we have the big kids starting daycare (which is just different from the normal), Seth still going to grandparents, dentist appointment for the big kids, Daniel starting 4 day a week football practice, and just throw in Bj being out of town for training, which he has never done before.

The good news is we are already 2 days through and tomorrow is our break day, kinda.

Day 1 of football was so so for Daniel. New things are hard for him so couple that with getting kicked in the shin accidentally with another kids cleated foot, lets just say it wasn't a great first impression on him. He is pretty hard on himself, so he was disappointed to not be a superstar on day 1.

I just kept encouraging him and telling him day 2 would be better and it was. When I picked him up today he had a smile on his face and said, "I think I'm gonna like playing football." I'm really hoping he'll learn teamwork and to work hard for something and achieve it, finding satisfaction in that. I want all my kids to be self-motivated,  but if you never push yourself to do something hard and see it happen, you don't ever learn that.

So far at daycare, the kids have been to the park, roller skating and tomorrow is laser tag for Katelynn and skating for the other two. Friday they go to Cowboys Stadium. I really love that they are able to do fun things in the summer with summer camps at daycare. They really enjoy it so I'm glad we can let them go to daycare for a few weeks each summer.

Bj is at interrogation training for work. He is learning how to ask questions without being leading and to interpret answers to find people in their lies and get to the truth. In case you didn't know he is an asset protection manager and basically is in charge of investigating suspect behavior from his employees and then helping with interviews so that theft/misappropriation can be documented and dealt with from the legal side. It's very interesting stuff and he's really enjoying it.

After this training/certification he can conduct the interviews instead of assisting the interviews. Yeah he is totally happy to be the assistant, but it'll be good for him to be pushed out of his comfort zone. God has a way of pushing us farther than we ever thought we could/would go and using that not only to advance us in our physical lives (like in his job) but also to translate that for His purposes.

He's Got You

To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.
~Ecclesiastes 2:26

This week during my devotions, I read this verse and it resonated with me. You know if you weren't raised in church and you are choosing to come from a mostly comfortable lifestyle to one that requires sacrifice, physically and spiritually, it can be a difficult decision. I think even if we are able to rely on God emotionally and spiritually, it can be a leap to rely on God financially. Because God is spiritual and finances are physical, tangible.

And when we struggle that way, we look and see all the people who aren't serving God who have no financial struggles. And it doesn't seem fair. We may be tempted even for a moment to give up on God and do things the normal way. Not tithing, being greedy or selfish instead of giving and generous and take care of our own using our own ways.

And then there are verses like this one that remind us that God takes care of our financial needs even by allowing the unbeliever to earn wealth for our benefit.  I like the idea of God using the wealth of those who have selfishly earned it for us who have chosen his way, even though it isn't the natural/normal way.

So no matter the need, God's got it under control! I used to have a college professor who would pray that God would sell one of his cattle on a thousand hills to provide for financial needs. Always made me giggle, but its true that God's resources are limitless.

On a kind of related note, if God asks you to help someone financially, do it. We've been in that situation multiple times and God has always rewarded our obedience and always taken care of us. How awesome it is to be God's hand extended. The very one God uses to prove his faithfulness to other believers going through tough times.

Boys, Boys Everywhere!!

Tonight I taught the boys class at church. Let me be honest: I really didn't want to do it, but just like any other challenge, tell me I can't and watch me at least give it my best shot (So I'm a little more determined and competitive than many).

I have heard horror stories about this group of rowdy boys. About how wound up and out of control they are. So my plan going on was to purpose build in a game or some other activity that would allow them to move but still be reinforcing the lesson in some way. I also wanted to give them a tactile way to reinforce the lesson while I taught it.

By the way they are also used to about 15 minutes of lesson and then 45 minutes of playing outside. Yeah, that wasn't going to fly with me so i knew I had their expectation of "normal" to fight against.

I taught about 1 Timothy 4:12 about them being an example to others around them. The verse lends itself to challenging the boys to step up and be leaders.

Overall, I think it went pretty well. They were mostly engaged and participated and I think they learned something, or I pray they did. Yes, there were a kid or two who started asking when church was over (only 20 minutes in) and a few off topic conversations I had to redirect, but I think it went pretty well.

The looks on their faces when I told them to stop whatever or be quiet was pretty funny. Some of them are just used to getting their way and I guess they didn't expect me to maintain control. No, I don't want to teach them each week, but now I know I can handle it.

Feels pretty good to accomplish something new.

33W6D

How Far Along: 33 Weeks 6 Days
Size of the Baby: About 18 inches long, and 4 3/4 lbs, the size of a cantaloupe.
Total Weight Gain/Loss:14 pounds gained total, but I feel like a whale. Dr W is so proud of me. He says he wishes all of his patients would gain so little. It'd make his job easier. The thing is, Julia will gain her weight, and normal hormonal cravings, without going crazy, will take care of the extra calories baby needs. I looked back at my posts with Seth and the last time I updated (I think like a week before he was born) I had gained 19 pounds, so I guess I'm on goal to do about the same.
Maternity Clothes: Yes. I am so ready for normal clothes. I refuse to buy anything else for the remaining 6 weeks or less, so I just have to make do with what I have. I am feeling really huge and some of my blouse shirts that are not stretchy are getting really tight about my belly.
Gender:Girl~ Julia Renee.
Movement: All the time.She moves more in the evening than the morning, but I think maybe I'm just still enough to notice her moving more. My life as wife and mom to 4 kids doesn't slow down for anything or anyone, so yeah, I'm pretty busy.
What I Miss Most: Getting up and down with ease, flexibility, sleeping on my belly.
Cravings: None really. Been pretty careful with my eating and feeling overfull has helped.
Symptoms: sore breasts, tiredness, feeling tight in my stomach, shortness of breath, getting sore from being in one position too long, just feeling pregnant.
Best Moment of the week: Compliments from Dr W about my weight and feeling like I can eat whatever I want (because I'm eating so little at a time) and not worry about gaining weight. Also, I have one more 2 week appointment and then we go to once a week. Next appointment I have my Group B Strep test and I'll start getting checked for cervix dilation and effacement. This pregnancy is soon coming to an end.

Between now and the next appointment, I have two baby showers scheduled. I'm excited to see friends I don't see so often. It's really not about the gifts for me, although I am very appreciative of them and I do love to see girlie clothes since I'm not used to that. I just like getting together with old friends.

Speaking of old friends (not friends that are old, friends I've known for a while) one of my friends from my high school years is coming to see me in about 4 weeks from Virginia. She was one of my youth pastors and we have just staying in touch over the years. I'm excited to see her and catch up.

There is a lot to do in the next 6 weeks, some for Julia, some for the Missionettes (girls group at church I'm in charge of),  some to get the kids ready for school, and some for football (which Daniel starts next week and we are basically done with). That doesn't even count getting things wrapped up at work so I can be off with Julia. But I'm trying to just take it one day at a time and get done what i can when I can. It will all get done, it always does, and if it doesn't we make do.

Trusting the Source

When life gets hairy and we don't know how we are going to make it, God is faithful to take care of his own. And we are grateful for the provision. And as time goes on and we get used to the provision of God, we have a tendency to trust in the comfortable circumstances rather than the provider.

We trust in our job to take care of us instead of the one who provided the job.
We trust in the reliable vehicle instead of the source.
We trust in medicine and doctors for our health instead of our Creator and healer.

This morning I was reading about Elijah as God provided for him by commanding ravens to give him food and water from the brook at Cherith. And on purpose, God allowed the brook to dry up and the ravens to stop coming. Not because he was mad at Elijah but because he needed to test where Elijah's trust was. In the ravens and the water or in God, the provider.

When we get comfortable, it's easy to get our eyes focused on the wrong things. Or on things rather than the one. The source.

The Girl With Bangs

Last Wednesday I got a phone call from Haley with a dire question. (She's a preteen and everything is dramatic.) She asked me if my mom could cut her hair so she would have bangs.

For a while she has been complaining that kids make fun of her by calling her "forehead" I guess because they thought her forehead was large. I still don't see it but all it takes is one person saying something and then it catches on. And it made her insecure. So when my mom offered to cut her bangs, she was so excited! I gave her my permission and secretly hoped it would look good on her and not be a decision she regretted. I spent many years growing out my bangs and really she had been growing hers out since she became a part of our family (but they weren't short when she came.)

So much to our surprise, when my mom cut her bangs we realized that her hair (at least her bangs) were not totally straight but wavy instead. I've always thought her hair was pretty straight, but I guess it has some wave/curl to it.

And her bangs look really cute and make here look more her age. That makes this mom so excited! I know no preteen wants to look younger, but I really think her bangs do that for her. I feel like kids grow up so much earlier than they used to, especially kids from hard places with exposure that typical kids with Godly parents don't have. So I need her to stay young long enough so I can feel like she is grounded in God and not so easily persuaded by what is popular. And we started out behind parenting her. She has 7 years of other experiences I wasn't able to help her through or show her God's way regarding. So her growing up makes me a little nervous and scared.

I know God will keep her in the palm of his hands, but I don't want my little girl to grow up so fast. I'm very happy having an 11 year old that looks so cute with her new wavy bangs.

No shortcuts

How can a young person stay on the path to purity? By living according to your word...I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119: 9 & 11

We live in a microwave society. Where we want instant results and satisfaction. I have seen so many people who desire to do things God's way but just struggle to turn from their sin and begin to obey.

There is no shortcut for repentence or a change of heart. No easy way to fix what has been messed up by sin. Yes, the blood of Jesus is enough to forgive and wash away our failures instantly when we ask but the only way to gain strength to stand, to remain pure in a world that is so corrupted by sin, where truth has been diluted and relativized is to get in and read and study God's word. Spend time with the author and learn of him.

Because his word is powerful enough to change us. To do that which we cannot do in our own strength and effort.

Sin has a way of entangling us. Of distorting our thinking.

Returning to the truth of God's word is a process. You didn't get where you are overnight and without a supernatural awesome touch from God, you won't return fully to God and his ways overnight either. (I have seen God miraculously deliver people from sin struggles so that all temptation and desire are gone instantly, but that is the exception and not the norm.)

There are no shortcuts, but the freedom found on the journey is worth the pursuit of him who is able to change us, from the inside out. So hold on for the ride and know that he who is calling you, drawing you is faithful to be with you and help you one step at a time.

Insecurity

Last week I was sitting at the dentist crying. Now I have been to the dentist more times than most because I have genetically bad/weak teeth. It's usually not an issue. I'm used to it all. But for whatever reason (partially due to these raging pregnancy hormones that make me so emotional), I felt ashamed, embarrassed of my teeth.

And as usual, God used this situation to speak to me. We all (especially women) have something we don't like about our physical bodies. And as much as we tell ourselves we are confident, and that what God says matters, we still somehow allow ourselves to feel insecure about something.

Because we are human. Because the devil will use one spoken word, one insecurity, to lead our thoughts to a place of doubt. Doubt about the goodness of God. Doubt about our worth. Doubt about the love of God. Doubt about ourselves.

And when we are consumed with doubt about our lives and whether we matter or not, we have allowed those lies of the enemy to drown out the words of our loving father. Who says we are worth it. Who calls us beautiful and chosen. Precious to him. Who has plans for us so great we can't even began to create them in our finite minds. Who created us in his likeness perfectly for the task at hand.

Who equips us by his spirit so that nothing is impossible if we will believe. Who makes us worthy of the calling he has laid so tenderly on our hearts. Who sees us through the redeeming blood of his son. The blood that covers us in His righteousness.

You are not who you think you are. You are who God says you are and he sees you as beautiful.