It was the fall of 2011. Zaden was a needy infant (if you don't know our backstory with Zaden's weight loss and feeding issues, you can check my blog archives from Sept and Oct 2011), and I was an exhausted mother of 6 trying to keep things together at the front end of a year-long deployment. It was not a season of life that allowed for ease in picking up and leaving the house for a Bible study, so I eagerly and gratefully accepted the opportunity to do an independent study of Priscilla Shirer's Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted study at home, watching the DVD sessions on my laptop and doing the daily studies in my own workbook. The topic seemed especially pertinent to my life at the time!
During one of the video sessions, Priscilla talked about the Greek word rhema, meaning a specific word from the Lord. I had learned about this word a few years prior, during a ladies' Bible study of Beth Moore's, John, the Beloved Disciple, and I actually remembered being struck by the subject matter to the point of making notes in my own Bible as I listened to the instruction.
Anyway, there I was...sitting in my kitchen, nursing baby Zaden, taking notes and listening to Priscilla talk about how Jonah had received a rhema word from the Lord, a specific message from God. And suddenly I knew God was putting a rhema word in my own heart. I "heard" the message, clear as day: There will be a girl, and her name will be Rhema. It was so clear I actually stopped the video and sat with my heart pounding for awhile. What?! I was so overwhelmed just trying to keep up with the day-to-day needs of the 6 children we had...I couldn't even imagine having another baby then or ever.
I journaled about the experience in my private prayer journal, recording my thoughts and reactions, and I prayed much over it, but I didn't tell anyone until Ted was home a few months later for his two-week R&R time. We prayed together about God's plans for our family but held this close to our hearts.
Life moved on. We made it through the rest of our year-long separation, welcoming Ted home in May of 2012. We eagerly embraced our new adventure: moving overseas to Naples, Italy, for our next assignment. Amidst the flurry of life in a different country, we learned another child would join our family. I assumed this was our little girl Rhema, about whom I felt God had told me more than a year previously.
But...ha, ha! The ultrasound revealed we were having a BOY! And I knew God had given us Rhema as a girl's name! So, as we welcomed to the family our chunky little boy, Seanin Gabriel, I filed away the thoughts, questions, and perplexity I was feeling at the time. After reading and teaching Richard Stearns' book The Hole in Our Gospel, I wondered if perhaps God would lead us to adopt a little girl someday, and perhaps HER name would be Rhema.
But as you probably already know, God knit Rhema together in my own womb in His own perfect timing. A week after I had completed the Athens Marathon in 2014, I took a pregnancy test and wasn't terribly surprised to see that it was positive. The due date of July 20 seemed rather puzzling to me--we were scheduled to move in August 2015, and moving overseas with a newborn did not sound appealing. With that thought putting a bit of a damper on things, Ted and I kept the news to ourselves for awhile, waiting to surprise the kids and Grandma J with an announcement on Christmas morning.
As always, God's timing proves to be ever so perfect...what we didn't know when we saw those two pink lines was that God had already chosen for Ted to be assigned to a squadron command job that would begin at the end of May, causing us to have to make the overseas move nearly 3 months ahead of schedule! And not only that, but the Lord gave us an assignment in Nebraska, smack in the middle of the country with our families located about the same distance away from us in either direction!
Honestly, we know by now that we can trust our good and gracious Father God. Sometimes we may wonder while we wait, but we KNOW His ways are perfect!
A couple of months after we started sharing the news, an ultrasound confirmed what I suspected to be true: this baby was a GIRL! And I felt peace that she was indeed our little Rhema whom God had planned all along to be a part of our family, just as He knows each and every one of us from ages past, before the foundations of the earth were laid. What an amazing God we have!
Showing posts with label Motherhood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Motherhood. Show all posts
December 28, 2015
May 08, 2011
Mother's Day
I had a wonderfully quiet beginning to my 2011 Mother's Day! I "slept in" (i.e. hit snooze twice--unusual for me when Ted is gone) and rolled out of bed around 5:20. Had plenty of time to make and enjoy hot tea with my quiet time, plus set everything up for banana-peanut butter pancakes.
Kids were still quiet and in bed after my shower, so I made my first batch of pancakes and enjoyed the undefiled comics section while eating breakfast. Time seems to speed up when kids wake, though, so before we knew it we were rushing off to church! It was gray and chilly when we left. Church was incredible--loved the worship set, the message, the fellowship, the encouragement. Our "Resolve to Read" class has grown so close in the months since we began in January, and I love the discussions we have each week. We have a variety of ages--a teenager, several college students, and adults all the way to maybe 80-something, so it's wonderful!
The kids and I headed home for a simple lunch (leftovers!), but we had better things to look forward to in the evening! Lucan desperately needed/wanted a nap, choosing not to even eat lunch at all. After I got him settled, the kids gave me some precious, handmade goodies. Kenna, seeing that Charis had made multiple items, apparently decided that her original single drawing was not, in fact, enough, and so she busied herself making (or possibly finding?) other projects, and she kept bringing them to me at random intervals! Of course I had to exclaim over each one!
I enjoyed a small bit of leisure time, doing the crossword and reading the paper out on the deck in the sun, which decided to grace us with its rare presence.
I finished prepping a veggie tray to take to Erin's house--my friend who brought us the chili dinner a couple of weeks ago invited us to her house for dinner on Mother's Day! It was such a blessing to receive the invitation and reminded me of another spur-of-the-moment invitation I received when Kenna was a newborn and Ted was finishing a deployment in Tampa. Adam and Laura T sat with me in church that Sunday and asked if I had plans. Upon learning that I was going home, they told me to come to their house instead. I ended up having a very pampered, relaxing day, and the kids had a wonderful time playing in their amazing back yard. God surely blesses us with encouraging friends!
Lucan was sound asleep at 3:15 when I went into his room, but he cheerfully stood up to announce "night night!" We stopped by Kroger to grab some produce--I wanted to take some strawberries along for our dinner as well as pick up some flowers for Erin--and then we headed to the S's house. It was another relaxing afternoon, with wonderful fellowship. The chicken dish Erin made for dinner was fantastic, and Charis was so excited that she got to help make the deviled eggs along with Erin's older daughters! Lucan and Evangeline played at the water table in the back yard and got thoroughly soaked. The older kids thought it was hilarious that he ate dinner wearing girls' clothes while his own were in the dryer!
We left shortly after dinner to come home...Lucan was rubbing his eyes and obviously needed to get back to bed. We Skyped with Ted just a short while so Lucan could say hello and good night to Daddy, and then I gave the kids the chance to read or play quietly for awhile as I finished putting things away. I got them all in bed fairly early (8:30-8:45ish) so I could Skype with Ted myself awhile. My Mother's Day gift from him was Sarah Palin's new book, America by Heart, which I look forward to reading. I'm glad for a gift that will last longer than flowers on my counter. :-) I love flowers, and I do appreciate them, but I constantly feel that I'm having to clear off the counters for kitchen prep, and there's just not really room for a big bouquet. Add to that the fact that I've become ridiculously practical since becoming a mother...! So I was delighted when Charis surprised me during her Skype session with Daddy by handing me the book and hearing that it was my gift from Daddy and the kids!
Unfortunately, I didn't get to talk to my own mom today...had to leave a voice message! Hopefully soon, though! Ted did talk with his mom in between our Skype sessions. Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms in my life!
Kids were still quiet and in bed after my shower, so I made my first batch of pancakes and enjoyed the undefiled comics section while eating breakfast. Time seems to speed up when kids wake, though, so before we knew it we were rushing off to church! It was gray and chilly when we left. Church was incredible--loved the worship set, the message, the fellowship, the encouragement. Our "Resolve to Read" class has grown so close in the months since we began in January, and I love the discussions we have each week. We have a variety of ages--a teenager, several college students, and adults all the way to maybe 80-something, so it's wonderful!
The kids and I headed home for a simple lunch (leftovers!), but we had better things to look forward to in the evening! Lucan desperately needed/wanted a nap, choosing not to even eat lunch at all. After I got him settled, the kids gave me some precious, handmade goodies. Kenna, seeing that Charis had made multiple items, apparently decided that her original single drawing was not, in fact, enough, and so she busied herself making (or possibly finding?) other projects, and she kept bringing them to me at random intervals! Of course I had to exclaim over each one!
I enjoyed a small bit of leisure time, doing the crossword and reading the paper out on the deck in the sun, which decided to grace us with its rare presence.
I finished prepping a veggie tray to take to Erin's house--my friend who brought us the chili dinner a couple of weeks ago invited us to her house for dinner on Mother's Day! It was such a blessing to receive the invitation and reminded me of another spur-of-the-moment invitation I received when Kenna was a newborn and Ted was finishing a deployment in Tampa. Adam and Laura T sat with me in church that Sunday and asked if I had plans. Upon learning that I was going home, they told me to come to their house instead. I ended up having a very pampered, relaxing day, and the kids had a wonderful time playing in their amazing back yard. God surely blesses us with encouraging friends!
Lucan was sound asleep at 3:15 when I went into his room, but he cheerfully stood up to announce "night night!" We stopped by Kroger to grab some produce--I wanted to take some strawberries along for our dinner as well as pick up some flowers for Erin--and then we headed to the S's house. It was another relaxing afternoon, with wonderful fellowship. The chicken dish Erin made for dinner was fantastic, and Charis was so excited that she got to help make the deviled eggs along with Erin's older daughters! Lucan and Evangeline played at the water table in the back yard and got thoroughly soaked. The older kids thought it was hilarious that he ate dinner wearing girls' clothes while his own were in the dryer!
We left shortly after dinner to come home...Lucan was rubbing his eyes and obviously needed to get back to bed. We Skyped with Ted just a short while so Lucan could say hello and good night to Daddy, and then I gave the kids the chance to read or play quietly for awhile as I finished putting things away. I got them all in bed fairly early (8:30-8:45ish) so I could Skype with Ted myself awhile. My Mother's Day gift from him was Sarah Palin's new book, America by Heart, which I look forward to reading. I'm glad for a gift that will last longer than flowers on my counter. :-) I love flowers, and I do appreciate them, but I constantly feel that I'm having to clear off the counters for kitchen prep, and there's just not really room for a big bouquet. Add to that the fact that I've become ridiculously practical since becoming a mother...! So I was delighted when Charis surprised me during her Skype session with Daddy by handing me the book and hearing that it was my gift from Daddy and the kids!
Unfortunately, I didn't get to talk to my own mom today...had to leave a voice message! Hopefully soon, though! Ted did talk with his mom in between our Skype sessions. Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms in my life!
August 13, 2010
Happiness is...
Kenna helped me make cookies this morning. As I was scooping dough onto the trays, she happily stood on the stool beside me licking her beater. She looked up at me with dabs of dough on her nose and cheeks and proclaimed, "God is happy that you're making cookies!"
The way I see it, she's right! I was spending precious time with a three-year-old who is growing up all too fast, doing something that brought joy to her little heart. My heart was full of delight in my role as a wife, mother, and homemaker (that's not always the case, I confess...), and at that moment, I know God was smiling on the scene in my kitchen.
How can YOU make God happy today?!
The way I see it, she's right! I was spending precious time with a three-year-old who is growing up all too fast, doing something that brought joy to her little heart. My heart was full of delight in my role as a wife, mother, and homemaker (that's not always the case, I confess...), and at that moment, I know God was smiling on the scene in my kitchen.
How can YOU make God happy today?!
May 16, 2010
She Senses the Worth of Her Work
This is my would-be Mother's Day post, one week delayed. :-) First, I'd love to invite you to take some time to read this excellent post on Annette's blog. Ever since I read it, I've wanted to share it on my blog as well--I think the concept is one I've also had on my heart but have been unable to put words to, just as Annette wrote about. The article she copied is a challenging and convicting one, and I've thought about it a lot since I read it a couple of months ago.
So it was fresh on my mind when I attended Barb Cash's excellent session with the same title as this blog post at the homeschool convention. I really enjoyed what she had to say and wish it had worked out for me to attend other sessions she gave, but I was thankful for what God allowed me to hear at this one. I took notes, but they are quite random; still, I think they may bless and encourage others as well, so here are some things I wrote down, along with a few of my own comments.
"We need to sense there is worth and purpose in our work. Otherwise it becomes a series of obligations that weave a ho-hum tapestry of life." Isn't that true? If we are not absolutely convinced that God has called us to an INCREDIBLE ministry as wives and mothers, we can all too easily fall into the trap of not only feeling frustrated and discouraged at the difficulties we encounter, but also even bitterness and resentment. It's far too easy to underestimate how valuable it really is that we are changing diapers and caring for little ones.
I am the ONLY one that God has called to be Ted's wife and the mother of Charis, Tobin, Arden, Kenna, and Lucan! No one else can do this job--it is mine alone for as long as God grants me life on this earth! Say that to yourself with the names of the precious ones God has given YOU, and thank Him for the privilege of being called to such a unique place.
Barb read a quote from an old Betty Crocker cookbook that talked about how women could "minister to loved ones by cooking them good food." Though you may not find such language in modern cookbooks, it is interesting that not too long ago a domestic chore was spoken of in a secular book as being "ministry." And truly, isn't that what we do, ladies? Every day!
1 Timothy 6:6 speaks to the issue of contentment--Godliness WITH contentment is a means of great gain. Be careful not to let a root of discontent grow in your heart.
One of the difficulties of being a SAHM (stay-at-home mom), especially a homeschooling mom, is dealing with interruptions. Barb said flat out that interruptions ARE life! We can't wait for the perfect week or even the perfect day--we will always deal with interruptions, and our attitude toward them goes a long way in determining whether we are content or not. Hold loosely to your plans, she encouraged!
So, how CAN we be content when things don't go according to plan? One big factor according to Barb is to find joy in the simple things. Otherwise, the extraordinary becomes the standard, and how can you maintain THAT?! A plain and simple life is a full life. Sometimes it's as simple as changing your perspective. Choose to think of your role as a holy privilege: I "get" to share life with 6 messy people! Rejoice, mess and all!
We CAN have a heavenly perspective on our earthly lives. Living in the Spirit allows us to experience so much more freedom and joy than living in the flesh. It is more important to have influence than control--what a challenging concept!
So it was fresh on my mind when I attended Barb Cash's excellent session with the same title as this blog post at the homeschool convention. I really enjoyed what she had to say and wish it had worked out for me to attend other sessions she gave, but I was thankful for what God allowed me to hear at this one. I took notes, but they are quite random; still, I think they may bless and encourage others as well, so here are some things I wrote down, along with a few of my own comments.
"We need to sense there is worth and purpose in our work. Otherwise it becomes a series of obligations that weave a ho-hum tapestry of life." Isn't that true? If we are not absolutely convinced that God has called us to an INCREDIBLE ministry as wives and mothers, we can all too easily fall into the trap of not only feeling frustrated and discouraged at the difficulties we encounter, but also even bitterness and resentment. It's far too easy to underestimate how valuable it really is that we are changing diapers and caring for little ones.
I am the ONLY one that God has called to be Ted's wife and the mother of Charis, Tobin, Arden, Kenna, and Lucan! No one else can do this job--it is mine alone for as long as God grants me life on this earth! Say that to yourself with the names of the precious ones God has given YOU, and thank Him for the privilege of being called to such a unique place.
Barb read a quote from an old Betty Crocker cookbook that talked about how women could "minister to loved ones by cooking them good food." Though you may not find such language in modern cookbooks, it is interesting that not too long ago a domestic chore was spoken of in a secular book as being "ministry." And truly, isn't that what we do, ladies? Every day!
1 Timothy 6:6 speaks to the issue of contentment--Godliness WITH contentment is a means of great gain. Be careful not to let a root of discontent grow in your heart.
One of the difficulties of being a SAHM (stay-at-home mom), especially a homeschooling mom, is dealing with interruptions. Barb said flat out that interruptions ARE life! We can't wait for the perfect week or even the perfect day--we will always deal with interruptions, and our attitude toward them goes a long way in determining whether we are content or not. Hold loosely to your plans, she encouraged!
So, how CAN we be content when things don't go according to plan? One big factor according to Barb is to find joy in the simple things. Otherwise, the extraordinary becomes the standard, and how can you maintain THAT?! A plain and simple life is a full life. Sometimes it's as simple as changing your perspective. Choose to think of your role as a holy privilege: I "get" to share life with 6 messy people! Rejoice, mess and all!
We CAN have a heavenly perspective on our earthly lives. Living in the Spirit allows us to experience so much more freedom and joy than living in the flesh. It is more important to have influence than control--what a challenging concept!
May 11, 2010
Mother's Day
I had a brilliant plan on Mother's Day for posting notes from Barb Cash's seminar at the homeschool convention...the topic would have been very appropriate. But alas, the day slipped away in a blur that unfortunately included neither a nap nor time for blogging (but thankfully other good things!). I'm thankful I was able to attend church, since I had missed the previous week, and I was so blessed by the service.
We had a late lunch since Ted did music for both services, so by the time we got that cleaned up, I was having a hard time deciding whether to nap because I was tired or exercise because I was wired--having had some migraine medicine to ward off an impending migraine, the caffeine ended up winning. Ted and I enjoyed (maybe endured is a better word) a P90X Core Synergistic session, and then we worked in the kitchen making a delicious Cobb salad and mango smoothies for our evening meal.
Anyway, I thought I'd post some pictures of my Mother's Day goodies. Charis labored long and hard creating a special box of treats for my special day, which made me feel SOOOO loved! I KNOW how much time she put into these little crafts, and they are so special! I got a few hugs and "Happy Mother's Day" mentions from the boys; I suppose in a decade or two they'll be forgetting to call home, so I might as well enjoy what I get, right?!
The flowers...
The Box (Charis raided my old picture drawer for pics to use on these projects, so the pictures are dated!)
Inside the box
Rabbit mosaic--a project kit she bought at the AWANA store.
Origami bracelet and ring (sized rather big, but cute nonetheless!)
The next 3 pictures show an explosion box similar to one I created for our next local Stamp Camp. Charis loved the idea and totally figured out how to do it on her own. This is the outside, and inside each flap has a picture, with an acrostic in the center.
I especially love the hand-drawn picture of Lucan, since there weren't any pictures of him in my old picture file!
Cute acrostic poem inside
This is a pin. I left it in the cute little box because part of the "hair" needs to be glued back on!
"Mom" garland
Booklet (found on a kids' craft web site)
Foldout card with various pictures drawn on it to represent a word for each letter of "Mother."
We had a late lunch since Ted did music for both services, so by the time we got that cleaned up, I was having a hard time deciding whether to nap because I was tired or exercise because I was wired--having had some migraine medicine to ward off an impending migraine, the caffeine ended up winning. Ted and I enjoyed (maybe endured is a better word) a P90X Core Synergistic session, and then we worked in the kitchen making a delicious Cobb salad and mango smoothies for our evening meal.
Anyway, I thought I'd post some pictures of my Mother's Day goodies. Charis labored long and hard creating a special box of treats for my special day, which made me feel SOOOO loved! I KNOW how much time she put into these little crafts, and they are so special! I got a few hugs and "Happy Mother's Day" mentions from the boys; I suppose in a decade or two they'll be forgetting to call home, so I might as well enjoy what I get, right?!
The flowers...
The Box (Charis raided my old picture drawer for pics to use on these projects, so the pictures are dated!)
Inside the box
Rabbit mosaic--a project kit she bought at the AWANA store.
Origami bracelet and ring (sized rather big, but cute nonetheless!)
The next 3 pictures show an explosion box similar to one I created for our next local Stamp Camp. Charis loved the idea and totally figured out how to do it on her own. This is the outside, and inside each flap has a picture, with an acrostic in the center.
I especially love the hand-drawn picture of Lucan, since there weren't any pictures of him in my old picture file!
Cute acrostic poem inside
This is a pin. I left it in the cute little box because part of the "hair" needs to be glued back on!
"Mom" garland
Booklet (found on a kids' craft web site)
Foldout card with various pictures drawn on it to represent a word for each letter of "Mother."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)