Writing under the influence!

PMS stinks! Even when I know it’s the hormones taking over my usually sound judgment, the knowledge itself doesn’t really help. I know that in a few hours, my mind will be clearer and I will feel differently about the things that now weigh heavy on my heart. I will then be reassured that the world isn’t really falling apart – it just feels like it for the time being. So therefore – I really shouldn’t be writing emails, text messages or blog posts while in this state! But I still do. So sorry in advance for any emotional, exaggerated writings that sometimes arrives with my signature posted at the end! See you again next month.

Eaton area hail storm, June 7th, 2012

Driving through Eaton, CO on the morning of June 8th, one could think a blizzard had just gone through town. Eaton Elementary School showed the effects of the wind, the plastic awnings and rain gutters dangeling in the breeze. Benjamin Eaton now had a fun little splash pool on the playgorund. The Middle school has a retention pond area that was overflowing into the streets and even 12 hours later was a big lake, perfect for small boats. Half of the local tennis courts were  covered in mud. The town smelled like onions, a sure sign that the hail had destoyed most of the crops around town. Debris from the stripped trees and flowing muddy waters covering the streets, and probably entering many basements. The kids enjoyed making “snow”balls and jumping in warm puddles in the aftenoon, but our hearts go out to those who ended up the victims of this storm.

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Are you toiling?

1^st Corinthians 15:58

“Be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For we know our labor is not in vain.”

 

What is your “work in the Lord”? The Hebrew word for work, means “calling or occupation, the result or object of employment, performance, as a single act or continuous Pretty much whatever God requires you to do. God’s work was to perform miracles. Our job is to spread the Gospel.

 

As we trudge along, doing God’s will and His work, we know our “labor is not in vain”. The Hebrew word for labor means to strike/cut down, travail, have trouble, disturbance, uneasiness, weariness, the expression of grief and lamentation.

 

We often feel that investing so much time, energy, emotion and effort into “doing the Godly thing” leaves us worse off than if we didn’t try so hard. While God’s Word says that we WILL receive our reward for obeying Him.

Sarah’s Choice

Netflix delivers again!

I found this sweet movie, starring Rebecca St. James of all people! The story of a young woman faced with the toughest choice of her life – the job promotion of a lifetime or becoming a single mom with a deadbeat boyfriend.  The journey with “Sarah” is believable and relevent, without being preachy or judgmental. A good prequel to “October Baby”, yet far from the same movie quality or acting performance.

Rebecca does a great job – multi talented lady 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGtEQ2tbxaU

October Baby – a must see!

I love it! More and more high quality films with GREAT, solid, engaging stories are making it into our movie theaters and homes! Hallmark productions – step aside! You don’t have monopoly on this genre anymore!

October Baby, released in March 2012, is another top-notch production with a powerful story, with good actor/ress performances and splendid videography. Right up my alley. When it was all over, I felt like I had just read a wonderful, captivating novel that I just didn’t want to end. Unlike the “typical Hollywood” films, this one skips the sex, the profanity and the predictable happily ever after ending. In other words – a movie most of us can relate to in some way and be moved by.

Two thumbs up and I hope the Erwins make more of these kinds of movies!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7oTLVevO5g

Blind no more!

I don’t want to live life as a blind follower. I was taught to question, test and try everything claiming to be right and true. However, I have, as millions of fellow believers, been following the path of my parents, and their parents, and their parents…

We are supposed to pass down traditions and teach the next generation the right way to go. In Old Testament times, the fathers were responsible for educating their children of the ways of the Lord. God commanded them to observe 4 special holy days, to remember the things God had done for his people, and in this way continuously remind the children of the miraculous stories, on which their faith was based. As Christians we acknowledge the importance of celebrating and remembering and teaching our kids in this way. BUT what on earth are we teaching them?

Watch this video and then decide for yourself

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNuIz63zBjM

It raises some life-changing questions of what we really are celebrating and passing on to our precious little ones. I do not agree with everything in this teaching, but enough to take a real good look at what I believe and what is really important.

George Clooney for Secretary of State – yeah!

I have never been very politically interested or involved, mainly because I’m too far away from the country where I actually CAN vote, and can just shake my head when I watch/hear about US politics. However, I am usually moved by foreign affairs, or more specifically; injustice against the weak and innocent.

MSNBC had this report on the crisis in South Sudan. I had no idea! It made my stomach turn.

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/rock-center/46581824#46581824

A week later there was another report by … George Clooney?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p89OuPODBMM

Turns out this was his 6th trip to Sudan – trying to raise awareness about the genocides there. A few days later, he’s at the White House talking with President Obama about the situation, and the next morning, he’s arrested outside the Sudanese Embassy. Way to go – Clooney!

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fabcnews.go.com%2FPolitics%2FOTUS%2Fgeorge-clooney-arrested-sudan-embassy-washington-dc%2Fstory%3Fid%3D15936415&h=2AQHKJ1TA

I love it when celebrities use their fame and fortune for good!!

Life is Precious!

This is supposed to be a photo of a fetus at 12 weeks gestation that I ran across on FaceBook recently. My first thought was “Yeah, it might be a true representation of the size and physical development the baby would be at that age. Although the picture is obviously a very manipulated photo to serve a certain purpose.” I was sceptical to it’s authenticity.

But then I started thinking back to the life-changing December of 2003…..

I was ready! Our first-born child was little over a year old. A sweet, always smiling, easy-going little guy, the apple of our eye. I felt it was the perfect timing to try again and add another bundle of joy to our family, and having siblings 2 years apart was the ultimate arrangement in my eyes. But as we women have this awkward thing called “intuition” ….. there was a faint little voice, a barely noticeable feeling, way, way back there somewhere, trying to gently tell me “this is not the right time, and you need to stop pushing your own agenda.”

I did however get pregnant quickly, as I had hoped, and everything was going according to my plan. I was excited, but didn’t have much time to think about the pregnancy, as I was now chasing after a very busy toddler. It was Thanksgiving, I was 8 weeks along, and we were invited to a dinner with friends. During the dinner I felt it stronger than ever; wouldn’t it be “typical God” to let me lose this baby, so I can better comfort other women who have miscarried? I quickly pushed the though aside as we left our friend behind and went back to our everyday lives.

At 10 weeks along, I went in for my Doppler, my first chance to hear that there was another heart beating inside of me. The inexperienced technician did not find one. The midwife tried and could not find one, either. Thus they concluded it was a little too early to find a heartbeat and they would try again next week.

2 days later, I started bleeding…. First a little, then some more. I was terrified! The midwife told me this could be normal, drink lots of water, rest, keep your legs up, etc. I did. The bleeding decreased some. Did I mention my husband was working out-of-town all day and I was alone with the before mentioned very busy toddler? By evening, the bleeding increased and I started panicking. Reality was setting in, I was still alone and by now I was hysterically sobbing, PLEADING for my baby’s life, praying more desperately than I had EVER done before.

Following morning, my husband and I went to the midwife who listened to my story and still tried to encourage me that she had seen similar scenarios turn out fine and as long as I was not bleeding “clots” there was still hope. She was about to dismiss us when I told her about “my feeling”. She looked a little surprised, then ordered an immediate ultrasound.

We got to see our baby on the ultrasound monitor. A well-formed, tiny baby, curled up in typical “fetal position”…… no heartbeat, died of unknown causes at approximately 8 weeks of life…. I wish I had been in my right mind to ask for a photo, but I didn’t think about it. All I could do was to stare at the screen, wishing there would have been the familiar sound of a fast lub-dub to go with it.

Some would argue “what a cruel God you believe in”. I didn’t see it that way. I wasn’t mad at Him. After all, He had tried to warn me, and even after I ignored Him, He kept on whispering to me, promising that my pain would not be in vain and that He had not forsaken me and that He loved me and my baby dearly.

The next 2 weeks, I grieved deeply, cried myself to sleep every night, had a cloud hanging over me every day, fear and despair gripping me. But on the other hand, I felt like God was carrying me through it, healing my heart and my body faster than I had imagined possible, letting me appreciate all the life surrounding me and not ever taking it for granted. And to top it off, He told me that the child he had taken to heaven was a little girl and her name was “Ellie”. I knew it was God telling me this, because like most pregnant women, I had spent hours thinking about and looking up baby-names, and “Ellie” was never one I had considered or even noticed. When I later looked it up I broke down sobbing again; “Ellie” means “consecrated to God”. She was chosen, special, and had a purpose, even at 8 weeks of life.

So back to the FaceBook photo; Yes, it is manipulated to show how amazing Creation is and how awesome the Creator is, but I can testify that the baby in the picture looks a lot like my precious Ellie. I can’t wait to see you again some day, my little girl. Your daddy and brothers can’t wait to meet you, either. For yes, 6 weeks later, in God’s perfect timing, I became pregnant again, and we were blessed with another healthy, loving, sweet baby boy.

Music by Jamie Grace

I prefer using Spotify to create my own music playlists to listen to and I get artist/song ideas from K-Love Radio to find new favorites. This is how I discovered Jamie Grace, a young, new, Christian artist with a lovely “folk music” sound and plain and engaging lyrics. I liked her album “One song at a time” so well, it became the first whole album I have ever bought as a download. Her music is so happy, inspiring and easy to relate to, it always puts a smile on my face as I’m drumming and humming along.

www.jamiegrace.com

Entitled People are unsuccessful people.

I am currently listening to the audio version of a book called “From Innocence to Entitlement” by Dawn Billings and Jim Fay. WOW, is this convicting stuff!!! Book and CD’s are available at our local library and EVERY parent should read/hear this. We are unknowingly raising a generation of self-centered, incapable, rude, unprepared little being because we’re so afraid of our children going through problematic things – also known as LIFE. This has been a major eye-opener to me as I’m looking back on years with “rescuing” my own kids from difficulties, thereby robbing them of valuable life lessons.

On the other hand, I would like to challenge Mr Fay, the well-known child rearing expert, as to how his “Love and Logic” strategies hold up to a child with special circumstances. The “logic” part doesn’t go very far when dealing with a child who has VERY underdeveloped reasoning and logic capabilities.

I will update later when I’ve processed the materials some more…