This video puts forward a really important message for parenting today.  Pay attention to the words - especially the last verse.  It really hit home with me. 

Christmas day

A day this beautiful,

A husband this stellar, 

and a baby this cute

deserved copious amounts of pictures.

and the family grows...

It was a battle of the wills, at least on my part.  Everything was going just fine in our lives: we had a seven month old, I was (slooooowly) getting my girlish figure back, and plans for a new house were under way.  It had taken me six months to feel "normal" again after giving birth, and I was just beginning to get used to not being an emotional wreck.  Why in my right mind would I ever wish for another child at this moment in my life?  Granted, such an attitude meant that Joey and I had to place our faith solely in our "family planning" methods.  But, really, did God actually expect us to have baby after baby...after baby?

Such were our thoughts on the subject.  So great were our "convictions" that we easily found 101 other reasons why we should not conceive at this time -- and they were all very good, very acceptable reasons.

• Will we really be able to cope with "two under two"?
• There's no certainty of getting a bigger house in time, and we need a bigger house.
• Can I physically handle another pregnancy?  Is my body even capable of coping this soon?
• If I get pregnant now, then I'll be due in SUMMER! aka my least favourite season ever (it's the heat).
• We need time to "adjust" to being just three of us.  
• It's not fair to the Cuteness to focus our attention on another baby so soon.  He'll feel neglected.  Our relationship will suffer because of it. 
• People will think this baby is an "accident".  They'll just assume he/she was a surprise -- that we are just being irresponsible.
• NO ONE is having kids this close together these days.  
• ...and so on...

All of these seemed viable excuses.  Anyone would understand - and even applaud - our decision.  But, the more we thought and talked about it, the more selfish and untrusting we realized we were being.

Even when we tried to pray about it, the answer was shockingly blunt.

"Lord, please forgive me for not considering You in this matter, but, well, we want to know what You want for our family.  Do you want us to have more kids--"

Be fruitful and multiply.


"Yes, Lord, that's what You've said.  But, You can't really expect us to do that NOW.  What would people think of us?"


I have called you to be separate. 


"But now, Lord? Are you certain?"


Yes.  Do not be afraid.


Then the Holy Spirit would proceed to bring to mind many of the women of the Scriptures: Sarah, Rachel & Leah, Hannah, & Mary.  These women all trusted God, and He gave them children in His own time.  And yet, there we were, hoping against hope that God wouldn't bless us.  We were trusting in a store bought item rather than the Lord of all creation.

That's where these convictions left us: without device or argument, naked and revealed before a Holy God.

We let go.  We let go of our fears and trusted in the Perfect love which drives it out.  We let go of our desire to seem "normal" in society to be separate - set apart to the Lord.  We repented of our sin.

This is where we are now: resting in the glorious knowledge that He has worked a miracle within my womb and brought for life from one as good as dead.  We are hoping to raise a family that fears the Lord.  We are rejoicing in each other and how God has made us one.  And, we are praying that we will continue to be conformed into Christ's likeness from glory to glory.

Here we are.  Ten weeks along.  Praising God.

He is good!

May Christ be glorified this Christmas.

not of this world

As I stay at home and take care of the Cuteness, I have plenty of time to think things through and simply observe what’s going on in this world.  We don’t have television, so the radio is our main authority when it comes to world events.  I almost prefer it that way.  Watching TV is so all-encompassing for me.  If it’s going to be on, then I’m going to drop everything and watch it.  When I listen to the radio, I find myself being much more productive because only one of my senses is being called upon.  Along with much radio listening, I also have enrolled myself in the oh-so-popular web monsters, known as Twitter and Facebook.  With Twitter, I can follow people I’ve never met in person and read what makes them tick.  I’ve learned a lot about trends in North American humanity and Christianity that I was completely oblivious to before - such things aren’t as easy to pick out on public radio.  As for Facebook, it has kept me informed as to what the current trends are in the people I know directly.  Granted, one shouldn’t need social media to connect with the people she knows.  I admit that Facebook has it’s flaws.  What it has done is made me aware of just how big my circle of influence really is.  Not only do I get to take the heartbeat of the people I know, but I am also challenged to live with more integrity.  And, lastly, I am part of the blogosphere.  This is probably the most narrow-sighted form of information out of all four.  Instead of learning about vast numbers of people, I’ve gotten to know a dozen world views - all narrow simply because they only belong to one person.

What has all this information-gathering done for me?  First, it’s given me perspective beyond my own little blip of a life.  I have to be careful, though, because gaining a broader vision can make you blind to the things close at hand.  But, overall, I am grateful for what I have learned.  The main benefit from all of this is simply summed up in one sentence: 

The more I see of this world, the more I’m convinced I don’t belong in it. 

That may sound harsh, but it’s completely true.  I continuously find that my affections and passions are in stark contrast with what the world values.  I am constantly drawn to my God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  I crave heaven’s joys and while inwardly repelling earth’s sorrows.  

And, you know what?  I am a follower of Christ - a citizen of heaven.  I was born into sin, and have died to it through the precious blood of Christ shed for me.  My life is not lived by the provision of this world, but by faith in the Son of God.  

As long as I am here on earth, I am a sojourner and an exile - cast off from modern society because, as a Christian, I cannot rightly take on the passions of the world.  I am called to abstain from the passions of the flesh because they wage war against my soul (see 1 Peter 2:11).

Emmanuel shall come to thee

I realize that I have not written a Christmas post yet, and this is unacceptable.

It's especially bad because I've had my tree up WAAAY too long.  You'd think I'd be ready for Christmas by now, wouldn't you?  Wrong.  I only set up the tree that early because I knew the season would pass me by without me even realizing it if I didn't.  And, nope, I'm not sick of it yet.  It has served as a reminder to me that we're going to celebrate the birth of the Ancient of Days.  It's one of those things that I feel like I need to prepare my heart for.  And I suppose that the Christmas tree has absolutely nothing to do with Christ.  It's a rather silly tradition, really.  But, nevertheless, it's a constant reminder that even though life goes on, Christ's birth, life, death, and resurrection continue to hold power even to this day.

That's why I love Christmas so much.  It breaks my heart that the world has trumped GOD coming to EARTH as a MAN (yet still God!) with a jolly man who gives out presents every year.  Sure, I'm quite certain that St. Nick was a nice man.  So nice that his niceness became a legend.  So nice that people want to celebrate how nice he was.  Every year.  But, seriously?  He probably didn't do it to get recognition.  He probably didn't do it to steal the show.  But people saw the opportunity to avoid a topic that they'd rather not think about too too much and took it without a second look back.

What are we doing this year? That's a good question.  Joey needs to be at work from the 26th to the 28th, so we're sticking around here for Christmas Day.  We're actually looking forward to being just us three for most of it.  I'm excited to make traditions, even if we're not sure what those will  All I know is that

a. we have stockings 

b. there's a ham (ON. THE. BONE) in the fridge, and 

c. it's waffles for breakfast.

Other than that, it's pretty much open.  We'll probably head over to the husby's parents' for a bit on either the 24th or 25th.  Also, we're going to visit my parents after Joey's done work on the 28th (weather permitting).  I am so grateful that we get to spend this time with family!

Judah would like your attention...

because he has some very important things to show you,

like how he can eat all by himself,

and how he loves hummus on homemade bread.

He would also like you to note his two newest teeth.

Also, sometimes his mother's mental welfare concerns him.

thankful

1. A family of my own

2. A warm house and a roof over our heads

3. The hills where we live

4. The body of Christ, wherever it may be found

5. Plenty of food and water

6. That, even though I am a wretched person, I can be friends with God

7. Christmas! 

8. The skill to make presents I'm proud to give

9. My baby who woke me up at 5 and has been squealing in delight ever since

10. My best friend, who also happens to be the man I married

11. My mom - my other best friend

12. My dad and our intriguing theological conversations

13. A cat that makes my baby's eyes light up

14. Free medical attention when it's needed

15. The word of God and it's renewed impact each morning

16. The ability (and desire!) to be a homemaker

17. Having family close by

18. Living with Joey's "workplace" right out our front door

19. The gift of marriage

20. A warm bed to sink into and fall asleep in without fear for the next day

21. Untroubled dreams

22. The continual safety surrounding all of our road trips to see my parents

23. The money to bless other people this Christmas

24. The bigger house we will receive within the next year

25. My goofball of a baby

26. The wide open spaces here in the Prairies

27. Good friends to stay up (way too) late with 

28. The incredibly useful advice & many "hand-me-downs" (that I will inevitably hand back) from a certain sister-in-law :)

29. The anticipation of Judah enjoying his first Christmas

30. Nine months with this amazing little boy

31. Almost two years of wonderful marriage

32. Friends that are getting/have gotten married 

33. Getting at least one year of Bible education

34. I'm never done learning

35. God who forgives more than I fail

36. The amazing miracle of childbirth that I experienced before my 21st year

37. The pastor I call my dad

38. Good health

39. God who spoke so clearly to the prophets & apostles of old - and they wrote it down

40. People I can look up to

41. Persecution which brings about perseverance

42. Family living for God

43. A very intelligent little boy who already understands "no" and "daddy's home!"

44. Music and my ability to make it

45. All the things I take for granted - like a refrigerator, a washer and dryer, and freedom to read the Bible by myself

46. My caring in-laws

47. A car to go places

48. Photography (and our awesome camera)

49. God's mercies are new every morning

50. The miracle of new life

Thanks to Allison from OMyFamily for inspiring this post.  I need to be more thankful.

on Christian maturity

I know I haven't blogged in a while, and this post is kind of a strange re-introduction into the habit of blogging.  Nevertheless, this topic has been on my mind for quite some time, making it impossible for me to blog about anything else in the meantime.

I have been wondering what it means to be a "mature" Christian.  Is it weighed by how adept I am at religious practice - prayer, scripture reading, involvement in the church, and the like?  Or is it measured by my ability to repel the sinfulness around me like a waterproof jacket - immersed in sin, but unaffected by it?  

As a Christian who acknowledges that I have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and by His merit rather than my own, I cannot readily agree with either of these definitions.  If the mark of maturity lies in the former, then it lies solely in my ability to purify myself.  If I cannot faithfully perform these religious "duties", then it is clear that my maturity is lacking.  Similarly, the latter would imply that only my ability to withstand temptation signifies that I am spiritually mature.  And yet, the Bible repeatedly attests to man's eternal and inborn depravity (Romans 3:21-26 is an excellent portrayal of Christ's work, not ours).  What does this say for maturity lying in the grasp of a Christian's abilities?  The outlook isn't good.

I submit that where true maturity lies is in the Christian's decision to not partake in activities that are characterized by sin.  This requires great humility on the the Christian's part - which we are encouraged to bring about on our own (1 Peter 5:6 ), for it is a terrifying thing to be humbled by Holy God.  In humility, the Christian is not tempted to believe that his good works gain him any standing with God.  In humility, he will recognize that placing himself in positions where sin is running rampant is not a good idea and only tests his ability to resist sin.  A humble person knows that his "ability" is entirely flawed.

I attended a Christian school for most of my schooling years.  I found that, although we were given solid biblical teaching every day, the very act of attending a Christian school tempted my peers to believe that they were saved simply by association.  Self-righteousness is a slippery slope.  But I am straying from my point.  On one "party day" before school let out for summer, the entire high school body congregated in one of the multi-purpose rooms to watch a movie.  I suppose the intent was to "kick back and relax".  I don't oppose the activity.  Before the movie started, one of the staff at the school proceeded to warn us that there was one scene in which the naked form of a man's behind would be seen - momentarily. Instead of choosing to skip the scene, the teacher gave this speech: "If you are MATURE, you'll be able to handle it. If you can't, then leave."  Thus, the scene was played and 70 students felt justified staring at a naked bum.

This moment has always bothered me in two aspects.  First, I am unsure if that scene would even be played in public high schools.  Nudity is not a generally accepted phenomenon, even amongst those who don't call upon Christ.  I had always assumed that a Christian school should uphold higher, borderline fanatic standards for the sake of properly instructing young Christians. In this case, I was sorely mistaken.  Second, the message that the teacher gave us proclaimed that maturity means you should be able to stand face to face with filth and not let it bother you.  It is the immature person who avoids such temptation.

If Christians take this attitude upon themselves, then what would separate them from the rest of the world - at least outwardly?

No, I believe that true maturity lies in the Christian choosing not to stand face to face with filth, as far as that decision can be made by him.

According to Romans 14:13-19, we should avoid anything that could become a stumbling block to another believer.  I believe that openly endorsing something like regular alcohol consumption can lead to other believers adopting the habit and abusing it.  Addiction to alcohol may not be something you struggle with at all, and you may be a responsible drinker, but there's no telling how that could affect those who see you partaking in it.  It could lead to a serious stronghold in their life - even if it's not one in yours.  I definitely do not want to be held accountable for unknowingly leading someone astray.  Of course, there are many other things that could lead a person astray - I just picked alcohol to set out a clear example.

If we, as Christians, believe that Jesus Christ has paid for all of our sins and that we are made friends with God by His merit and not our own, then we should not trust in our own ability to remain pure.  We need to trust daily in Christ's finished work on the cross and pray that we will be evermore changed into His likeness.  Separating ourselves from what the world deems "basically harmless" may have it's hardships for us in this life on earth, but obeying God is something that we will have the privilege to do for an eternity.

Maturity should not be based on a Christian's upstanding moral character, but her willingness to be alienated from the world for the sake of Christ.

fancy pants

I don't have time to do a proper post, but here's a little sample of the decorations Joey and I came up with for his fancy pants 5-course dinner.  I had a lot of fun with it!

nine months

My baby boy is nine months old today.

And I want to know where the time is gone.

Nine months ago I was drinking in the sights and sounds of my new little baby in an uncomfortable hospital bed.  I had slept maybe an hour in the last 36, and I couldn't even walk for the pain that it incurred in my back.  All I wanted to eat was peanut butter and toast, which my husband graciously supplied at my request.  I was trying so very hard to get a grasp of how to nurse my baby, and I was enamoured by his tiny, perfect little self.

The most special thing about that day was that I finally got to meet my little boy.  He had been inside of me for nine months, growing physically as much as he was growing in personality.  I felt like I knew him, even though I had never met him face to face before.  There had just been a veil between our relationship.  All of a sudden, it was gone.

Nine months inside.  Nine months out.  I have known my baby for 18 months.

Today I will drink in the sights and sounds of him as he interacts with his world.  I cherish every little wave of the hand, every little giggle, every squeal of delight.  I love everything about him, and I'm still just as enamoured by him as I was nine months ago... as I was 18 months ago.

Happy nine month birthday, little one!