My Pregnancy & L's Prayer Needs

I just wanted to let people who were interested know what is going on with me. I am 33 weeks pregnant tomorrow, and I am a contraction machine. I went to the doctor and am already dilated to 1cm and starting to efface. Not such great news, but not completely uncommon for a mom on her third. Odds are I am going to have another 36/37 weeker. My contractions are pretty much stable throughout the day. We just need to get to 36 almost 37 weeks. So please pray for us.

Also, as some of you know L was born with a defect with his urethra. He has already had two surgeries to try and repair his problem and on Tues. July 10th he is having his 3rd and hopefully final surgery. The recovery from a surgery like this is very painful and confusing for him. So if you could please pray for him and for the doctor to be able to accomplish all that needs to be done.

The next few weeks will be very trying for us with the contractions, dilating and surgery. All prayers are much appreciated and needed. It takes L nearly 3 weeks to get back to his normal self. My poor boy. Love you all.. and thanks for praying and caring for us.

Right Heart

As I continued in my devotions this morning in Luke, I came across a verse that I loved so much I wanted to share it. There are so many of you that inspire me because you already possess this attribute of humility.

Luke 17:7-10
(Jesus Speaking)
7"Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come immediately and sit down to eat'?8 But will he not say to him, 'Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink'? 9He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? 10So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you , say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'"

What a humbling reminder of how as a believer in Christ I am to have an attitude of a humble servant. Sometimes it is easy for me to let my heart become prideful because I am "being so good". But really Romans 17:10a says, "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh"; which means I am not living so to be good, but instead because it is commanded of me. I am not behaving for man's approval (including that of the church). As I try to live my life as Christ did, I hope others will take notice so that I may bring glory to God. And if someone should give me praise or recognition I should simply say the words of verse 10, why take credit for the work of God in my life? I want to - with a joyful heart - say, "I simply am doing what is commanded of me".

I'm No Good On My Own

Okay, so lately I've been feeling overwhelmed and underappreciated. Can we say SELFISH!? I'm 6 1/2 months pregnant with baby number 3, going to school (on-line, but it is very time consuming), keeping my house clean, cooking, chasing kids (well how about I say playing with them and picking up after them), dealing with my hideous weight gain, feeling antisocial, and struggling with jealousy (because I feel so insecure) - needless to say I haven't been all that pleasant. I try to be patient, but patience run thin so quickly! I try to be a loving mom, but again patience run thin so quickly. I feel like I am constantly TRYING and most often FAILING. Does anyone else ever feel this way? So today I picked up my Bible for my devotion and the one thing that is always constant is that God meets me where I am every time!!

I opened to where I have been reading Luke Chapter 11. But God told me to back up a bit, so I started at Chapter 10 verse 38:

38Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word. 40But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." 41But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

I have read these verses about Martha and Mary 100 times, but today it just moved my soul. I am not ever going to accomplish anything on my own. EVER! I am not going to please the Lord with all of my DOING, if I am not BEING with Him. My motives have somehow gone from pleasing God to pleasing ME! How easy it is to do. Then at the beginning of Luke chapter 11.. God spoke to me again.

Luke 11 Instruction about Prayer 1It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples." 2And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 3'Give us each day our daily bread. 4'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'" 5Then He said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; 6for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 7and from inside he answers and says, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' 8"I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10"For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. 11"Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12"Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? 13"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"

If I am spending my time and energy pleasing Jesus, He is going to give me the strength to accomplish the things that he has already ordained for me to get done that day. When I am truly seeking and listening to God, He places in me the desires of my heart, the things that I want to get done are not bad, but the attitude I have about it all needs realignment. When I seek Him first and am "doing" things for His glory after "being" with Him, I will be fulfilled. It’s so simple, but I mess it all up so often. Do you ever feel like God put the passages of the Bible together just for you? That's how I felt this morning and it was so refreshing.

Surprise!

Oooops! We are as surprised as everyone else. It turns out that we are going to have a new addition to our family. We found out yesterday that we're expecting again and the doctor confirmed it today! I know, I know, J won't even turn 1 until the 28th of this month. Crazy huh? I am so excited I can hardly contain myself!!!! Surprise or not, I wanted another baby soon. Hubby - not so much! He is excited now, but yesterday he was in shock. This picture speaks 1000 words. While looking at it, imagine Hubby screaming, "Nooooooooo" (kinda sounding like Goofy when he falls off a cliff). Anyway, please pray for us. We really want a healthy pregnancy (who doesn't?) and an easy first trimester. We love you guys!

Reflections

I was thinking today about life.. well mainly mine. I am so grateful for all of it. The good and the bad (and there have been some REALLY bad). How weird it is to look back at bad times and be THANKFUL. That is not of me. I am selfish and self absorbed. I want to be babied and pitied and like attention, but Christ in me can make me content. He makes me down right JOYFUL.. when I should be crying or sad, when the world says "feel sorry for yourself, you've earned it" - I can't (unless I get a bad haircut - which just happened, then I wallow in self pity - ha ha ha). The really bad things are completely endurable with the foundation of Christ that has been laid in my heart. The Lord meets my every need! Truly. It's amazing!! I really can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!