Thursday, August 29, 2013

Confidence

  In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. Isaiah 30:15

Feel that...trust Me. Am I not leading you safely, faithfully? Will you believe Me, your Master, that all this is really to bring the answer to your prayers?   Remember that I am the Supreme Being who knows all and control all.   Directly you put your affairs, their confusion, their difficulties, into My Hands I began to effect a cure of all the disharmony and disorder.     You must know that I shall cause you no more pain in the doing of it than a physician, who plans and knows he can effect a cure, would cause his patient. I will do all tenderly as possible. Tell me that you trust Me in this.-from God Calling-1945

Soothing words in a jarring world. Forget the world for a moment-in a jarring heart!! I wake up to news of yet another young person dead, another family broken, a bank account beyond empty, discontentment. It is at times overwhelmingly too much. But this devotion, this morning, brings me hope. Reminds me that I have never really been in control, ever, of anything and to just breathe. Jesus in, Jesus out.

    Today I have to take a step-physically-because God brings me to it. I'm not sure why He wants me to go to this place, I just know that my spirit will not settle until I do. I've been in this situation before. Even so, nervousness and doubt knock at the door, but I ain't answering. Just because these undesirables show up on our porch doesn't mean we need to take the front door. God always gives a back door, my way out. I'll face them later. It's not cowardly to not face these temptations-He does tell us to flee at times. Ain't nobody got time for that.

   Then-seriously Beth Ann-He brings to my mind the face of my friend. My friend who will be moving to one of the most dangerous places in America to be a missionary. With her husband. With her 4 children. A place where the smell of death & deceit shrouds the streets and no sane mother would live, let alone visit. The temptation to run from that would probably be huge, and seem reasonable. So anything I do today, in the light of that!, is a breeze.

But no, my temptation, my test this morning is meeting this one person and being in my own confidence. The Good Lord has given me strengths, but how often have I confused them with my own?? How do I, going into a place filled with pain & confusion, not be angry & WANT to fix it all? No, I pray my life today shall rest in His Almighty Hands for every minute of every hour. While waiting, while talking, while driving & eating & cleaning & greeting. His Name covers us in power and protection. His Plan has already been fulfilled. So, as you go forth-wherever you're to go-I pray you are filled with quietness & confidence this whole day.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Friday Night Lights OUT

I am not a football mama.

I feel kinda weird saying it out loud, and perhaps it's a goofy thing to even have to put out there, but there are too many mothers that seem to know their way around the whole 'high school football' thing. And I admit I am somewhat intimidated.

The kids did a card blitz tonight. I had no idea in heaven what that meant and when I asked-the answer I got-with rolling eyes from other moms - was "Um, they sell cards." ??????? Hello...................still lost.....................

AND this was after I waited an hour and a half for my boy to finish practice in the 93 degree heat because I read his schedule WRONG. And this horrible mother, yes, I blamed my son for it. Geesh.................I am that mom at times. Yes.

       I apologized, of course.

Maybe being one of only 2 homeschoolers involved in public school football makes it awkward. Maybe it's the fact that I still can't stand the whole jock thing. But yet, I love being able to drive home that one kid that is our neighbor who would be forced to walk the 2 miles home otherwise. I love seeing my boy with his gear on. And the tired excitement that adorns his face every day I pick him up. And I love being able to pray with him every morning alone on our way to the stadium.

Tomorrow is the Booster Club's annual Potluck Dinner. I can't say I'm excited, but I can tell you that I am nervous. I feel just like I used to back in high school when everyone was buzzing about the football game that night, but yet I wouldn't go because I didn't know anything about anything. But now I am forced to attend because my son is playing freshman year football. Gee, thanks big guy. And with not being married anymore, I have no one to hide behind.

Don't get me wrong. I love my handsome boy and will do anything for him. Even including attending whatever football activity he needs me to. With a proud smile on my face.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

This Christian Doula

This is not the post that explains what a doula is. This is not the post that argues for homebirth vs. medical facility birth. This, also, is not the post where I make only friends and not some enemies. This is the post where I state:
   
       Not all doulas are HIPPIES.

So glad to get that off my chest. Whew! Oh, and by the way, not all doulas are New Age, nor tree huggers, nor soft spoken-gray haired old women who haven't had a baby in 60 yrs.

   I am a doula. Your birth partner. I believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life. I've already prayed for you. I pray during your labor-sometimes out loud, sometimes in my head. I will ask you where you stand with God. I wear make up and dye my hair. I hate tie-dye. I wear skirts because I'm lazy and probably didn't do the laundry. I raise my voice and am not afraid to be bold. I am strong enough to urge you on when you want to quit, and gentle enough to hold the puke bucket & move your hair out of the way.

                     I find life funny.

   I am confident in your ability to give birth. I believe in you. Judgments about your life and previous personal choices are not my business. I dispense information that I find necessary to your best health and well being, whether it's something you wish to think about or not. I am patient.  I believe there is more than one way to have a baby. Breastfeeding will be brought up as it is proven to be the best food/medicine/comfort to every single baby that is born.
   I believe each birth presents challenges and blessings to the entire family. A confident birth leads to a confident mother, which leads to a confident child. I don't care whether you choose the hospital, your home, a birth center. Whether you plan a c-section or your labor leads to one. Whether you want interventions or want to go natural. Whether you're married or not. Whether you're 16 or 43. Whether you're white, black, Jewish, Muslim, covered in tattoos or even from New Jersey.

                        Why??

  Jesus calls me to love God with all my heart, mind and strength and there's no way I can do that without loving you, and caring for you, and educating you and supporting you. And I love you more than you could even imagine. I  love the hippies-I do!And let me be clear here: I know not every doula is New-Agey or a hippie. There are some beautiful, wonderful women out there doing this too. Some are young. Some have gray hair. Some have piercings. Some are plain. And some of them are even Christian.

                    Find what you need.