Tomorrow is 26 Weeks for Ilse...

And I miss my friend's baby so much.  He was a little older than Ilse is, but they were (I thought) destined to spend their lives together.  Apparently, God's plan is not ours, BUT.....

I believe these sweet babies are destined to spend eternity together.  I can't wait to teach Ilse about God's love for her, and how he sent His Son to die for her on the cross.  These are Truths that won't be ignored in our family, and Ilse will hear about it (well, she already has, but you know what I mean) as soon as she is born.

I have another friend who read her bible to her babies.  I love that idea.  Tim reads with the boys at bedtime, but I don't usually read with them during the day unless Bam-Bam asks, which sometimes he does.  I need to get back into the habit of working on their catechism with them, now that Joey is more able to say the words.  So far the kids know:

Who made you?  God.

What else did God make?  He made all things.

Why did God make you and all things?  For his glory!

How can you glorify God?  By loving him and obeying him.

Are there more gods than one?  No, only one God!

In how many persons does this one God exist?  In three persons.

What are they?  The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!

What is God?  God is a spirit, he doesn't have a body like me.

Where is God?  God is everywhere.

And we're working on: Can you see God?  No, I cannot see God, but he always sees me.

Anyway, back to pregnancy:

I still haven't gained weight, but Ilse did grow like she was supposed to!  She was, at 25 week and 3 days, measuring 25 weeks and 4 days.  I guess I finally ate enough to make her grow.  Yippee for me.

Still having the typical pregnancy problem of constipation.  But you know what?  I don't hate it.

The problem I'm having that I hate is.... I have no idea what it's called.  But my entire throat fills with air and I can't get it out.  Burping is nearly impossible because it's like the air is strangling me.  I can't lie down when that happens because then I can't breathe well at all, and I don't want to force burping because then I think I would barf.  Ok, I know, completely TMI, but that is the problem that I'm facing now.

My blood pressure isn't currently causing any problems.  The 24 hour urine test was normal (YAY!) and so now we just have to watch it.  I read two studies recently that said, 1) grape juice substantially lowers blood pressure.  So I bought some.  And 2) lack of sleep raises blood pressure.  So I'm trying to sleep enough.  Right or wrong, I blame genetics and years of school (lack of sleep and proper food) for my blood pressure, but.... oh well.  Life is life is life, and I'm going to enjoy being pregnant even if I have to go on blood pressure meds.  

I'm still not looking forward to the glucola test in two weeks, but maybe, just maybe it will come back ok and I won't have to do the three hour test.  Please pray for that, will you?

I try to congratulate Ilse every time I feel her move, because there was one day she didn't move much at all and she scared me.  I sat there poking her for a long time, and finally she moved.  So I figure if I praise each time she kicks me, she will want to do it more often (just like dumb Faith calms down when I praise her for it.)  I know, Ilse isn't a dog, but the principle is the same.  :)  Shhhh, don't tell anyone I just compared my kid to a dog!

Tim and I went to Babies R Us the other day to register for the lovely baby shower Ivy is giving me, even though a family member isn't supposed to host a shower.  I've killed that rule twice for Ivy, so I suppose she can kill it for me.  It will be fun, BUT it will be strange for me since I've historically really had a hard time at baby showers.  I hope I can set those memories aside for one day, or maybe not set them aside, because they have forever changed me, but maybe they won't hurt that day.

I really enjoyed spending that time with Tim.  Registering for baby things was not something we ever thought we'd do.  Isn't that interesting.

God has given us three precious blessings, and each one is amazing.  He's really given us many more than three, but those three are what this post is about.

Grief

We're so sad today since sweet Baby Knox has left this earth and has joined his Lord in heaven.  We grieve for the Robinson family; they have been through so much this last year, with a miscarriage, a high risk pregnancy, and then the temporary loss of health.... and finally, the temporal loss of their precious son Knox.

We bless God for His gracious, sustaining hand.  We weep for our hurting family.  We praise God for the gift of His Son, who He sacrificed for us, that we might know Him. 

Please, please pray for our family, Hyde, Jess, Tate, and Canon.  We praise God for their son Knox.  Even though he was only on earth a little while, we know he was God's amazing gift to his family and to all who know them.  We'll never forget God's love to them and we recognize that even though this is incredibly difficult, God knows all and is in control of ALL.

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

My Friend Jess and God's Truth

I've been thinking about my dear friend Jess.  I've known her since 1983, and we've been buds ever since then.  We've had our off times, but on the whole, we've been friends since we were 2.

We have a picture of us in 1983 or 84 with our arms around each other, and when we were 15 or 16 we had another picture taken, and voila, we were standing in exactly the same position.  Even our fingers were positioned the same. 

I've gone to the hospital for all her babies' births, even though for the first two I didn't think she'd ever get to return the favor.  I love her very much.

This last pregnancy has been hard on her and her family.  It's been high risk, but the Lord has been faithful.  After a particularly difficult weekend last weekend, and then bed rest for a week, and then this past weekend, Jess and Hyde have a beautiful little baby boy, Knox.  He's tiny since he's very early, but the Lord has His hand on him. 

Everything Jess and Hyde went through this last week made me think of a kids' song.

What a Mighty Hand

What a mighty hand, a mighty hand has He
What a mighty hand, that calmed the raging sea
What a mighty hand, a hand protecting me
What a mighty hand has He

Humble yourselves, humble yourselves
Under God's mighty hand
Humble yourselves, humble yourselves
Under God's mighty hand (What a mighty hand!)


What a mighty hand, a mighty hand has He
What a mighty hand, that calmed the raging sea
What a mighty hand, a hand protecting me
What a mighty hand has He

For it was He who made you and me
and every creature in the sea
For it was He who made you and me
and every creature in the sea (underneath the sea!)

What a mighty hand, a mighty hand has He
What a mighty hand, that calmed the raging sea
What a mighty hand, a hand protecting me
What a mighty hand has He
What a mighty hand has He.

I don't know who wrote that song, but it got me to thinking about what we consider mighty.

I heard myself saying something on Saturday that I completely disagree with.  I told someone that it could have been a really bad day.  Well, emotionally, yes.  If my friend or her baby had died that day, it would have been a very hard day emotionally. 

But it still would have been a good day.  It still would have been a day under God's Mighty hand. 

Psalm 115:

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth. Why should the nations say, “Where, now, is their God?” But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.  Their idols are silver and gold, the work of man’s hands. They have mouths, but they cannot speak; they have eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but they cannot hear; they have noses, but they cannot smell; they have hands, but they cannot feel; they have feet, but they cannot walk; they cannot make a sound with their throat.  Those who make them will become like them,  everyone who trusts in them.








O Israel, trust in the LORD ; He is their help and their shield.  O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.  The LORD has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron.  He will bless those who fear the LORD, the small together with the great. May the LORD give you increase, you and your children.  May you be blessed of the LORD, Maker of heaven and earth.  The heavens are the heavens of the LORD, but the earth He has given to the sons of men.  The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence; but as for us, we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forever.  Praise the LORD!"


I bolded the part about God doing whatever He pleases.  At first thought, that isn't comforting at all.  It certainly wasn't comforting when Tim and I were dealing with infertility.  However, that doesn't reflect on God or Christianity, instead, it reflects on my own lack of faith and spiritual sight.

Now, however, I can see that it is comforting.  Here's why:

John 16:27
"The Father Himself loves YOU."

God loves believers.

And here's my other proof:

Psalm 119:65-68

"You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word.  Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments.  Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.  You are good and do good; teach me Your statutes."

God does whatever He pleases, and it is good because He is GOOD.