Today was our first day back to school. We have a lot of carryover from last year due to our trip to the states and the complications with this pregnancy, but we are planning to proceed full steam ahead until baby boy is born in November. We will then take a long break, but the good thing is that it will be around holiday breaks anyway.
Arielle is starting Sonlight Core 2. She is doing Saxon Math 2, Reason for Handwriting Transition (to cursive), and Language Arts 2. We will be finishing up Science 1 this year and continuing on to Science 2. Rachel is as pleased as punch to start doing her own school. She listens in on a lot of Arielle's curriculum, but she is starting Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, Pre-School Comprehensive Curriculum (one of those thick all-in-one books I picked up from Sam's Club) and Reason for Handwriting K.
Borrowing an idea from Miki over at Happy Keeper at Home, I decided to do my own school pictures of the girls. A photographer I am not, but this was really a much cheaper, more fun way to go! Enjoy!
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Andthese words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." Deuteronomy 6:4-7 (ESV)
• Aug. 12, 2008 - Appointment at 24 weeks -- Good Report... Mostly!
Today was my 24 week appt. This week is significant because baby boy becomes viable with over a 50% chance of survival outside the womb!! Of course, permanent disability for the baby would be likely if I delivered now, so he will have to remain in the oven for several more weeks.
In general, all was well... except the one thing I had been dreading -- my weight gain!!! I just knew the nurse would HAVE to say something this time. First she asked how much I had gained with my daughters. For both, I gained 40-something pounds. The nurse then remarked that I was on track to repeat that weight gain, which is more than the recommended 25-35 lbs by delivery. I am already up 22 lbs at 24 weeks! She recommended that I get out and walk and that I make healthier eating choices and cut down on portion sizes. Ugh, I'm PREGNANT!!! Why do I have to think about these things??!!
The official result of last month's ultrasound was that all appeared normal and that there was no sign of any uterine bleeding or, I presume, the hematoma. This is really good news!
My blood pressure was awesome at 120/65. The baby's heart rate was 134 bpm. I measured at 26 weeks, but that was within the realm of a normal-sized baby.
I continue to be amazed at how God continues to sustain this pregnancy and our baby boy.
Here I am at 22 weeks, taken just this past Monday (with Rachel looking on; Arielle took the picture!). I feel like my tummy is running a bit larger at this stage than in other pregnancies. I can't imagine doubling in size by the end of all this unless I was having twins -- which we are certain we are not. By my 20 week appt, I had gained a total of 16 pounds, but 8 of that had been in the 4 weeks prior! I'm SUPPOSED to gain only a pound a week for a total of 25-35 lbs by delivery. Well, I've cut back on stuffing myself, so I should do better at my next appt on 12 Aug.
We've been buying many of our main nursery items: crib, infant car seat, Pack 'N Play, etc. There are restrictions to the size and weight of things shipped to our APO address, so we are definitely a captive audience to what the PX has in stock when it comes to larger unshippable items. Sean and the girls have been having a ball putting things together. Normally, it's my job, but I have enjoyed just supervising this go around!
We've even got our cloth diapers! Yes, I'm taking the plunge and using cloth diapers on this baby. It seems that cloth diapers have made a resurgence of sorts and are more sophisticated and convenient to use than the cloth diapers of my infancy... oh, so long ago! They are also incredibly less expensive than disposables and, of course, more environmentally friendly. I'm excited about using them... obviously, it doesn't take much to amuse me these days!
I continue to have more energy these days as long as I get one little midday nap in! I still have the bothersome cramping when I sit too long or walk too long, but baby boy seems to be oblivious. He is very active especially in the evenings.
I found a message board for women with SCH (subchorionic hematoma/hemmorhage) pregnancies which has been so encouraging. The women are very knowledgable about the condition and willing to share their own experiences as we travel this road together. Most pregnancy outcomes have been positive despite early deliveries for some. I will update again after my 12 Aug appt. I will be 24 weeks by then which means the baby will be considered viable -- he will have over a 50% chance of living outside my womb!
Today marks 20 weeks down, with 20 weeks to go until our 30 November due date!!! I praise the Lord for each day that the baby is well and for each day we get closer to seeing his or her little face, Lord willing.
I remember my days in the hospital during the ninth week of pregnancy when things looked grim, thinking that I could not imagine making it this far. Physically I felt bad and emotionally I was exhausted. Only the Lord got me through those early days when I honestly felt I did not want this to go on any longer. He knows best and I keep reminding myself to rejoice in Him no matter how grim the circumstance or how uncertain the future may seem. One thing I know is that the future is NOT uncertain to the Lord.
Here are photos from the girls' ballet recital earlier this month. Some are from the dress rehearsal while others are from the actual performance. Arielle and Rachel had great fun and did a wonderful job following the steps. This was Rachel's first recital.
Today I had a routine OB appointment. I give God all the praise for a good report!
First, my blood pressure, which is often elevated -- white coat syndrome? -- was the best it’s been in years at 127/67. For some reason my blood pressure readings have been lower since I’ve been pregnant. I won’t complain.
Second, but most importantly, the baby’s heartbeat was easily found beating at a happy 160 bpm. Also, the sound on the Doppler indicated that he/she was moving around.
Third, my triple screen blood work came back completely normal -- this is the first time I’ve ever had normal readings the first time around in a pregnancy. The triple screen tests for an increased statistical risk of Down Syndrome, Trisomy-18, and Spina Bifida.
I continue to feel very tired and I cramp most of the time, especially upon even minimal exertion. I am at a greater risk for pre-term labor as the pregnancy progresses and I pray that that does not happen. I try to lay down as much as I can with very active 7 & 4-year-olds.;-) Feeling the baby’s soft kicks every now-and-then is reassuring.
My fetal survey ultrasound is scheduled for 17 July. If the Lord wills and the baby cooperates, we will learn the sex. We’ll be 20 1/2 weeks along by then. Thank you for your continued prayers. In Christ, Talya
The situation that had me worried in my last entry (4 April, What, Me Worry?) was the discovery that I am pregnant. Sean and I welcome any new additions to our quiver and we believe we are to allow the Lord to plan our family -- read: no contraception or intentional human intervention aside from the obvious ;-). However, having had 4 miscarriages in the past always makes the discovery of a new pregnancy bittersweet for me. The hope for the new life that has begun to grow is tempered with the very real possibility we may lose the baby.
So far, I have had some potentially serious complications. In April, I was hospitalized due to a partial placental abruption (part of the placenta is detached causing severe bleeding). Then, a week later, I had to go to the ER again and was diagnosed with a subchorionic hematoma/hemmorhage.
None of this bodes well for the outcome of the pregnancy, but the baby and I continue to plug along. Surprisingly, the doctors seem to be a little nonchalant about this condition, but I guess it may be because they can’t really do anything about it at this point. My only treatment is to “take it easy” and get ample rest. My pregnancies with my daughters were trouble-free, so all this is new to me.
A praise is that I was able to hear the heartbeat at my 12 week appt! My next appt is 18 Jun and I again hope to hear the heartbeat. The baby’s due date is 30 November. Lord willing, he/she will be delivered by c-section. Thank you all for your prayers. I hope to do a better job of keeping you posted.:-) In Christ, Talya
I tend to be a rather anxious person no matter what the circumstance. I realize that anxiety and worry are sinful and we are commanded to resist those very human responses, but I so often give in to the flesh. This past Wednesday (2 April) we learned of a situation that has my “worry machine” in overdrive. Although I cannot disclose the details of the matter at this time, we would certainly covet your prayers as our family seeks to truly surrender all to the Lord.
When we got the news, my mind started racing. Worry was one of my initial responses. When I came to terms with the fact that I cannot change the outcome even if I wanted to, I started praying -- yes, I should have done this first anyway. I prayed that the Lord would take my anxiety away (too easy, right?) and show me how to “cast all my anxieties on him because he cares for me” (1 Pet. 5:7).
Well, as I got settled in bed that night, I took out the Daily Bread devotional and decided to read that day’s devotional. Don’t you know that the scripture reference for that day was Matthew 6:25-34???!!! The very scripture that commands us not to be anxious… that tells us that if God takes care of the birds and the lilies, will He not also take care of us who are more valuable to Him? The scripture that tells us not to worry about tomorrow and that we cannot add even one single hour to our lives by doing so. Finally, the very scripture that reminds us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” Right away I knew the Lord was speaking directly to me… BUT He wasn’t done.
That following morning I went to our desk calendar to change it to that day’s date -- 3 April. Each day has a scripture verse on it. That day’s verse was Luke 12:24 part of the parallel passage to Matthew 6:25-34!! The message was the same… that if God takes care of the ravens, how much more will He care for us who are more valuable to Him!
There was no doubt that the Lord was sending me a message. I had referred to these scriptures in the past during other trials, but to be led to them without expressly seeking them out made the message resonate even louder. Maybe my spiritual ears were so clogged that the Lord had to take such action.
I know I have no choice but to strive for obedience in handing my fears, worries & anxieties over to the Lord. When anxious thoughts creep in my mind, I say a quick prayer telling the Lord that I am sending that worry His way. Even if our situation fails to turn out the way I want it to, I must continue to give God the glory and rejoice in the fact that His plan for our lives is perfect and that He knows best.
“…Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (ESV)
" ...Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)
The announcement of actor Heath Ledger’s death at 28 struck a chord in me. I’ll admit, I was somewhat of a fan of some of his earlier work -- The Patriot, A Knight’s Tale and The Four Feathers. He lost me at Brokeback Mountain, but I believed he was a talented actor. As of this writing, the media has not reported a cause of death. The fact that Mr. Ledger was never reported to have fallen into some of the more tabloid-friendly trappings, such as publicly-known drug use or multiple arrests, has left many puzzled as to how this could have happened.
The overarching question that trumps “What killed him?’” is “Did he know Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior?” Of course, I don’t know where Mr. Ledger was in terms of a relationship with the Lord. I have never heard a profession of faith of any sort being reported from him. Some of his cinematic and lifestyle choices may lead me to some doubt.
Likely, Heath Ledger was just as lost as the lesser-known lost people we encounter everyday. We live in a fallen world, surrounded by the lost -- in our own homes, among our families and friends, at the post office, the library, on the job and even on television and the silver screen. The Lord has reminded me that they are all worthy of my prayers. It doesn’t matter if I know them personally or not, the Lord knows them intimately (“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.” Psalm 139:13). He loves them and wants them to come to Him (“The Lord is… not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Pet. 3:9). In addition to the usual people who inhabit my prayer list, the Lord has led me to pray for the salvation of at least one other person each day or week. Be they a famous celebrity, the frazzled woman in the commissary or the mom I talk to each week at my daughter’s dance class, I must pray that they heed the Lord’s call.
As for Heath Ledger, it’s too late to pray for him -- our lives are but a vapor (James 4:14) and now Heath Ledger knows the truth. Instead, I pray for actress Michelle Williams and their two-year-old daughter Matilda -- that they come to knowledge of their need for a savior and that they draw unto Christ in faith. The Lord has reminded me that I must pray for so many, especially the lost, before it’s too late.
“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16b
Welcome to 2008! I can't believe it's 2008 already, but I seem to say that every year. Time flies and we should not waste a moment of it.
We should not waste moments saying we are saved in Christ, but living like the world. We should not waste moments with little thought to growing in our relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We cannot waste moments relegating Christ to "when I can get to Him" -- after work, after shopping, after working out, after going to the movies, after picking the lint out of our navels, after our idol of the moment -- failing to make Him our FIRST priority ("Thou shalt have no/none other gods before me." Ex. 20:3, Deut 5:7).
We should not waste moments with our Bibles laid upon the shelf -- only to be opened at church on Sunday... if then ("Study to shew thyself approved unto God... rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim 2:15).
We should not waste moments praying only when it's convenient, failing to seek Him constantly ("Pray without ceasing" 1 Thess 5:17, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness..." Matt 6:33").
We cannot afford to waste moments watching the world's TV, listening to the world's music, looking just like the world, but under a cloak of false salvation ("Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," 2 Cor 6:17). We cannot waste moments continuing to do what we did when we were in the world, while trying to make it seem holy ("... know ye not that friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4).
We cannot afford to waste a moment living our lives separate from the one true & Holy God. We are all born sinners ("For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Rom. 3:23). Sin separates us from God and for that sin, the scriptures say we deserve death and to be cast into the lake of fire ("For the wages of sin is death..." Rom 6:23a; "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life [book containing the names of true believers in Christ] was cast into the lake of fire" Rev 20:15). However, God is so loving and merciful that He sent the ultimate gift, His son to take our punishment for us (John 3:16; "But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom 6:23b). What must we do to receive this wonderful gift and be saved? The scriptures say it better than I can:
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Romans 10:9-11
As this scripture points out twice, salvation is a heart issue -- and nothing can be faked before God. We are not saved by our good works, emotional experiences, or our outward appearances. We are saved by God's grace through faith ("For by faith are ye saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9).
I do not make new year's resolutions. I believe that any change worth making is that brought about by the Lord and should result in my immediate obedience. After all, we do not tell our children to do something and allow them to tell us, "Mommy, I'll do that tomorrow, or on January 1st." It is my hope that we will all endeavor to make the changes commanded in scripture. I challenge us all:
- Examine our walks with Christ -- Is my walk genuine? Am I bearing fruit (John 15:1-2)? Am I Christian in name only?
- Make Him our FIRST priority ("Thou shalt have no/none other gods before me." Ex. 20:3, Deut 5:7).
- Have regular personal Bible study time ("Study to shew thyself approved unto God... rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim 2:15)
- Have constant communication with God ("Pray without ceasing" 1 Thess 5:17)
- Seek the Lord to bring forth inward change, pursue holiness ("But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness..." Matt 6:33", "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Eph 4:24)
- Purge our hearts, thoughts, bodies, homes, conversation etc. of things of the world ("Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," 2 Cor 6:17; ".. let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Cor 7:1)
- Turn away from our love of worldy, secular things ("... know ye not that friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4)
- If, after self-examination, you have been led to question your prior profession of faith OR do not have a saving relationship with Christ, please humble yourself and seek the Lord for a regeneration of your heart though a saving faith ("That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Romans 10:9-11)
Last night Arielle had dress rehearsal for tonight's ballet recital. She is dancing as a "doll". She enjoyed her ballet class and hopes to continue in the future. Her dance instructor said she could advance to the next level as long as she worked on pointing her toes. We are so proud of our big girl!:-)
Rachel enjoyed her ballet class as well, although we had a rough, non-participatory first few classes. She would go into the dance studio and stand in the middle of the room, unmoving! She would only move if I did the movements with her. Then at about the 4th class, she all of sudden did not want me to help and wanted to dance all on her own... and that's what she did!:-)
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
We choose not to exchange gifts at Christmas. We made that decision after Arielle’s second Christmas, so she does not remember receiving gifts at Christmas. Rachel, of course, has NEVER received gifts on Christmas. Although Sean and I grew up receiving Christmas gifts, I think it was hardest for our parents to digest the inability to lavish gifts on their grandchildren at Christmas time.
As many have rightly observed, the commercialism of Christmas often robs the holiday of its focus on Christ and His birth. We get so bogged down in giving beautifully wrapped gifts to one another because that’s the expectation -- Christ gets lost in the translation. We often overspend in efforts to buy gifts for our children and other relatives who really have no need for what we are purchasing. We get stressed when the most popular toy of the year is on backorder and won’t be available in time for Christmas morning.
Am I saying we should never give gifts? No. But what about the rest of the year? What about when we see others in need in March or April? Do we give then or do we just figure that someone else will do it? Are we still paying off our Christmas debts so we cannot afford to give at any other time of the year?
Our hope is that we develop a tradition of giving of ourselves --our time, our skills, our resources, our testimony -- at Christmas and throughout the year, especially to those who are truly in need.
Our children will never see Christmas as a time to check the toy catalogs and make a list. Our home will never model the association of the celebration of Christ’s birth with material wants. Our children know Santa does not come down a chimney delivering gifts. They know that salvation through Christ is the ultimate gift we will ever receive and that we must celebrate Him every day. We are certainly not to focus on ourselves on a day expressly set aside to celebrate HIM who was born to die -- to die on our behalf so that we may have eternal life. As we’ve heard, “Jesus is the reason for the season” and in our home, we intend to keep it that way.
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
If the Lord lays it on your heart, I encourage you to give to the Cho family via the Five Little Gifts Campaign. The Chos attend Immanuel Bible Church -- the last church we attended before our move. The husband/father, Dave Cho, died of cancer in June after a valiant, Christ-centered struggle. Shelbie, Dave's wife, went into labor with their 5th child shortly after his death and must now support herself and their 5 children.
If you get a chance, please read through their whole journal -- HERE. Their story is such a testimony to us all in that in the face of the ultimate trial of terminal illness and certain death, they continued to give God all the glory. Unfortunately, we often fail to do so when the stakes are miniscule, so their example & testimony when facing such massive trial is invaluable.
I have printed out their whole journal and use it as a reminder of God's grace and how we are to respond. It brings to mind the powerful scripture found in 2 Cor. 12:9-10, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me... for when I am weak, then am I strong."
Lift up this family in your prayers. Please be encouraged by their testimony, and give as the Lord so leads as we will do!:-) NOTE: If you choose to write a check, please make it payable to the following: Friends of David and Shelbie Cho
We are having some of Sean's co-workers over to share our Thanksgiving meal. Here's the planned menu (subject to change without notice!):
Turkey w/ gravy
Pot roast
Ham
Fried (thanks, Sean!) & baked chicken
Stuffing
Greens
Green beans
Cabbage (my favorite!)
Macaroni & Cheese (the girls' favorite)
Sweet potato souffle/casserole (Sean's favorite)
Tortellini (shout out to Italy)
Cornbread
Dinner rolls
Cake (yellow w/ chocolate frosting)
Apple pie (thanks, Mrs Smith!)
Sweet potato pie (thanks, Sara Lee!)
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I pray that we all take a moment to give thanks to the Lord and that our gratitude becomes our daily way of life. I pray that we thank the people we see each day, but often take for granted, like our spouses, our children. I pray that we thank the people we don't see each day -- those who may be far away. I pray we thank the people we don't know, but have made an impact in our lives or in the lives of others. I pray a special prayer of thanks for the soldiers who have willingly put themselves in harm's way. In Christ, Talya
Temptation is everywhere. We can be tempted in any area at any time. Since I got married, I purposely have limited my interaction with men out of respect for my marriage and my husband and as a means to stave off any possible temptation or awkward situation. Because of this I was a little concerned when we got stationed at a small military installation in Europe last year. Being part of a male-dominated military community was new to me and I wasn’t sure what to expect.
What I have found is that my husband’s character has served to protect me from advances by men within our community. Now, I am not saying that I am so desirable that all men should be clamoring after me… I am saying that the heart is wicked, so I am not surprised by sin, and even anticipate it, no matter how irrational and immoral it may be.
My husband Sean is a loudJ , friendly man who loves to talk to anyone about the Lord. Within one minute of talking to him, you know where he stands regarding Jesus Christ. He respects others and strives to walk in integrity in all that he does. It is because of this that he has great relationships with most everyone he meets. My husband’s bold profession of his faith and love for the Lord lets other men know that he has a mighty, indomitable force behind him. You don’t want to mess with him or his family and suffer God’s wrath!
Sean speaks glowingly of me and our children constantly. This lets other men know that his family life is his priority and intact. His wife is valuable to him and not to be trifled with. He is not some aloof husband who is more focused on himself and fails to prioritize his wife and family (after the Lord, of course). It is such a man’s wife that other men may feel they need to “rescue”. In my case, Sean makes it clear to anyone who will listen that he loves me and values me and that his house is “in order”.
Sean also garners the respect of his peers, superiors and even people on the street! I have marveled at his ability to engage most anyone in God-honoring conversation. I often tell him that God uses him to impact so many people and he doesn’t even realize it. Countless times, people -- some strangers -- have approached me and told me to tell Sean “thank you” for something he said to them that touched them. Most people won’t cross the line with a man they respect. That respect often flows over into how they interact with that man’s family as well. I believe many people respect me because they respect Sean.
There is comfort for a wife in this type of protection. Many of my concerns have been laid to rest because my husband is who he is. It is my prayer that all husbands realize the importance of providing the protection of their character to their wives. In Christ, Talya
• Nov. 2, 2007 - A Contest for Bloggers... Time's Running Out!
I am late learning about this, but I hope other bloggers are able to enter by 11:59PM CST tonight! Life in a Shoe has posted a contest sponsored by Vision Forum. Three winners will receive the Vision Forum publications of their choice up to $250. See Life in a Shoe's blog for contest rules. What a great opportunity!
Here's my dream order:
So Much More $20
Passionate Housewives: Deperate for God $16
What's a Girl to Do? $10
The Blessed Marriage $10
The Role of Children in the Meeting of the Church $10
The Centrality of the Home in Evangelism and Discipleship $10
Family Man, Family Leader $15
A Church in the House $12
Ten P's in a Pod $20
Home-making $20
Be Fruitful & Multiply $15
Christian Modesty & the Public Undressing of America $8
Part II Christian Modesty & the Public Undressing of America $10
The Master's Plans for Fathers $35
The Influence of Older Children on Younger Children $10
GRAND TOTAL: $221
Hurry, hurry.. time's running out! In Christ, Talya
I believe that as believers we are to be good stewards over everything with which God has blessed us – including our bodies and our health.I believe God wants us to eat healthy food, eat in moderation and get ample exercise and rest.Despite these beliefs, I have struggled in this area.
Since marriage and pregnancies, I have seen my weight fluctuate within an unhealthy 10-lb range.Whenever my weight starts to dwell in the upper weights of the range, my health has been adversely affected.Such was the case this spring & summer.The reality hit me that I must do something about my weight.I could not sit idly by as my health and quality of life suffered.I was ready to make a change!Well, I had been hit with this realization several times in the past, but it’s never been a catalyst for any lasting change.I’ve tried Weightwatchers and biblically-based hunger/fullness plans, but something was missing and after a few weeks I would give up.However, this time the Lord let me in on something -- my motivation was all wrong.
In past attempts at weight loss, my motivations were driven by my desires and what I thought was noble -- I wanted to look and feel better for myself and my husband, to be an example of health to my daughters, to take care of my body the way I believed God intended.Sounds good, right?Well, the Lord showed me that this “laundry list” was not a list of proper motivations at all, but rather by-products or results of what was to be my TRUE motivation – obedience to the Lord in ALL things through surrender to Him (Deut 13:4, 1 John 5:3).Putting my desires ahead of obedience to the Lord, no matter how well-intentioned, had proven futile and fruitless.I am learning that only through true obedience can those by-products that I so desire, or my “laundry list”, be achieved as the fruits of my obedience.
So what has this meant in my current journey toward weight loss and a healthier lifestyle?
It has meant a complete shift in my focus.I have learned that more important than simply feeling better physically or being a better example, I am to be obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit – the rest will come if I am attentive and follow His lead.So many times, I would head into the kitchen just to eat SOMETHING, knowing I was not in the least bit hungry, and I would hear the Holy Spirit nudge me with a simple “No.”Ninety-nine percent of the time, I would ignore the Holy Spirit and eat whatever I wanted to eat, rationalizing that one cookie wouldn’t make any difference.It’s true, one cookie probably won’t make much of a difference to my waistline, but grieving the Holy Spirit by my disobedience is nothing to take lightly and has serious spiritual consequences, especially if I make it a habit (Eph 4:30 “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption”).It was like saying, “Holy Spirit, I don’t really care what you say.I’m going to eat/do what I want to eat/do anyway.”
How arrogant of me.
How humbling to realize this.
It wasn’t until I called my disobedience what it is – SIN – that I felt the conviction to change my behavior.I have had to confess my sins of intentional disregard and disobedience and repent, continually.Only then do I believe my journey toward greater physical health and weight loss began in earnest.
Check back soon for “Weighty Considerations:Part 2 – Sowing & Reaping” In Christ, Talya
clip art copyright Susan C. Druding 1997-2001 at straw.com
I have wanted to learn to sew on a sewing machine for years, but I never devoted the time to learning. My mother sews quite well and used to make jumpers for me when I was a child. In recent years, she would offer to give me “lessons”, but I was always too busy to give it a try. To be honest, I was intimidated by the whole process. Just threading the machine looked like an ordeal to me. Also, I didn’t own a machine myself and thought it ridiculous to learn if I always had to go to her house to sew something. Okay, excuses, excuses.
Well, now that I have felt the conviction of the Lord to dress modestly and femininely (1Tim 2:9), I am trying to stock up on skirts, dresses and feminine tops for myself and my daughters. We spent lots of money over the summer revamping our wardrobes, but a variety of modest, feminine clothing can be difficult or very expensive to find, especially for the girls. I figured that the best way to get the type of apparel I want is to make it myself -- Proverbs 31 style!J
With birthday money, I bought a sewing machine. We are overseas, so our choices are limited, but I was able to get a Brother machine with 59 stitch functions. Apparently, this is a very basic model, but as I start out, it should suit my purposes just fine.
Well, this past Saturday night, I decided to experiment and actually take the machine out of the box after almost a month! I read through the owners manual, trying to figure out what a presser foot and feed teeth/dogs are. I even had to write on the machine so I’d remember which dial dealt with stitch width and which dealt with stitch length. For the uninitiated, threading the bobbin and then threading the machine can also be an adventure.
With all that accomplished, I was ready to take the machine for its maiden voyage. I had some scraps of fabric to practice on. Well, with my manual propped up next to me, my hands on the fabric and my foot on the foot thing -- very technical term here -- , I ventured off into sewing greatness. Okay, not quite, but I was able to make a straight stitch that was actually straight!!! By the end of this session, I had made a “pocket”, sort of reminiscent of a slip-in eyeglass case.
Then last night, I felt like I was on a roll and I decided to perform some “alterations”. Okay, before you burst out laughing at the thought of a novice performing alterations, I will tell you that one of my garments had already been “altered” using safety pins for 7 years! I was sure my stitching would be no worse than safety pins. After some false starts of forgetting to put down the presser foot and making horrendously crooked stitches, I was able to take in the sides of a jumper in a way that was not embarrassing!J Now, I am looking forward to learning more and doing more with my sewing machine!!
I am so grateful to the Lord for helping me overcome my sewing machine intimidation. J In Christ, Talya
Arielle & Rachel in third position.
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