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Jul. 19, 2008 - Be fruitful...

Our pastor sends all the expectant moms in our congregation, as well as others in his aquaintance, encouragements throughout our pregnancies.  I thought the one we received today was wonderful and wanted to share it.

"Dear Fruitful Vines,

 One never knows in God’s mercy and kindness what a simple appeal to a Biblical passage can produce. As I was pondering my last encouragement to you all, I pondered Psalm 128. Verse 3 says, “Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house.”  I thought, “You know, instead of saying, ‘Dear pregnant moms,’ maybe, ‘Fruitful Vines,’ instead.” Now “pregnant moms” is a lovely term to me. Nevertheless, from the encouraging replies I received regarding the term Fruitful Vines, it will now be the address of choice!

 This also pointed out to me again the importance of words and, especially in our society, of image. You dear sisters have to stand in the checkout lines of Wal-Mart and other stores all the time. Glaring at you are rows of magazines that virtually shout at you, “The Hollywood Harlots are the standard of beauty. You have to look like this, and display that, or you are not beautiful.”

 Don’t listen to this. Reject it. Replace this lie with God’s truth.

 Some of you mentioned waddling. Some of you mentioned that vines are thin. I was amused. Yet, I was also pierced to my very soul. Our society has made body-sculpting surgeons rich and constantly shoves its artificial, nip-and-tuck, silicone and Botox standard of beauty in your face. Let me tell you something: waddling, as your body bears the children God gave you, is holy. The changes, the aches, the pains, the swelling, the stretch marks, and all the rest—these are all beautiful in the eyes of the Lord and to any man who has his biblical wits about him. It is stunning beauty to see women submitting to the often painful changes that bearing the Lord’s children brings. Being fruitful and multiplying brings glory to the Lord Jesus Christ and is the holy act of bringing God’s elect into this world. Through virgin’s womb, our beloved Savior entered this world. Mary did the most holy waddling that has ever graced the planet. It was not the sultry, sensual sashay of seduction. It was the humble, load-bearing, groaning, aching waddle of the salvation of all God’s elect for all eternity. Waddle on, groan on, swell up to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ: you are displaying a true and holy beauty to your God and to anyone who has eyes to see.

 My beloved wife used to say in her last trimester, “I feel like a beached whale.” I wish I had told her a million times and more, “But you are beautiful to me and to the Lord.” She was then and she is now the delight of my eyes. Dear Vines, there is a beauty in your fulfilling the eternal purpose of God to which all the airbrushed, surgically enhanced bodies on this planet will never compare. Your self-effacing sacrifice displays the glory of your Lord.

Waddle, swell, and groan to the glory of your Savior. He knows true beauty when he sees it."

I don't think I could have said it any better!
~Cindy

your two cents

Jul. 19, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by crazybusy

Um, I love your pastor and would like to start attending your church! LOL! Seriously though, that is so beautiful and so neat that your pastor takes the time to encourage pregnant moms like that! What pregnant mother wouldn't love to hear those words?!
Thanks for sharing that!
Love, Alyssa
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Jul. 19, 2008 - How wonderful

Posted by Anonymous

What a beautiful note. You are truly blessed to be under such wonderful leadership!

Mikki
http://mybibleandacupofcoffee.blogspot.com/
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Jul. 26, 2008 - Hello

Posted by joybird

Hello, this is Rachel Lamb. Remember me? We just got back from the Philippines. I got a homeschoolblogger blog, so I decided to comment!
I really enjoy your blog, and I've been trying to get my mom to comment here too. She also has a blog:

http://homeschoolblogger.com/aspengold

It doesn't have anything on it yet though, because I've been designing it for her.

Come visit us in Colorado!

~Rachel



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Jul. 27, 2008 - Untitled Comment

Posted by callmekate

My goodness! I wish I would have had such encouragement from our pastor when I was carrying my babies!

Actually, my husband really loved how I looked when I was pregnant, which was nice. Now, however, he often reminds me how cute I was and wishes I could get pregnant again. As if I want to be perpetually pregnant! At 45, I am too old to care for a baby again, even if we could have one (he had the "surgery") I just don't have the stamina.

Anyway, what a nice encouragement to receive. It can be easy to forget what true beauty is. Society is so blind and stupid. So stupid. I, personally, love how most pregnant women "glow" and make a point of telling them so. Remember your pastor's kind words whenever you see yourself in the mirror. And look carefully - do you see the glow? It's there, I'm sure of it!

Kate
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