Taking time to see God's Greatness {stepping out of the boat}

This morning, something amazing happened.

I woke up EARLIER than the alarm, and I didn't feel tired!

Yes. You read correctly.

I am equally bowled over.  Maybe it's not a "thing" for you, and you regularly waken early, refreshed and full of vim and vigour.

How nice for you.

For me, it was incredible, and a perfect start to my "working" week.  I was able to get up, and spend loads of lovely time with just me, a large mug of coffee, and God - soaking up His Word, and learning precious truths.

On top of that, I even had time to read some more of Sally Clarkson's new book - Own Your Life.  I must admit, I had been struggling to find time for reading in peace and quiet.  Umpteen Sunday afternoons, I had attempted to read, only to have invading marauders. Yes, I have hit the stage of being unable to read fully without peace and quiet.  *groans inwardly at galloping aging process*
This morning, I had peace.  I had previously been reading it on my Kindle app, on the iPad, but I now have a "hard" copy, and hightlighter in hand, I got back to reading.

I have reached Chapter 6 - Resting in the Transcendence of God - Owning the Mystery of His Supremacy.

Oh, how this comes at the perfect time for me.

It's all about stepping away from the hectic madness of life, and seeing the wonder of who God is, as a little child.

My life has been super busy.  Crazy busy.  I had recently become overwhelmed with so many things I had to do.  Choices to make.  Direction to give.  Planning to do.  Schooling to oversee. Housework to fit in.  Discipline to administer.

I was tired.  I was worn down.

I hit a wall, and had to just step away from things, to get my head in the right place.  I am so thankful that I was able to come to my husband, pour out my heart (which had been burying things, thinking it would all just resolve by prayer alone.... alas, faith without works is dead! Action is always required!), and have him help me to find direction.

One of the biggest helps he was to me, was to see that I needed to slow down and remove a lot of unnecessary pressure from myself.  To take my eyes off perceived expectations from others (including what I THOUGHT was what HE wanted, which I was SO wrong about!), and to just focus on what was right for our family.

I cannot express to you, in words, how much of a load has been lifted from me since then.

I had more to learn, though.

As I mentioned, at the end of last week, I also realised that my focus was on doing, instead of BEING.  Being with my family, fully engaged.  Not rushing about from one job to the next.  Not focussed on academics and neglecting their tender hearts and personalities.  I needed to stop, take stock, and readjust my goals and priorities.

Imagine then, how perfect it was, to then read what I did this morning.  Sally giving wise counsel to my soul, about stopping and seeing how great God is.

She told the story of a night when she had opportunity to view the night sky through a telescope. Her daughter was enthralled, as they gazed at the sky was filled with incredible, twinkling stars.  A breath-taking sight.  Her mind was drawn to Job, and God's question to him.

"Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding....When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

Job 38: 4, 7

We are so small.  God is so great.

We need to become like a little child, awed by the things we so easily miss, because we are simply too busy DOING.  I have been rush, rush, rushing through life, trying to cram so much in, all the while missing so much.  I am realising, all the more, that time is precious, and every little moment I can spend with my family, when they need me, is so important.  Every moment I can spend soaking up God, and His Word, is crucial to my growth and peace.  Taking a break from busyness, and just enjoying life, is something I need to MAKE time for.


Sally also relates how she spoke, in a blog post, about taking time with her daughter, amidst the busyness of one day, to have afternoon tea. Tea, scones and candles.  Celebrating life in the busyness of deadlines.  One commenter on the blog chastised her for not understanding the busyness in the life of Mums. This poor, harassed woman suggested Sally was setting unrealistic goals for women who are pushed for time, as it is.

Poor Sally!  Poor LADY!

I can understand the lady's life - whiny children, time your enemy as you battle to get things done.

TOTALLY.  I get it.

What I was reminded of this morning, is the very thing that I so often forget.

It's up to us to FORGE that time out of our day.  To take a step back, and think about what REALLY matters, eternally speaking.  All of the pressures and duties will still be there, after taking time out for a breather. Without a doubt.  But the refreshment your soul receives, from stopping, and resting, and being with JESUS, will be a boost to your day.

No living thing can operate without fuel.  We take time to stop and have nourishment for our bodies.  Stopping, and having a break from the duties of life, is refreshment to our MIND and our SOUL.  They equally need nourishment, and I shouldn't feel guilty for seeing to those needs, too.  That's where I have been going so wrong! We have a responsibility to care for not just our bodies, but our mind and our soul, to God's glory.

If I am having a crazy, stress-filled day, I just need to stop, and soak up God's greatness and glory. To become like a little child, and dwell upon the big things of God, instead of the fleeting, burden filled things of life. Take the time to get my perspective upon heavenly things, and not earthly.

Sally wrote of the disciple, Peter, and how he walked on the water.  How easily, in life, we try to row our way, in our own strength, through trials.  We won't get anywhere in a hurry, if we are going in our own strength.  Peter had to get out of the  boat, take a step of faith, and then keep His eyes on Jesus.  The moment he looked around at the waves, he sank.

That's me.  Rowing, as hard as I can, in the direction I THINK I should be going.  Busy, busy, trying my best to keep afloat.  All I need to do is stop, and get out of the boat.  Step away from the "boat" of life, that's being tossed around by the winds of  circumstances, and step towards the Saviour.  We are able to do great things, if we step out in faith, and keeps our eyes upon God.  I need to "think big", and realise that God is able to do great things in my life, if I just trust Him.  Step away from the storm, and towards the one who CONTROLS the storm.

Humility - bowing our lives before God - was the other area that challenged me today, from my reading in the book.



As mothers, I think there's an incredible pressure placed upon us to "get it all done".  We end up steaming on in our own strength, and forget that our strength is nothing.  We are like tiny specks, next to the greatness of God.  I need to come, with  heart bowed in humility, and see God in His greatness and His control over my life.  I need to remove my focus from the details of life, and remember that *I* am not in control - God is.  He knows the way that I take - He planned it. He, in His greatness and goodness, has planned that my life should be EXACTLY the way it is - it's my cup.

I am nothing, and He has it all in His great plan.

We are having a "week off school".  What a perfect way to launch into it.  Remembering God is great.  Remembering I am nothing.  Focussing on my mighty, awesome God.  Enjoying the moments, instead of being on the go, ALL the time.

Are you living a busy life, and forgetting to stop and enjoy the moment?  Like me, are you so busy doing, that you are not being? Not treasuring the detail that God has blessed us with in life, or the lives that God has surrounded us with?

I trust you will seek to see our great God, as I am, and take time to enjoy the moments we can plan into our busy lives, to enjoy God and His goodness.

Subduing and making peace {More words of wisdom from Sally}

I'm still digging into Isaiah, and my heart is being so challenged and blessed.  Imagine my delight when it dovetailed, PERFECTLY, with another truth I took away from listening to Sally Clarkson, so recently.

Let me explain.

Today, my parenting got a finger pointed at it, again.

I know there are some families with quiet children, but our offspring are just not that.

I was talking to my Mum, recently, about Tabitha starting to show a determination in her personality.  She's certainly not quiet, and we were discussing who, out of all of them, IS quiet. The answer? None of them! Susie is, perhaps, the quietest, in some ways, but none of them are truly shy and retiring.

Funny that, given how shy and retiring the parents are..... *aherm*

Given that we have a large number of children in the house, people regularly comment on the fact it mustn't be quiet here.  You are SO right, if that's your suggestion.  It's only quiet once they are all tucked up in bed.  Even at that, we have sleep talkers and sleep walkers (which can be rather amusing, but that's a who other story...), which disturbs the peace on some nights.

The lack of quiet is often not simply "general noise of multiple people" in nature.  Lack of noise is not necessarily peace, after all.  It's just quiet, not true peace.

The lack of peace is arguing, complaining, and yelling.  Let's not even get started on the children....

Just keeping it real, friends.

I have times when I enter into arguments with the children (rarely, with my husband.... much less frequently than my shameful, early years of marriage), I complain about their behaviour, and wind up yelling at them.

Peace is NOT the watchword of this household, on a far too regular basis.

Enter Isaiah.

It only took three words to challenge me as a mother, yesterday.

"I make peace"

Isaiah 45:7

 Those words hit me as a challenge to my heart.  The Lord MAKES peace. It doesn't happen naturally in the hearts and lives of men and women.  Yet, the Lord can bring it in our lives.  His Word is filled with references to His peace.

It's something that comes from God, this experience of peace in our lives.

Enter the wise words from Sally.  When God created man and woman, He put them in the earth to SUBDUE it.  That means taking control, and making it fruitful and good. We can subdue in whatever situation God has put us in. God gave us the capacity to work in that situation HE has placed us in.

If you think back to Eve, her name meant "the mother of all living".  It was given to her to nurture and bring life.

  If we are mothers, then our family is the setting in which we need to subdue.  It's where WE need to take control and produce fruit, to God's glory.   As you probably know, if you have children, or you live in a family at all, peace doesn't happen by nature.  If we then want our family to be a place of peace, we need to MAKE it - we need to SUBDUE.   Children, especially, have hearts which are inclined towards being argumentative and noisy.  Some of that noise is just children being children, but when it starts to become a rabble, and sinful behaviour rearing its ugly head, it's OUR job to step in and make peace!

How can we do this?

First of all, our hearts need God's peace poured into them.  If we are agitated in spirit, or screaming inside our head (only to be heard by the animal world, obviously...) then we are NOT going to be able to help our children have peace.  We need to make sure that we are spending enough time with the Lord (yes, that old, broken record again, but it's the truth!).  That is the way we will have peace in our hearts.

Then, we need to KEEP our focus on the peace-giver, all day through.  If we can do that, then we will be spiritual swans - still busily working away "under the surface", when life happens, but with a calmness visible to everyone who looks at us.  Trust me, I am nowhere near being a "swan" - I have frequent, loud, "flapping" moments, instead. Those flappy moments are when I move my focus away from the one who brings peace, and instead focus on my circumstances. I forget to take a deep breath, control my emotions, and react with calm and control.  In the flappy moments I get impatient, yell and lose control of the situation. In those moments I am not subduing my own spirit, never mind anything else.  It's up to ME to make peace, by focussing on having a peace in my own heart and reactions.

We also need to remove the "tinder" from potential explosive, non-peaceful, situations in our home.  What tends to CAUSE the clamour?  Is it fighting over leisure time choices? Maybe they need to be removed until arguing doesn't happen. Is it impatient attitudes?  Teaching, and reinforcing, Biblical truths about attitude may need to happen.  Is there too much volume on the "talking" level, resulting in shouting, leading to angry reactions? Gentle instruction about using the right level of noise in speech and communication, perhaps needs to go on.

Then, we need to facilitate change.  We, like Eve, can be life-givers. It's within our power to bring peace, and take control in our family.

Sally told a wonderful story of their home in Austria.  They had opportunity to have a house up in the mountains.  So, they worked, and worked to turn the barren, rocky hillside, into a garden! They worked with their hands to plant grass seed, and plants, to make it a place of joy.  It was hard work, but they subdued the land.  They controlled their situation to make it into what they wanted it to be.

God's Word reminds us

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts…”

Colossians 3:15 

Do you see the word "rule"? To rule means to be in control.  As we need God's peace ruling in our hearts - being the controlling factor in our lives - so we need to rule our homes by bringing peace.

Children cannot learn if we don't TEACH, though.  The default setting on children in "sin and strife".  It's our job to MAKE peace.  We need, by our words and deeds, to make our home a place of peace.

There are endless reasons for non-peaceful situations to arise.  As the one spending the time with the children, and in the home, we need to analyse what's going on, and go about making changes to bring peace.

It's not an easy task, but we are told, two times, in the Bible, to seek peace and pursue it.  Search it out, and chase after it!


The icing on the cake?

"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." 

Matthew 5:9

Being a mother who makes peace in her family, identifies her as a child of God.  It's an evidence of our walk with the Lord, if we can bring peace into our homes. It's a blessing, to be a peacemaker!

I have a lot of improvement to make, on this one.  God's arrow has pierced, and now I need to work diligently to subdue my domain, making peace in the home.

Making life beautiful {accepting things you cannot change}

In my garden, there is a corner I have tried to ignore since we moved into the house. For a start, it's at the front, where we spend less time, so easy to neglect. Secondly, it contains something that I considered ugly and an eye sore. 

Laurel roots.

Big, ugly laurel roots.

Robert has been painstakingly trying to kill them off, drilling holes in them, and putting in treatment to kill them off. It's not a quick fix, and they are still there. Without heavy, expensive to hire, equipment, they are not going anywhere in a hurry. This year was the worst. There were thick patches of nettles and dandelions all around them, making it so much worse.

Instead of griping and being frustrated about the "ugly" patch, I realised there was something I COULD do. I couldn't get rid of the roots, but I could clear the weeds, and make a FEATURE of the roots!! I could make it something beautiful, by working around, and with, it.

Those weeds were hard work. The nettle roots were like an underground network, and the dandelions had roots like a tree. It was no easy fix, but it looked so much better with them gone.

I popped off to the garden centre, picking up some pretty, flowering plants. I wanted plants that would not just try and cover up the roots, but to make them look like part of my garden. As if they were supposed to be there, rather than me just making do. 

The day I attacked my garden, I happened to be struggling with a situation in my life, which was irking me. A situation that was not likely to change in a hurry, but I was allowing it to bother me, and rob me of my joy and peace. It was a circumstance that wasn't in my power to change, yet I was letting it fester away and irritate me. My heart and my attitude weren't at ALL beautiful, as I chewed over my frustrations. 

It hit me. 

My life is like those roots in my garden. There are some things in all our lives, that we simply cannot change. It's not in our power, or perhaps not our responsibility, to change. Allowing it to bother us is simply showing lack of contentment in God's plan for us, or lack of patience whilst we pray for a change, which may happen in the future. If we allow it to negatively affect us, it's not very beautiful, at ALL. 

We can, however, be responsible for how we accept, and deal with, our circumstances. If we remember exhortations in the scriptures to "rejoice evermore", "in everything give thanks", "pray without ceasing", "be content with such things as ye have", and put them into practice, we will have much more joy and peace in our life.

It would be so easy to sit, frustrated and irritated, madly praying for the Lord to change our situation, when we could, instead, be living joyfully, and contentedly, in the situation we are in. 

In time, the Lord may answer your prayers, and changes may come.... Or, they may not. 

We can choose to live with joy, or we can choose to be miserable. 

Don't fight the situation that the Lord is allowing you to walk through. Embrace it, and live it with joy. 

Go ahead, and plant some "flowers" in your life, and choose to make your situation beautiful, instead of being frustrated with a wasteland. 

Blogging through the Alphabet {B is for Beruhigen, busy, and the blessing of my Beth, and biggest boy}

"B"

OK, so I had to be REALLY creative here, to make my day fit my blog post for this week. So, I bring to you an educational post, wherein you learn a German word, to suit my blog post.

Is that somehow wrong?

Not sure.

These first two words are somewhat of an enigma, in one sense. Almost polar opposites, well, at least for me.

B, is for beruhigen and busy.

"What," you may ask "does BERUHIGEN mean?"

Unless you are a German scholar, you will not know what it means.  

It means "calm".

Today, I had a calm day, when it shouldn't have been, because I had a crisis, on a busy day. A crisis when you have a LOT to do, is generally not a calming experience, but for me, unusually, it was.

I can't take the credit for it - it was a definite Spirit-filled moment. 

I was busily doing jobs in the lounge, when a child came through, with a look and tone of urgency, telling me to come NOW.

I went, hearing the sound of rushing water as I went.

Ohhhhhhh yes. RUSHING, GUSHING, HIGH-PRESSURE water.

I immediately realised that something under the sink had exploded and water was exiting at a great speed. I thankfully knew where the stop-cock was, threw (pretty literally) the saucepans out of the cupboard where it is, and turned it off. The whole thing probably took less than 60 seconds, but there was a lot of water. Also, providentially, there were a lot of towels waiting to be washed, so they got put to a secondary use! 

Next was to look in the cupboard. Do you know how much you can FIT in a cupboard under the sink? A lot, let me tell you.  Most of it was at least damp, in some way or form, if not soaking. 

I was supposed to be supervising school work, working on a crochet project that is being given as a gift and the deadline is looming, and sorting out a computer issue. Also, lots of laundry was to be done today, and the dishwasher WAS running.  Those latter two things cannot be done WITHOUT water, and the former things cannot be done whilst I was clearing up an ENORMOUS mess.

It's not in my nature to be particularly calm and accepting of such situations.  I don't get easily stressed, in one sense, but my plans being thrown, and not being able to do "what I was supposed to do", bothers me. 

Today was out of the ordinary. I calmly managed the situation, without worrying about wasn't being done elsewhere. THIS is what was happening, so THIS is what I needed to be doing.

The day didn't get better. The plumber came, and it turns out the whole of the tap had just fallen apart underneath. Only solution? New tap. My KITCHEN tap - no tap, no washing up. Robert is busy on a Wednesday, and the plumber had another job he needed to go to, so I needed to do it. Normally, that would also have bothered me, again thinking about what I *should* have been doing. However, the tap was needed, and I was available to get it. So off we all (yes, with all 8 children) toddled off to the Screwfix shop to get a new tap. A monoblock, mixer tap (yes, of course I knew that before....*aherm*). Just being in that shop was an experience - Argos, for home improvers. (ie go in, look at a catalogue, write down your number, go to a till, pay, and wait for your item - I became "the kitchen tap" when it arrived, as in "are you the kitchen tap?". Yes, me, the kitchen tap).  By the time we got home, it was late in the afternoon. The children were certainly educated in the art of tidying up a huge mess, and getting school work done in an unconventional manner, at a strange time of day.

It was a strangely busy day, and it was all crammed into a short space of time, yet I got things done.

God was so good, in giving me the calm I needed to handle my day. It would have been such a different atmosphere in this house, had I panicked, and stressed about my upside-down day. It would have affected everyone else, and that would just not have been a good thing. I also learnt that you can be busy, have more on your plate than you wanted, and yet still get it all done! With God's peace and strength, you can do so much.

Beth was a joy today - she cleaned out my entire fridge, wiping out everything, and reorganising the food that went back in.  She did SUCH a great job, and it was a wonderful thing to open up the fridge, and survey the tidiness that met my eyes. Having such a helpful daughter is a blessing, indeed.

I am now ending my day, with my biggest boy being a blessing to his mother - he is doing my ironing! First time to do it like this, and a good job he's doing! He knew I had other things to do, and that the ironing also needed to be done tonight, so he's doing it.  I can't quite believe I have a son old enough to be doing a capable job of ironing, but here I am, and there he is.

So, my B's -  beruhigen in my chaos, my busy day, and the blessing of my oldest two children.

Going forward into a new year

Do you ever look ahead to your repsonsibilities and plans, feeling somewhat overwhelmed? That whole idea of trying to improve upon the previous year - doing things in a better way, accomplishing more, being a better wife and mother, being more organised?

Maybe you got some new books for Christmas, guiding you in your role as wife and mother - you want to improve, but feel it's such a big task?

When we look to our own frailty and inadequacies, a new year can be daunting, rather than to be delighted in.

Rather aptly, my new Bible reading programme had me reading the first 4 chapters of Joshua yesterday morning.   It was an amazingly comforting portion to read at the start of a new year.  I was struck by the sense of anticipation and excitement felt by the children of Israel, as they entered into the Promised Land.  They had been wandering in the wilderness for FORTY years.  It was no simple task to leave Egypt and be instantly where they longed to be.  Indeed, their lack of faith had caused them to take longer than they had ever imagined, and many, many were not even entering the Promised Land at all.  But, for those who were now gazing over the River Jordan, the new land was there, waiting for them to conquer.  What an incredibly  thrilling moment.  Standing there.  Ready to go forward.

At the same time, however, it was a daunting prospect.  No conquest is without it's challenges.  Indeed, something worth getting is often more of a challenge than the easy things in life.  So, before they could have peaceful repose in the land, they had battles to win, and enemies to conquer.  It was so daunting that 10 of the 12 spies had brought back a bad report of the land, in those preceding years.  With man, it seemed impossible.

But, the "Aha" moment.

With God, ALL things are possible.  That's the eye of faith through which Joshua and Caleb had viewed the land, and by which Joshua was now leading this nation forward.

The Lord had promised them that He would lead them to a new land, that would be theirs.  God always keeps His promises.

However, as so often, the success they would have upon entering this new land was dependent upon certain conditions.

"Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest."

Joshua 1:7

The first instruction is to observe the law.  The were to follow God's law.  Today, that would be obedience to God's Word.  Not turning in another direction, other than forward with obedience.  There was a promised associated with this first instruction.  They would prosper wherever they went!

Obedience to God brings prosperity.  I'm not talking about financial prosperity.  You will have success in whatever you do, if you do it all in adherence to God's Word.  Why?  Because being obedient equates to success.  By God's grace and strength, and by following His will, revealed for us in the scriptures, you will have success in what you aim to do.  Success is being obedient to God's Word, and living a life that reflects the same. What a confidence we can have in this truth!  Whatever you set out to do this year, if you are seeking to do what God wants  you to do, you will prosper!

The next instruction was this...

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

Joshua 1:8

Here, they were instructed to talk about God's law.  They were to think about it, day and night, and obey it.   Again, being prosperous and successful were the promised results.

Are we reading God's Word every day?  There is no other way to know of God's way for your life, unless you read His Word and meditate upon it.  Not once a week in Church - day and night.  Talk about the scriptures with your husband.  Think about things, and talk them over.  Find out what God says about the things that are relevant to your circumstances.  Talk to your children.  Teach them God's ways, and train them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  Talk to your Christian friends.  Let the things of the Lord be first-most on your minds, lips and hearts - rejoice in the things of the Lord, and don't be absorbed with worldly things.

Set your heart to obey God's Word for YOUR life.  And, you will have success.

The final instruction 

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

Joshua 1:9

What a precious promise.  They were commanded to be strong and courageous - not to be afraid or dismayed.  If they were to look at their situation based on their weak humanity, none of this would be possible.  Humanly speaking, the task was enormous and daunting.  Conquer a land, filled with enemies?!? Never?

With God's presence? - no problem!

We equally are assured of God's presence with us.  It is by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the strength we have in Christ alone, that we are able to confidently go forward into the responsibilities that a new year holds for us. No matter how daunting the tasks may seem - no matter the challenges we may face - no matter the trials - no matter the testing circumstances - God has promised His presence and strength, and that is all we need.  We don't need to fear! We have the Lord right there beside us, no matter what we face.


As the "icing on the cake", the Lord reminds them that God had given them the land, and that after all their wanderings, they WOULD have rest.

"The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land."

Joshua 1:13

In all that they had to face, they were assured that rest would be their's. Peace from conflict, wanderings ceased, enemies defeated.  It WOULD happen, because God had promised it would.

We are promised the same rest and peace.  We are promised peace of mind, if our minds are stayed upon the Lord.  If we depend upon His care and provision, we can rest in Him.  No matter what our circumstances this year, we can be assured that the Lord has us in His hands, and resting in His love and care.

He WILL give us all we need, for every circumstance we may face.

As this nation faced challenges upon entering the Promised Land, so we, too, face challenges as the Lord leads us into new phases of life. There may be expected events, that we know will bring challenges.  There may be things that happen, which we were NOT expecting, but we equally know for sure, that God still has us in His loving care.  

Straight after these assurances, the Israelites were faced with the swollen, flooded waters of the Jordan River.  An immediate obstacle seemed to stand in their way.  And yet, as they stepped forward in faith, following the instructions from the Lord, the waters went and the river was crossed.  It was only when their toes got wet that the way was made for them.

Like them, we need to take that step forward, in faith, into the challenges that 2013 will bring.  Going forward, knowing that our loving Heavenly Father has our way planned out, and will provide for our every need. Our "feet may get wet" as we step forward into our challenges, but we know a way will be made for us, and we WILL possess the "land". 

Before they took a step that day, they had been told to sanctify themselves, because God was going to do great things for them.  What an exciting prospect!  Their hearts were to be ready, expecting and anticipating God's goodness in their lives.  

May we all rest upon the promises of God's Word, as we go boldly forward into 2013, knowing that we can rest upon His promises, and be assured of success by God's grace.  We need, like the Israelites, to sanctify our hearts - to prepare our hearts, ready to see what God will do in our lives.  To be prepared, and expectant, that we, too, will be able to set "stones" as a reminder of God's goodness, as 2013 closes. 

My prayer is that we all would be blessed greatly in 2013, and raise our Ebenezer - "hitherto hath the Lord helped us". 

That dreaded moment.....

The teeny, tiny, precious little clothes are laundered.

The hospital bag is packed.

(can I just mention, there are things in this picture that I do NOT put in my hospital bag...just sayin')

All the baby blankets and sheets are ready to go in the swinging crib.

(But WHICH colour will I be needing?.....hmmmmm......)

The swinging crib is...well, the parts are all sitting in the kitchen, and I am sure it won't take my beloved many moments to put it together!

This is my seventh baby, as most of you may know, so I haven't got a birth plan written.

No, siree.

No detailed notes of the why's and wherefores of my "refined-to-the-last-detail" plan.

Why not?  Because I have learnt that birth just isn't like that! ROBERT is my birth plan.  I go in, tell them the basics upon arrival, and he makes sure that any of my other wishes are followed as necessary.  Never underestimate the value of a well-advised husband, who is able to give instructions with authority!

I need to write my list of people who I need to contact when I have given birth ( 2 lists - 1 of people who are happy to be contacted ANY time, and others who value their sleep more than news of a baby...THAT can wait until the morning, I am told....).

Everything I can do, is done.

I am ready for that blissful moment, when I get to hold my newborn in my arms for the first time....

Until....

Usually about now, I have a dreaded moment.

The kind that makes my stomach drop right out the bottom of me, and dread fill my heart.

It's the moment when I realise that in order to welcome the precious new baby into our family,

I...NEED...TO...GIVE...BIRTH!!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Suddenly, all those suppressed memories come flooding back.

I am completely convinced that God has given us an amazing ability to blot out the ACTUAL feeling of childbirth, in order that we still want to have more children!

But, that little flutter of dread still happens....usually....

Not this time, though.  It hasn't happened....and I am wondering whether this time, it won't?!

You see, my first 5 births were really not great.  3 assisted deliveries (2 venteuse and 1 forceps), 1 c-section and only 1 "normal", my second birth.  Even at that, it was just ok.  Over 2 hours of pushing is still not my idea of amazing!

Until last time.  It was a VBAC, and I was totally determined to have it.  I simply did NOT want to have another c-section.  Don't get me wrong, the one I had was totally necessary, and a complete work of the Lord that needed to happen in order to preserve Abigail's life. But the recovery is HORRENDOUS compared to a normal delivery.

So, I researched, read, and listened to advice from others.  I learnt how to relax and focus on child birth, and block out everything else around me.  I learnt about how birth SHOULD be, and what I could do to make it happen in the most natural way possible.

And, do you know what?  It happened!!

For the first time ever, I felt the urge to push...and Elijah was born after only about 5 or 6 good pushes, so about 1/2 an hour, instead of 2 hours!

I had prayed, and prayed that I would be given a wonderful birth experience, and God answered my prayer.

So, maybe that's why that dreaded moment has NOT happened!?  Maybe it won't happen at all, because I KNOW I can do it again, through God's strength and enabling!


Yes, I KNOW it hurts.


Yes, I KNOW it's hard work.


But, I know above all else, that God is able.  God is able to bless me with the same wonderful experience as last time, and I HAVE nothing to dread.  There is not a thing that can happen to me, that God is not completely in control of.  That He will not give me the strength for.  That He will not give me the peace in.

So, instead of having a dreaded moment, I plan on having a delightful moment instead.

So, will you pray with me? Will you pray that I have another wonderful birth...that I would have peace, and strength to have a great labour?

Thank-you!

Matriarchs on a Monday - Ruth - Part 3

Today, I am taking a leaf out the book of my Preacher Husband.

No, I am not planning an alliterated sermon!

He would say, when studying through a book, that you cannot possibly deal with every little detail.  So, in like manner, I am jumping on through the book a little, to part way down chapter 2.

There are a lot of little golden nuggets, on the way to the verse that struck me.

We see Ruth's willingness to work.

We see the kindness and generosity of Boaz.

But, the words that struck me were these...

"under whose wings thou art come to trust."

Ruth 2:12

The Bible is SUCH a wonderful book, packed full of wonderful pictures that illustrate the character of God. 

This picture really struck a cord in my heart.  It conjures up such a beautiful picture - a picture of security, of safety, of refuge of comfort.

Th dictionary defintion of "trust", is this...

"Firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something"

Obviously, in our lives, that is in GOD.

Ruth firmly believed that God was all truth - that he was reliable, able and strong.  And so, she packed up and went to Bethlehem with Naomi.

She didn't presume that she would have things work out the way they did...in fact, when you consider that she was married for 10 years before her husband died, she wasn't even young and typically "eligible".

She simply knew that God was the one, true God and she needed to put her trust in Him.

And, how was her trust evidenced?...by her actions.  She travelled away from her home land - she helped to support Naomi - she went out and found work in a foreign land, where she would have been considered an outsider, and potentially rejected by the maidens around her.

She didn't hide away in her home - she trusted God, and His perfect plan for her.

It all sounds so simple on the surface, but just today, my trust is being tested.

My baby has been flipping between travsverse, oblique, the odd moment in the correct presentation, and now I am fairly sure that the baby is breech. At nearly 39 weeks.

I am going to be honest, here.  I am finding it realllllllly hard to trust.  I am finding it incredibly difficult not to panic and worry...about potential dangers of going into labour with the baby in the wrong position, OR (my biggest "fear") of having to have another c-section.

It's so easy, humanly speaking, to see only the problems...only see the fears...and the struggles.  I *know* how hard recovery is, following a c-section, and it's not my idea of fun.... the issues beyond that just crowd my mind.

But Ruth...dear, precious Ruth.  She had so much peaceful trust, that others could see it evidenced in her life. She didn't just "talk the talk" - she "walked the walk".

Ultimately, she was saying "thy will be done".

When we are trusting ourselves to be under the Lord's wings, we are placing ourselves in a place that He has complete control.  We are CHOOSING to leave behind any protection that we can provide for ourselves, and trust ONLY in His will and guidance.

It shouldn't be a hard choice, really.

I mean, who wouldn't choose to be in the safety and comfort of that place where you rely totally upon God's protection?

But the flesh wants to fight.  So, today, I need to leave my flesh behind, and run into that place of trust, and safety.  I need to place my concerns into God's hands, and leave them there.

Let me clarify...I am not going to leave aside the wisdom that God has given us...I will try and do the things which have been shown to turn a baby...I WILL contact my midwife and chat through the options.

But, that's not the main issue...it's the trust.  It's the peace that comes from the knowledge that whatever happens, it's what God wants, because He has me under His wings. That I cannot come to harm when His protection is upon me...no matter how it may seem humanly speaking.

It's a hard lesson.

It's a vital lesson.

I didn't mean my lesson from Ruth to become all about me.  I'm sorry! *wry grin* But, this was the verse the Lord laid on my heart over a week ago, waaaaaay before this baby started the shenanigans.  If I can't apply the matter of trust in THIS situation, then when can I?

There are so many other verses that speak about this picture, of us being in the safety of God's "wings".  Robert even read one in his scripture reading at Church last night!

So, I will leave you (and myself) to mull over these following verses.  If there is an area that you are struggling with, in placing your trust entirely in the Lord, then I pray that you, too, will run to Christ, and place all your worries in His hands, and rest in peace "under His wings".

"As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:"

Deuteronomy 32:11  

"hide me under the shadow of thy wings," 

Psalm 17:8 

"for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge"

Psalm 57:1

"I will trust in the covert of thy wings."

Psalm 61:4

"Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice." 

Psalm 63:7

 "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust:"

Psalm 91:4 

Perfect peace

Promises - God's promises.  


They are so VERY precious. 


Many, MANY times we have come to them - 

over and over and over again, 

to receive strength, comfort, blessing.

Have you seen them, though?  


I mean, really LOOKED at them.  

How many of them are conditional?  

How many of them depend upon US doing something first?

"All things work together for good.....

...TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD."  Romans 8:28

"THESE THINGS, WHICH YE HAVE BOTH LEARNED, AND RECEIVED, AND HEARD, AND SEEN IN ME, DO:.....

....and the God of peace shall be with you."  Philippians 4:9

"how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things.....

....TO THEM THAT ASK HIM?"  Matthew 7:11

There are many more - I remember thinking countless times 

"I have something that I need to do here,

 before I can claim this promise."

Peace.  PEACE.  How much we desire peace in a clamouring, busy, non-stop world.  


Wives, seeking to be what we ought to be.  


Mothers... 


busy, 

BUSY,

SO  BUSY.

Problems, trials, disappointments.

They all come our way, in a seemingly never-ending stream some days.

We have many moments when we feel like sinking into a crumpled heap on the floor. 

 A weeping wreck in the corner.  

Angry, shouting, frustrated, impatient.

But, it doesn't have to be like this.  There is a remedy.  

We have a promise - there to be claimed and possessed.  

But, 

we have to do our part.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,

whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 

 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:"  

Isaiah 26:3&4

PEACE.  We can have PEACE - PERFECT peace - "peace, peace".

Oh, how we long for peace.  Not that peace that is lack of noise.  But stilness - stilness of heart - stilness of mind - stilness of soul.  That resting in God.  That place where nothing can cause us unrest.

We can have that peace.

Only if our minds are "stayed" upon the Lord.  Resting upon God.  Propped up by His greatness, goodness and strength.  

Our MINDS.  Our thoughts.  How we think.  What we think.  The way we think.  All must be centred upon HIM alone.  

Not focused on the trials - not focused on the difficulties - not focused on fear or failure - not focused on the weariness and worry.

TRUSTING.

TRUSTING.....the only one on whom we can depend upon for the strength that we need for every day.  

TRUSTING....in the only one who has EVERLASTING strength.  

....a strength that endures

....that we can draw upon daily for our EVERY need.

Precious believer.  That peace is yours.  Yours to claim.  Yours to experience.  Yours to enjoy.

Keep your mind upon Him.  Keep trusting in His grace and goodness.  And you, too, will have that perfect peace.

Raise up your request to Him, and He will answer....

"Be careful (full of care - emphasis mine) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

  Philippians 4:7