Home Life...

Last night DearHubby and I attended an Open House for a school, Stratford Classical Christian Academy. They had such an encouraging and uplifting presentation about our God given role, responsibility, and privilege to train up our children in the ways of the Lord that the love for my children was once again renewed.

I have also started reading a book entitled Ina May's Guide to Child Birth by Ina May Gaskin. Ina May is a leading mid-wife and her book speaks about the miracle of natural childbirth. In the 2 chapters I have read so far I am being reminded of how wondrous God made our bodies to be able to present a new life into this world.

I have also made it a point, even when I'm tired, to once again start my day with God, while my children are still asleep. I was very diligent in spending time with our Father up until I started feeling overwhelmed about my pregnancy, about mid-February, and I was sporatic about that time, maybe only 1 day a week. I have decided, even when I'm tired, I am going to keep to my commitment to spend time with the one who loves me because He is always commited to spend time with me. Even when I don't go to Him, He is still here. And even if my motions may be mechanical, my desire is still to spend time with God and to learn His ways, and I trust and have confidence that God will bless those desires!

With the combination of a renewed love for my children, the awe of how God created the woman's body to endure child birth, and spending time with God daily, my outlook towards the arrival of Little One #3 is much brighter than it was at the beginning of the week. Last night I got as little sleep as I did on Monday, but I don't feel as overwhelmed and I actually feel more motivated to continue running this race!

It's amazing how God allowed a time of "darkness" so that I can see His wonderful "light"! I am so thankful for His faithfulness, always!

Well, I "cheated" on my healthy eating habits yesterday as I went to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast and then had pizza for dinner last night and a piece of browny for dessert. However, I think I needed a break and a cheat day, but I kept wondering if indulging myself was biblical. As I think about it though, the Bible talks about learning self-control and as I ate my Dunkin Donuts croissant sandwich and drank my coffee or had my pizza dinner or even my browny dessert, I didn't eat as a glutton would, without self-control.

Anyway, the healthy eating habits have been a benefit to my family. I needed to cut out sugars and processed foods out of my diet because the mid-wife I'm seeing thinks that will help keep the size of Little One #3 down, as she was measuring in the 97th percentile. So, I've upped the fiber and protein, upped the fruits and veggies, and pretty much cut out everything "white" like white rice, pasta, and bread and substituted them with "brown" rice, whole wheat pasta and bread! With these great food choices around the house, whether we're eating a snack or a meal, it's packed with good calories for the body. Even if I feel like I'm eating more, I've actually lost weight in my pregnancy :) That weight loss just goes to show how the food choices we were making were not necessarily the best for our bodies, even if we were practicing self-control (as my family are not big eaters).

"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4, NIV

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." Galatians 5:22-24, NIV