Announcing!

Wonderful Healthcare Alternative

I can't even begin to explain how wonderful it is to see Christians stepping up and offering viable alternatives to the myriad of cultural, state mandated, and biblical hypocrisies bombarding our society. It becomes readily apparent that we have serious problems when our government comes up with "solutions" that look like this:

All I can say is, "Yikes!"

No problem...Bloomberg columnist Kevin Hasset summarizes:

The new law creates 68 grant programs, 47 bureaucratic entities, 29 demonstration or pilot programs, six regulatory systems, six compliance standards and two entitlements.

Okay, maybe a big problem. But again then there's Chrisitan's stepping up and creating ministries like Samaritan. You can see a video about such a ministry here. I hope you get a chance to take a look at this and be inspired and encouraged to know that there are many more ways in which we can overcome because as Christ says,

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Baby Bucket

Bucket has arrived~she's almost two weeks old, actually.

Her birth was everything I prayed for, praise God! I started having contractions Thursday night so we went to our good friends the Mom-a-lot's house since they were planning on watching our other children. We decided to stay the night and I slept until about 2am when I was having a lot of back pain. I realized baby was sunny side up so I got on my hands and knees for a while and I can't be sure but I swear I felt her turn around. I went back to bed. At 4:30 I couldn't sleep anymore. I woke dad up and told him it was time to go. He woke Guys because we decided she was going to come with us. We woke Mom-a-lot and let her know we were leaving. We got to the hospital at 5:15am and to my glad surprise I was 8 cm. With each contraction the baby's heart rate dropped and the nurse was nervous and kept messing with me but my midwife was totally calm and kept her in line. The Dr. on duty wanted to put in a pressure monitor but my midwife kept delaying, saying we were going to push any minute. She rushed me along a bit, to keep the Dr. at bay, so I started pushing before I was ready. It was totally awesome though, because it worked and Bucket was born just a few minutes later. 6:34 am, just the right amount of time to be at the hospital. I got to hold her immediately and when they tried to take her the midwife whispered for me to start nursing her. I got to hold her for about an hour when they insisted they had to take her to the nursery.

Dad and Guys went with, and with a little patience and a tiny bit of arguing, the found a nurse that would bring her back and do all of the checking and stuff in the room with me. After that, the staff was great, they didn't even bat an eye when we said no vaccines. They let Guys give Bucket her first bath, what a special experience to have her there for the birth of her sister!

Dad, Guys, and I spent the day taking turns holding baby...

...and finishing up our traditional gift from the new baby to her brothers and sisters.

Dad brought the kids to see their new baby sister.

They were so excited, each taking two turns of holding her and looking at her toes and belly and hair and ears and every little new part they could uncover!

They were very sad to leave, and I really hate that they couldn't stay!  Luckily we got to go home the next morning.  Everyone is so excited and blessed to have our newest family member finally here with us!

The Way of Man

Let's face it.  Most of us a think we are right.  I know I often think I know the best way for everything.  We wander through our day thinking what we think with out ever considering what we think might actually be wrong.  If something or someone does challenge the way we think, we brush it off with some excuse:


"My way is logical..." 
"In my experience..." 
"I was taught..."
"I was raised..."


But who's standard am I trying to live up to?  My own??  


I hope not.  Let me tell you a bit about my own standard.




My standard is wicked.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can understand it? ~Jeremiah 17:9

My standard is not good.

None is righteous, no, not one; no one does good, not even one.  ~Romans 3:10 & 12 

My standard falls short.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God ~Romans 3:23

My standard is wrong.

There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death. ~Proverbs 14:12

Lean on your own understanding and trust the ways of the people around you?  Think that you are wise and follow the rest of society?  It only takes a moment to look around you to see where that leads...


So the answer is no, I am not trying to live up to my own standard.  Luckily, the Creator of the Universe has left me with a much higher ground to stand on and an instruction book.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.  It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. ~Proverbs 3:5-8

another baby project finished!

It's not perfect, but it's the first blanket I've ever made.  It's summer-y and unique and complete with batting and a silky edge.  I hope it holds up in the wash :~)

Blueberries!

We finally headed out to the local blueberry farm.  I hope we get to go again before the baby comes, it was so beautiful and fun.   Yummy too!

Remember, you can click any picture too see it better...

I think we ate a small bucket's worth before we were done picking!  We picked about 1.5 gallons.  I put some in the freezer, Guys made a blueberry cheesecake, and I am sure we will be having blueberry pancakes for breakfast.

Wanna guess?

I'm taking bets as to when the new baby is coming, weight, length, and name.  Leave a comment with your guess.  :~)

Foolish woman

Boy, I was grouchy last night.  I think I was having flashbacks of my days of folly- the end of pregnancy seems to push my buttons ;-)

The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down. ~Proverbs 14:1

Yup, that used to be me. Angry, irritated, and bitter about all that had "gone wrong" in my life. I was carrying all that ugly stuff on my shoulders and slinging it at anybody that pushed my buttons.
I was tearing my house down.


I wish I could say I woke up one morning and decided to change and poof, a new, pleasant and kind me stood in the grumbly cantankerous me's place. Nope. I had to see my ugliness for what it was, be pained by it, and hate it, before I could change it.

Sin comes with many names. Pride, thinking I deserve to have things they way I want them. Discontentment, getting irritated when things aren't just the way I imagined or planned. Irritation, when someone isn't doing just what I think they should be doing, when I think they should be doing it. Self pity, "why do I always have to..."
Those are all sins. Selfishness, pride, anger...


A few years ago I began to realize I wasn't a victim but rather, I was choosing to feel sorry for myself, choosing to be irritated, choosing to let it turn into bitterness and choosing to get angry and yell. I could continue to stomp my feet and let everyone know I wasn't pleased and vent my frustrations. I might feel better for the moment, but I was stealing everyone else's joy and tearing my house down in the process.


I decided that I would like to be a wise woman, a kind woman, a pleasant woman. I would like for my children to grow old and say that I was a blessing to them. I would like for my husband to cherish me.

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her ~Proverbs 31:28

If I wished to be a blessing, I needed to act like one! If I wanted my husband to cherish me, I could not be a constant dripping!!! No more making excuses for myself!

It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman. ~Proverbs 21:19

A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike ~Proverbs 27:15

It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife Proverbs 21:9

Joy and love are choices, not feelings. Patience, I think, is inversely tied to selfishness- when I let go of my selfishness I become immensely more patient. Bitterness is a poisonous gas that destroys everyone in it's path. And Pride- well, pride is at the root of all of those other things.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ~Galatians 5:22-23

I am cannot achieve those traits own own, I am depraived and desperate. I slip back into my old (well practiced) habits of nagging and complaining (especially when 9 months pregnant) if I am not grounded daily in the saving grace of God's Word. I must choose to put off the old and put on the new.

to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires ~Ephesians 4:22

How about you, will you tear your house down with your own hands? Or will you seek the wisdom of the Lord and build your house up?

be renewed in the spirit of your minds and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. ~Ephesians 4:23 & 24

Begin by asking for forgiveness and putting on a smile.  It is worth it!

It's almost B-day

As in Birthing day.

I have hit that spot.  I am 36 weeks along and my mind is gone.  Baby's clothes are washed, bags are packed, plans are made, and there is nothing left for me to do but wait.  I do not like waiting!!!

I figured out the average number of days my babies come early.  I do things like that when I am waiting.  Based on that information, this baby should be born on July 16th.  That is a good day for me. Sis is insisting that I wait until my due date since it is her birthday and a new baby would be the best birthday present ever.  I think I will have gone insane from waiting by then...

I decided to make cute skirts to pass the time.  They are finished.  I decided to figure out how to make a blanket to pass the time.  I just have to pick up the right thread to sew on the binding and then I'll show you a picture.  I have organized all my clothes, the too small maternity set, the right after baby set, and the few months after baby set.  I switched around car seats and cleaned the van, although it needs cleaned again.  I cleaned my room and even tried to clean out the shed but my darling hubby said no.  He thinks I get a little crazy with the projects right at the end- I've done it every time ;~)
I really have a hard time waiting!  I want to meet this sweet little hiccuping baby!

I take comfort in knowing that every day is ordained by God.  He knew before time what day this baby is going to be born.

     For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.

     I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

     My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

     Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them. ~Psalm 139:13-16

Now all I need to do is wait...

Baby Face

My midwife said I should get an ultrasound so the doc's won't have any excuse to recommend a c-section in labor. Plus they wanted to make sure baby will be big enough if I go into labor early or something like that...

I had been a bit concerned because I was feeling lots of kicks in my hip, a lot like when Butter was breach so I agreed to have the scan. 

On June 23rd Baby Bucket was measuring 5.5lbs (plenty big) and is head down.

Way. Down.

Yeah!

here is a nose, lips, cheeks, a fist over the eyes, and a bunch of other stuff

and the ultrasound confirmed there is a foot in my left hip

 

here are some toes and my hip bone

I cannot imagine Bucket is very comfortable being head down with a foot in my hip, but it is much better then not being head down with a foot in my hip.