O sacred Head, now wounded, With grief and shame weighed down, Now scornfully surrounded With thorns, Thine only crown How pale thou art with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn! How doth Thy visage languish which once was bright as morn!
What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, T'was all for sinners' gain; Mine, mine was the transgression, But Thine the deadly pain. Lo, here I fall, my Savior! 'Tis I deserve Thy place; Look on me with Thy favor, Vouchsafe to me Thy grace.
What language shall I borrow To thank Thee, dearest friend, For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end? O make me Thine forever, And should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never Outlive my love for Thee.
O, I love You, I love You, I love YOU.
I love this song and thought it was appropriate with Easter coming up. Have a wonderful Good Friday!
What songs do you enjoy and remind you to meditate on Christ?
Some days can feel so overwhelleming and I struggle with wanting to question God. Today is one of those days….
Shortly after waking up I wrenched my neck so bad that it hurts to move it and it’s making me feel nauseous. Naomi wanted me to tickle her and she was climbing all over me and it hurt so much and wanted to weep. More so my heart was breaking that I couldn’t play and snuggle with her.
A friend was going to take the girls for me today. She called…her kids are sick!
Josiah woke up with a drenched bed. I had to strip his bed and give him a bath (which he hates). The problem is his bed is elevated due to his reflux. He has a special sling thing that holds him in, so he doesn’t roll down the bed and it keeps his head elevated. I only have one and well…the washing machine isn’t working properly AGAIN and it’s still not washed or dried. He doesn’t nap well when he’s not in his bed = cranky baby. No nap = no nap for momma!
I took some hard core meds left over from my c-section for the pain. I reacted and had felt drunk and couldn’t even walk straight. I called my husband in tears and he demanded (very sweetly) that I immediately eat. AH…that did the trick! But now I feel sooooo tired, my legs are jiggily and the pain is back. *Sigh.*
Naomi is getting into everything and making a mess.
Josiah loves his pacifier. Due to the Latham device he is in pain. He sucks, and then cries. Sucks, and then cries, mommas crying too. I want to take his pain away and can’t.
I’m worried, he has been gagging when I try and feed him through his habermen feeder, now he won’t take the pacifier. What if he gets an inversion to eating. That is a problem, they (the medical world) wants to avoid. It won’t be good or easy if he develops one.
I got a bunch of messages from Dakota’s father. (He has been against homeschooling but is giving me a chance to prove to him that she can get a great education.) He’s worried again and wants to talk. *dread!!*
Agh it’s not even noon yet!!
This place is trying to break my belief.
But my faith is bigger then all I can see.
What I need is redemption.
And what I need is for You to put me back on my feet.
I swear I’m trying to give everything!
But I feel I’m falling…
What I need is resurrection.
What I need is for You to put me back on my feet.
If I could feel Your shine of perpetual light.
Then maybe I could crawl out of this tonight.
What I need is for You to be the thing I need.
God I need a savior to come rescue me!
(David Crowder band. Let me feel You shine)
God is faithful and reminds me He is here and cares!
- My mom has Dakota and is taking her to the Christian film festival to see some movies.
- Naomi is napping.
- A coupon came in the mail for Josiah’s special formula.
- I got information from a local group for parents with kids with special needs. Someone actually took the time to mark the page in one of the booklets for FREE books I could borrow on Josiah’s condition! I WEPT seeing that. Someone cares and took the time to help me!
- My friend is going to take Dakota to church on Sunday and go grocery shopping for me.
- That same friend made some frozen meals and now we have lunch and dinner today.
To some people these may seem insignificant blessings. But to me, a tired momma, it’s huge! *smile*
Please remember that blessing people and showing Christ’s love can be in the “small” things. Such as marking a page! *wink*
"Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." !Cor. `5-58
In what ways have you been blessed by or have blessed others?
As I write this I am so tired! I can barely keep my eyes open. I am sitting here in the family waiting area at Children’s Hospital in Boston, waiting for Josiah to get out of surgery.
Praise the Lord we made it safely and I remembered to give him all his meds! Hooray! Talk about trying to stress a momma out. They told me he would have to have five doses of his inhaler for today to help his lungs not freak out in reaction to the anesthesia. This morning they told me he could still react. Plus he suffers from nasty acid reflux, due to the g-tube. It’s not acid reflux like you or I would get. It comes out his nose and mouth and I have a hospital grade suction machine. You literally stick a tube done his nose. Not fun! The anesthesia could cause him to have reflux and he could aspirate. So, yeah just a little scary! *smile*
A friend reminded me of a verse that helps her when her son s dealing with his medical issues. “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3 I thank God for the perfect peace. He has given it to me time and time again through my pregnancy and trials with Josiah. I wouldn’t make it without God’s peace!
Josiah is having a Latham device inserted into the roof of his mouth (first of many surgeries for his cleft palate and lip). It will be in for six LONG weeks. They said he will be cranky and in pain. At times I feel like I can’t handle another thing “thrown” at me, such as, right now. I am so tired, how am I going to handle a cranky baby, house, homeschooling and two more children. God always amazes me with HIS strength and grace that carries me through.
I have no idea how anyone who doesn’t rely on God survives. Between the worry, stress and exhaustion, I wouldn’t make it without God! I am so physically and emotionally drained. Plus, I found out I’m in for a LONG night here at the hospital. I thought he would sleep from the meds all night. Perhaps God will be merciful and allow him and me to sleep. Even if He doesn’t I know that God knows best and He will carry me through.
God tells us (even in this new trial) that we are to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. Nut let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4
I am thankful that God allowed Josiah to live! I am thankful for his strength and grace! I’m thankful, because it could be a lot worse!
Driving in this morning once again through one of my kids songs God reminded me that Josiah is in the best hands possible….his LORD and Creator!
HE has the whole world in His hands
He’s got the little bitty baby in His hands.
He has Josiah (and me and you) in HIS hands!! There is NO better place to be!
What about you? What are you struggling with? Don’t forget to lay it at the feet of the cross. He will lift you up and carry you through it!
I am Christen, wife to my wonderful husband and best friend Joseph and known as mom to three(at the moment) of the sweetest children. I home school our children, love to bake, garden, sew, knit, and many outdoor activities. My oldest daughter is Dakota, and then my husband and I have Naomi, one with the Lord and finally our little man Josiah. We had raised our sweet little Emma for 3 years (we got her at 4 months old), and thought we would be able to eventually adopt. Unfortunately we lost her; if you stick around I will be sharing our story with you.
I had been blessed with beautiful pregnancies with my girls, but with Josiah it was completely different. We had lots of complications, some life threatening! Then he was born VERY early and was in a NICU for 4 months. He is home now and thriving, he has medical issue and will have several surgeries throughout life and will need physical therapy. I also will be sharing that journey with you!
My husband and I have been married for about 2 ½ years now and we have not lived under the same roof…ever!! *laugh* He is from Mississippi and well we are from NH, I can’t move without the courts approval. We thought it would be a lot easier for him to find a job up this way, unfortunately the Lord has other plans. We shall see what the
Lord has planned for us, we are trusting that HE will bring us together as a family soon!
Our life isn’t easy (I don’t think any life really is though). I have made life altering mistakes, and had Dakota out of wedlock (which has affected everything in life. Like throwing a pebble in water it keeps rippling outward). I never thought I’d find a godly man, but the Lord is merciful and brought Joseph into my life! *BIG smile* Life as a single mother wasn’t easy, going to school and working fulltime, BUT neither is being a homeschooling stay at home mom!! *laugh* My current “job” is 24/7, but MUCH more fulfilling and important! I am so blessed to be able to stay at home and raise our children.
I am a sinner saved by grace and am not perfect by any means. BUT strive to follow and obey God more and more each day. It’s my plan and hope to share with you our journey as a family. I pray that our lives can be an encouragement and a testimony to God. This blog is meant to encourage other women in their walk with God, as I learn to be a godly, wife, mother and women. Though I was blessed to be raised in a home with a mother who loves the Lord, I was still brought up in an environment with a feminist mentality. Submitting, taking a closer look at modesty, memorizing verses, letting God have control over the size of our family; are new concepts to me and can be a challenge. I have always admired the Proverbs 31 women and strive to be like her and a Titus 2 women!
I also am striving to cook and bake for my family more naturally and organically. I will be sharing that with you and hope you will do the same! Starting May 1st we will have Link up Mondays, sharing natural and organic recipes, for foods, cleaning products, and things for kids.
Stayed tuned for my homeschooling blog, I'm working on one and can’t wait to share with you our homeschooling journey! Yippy!
It’s funny what God can use to remind us of things, such as a simple child’s song.
Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The bible tells me so!
I sing that popular kids song to my youngest daughter all the time. It’s been her favorite since she was a baby.
YES, Jesus loves me! Even when I question His love.
I am reminded over and over again how much I need HIM. When I am feeling burnt out, such as now and I can’t go on day in and day out caring for 3
little ones alone. HE is strong, HE is my STRENGTH!
YES, Jesus loves me!
YES, Jesus loves me!
YES, Jesus loves me!
You see, my husband works 1,200 miles away from where we live! We live in NH, he works and basicly, lives in MS. He hasn’t been able to find a job up here for almost 3 years now.
We are lucky if we see him once a month. It’s longer now with ticket prices up and all our medical bills.
Last week my husband informed me that he had an interview with a local company! You can imagine our joy. Then he call the back that they wanted to schedule a 2nd interview!! *squeal* Now we were REALLY excited and started daydreaming about life together as a family.
Well, to make a long story short he didn’t get the job.
Many tears flowed from my end.
Bitterness, anger, disappointment.
Trying not to question God. Questioning God.
Why would God be so mean as to get our hopes up like this?! It’s been so long since any interview. Then to have two! Just to find out they changed their minds and the position they are filling was at a location too far north?
I still don’t understand, but am trusting God. I can’t dwell on not understanding because like Joseph said, “God meant it for good.”
I have decided to pick days through out the year to celebrate and learn about our heritage. I think it's important to know about the different cultures that our ancestors came from.
We have Irish (St. Patrick's day), French, German, English and Swedish. So we will pick 4 different days through out the year to celebrate yearly.
So this St. Patrick's day we learned about authentic Irish Soda bread, Irish breakfasts and what they might eat over in Ireland on March 17th. Each year we will try ne foods and learn more facts.
My cousin has been to Ireland and is planning on coming over to show us pictures and answer questions. Actually she has already answered one question; what is black pudding? Actually we learned it's not a pudding at all, but blood sausage!! Some of the things inside is, pig fat, oatmeal and blood. Doesn't sound so appetizing does it?! *laugh*
This Saint Patrick's day we made Irish Lamb Stew.
Before and after.
We baked Irish Soda bread. With no raisins since that is more authentic.
Then we made pistaccio pudding for a green dessert.
So last week we got lots of snow, it didn’t stop snowing until the wee hours on Friday.
Unfortunately we had 3 dr. appointments in Boston starting at 9am. That meant getting up at 4:15am to shovel, clean off the car, warm it up and pack it (which is a lot with my sons medical equipment). After getting ready and was about to head outside, my 20 month old daughter woke up. So that changed my plans. I got her ready for the day and woke my 7 year old up and told her to get ready and come out to salt the walk way. Mind you this was all before 5:30 am!! So my little one and I headed outside. The plan was to do all that, then come back in and wake my 5 month old son, get him ready and head out the door. We needed to be gone by 6am, grab breakfast to go and be on the road by 6:30am.
Well….Dakota came out salted, went back in, came back out all sleepy with a blanket to snuggle in. When I asked her to remind me of a few things I forgot to grab, she stated that (drum roll please)…she had locked the door for me. What?!?!
1. The house keys are still in the house!
2. Josiah, my son is still in the house!
Don’t panic I have my husband’s spare house keys in the key (which we have never used). Well…I tried them (several times, might I add) and they didn’t work!!!
I called my husband, who by the way is down in MS at the time and informed him of our predicament. We decided I should call the land lord and ask her to come unlock us. Unfortunately she was still sleeping and didn’t answer.
The only other option I could think of was to call 911, which I did. I was trying not to cry on the phone, the dispatcher transferred me to the town dispatcher and relayed to her the predicament. In relaying she states; “She has been locked out of her house by her 7 year old…I do not think intentionally though.” Oh my, that stopped the tears, I almost burst out laughing. I certainly hope my 7 year old didn’t lock me out on purpose!! *smile*
Shortly after that the police and fire department came and literally busted down the door. Yes there is a chunk missing now! The firefighter told me just to paint over it. I don’t think the land lord would appreciate that though. *smile*
It was scary and stressful and I hope to never lock one of my kids in or out again! *smile* The Lord was merciful though, it could have been a lot worse!
I realized I never actually stopped to pray a moment. That should have been my first step. First giving the situation up to God, asking for guidance and peace, plus it would have been a great example to my girls.
Even then God was gracious! I kept asking God over and over during the whole ordeal to please let Josiah stay asleep. It would have really stressed me out if he had been crying! The Lord heard my heart and kept Josiah asleep! *big smile* Praise the Lord for His mercy!
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