captivated

bedrest.

Number of days on bedrest: 10 days

Gestational age at time of bedrest: 25 weeks, 2 days

Gestations age today: 26 weeks, 4 days

 

The doctor has put me on bedrest until baby boy and girl make their arrival. I'm hoping that in a few weeks time, he''ll change his orders from strict bedrest to modified bedrest. It's been trying, but I've found things to keep me occupied. First of all, my husband has been amazing through all this. He stayed the 6 days with me in the hospital and has been a huge support and strength for me. Though it wasn't the most ideals of situations, we spent some good quality time together. I keep thinking how silly we must have looked when the nurses came in to take my vitals, and we were both squeezed in my small hospital bed watching several dvds on the laptop. He's been a comfort through the countless lab draws, iv's, doses of turbutaline, magnesium, and procardia... oh and those painful steriod shots. So thankful for the many times he's filled my water jug, or the nifty command station he's made me here in our bedroom: mini fridge, microwave, wireless keyboard, tv, and my numerous books. I feel bad at times with my inability to move around, but he assures me how me growing the babies is top priority and important. And he goes on making sure I have breakfast and everything I need before work, and when he returns, makes us meals and cleans. He truly honors me. I love that man.

As for my little babies, they're doing just fine letting me know of their presence. Their baby kicks are getting stronger and I just keep praying they stay in till 36 weeks when they have enough development and fat on them. lol. I think their Dad and I are pretty solid on their names too. :) It's amazing how life moves within me. How very aware I am of being this "vessel." I came across a verse in Psalm 71:

"By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee."

It comforts me knowing that God is soveriegn and that it is in His time when our twins shall be born. :) In the meantine, I have sufficient time to plan for their arrival. 

Several things I want to do while on bedrest:

• read God's word with more purpose and time
• create a birth plan
• take online childbirth class
• learn how to knit a baby hat :)
• cross stitch a baby record
• learn how to coupon
• find a pediatrician
• stay on top of baby book
• create a budget for our family of four :)

...and I'm sure I'll add more as time goes by. Thanks Lord for evey morning; they give me strength knowing our babies are another day older.

 

 

happy valentines :)

first, Jesus, we love you because you first loved us.

second, I'm so blessed by my husband.

third, happy hearts to my tiny hearts. Mommy loves you. :)

"beautiful, beautiful" - Francesca Battistelli

Came home today to ...

This. :) I'm not a huge gifts person, but I am woo'd by flowers and thoughtful words. My husband is my love. God has blessed my life with such an amazing man. Days like today, moments like now, I remember deeply God's salvation. Remembering what the Lord has brought me out from. And how richly He has blessed my life. With a loving husband. With a baby boy and baby girl, growing side by side in my womb. With miracles, with miracles! The greatest miracle of all is Jesus, my savior, my redeemer, who died on the cross of Calvary, for...me.

It's beautiful really. The commitment, the love my husband has for me, is a glimpse into the power of God in his life, guiding him to be my leader, protector, provider, and best friend. And if I am precious to and cherished by my husband, how much more good and great God is for bringing us together! Glory to my Father for His love towards us, that His love would resonate between us. That His love would be the example of marriage. That His love guides us. That Jesus is the rock, the foundation, to our union.

I'm excited to see us grow into parents. To see our children born, grow, and love the Lord. I pray for this. Excited for God's will for our lives...

Thank you Jesus, for all the good you are. You are my hope.

children's ministry

Since the start of the school year, my husband and I have been teaching the 5th & 6th grade classes at Sunday school. They're an intriguing bunch of 10; from your deep thinkers, your knowledge sponges, silly comedians, and your  enthusiastic Jesus lovers. At first, I wasn't sure I'd do well. I was more intimidated by the down right fact we'd be up-front and personal, influential, and examples to a handful of children. I remember our first worship service with them. LOL. We were so completely shy and pretty awkward as we sang and danced the motions to the songs. We did half hand waves, we didn't spin when we were supposed to, and we brought shame to the 10 Commandment Boogie (youtube, to find out!). Though, I'm glad to say...when you see how children worship; free, unashamed, and true joy praising God, it becomes contagious. And the next thing we know, we've got it down, and we're experiencing worship like we've never. It's been a blessing.

Small group with the kids has been truly eye-opening. I remember going over the lesson of Jonah and the parallel of the story to the gospel: three days and three nights was Jonah in the whale, similar to the time Jesus spent in hell preaching. Everyone knows the story of Jonah... but how many of us truly grasp the picture of Christ in it? I know I didn't, except for the surface parallels. One student said something on the lines of... "Jonah and Christ both spent three days and three nights, but at least.... Jonah still got to talk to God." Such revelation of what Christ endured for carrying out the divine design of the Father. Yes, at least Jonah still got to talk to God during that time. We should all be thankful for the grace of God, and that Jesus is our Lord and SAVIOR. Yet life may place us in the belly of the whale, The Lord is with us, Immanuel.

I also can't help but be in awe at God's plan and will for our lives. He sets the seasons, the Holy Spirit leads us through, and we find ourselves... prepared and in training for the upcoming task God has blessed us with.  :)

Praise The Lord God of Truth - Jehovah El Emeth.

 

update.

it's been awhile. ha.

lately, been feeling the need again to write. I can't say I've been on top of my personal journal at home either. :) lost interest? perhaps. I can't say I've used my time in all 100% to glorify God either. Pretty wicked me.  The show Project Runway had eaten quite a good amount of my after-work evenings, as well as Master Chef, Castle, Chopped, and lately...the Next Iron Chef. I've become somewhat of a tv junkie. I admit, there I said it. I've reverted to that ungodly way of thinking that I deserve time to relax and watch tv after a day in the office. Me, deserve anything? How ridiculous am I? ...

Come to the revelation that I need to stop wasting my time being sucked into the world-system, but to become spiritually awake. I miss morning prayer before work. I miss looking at this world as temporary. I miss uninterupted, intentional, critical study of my bible. I miss being on top of my prayer journal. I must keep motivated. I must perservere, run the race. I may slip, tumble, faceplant, eat dirt, and get chin burns from the falls...but there's always a forward direction. There is always grace, and His grace is new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.

Psalm 23. Lord shepherd me. I'm a stupid sheep.

here we go.

...my life, in His hands.

      This past Sunday, we watched a sermon given by John Piper on a life unwasted. It brought great conviction. Does my life display that Christ is supremely valuable? Does it show that my treasures and all hope of being satisfied lies only with Him? Oh, that everything is a loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. My life, for His glory, even unto death. That God has blessed me with money, so that I may glorify Him through it, to show others that it means nothing in comparison. That God has blessed me with food to eat, that even food would be plain in comparison. I pray, that my life would reveal the supreme worth of Christ. Death is so imminent. For, we deserve it.

As John Piper described it, people are so astonished when a catastrophe occurs, how hundreds of people would die... though we, who did not die, should even be much more astonished that God let us live. The weight of that message set deep within in me, renewing my mind. So, that the verse, 2 Corinthians 12:10, "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong" speaks so clearly. Thankfulness for my life in His hands, for God knows what my life is for. His grace is sufficient.

I pray that my life would be a life unwasted, in the obedience of Christ. To live is Christ, to die is gain as it says in Philippians 1. I'm thankful to have lived today, to spend another beautiful day alongside my husband, for friendship, for provision. I'm thankful for God's word, that He is the just, righteous, merciful, loving, chastening Father, who died for my sins. Christ, my savior, I'm thankful for grace. Oh that God's wrath was spent on the precious lamb, and yet I live another day, able to make my first banana bread. Thank you Lord. God is good, truly, all the time. :)

Matthew 16:24. "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

Amen!

truth and righteousness

In church we're going over the book of Zechariah. I love how rich the bible is, how God's commandments are so simply put. Yet so trying in this flesh, to follow. =( Going to Him in prayer is like getting tucked into warm blankets of truth and righteousness. Outside of prayer, throughout my day, I lose sight of my Father. It's true how the bible says to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thes 5:17).  Not saying in every waking second we should be on our knees, but our lives as we go about them, is hallowed ground, to a hallowed heart where the Godhead resides. As should every day be holy, to a child of God.

We've been learning in Zechariah 7, that proper living and proper behavior is dependent upon God's word. We're to exercise true judgment, show mercy and compassion. Where compassion, is not simply being sympathetic/feeling empathy, but followed by action. In Zech 8, we read that we should execute the judgment of truth and peace in 'our gates', that every man is to speak truth unto our neighbors. A struggle I have in my own workplace, praising my Lord and Savior. I have the typical daily verse calender on my desk, my prayers before lunch, but other times I lack executing speaking truth to my coworkers. I know I have this sin of enabling... myself and others. I pray that I may be strong in the Lord's convictions, and carry out the verses of Psalm 19:7-12, in every breath remember that they are "More to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." 

I do have a blessing tonight though. And it's God's goodness in answering prayer. I've been praying for direction in a certain career path. Troubled by choosing the path that would be "right" in regards to applying the degree in biology God has given me, or accepting the season now where God has placed me. In the end, I realized that God is sovereign, and my worrying about which path best suites me was completely wrong in thinking. As I prayed over it tonight, giving it to God, praying for a clear answer for His will to be done. It came in 1 Thes 5:18,  "in every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." You simply can't be anymore clear than that. The opportunity is there, it was arranged by God, and to turn it down would be prideful. In every thing, give thanks. Thank you Father. You've blessed my life so much by being my hope; for your lovingkindness is better than this life. 

all Glory to you.

-mc

...breathe.

It's essential to take some time to reflect. To be still and know God. *pause* Praise God. *pause*.  

It's been a little over 6 months of being married and I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful husband. Honestly, we have our hiccups, but as God is our foundation, life's misunderstandings seem so piffling. I don't know what we'd do without God in our marriage; I don't know what we'd do if we both didn't believe in Jesus as Savior. There's so much joy in serving alongside my husband, a man of God. There's so much in standing beside one another, praising God together in song. So much in praying together, so much in reading God's word together, and so much in serving together. I love how amazed we are in our readings, the revelations we come across, and the actions of wisdom. Truly thankful for one another.

Currently reading Genesis. It's so interesting how my view changes every time I read the events. As I grow in the Word, God's commandments speak louder than when I surface read the scriptures. Despite human emotion, feeling...God's commands are to be obeyed. There are times when I understand the sinful nature of those that disobeyed God, but there are times when I am spiritually awake and it seems so disdainful. And then there it is.... I am too, a sinner. It's so humbling, to be redeemed by the blood of Christ. I am nothing, all Glory to God. 

I pray that I would never cease being in the pursuit of praising & glorifying God.

 

 

<3

I love my nook! :)

Currently reading:

• Even Now by Karen Kingsbury
• The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
• and The Kneeling Christian by "Unknown Author"

 

nook!

I totally love my nook. :) I've downloaded about 10 books, all for $16.99! Amazing! I'm most impressed with it's "paper-like" technology. I've been snubbing this needed piece of genius for quite some time now, thoroughly annoyed with the amount of floor space it took up at my local Barnes, and refusing to even turn the stinker on. "No, never," I said, "I prefer the traditional book reading way. I love the smell, the feel, the texture." Boy, was I ever wrong! Hand me a nook anyday! I am an avid "before sleep" book reader, and the press of an arrow has been wonderful for reading books while lying on my side, and not having the flippin' cover (no pun intended) cramp my hands while holding the binding open...hours and hours at a time. I love how the words just magically appear on "paper." :) so fancy, so fancy.

Perfect gift from the hubsters. :)

Currently reading: The Circle Trilogy, Book 1 - Black.

It's christian mystery, and it's been so far exciting. :) yay.

duces! -mc