"Why?"

One night when I was tucking Nathan in at bedtime, our conversation went like this:

Nathan: "Mommy, I scared."
Me: "You don't have to be scared, Honey. Jesus is with you."
Nathan: "Mama, why He protect me?"
Me: "Because He loves you."
Nathan: "Why He love me?"
Me: "Because He made you."
Nathan: "Why He made me?"
Me: "Because He wants you to love Him."
Nathan: "Why He maked Abby?"
Me: "Because He wants her to love Him."
Nathan: "Why He maked Daddy?"
Me: "Because He wants him to love Him."
Nathan: "Why He maked you?"
Me: "Because He wants me to love Him."

(OK, maybe there was stalling going on right about now, but it's good to think through these things, right?)

Nathan: "Oh. Why He maked Bear?" (teddy bear)
Me: "Well, people made Bear."
Nathan: "No, God maked Bear."
Me: "God wanted you to have someone to snuggle with at night.
I love you, Nathan."
Nathan: "I wuv you, Mama."

My Calling

(Note: photo is not of the actual delivery in mention.)

Many of you read Facebook, so you already know that I've gotten to attend a couple of births as a doula. But I haven't posted anything about it on my blog, nor have I mentioned the amazing birth I got to be a doula for this past week.

As I've mentioned before, I am on staff at Woodwinds (hospital) now as part of the volunteer doula program. It's one of the only hospitals in the country to offer a doula to any mom in labor who desires one, free of charge. Right now there are about 35 of us on staff, and we each take approximately one 24 hour shift a month to be on call. Well, I've had 2 days where I've been on call, but hadn't been called in for a birth yet. (The one birth I had attended was for a private client, and was a very very quick labor!) I had been excited & ready to put my skills into practice while everything's fresh in my mind, especially since I know that once my baby arrives in a few months, I will probably need to take a good 4 months or so off from being a doula. I wanted some experience under my belt, and the chance to build my confidence in this field before I need to take a break for a while.

Anyway, I had just been praying about all of this, knowing that God has clearly led me to this point. He has opened door after door, and confirmed repeatedly that He has suited me for this role and brought me to this place of readiness. So I placed it in His hands. I told Him I would trust Him to provide a birth in His time, even if it wasn't my time.

And lo and behold I got a call last Tuesday from my supervisor; they needed a second doula that day (more than one mother was requesting one) and it worked out for me to come in. Thank You, Lord!

Upon my arrival, the nurse briefed me on the couple's birth stats (cm dilated, when water had broken, etc.) and also gave me a bit of their background. Said both the husband and wife were medical professionals themselves at another hospital--highly educated and very knowledgeable medically. (The husband is even a doctor himself.) For a minute I was tempted to be intimidated, as I am fairly new, but thought to myself "Well, they are asking for a doula. I know I have something to offer, and I am capable of doing a good job for them as a doula." And that was that. It turned out that they were the most wonderful couple. I was with them for 14 hours--over the span of 3 nurse shift changes, and they were so grateful that someone would stay with them throughout their entire labor. They also expressed that they didn't think the birth would have gone nearly as smoothly had they not had a doula. The husband, even though he had actually performed some deliveries himself in med school years ago, still didn't feel like he knew a lot about labor itself, or how to support his wife through it. I loved working with them as a team, helping the mother cope with contractions, and with pushing. I truly felt honored to be a part of their birth experience. And this just confirmed to me once again that God has designed me to do this--and to do it well.

What joy it brings to use your gifts to serve God, and to bless others.

Because I Said So?

Abby came home from school the other day and announced with a bit of irritation,
"Mom, none of the kids were obeying me at school today."

Me: "Honey, why did you think they should be obeying you?"
Abby: "Because I was there." (Duh.)

Yeah, that's our wish as parents, too.

*Incidentally, I found out it had been Abby's day to be in charge of something at school, so there was just cause for her irritation. Sure sounded funny without the context, though.

My Little Cub Turns 3

Happy 3rd Birthday Nathan! (Was yesterday.) Nathan, you have been a treat to have around since you entered this world in South Bend, IN 3 years ago. You are full of personality, and definitely all boy. You love anything to do with tools, construction, baseball bats, guns, and loud vroom vroom noises. I love the way you love to help your daddy fix things--he says you're pretty helpful, too! You've also become very verbal. At church, they said you're definitely ready to move up to the 3 year old nursery, as instead of just grabbing toys like other toddlers, you negotiate! I can believe it, as you attempt to negotiate with me, too--regarding diaper change, nap time, washing hands, etc. I love the way your little brain works. :)

We love you Bud!

It Aint Easy...

What is it? A blue marshmallow? A sack of flour? A pile of melted something-or-other? Nope. Just a pregnant mommy...

It's tough work growin' a human. Sometimes one just needs a rest from it all.

It is Finished.

Thanks to all of you who offered condolences in regards to my husband's crazy facial 'do's. (See previous post.) I am happy to report that after only one day of his most recent style (shown here) he has now gone back to his old self. (BTW, with the mustache, my immediate reaction was that he looked like scary guy on the movie Sleeping With the Enemy--ew. And his co-workers said he now looked like a molester. He had wanted to wait and show his mom this style too, but I guess those comments were enough to curtail his fun.) Anyway, I'm glad to have him--and his lips--back. :)
Hopefully this will be it for his mid-life crisis.

Mr. Mutton Chop...or Handlebars...or Steering Wheel...Whatever...

Yes, this is Wade. Mr. Mutton Chop. And he's proud of it, so don't offer him any encouragement or ribbing--or this behavior will continue.

It all started with the long-time teasing at work (that he's Amish or something, 'cause y'know Amish and Christian--same diff, right?) Then there was a dare...and here we are. The following is the visual progression...So first, he grew out his beard for a month. Looks pretty good, I thought. Just a bit prickly for smooching. No matter, the end was in sight--or so I thought. (BTW, yes, Wade and Nathan are making cookies here. What a man I've got.)



Next we have the gotee. Also looks nice. But still prickly, so still not much kissin' goin' on.




So...most recently he was in the bathroom, supposedly shaving the whole thing off--finally...but came out with this instead. Seriously. I made my opinion clear on this one. Yuck-O, buster. 1970's cowby. Wife not like. This encouraged him all the more. He promised me only a day of it to show the guys at work. But he got such a rise out of his buddies that he decided he needed to keep it for another week--to "wear" to the wedding we went to yesterday, and to show his mom. Seriously.


And here I sit...waiting. He asked me to post these pictures by the way. It was either that, or he was going to hijack my Facebook again and do some posting of his own--right alongside his gory knee-gouge photos. Alright, I gave in. I do love my man.

P.S. I need to add a correction. I've been informed that this look is actually called "handlebars." (I'm not sure that's any better.) I will gladly stand corrected. "Mutton Chop" is what Wade and his co-workers have been calling it. I'm not up on these things.

Speak Up!

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute."
~Proverbs 31:8

My friend sent me this article by author Randy Alcorn. (Author of my favorite book, Safely Home.) It sums up exactly how I feel about voting, and the responsibility of the Christian in regards to politics. The article might be long for a blog post, but it's worth the read. Here is the article:



'While a single issue can’t qualify a candidate, it can disqualify him.'

NOTE: This commentary first appeared on Randy Alcorn's blog on Oct. 22, 2008. It is used with permission.

As a Christian, should we vote for who we think should lead our country solely based on their stance on abortion?

The Bible is emphatically clear on when human life begins. On the same issue, science is equally clear.

Every Christian should take these teachings seriously. Is the unborn an innocent human being? If you claim to be pro-life, then your answer is yes. Is abortion the shedding of innocent blood, the taking of human life created in the image of God? If you say you are pro-life, your answer must be yes.

So, is the candidate’s stand on the issue of shedding innocent blood important enough to disqualify him as a candidate? Yes. While a single issue can’t qualify a candidate, it can disqualify him. In my opinion, this issue clearly disqualifies Barack Obama.

I don’t think someone is a good candidate just because he is pro-life. But he cannot be a good candidate unless he is pro-life. Personally, if he is committed to legalized child-killing, as a matter of conscience I must vote against him.

Now, when someone says, "But still, abortion isn't the only issue," I agree. I care very much about the poor and racial equality. That's why if John McCain was committed to legalizing the killing of the poor and the killing of ethnic minorities, I would not vote for him either.

But suppose you have two candidates, one who has promised to defend and further the legalized killing of one group of people (any group: women, minorities, disabled, unborn, poor). You disagree with the other candidate in areas that in their own right might be important, but do not involve the merciless slaughter of millions of people. Furthermore, the second candidate — whom you consider boring and disagreeable — believes that same group of people has the right to live, and he says he will defend their rights, and appoint judges who will defend it. Now, which candidate should you vote for?

If neither candidate were committed to the legalized killing of people, any people, then I would say, by all means weigh and measure those other important issues and make your choice. But can you seriously argue that these other issues trump the killing of millions of innocent children, not just now, but in the decades to come under a pro-abortion Supreme Court that could have been a pro-life Supreme Court?

Don't you believe that though there were other issues in Nazi Germany besides the killing of Jews, Gypsies and the disabled, all those other issues were trumped by that one? If Lincoln's platform involved ending slavery yet you agreed with Douglas (who wanted slavery to remain legal) in lots of other areas, would you feel right voting for Douglas, knowing you were voting for slavery?

So I say OF COURSE THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES. I don't minimize them. All I can say is the differences between the candidates on those issues don't stack up, even cumulatively, to the legalized killing of human beings. It's a matter of relative importance. A man who is a good husband in most respects, but who beats his wife, is not a good husband. That issue outweighs all the others.

I am troubled by John McCain's treatment of his first wife, (and) this is one of several things I don't like about John McCain. But his past failure in marriage is not comparable to Obama taking a present stand for the legalized killing of children.

I am not excited about John McCain in every area. But when I compare him to Barack Obama in the overriding issue of our day, the right of preborn children to live, there is a stark and radical difference. In America right now, the rights of Jews to live and slaves to be free are not on the table. The right of unborn children to live is on the table. The killing of the unborn is the holocaust of our day. Where do you want to have stood on this issue? Where do you want the man you vote for to have stood on it? If your grandchildren ask you one day whether you voted for or against the right of children to live, what will you say?

Two candidates, two records on abortion

Would John McCain be a great president? I don't know. Maybe he wouldn't even be a good president. There are so many claims by both candidates that their words seem like wind to me. I don't feel like I know a lot. But I do know for certain that one candidate defends the right of the unborn to live, and the other is utterly committed to be sure that it remains legal to kill them. And on THAT issue I know what God says is right and wrong.

Yes, I realize Obama is cool. I really wanted to vote for him, so I could be cool too. John McCain is not so cool. The question isn't whether I'd rather have dinner or play golf with Obama or McCain. (I'd choose Obama.) I am voting for McCain because it's my only way in this election to vote for the right of unborn children to live rather than die.

Now, if you think that's an overstatement, that the difference between the candidates isn't that great, or they will not influence the future of abortion in this country, I challenge you to look at Obama's dogged commitment to the legalized killing of unborn children, backed up by his 100 percent pro-abortion voting record. And look at McCain's repeatedly stated commitment, also demonstrated by his voting record, to oppose the legalized killing of children. If you think your presidential vote is not for or against unborn children, you don't understand the significance of the Freedom of Choice Act or the significance of the balance of power of the Supreme Court with the Obama judges who are certain to be pro-legal-abortion and the McCain judges who are virtually certain to be anti-legal-abortion.

So, feel free to go against the clear evidence about who the unborn really are. Then just admit that you are not pro-life. Sure, it's irrational, but at least it's a good explanation of why you would support the strongest pro-legal-abortion candidate for the presidency in the history of our nation.

But PLEASE don't just mindlessly say "I'm pro-life" then contradict that statement by saying you are supporting a candidate for president who is utterly committed to not only maintain legalized abortion through policy and appointment of judges, but who also HAS PROMISED to try to reverse pro-life state legislation passed in the last 30 years.

Randy Alcorn is the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching biblical truth and drawing attention to the needy and how to help them. He is the author of more than 30 books.

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