The Life We are Building (Trusting in the Big Stuff)

It is not a secret, so I don't know why I haven't shared this with you--perhaps I thought that sharing it might make it become untrue (how dumb is that?).

Red Beard and I are house hunting.

We are actually praying about the pursuit of one property in particular. It has been a long deliberation, or so it seems, because buying a house is a monumental task.

It seems simple enough if you've never purchased a house. Find the area you like, pick a house and boom! you move in. Right?

Riiiiight. Anyway...

One of our most important considerations, of course, is our son. How do we want to raise him? And more importantly, how does God want us to raise him (and what location would provide the best possibility of raising him that way)?

Big questions. Big decisions that have really required me to inwardly reflect on what is at stake. I have had to confront some personal habits and assertions, which has not been pleasant. And I've had to pray about my attitude towards submitting to Red Beard's discernment.

Some locations we can afford would allow too much worldly influence. And though they may look good on paper, they would not be the best places to live.

The one we're currently considering will mean a great deal of work (because it is countrified, y'all), and in many ways that fact has caused me to shrink back in fear. Could we really handle such a challenge? And is the challenge worthy of our attention?

I read an excellent post on Modest Mom this morning that, in a weird way, served as a reminder to me about the why of what we are pursuing. Here is a link to the post: "What's At Stake For Your Children in 2016?"

I know that Little Man isn't even a year old, but the way we parent him now and even where we choose to raise him in the future needs to be prayerfully considered. We will not get this precious time back with him.

At any rate, we would appreciate your prayers as we make this decision.

I hope you are having a good start to the new year.

Love, Mrs. D.

Merry Liquid Christmas

So I had my wisdom teeth plowed out a few weeks ago, and I have been on a liquid only diet ever since (a fractured jaw for Christmas sure is festive).

I thought it might prove helpful to share how I am tackling this new diet in a fairly healthy and mostly dairy free way, with a sweet-but-clingy baby and a husband working 6-12 hour days a week. During Christmas. Oh boy!

I have tried different things, but many of them proved unrealistic in the long run (due to time, money, or lack of nutritional value for this nursing mama).

In case you ever get stuck in a similar situation here is what I typically eat these days...

Brekky: drinkable overnight oats with chia seeds and bananas (maybe I will post a recipe soon)

Mid-morning: V-8 "healthy greens" or "purple power" / pear-carrot sauce / chocolate plant milk, plus tea if there is time

Lunch: leftover soup

Mid-afternoon: same options as mid-morning, plus fenugreek tea

Dinner: some kind of puréed veggie soup or an occasional green smoothie with ground granola

If I get carried away, I will have to post some of my soup recipes for you. I use steamable vegetables from the freezer aisle mostly, since I have to also make Red Beard's chewable dinner and heat up Little Man's homemade baby food (which all has to be replaced, btw, after our freezer decided to thaw itself the other night).

I have a go-to mashed potato and white bean soup that I have been making when we eat at my mom's. Yum! Plus we made an Oriental veggie soup the other night to help lend me some flavor variety.

Anyway, I hope you are able to chew your way through the holidays.

Love,
Mrs. D.

Ding, dong! Christmas Bells are Ringing!

We have made it to December. I can't believe it.

We have so many big decisions to make and so many bridges to cross this Christmas season (like having my wisdom teeth out tomorrow) that I have selfishly spent too much time fretting over everything that could go wrong (like not having enough milk pumped for Little Man while my mom cares for him post-surgery) and not nearly any time appreciating the many blessings God has given me.

Enter our improvised advent calendar.

I envisioned great ideas for this thing, but sadly, in the mayhem of our current existence, I have run out of steam and time.

Rather than sulking about the lack of creativity or keeping the calendar tucked away until next Christmas, I decided to employ a simpler strategy: Write a quick love/ appreciation note to my loving and over-worked husband every day from December 1-25. (So far, I have not heard any complaints!)

I have not written them all in advance (although you could do it that way); rather, I am trying to purposefully show my gratitude (and affections) throughout the zaniness of December. In other words, I want that guy to know that I love him no matter what. ;)

This Christmas season is going by quickly, y'all. Don't forget to spend time appreciating the folks around you!

Love, Mrs. D.

The Words of My Mouth

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer." -Psalms 19:14

I woke up this morning feeling like a provoked bear. An issue that has consumed my thoughts and emotions for weeks weighs heavily on my heart and mind today; for, today is the day I must be ready to face this issue head-on.

I have examined this issue in light of the Bible, so I know that my stance is correct. Yet, as I must face and confront this problem, I STILL also must fight my sin nature.

Worry has not been the core sin problem for me, though. More like speaking out in anger. It's not wrong to be angry, of course. But how you behave when you're angry is another issue altogether (cf. John 2:13-17, Eph. 4:26). No, I don't tend to kick the dog or anything, but I do have a hard time not saying something fleshly.

That's where the first four verses of this morning's Proverb really hit me between the eyes this morning...

"1A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. 2The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. 3The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. 4A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit." -Proverbs 15:1-4

I have no idea the actual statistic, but the Bible points out time and again the issue of discretionary speech. The margin notes and the Holy Spirit led me to a few cross references for this passage that I'd like to share here, with minimal commentary from me (because the Bible can certainly speak for itself).

Cross reference v. 2 with:

• Psalms 145:2-7 (Who are we praising when we speak--ourselves or our Savior? See also Prov. 18:2.)

Cross reference v. 4 with:

• Proverbs 4:20-27 (See also Matt. 12:34-36, 2 Pet. 1:2-9. Cross ref. verse 34 of Matthew with Phil. 4:8. Cross ref. verse 9 of 2 Peter with Gal. 4:3-9.)

I was overwhelmed by the amount of verses God led me to this morning. (The references were from HIM. I am NOT that smart, folks!) An important question came to my mind, as I examined my heart over this issue: Do I delight in airing my own opinions or in speaking the Word of Truth?

I share these passages with you to encourage you to examine your speech, particularly when you're dealing with a fretful situation.

May God be my strength today, as the Psalmist says, to help me say the right things.
-Mrs. D

Christmas Giving for our Son

Yep. That is a goat with a Santa hat. The ornament was gifted to us on behalf
of a goat donation made in our name. (A friend of ours made the ornament.)

The first reminder of the very busy (and swiftly approaching) holiday season came in the mail last week...

the Samaritan's Purse catalog!*

We first found this catalog helpful a few years ago when we could not decide what to get certain people for Christmas. For example, what do you buy for people who have everything they need and want? What's more, how can you share a little bit of the gospel with your Christmas gifting?

That being said, we want our boy to have a giving spirit at Christmas, remembering to give because God gave us His Only Son. Thus, there are a few ways we hope to incorporate giving into Little Man's Christmases.

1. Operation Christmas Child
Red Beard and I have enjoyed sending boxes in years past, and finding out what country your box has been sent to makes it even more fun! 2 years ago, our box ended up in Zambia so I made an ornament with both a map of Zambia and the year we sent the box. Here is how we plan to tackle Operation Christmas Child with our son...

• Create a shoebox for a child that is the same age and gender of our child.
• Have our son help us pick out the things that go in the box.
• Pray, as a family, over the box. Pray that God would use the box to bring the recipient into His family.
• After finding out where the box ends up, make an ornament for next year's tree. When our son is old enough, maybe we can even make a country study of the destination country during the spring semester of school. (Just throwing that idea out there!)

2. Missionary Friends of Ours
Red Beard and I have both gone on missions trips and we both have friends that are currently on the mission field. We plan to, in some way, support at least one of them each year--be it financially or materially (and maybe just prayerfully).

3. Local Opportunities
It's also important to remember the needs we have on our own mission field at home. If we have neighbors struggling to put food on the table, for example, maybe we could buy them a gift card to Walmart. If nothing else, though, we plan to pray as a family for our unsaved friends and family (throughout the year).

I hope everyone else's holiday plans are shaping up nicely! We have an upcoming cleaning/ organizing weekend planned. We're going to be borrowing my grandparents' rug cleaning monstrosity  to clean our carpets since Little Man is about ready for full time floor play.

Until Next Time,
Mrs. D.
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*This is NOT a sponsored post. 

Sincere Milk

IRL: Early morning naps... at least for one of us!

As any mom will tell you, babies take up a lot of your time. You can rarely do things for yourself  when you actually want to do them. This statement is especially true if you are nursing your baby yourself.

• You can't eat dinner with your family if the baby needs to be fed.
• You can'y go to the bathroom if the baby needs to be fed.
• You can't cook meals if the baby needs to be fed.
• You can't finish folding the laundry if the baby needs to be fed.
• And you definitely cannot sleep at nighttime if the baby needs to be fed.

On the one hand, this constant feeding process has brought to light how selfish I can be. I whine because I can't get all the normal things done during the day because I have to feed someone every 2 hours (30+ minutes of which are gone because of feeding, burping, and changing). I grumble and complain because I'm starving and just for once I wish someone else could feed the baby so I can eat when everyone else is eating.

There's a great Christ-like, sacrificial attitude, huh?

I also get mad because my son has a milk protein sensitivity meaning I can no longer consume dairy products or beef without his having major digestive issues. I'll tell ya, not eating cheese feels like a monumental sacrifice some days!

I have been tempted SO MANY TIMES, out of convenience to myself, to switch to formula. Yes, that synthetic substitute would've been in my house long ago were it not for the overwhelming cost of formula and the major benefits of breast milk.

Some days, it's only because of the cost.

Before proceeding, please allow me to point out that this post is certainly NOT an attempt to open up a debate about breastfeeding. Don't get side-tracked here, folks. Just stick with the ANALOGY.

To put this milk thing into a spiritual context, let's first consider 1 Peter 2:2:

"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby."

Seems simple enough. Read your Bible, right? But there is so much more meaning in this passage. To discover the greater meaning here (and the meaning that really stood out to me in my devotional time this morning), let's get the context...

Read 1 Peter 1:18-2:3.

I don't find it coincidental that after we are instructed to "[love] one another with a pure heart, fervently" (v. 22), we are also admonished to "[lay] aside all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings" (v. 1) and to "desire" and "grow" in the word of God.

Verses 23-25 give more detail about why our priorities should be for the word of God, don't they?

1. The word of God "lives," "abides," and "[endures] for ever." FOREVER!
2. By comparison, how long do these verses say that the "flesh" and "glory of man" lasts? (Hint: NOT LONG!)

Therefore, what should preachers and spiritually mature Christians be feeding to newborn baby Christians (and everyone else, for that matter)? I know the answer seems simple (i.e. the word of God), but I am so discouraged by today's Christian culture in America.

We do ourselves, other Christians, and the lost world we are trying to reach a HUGE disservice because we try to give them synthetic food instead of the real stuff. We try to feed them Christian maxims, Christian-isms, Christian books, Christian slogans, Christian t-shirts, Christian bumper stickers, "happy thoughts," and the like instead of feeding them the things we've gleaned from the actual word of God.

Most Christians seem to go way out of their way to do this. They'll only attend church if they don't have to teach, or they'll only teach if the church provides a curriculum. They'll pay big bucks for special Christian conferences and retreats, or willingly drive across town to hit up their local Christian bookstore for supplies. Their lives scream: "We will do anything to not have to study for ourselves!"

Honestly, how many of us are comfortable simply picking up our Bibles and letting the Holy Spirit teach us His word? How many of us would rather just pick up a devotional or "bible study" written by someone else?

Why? Because it's easier. It requires less time, less thought, less energy.

But just like formula feeding, there is a major cost, my friend.

Back to my analogy for a minute: 

>>One of the benefits of breastmilk is that it is easier to digest--so much so that breastfed babies' poops don't smell as bad as formula fed babies' poops (no lie). Breastmilk is the perfect food for babies; there's no additives, preservatives, or extra stuff that can't be digested. 

In the same way, God's Word is so much easier to digest. You don't have to weed through someone else's misgivings and untruths to get to God's truth. You are going straight to the source. You're not relying on someone else to do your homework for you; you're not relying on someone's answers that could be wrong!

If you are too busy to study the Bible for yourself, you are too busy. If you think you have to have someone else chewing up the word into little pieces for you to swallow (for whatever reason), you're wrong.

You don't need to have a degree in order to study God's Word for yourself. You need the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of you--that's it!

I know that I have talked about this subject before, but I don't think I can emphasize enough how important it is for you to study your Bible without the aid of the latest Christian speaker or Bible Study author.

If you want some tips on how to have success with this type of REAL study, please read this post: Gifting This Week: A Deep Clean Inside & Out.

Stop drinking formula and get hooked on the real stuff!

Much love,
~Mrs. D.

P.S. I recently purchased this vinyl wall decal to remind myself to have a better attitude: Psalms 118:24.

A Parenting Note: The First Few Weeks

Almost 6 weeks ago now (has it really been that long?!), we finally got to meet our son in person. 31 hours after my water broke, his tiny flailing body (complete with wide-open eyes and a crying mouth) was placed into my arms.

And it was SO worth every minute of pain, uncertainty, and downright deliriousness (primarily from a lack of sleep and food) for that one incredible moment.

The amazing moments with our son continue each day, too. From the first time he held up his head to the way he now follows me across the room with his eyes and turns his head to talk to me. What a precious, wonderful (AMAZING, AWESOME, ASTOUNDING, OUTSTANDING etc.) gift from Above.

If nothing else, please allow me to say that if you are married and able to have kids, you should. Period. There is nothing like it in this whole world.

Sure, my home is no longer spotless (if it ever really was) and my body may never be quite the same (kangaroo pouch, I'm looking at you!). Even as I started typing this post today, I noticed poop on my sleeve from this morning's diaper blow out.

Whatever! It's only a little poop...

These trivial frustrations dissolve when compared to the enormity of this tiny person's physical and spiritual care being placed in our charge.

Truly, a learning curve exists when it comes to having your first kid (nursing, diapers, schedules, etc.). But what has become more evident to me in the last week or so (as the initial fog has worn off) are the amazing spiritual pictures God paints for us through parenting.

As I have the time, I hope to share some of what He's shown me through my new role as a mom. For now, though, I hope you are all well and enjoying your summer. We are enjoying it here at The Shore.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
<3 Mrs. D.

Living in the Real World

Elephant in the room: Yes, I've been gone a while. What started out as a time of reflection for me, to evaluate the point of my blog and its future direction, turned into a much longer hiatus than I had predicted.

To be honest, the long break has been nice. I have enjoyed living life in the real world. When you're blogging, it's so easy to allow your blog to become an obsession, to spend all your time focussing on what to post next, that you forget to focus on the life right in front of you. Life in the real world.

WARNING: This kind of tunnel vision can happen with any type of media, whether you are creating it or simply observing it.

I also felt blogging was pulling me away from baking, creating, writing, etc. for the right reasons. Was I trying to develop a new recipe because I was trying to please my husband or because I couldn't wait to post about it (hello, pride)? Was I writing something because God had laid it on my heart or because I felt pressured (by myself) to "get in another post"?

I don't want to be puffed up with pride, and I don't want to post things that are teeming with selfishness or other wrong motivators.

We need to be God-honoring in all that we do.

So, even though I have not fully decided where to go from here on The Shore, I wanted to say something about where I've been, mentally.

We are still waiting for little man to arrive... he should arrive this month. Pretty soon we'll be changing diapers, nursing, and everything else that newborns require.

We can barely contain our excitement over it all because it feels like we've been waiting so long to have a kid! I still can't believe how much God has blessed us in giving us this new life to shepherd and take care of.

He is so good.

I hope & pray you know that from your own life experience, that God is good even when things seem bad. God is good.

Love to you all,
~Mrs. D.

My Inadequacy

In March, Red Beard and I will be taking a birthing class to prepare for our son's arrival in a little over 2 months. For some reason, in the last several days, the timeline of events has hit me like a ton of bricks:

I feel so UN-prepared and IN-adequate for what lies ahead!! 

The thoughts that have crept into my mind include, but are not limited to:

• We still need a baby dresser. 
• We still have to find (and afford) a vehicle that all three of us can fit in.
• I'm not good mother material.
• How am I going to organize all our stuff in a 1 bedroom apartment?
• I don't want to add to my kid's issues because of my own set of issues.
• Can I really do this?

I like being prepared and organized. I like having the answers to my questions, the solutions to my problems. And right now, there are so many aspects of this "having a kid" thing that are un-answered, un-solved, un-prepared, and un-organized.

This morning, however, I found great comfort in God's Word. 

First, I read from Proverbs 24 (since today is the 24th):

"Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches." -Proverbs 24:3-4

Then, God, in His wisdom, reminded me of another passage:

"Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep." -Psalms 127:1-2

Yes, we have needs and inadequacies. But if we could do it all on our own, why would we need God? Our needs, our inadequacies should point us to the strength and wisdom of our LORD. He has to be the one to do it, or else our homes will be built on vanity; they would be built on sand and not on the Solid Rock (cf. Matthew 7:24-27).

Do I have any idea how everything is going to get done before the baby arrives or how it will all be paid or provided for? Nope.

Do I have the answers to every parenting problem that will come about? Nope.

And you know what? That's okay. Yes, I can and will be searching God's Word for answers and will (hopefully) be remembering to pray for God's guidance. But I don't have to have all the answers right now.

Red Beard and I need to take this situation one day at a time, one step at a time, relying on God's wisdom to build our home.

What are you building your home on? Your own inadequacy or on the Lord? ~Mrs. D.

The Pregnancy "Encouragement" I Could Do Without

Red Beard and I are both pretty worn out by everything that's been going on. This week, I'm entering the last week of the 2nd Trimester--can you believe it? I can't!

I got a free Huggies diaper and wipes in the mail the other day, from an offer on Hip2Save.com, and I couldn't get over how tiny the diaper was!

Btw the footstool belongs to a glider that my MIL bought for us. It's more green than yellow, even if the green isn't really showing up in this photo. Red Beard and I picked it out on Amazon. I love it!

Little Man really will be here before long. My wardrobe is constantly shrinking because my stomach is constantly growing. I'm working hard to make sure that's the only part of me that's growing, too. Not easy!

Some days I am just plain exhausted trying to keep up with everything. Normal tasks, plus baby registries, people hounding me about having a baby shower (which I don't want, but that's another long story), making sure we have enough storage in our 1 bedroom apartment for baby stuff,  doctor appointments, modifying clothes so I can still wear them, etc. etc.

You know how it goes. It's exciting, but there is a lot that has to get done.

And lately, I've been even more tired out by people's commentary about parenthood. It usually comes in conversational form like this:

To me: "How is mommy feeling?"
Me: "Pretty tired today. But good overall."
To me: {chuckle} "Better get used to being tired! You're going to be tired to rest of your life!"

I hear it constantly. And it drives me absolutely bonkers.

This is hardly encouraging to a new mother. Why can't I just answer you honestly about how I'm feeling without this "joke"/"encouragement"? Instead, I feel forced to tell you "I'm fine" even if I'm not so I don't have to hear your comments. And maybe I'm tired because I had a busy weekend. Or maybe I'm tired because I didn't get much sleep.

Truly, though, there are many statements, like the "get used to being tired" comment (proceeded/ followed by a condescending chuckle), that I could do without hearing for the rest of my life.

Other Examples:
"Say good-bye to showers."
"Say good-bye to movie theaters."
"Say good-bye to dates."
"Say good-bye to privacy."
"Say good-bye to freedom."

Part of me wants to ask these people why on earth they became parents if they weren't willing to give up on or compromise on some of these things.

• Is it that difficult to take a shower in the evening when your husband is home and can watch the baby?
• Is going to the movie theater really that big of a priority? Get a life! 
• Is it really a giant inconvenience to have to take your child with you to a restaraunt, especially when he or she is still in a car-seat and will probably sleep through it?
• Is freedom really that important to you that you have to make your kid sound like (or feel like) a ball and chain?

One thing I truly appreciate about my mom is the fact that she never made us feel like we were keeping her from something. She made ridiculous sacrifices (sometimes probably more than necessary), but she did not guilt us about that ever. She never got together with other moms to complain about how hard it was to raise kids.

We always knew we were wanted. She did not make us feel like a burden.

I have no doubt that it will be a major adjustment once Little Man is finally here, especially the first few weeks. But even more so, I have no doubt that it will be completely worth every minute. I can't wait to take Little Man to the beach this summer, camping this fall, watch him discover the world, watch what God's going to do with his precious little life, etc.

The part about these comments that aggravates me the most is that they come primarily from Christians. Wouldn't it be better to say something like this to a new expectant mother...

"Some days will be really difficult, but remember to ask for God's help and guidance. Let Him carry you through the difficult days."

Do we not believe that God's power can and will get us through hard times (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)? Children are a precious, precious gift from God (Psalms 127:3, John 16:21), not a ball and chain.

In moments like this, I think about families like the Duggars. If any parents had "reason" to complain about children being a burden, it's the Duggars. 19 kids is a lot. But you know what is absent in their books and shows? A complaining spirit. And that speaks volumes about what God can carry us through.

A Few Take-Away Points: 

• Think before you speak. If you're given to complaining or griping or, well, not encouraging someone, keep it to yourself. 
• If you have a complaining spirit, pray about it because that is not a Christ-honoring mind-set. 
• If you feel compelled to complain in order to have camaraderie with someone, don't hang around that person (or group). 
• Pray for the complainers around you (yes, that's the step I need to take).

I'm not the girl who wants to get together with friends to gripe about my husband and kid. I'd rather sit at home with my husband and kid and enjoy them, in spite of difficult days.

Ladies (and gents), it's time we started truly encouraging each other instead of using each other as sounding boards for our complaints. We need to take our burdens to the place they actually belong... the foot of the cross.

Until next time, Mrs. D.

Things I've Loved About January

Truly, the post-Christmas season has proven to be even more busy than the Christmas season this year. Red Beard and I have each had family in town, he's worked longer hours, we've attended infant safety and CPR classes, and we've had a few surprise changes in our life (ex: our pastor left our church).

But among the zaniness, the craziness, the general ridiculousness involved in many of these circumstances, there have been some things that I, for one, am personally grateful for. You'll probably notice a few common themes here...

1. Being More Mindful About Our Health

In my last post (yep, like 3 weeks ago), I explained that Red Beard and I are making some changes in our eating. We haven't stuck to the plan 100%, but we have made some definite improvements. For example, Red Beard has been super sick this week with a sinus infection. We're talking 3 days off from work sick (and that has NEVER happened since we've been married).

Yesterday he wanted soup, and I offered to make a vegetable soup, to which, surprisingly, he agreed. I made, with a few minor substitutions, the Many-Veggie Vegetable Soup from Love and Lemons. It is hands down THE best vegetable soup I've ever had. Even better than that, I love the fact that those much-needed vitamins from all those veggies are getting into Red Beard's healing body.

Eating cleaner just makes you feel better.

I've also noticed a huge difference with all the strength training and toning I've been doing. My legs and arms are getting leaner and stronger.

His & Hers... Guess which ones are mine? lol.

My top two workouts for lower-body toning while pregnant?

• The Ballet Baby Inner Thigh Workout from Ballet Beautiful. (It's worth the $8.) As with any Ballet Beautiful workout I've done, if you're not in pain, you're not doing the exercises properly!
• The Leg and Butt Workout, Prenatal Fitness from POPSugar Fitness. (Free.) When I first previewed this workout, I thought it would be lame. But here in the end of my 2nd trimester, it's been great.

I rotate between these two, completing each 2-3 times a week, in addition to arm weights, Swan Arms (also Ballet Beautiful), walking, and some outer thigh exercises.

2. Bringing Up Bebe, by Pamela Druckerman

We're not big on parenting books. They tend to be a bit... lop-sided. Unbalanced. Even many Christian parenting books are not good. Or in keeping with Scripture (which is disturbing). Of course, this could get me on a tangent about how angry Christian book stores make me, but I won't go there today.

This book, though not penned by a Christian author, is completely different. It's written like a novel, but it presents well-researched information about why French kids behave so well. I plan to give a copy to each of my closest friends that gets pregnant in the future. (No joke!) 

It's witty, it's thought-provoking, at times a bit racy, and I don't agree with every French parenting notion, but it is well worth the read for soon-to-be mothers or mothers of young kids. Highly recommend it!

3. Frenchpod101.com

Bonjour! Salut! Yours truly is learning French. 

Why? Because we want Baby Boy to be bilingual. If you're interested in learning French, and you are an absolute beginner, I definitely recommend this resource. Many things on the site are free, including a trial of Premium Membership. We are still deciding whether or not to become FT Premium Members and pay the monthly fee (hey--we're saving money for a car), but if you want a fast way to learn French, my friends... this is it!

4. Lindsey Vonn: The Climb

This documentary (that we watched online on one of Red Beard's recent sick days) was super inspiring to me. It shows the come-back of a world-class down-hill skier after 2 major knee surgeries in just 2 years. 

I love the fact that she didn't give up. She chose not to be a victim of her circumstances, but rise above it by working hard. If you want workout motivation, this is it! 

5. Baby Books

I can't wait to read to our little boy! My mom bought us Goodnight Moon. And, in keeping with the French theme, we got Baby Boy a bilingual board book. 

The books are so cute that I couldn't resist displaying them around the apartment.

6. Tea Kettle and Tea Cups

Red Beard got these for me for Christmas. The kettle, a Wolfgang Puck model, is a much sleeker and more efficient model than our old Walmart special. The cups are authentic oriental tea cups. As in it took about 6 weeks for them to arrive! I love the design he chose. :)

I hope your January has been less hectic than ours has! But even if it's been nuttier than ours, I pray you've been able to find some things to be grateful for in the new year. ~Mrs. D.

Merry Christmas from The Shore

It's Christmas Eve... can you believe it? As I waited for Red Beard to come home from work today, I snapped a few shots of what Christmas Eve looks like at the Shore this year. I'm tagging it to "Memory Lane" because I'm certain next year's Christmas Eve will look very different--especially with a little one around!

Oranges and clementines always scream "Christmas" to me. (This year, we were lucky enough to snag a pomegranate, too!) Red Beard loves Calvin & Hobbes, so this book always makes its way out of storage this time of year.

All the presents are under the tree. Well, except the present that Snoopy is guarding in the chair. I wrapped the last of Red Beard's presents this morning.

Our stockings are stuffed and hanging--from our coat closet door instead of the fireplace. We learned the hard way last year how much fun Kitty thought the stockings were when they dangled from the fireplace!

Speaking of Kitty, she is napping on an extra sheet of wrapping paper I cut for her as soon as I started wrapping gifts. It's my strategy for preventing her "help" while wrapping, and it usually works.

The pickled shrimp are marinating (recipe from Pat Conroy's Recipes of My Life). If you love shrimp and you've never had pickled shrimp, I cannot recommend this recipe enough!

Our Christmas morning bread ("Pulla") still proofing in a butter baking sheet. Baking it today so tomorrow morning is more relaxing!

And a Harry & David pear--part of a gift my parents received from someone. I'm certain this was an expensive pear, but it is honestly the best pear I've ever had!

A view from the couch. I may have had George C. Scott's Christmas Carol playing while making bread and wrapping gifts. :)

I hope everyone has a safe and jolly Christmas this year, celebrating the birth of the Child who would die to save us from our sins.

"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."

-2 Corinthians 9:15

The 12 Dates of Christmas

I originally thought the title of this post sounded like the title for a Hallmark movie. With a quick google search, I discovered that it is the title of a movie, only it's produced by ABC Family.

Rest assured, this post has nothing to do with Mark Paul Gosselaar (no matter how much I may have loved Saved By the Bell as a pre-teen) or with any sort of re-living our days, sort of Ground-Hog Day type of plot.

I just wanted to share with you what Red Beard and I will be up to this Christmas.

The Low-Down: Since I'm into my second trimester, and Lord-willing this is the last Christmas before Red Beard and I have a kid, we decided to make this season extra fun for the two of us. Usually we are both swamped with work, but this year I am taking full advantage of my homemaker status by planning 12 dates for us during the Christmas season.

As you probably know from last year's post (Do You Have a "Third World Romance?"), Red Beard and I don't really have that much money for traditional American dating. (Read: "Restaurant and movie theater visits are rare.")

These 12 dates will be no different; they will surround activities that are either free, cheap, or are already in the budget (like getting a Christmas tree).

I can't tell you all of them right off because several of them are a surprise to Red Beard (per his request). Don't worry: He knows about the Christmas tree one already. ;)

Anyway, the goal in all this is to have fun together--whether serving or or shopping or eating or just hanging out. Some years it seems like the entire Christmas season just slips by because we can barely keep our heads above the water.

Last year I set up games and books and they were never even touched...

I think Christmas should be more relaxing than that. And hopefully, this year it will be.

Make some time for your loved ones this Christmas season. ~Mrs. D.

Searching for the Perfect Holiday

We all look for it this time of year, right? You know, that Norman Rockwell picture of a holiday. The Thanksgiving table where everyone is seated, smiling and happy and actually thankful.

The holiday where no one is rude or mean or late or brings up past hurts or makes things awkward by slinking around like Boo Radley. The holiday where kids (and adults) behave and bathe and dress as they ought. The holiday where the food is all ready at the same time and tastes like it came straight from the kitchen of Emeril Lagasse.

"Bam!" That'd be a great holiday. :)

But the more holidays I experience, the more I realize that this image in my brain is nothing more than a fantasy. I can't control how other people behave or the humidity outside (for making meringue) or whether or not I get a flat tire on the way to where I'm going to celebrate.

And what's more, as I look back sometimes I'm grateful for the imperfections. Maybe not the rudeness or awkward bits (although, these moments can be comical in future reminiscences), but the holidays I remember most vividly are the ones when something goes awry.

Like the year my dad didn't realize how much extra time it would take the turkey to cook in his new smoker and we ended up finishing it in the oven for another couple of hours while all the rest of the food (and family, plus guests) were waiting to eat downstairs. (Dinner was about 4 hours late that year.)

Pumpkin soup on an open fire was Red Beard's and my favorite 
from last Thanksgiving at my Mum and Dad's.

Holidays, other than the decorations and extra people (and food), are really no different than every day life, because...

We still live in a fallen world and things are still going to get messed up from the way we want them to be. (And sometimes, with the extra people around, holidays will be even more messed up than regular days!) 

We are still not in charge.

Yet, more importantly, we still have our Heavenly Father to help us through it (the good and the bad). I can't help but remember the words to one of my favorite hymns:

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer.

I pray that we would remember this holiday season to keep God's Word fresh in our hearts and freshly applied to our lives. 

May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. ~Mrs. D.

Kitty & The Move

Emerging from her carrier, Kitty cautiously took her first steps, trembling slightly, investigating the new apartment. She looked around, attempting to make sense of her surroundings.

It probably felt like Lewis Carroll was narrating her life: All the right stuff was there, it was just queer and out of place. I mean, from her perspective, even the windows had been moved!

That night, Kitty wouldn't leave our bed. She walked the perimeter of our bed and, with her paw, tapped Red Beard on the forehead whenever she heard a strange noise. At one point, she started licking his forehead. She also periodically knocked stuff off of our nightstands to get our attention. I don't think she laid down one time.

The next day, Kitty was determined not to be in a different room from her parents.

And that determination lasted the entire next week:

• I would sit down for a minute to check email (or just to rest my feet), and Kitty would leap into my lap, immediately curling up to take a nap. 

• I would walk from the living room to the bathroom, and she would trot right alongside me.
• Red Beard would sit down to complete homework, and Kitty would sit on the stool beside him.
• She wouldn't even eat without one of us standing there, beside her and her food dish.

She has relaxed a little bit now, but I share Kitty's story with you because I think it is a great illustration for our spiritual lives.

Remember recently when I talked about the fact that God likes us being outside of our comfort zones?

Well, Kitty has certainly been out of hers. And what was her response? Cling to her parents!!

When you or I are faced with changes or challenges in spiritual matters, we need to cling to our Heavenly Father. We need to find our rest and our comfort in Him. 

In fact, we should always be clinging to Him. In good times, in bad times, in seasons of change (and if your life is anything like mine, things are always changing!), the best thing we can do is cling to the Father.

He knows what you're going through and where your circumstances are headed. He is not interested in your comfort, He is interested in your spiritual growth. And no matter what you're going through...

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." -Phil. 1:6

If you seek true comfort or rest, cling to the Father. ~ Mrs. D.

MWP: Moving While Pregnant

It's finally moving week here at the Shore. We've got a nice collection of boxes and bags full of stuff. Red Beard will bring home more boxes from work today, too.

The living room collection.

And can I just say how grateful I am to have a thoughtful husband? Yesterday, even though he had mountains of homework to do, he took the time to help me pack. Basically, I pointed, he packed, and I labeled. And it took us less than an hour to do several boxes, matching the amount of boxes I have packed in the last couple of weeks.

=We have double the amount now. Amazing! :)

The cat is her usual helpful self.

Of course, in the process, Red Beard dropped my toothbrush, bristle side down, on the bathroom floor (yuck), and I accidentally knocked his deodorant into the toilet (whoops). At least we're even on that score.

Peace offering: He bought me a new toothbrush. :)

Moving always entails more than just packing things, too. You have things to get rid of--whether it's by throwing them away completely, donating them, or storing them for future use.

Yesterday, for example, we transported our "falling down" hutch to my folks' house for storage. (The "falling down" hutch derives it's nickname from the original time we moved it from my grandparents house to our apartment. 30 seconds into the ride, it fell out of the truck and into the street, decorating the pavement with glittering shards of broken glass from the shelves and doors. I always wanted a job as a decorator.)

A few months ago, Red Beard re-framed the doors and fitted them with chicken wire. I painted the molding on it a bright white. We spent a couple of afternoons fixing it up because we desperately needed more storage in our kitchen (and hey--we didn't want it to look dumpy).

But, even though we spent all that time fixing the hutch, we have no use for it in our new apartment. We will have plenty of storage in our new kitchen--heck, we might even have drawers big enough to hold silverware this time. So, unfortunately, the hutch had to go.

The same is true in our spiritual lives.

When God moves us to a different place--either a new church, a new ministry within the church, a new town, or sometimes just moves within our hearts--sometimes the things we used to do are no longer valid.

We need to be willing to put aside anything that God asks us to.

Let's say you used to be in charge of the children's Sunday school class at your old church. Maybe your new church already has somebody teaching in that capacity or God has simply impressed upon your heart to serve Him in a different way. You may have spent years creating lessons and you have plenty of experience, but God has something else in mind.

You need to be willing to set those former things aside, and follow where He leads you. God has to get us out of our comfort zones in order for us to grow. If we're comfortable, we're likely not relying on Him. We're trusting our own strength and our own knowledge.

Example: "If we have 5 points and a song, good posters for our youth events, and a really good praise band, we're sure to draw a bigger crowd."

Our goal isn't numbers; the church is NOT a business. If we can physically grow a church without God's involvement, what kind of church are we growing?

In a ministry setting, if you're living in a comfort zone, depending on programs or advertisements or videos or anything other than God's strength to grow your ministry, you need to move on. You need to cast aside those things which cause you to depend on your own strength and wisdom and not God's.

Scripture to Read...

1 Corinthians 1:17-21:

"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."

I pray that we would all remember to rely on God and not on ourselves.  ~Mrs. D.

A God-Honoring Pregnancy

When I first became pregnant, one of my greatest concerns was the effect my attitude would have on Red Beard and whoever else I might come into contact with. I've been around so many unpleasant pregnant women, and I was (and am still) determined not to become one of them.

In a certain sense, pregnancy is no different than any other situation in which your body is under stress. Why would I say that? Think about it...

• If I'm having a terrible day, I'm not supposed to sin.  
• If I'm not feeling good because I have the flu, I'm not supposed to sin.
• If I'm pregnant, I'm not supposed to sin.

Worry, fear, pouting, pity parties, bad attitudes, temper tantrums, demands, selfishness, and the like are all sinful. They are not acceptable behaviors. Period.

Pregnancy is not a "sin without consequences" pass.

Saltines= this pregnant girl's best friend for warding off nausea. :)

When our hormones run high and our bodies are constantly changing (and making us sick), it's easy to let things like our attitudes and desires run their natural courses--without any sort of intervention on our part.

But we are called to a higher standard.

Ephesian 4:26 says, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sin go down upon your wrath." It doesn't say we can't have emotions or feel a certain way; however, the way we feel is not supposed to cause us to sin.

We should always keep ourselves in check.

That is something my parents always encouraged in my brothers and me when I was growing up: self-reflection. We need to take time (daily, sometimes moment-to-moment in delicate situations) to evaluate ourselves objectively--not just as we want to see ourselves. The way to do that is through prayer and through meditation of God's Word.

1. Prayer: We need to ask God to point out our faults, especially our blind spots. Allow Him to bring to your heart and mind the ways in which you haven't measured up to His standard (="Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which in heaven is perfect." Mt. 5:48). If you've been born into God's family, if the Spirit lives inside your heart, you need to heed His voice--not your own.
2. Meditation of God's Word: Another way to find your blind spots is through daily reading and applying God's Word to your life. When you read a Bible verse, try not to just skim through it without personal reflection or don't think "this verse is about something irrelevant to me." If you fail to see what a certain passage is saying, ask God to reveal it to you. We can always glean insight through a daily intake of God's Word.

Pregnant or not, we need to be careful to deal with sins (see 1 Jn. 1:9) as we commit them. We need to not let "any root of bitterness spring up . . . and thereby many be defiled" (Heb. 12:15). 

I know--boy, do I know--how difficult it is to let emotions run our actions. But consider Hebrews 4:15:

"For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

Christ knows our pain. He was taunted and mocked when He was dying for the sin of the entire world on the cross. Yet, He did not sin.

He is our example. And He is our help, as it says in the very next verse (v. 16):

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Summary: If you don't now whether you've messed up, ask God (pray). If you've messed up, ask forgiveness (pray). If you want to not mess up anymore, ask (pray). 

I'm so grateful God doesn't demand perfection without giving us a way to access His power and strength. 

I pray that I would remember that I have access to it (and that you would remember you do, too).

--Mrs. D.

Is It Really November?

Yes, I have been MIA for a while now. October brought many surprises to our household--like a visit from out-of-town family (hooray for nephews and nieces) and the Royals making the World Series (still proud of 'em!). Here's what's left of our World Series pumpkin from this year:

Yes, we're moving soon (hence, the boxes and brown paper in the background).

Among many other surprises (like, "hey--we finally get a new bed!"), we got to give friends and family a surprise of our own, summed up in the following picture:

No gag. It's true. Lord willing, we are expecting our first child in the spring of 2015!

Needless to say, I haven't felt 100% for several weeks. I'm hoping that will improve as I am now approaching my second trimester.

(And no, we don't know the gender yet. That appointment will be sometime around Christmas. We can hardly wait to find out!)

That first ultrasound--also in October--was an incredible experience. Part of me couldn't believe a baby actually appeared in the screen. Tears welled up in my eyes (which is not a normal occurrence for me) when the doctor pointed out our baby's little tiny heart beat. You can actually see it beating on the screen! How crazy and amazing is that?

My SIL made this to hold our ultrasound picture, and I love it:

It's probably difficult to tell from this picture, but it's made out of a 1x6 that's about a foot long.

Red Beard and I have always wanted kids--we were just waiting until God gave us the green light. In other words, we couldn't be more thrilled that He has blessed us with this precious gift of life. 

We are moving in less than 2 weeks, so I anticipate being sporadic on here for another few weeks. But I really wanted to share this amazing gift from God with you all!

We are so blessed.

Talk to you soon,
Mrs. D.

What God Wants from Me (& You)

It's easy to get off track sometimes. We get stuck in our own little worlds at this time of year because we've finally gotten back into to the groove of the school year. There are oodles of agro-festivals--corn, pumpkins, apples-- and plenty of last-minute outside festivities--hay rides, corn mazes, school carnivals.

Everybody's getting in their last kicks in the great outdoors before the first winter snow hits.

It's easy to grow busy and, therefore, complacent.

One place where we should never grow complacent, though, is at the foot of the cross.

A picture of Bible Study complacency: Kitty sleeping on the job.

A theme God has brought up in my own personal study (and even in yesterday's sermon at church) has been about His greatest desire from us.

He wants our hearts.

Our pastor preached from Ezekiel chapters 8-11 yesterday, about God physically leaving the tabernacle because the people of Israel had constantly pursued idol worship.

Yes, we Christians participate in idol worship when we don't place God first in our lives. We might worship the idol of our children or family. We might worship the idol of our ministry and what we have accomplished for God.

He is not interested in our efforts, our money, or our sacrifices if they are not done with the right heart attitude (i.e. keeping Him in His rightful place as first).

In Psalm 50, God says He doesn't want our sacrifices.

"For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon the thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine." (vv.10-11)

God doesn't need 
       our efforts, 
          our money, 
            our stuff, 
        or our sacrifices. 

Besides, we can't give God anything that doesn't belong to Him already--except for our hearts. And He won't force us to do that because it's our choice to give our hearts to Him. We need to heed His advice:

"Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: and call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." (vv. 14-15)

In Psalm 51, David says,

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (v. 17)

It doesn't matter how much we put in the offering plate, how much time we spend at church "doing ministry," or how celebrated our personalities are in Christian circles.

What's important to God, what matters most of all, is where our hearts are focussed. If our hearts are not humbled and focussed on God, they are not focussed on the right place.

I'm not speaking about some emotional trip, either. If you want to hear God speaking to you, then you need to get into His Word every day. Start reading Psalms or Proverbs or the Gospel of John.

We have to side with God against ourselves. We have to give Him every area of our hearts. Even if it means doing less at church so we can take care of our families the way He requires us to. Even if it means giving up a precious extra 20 minutes of sleep each day to read His Word.

God wants your heart. Does He have it all or does He have it in part?

In His Great Love,
--Mrs. D.

Fall is in the Air!

Fall has subtly crept back into our lives, and I guess I can no longer deny it.

I noticed this shift of season most acutely when we sat inside the office of our local rental company on Friday, waiting to sign the lease agreement for our new apartment. A stuffed scarecrow greeted us when we first arrived, and every corner of the rental office displayed leaves, gourds, pumpkins, and the like.

Fall decorating will be pointless in our home this year because we'll be moving right in the thick of the season. Although not decorating makes me a little sad, an even greater part of me is simply reveling in the idea of moving to a nicer apartment!

Size-wise, it's not much bigger than what we have now, but it has one claim that our current apartment cannot boast of--washer and dryer hook-ups!

For the last year and a half, our washer and dryer have been sitting in storage, neglected. But very soon, we shall be able to use them again, and I could not be more grateful.

As for our lack of interior decorating, I think it's beyond safe to say that God is a much better decorator than myself. We are already enjoying His handiwork: vibrant green leaves becoming lovely jewel-tones and local farms brimming with pumpkins and various squash.

And just because we won't be decorating our home doesn't mean we can't enjoy our favorite fall foods.

Candy corn sugar cookies! I used the idea/ technique from Our Best Bites and the sugar cookie dough recipe from Chocolate-Covered Katie.

Last week, we made pumpkin-peanut soup. Sometimes we use sweet potato, sometimes pumpkin; either way, it must be eaten with sriracha sauce!

This week, we're trying a Dorito-beef casserole. We're going to use Cool Ranch Doritos. Red Beard and I are both pretty excited about this one. :)

As the chilly air rushes in to signal the change of season, I can't help but think about how much our lives have changed in the last year (I know, I know... sentimental cliche... oh well).

We're at a new church, working with new people. Red Beard has had several promotions at work, and he is almost done with the first leg of his college career. And I'm now a FT wife (so weird!).

I know sometimes we can feel trapped in a particular season of life. Maybe "stuck" in high school or "stuck" being single or childless or jobless or whatever. But the truth is, as the Bible tells us, our lives are but a vapor (James 4:14).

One of the things God has really been pressing upon my heart lately is to not wish any time away--savor what you have, because tomorrow the winds of change will blow through and you'll wonder where the time went.

That's kind of how my dad felt post-surgery. He had to be out of work for several months to recover. At first, he was very frustrated to not be able to work, but he eventually realized how valuable his time at home was--to the point that he didn't want to go back to work when it was time to!

I know sometimes, in certain seasons, you get that same feeling you got as a kid when you received socks or underwear for Christmas instead of another toy. As a kid, it seemed lame and disappointing. But later, as an adult, it makes more sense. Maybe your family was poor and didn't have money for necessities.

I mean, what if you didn't have socks or underwear? I'm pretty sure underwear takes precedent over a toy (just sayin').

Kids don't get new toys for other reasons, too. Perhaps the kid was so rotten, he or she didn't deserve a new toy... or maybe he or she wanted a toy that was for an older child. I mean, you can't give a toy with small pieces to an infant; it wouldn't be safe.

And the same is true in our lives as Christians.

We are God's kids. Sometimes we get only what we need (the proverbial socks and underwear) and not what we want (the proverbial toy). Does that make God a bad Father? By no means!

He knows what we need, and if we are mature enough to handle more. Maybe we want something we aren't ready for or something we don't have the character to handle.

I know that if my husband had come along when I wanted to have a husband (at least 7 years prior to when God placed him in my life), Red Beard would have (or should have) run the other direction! I would have made a mess of a marriage, no matter how ready thought I was.

I pray that you are enjoying the new season of fall and, more importantly, enjoying the season of life in which you currently find yourself. Thank God for what you have, and let Him decide when you need more.

--Mrs. D.