Real Food for Mama and Baby

This book is the book I go to for baby nutrition. I've read it at least 3 times cover to cover, and certain chapters I've read many more times. The book consists of three major parts--eating for fertility, eating for pregnancy, and eating for nursing.

I read the book a couple times before I was married so I could make sure that my husband and I were eating the optimal diet for the baby we were praying for. A lot of women sober up their eating habits when they find out they  are pregnant (which is great!) but it seemed to me that it made more sense to begin the strong focus on diet 3-6 months before conception. Health-wise the ONLY input hubby has on the infant consists of whatever state of health his body is at when the baby is conceived. Mama, of course, has a good deal of input during pregnancy, but her health at the time of conception is also imperitively important.

This is not a cookbook, it is more a cross between theory and Nina's personal journey to healthy eating. The "theory" portion lines up with the Nourishing Traditions line of thought (Nourishing Traditions is hands down my favorite cookbook, but it has a lot more than just recipes). I also appreciate the portions of Nina's life that are included, because her perspective on diet is a lot more reasonable than the stringent requirements that books heavier on theory include. In both her life and her book her motto seems to be, "do your best, don't worry about the rest."

Life has been moving slowly lately. Every day and every week seems to take longer than it has the right to, as if each moment is vying for my attention. Sometimes this is hard... Sometimes there are moments that I really would rather skip. But I've been packing a whole lotta living into each week, and that's a good thing.

In the last week I have done a lot of living, a lot of tasting of life. I've tasted loss, and am still working through the grieving process. Some days are great, other days are minute-by-minute. I've tasted the joy that God can give in the midst of suffering. I've tasted the concern a shepherd (or in this case, shepherd's wife) feels when she sees sheep headed in a potentially hazardous direction.  And I'm tasting again the prayerful vigilance kept over a saint preparing to make their final trip Home.

The last couple weeks haven't been easy... but life isn't supposed to be. They have been hour-by-hour days. Days to trust God with. Days to pray through. Days to learn from. Days to drink deeply from this sweet, beautiful, bitter, hard cup called Life.

And in the mean time, I've been counting my blessings.

97. Watching my hubby at a history exibit
98. An afternoon at home
99. Joyfilled thoughts of heaven

100. An old joke told to new people
101. An encouraging letter from a friend
102. Google!!
103. Meeting (again) a modern day heroine of the faith
104. My husband, holding me through the contractions

Elisabeth Gren (previously Elisabeth Elliot) was in town
last week. The day I lost my baby, I was able to personally thank
a woman who helped teach me how to grieve.

105. A husband who truly loves, sacrificing self.
106. A husband who seasons his speech with wisdom
107. Juicy tasty steaks on sale!
108. Tears, every one of them intimately known.
109. Shade on a summer day

Prayer

Monday when I got into work I found out that M'Lady had taken another fall just a few hours before I arrived. She's been falling more frequently the last month, but it has always been a soft thing. But this fall wasn't soft, and it has really done a number on her. She's pretty bruised up and sore.

More than the physical damage, though, I'm concerned about her will. She's been getting weaker the last few months, and the fall seems to have taken the last of her usual spunky get-up-and-go.  If she wants to pull through this there is no physical reason she can't. But she's got to have that will to live.

Please keep her family in your prayers. One of her daughters has seen this coming for longer than even I have, but I don't know that her other three children have. Her 100th birthday is in 10 days, and she has some family and friends coming from quite a distance to see her. I wouldn't keep her here if it is God's time to go, but it would be nice for them to see her one last time.

The One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven

I really think this book should be prefaced with a warning--if you DON'T want to be convicted about witnessing, don't read it!!

Mark Cahill is a wonderful communicator. This means his book is LOTS of fun to read--even if it's also painful to read. He deftly shows the reader the necessity of a Christian witnessing (it, quite simply, is non-optional for a Christfollower). He then proceeds to take all the usual excuses we give and show how they absolutely don't hold water. By the end of the book he has shown the imperitive necessity, removed any mental blocks/excuses, and armed the reader with an arsenal of ideas for ways to witness. He has chapters covering some of the most common questions that the unsaved have along with answers, and ideas for conversational lead-ins. This book is about as close as you will get to having a experienced "witnesser" hold your hand and walk you through the process. Definitely a must-read for any Christian (whether or not they are interested!! :P)

Meet Mr. Smith

This book by Eric and Leslie Ludy (mostly Eric) was NOT what I expected when I picked it up as a newlywed, but it is hands down the best book I can recommend on sex to young, unmarried folks. Eric treats the subject with delicacy, never stepping outside the realm of what would be appropriate. The book itself is written as a story about Eric himself, when he decides to try to have an interview with Great Sex or "Mr. Smith." In order to earn the rare priveledge, he must go through Mr Smith's four bodyguards--the first of which is Purity. At the end of the book, after finally earning the privileged interview, Eric, along with the reader, makes a surprising discovery.

 When I say this is good for "young folks" I do mean pretty young, I think this book is appropriate in the teen years at the point which the young person begins to experience pressure in the sexual arena (whether outside pressure from peers, or inward pressure from self). Obviously, this age will vary with each individual. This book is NOT about details, instead Eric focuses on having a Godly, Biblical perspective on the topic, particularly focusing on those in their single years.

At the end of the book Leslie has a chapter that deals with some "FAQs" that young people have on the topic. This chapter (which is outside of the story portion that takes up most of the book) is the only portion of the book that goes into detail, but Leslie does so in a godly reserved way, keeping the veil drawn over the bedroom. The book can be useful with or without this section, though if parents prefer not to have their  teens read this part they should consider answering the FAQs themselves. There is a reason the questions are "frequently asked." :-)

Calm My Anxious Heart, Linda Dillow

This book was an excellent look at the part of contentment in the lives of Christian women. Linda Dillow's way of communicating truths is readable, memorable, effective and challenging.  I found myself encouraged to take a closer look at my life to see both the positive parts where I' doing well, and also the not-so-great parts that could use improvement. I could recommend this book to any woman, whether or not she believes contentment is difficult for her. I don't know a woman that WOULDN'T benefit from a bit of encouragement in this area!!

Day by day

This post was written in the middle of last week, and scheduled to be posted today. I've decided to go ahead and post it, because despite what my husband and I learned this weekend everything I wrote here is STILL true. I'll add some further thought at the end, with this weekend in mind. 

 *~*~*~*~*

Early last week a sister of mine asked me what wonderful works God has been doing in my life. At this moment in time, I feel almost silly for giving the testimony that God has given me. Aren't testimonies supposed to be stories of something gone horribly wrong, "but God..."? Is it really a testimony if the entire thing is a list of the blessings God has given?

I hear stories of the triumphs of other Christians who endure unspeakable hardships and yet come through them rejoicing and praising God. The stories are motivating, but they have also almost given the mindset that the most important time to praise God is when bad things are happening. Of course, it IS important to give thanks even when it is hard, but that isn't the whole story. We are to give thanks for the unpleasant things, but we are ALSO to rejoice in the good things as well!

In a most recent display of his providence, the Lord provided my hubby and I with a 14lb bag of super tasty farm-fresh veggies, compliments of a lady I've only met a handful of times. The Lord's mercies truly ARE new every morning, and He provides for the most practical of our needs!!

So, without further ado, God has tremendously blessed my family. Tremendously!! It isn't that we have come into a grand monetary inheritance, but the daily provision of our needs is wonderful to see. God has graciously provided for our needs, in ways that aren't always recognized or appreciated immediately for their worth. Looking back, though, I am able to see his wisdom and love as he directs our paths day-by-day.

I had no idea when I wrote what was above how quickly God would give me the opportunity to test my words. Can I praise God when things are hard, as well as when they are good? To be very, very honest--it took me awhile. I never doubted God when I learned that He'd taken our baby home to be with Him. I never doubted that He would use it for good, and that His will was best, and that if THAT was what HE willed for US--then that is exactly what I would have chosen for myself.  

But acknowledging and submitting to God's will isn't the same as thanking him for it. My husband was able to thank God almost immediately. I remember him praying with me after we'd left the doctors office, pulled over in front of a Starbucks, grieving to hard to drive further, and he thanked God. He didn't understand--we still don't understand--but he thanked God anyway. I tried to pray along, but I knew--and God knew--that the words I mentally repeated weren't heart-true. It took God's strength to enable me to thank him for the loss of our Baby. To enable me to see that even this is a gift. 

I decided last week that it was time to continue my march to 1000 Gifts. I continued keeping up with in my journal for awhile, but it has been a long time since I added anything new either to the journal or the blog. I didn't realize when I made the decision to start counting again how much I would need this today, or how hard some of the gifts would be to count. I didn't realize that the same day I finally get around to posting the gifts related to my baby's birth announcement would be the day I start counting the hard gifts after my baby went to Jesus. 

70. Ducklings shepherded across the street
71. The ability to invent recipes (sometimes!)
72. Stuffing jalapino peppers with my man
73. The opportunity to ease my husbands burdens
74. The way my husband's eyes light up as he's telling me about his latest project.
75. Baby Dreaming while pushing a shopping cart
76. happy secret's shared
77. The look on my husbands face when I told him about baby!
78. A single rose.
79. Sharing joy with others
80. My Mother's Day Corsage
81. Paper, glue and scissors--crafts!
82. Sharing the Lord with those who don't know Him
83. SUMMER BREAK!!!!!
84. A nap in the afternoon
85. Date night at home, no interruptions
86. Hagen Daz coffee ice-cream (a gift from my man who won't touch the stuff himself)
87. Farm fresh veggies--14lbs of them as an unexpected gift!
88. The firm grip of my husband's hand around mine, as we waited in a darkend Dr's office
89. The gentle, sweet support of my Midwife as she told us what to expect... when we're not expecting anymore
90.  A husband who is loving, supportive, encouraging. I don't have words for this gift, only God knows what my husband has been to me the past three days.
91. My church. It is a house of love.
92.  The mothers at church, who in their support during this time model for me how to grieve in a Godly way--not as those who are without hope.
93. Flowers, sent by dear friends when they heard the news
94. A letter, written by a young friend
95. The chance to spend an afternoon with a dear sister
96.Sharing a Schlotzsky's Original,Dip Cones, and good conversation. :-)