But By The Grace Of God...

Most times, I would prefer to stay in my own little world, my own bubble, and just ignore what's going on around me.  I have enough to keep me busy, with our new baby, toddlerhood, homeschooling, chickens...  You get the idea.  It is so EASY for me to stay here, be busy at home, and not venture out.  My dear hubby does a lot of the grocery shopping for me, so it's really easy.

There is definately a season for staying home more often.  New babies, harvest or planting time, sickness, weather are all good reasons to hunker down and focus more on the home life.

When I do venture out, I find God is drawing me out of my shell and showing me the world out there.  I must confess, I would like to squeeze my eyes shut and retain my peace.  It's kind of like when those uncomfortable commercials come on with pictures of starving children on them.  I'd like to just flip the channel and pretend that starvation is not a reality in this fallen world.

BUT, Jesus lived a compassionate life amongst the hurting people.  He loved them and comforted them and brought healing in their midst.  As a Christ follower, I am called to do the same.  I have had a tendency in the past to go "amongst" them and judge them for the position they are in or be so busy that I completely ignore the stranger in the check out line.  We are called to "entertain strangers" because we may be entertaining an angel unaware.  The Lord has been changing my proud heart and teaching me to love.  We live in a small town and we are a larger than normal family.  We are known in Walmart, Neimans, farmers market, etc.  I want those people.  The check out ladies in Walmart to KNOW that Jesus loves them.  It has taken the Lord to show me how important it is to smile, to talk to people, to get to know them a little bit.  Then watch Him work.  Hurting people are every where.  The desperation and pain I see in their eyes and hear in their stories renders me speechless.

Daniel and I were in Walmart the other night.  We were on a date with just Elijah.  As we were checking out, one of the check out girls came up to take over.  I was wondering how her baby was doing, but didn't say anything.  She said something about it being the 5 month anniversary of something, I couldn't hear.  Daniel asked her if her baby was going to be 5 months old.  No, it was the 5 month anniversary of her baby dieing of SIDS the next day.  Mouth drops open.  Tears form.  Oh my gosh, I am so sorry.  We saw her every week.  And had no idea.  Maybe I judged her for her uncombed hair or her general apathy.  Maybe I didn't go in her lane on purpose because she made me uncomfortable.  God is teaching me to love.

And then, we have the extreme weather, hurricanes, massive tornado outbreaks, floods and droughts assaulting the earth.  I read a story today of a mother who decided to try and ride out the storm this past week.  A foolish decision, certainly, but maybe she really had no choice.  I don't know.  Her house started to flood.  She packed her 2 and 4 year old in her SUV to try to outrun Sandy.  Her babies were ripped from her arms.  She frantically ran from deserted house to deserted house to get help, to no avail.  She spent the night on a porch of an abandoned home riding out the storm.  I cannot even imagine the pain of this mother.  And the comments I read after the story were OUTRAGEOUS!  We all have our opinions and our ways to place blame and maybe they are even true, BUT let's have some compassion.  Let's weep with those who weep and pray for these people.
As we were reading Ezekial the other morning.  (I am being obedient and reading this book of the Bible.  I KNOW that all of God's Word is inspired, but I struggle with some of these books!)
I read this...
Ezekial 9:4-6
And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.  And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite; let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:  Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary.  Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.

As we see and hear the abominations that are going on in our towns, our states, our countries...  What is our response?  I am praying that my response will be one of love & compassion & heart wrenching & weeping for the people around me.  God cares immensely about our hearts response to abortion, homosexuality, drug addicted people, the people displaced by Sandy, the people you come in contact with, the people I come in contact with...  Only by the grace of God, I am saved and the Lord has decided that today, my home is going to stand.  Today, my children are going to live and thrive and be healthy.  Today, God is living in our home.  Today, we are imperfect, flawed and yet, still forgiven and loved.  Only by the grace of God!

May we have the heart of Jesus and cry out, "Father, forgive them!  They just do not know what they are doing!" 

It's important to notice in Ezekial, that the judgement started at the church...

In His Grip,
Laura

In The Waiting...

Joyful Mama!

Expectant big sister!

It seems like only yesterday, but alas...  Elijah is a month old already.  It seems like just yesterday, we were busying ourselves with gardens & chickens, trying to keep our mind (well, my mind anyways) on the simple realization that at any moment I was going to go into labor.  We experienced an amazing pregnancy.  I had back pain for a total of 3 days my whole pregnancy.  Blue Bonnett Liquid Cal Mag solved the leg cramping, screaming, jumping out of bed in the middle of the night problem.  I kept active and limber by weeding and planting our garden.  (The kids helped a ton!!!)  At my doctor's appointment when I was 39 weeks pregnant and it was 95 degrees out, I was as happy as a clam and all smiles.  I LOVE being pregnant!  And I LOVED this pregnancy.  On my due date, I was sure I was going to the hospital.  Instead, our well pump quit working.  "Well, I can't go into labor if I can't take a shower," I told myself indignantly.  Night would come and I prayed that I'd wait til morning.  "I'm just too tired!", I'd tell my Lord.  Days crept on.  The heat wave crept on.  I thanked the Lord for our air conditioner and for my hard working husband who set up a watering system so that our garden wouldn't die for lack of rain.  Friends called or emailed.  I started telling people immediately when I called them, that no, I was not in labor and yes, I was fine.  But I was growing restless.  I was enjoying getting the last minute things done, but I was ready to hold my baby in my arms.  D and I got so restless, that we finally prayed and said, "Yes, Lord, we can go into labor in the middle of the night."  Isn't it funny how in our prayers, we can say Lord, right before we direct GOD how to handle our situation.  Kind of an oxymoron. 

Daddy & his boy...  Kind of look alike, aye?

The day finally came when I awoke and I hoped that the contractions were real.  We went to our scheduled appointment.  Yup, we're on our way to the hospital.  This is my 8th baby.  We're in a hurry to get to the hospital these days.  God has His own way of doing things.  We didn't need to be in a hurry to get to the hospital.  I felt like a watched pot.  The nurse was a sweet heart.  We were all just expecting a little quicker labor.  But, God has His own way of doing things and this time around, He wanted me to relax and wait on Him.  I wish I could have seen the lesson while I was in the middle of it, but life is rarely that way.  Hind sight is 20/20 most times.  By the time labor was intense, I was just tired and hungry.  (no food during labor...  stupidest hospital policy EVER)  I'd been in the hospital for 10 hours and I wanted to be done.  I gave up.  I looked at my dear husband and cried.  "I am tired.  I am starving.  I can't do this.  I want drugs!"  Now, in the midst of the pain and exhaustion, I looked to my husband to sympathize and take it away.  Instead, he responded quite differently.  He reminded me how close we were to holding our baby.  He asked me to wait 8 minutes before getting drugs.  He recognized the signs of transition.  He took action and notified the nurse who called the doctor.  AND a short time later, at 11:37 p.m. on July 3rd, I was holding our newest blessing, Elijah John Czeslaw. 

Elijah at the beach!

When my strength had run out, when my eyes were fixed on my pain, when I could not think clearly, my husband came to my rescue.  He gave me his courage.  He gave me his strength.  He pointed me to the blessing that God had for us at the end of the road.  He was and is my hero.

Looking back, I am amazed at God's great mercy and grace on me.  God kept me strong during my pregnancy.  He protected this baby and knit him together, one cell at a time.  He allowed me to see and learn through this pregnancy and labor His great love for me and also that He really does know best, that He's got it all under control.  I can tell Him what I want, but I really can trust His will for me.  He just loves me that much. 

My new favorite verse is

Mark 5:36  Be not afraid.  Only Believe. 

Jesus said this right before he raise Jairus' daughter from the dead. 
How much of our lives can we apply that scripture to???
Every day.  All day.  In every situation.

Be blessed!
Daniel & Laura

I'm in LOVE!

Lessons In Our Home

Our older girls, Kathryn & Rosalie, learned something today. I pray that God will forever etch this into their memories as they interact throughout their lives. I have been trying to explain this to them for mmmmm..... ever...
Just this morning, in fact, Lukasz was cryeaming (crying & screaming all at once). I walked out of the bathroom & Kathryn had him on her lap trying to console him. As the story unfolded, Gabe & Luke were fighting. Lukasz got punched (thanks to The New Karate Kid). But in Lukasz's own words, "Gabriel didn't punch me that hard, Mama." The lesson there is, Gabriel: Don't hit unless you are defending your life. Lukasz: Don't throw a fit to try to get your brother in trouble. Kathryn: Do NOT coddle him.

Later this afternoon, I laid Izabella down for a nap. She goes to sleep on her own, sometimes crying for about 5 minutes. After 15 minutes, I got up to see what the problem was to find little Bella with a bubble coming out of her nose. I picked her up to wipe her face. As I walked out of the room, her older sisters were right there. They exclaimed, "Oh, Bella, what's wrong?", in their most dramatic, caring, pitiful tone possible. Bella's lip started to quiver, then she started to wail. "What's wrong with her, Mama?" "Change your face. I'll bet she stops." They smiled at her & talked cheerfully to her & her countenance changed immediately to happy & excited. Like the flip of a switch. Instant change.
It is so important that we not have pity for our little ones, even when they truly are hurt.

Compassion, yes. Pity, no.

Do we want our children to grow up to be vicims or victors? Encouragers or the one who always needs encouragement? Do we want them to always be sick because that's how they've always gotten attention.
We have saying in our house.

"We do not have any poor babies!!!"
They are warriors & princesses!
Mighty & noble men & women of God!

I was laughing as I took this picture... Gabe fell into the pond! :)

Another lesson we've been learning... Beware of feelings. What I mean is, just because we feel this way, doesn't mean we can act a certain way or treat others poorly because "we feel like it." Kathryn is 14. Enough said. She's emotional & dramatic. She always has been. Now, it's in hyperdrive. So, we sat down and talked about it. I know those feelings. But just because I am "pregnant, nursing, have PMS, the house is dirty, I'm worried about money, somebody hurt my "stinking feelings", "... and on and on the excuses go for why I am angry, anxious, depressed... Just because... I don't have the right to trample all over my family because of how I feel.

Be joyful... Be thankful... Be submissive... Be gentle...
Be meek... Be fruitful... Be patient... Be kind... Be bold...
Do everything without complaining or arguing...

So, Kathryn and I sat down and talked about it and we agreed to submit our feelings to the Lord together and pray for strength to act "right" even when we don't feel "right".

I am also learning to really utilize this time with Izabella to train her with good habits. I spend so much time with her right now, feeding her, diapering her, rocking her... What a perfect opportunity to train!

The best training occurs before your child turns 1 year old. Michael Pearl

Some habits we are training her in right now...

1. Do not touch your bowl. I place her bowl right in front of her on the tray & she rarely touches it.
2. Do not grab my glasses.
3. Do not bite. (Essential for nursing mamas!)
4. You may play only on the rug. We do not want her wandering over to the wood stove & getting hurt.
5. Going to sleep on her own.
6. Going potty on the potty.

Now, I know this one seems rather odd, but I am going to explain... I have read about infants being potty trained. I thought it to be weird, stupid even. I had NO desire to even attempt this, at all, with any of our children. Well, when Izabella started eating solid foods, she became painfully constipated. One morning, as she was screaming, I put her on the potty, just to see if that position would help her to go. It worked well! I put her on after lunch & dinner, just so that she would continue to go well, while the carrots got out of her system. The next day, I decided to put her on after breakfast, lunch & dinner. What the heck... I change her diaper then anyways. And we've been going ever since. It literally took no more than 2 days to get her used to going on the potty. Now, she is much more comfortable to go on the potty than in her diaper. Once we have some cloth diapers, I will try to "pee pee" train her, as well. This is not something that I stressed out about or get frustrated with if we are out & about & she goes in her diaper. It's just a lot easier for her & I this way. Daddy is very proud!
Anya is finally potty trained, after 6 months of sporadic effort on her & my part. Anya was just trained to go in her diaper. She was more comfortable going & hiding in her room than in the bathroom.
2 days versus 6 months... hmmm....

I am amazed at how much we learn around our house from the kids. Maybe the greatest blessing of being a homeschool family is all that Mama & Daddy learn from the children. :)

In His Grip,
Laura