Thursday, July 31, 2008

Closing the Library

I love to learn. If I have a question about something I go to the internet or a book immediately to find the answer and I don't stop at one person's answer, I look up multiple sources on the subject. The main reason Ph.D work is still tempting for me is because of all of the research I will be able to do for a dissertation. I took a test at a previous job regarding personality and strengths (or something like that) and the clearest response for my personality is that I enjoy learning new things and doing the research for the topic.

So, having a new baby has allowed me plenty of new topics to learn about! You see, I had no clue about what to do with a baby so I read all through my pregnancy and have tried to read a lot whenever a new issue with him arises. I am sure that my husband, mom and anyone else I talk to are so sick of hearing "well I read this and they said..."


But, I am learning more and more that I need to just stop reading all of that stuff and stick with the mommy gut. No, not the gut left over from pregnancy but that voice inside that says "he is your little boy and you have been with him for the past almost 4 months, not that researcher." So, I am shelving some of those books so to speak. Sure, I'll keep reading just because I like learning but I am not going to base who I am as a mother on what they say.


The way I see it, women have been mothers since Eve had Cain and Abel. She didn't have books to read or a website to search. Sure, some may say she didn't do so well seeing as how one son killed the other but that is another story :). The point is, God made me to be my son's mother and no one else so I have to know that God will give me the wisdom to know how to care for him. Remind me of that the next time I quote a message board.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Wake up, I'm pregnant!

I woke up my husband from Sunday afternoon nap with that statement on this date, one year ago today. It is pretty incredible that I have been a mama for a year now. My world changed on July 29, 2007 and I am so grateful for the amazing blessing God has given us.

On another note, had I known how precious those Sunday afternoon naps would become I would have let him sleep a little longer!

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Baby Dedication

Today was a really special morning. We had our son dedicated at church along with our friends and their little boys. It is our understanding in Scripture that the dedication of an infant is not for their salvation. That is a decision that I pray he will mcaake one day and until he is able to understand his need for salvation, he is under God’s protection. Instead, it was a ceremony of commitment. It was a public commitment from my husband and me to raise our son under the leadership of God. It is also a time for our church family to commit to join with us in praying for our son and supporting us as we strive to be Godly parents. A special moment in the service came when our church family surrounded us as we were prayed for.

Being a mother is the most important job I will ever have. It is the hardest job and, at the same time, the most rewarding one. Just the responsibility of making sure he is physically cared for, developing well and happy is full time and tiring work. But I am not called to just meeting those needs. The most important part of my job as a mama is to lead my little boy to know God.

How do I do this? Of course I have the task of teaching him. I will read to him from the Bible, sing songs about God and teach him that the trees he loves to look at were created by God. I will tell him how much God loves him and teach him that he can talk to God and that God wants a relationship with him. All of those messages will mean very little though if my life does not reflect what I teach. My son will watch everything that I do and it is my prayer that my life reflects the Lord in such a way that my son will want to know God more. He needs to see the joy that comes only from the Lord, not from the world. He doesn’t need to hear from me “don’t worry” as much as he needs to see me trust God in difficult situations. He needs to see me confidently obeying God, even when it is different than what others do so that when he has to resist peer pressure he will have seen my example. He needs to see me reading my Bible and praying on my own so that he will learn the priority of having a personal and growing relationship with God. It is not the responsibility of the church to teach my child about God, it is my husband’s and mine. The church will continue the teaching that we do and provide support and encouragement.

The Israelites were given a clear command in how to raise their children.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:5-9
What stands out to me in this passage the most is that the teaching of the children is not a formal structure such as a daily family devotional time. While that is a great practice, parents are commanded to teach their children at all times, in all activities. A parent cannot do that if they themselves do not have a growing relationship with God that is reflected in their daily activities.

What a high calling…I know that I personally am not able to do that. I pray that God will use me, in spite of me. I pray that He will equip me in every way necessary to be the parent that my son needs. I pray that I will constantly seek God in order to live a life that glorifies him and that my son will see the Lord in me. And most of all, I pray that my son comes to know the Lord as his savior and is fully sold out to honoring Him.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Back to the Blog World

I have slacked off in my blogging- I guess a baby changes how I spend my time :). I'm going to try to start posting regularly again. I just need to start thinking of topics now!