Today We Are Celebrating!

Today in our home we are celebrating something special - the birth of the man who God has given to us as a husband and daddy! 

Mark is one of the most amazing men I have ever had the privilege of knowing, and I feel so blessed to be his wife.  He has integrity, passion, and loyalty.  He is an incredible daddy, who adores his children and really enjoys developing deep relationships with each one of them.  He is a devoted husband, who really tries hard to understand and honor me.  He takes care of my needs, placing them above his own.

I love him dearly and passionately, and I just wanted everyone to know that. 

~ Judy

When the Blues Come Knocking

I struggle with depression. I used to think that it was something that I'd eventually master it, and never struggle anymore, but since then I've realized that's probably not going to be the case. I have a strong family history of depression, and I'm married to someone who struggles with it as well. I used to think it was mostly due to living somewhere that I rarely saw the sun, but now a rarely see clouds and I can still feel it trying to sneak itself in. I used to think that if I just hit a certain point in my walk with the Lord, I'd conquer it, but I'm stronger now than I've ever been and it's still knocking on my door.

I used to be embarrassed to admit to this struggle of mine. Didn't it illuminate some major weakness of mine? Can I really be fit to raise children when I struggle with this? Or to serve HaShem? Can He really use me?  But since then I've realized that just like other things that people struggle with, this is something that the Lord can use to His glory, if I let him.

It's been four months since we moved here to Idaho, and I'm starting to experience the "blues" again. I'm not sure of the cause - maybe homesickness, maybe burnout, maybe loneliness, maybe it's diet-related. Maybe it's not really any of that. I don't know if it really matters.

But I do have a major advantage over the last time I was struggling with depression - a much stronger relationship with my Creator, who is the only one who knows the answer to that question. He knows why this is a struggle of mine and how I can beat it. And He is the source of life - not just physical life, but emotional life as well!

So this morning, I am going to place this struggle into the hands that made me.

"Trust in him at all times, O people, pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us."  ~ Psalm 62:8

And instead of placing my focus on this challenge of mine, I'm going to choose to place my focus back on God's word.

"The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul."  ~ Psalm 19:7

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."  ~ Psalm 19:14

I am so thankful that I serve a Maker who loves me and has a plan for me! So for today, I will rejoice in Him and His truth. May He sustain me.

On the Doorposts

Yesterday morning, our family put up our mezuzah. We have had a mezuzah on our front door for several years now, and while I'm used to seeing it, it's impact on me has never faded.

The mezuzah is a small, thin case that holds a tiny scroll of scripture with two passages written on it - Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21. These passages contain the Shema and the verses giving the command for writing/affixing God's Word to our doorposts.

Although we are not Jewish, we chose to keep this commandment out of love for the Lord and respect for His Word. It functions, not as some kind of "amulet", but as a constant reminder of the role of God's Word in our home and lives. When we enter our home, we see the mezuzah, and remember that God reigns in our home and that His Word is above all. We often touch the mezuzah and bring our fingers to our lips, worshipping not the object, but the Creator whose holy Words are written within.
 

Whether or not you choose to affix a mezuzah to your doorposts, I challenge you to find a way to bring honor and attention to the authority of God's Word in your home.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

-Matthew 7:24-27

May we be those who build our homes on the solid foundation of God's Word!

- Judy

Attachment Parenting... and the Bible, Part 1

Today I am going to start an 8-part series on attachment parenting and the Bible. I haven't directly referenced attachment parenting on this blog before now, partly because I don't want it to be the focus of this blog, and partly because I don't like labeling myself as one "type" of parent.  But, nonetheless, attachment-style parenting is really important to me. It has laid a strong loving and godly foundation for our family.

"Wait, godly?" You might be wondering about that claim. Attachment parenting has a reputation for being humanistic and indulgent, not at all things that the Bible supports. But while AP can be applied that way, it isn't that by nature. In fact, the "founder" of attachment parenting, Dr. William Sears, is a Christian father of 8. His books established AP as a legitimate, fact-based parenting method and offered parents some practical ideas for what that meant.  Since then, much more research and many more books have been written about the subject, and an international organization, Attachment Parenting International, has been formed.

In this series, I am going to go through each of Attachment Parenting International's 8 Principles of Parenting and present some biblical support for each, as well as share some of our story. I hope this is a blessing to you!

Principle #1: Prepare for Pregnancy, Birth, and Parenting

"Become emotionally and physically prepared for pregnancy and birth. Research available options for healthcare providers and birthing environments, and become informed about routine newborn care. Continuously educate yourself about developmental stages of childhood, setting realistic expectations and remaining flexible."

There is so much wisdom in this principle. Scripture has a lot to say about gaining understanding, in fact, most of the book of Proverbs is dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge.

"Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance."
                                    - Proverbs 1:5

I believe that an important part of being a good steward is educating yourself about what you are stewarding. Remember the parable of the talents? The man who was praised for making more money with his talent needed to first know how to best invest that talent in order for that to happen. We are entrusted with something far more valuable than money - we are entrusted with life! How much more, then, should we study and learn!

God has given us 9 months to prepare for our new babies, and I would challenge you to make the most of that time. Learn about birth options. Learn about infant development. Learn about breastfeeding. And discuss things with your spouse too - learning together is a great way to strengthen your relationship!

For me, this part has always been pretty easy. I'm already a bookworm, and I love learning about babies! But it has been so beneficial for me, especially in the areas of natural birth and infant development. We decided to have unmedicated home births after reading about the dangers and ramifications of managed, hospital births. Learning all we could gave us peace of mind and faith in the body that God has given me.  And learning about infant and child development has helped us to have realistic expectations of what our children are capable of and how their brains best develop.

When studying these things, especially development, you will probably come across books written from a secular worldview.  One of my favorite books is called "The Science of Parenting", and is written from an evolutionary viewpoint.  From what I've seen, sometimes Christians write off these kind of books as non-relevant because they come from a different worldview.  But while we do have to read with more caution, there is usually a huge depth of information in those books - just without the knowledge of God.  Part of being mature as believers means being able to sift through these materials and gain valuable knowledge while skipping over the stuff that doesn't fit your worldview.


I hope that you found this post to be thought-provoking and interesting!  Stay tuned for Part 2: Feed With Love & Respect!

~ Judy

*For a practical list of things to prepare for and read about when getting ready for a baby, please click here: API Principle #1.