To You

Dearest Friends,

You ladies bless my socks off!
Your kind, gentle, encouraging words breath life into my spirit and refresh me for the
upcoming work ahead.  Thank you for praying for me, and for taking the time to
comment!  To read each one is like opening a package - I kind of savor the sweetness :-)

It's official this week, baby can come and be exactly on time!
According to history I would expect he or she to appear from several days early to
one day late.  According to reality, this labor isn't obligated to take note of prior patterns.
As for me, there has been a change in the last few days.  Baby is lower and scrapes bottom
(if you know what I mean), more Braxton Hicks contractions, I'm moving slower over all,
and then the occasional "I can't do this" cry overtakes me at night in anticipation.
Yup.  It's time.

The verse that has implanted itself on my heart this time is 1 John 4:18

"...but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment..."

Boy do I know this truth!  I know that fear causes torment, and I can do nothing
about the future or the unknown that lies ahead.  I can only take one moment at
a time as it arrives.
I know that God is Love.  HE is the one who drives out fear, and for me he
has been doing just that.  Every time I get an inkling to be anxious about upcoming
labor (which, no matter how great my experiences have been, childbirth hurts
and I remember it well.) I'm choosing to give my fears to the One Perfect Love.
He has been faithful, and I'm counting on Him to be my strength in the very
moments I need Him.


In other news, I really should blog a pile of pictures from our daily goings-on
here.  The children have been enjoying the new birds, and creating some really neat
things in the wood shop, and drawing up a storm!  Perhaps that is the next post.
Grandma's would appreciate that probably :-)

Snow again this afternoon, after a day in the 70's yesterday luring me out in my
bare feet.  I like the gray for hunkering down in my cozy bedroom.  This is where
I've been doing much of our school reading together, and this afternoon I've
hibernated here while dishing out instructions to Zachary on how to make salsa
for dinner, and giving instructions to Susanna for washing the lettuce and grating
the cheese.
I broke open the name book for the first time ever - just reevaluating names for
this baby - and spent some time with hot cocoa and books and inspiration for
new artwork I want to start in on.
It was a lovely afternoon.  Now time to check messes and tidy up before dad
gets home.  To rally the troops and wrap up loose ends.  To close up the lap top
and live the evening :-)

Thanks again friends - each dear one - for reaching out to me.
I am blessed.