Comments for Beautiful Work

Comment on Remembering… by Claudia Zamora

Claudia Zamora — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 01:38:10 +0000

It is such a blessing to hear miracles stories like this. My mother went through the same situation 12 years ago, she was 45 years old.
Doctors told her she had great probability of the baby having Down Syndrome, due to the blood work and ultrasound markers. Doctors insisted through the whole pregnancy that the best thing to do for a women her age was to abort. My mother is a women of great faith. She declined any further testing. She put her self into God’s hands and continued with the pregnancy.
My little sister was born Nov. 1997 a healthy 7lb baby.

Now I am going through the same thing. At my 20 week level II ultrasound, I was told that my baby has an absent nasal bone. Which is a strong marker for Down Syndrome. No other markers were found. We declined any further testing. As we truly believe that God has a plan. I will be very honest, it has been very hard. I cry a lot. I am scared. My mom’s words and unconditional love has helped me tremendously. Sometimes I feel calm, and ready to received what the Lord has chosen for me, other times I feel so sad. But deep in my heart I know everything will be okay. The lord will give us the strength. I am 37 weeks pregnant, a few more weeks before my c-section. May the lord give peace to all the women who are going through the same situations.

Comment on Valentines Day! by becky johnson

becky johnson — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:44:00 +0000

You’ve got me thinking about this in a timely way. Thanks for the gentle push that gives me incentive. I think I need to invest some time praying about it.

Comment on Valentines Day! by Debbie Peabody

Debbie Peabody — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:26:10 +0000

I agree Grethcen we have to not be caught up in the hearts, chocolates and flowers promoted at Valentines but need to find ways to express love to them as individuals. When we had little kids and no money for sitters i would feed and put them to bed (or as a bit older in their rooms with some toys they only got at special occasions) and fix a candle light dinner for two. Joel’s love language is physical touch and just having time where I am fully engaged and close to him meant alot. As kids got into teens with homeschooling etc seemed no privacy for couple conversations until so late you are too tired to do it justice. We would use youth group nights for date nights and often celebrated Valentines or just couple time while kids were at Winter camp over Presidents day weekend. We would only schedule things for that weekend we wanted to do as a couple and made it like a get away at home. We might go to a local tourist attraction, cross country ski and then come home and warm up with cocoa etc. Basically act like on a vacation and go do something you’ve been talking about doing but never seem to have the time. One Valentines when kids were both at home and in college I made a special dinner with a new gourmet dessert recipe that included Joel’s favorite – dark chocolate. I set our bistro table up with tablecloth, china and goblets in front of the fireplace in the living room. I had fire lit, candles burning, soft music playing and dressed up in a dress he especially liked when he got home.
Joel flies home 4:30pm after being away a week on business trip. He has had meetings and ate out with managers every evening and I know the last thing he wants to do when he gets home is go out for dinner. While I have been home and i will not go eat out except drivethru when i am by myself, I would enjoy a dinner out and he would out of love take me out. Marriage is best when like in all of Christian life we die to seld and put the others needs ahead of our own. Instead I’m making his favorite Italian dinner and gonna have table set with cloth, china and goblets and have it to a point it will take minimal time to get it on the table. We will be to gether and have a relaxing night at home. Tomorrow he desires we spend the day working on yard projects together – he really likes me with him -again physical touch and closeness is his love language, and since my top one is quality time I can easily do that. It means today I am making up frozen strawberry yogurt pies and chicken enchiladas for guests after church Sunday, catching up laundry and making sure house is company clean so have time free on Saturday.
As far as this Valentines i need to start thinking that one out….

Comment on Worry and Anxiety by Jane

Jane — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:15:43 +0000

Gretchen,
Thank you so much for sharing your heart. I didn’t know your husband was there and I will be praying for his protection. I think this is a very real issue that wives face–the protection of their husbands as they fight for their family on a regular basis, no matter what work they do. Our husbands need us to be their prayer warriors whether they are in distinct danger like Lukas is or they are just up against spiritual warfare. You are an encouragement to me as you share your heart about your husband and family. May God give you peace as you lift your cares to Him and as your heart is stayed on Him. Surely Faith is more than something we can see or grasp–and sometimes that is the hardest part!
I’ll be praying for your protection as well as you are home with sick children and apart from your husband. Keep us updated!

Jane

Comment on Worry and Anxiety by Debbie Peabody

Debbie Peabody — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:16:51 +0000

Grethchen,
Just want to let you know Joel and I have been praying for Lukas and the team and all the aid workers in Haiti for God to protect them and sustain them and to give them many opportunities to share Christ’s love in this time of devastating need. I am really praying for you, since as women, we tend to easily fall in the areas of worry and fear and you have very legitimate concerns. I am praying that you will experience that peace that passes all understanding as Christ guards and keeps your mind (phil 4:6-8) that you will have His perfect peace as you keep your mind focused on God (Is 26:3) and that God will enable you to take those thought captives(2 Cor 10:4-5) – all the “what-ifs” and scenarios satan likes to whisper in our ears. I rmember when Joel was in USAF training calling me to tell how the guy in front of him died instantly from a coral snake bite or the time he was on a business trip and called to tell me he never had been so scared flying because a tornado on the end of the landing strip in Denver. It was really easy to let my mind travel to all the worse-case scenarios and dwell in fear OR I could choose to take those thoughts captive moment by moment as they came.
Thank you Gretchen for being willing to let your husband serve in this way and for being real and vulnerable to us. It is a restimony and a blessing.
Keep us posted so we can know how to pray.
Love & Prayers,
Debbie

Comment on It is all in my head! by Erin

Erin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 05:04:21 +0000

Thanks for the reminder, Gretch! The scripture we chose for our wedding was Phillipians 4:8-9 “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me-everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”

I have keep coming back to these verses when it comes to my thoughts about and towards my husband! I really do experience God’s peace much more when I think about what is true vs what I’m assuming (and it’s usually not pretty :). And when this feels SO hard, read Phil 4:13! :)

Comment on Finishing the Road Trip series: Long Trip with Toddlers by Erin

Erin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 04:20:15 +0000

Oooohhh…earplugs…GENIUS!!! We have been on many a car trip with a SCREAMING baby/toddler! Usually, Sean is driving (and the screaming REALLY gets to him!) saying to me, “do something!!!” while I am twisted up in my seat trying desperately to soothe said child. We finally discovered the method that works better for us is to have me drive (gives me something useful to do) while Sean puts on his special noise-canceling headphones and listens to sermons or whatever to keep his mind occupied. :) Fun times!

Comment on A Sustainable Model for Birthdays by Erin

Erin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:00:01 +0000

I love reading about all of your special birthday ideas! Our three kids’ birthdays are all within a month of each other, so we have one big party that includes family and friends’ families. It’s a great time of year to be outside, so we grill a TON of hotdogs and just enjoy the good company and weather. For cakes, we get the cupcakes at Costco and decorate one special for each kid. We tend to open gifts after guests leave, or at the end of the party, but that’s changing as our kids (and friends’ kids) get older and like to see each other open the gifts. I have to admit, each year it gets a littler bigger as our family makes new friends, but we LOVE a big celebration with all of our closest friends, family, and neighbors, so this gives us a good reason! :)

Comment on Thanksgiving by katie

katie — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:49:01 +0000

wow, that’s funny…but I think the garbage cans in our neighborhood bear the proof of the strength of squirrel teeth….

Comment on Pictures from Fall by Molly Piper

Molly Piper — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:25:20 +0000

oh.my.word. that pic of Byron is so stinkin’ funny!!!