Today is Earth Day, a commemoration of our global home and a reminder of our responsibility to be careful stewards of this orb. But celebrating the greatness of our unique home among the planets can take on a dangerous slant if we leave out one key element. Contemplating the grandeur of earth should remind us that we are merely "the people of His pasture" (Ps. 95:7), and we must worship "our Maker" (v.6). The creation was flung into space to point to God and His greatness, power, and majesty. He alone deserves our praise and worship (Ps. 148:5). Thank You, Lord, for such an awe-inspiring reminder to worship You! — Dave Branon
How foolish to worship the creation, when the Creator is so much greater.
Source: Our Daily Bread
This week's tip is supposed to be one our favorite tips from our archives. Mine is about measuring honey and molasses. Here it is:In keeping with the kitchen edition this week, here's my quickie little Works-For-Me-Wednesday tip. When a recipe I'm using calls for honey or molasses, I spray a little food release in the measuring spoon or measuring cup before I pour in the sticky stuff. When I pour it back out of the cup it comes out so quickly and easily it usually comes out it one big glob. No more waste and no more "slow as molasses in January" for me. It's quick, it's simple, and it Works For Me. Check out other tips at Rocks in My Dryer.
Sunday- Tuna Melts & PearsSince this is totally not an issue for me, I see no reason whatsoever to subject my child to the antibiotic. I'm not a proponant of prophylactic antibiotic use anyway so it's a pretty natural response for me to decline it.Eye ointment - If you had a sexually transmitted disease while pregnant, this can be passed to your baby and cause blindness. Rather than test for an STD before applying the ointment, they simply apply it to all infants. Silver nitrate used to be used, and it stung the baby’s eyes, sometimes causing eye problems later in life. Now it is more common to use Erythromycin, which does not sting. However, many mothers object to their babies receiving a treatment that is unnecessary, especially if they are in a monogamous relationship and know they don't have an STD, or if they have been previously tested. This can be dispensed with if you sign a waver (sic). Click Here to read the medical research studies which explain why choosing to forgoe the ointment is a reasonable decision for parents to make because the treatment does not significantly reduce infection, and many infants who receive the treatment contraction the infection anyway.
Information copied from: http://www.unhinderedliving.com/newborn.html
(This reference is not meant to imply an endorsement of the website mentioned)
My mom says she can't believe that I'm that old. Sorry, mom, but it's true, whatever that says about you. :-)Pre-born Twins Save Mom's Life by Kicking Away Tumor
by Aimee Herd : Feb 4, 2008
UK resident, Michelle Stepney and her husband Scott, were expecting twins. However, at about 17 weeks into the pregnancy, Michelle was rushed to the hospital with what they suspected was a miscarriage. What it turned out to be shocked them.
Doctors at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London told the couple that Michelle had actually had cervical cancer, but that the twins' kicking feet had dislodged the tumor! The bad news came as the Stepneys' physicians urged Michelle to begin immediate chemotherapy treatments, and undergo a hysterectomy—which would terminate the lives of her two unborn daughters.
"If I hadn't been pregnant with the twins, the cancer may not have been discovered until it was too late," Mrs. Stepney explained. "I knew I could have an operation straight away and it would cure me of the cancer, but that would mean getting rid of my babies and I couldn't do that."
Read the rest here.
Hi all.
I just wanted to share something the Lord showed me a while back when I was grieving over miscarriages. (I have had 9 pg's, 4 miscarried, 5 births... last week I had a positive hpt but when I repeated the test on Monday it was negative, so I think this 10th pg may alsomiscarry. I also have 2 darling adopted sons and 1 darling stepson, so 8 children here with me.) Anyway, Hosea 9:11 reads:
"As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird-
No birth, no pregnancy, and no conception!"
This was God's judgement on them. What struck me was not the thought that God is judging me, rather the opposite. In God's eyes, yes, birth is a blessing, but so is pregnancy and so is conception. This means that even though I don't carry a baby to term, God sees my conceiving as His blessing me!! This was a revelation.
I see now that God has been sooo good to me. For every child he has allowed me to birth on earth, he has given me another one in heaven. In the time I've had, i could not have conceived AND given birth to 10 children. But in between my full term pg's, he has seen fit to BLESS me with shorter pregnancies. For each of those I give glory and thanks to him.
MicklynSource: Quiverfull Digest #3455
Thanks for all the congratulations! I feel sick as a dog but I'm trying to remember to be thankful for that. The only pregnancy I've had where I didn't feel so bad was the one I miscarried. That tends to make me think that sick=good. However, being nauseated is the thing I hate the most. I feel so discouraged and I lack motivation when I feel this way. I just want to be unconscious or totally absorbed in a book or reading SOMETHING online. Obviously that doesn't fit in very well in a homeschooling home with kids ages 2-11. So I have to find my way though this. Actually, I know that I don't have to find my way, I just have to follow the One Who already has the way mapped out for me."My Lord knows the way through the wilderness,
All I have to do is follow, strength for today is mine always
And all that I need for tomorrow.
My Lord knows the way through the wilderness
All I have to do is follow."
~Sidney E. Cox
"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He [a]prunes it so that it may bear more fruit." John 15:2
Christ says "Give me All. I don't want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want You. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don't want to cut off a branch here and a branch there, I want to have the whole tree down. I don't want to drill the tooth, or crown it, or stop it, but to have it out. Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked-the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you
Myself: my own will shall become yours."C.S. Lewis - Mere Christianity
Well, that's probably enough to give you a really good idea what we've been up to this last week! Micah had lots of visitors, bearing flowers, candy, toys, and comic books. He didn't eat the candy until he was at home because even after they lifted the "clear fluids" diet he wasn't interested in eating. Popsicles, though, that was different. The first time they got him up walking was very unpleasant for him. He turned a dusky green and got really hot, sweaty, and nauseated and almost passed out. Each ambulation, though, was easier than the previous one. He rarely took pain meds after the first 12 hours or so, he got up and walked when they told him to (even though he would have preferred not to). He was a real trouper.
Jim stayed off work and on the home front keeping it together and I never left the hospital until I took Micah home Wednesday afternoon. I was very glad to get a shower and clean clothes!
