For anyone who may not know, I had Triplets on 4/3/08. I was sent by helicoptor from NW Arkansas to UAMS in Little Rock, AR on 3/18/08 where I was on strict hospital bed rest until I had the babies. My husband and I were blessed to have such healthy babies for being delivered as early as they were (30 1/2 weeks). At UAMS there are 3 nurseries...Critical Care CCN(for babies with the most severe issues, Intesive Care Nursery ICN (for babies who have some issues but not as severe), then the Special Care Nursery SCN (for babies who are pretty much healthy and good to go). Our babies ended up in the ICN, which meant they were doing pretty good.
Trinity was pretty much as healthy as can be. Gabriel had some breathing issues and was incubated (on a ventilator) for about 2 days, then he was fine. Asher had the most complications. His lungs colapsed twice, he was incubated for a little over a week. At one point they put him on a high speed ventilator which was very difficult to see. He also had to have a chest tube to get rid of fluid in his lungs.
While I was in Little Rock with our babies, I went to the hospital gift store. While I was checking out I found a silver bracelet at the counter next to the register. It read...
"I will hold you always in the palm of my hand." Isaiah 41:13
Of course I just had to buy it. I thought, "how perfect is this" truly a God thing that I found this bracelet. This verse became such an encouragement and also became our family life verse.
No matter how hard it was sometimes to walk into the ICN and see Asher lying their motionless (due to sedation since he was ventilated) with his chest pumping a hundred breaths a minute, I would recite this verse in my mind and would also tell it to each on of our babies. I knew that no matter what happened, that God was holding each one of my babies, not to metion my husband and I in the palm of HIS hands. What better place to be than in the hands of THE Father.
God gave us incredible strength and we looked at each thing and person in our lives as a blessing. We could have looked at all the negatives around us, we could have lost hope, but we knew that our God is strong enough to do anything. Even now, I had to quit my job, which has left my husband as the main provider and looking for a higher paying job. We could sit here and stress over finances until the cows come home, but instead we decide to remember that we serve a God of more than enough. A God of promise and a God who provides. And thus far He has kept His promises.
Jer. 17:7-8 says "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in HIM. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
I thank God that he has held my family in the palm of HIS hand. I thank Him for the strength that he has given each of us. I believe that everything happens for a reason. Our family is stronger for all that God has allowed us to go through. Each day is a blessing.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Sweet Child
Children have a special place in God’s heart and anyone who harms a child is inviting God’s wrath upon Him. Jesus welcomed little children to His side and said that the kingdom of God belongs to “such as these” (Mark 10:14).
Jesus had harsh words for anyone who would cause a child to stumble, “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”(Matthew 18:6)
The Bible tells parents to be gentle and loving with their children.
Ephesians 6:4 says..."Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
Definition of "exasperate" - 1.to irritate or provoke to a high degree; annoy extremely. 2.Archaic. to increase the intensity or violence
Synonyms 1. incense, anger, vex, inflame, infuriate.
Colossians 3:21 says..."Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
There are examples of physical discipline in the Bible - (Proverbs 13:24, 22:15, 20:30) But, we must remember...
God's discipline is loving, as should it be between parent and child. Spanking should never be used to cause lasting physical harm or pain, but a quick swat (on the bottom where there is the most padding) to teach the child that what he did was wrong is acceptable.
Never should physical discipline be used to vent our anger and frustrations, or be uncontrolled.
We must always remember that in disciplining our children we always take the time to help them understand what they have done and why it is not acceptable. Discipline is a neccesity for growth, but how we discipline makes a big difference in whether our children will grow in a healthy loving way or in a bitter angry way.
As my children grow, this is something I will pay much attention to as I want them to grow up in a loving environment. I pray that I will never harm my children with physical or verbal abuse. Let's never use the Bible's examples of physical correction as an excuse to harm our children. They are so precious in His eyes and are a gift. Our children are not our own as they belong to the Heavenly Father. God has trusted us as parents to care for them and grow them up in HIS ways. Let us make sure we treat them that way...as blessings from above, gifts from the Almighty. They are counting on us to show them the way.
"Father I pray that I will always know your will in disciplining my children. I pray that I will never abuse them physically or verbally. I ask that you guide me and give me strength, patience, understanding, and discipline in all these matters so as my children grow they will see you through me. Don't let my anger get the best of me. May I always take the time to teach my children Your ways. I pray that I will be a parent that encourages not embitters. Father, I know I will make mistakes, and I ask that you will forgive me where I fail you. Thank you for disciplining me in love and having patience with me. Amen"
God Bless
Jesus had harsh words for anyone who would cause a child to stumble, “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”(Matthew 18:6)
The Bible tells parents to be gentle and loving with their children.
Ephesians 6:4 says..."Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
Definition of "exasperate" - 1.to irritate or provoke to a high degree; annoy extremely. 2.Archaic. to increase the intensity or violence
Synonyms 1. incense, anger, vex, inflame, infuriate.
Colossians 3:21 says..."Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
There are examples of physical discipline in the Bible - (Proverbs 13:24, 22:15, 20:30) But, we must remember...
God's discipline is loving, as should it be between parent and child. Spanking should never be used to cause lasting physical harm or pain, but a quick swat (on the bottom where there is the most padding) to teach the child that what he did was wrong is acceptable.
Never should physical discipline be used to vent our anger and frustrations, or be uncontrolled.
We must always remember that in disciplining our children we always take the time to help them understand what they have done and why it is not acceptable. Discipline is a neccesity for growth, but how we discipline makes a big difference in whether our children will grow in a healthy loving way or in a bitter angry way.
As my children grow, this is something I will pay much attention to as I want them to grow up in a loving environment. I pray that I will never harm my children with physical or verbal abuse. Let's never use the Bible's examples of physical correction as an excuse to harm our children. They are so precious in His eyes and are a gift. Our children are not our own as they belong to the Heavenly Father. God has trusted us as parents to care for them and grow them up in HIS ways. Let us make sure we treat them that way...as blessings from above, gifts from the Almighty. They are counting on us to show them the way.
"Father I pray that I will always know your will in disciplining my children. I pray that I will never abuse them physically or verbally. I ask that you guide me and give me strength, patience, understanding, and discipline in all these matters so as my children grow they will see you through me. Don't let my anger get the best of me. May I always take the time to teach my children Your ways. I pray that I will be a parent that encourages not embitters. Father, I know I will make mistakes, and I ask that you will forgive me where I fail you. Thank you for disciplining me in love and having patience with me. Amen"
God Bless
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