/**/ The Purposeful Wife: July 2013

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

When Your Brain Moves Faster Than Your Body

This is how I'm livin' these days- tank top, lazy hair, and killing my exercise ball ;)
Today I am well into my 38th week of pregnancy. It is amazing, wonderful, and a little bit unreal as I delivered my first at only 27 weeks, and went on bed rest at 28 weeks with this peanut. I have been off of bed rest for over a month at this point, and there are still no signs of imminent labor. God is so good, and I am so thankful!

Being 38 weeks pregnant is much different from being only 27. Mentally I feel great- alert, sharp, and desirous of accomplishing one million things after my month and a half of taking it way too easy on bed rest. Unfortunately, I'm finding that my body is no longer a match for that to do list. Each day I manage to take care of my daughter, cook dinner, and get a few dishes done. And that is about it.

My normal writing and project time is during my daughter's nap. Lately I've found that it needs to be my nap time too! My goal is to be as well-rested and refreshed as possible when its time to go into labor. You never know when that might be, and I want to keep my energy up for the process {as well as the ensuing life with a newborn}.

So it has been a little quieter in this space then I would like. But I am trying to rest contentedly in this season- I've spent too much time feeling frustrated about my undone lists. Today, I am not super woman.

I am just really really pregnant in the middle of the summer heat, with a daughter recovering from a nasty double ear infection... and there is only so much I can accomplish <3.

Do you tend to feel frustrated by or accepting of your limitations? What has helped you to embrace less productive life seasons? I am all ears! 

Friday, July 19, 2013

12 Projects in 2013 {Learn How to Knit}

Photo Credit

As soon as I found myself on bed rest this spring, I knew it was time to tackle #4 from my 12 Projects List and learn how to knit.

The perfect teacher? One of my best local friends who a) knew how to knit, b) also happened to be pregnant at the time, and thus willing to join me in such a sedentary endeavor, and c) happens to hang out a lot with me for mommy/kiddo play dates anyway. Thank you, Abi!


Abigail spent an afternoon teaching me the basic knit stitch. After her initial instruction, I found the instructions for casting on and casting off through Wikihow to be extremely helpful supplemental material. That's where I'd recommend you start if you can't find a real person to teach you!

While I can't see myself ever being an expert knitter who makes beautiful works of art... I sure am having fun making dish scrubbies (no more buying sponges for me!) and trivets for my own home, and as gifts. I also love that I can do something useful with my hands while riding in the car and watching t.v. with my hubs.

Project #4 was a great success. I am so pleased that I put it on the list, and that the ideal opportunity to accomplish it arose!

Other Posts in this Series:
Go "Poo-Free" 

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

And then She was Two

Last year, she was still my pudgy-wudgy baby. Really more like a nine month old, as she hadn't quite yet caught up from her extreme prematurity...



As of Saturday, she is two... and no longer my little baby. She loves Gene Kelly, and Singin' in the Rain, pretending to read the verses on my Scripture memory cards... and many other way too grown up things. This birthday made me feel a little nostalgic.



We've started a tradition of visiting the NICU each year on S's birthday- to bring cake and visit the nurses so that they can see her progress. While we were there I peeked into the door of S's old room. A little tiny baby, less than 3 pounds, was huddled on its tummy in the incubator.

Suddenly it was two years ago, and I was thinking back to my own tiny baby- so frail, bili-light goggles on, covered in peach fuzz lanugo. There might be nothing so beautiful or miraculous in the world as these micro-preemies.

July 13th is a day to remember God's Mighty Mercies to our little family. He has been so so good, and I am so thankful for my miracle girl S.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Monday's Resolution {Nightly Self-Examination}

We are picking apart Jonathan Edward's 70 Resolutions, one week and one resolution at a time. Don't forget to start where he did- "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake."

Photo Credit

37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent,-what sin I have committed,- and wherein I have denied myself;- also, at the end of every week, month, and year. 

Life is so easy to live, unintentionally and unobserved. If we aren't careful, days, weeks, even years, of our life can be spent- busy, tired, frazzled, and distracted- without a thought towards the kind of person we are becoming or the direction we are going.  

Spiritually we can be so thoughtless. Too often I fail to take an honest look at my heart. I ignore besetting sins that are weighing me down, and neglect to ardently pursue godliness and deeper intimacy with my God. 

One way to avoid such hap hazardous living? Frequent self-examination. Jonathan Edwards resolved to nightly think over his life- duties he had neglected, sins he had committed, and areas of progression in self-denial. He also meant to examine longer periods of time as they passed- the weeks, months, and years. He didn't want to waste his life in unintentional, sin-beset living. He wanted to redeem each day for the glory of God!

If I were to adopt this Resolution faithfully, what a marked difference I might observe in my life! To close each night with prayers of acknowledgement and repentance of my sins, to know the Lord's forgiveness and peace as I lay my head on the pillow. If I honestly embraced my failures, while also embracing His perfect righteousness attributed to me, and purposed by His grace to keep fighting the good fight of faith the next day and the next. 

In Christ we are free to take an honest look at our sins and failures. Guilt and self-condemnation no longer have a binding hold on us- we are free to confess, forsake, and experience true forgiveness. We are free to receive His perfection in place of our grievous imperfections. Self-examination is no longer something to fear or shy away from. 

Will you resolve along with me to close our evenings in this way? I look forward to enjoying such nightly communion with the Lord, and to seeing the results of His grace at work in my heart! 

Friday, July 12, 2013

12 Projects in 2013 {Go "Poo-Free"}

Photo Credit
I would like to say that I am a health conscientious person. The reality is that I am just a cheapskate at heart who likes healthy stuff, but errs on the side of cheapness.

So when I read in Tsh Oxenreider's ebook One Bite at a Time about skipping conventional shampoo and conditioner for baking soda and cider vinegar, I was intrigued. Not so much by all the facts on why shampoo is bad for you {to my own shame}... more just out of sheer curiosity and the desire to cross one more product off of my shopping list. Told you; cheapskate at heart.

This spring I finally decided to give it a go when I ran out of my regular bottle of shampoo. I mixed a tablespoon of baking soda with a cup of water in an old squeeze bottle, and a tablespoon of cider vinegar with a cup of water in another. Voila, my new shampoo and conditioner!

What most surprised me at first is that my hair still got squeaky clean when I scrubbed it- the literal squeaky noise it makes, if you know what I mean.

Unfortunately, my hair seemed a little coated and strange in texture. Maybe it was years of shampoo build-up that takes time to come off? Maybe my hair took a little longer to adjust than most people's. Maybe I needed to mix a different amount of baking soda to water. Maybe my pregnancy hormones interfered. Or maybe I should try the alternate no-poo method of just scrubbing down my head with a tablespoon of soda, more like a paste in consistency.

Regardless, about six weeks into my experiment, I still wasn't in love with my new hair. When I went on bed rest, I decided to just buy another bottle of shampoo. Because when I am on bed rest, I need to feel as clean and pretty as I can get. Also, my licensed beautician mother was coming out to help us, and I just wasn't brave enough to fess up to my experiment if I hadn't worked out the kinks.

Other observations: I shed drastically less while washing my hair with soda. I also needed to use less shampoo, less frequently, when I went back to regular shampoo.

I will say that apple cider vinegar is the best conditioner I have ever used. My hair felt smooth and was basically tangle free. My hair-styling mama even vouches for its excellence {and she is a self-proclaimed hair products snob}.

I still want to try this experiment again- because it is probably much healthier for me, and I would still like to cross shampoo off of my shopping list permanently. My plan is to give it another go a couple of months postpartum, giving my hormones a chance to normalize first.

Have you ever gone shampoo-less? I would love to hear about your experience {especially as I prepare to try it again}! What method did you use? Were the results everything you'd hoped for?

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

36 Weeks {Pregnancy Update}


Dear Praying Friends,

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Today I am REJOICING at the LORD's countless mercies to me and little man, W. I am 36 and a half weeks pregnant... more pregnant than I ever knew I could be. Seriously, W has nine weeks in utero more than his sister- doesn't that seem like a crazy huge amount?!?

My doctor said she'd be surprised if I made it the full forty weeks {though many people will be laughing and saying "I told you so" if the kid shows up a few days late}, but we are all thrilled that I've made it so far.

We saw the Lord's hand of protection and deliverance once again at work last week. I spent the 4th of 5th of July in the hospital when the right side of my body went numb and tingly, and my vision blurred. Very scary! After a CAT scan, Pre-eclempsia screenings, and consultation with a neurologist, it was determined that I had experienced my first ever migraine. Who knew? We were so thankful that that was all it was!

I've officially been off of bed rest for two weeks. So far no pick up in contractions, and it has been so nice to resume my normal day-to-day activities- picking up my little girl, cooking meals, organizing and tidying our home {my first chance to really "nest"}.

Blessing #2 is more than welcome to join us whenever he sees fit :). I appreciate your continued prayers for a healthy labor and delivery! Will keep you posted.

Love, Rachel

Monday, July 8, 2013

Monday's Resolution {Again, No More Evil Speech!}

We are picking apart Jonathan Edward's 70 Resolutions, one week and one resolution at a time. Don't forget to start where he did- "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake."

Photo Credit

36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it. 

In this 36th Resolution {wow, can you believe we are on #36?!?}, I am hearing echoes of the 31st and 16th.   

Just for a refresher, here is Edwards' 31st Resolution:

31. Resolved, never to say anything at all against anybody, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of Christian honor, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the golden rule; often, when I have said anything against anyone, to bring it to, and try it strictly by the test of this Resolution. 

And his 16th Resolution:

16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.

Maybe its a sign that 70 Resolutions can be a bit much to keep track of, even with an incredible mind like Jonathan Edwards'. I suppose that even his brilliance brought forth redundancies. 

Maybe, on the other hand, it isn't a mistake that I'm here considering my speech for a third time. Maybe Edwards' was more painfully aware than most of the human race's tendency to stumble again and again in words spoken. 

I don't have any new thoughts on the topic. But I am increasingly aware that my tendency is towards a rashness and harshness of tongue and tone. And I am increasingly disturbed about what this tendency says about the state of my soul, and the effects it has on my relationship with the Lord and others. 

Once again I want to renew my commitment to refraining from evil speech, in this fresh and beautiful new week. Will you commit to joining me?

"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

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." Ephesians 4:29 {italics added}

Monday, July 1, 2013

Monday's Resolution {On Guilt and Duty}

We are picking apart Jonathan Edward's 70 Resolutions, one week and one resolution at a time. Don't forget to start where he did- "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake."

Photo Credit

35. Resolved, whenever I so much question whether I have done my duty, as that my quiet and calm is thereby disturbed, to set it down, and also how the question was resolved. 

I have a funny relationship with guilt. Frequently, when I doubt my being in the right, or feel as if I haven't done what I ought to have done, I wrongly do one of two things. Either I unload my guilty conscience before my husband or another close friend, hoping they will tell me I am just fine; or I stuff it down and try to ignore it. 

These are my wrong responses to personal guilt- seeking to be justified by myself or others.

Guilt is an unfortunate part of life in a fallen world. As sinners, we all stand guilty before God. But as Christians, we also know God's forgiveness of our guilt because of Christ's work on our behalf. 

What would a righteous response to guilt look like?

First, I think we ought to ask ourselves if the feeling of guilt is legitimate. Whenever Edwards' peace was disturbed by wondering if he had done what he ought to, he resolved to examine it genuinely and thoroughly. Am I feeling guilty because of personal sin? Have I legitimately neglected something I ought to have done?

If the answer is yes, it is time to confess and repent. We must acknowledge our guilt before God, ask for His forgiveness, and endeavor after new obedience in this area.

Sometimes the answer is no, however. It is easy to feel guilty because we haven't met someone else's expectations of us, or we didn't please everyone, or because we placed an unrealistic amount of expectations upon ourselves. If this is the case, we need to acknowledge it as false and unnecessary guilt, and move forward in the freedom Christ has secured for us.

We must remember that Christ covers all of our guilt! Because of Him, we can walk in freedom from guilt. Yes, I am a very guilty sinner. But my sin has been nailed to the cross, and my God has clothed me in the perfect robes of His Son's righteousness. Any remaining guilt I feel after genuine repentance is doubting God's promises to me and love for me. 

Today, I want to do my duty. To walk in obedience before God and faithfully follow His calling on my life. Yes, I will fail to do everything I ought to in the way I ought to. Yes, sometimes my calm and quiet will be disturbed by guilt over my failures. When this guilt arises, it is time for honest examination and repentance. After the examining however, in Christ I go out free. 

“[T]hough conscience weighs us down and tells us God is angry, yet God is greater than our hearts. The conscience is but one drop; the reconciled God is an ocean of consolation…” 
-Martin Luther

Today and all week, may you enjoy the "ocean of consolation" found in being reconciled from guilt to God! Amen?
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