“For This Child I Prayed”

It’s hard to believe but my little boy turned 2 yesterday! It has been a fast two years. It has also been two years of learning to trust that the Lord knows what is best for my little boy.

In January of 2013 God blessed our family with our first boy. We were overjoyed! After two girls, I knew I was entering new territory, but I was excited to see what God was going to do with my son.

I didn’t have to wait very long. When he was 7 months old, his pediatrician was concerned because he wasn’t gaining weight as he should. I was nursing him and was waiting to start him on baby food because he seemed content and was sleeping well at night. Our pediatrician wanted him supplemented with formula and for him to have some blood tests. When some of his blood test numbers came back slightly abnormal, the pediatrician wanted him tested for cystic fibrosis and also checked for kidney problems.

I don’t think I have ever been as afraid as I was the night before his cystic fibrosis test. I don’t think I’ve ever prayed so hard. When he was given the cystic fibrosis test the next day, it came back normal as did the kidney tests. To say the least, we were relieved.

In the next months he continued to grow as a healthy little boy should. This past fall my mother-in-law asked my husband if we were concerned about our little boy’s speech as he wasn’t saying any words other than making baby babbling noises. Once again, he has been such a content little boy, and this hadn’t concerned us. Recently, we took him to his pediatrician and asked about our speech concerns. At the time, he had an ear infection which the pediatrician said could affect his hearing and speech. We are set to go back at the end of February for a recheck of his ears and from there we’ll decide if he needs to see a hearing specialist or perhaps even a speech therapist in the future.

I have to admit as a mother I struggled (still do) for a time, worried about my little boy, BUT God has been faithful even when I was fearful. He has used these situations in my life for me to see my need of praying more specifically for my children and their needs.

I remember how I prayed in the spring of 2012 for a son and found out a couple months later I was expecting. When I found out that fall I was going to have a boy, I wondered just what plan God had for this special answer to prayer. I’m just getting a glimpse now of the plan God has for my little boy.

So many times as parents we think God gives us children for what we will teach and train THEM about Him, but God gives us children so often for what He wants to teach US as parents about Himself.

God loves my little boy. He gave him an infectious laugh that fills my days with such joy. God knows why he isn’t talking much yet. God has all the details worked out. I need to wait and trust Him as those things unfold in HIS time. I can rest knowing He will give me strength for whatever lies ahead. I am so thankful I serve a God Who loves my little boy so much more than I do!

“For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of Him:” -I Sam. 1:27

“And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for Him.” -Isa. 30:18

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because He trusteth in Thee.” -Isa. 26:3

Remembering Your Blessings

Good Morning!

I pray this Monday morning finds you doing well!

We are in the midst of moving and we are so excited about it! The Lord made our paths cross with a home that needed much TLC but it was exactly what we had been looking for and we were willing to put the work into it to make it our own!

It even had some of the extras that I wanted but weren’t needed. The Lord knows and grants even the desires of our hearts.

Our Lord is so wonderful!

So, since the end of December, my husband has been Superman! Fixing up the house in the morning hours and working his 2nd shift job in the evening.  I just love him!

Meanwhile, I have been packing and sorting! And THROWING AWAY! 🙂  Did I mention throwing away! 🙂

While going through things, I found what my husband and I started when we were first married.

It’s what we call our Blessing Book.

We moved back to Ohio about 5 years ago and it’s been packed away since then but not on purpose.

 It just never got unpacked.

But over the years, certain blessings would come our way and I would think, “That would be a good one to add to our Blessing Book”, but I never searched through the boxes to find it.  Looking back, I wish that I would’ve. 😦

 But after finding it the other day and looking through it, it brought back so many wonderful memories. Blessings I had forgotten about!

Many times, it was a certain person being a blessing to us in one way or another.

So, as I read the blessings, I lifted that person’s name up to the Lord and prayed that He would bless them for being a blessing to us.

*Side note: Be a blessing to someone today! You never know, someone may be adding you to their blessing book and praying for you!*

I kept it out of the boxes this time! I am going to continue to use it in order to remember my blessings from here on out.

You could use any journal to record your blessings.  This little booklet was given to me as a gift and on the back is a website that I will share.

I’m not sure if they are still available from there or not but it’s worth checking into! 🙂
http://www.ctainc.com

Much love,
Jennifer

Conversation Hearts {free printables}

The Heart of A Child

{Author Unknown}

Whatever you write on the heart of a child

No water can wash away.

The sand may be shifted when billows are wild,

And the efforts of time may decay.

Some stories may perish,

Some songs be forgot;

But this graven record—

Time changes it not.

Whatever you write on the heart of a child,

A story of gladness or care

That Heaven has blessed or earth has defiled,

Will linger unchangeably there.

Hearts are prominent symbols we use in February to give attention to the topics of love, friendship, family and friends. What are we writing on the hearts of our children? It’s a good time to take note of our conversations and the conditions of our hearts.  It’s a good time to encourage those we love. It’s a good time to invest in marriage. It’s a good time to write a heart note to our children. One of my little guys had the idea to hang hearts around the room and write on them “I wuv my whole family.” So, that’s the plan – to make our own conversation hearts! Below are some simple hearts that I share with you. {18 pdf download links} They can be cut and hung as garland, traced, colored or could be used for some heart notes. I hope you enjoy! ♥ Jeri Lynn  

Conversation Hearts – LPBJ

Hearts 2 – aqua               Hearts 2 – aqua 2

Hearts 2 – baby blue     Hearts 2 – blue 2

Hearts 2 – mint green   Hearts 2 – green 2

Hearts 2 – lavender       Hearts 2 – lavender 2

Hearts 2 – peach             Hearts 2 – peach 2

Hearts 2 – pink                Hearts 2 – pink 2

Hearts 2 – yellow            Hearts 2 – yellow 2

Hearts 2 – white – I love you

Hearts 2 – gray- I love you                                               

Conversation Hearts- Proverbs 4.23

“Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ…” Philippians 1:27a