PARENTING FREEDOM

Carol | December 18, 2011

‘Prozac defence’ stands in Manitoba teen’s murder case
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/12/07/prozac-defence-stands-in-manitoba-teens-murder-case/

Category: Depression, Health | No Comments »
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Carol | July 31, 2011

“Utopianism is terribly cruel because it expects the impossible from people. These expectations are not based on reality. They stand in opposition to the genuine human possibilities afforded by the realism of the Scripture. Utopianism can cause harm. In the home, in the man-woman relationship, nothing is more cruel than for the wife or husband to build up a false image in his or her mind and then demand that the husband or wife measure up to this false romanticism. Nothing smashes homes more than this. Such behavior is totally contrary to the Bible’s doctrine of sin. Even after redemption we are not perfect in this life. Utopianism is also harmful in the parent-child relationship. When a parent demands more from his child than the child is capable of giving, the parent destroys him as well as alienates him. If we demand, in any of our relationships, either perfection or nothing, we will get nothing.” Francis Schaeffer, No Little People

Thanks for the reminder, thatmom.

I can see so many examples of “false romanticism” that cause unnecessary conflict. Concentrating on how things “should” be can cause great pain. Making oneself sick trying to change reality is futile.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
~ Reinhold Niebuhr

Category: Christianity, Depression, Marriage, Parenting Discipline | No Comments »
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Carol | June 9, 2011

Simon & Garfunkel – Sound Of Silence

Hat Tip: Dana

The Sound Of Silence ~ Simon and Garfunkel
Hello darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
‘Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

“Fools”, said I, “You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you”
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed
In the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, “The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls”
And whispered in the sounds of silence

Category: Abortion, Christianity, Depression | 1 Comment »
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Carol | February 12, 2011

“Great things are wanted to be done.” John Adams

Don’t Even Try to be Productive
http://www.steadymom.com/2011/02/dont-even-try-to-be-productive.html

Hat Tip: DogwoodMama

Category: Depression, Health, Inspiration, Quotes | 2 Comments »
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Carol | February 10, 2011

Not now, Darling, Mummy’s Tweeting: As today’s mothers spend hours on the internet, what’s the toll on their neglected children?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1355346/Twitter-mothers-spend-hours-blogging-neglect-children.html#ixzz1DcQdSUSG

“But there has to be a limit, and, like so many others, I’m exceeding mine by so far that I’m pretty much addicted.”

“And this concerns me deeply. Where are our ‘little darlings’ while we are online?”

“Are they growing up seeing more of the back of Mummy’s head than her face, while she taps away on Twitter? Is this the new ­middle class neglect? And how is this affecting our children?…”

“But for a child, it’s quite different for mum to be ignoring them because she’s chatting with ­people who are in the room, or while she’s doing the washing up, than for her to be turning her back on her child and tapping on a ­keypad, or texting…”

Link Between Excessive Internet Use And Depression
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/178042.php

20 things I learned in a week without my computer
http://www.conversiondiary.com/2011/02/20-things-i-learned-in-a-week-without-my-computer.html

Category: Depression, Facebook, Health, Parenting General | No Comments »
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Carol | January 24, 2011

It’s Monday–be kind to yourself today!
http://www.itakejoy.com/its-monday-be-kind-to-yourself-today/

“‘Mom, when you feel happy and sing and dance around the house, we all feel like we are on top of the world,’ said Joel.”

“Be happy, give your burdens to God. Everyone will be the better for your day. And so I am planning for a grace-filled day, because I know there are lots of demanding days ahead and I am pacing myself–with my heart aimed at joy.”

I know what that feels like. But some days it is hard to get there.

Category: Christianity, Depression, Inspiration, Parenting General | 1 Comment »
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Carol | November 8, 2010

Elton John – I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues

Don’t wish it away
Don’t look at it like it’s forever
Between you and me
I could honestly say
That things can only get better

And while I’m away
Dust out the demons inside
And it won’t be long
Before you and me run
To the place in our hearts
Where we hide

And I guess that’s why
They call it the blues
Time on my hands
Could be time spent with you
Laughing like children
Living like lovers
Rolling like thunder under the covers
And I guess that’s why
They call it the blues

Just stare into space
Picture my face in your hands
Live for each second
Without hesitation
And never forget I’m your man

Without me girl
Cry in the night if it helps
But more than ever I simply love you
More than I love life itself

And I guess that’s why
They call it the blues
Time on my hands
Could be time spent with you
Laughing like children
Living like lovers
Rolling like thunder under the covers
And I guess that’s why
They call it the blues

Wait on me girl
Cry in the night if it helps
But more than ever I simply love you
More than I love life itself

And I guess that’s why
They call it the blues
Time on my hands
Could be time spent with you
Laughing like children
Living like lovers
Rolling like thunder under the covers
And I guess that’s why
They call it the blues

Category: Depression, Music | No Comments »
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Carol | October 16, 2010

Fever from a naturopathic perspective
http://www.gaianaturopathic.com/resources_handouts_fever.html

Angelina Jolie – The Mistake that Almost Killed Her
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/09/17/angelina-jolie-says-vegan-diet-nearly-killed-her.aspx

I went vegan for six weeks, and I got more sick with every passing day. (I know that it works for others.)

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Babywearing

Nearly One in 10 Americans Depressed, Study Reveals
http://www.myfoxny.com/dpps/news/nearly-one-in-10-americans-depressed-study-dpgonc-20101001-fc_9897171

And OLD News, but a great clip
C S Lewis on Pain

Category: Depression, Health, Parenting Attachment, Parenting Babywearing | No Comments »
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Carol | August 26, 2010

A Blessing for One who is Exhausted

John O’Donohue

When the rhythm of the heart becomes hectic,
Time takes on the strain until it breaks;
Then all the unattended stress falls in
On the mind like an endless, increasing weight,

The light in the mind becomes dim.
Things you could take in your stride before
Now become laborsome events of will.

Weariness invades your spirit.
Gravity begins falling inside you,
Dragging down every bone.

The ride you never valued has gone out.
And you are marooned on unsure ground.
Something within you has closed down;
And you cannot push yourself back to life.

You have been forced to enter empty time.
The desire that drove you has relinquished.
There is nothing else to do now but rest
And patiently learn to receive the self
You have forsaken for the race of days.

At first your thinking will darken
And sadness take over like listless weather.
The flow of unwept tears will frighten you.

You have traveled too fast over false ground;
Now your soul has come to take you back.

Take refuge in your senses, open up
To all the small miracles you rushed through.

Become inclined to watch the way of rain
When it falls slow and free.

Imitate the habit of twilight,
Taking time to open the well of color
That fostered the brightness of day.

Draw alongside the silence of stone
Until its calmness can claim you.
Be excessively gentle with yourself.

Stay clear of those vexed in spirit.
Learn to linger around someone of ease
Who feels they have all the time in the world.

Gradually, you will return to yourself,
Having learned a new respect for your heart
And the joy that dwells far within slow time.

Hat Tip: http://mollysabourin.typepad.com/molly-sabourin/2010/08/sweet-dreams-little-one——a-blessing-for-one-who-isexhausted–john-odonohue–when-the-rhythm-of-the-heart-becomes-hecti.html

Category: Depression, Health, Inspiration, Miscarriage, Parenting Pregnancy | No Comments »
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Carol | August 7, 2010

Almost 38 weeks pregnant (at 40 years old)
(With CFS, you usually don’t look as sick and tired as you usually are.)

Four Siblings waiting for Baby

This is not an inspiring or faithful account of my pregnancy. I am not looking for sympathy. I am not playing the victim. I am not crying, “It’s not fair.” As a Calvinist, I believe I deserve hell, but for the grace of God, go I. I don’t believe suffering is a punishment for sin in this world, although our experiences and choices may result in pain. I am not “Surprised by Suffering,” nor do I have a “Problem with Pain.” I just thought it was a good time to share some things about the past nine months.

Our chief end may be to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever, but whether we like it or not, our biological purpose is to survive and reproduce. When this instinct is thwarted, and the person has a conflict related to reproduction, scientific discoveries indicate that specific health problems will result. For example, issues related to the ovaries can be caused by profound loss or fear of loss conflicts. Procreation conflicts, etc. would involve the uterus, fibroids, etc. Having tubes tied and taking the pill are simply going against nature and can cause problems, even when they are the woman’s choice.

Anyway, about me… I wanted to be pregnant for the fifth time just as much as I wanted to be pregnant the first and subsequent times. And that was a lot. Having and raising children has always been the main goal and desire of my life. I wanted lots of them. I was devastated when my fifth child died and was miscarried. That wasn’t part of the plan.

I wanted to be pregnant the sixth time even more than ever before. (This difficult pregnancy cured me of that.) You can’t get pregnant yourself, so it wasn’t working for me. I wanted another baby for the same reasons I wanted all my other children, and additionally, I knew that it would help in the healing following miscarriage.

One evening, last December, I gave up… Completely… Absolutely… At almost forty, I accepted that I would not be having any more children. I would be content with the four living, healthy ones I had. I wasn’t particularly happy, but I was at peace.

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/s/isurrend.htm

Only a couple hours later that evening, for some strange reason, I felt prompted to take a pregnancy test. Weird. (I have taken only about ten tests in my life, so this was not typical.) Even though I deeply wanted to be pregnant, it would have been close to a miracle for it to be true. Sperm don’t usually live for four days and/or ovulation doesn’t usually occur a day or two earlier than a thermal shift. The pregnancy test was positive. Perhaps not miraculous, but very unusual. Wow.

Pregnancy following miscarriage has been a nerve-wracking experience. It’s not easy to “Fear not” when you’ve held the remains of your last baby in your hands. It’s hard to believe in prayer, when the last plea was answered with, “No, this baby must die.” My mind dealt with depression and despair, intermixed with hope. Five months of checking for blood every day is not fun. Experience told me there would be no guarantee that this baby would live. Nine months later, I realize that the strong baby kicks could end tomorrow. I don’t know if this baby is healthy or will face extreme challenges at birth. I don’t know if I will feel better or worse following the birth. I no longer take anything for granted.

At the beginning of 2010, at about six weeks pregnant, my body began to deal with the worst Chronic Fatigue of my life, even more exhausting and distressing than my first round at the age of sixteen. In 1986, CFS kept me in bed for only a season, although it never went completely away for the next 24 years. During this pregnancy, I was down for many months of 20+ hours per day. I also had the typical uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms.

Chronic Fatigue makes me feel so useless and unproductive. It is difficult to find value in myself when I accomplish virtually nothing in a day. It is hard to see myself with eyes of grace when I see more value in the fruit of my work. I suppose it is hypocritical for me to think I value the handicapped, disabled, and elderly when I scorn myself because I am unable to contribute or work. This experience is very humbling and likely a good lesson to learn.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2: 8,9

One thing I acknowledge is that many people have to deal with situations that are much worse than mine. I can’t imagine having to face the past nine months as a single or working mother. There were only a few days that I would have been able to go to a job. I also know that my struggles pale in comparison to lifelong infertility, repeated miscarriage, stillbirth, circumstances that would lead a woman to choose abortion, loss of a child, challenging health diagnoses, suffering and dying in front of one’s children, etc. Life and death are so hard.

I wanted so much to thoroughly enjoy what is likely to be my last pregnancy, but that was not to be. There are other stressful factors throughout my life that would give you more insight, but I don’t know when or if I will ever share them.

Here are some things for which I have been thankful during the past nine months. My children have been great during this pregnancy. They have been very helpful, compassionate, and caring. The roots of attachment parenting and the fruits of gentle discipline have been obvious. Self-teaching homeschooling has been a blessing. My husband works hard to provide for us. I know my whining, complaining, and distress have caused my family stress and worry. Suffering in silence is not one of my strengths. I do worry that because they have seen how difficult pregnancy can be, they might fear pregnancy in the future. I hope not. Extended family has been helpful. My grandparents, mother-in-law, and mother were always willing to help with meals and household chores. I am thankful for lots of take-out and frozen pizzas.

I am so tired. Experience tells me the hardest part is yet to come. How do you birth successfully when just rolling over causes such discomfort and pain? Usually the most difficult part for me is the first six weeks following birth. That makes me scared.

I have had glimpses of joy during this pregnancy. I have the hope of the joy of a healthy new baby in my arms. But I know things don’t always turn out like I plan. And there is nothing I can do about it.

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

http://nethymnal.org/htm/m/y/myhopeis.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are some of my medical adventures of 2010. I live in an area where I am allowed only one doctor at only one hospital. You don’t get to switch doctors. Midwives are still illegal, and birthing centers are non-existent. I have always been too weak following birth to feel comfortable with unassisted homebirth. Soooooooo, in order to make sure my doctor will deliver my baby, I scheduled some prenatal appointments – delayed by months and stretched out as far as reasonably possible. As usual, I submitted to the routine blood tests, a couple of routine vaginal tests (not a pap this time), along with regular blood pressure checks, urine tests, weighing, and belly measuring. That’s it. Nothing invasive where I felt there would be risks. I refuse all ultrasounds, other prenatal testing, glucose tolerance testing, etc. (These are my personal decisions, but you should definitely follow your doctor’s advice.) After five pregnancies of these appointments, I look back at every one as a complete waste of time and tax-payer money. 

After my first prenatal appointment this pregnancy, I got a call from a nurse at the hospital so she could fill out my form to make admittance faster. She obviously remembered me from my previous births and even said, “Oh, you’re the one with the birth plan!”  Hmmm… Six years after my last birth, and I was the ONLY WOMAN WITH A BIRTH PLAN! Oh, yeah, it’s likely related to the fact that our hospital has one of the highest cesarean section rates in Canada – I’ve heard it’s been as high as 34% here.“In Canada, 26.3% of women delivered babies by cesarean in 2005 – 2006, increased from 25.6% in 2004 – 2005. However, there was huge variation between health regions (17.8% to 36.8%).” We also have one of the highest obesity rates and teen pregnancy rates in the country.

During my second last prenatal appointment, I stared at the walls, counting the dozen or more vaccination posters and the many other drug posters. I had the intense feeling that “I don’t belong here.” It’s hard to believe this radical medical system is completely funded and completely accepted by the public without question. People don’t even notice that their sacred cow isn’t making them healthy.

When they first began routine testing during my last full-term pregnancy, I tested positive for Group B Strep. This time, I knew how to make the test negative. Beginning four days before the test, I began my little garlic and tea tree oil experiment. Success! The test result was negative. I am thankful I don’t have to deal with signing papers to refuse antibiotics, and I don’t have to face the medical pressure, threats, and scare tactics this time around. [Note added August 15: I used the garlic and tea tree oil again for the baby. I am not interested in just passing the test, but making sure there is no bacteria that would harm the baby.]

My blood tests show low iron and my breathing has been laboured for the past couple months. I asked the doctor about me using oxygen during labour, and she says it will be available. I am scared about not being able to breathe. Maybe if the baby drops, I will breathe better.

My doctor began her vacation yesterday and will be off until three days before my due date. I have an appointment on Tuesday to meet her fill-in. I am thankful she is female and that she speaks fluent English. Three visits to the emergency room over the past few years resulted in attempted conversations with three different doctors who could not understand me, and I certainly did not understand them. Isn’t communication rather important during medical decisions? *sigh*

Lately, the baby has been playing with me. Really!  He or she sticks his or her foot in my upper right side, and I push back on the foot and speak baby talk. Then, I don’t talk again until I feel the next foot push. This happens about twenty times in a row until he or she is played out. I feel the little arms and fists rubbing his or her face down low, and I feel the hiccups down low, both indicating that the head is still down. I am soooo thankful!!  A flip would be a guaranteed c-section.

I have had contractions daily for the past two months. I guess that’s good because it helps prepare for labour.

One week when I was particularly unwell, the children helped get the groceries. The older two boys went around with the list and cart and the younger two kids and I sat and waited. They did great!  During another grocery store trip, a strange man told me to “Put the watermelon back.” I am sick and tired of the stares and people talking about me. Just this week, I felt the urge to give some people the finger – something I have NEVER done before in my life. LOL

When my labour starts, I hope to stay at home as long as possible. The decision for me to leave for the hospital has been hard to judge after the first couple of children. I don’t want to stay home too long because my husband wouldn’t handle a messy vehicle birth well, and I wouldn’t want them to take the baby from me when we landed at the hospital, but being at the hospital too long would not be good either. Too much time for unwanted interventions.

It’s hard to pack my clothes because the few things I have been wearing lately are always on me or in the wash. I asked the doctor what the women wear these days for birthing, and it is the typical open-in-the-back hospital gown which makes breastfeeding impossible (with modesty). Once again, I have to come up with my own birthing clothes. I have a few new breastfeeding-friendly tops for after birthing.

I have my iPod ready to roll with three hypnobirthing albums and some other comfort music, along with a folder of my regular 60′s-80′s tunes. I have helpful supplements, including energy drink ingredients and some nutrition bars in my hospital bag. I have fruit-juice Mr. Freezes hidden in the basement freezer. I plan to take my birthing ball INTO the hospital this time. My husband didn’t think I needed it the last time, so it stayed in the vehicle. Hopefully, I can sit on it and rest my head on the hospital bed. After hurting my back a couple weeks ago, walking hasn’t been going so well. My goal is to stay vertical and RELAX. I worry about not having practiced squatting and not having exercised. But I would have, if I could have. I hope to use a wheeled food tray on which to rest my head and upper body when I labour on the toilet at the hospital. (On an aside note, I have seen a hospital janitor wipe the toilet and THEN wipe the sink with the same cloth.) I worry about climbing up on the stupid birthing bed when the pushing needs to begin. That is when I hurt my tailbone the last time. I have been told I had many of the same nurses for my previous births, although I wouldn’t recognize any of them. I am in deep concentration during labour and delivery. In addition to my iPod, I bought an eye mask to block out distractions and the unpleasant environment. Although he was helpful many times, I found it annoying when my husband and the nurses would have big discussions, sitting there watching me the whole time. Argh. Nurse, I don’t care what you think about homeschooling. Such conversations drain my energy level.

I always refuse episiotomies, and I always get a small tear needing a few stitches. Each time, I have been told an episiotomy would have been much worse. During the labour and delivery of my first child, I was constantly pressured into drugs and doing things I didn’t want to do. They even took my baby in the night for a few hours against my will. For my second child, I laboured at home for 24 1/2 hours and went to the hospital for the last two hours before delivering a 10 lbs. 4 oz. baby. I fainted after his birth and was thankfully caught by a nurse. The worst thing that happened was during  my third delivery when the cord was wrapped around my daughter’s neck. There was extra bleeding as a result which needed help to be stopped. You can read the complete story of my fourth pregnancy and delivery here: http://unbornbabyjournal.com/ and my fifth pregnancy here: http://unbornbabyjournal.com/river.html

I have the SAME little white sleeper, sweater, hat, booties, and blanket in my new diaper bag that all four of my children wore home from the hospital.

We have baby names picked out. It is the same girl’s name we chose nine years ago (in case my daughter had a twin sister.) The boy’s name is from our list. It is hard to keep coming up with names to please both of us, but my husband and I are reasonably sure about our choices.

We are finishing the bedroom/nursery, and I will eventually post pictures of our attachment parenting bedroom. We seem to redecorate before every baby.

C9 is so excited!

L5 kisses my baby belly almost every time he goes by.

Here are a few more pregnancy pictures for registered readers:
http://parentingfreedom.com/2010/08/08/could-be-my-last-pregnancy-pictures-ever/

UPDATE August 10, 2010:

I met the doctor who will be replacing mine Monday through Friday for the next two weeks. She seems great! She herself had three children completely naturally. I am very relieved.  She guesses the baby will weigh 8 1/2 pounds. There will be two different female doctors during the next two weekends, and then my regular doctor is back. Time will tell whom I will get.

Category: Abortion, Baby #6, Christianity, Depression, Facebook, Family Planning, Health, Homeschooling Controversy, Journal 2010, Miscarriage, Parenting Attachment, Parenting Discipline, Parenting Pregnancy, Parenting Stay-at-Home, Special Needs, Vaccination | 8 Comments »
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Carol | May 8, 2010

Early Childhood Experiences Have Lasting Emotional and Psychological Effects
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100503161332.htm

New Biological Explanation for Sadness in Early Postpartum
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100504102130.htm

Depressed? You must like chocolate
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63P5GI20100426

Edited to add:

The MOST Effective Treatment for Depression Isn’t Drugs… But You’ll Never Hear That From Your Psychiatrist
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/08/robert-whitaker-interview.aspx

Category: Depression, Health, Parenting General, Parenting Pregnancy | No Comments »
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Carol | April 16, 2010

What to Do When You Want to Give Up and Stay in Bed
http://www.aholyexperience.com/2010/04/what-to-do-when-you-want-to-give-up-and.html

“You just fallen sick with perfectionism again?”

Losing the joy of mothering
http://www.elizabethesther.com/threes_a_crowd/2010/04/losing-the-joy-of-mothering.html

“I’m grieving the mom I used to be. I’ve lost her. And I don’t know how to get her back…”

“How did I go from puppet-show-performing mom to stepping-over-the-dried-puke-mom???”

Hat Tip: http://ebeth.typepad.com/reallearning/

Category: Depression, Parenting General, Parenting Stay-at-Home | No Comments »
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Carol | April 8, 2010

yesterday

Yesterday,
All my troubles seemed so far away,
Now it looks as though they’re here to stay,
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly,
I’m not half the man I used to be,
There’s a shadow hanging over me,
Oh, yesterday came suddenly…

Category: Depression, Music, Quotes | No Comments »
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Carol | March 23, 2010

“These are the times that try men’s souls.”
Thomas Paine

“We should never despair, our situation before has been unpromising and has changed for the better, so I trust, it will again. If new difficulties arise, we must only put forth new exertions and proportion our efforts to the exigency of the times.”
George Washington

Category: Depression, Health, Inspiration, Miscarriage, Politics Barack Obama, Quotes | No Comments »
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Carol | March 21, 2010

C8 and I used the stethoscope on the baby bump (seems more like a hill) this morning. As expected, it was a little early to hear the heartbeat, but we enjoyed listening to the whoosh-whoosh-whoosh of the placenta. Right now, at almost 18 weeks, the placenta is on the lower right side. The children enjoyed seeing drawings of unborn babies at this stage.

Regarding my pregnant body, I feel much better after Googling photos of pregnant women as far along as I am. I have been feeling so fat, but by the pictures, I guess it is normal, even small for this stage! My regular pants still zip right up!

Derek took my blood sugar this morning, and my mother took my blood pressure last night. Both were in the normal range. I don’t know why I am so extremely weak and tired. It has been going on so long that I am getting very discouraged and losing hope. After 25 days of continually getting worse on the vegan diet, I have added a little more protein, but I still feel terrible.

The combination of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Pregnant-at-Forty makes you appreciate the good minutes, hours, days of life. I look at people and am amazed at their strength. They can get up and move without exhaustion. They can talk without tiring. Being physically able to stand, and walk, and sit up, and talk, and work, and play are certainly things to be appreciated, because sometimes, “You don’t know what you got till it’s gone.”

“No man can be brave who thinks pain the greatest evil; nor temperate, who considers pleasure the highest good.”
Cicero

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
Romans 8:18-23

“We were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life.”
2 Corinthians 1:8

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.”
1 Peter 4:12

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
2 Corinthians 12:9

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
1 Peter 1:6,7

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 21:4

“But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:16-18

Category: Baby #6, Christianity, Depression, Facebook, Freedom, Health, Journal 2010, Parenting Pregnancy, Quotes | 7 Comments »
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