Newborn Treatment For All?

When I start dreaming about a verse from the bible and then realize that it wasn't only a dream, it's probably time to post a blog. So, here it is from real life and my dreams...

My current journal that I write to the Lord in has this verse on the cover:

Isaiah 66:13

As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you...

I have been pondering this verse often lately as I care for my sweet baby Malachi around the clock. It is always amazing to me how quickly I forget the never ending diaper changes, drawn out nursing times that seem you've just finished feeding and yet have to start all over again, the swaddling and re-swaddling, and the shh'ing and gentle lullabies that become necessary to comfort a newborn. And with those tasks and so many more that I have not mentioned, God gives me the grace and provides restful mercies to allow me to be the mother he created me to be if I look to Him. I love to seize the moments throughout the day and night when I am awake and just pray through my exhaustion and somehow I am renewed. Of course, as an earthly mother of three children I have found myself playing the juggling act quite often. Miracle and Matthias need me and so I say calmly in midst of the cries from both children, "Mommy has two hands and two knees...one for each (and as I say this I hope that Malachi won't need me for those minutes). It was 4 o'clock in the morning and I once again was up to feed Malachi when Miracle woke up. I told her I was feeding Malachi and she needed to go back to sleep...and I continued to nurse Malachi through my sleepiness and dozed off. When I woke up I found Miracle right at my feet in front of the chair sleeping all cuddled up in my blanket. When she woke up, I said what were you doing sleeping by the chair? She answered, "I just wanted to snuggle really close to you."

Miracle's behavior led me to ask myself, "Do I believe God wants to comfort me?"

God's word stands true and I am comforted by this verse from Isaiah because I believe in who God is. He never tires, gets weary, has hands large enough to cradle you and me closely to his beating heart, and has a lap big enough for more than one child. I am so thankful that we do not have to quietly and sheepishly crawl over to his feet and be satisfied...No, he has promised to comfort us like a mother comforts her child. God wants to scoop us up even before he hears our hunger cue, he wants to fix the blanket so it creates security once again after we have been kicking and crying and are found completely uncovered and helpless, he will whisper into our ear the things we need to hear to calm our anxious minds, and if he needs he will hold us upright all night to get us back on His track...

Once a child of God...Forever a child of God...let yourself be comforted in the way you need today.

Need a message from God?

Our lil' 'Messenger of God' is here!

Meet

Malachi James...

Named after the biblical prophet Malachi. Malachi was God's messenger bringing the message to God's people that their willful disobedience is not irreparable; hope is still existing, God can heal and remend and reweave fabric; forgiveness is forever available and God's grace stands...

And so our lil' Malachi entered the world on September 13, 2011 @ 2:15a.m.

weighing in at 6lbs 14 1/2oz

measuring 20 1/2 inches

WONDERFULLY & FEARFULLY MADE!!!

Malachi 4:2 says, "But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall."

What's his message so far?

1.There is often pain before blessing

picture taken: the very minute I was pushing him out...



2. He won't stay quiet; the message is too important...God can grab your heart through my lil' mouth.

3. "Malachi says:"

God wants a relationship with each of you to a greater degree than how excited you (mom & dad) are to meet me and spend your days with me...serving and worshipping God must be our primary focus.

4. My siblings 'Act of God' Miracle and 'Gift of God' Matthias can calm me with their sweet songs and noises...I especially love it and become completely content when they sing Jesus Loves Me in perfect unison.

The prayer that God has laid on my heart through the birth and blessing of Malachi:

I pray we are a family that heeds the message of Malachi and can constantly repent of our daily sins; to fix our eyes upon Jesus and revere Him, that we may find healing for our wounds, disappointments in this life, and trials that come along with this earth. I ask that God would find favor upon the Peter Jensen family, His very own Miracle, Matthias, and Malachi and that freedom would reign! As our three precious children of God grow up that they would go out and leap like calves released from the stall with the knowledge and feelings that they are free to be In Christ and run through this life with the joy of Jesus who gives us victory from the grave and life everlasting for the message never ends.

AMEN

a new perspective on light days!

Now that I am just over 36 weeks, the nesting syndrome has completely set in and we are almost ready...well I'm tired and as I am writing this blog Miracle is standing in front of me with her mop and my mop saying "we have to clean the kitchen floor still." I think the floor will just have to wait for another light day of cleaning. So here is what our light day consisted of today:

*laundry
*getting the baby clothes out and picking out a boy outfit and a girl outfit for the hospital
*vacuuming
*organizing the tupperware cupboard
*playing at the park
*eating freezy pops
*dusting
*cleaning up the playroom
*uploading the pictures from the camera onto the computer so we are ready for a new beginning
*making sure the bills and filing were up to date
*painting Miracle's and my fingernails and toenails (yes, I was so desiring a pampering spa pedicure, but the home foot bath with bubbles just had to do once again)

So the real story about light days is this: the other night I was up for 2 hours in the middle of the night with Miracle after she had had an accident because she didn't get to the potty quick enough. So I cleaned everything up and we jumped back into her bed to get right back to sleep...God has such a way of preparing me for what is to come. Miracle wouldn't go back to sleep. She said her butt was still dripping and after changing underwear 3 times because she said they were wet and attempting to wear a pull-up which she said was too hot to wear...I was at a loss of what to do...I know that some of your are thinking oh she might have a bladder infection but it wasn't that she just likes to find ways to stall because her least favorite thing is sleeping (no kidding). So I laid there trying to stay calm thinking about the nights ahead where I am not only dealing with this crazy drama fest but nursing a newborn too. "Lord, I just want to go to sleep before I have to pee again." So, my greatest idea was the Kotex light days pantyliners that I had in the cupboard. Miracle was pretty hesistant at first but what 3 year old wouldn't love to put a soft sticker in their underwear? Worked like a charm! One fancy sticker for her underwear and we were finished with the light day in the middle of the night. The fun carried on for about 3 days of 'soft stickers' in her underwear but I think they are almost over.

So Miracle's light days might be coming to an end, but I am anticipating the 'light days' that I will have in the middle of the night coming so soon as my days and nights run together nursing a sweet precious newborn once again. And to take it a step further, I am praying that I can live in the light of the Lord even when my tired sleep deprived body and mind can't even think.

John 8:12 "...I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

2 Corinthians 4:17 "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweights them all."