Tuesday's Tip-Faith and Love

I usually have some kind of tip to keep your house organized or a way to keep your bodies healthier, but my heart wasn't in that today. I felt the Lord leading me a different way. If you look forward to my Tuesday's Tip I hope I don't disappoint you with this one, but if you read on, you will know why I posted it. My Tuesday's tip is to hug and love on your children as much as possible. Something that sounds so simple, but often one that's hard to act out. I am speaking from experience. My girls sometimes get my second best because I am so busy doing. I'm sure some of you can relate. I have been very thankful for my children the last few days. Maybe it's the holiday's, but this time of year I am all to aware of people who are hurting. (The recent comments on my last blog have made my heart ache. Thank you to those that posted. I read them and I am praying for you.) I always thought of Christmas as a joyous time of the year. A time filled with laughter, love, Christmas music, good food and of course the birth of our Lord and Savior. It didn't hit me until we lost our daughter Zoe two months prior to Christmas in 2004. I remember it so vividly. I didn't want to put up a tree or buy gifts. I just didn't care. Nothing mattered without her in it. I was supposed to be enjoying that Christmas hugely pregnant with just 2 months until her arrival. Instead I was sad, depressed and filled with anxiety. I wondered if I would ever be able to get pregnant again. My husband was incredible during this time. I knew he was in pain too, but he remained strong for me. That year I was given the most meaningful gift I have ever been given and I wanted to share it with you. At the time my husband was drawing a comic strip called Kick Irrational. It was about a husband named Kick and his wife Kricket. We were The Irrational's. Brian wrote about things that happened in our lives and until that time they were mostly upbeat and humorous about the life of a married couple. This time his comic was much different and he wrote it just for me. (It was later published in a few different publications and we got emails from people that were touched by it's honesty). I opened it and bawled like a baby. You can see why.

A closer look so you can read the comic. I love my sweet and talented husband. I am so blessed.
The leaf in the picture came from our October Glory maple tree that we planted in our backyard during the memorial service for her. It's extra special to me now because the tree didn't survive. I never would have imagined how he would allow me to experience that tree again. (you can read the story here) He never ceases to amaze me.

Back to my tip. Today when Brooklyn woke up early from her nap I was not too thrilled. I needed to get some stuff done with the book and I wanted her to go back to bed. That's when it hit me. I can tell her she needs to go back to bed, she already had an hour nap so I knew that wouldn't work, or I can choose to put my stuff on hold and hang with her. So we crawled into bed and I asked her about her day. We just sat and talked. It was priceless. I was convicted that I need to do more of that with my girls. They grow up so fast and I don't want to miss any of it. You see I got another miracle that Christmas back in 2004. Just 4 days after, on the 29th, I found out I was pregnant with another baby. That miracle is sitting next to me playing on daddy's computer. Her name is Brooklyn Sophia and she is 4 years old. My sorrow turned into joy. I never would have imagined how my story would have unfolded, but God knew. He knew every detail and He knows every detail of yours. For those of you who are waiting on a baby, know that God knows your pain. The tears you shed are part of the bigger story, your story, and it will be revealed. Have faith that you will be a mother. I know it's hard. Some days you may not have any faith and that's ok. God knows that, but I pray there will be more days that you do. I believe He will give you the desires of your heart. I have seen it countless times in the women that I have had the opportunity to minister to in my support group that I lead. I can tell you story after story. Stories that are nothing more than miraculous and I pray for that story for you.

If your miracle has already come, hug on those sweet children tonight. Spend sometime just being present with them. We never get those moments back. Praise God for the blessings He has given you and pray for those that are still waiting for theirs.