Monday, June 09, 2008

Baby Update:Who knows the day?

There is no new progress this week and the events of the weekend were...well, uneventful. On Friday the doctor told me that I hadn't changed from the previous week's assessment: I am still 3 cm and 60-70% effaced.
I wasn't disappointed. We are excited to see what this baby is and when it comes, but only the Lord knows the day. I stopped my hiatus on exercise though over the weekend hoping to encourage things to move along because my mom arrives this morning. We are grateful that God has all things planned but we feel very impatient at times. Yesterday I was so tired that we stayed home from church. I pushed it too hard on Saturday and paid the price. Then, even after only a short morning nap, I couldn't fall asleep until almost midnight. I think insomnia is common with pregnant women but since I haven't experienced this before, I was truly annoyed. But I can do nothing but trust the Lord and wait.
This is the pattern of our lives: to wait upon the Lord. We were encouraged to read this from June 8th in Octavius Winslow's Morning Thoughts:

Now the just shall live by faith: - Hebrews 10:38.

We cannot too frequently nor too deeply study the profound meaning of these words. God will have his child perpetually looking to, leaning upon, and receiving from Him. At present we are but in an immature state. We are not, therefore, in a condition to be trusted with grace for the future. Improvident and careless, we would soon squander and exhaust our resources; and when the emergency came, we should find our selves unprepared to meet it. The Lord, in wisdom and love, keeps all our grace in His own hands, and deals it out just as our circumstances demand. Oh, who that knows his own heart, and the heart of Christ, would not desire that all his supply should be in God, and not in himself? Who, so to speak, would wish to be his own spiritual treasurer? Who that knows the blessedness of a life of faith, the sweetness of going to God in everything, and for everything, would wish to transfer his mercies from Christ's keeping to his own, or wish to hold in the present the supply of the future? Be satisfied, dear reader, to walk by faith, and not by sight. You have a full Christ to draw from, and a faithful God to look to. You have a "covenant ordered in all things and sure," and the precious promise, "As your days, so shall your strength be," to lean confidently upon all your journey through. Be content, then, to be poor and dependent. Be willing to travel on empty-handed, seeing God's heart opened, and Christ's hand outstretched to supply your daily bread. Oh! it is sweet to be a dependent creature upon God- to hang upon a loving Father- to live as a poor, needy sinner, day by day, moment by moment, upon Jesus- to trace God in ten thousand ways- to mark His wisdom here, His condescension there- now His love, and then His faithfulness, all combining and exerted for our good- truly it is the most holy and blessed life upon earth. Why should we, then, shrink from any trial, or flee from any duty, or turn aside from any cross, since for that trial, and for that duty, and for that cross, Jesus has provided its required and appropriate grace? You are perhaps exclaiming, "Trouble is near!" Well, be it so. So also Divine grace is near- and strength is near - and counsel is near- and deliverance is near- and Jesus is near- and God is near- and a throne of grace is near; therefore, why must you fear, though trouble be near? "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

3 comments:

EJJ said...

thanks for sharing those quotes. i just read that this morning, too!

Jen said...

Such a great attitude you have, Nora! I've enjoyed reading your updates and am regularly encourage by your "patiently waiting" attitude.
Praying for a safe delivery for you! and enjoy your Mom while you wait!
:) jen cz

Wagner said...

Thanks for posting the quote. I haven't wanted our boy to arrive yet since we have nothing but our first shipment of stuff comes tomorrow! I keep checking and waiting for news and will be praying for a safe delivery!