You were made for your journey

Elenaor Roosevelt once said "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent".

I have a few girlfriends who are pregnant right now or just had babies. We love to discuss our previous births, talk about how labour is so different for each of us.  Neither one of our labours are better, and I think we all agree to that.  Each of our birthing experiences have been beautiful in their own ways, things have gone weird in their own ways.  I think we can all agree when we say that each of our children were born in the way God intended them to be born, they are all healthy children now and we can share our experiences just for the sake of sharing (or to laugh histarically at something that happened, or to help comfort for the situations that were not as we would have ever imagined.)
Not everyone is like this.  Some people really love to brag about their experience and make it about their experience even if in the momentt its about someone elses. Humans love to compeat, we love to one up.  Being someone on the recieving end of this, and the one who has been the one who has butted in my experience, trying to compare it to someone elses to make myself look good, God has really placed on my heart especially through this pregnancy to step back and realize that each persons experience is their experience He placed in their lives.  ‎2 Corinthians 10:12b NIV says When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.

We are totally tearing apart and critizing our own and others experiences when we begin to compare eachothers experiences in a way that could make anothers expernience not as great as they thought.  When we try to put our experiences or expectations on another being we may not be realizing thats not part of the marvellous plan God has placed in their lives.

Im glad I have friends who embrace each persons experiences with everything.

For us wives and mothers, as women in general I feel as though we compare ourselves way too much with what we see online on blogs where we see perfection (I dont follow those anymore lol).  When we see quotes pop up on our newsfeeds on facebook about what perfect parenting looks like.  Parenting is messy, life is messy.  There is joy in every moment, but it can be downright chaotic sometimes.  Can I get an amen?  These things dont help.  Beautiful quotes, but when we put ourselves down because we dont measure up, which I am guilty of, then its not helping.

I felt myself feeling down and bummed as I got really excited to finally start a Bible study at dinner time last night (inspired by a blog post I read earlier yesterday), when all the kids were done eating, we would pull our scripture and read together.  It sounded so beautiful.  But after one kid had a melt down, another was cutting up his lasagna so small that a mouse couldnt even pick it up, and one just kept asking to go back outside, tension building and everyone more or less in a rush to do what they wanted to do... I ended up having a meltdown and the first thought that came to my head was "I dont measure up."

But this is the biggest lie that the enemy puts in us Mothers and wives faces... and for men too, but because Im a woman I will probably keep speaking to us women.

"For we are God's workmanship ("valuable masterpiece"), created in Christ Jesus to do good

works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:10
This speaks to me this morning as I type this.  Three things that make me smile. 

1.  We were created in Jesus.  We were created.  Thats the keyword I am looking at.  We were not moulded by someone elses expereinces.  We were created by God.  We are His workmanship!

2.  We were created for good works-  God has good things for us to be doing.  This doesnt mean that as we follow Gods perfect plan for our lives children will automatically become perfect angels, there will never be a dirty dish in the house, everyone around us will be marvellous and we wont feel like we wanna pull our hair out, birth plans will go out the window, breastfeeding will be hell, (these are some of my experiences) but it means God still has good things to come from all the messy parts of life.  We can look at them as not nessesarily messy horrible failures, and look at them as part of our plan.  To inhale these moments as lessons and part of the experience.

3.  He prepared them for us in advance.  He's got plan for our lives.  Each individual. Not one person in the world will ever have been given the same path as another.  We may do similar things, but ultimatly in the end, each one was created by God for each person individually.  We are Gods WORKMANSHIP.  He worked hard on us.  Thought of each moment in our lives and each part of us and out of love created each of us for something amazing. 

"God will instruct him in the way chosen for him." -  Psalm 25:12

This is the other scripture that makes me smile this morning.  GOD will instruct us in the way He has chosen for us.

How many of us are allowing God to instruct us in that way?  How many of us are turning to resources that are not from God?  Even if they are from Christian writers or speakers,  are we still ultimatly turning to God before we turn to books or webpages to help us?  Gods word says he WILL instruct us on the way He has planned for us.  Not "maybe He will if all else fails", but He Will!   So this means in our parenting, birthing choices, jobs, spouces, our journey with God itself, decsisions etc.  He will instruct.  He's the ultimate teacher!  This is not to say He wont use people around you to speak His truth into your life, but we need to remember not to take their experience and try to make it our own, because the second we do that we are taking their journey and trying to fit it ontop of our own.

I think once we start embracing the journey God has for us, at least for me, all the things I thought I had to do, all the anxiety, the negativity it falls off a lot better.  I do have days, even parts of each day where the temptation is there to feel like because Im not doing it like so and so that I am not as good at it as them, but thats so not what God says for our lives and I have to declare that God has it all figured out for me. 

Embrace each journey in your life.  Whether it be children, pregnancy, your walk with Christ, marraige, work, friendships, trials.  Embrace each moment and claim it as your own.  Your journey that God wrote for you.

The addiction of the internet.

Since 2006 I have been battling an addiction that has pretty well become acceptable and not even considered an addiction more so a way of life to many people all over the world.  Addiction to the internet is something very real for me. 

Let me start off by saying, the internet is a great thing I think. Its a terrific tool, I am a fan of social networking, blogging, youtube, swagbucks, forums, the like. I dont know what I would do if I just couldnt "google" a question or share a photo with family, its the norm...when it is within limits. 

In 2006 I joined a forum for Moms with babies due in March 2007.   This would be a terrific way to journey with different Mothers from all over the world during our pregnancy and birth of our children.  I think it was a terrific idea in some ways. I have met some AMAZING Mothers and there isnt a time that goes by that I dont thank God for every single one of them, including the ones I may have never seen eye to eye with.  Even though the board had drama, and split numerous times, other communities to keep in touch were built and with facebook coming into the picture, I have been able to keep in contact with a lot of them, have met some of them, and talk on the phone weekly with others.  BUT, when online communities start to consume you, and even though all this splitting, evil talk and gossip happens and you STILL think its THAT important, I think its time to sit back and consider if this is a good thing or not.  

Thinking back four years ago and even more recent in other online communities I have had to face the fact that I allowed these online communities to be more important to me than my family and God.  I go on these places to post a baby belly here and there, post pictures, countless pictures of my children (I filled up two photobucket accounts to the max just with pictures I would be sharing), and bragging or complaining about life. I have completly doubted myself as a Mother, my instincts have fallen completly out of whack because I believe I need 16 different opinions first before I decide what to do with my sons runny nose. These women have been there with me in my massive ups and my massive downs.  That I give thanks to God for. There were some women that went above and beyond to help me though some massive depression issues, even if they lived in another country.  Thats awesome.   Thinking back, that was way cool.  But my reasons for being on these forums, while I really do care about these other Mothers, and feel I know a lot of them personally, and love them to peices, another side of my reasons for being on these forums were out of selfishness. Look at me, and lets see how many replies and views I can get with this.  Thats not awesome. Thinking back, that was not cool.

Then comes myspace... then came my mortal enemy.... Facebook. Oh sometimes I wish I had never signed up on that blue and white screen.  Satan for me, really tempts me on the other side of this computer screen... and has won this battle more times than I have. 

Refresh, refresh, refresh, if the buttons on my internet browser could wear out, that one would have worn out a long time ago.  "Did anyone see what I just posted here? Who is going to "like" that today?"   Heaven forbid I miss something.  "Did you see that honey, your son just gave me a high five for the first time".  "No dear I didnt.. I am busy right now, important stuff happening here online..."

My memory card took thousands of pictures of my children.  These photos HAD to go up on these places to share.  These are memories... but for who?  For us, or all these people online I communicate with more than my husband?  When I deleted my Facebook account a few months ago, you know what I had to do? Save all my photos on my hard drive because I dont even have any of these pictures in albums yet.  If my children wanted to see a memory in photograph...I would have to log in..and they could see them after I replied to a few of my friends statuses or I replied to the recent drama on a thread.  And heaven forbid they not co-operate for another cute photo because then that would just mess up my whole life if I couldnt get the photo I wanted up online. 

And this went on from 2006 till just this past Christmas.  4 years of spending more time in front of my computer screen instead of watching my kids do things.  For crying out loud I even had the videos of my boys learning to walk uploading before I would call their Grandparents. 

I have cried over my discust of what I became for days, I have wanted to just kick my own butt because I felt just so ashamed.  So repulsed with me telling my daughter "just wait a minute" for about an hour because she wanted to play with me but I was to busy waiting too see what was going to happen next on the networks I have so enthralled myself with.  Telling my husband I would be "up stairs in a minute" only to head up there a few hours later when he is dead tired of waiting and falls asleep.  Using my Bible to prop up my keyboard a little more....

Scrolling up to see what I wrote, man I wrote a lot.  This is all stuff that I have come to realize FULLY only just recently.  There has been many times before where I have "left" the internet, taken breaks from groups I belonged too, taken the computer into another room where it wasnt as easily accessable...but this past fall it wasnt me on my own who decided I needed an adjustment in my way of life, it was God...and let me tell you, it wasnt a gentle nudge. He probably gently nudged me 100 times about this.  I can still remember fighting with my husband over something that was going to inconveinence my time online... and he went into the bathroom and I had followed him up there.  I got mad because he took the kids stool for the lightswitches and placed it in the middle of the hall... and how I couldnt wait to get online and bitch to someone about this in my status. How dare my husband move a stool out of his way so he could go to the bathroom. The nerve right?

I was on our landing in our stairway and God spoke to me so clearly to wake up and smell the roses.  He has blessed me with children, and with a husband who has sacrificed over and over for me and instead of talking to my husband about whatever was goin on that day I want to get online and bitch about a step stool?!?!?!?!?! 

Tears flowed and flowed and flowed and I bawled leaning over my kitchen counter.  I ripped the computer modem out of the wall..I took it all to the laundry room where it sat for a while.  I made the decision that day that I would slowly start to remove the things I needed from the sites I had so much in, and get off them before I had another day of hitting that refresh button. 

I did do it slowly, some people got it, some people thought I was being totally insane, stupid... at that time I decided that we would have no computer at all. After talking to my husband about it, we decided to keep the computer and the internet but I would have a time limit set on the computer and passwords galore so I couldnt access the world wide web when I wasnt supposed too. But passwords get figured out easily, addicts find ways.  Thats what I am, Im addicted to the internet.  

I left facebook completly, thats no easy task, its not the easiest place to leave, your account can be reactivated almost instantly if you "change your mind".  Kind of frustrating.  I had to set up another email account and link it to my Facebook because I had to delete my email address as well associated with it.  And that would still take 180 days... Its sure not easy trying to rid yourself of these things. 

I decided after this that I would do a fast... I decided to do a fast related to food.  I felt God wanted me to fast so this seems logical right. Lots of people do food fasting.  The third day in, God really spoke to me again, saying even though I left Facebook, He wanted me to do a internet fast. "wake up and smell the java Candace, even though food is a struggle for you, the interent is WAY HUGE for you"  For 21 days I didnt go on the internet.  Praise God what an amazing time that was.  The scriptures I am finally reading, the routine I now have for private Bible Study and prayer and worship in the evenings is far beyond anything I ever had.  Putting God FIRST instead of squeezing Him in after.  The games I have got to play with my children.  The smiles and fun we have..REALLY have, and not just for ten minutes, take a picture of the fun and then post it online to show everyone I am a "fun Mom". 

Now I have allowed myself back on. There are days the temptaion is there MASSIVELY to be on the internet all day.  There have been days I have been on it for much longer than I know I should be.  The fact of the matter is, if my children are awake, they need ME. Not my backside.  And I know this..I KNOW this.. and yet its still a struggle.

Like I said in my post earlier about food addictions (I have an addictive personality) I am MADE for MORE than this.  I am made for more than social networking. Its great in moderation.  I love the fact that I can blog here in moderation, it doesnt take long (well this one sure has but generally) and go on about my day. But there is a world around me, in my own home that NEEDS me.  God did not create me for neglecting my children, my husband, friends, family, my God definatly did not create me to neglect HIM. 

God needs to be first.  He died for me.  I know that.  I get it, but I havent always shown that outwardly.  What kind of faith based parenting am I teaching.

 

Am I teaching my children that God comes first or that checking email comes first?

 

Am I teaching my husband who hasnt given himself to the Lord that a Christian wife is allowed to be constantly selfish or that she is to honor and love her Husband?

Ephesians 5 speaks so clearly to me these days: (verses 15-20)

 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.  Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.  Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,  singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.  And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. "

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I need to be addicted to serving Jesus and being like Christ in this life.  Not to anything else.  Jesus is Love.  If I am addicted to loving others like Christ loves us... would that not be a much better picture? 

This journey is just the begining for me. Its only been a few months of breaking free.  I even typed in Facebook into my browser this morning, something I hadnt done since I deactivated my account.  By total accident, then the thought arose "perhaps God wants me to re activate my account?". NO, stop right there Candace. Thats now God speaking to you. Does that sound like God? No it doesnt. This is why its so important that we all be reading our Bibles and having quiet time and prayer with God, so we can understand His voice from the worlds. 

The enemy uses what we are tempted by the most that take us away from God to make us fall.  He's not some dumb red guy with a pitch fork.  He is very very smart.  But God is smarter. And if we focus on Christ inside us, we can beat Satan.  Amen to that. Thank You Jesus!

and so the saga of raising boys officially begins...

Last night our youngest was the first in our bunch of children to have to go to the hospital to recieve stitches. 
It all happened at about 7:30 last night.
He came running into the kitchen (in the excitement once again over popcorn I might add), and I had turned around to talk to my husband, my son and I colided, sending him into a wall where he cracked his head in the entrance way of our kitchen.  I just held him so tight as he was screaming, I could feel blood and I figured maybe he knocked his mouth. My husband noticed where he was injured within seconds and ran to grab a washcloth off the counter and put it on his head and told me to hold it.  So now I have figured out that it was his forehead that was injured.  "Is it bad!" I cried. "Yes." my husband said.  "Does he need stitches?"  I freak out... my husbad replies "lemmie look..... .... yep I am pretty sure it does."
So he calls his Dad to see if he can come and take them to the hospital and they arrived at the hospital I'd say around 8:30ish.  He didnt get his stitches till after 2am.  We sure picked a busy night at the hospital to have an emergency. 

I still feel soooooo awful about it, I can replay and feel the moment in an instant and I just keep hugging him and appologizing.  I remember when he was in my arms screaming I cried out to God "Just dont let him be bothered by it, dont let him feel pain, take it from him I dont want him to be hurting anymore."  We got him dressed and I nursed him till my husbands Dad got to our house.  When they called from the hospital  I asked "Is he okay?"  and my husband was laughing and said "Yep. He's runnin around in here, laughing, playing like nothing is wrong!  The little stinker."  I truly and honestly believe that God did protect him from pain and fear while in that hospital!  He is such an awesome God capable of so much when we put our trust in Him!    If you had seen that gash in his head, I know if it were me there would be no way I would be calm and collected, running around playing, and laughing. 


So in one week he needs to go back in and have the stitches taken out, and until then we just have to keep an eye on it.  Hopefully everything goes well and his wound heals nicley.  I never thought he would be our first one in for stitches. I always figured it would be our middle child because he's a bit of a dare devil.  Accidents happen so fast, it was like "what on earth just happened here." Not even a moment to think.  I cried so hard, but everyone has been telling me that it was an accident, which I know it was, but you cant help but feel guilty. I am still appologizing even though he is running around like nothing happened.  Im just so greatful for my husbands Father and his wife and their kindess and helpfulness, the protection he had through the whole ordeal.  Thank You God! 

A "bit of my crunchy side"... Yes I still breastfeed....

I dont even know how to start this post, but I know that I have a lot of things to say.  Over the past few weeks, I have come across more than one person who has showed complete shock that I still breastfeed my two year old son.  I dont know if I would go as far to say they look discusted, but concerned.  If they only knew I breastfed my first son until he was almost three. 

I dont know if I am 100% pro baby-lead weaning or not. I know that there are reasons, and to me they are valid good reasons for a Mom to wean a child and it is all good.  But for me, I just cant bring myself to do it.  With my daughter I lost my milk supply drastically when she was 9 months old and quit, I didnt have the education about breastfeeding as I do now.  With Tayven, our second, I quit nursing him while pregnant for Zayden due to emotional and mental pain (dealing with PPD, being pregnant and nursing wasnt exactically my idea of a good time then, and thats another story) I stopped, once Zayden was born Tayven wanted to nurse again and I let him and he stopped a few months shy of his third birthday.  I tandemed (nursed two at the same time) for almost 10 months. 

We have tried a few times to diminish the amount of times he is nursing during the day, but everytime there is a tooth, a sickness, or any change in schedual, we are back at nursing like a three week old baby with a growth spurt!  I love nursing my son for the most part, sometimes though a wiggly 30 pound boy who is pulling at your jewlery and kicking you in the face while nursing for the 5th time that afternoon can be a bit <insert hair pulling here>.   We co-sleep so during the night he will help himself..and the times he has been in his own bed, I have actually found myself "sleep nursing"..making my way into his room at his beckon call and nursing him.  For those who last heard he was no longer nursing at night...HA..that lasted maybe a month... and I am not joking when I say every time I attempt night weaning I get mastitis (a really nasty infection in the milk ducts) and you are not supposed to stop nursing when you have mastitis..sometimes I think its a curse LOL. 



Zayden- Summer 2010



He is however starting to enjoy solid foods. We did baby-led solids with Zayden, skipped the jars and just let him try what we were having.  He honestly never at too much solids till just the past six months I bet.  And in no way shape or form is he "failure to thrive".   

One question I have been asked more than any other question is "Is that breastmilk any good for him anymore???  It cant have any nutrition in it."  ofcourse it does! Breastmilk changes with your child, for your childs needs. God made it to do that!  Isnt that so awesome!? 

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html#nutrition

That is a great link about extended breastfeeding.  There havent been a ton of studies done on breastfeeding over the age of two that I can find, but there is definatly tons of benefits that you can look into in that link if you are interested.  If anyone reading this has some great information of the nutritional value of two years or beyond I would love to see it and give it a good read :) 

I dont get overly angry or sad when people give me weird looks, but I do wish that it was more culturally "normal"..I think its getting better. 

I dont start getting lippy at people about me breastfeeding my toddler, but I do gently say that it still gives him loads of nutrition and protects him from illnesses and helps as well with allergies (which I have a few of).  
I have also been asked why I never gave him a bottle.  We did with Tayven and it worked fantastic. I have nothing against bottles, but with Z, we just didnt do it.  To give him one now I think would just be weird!  Plus Im just too bloody lazy to do any more dishes!!! ;)  I dont know if there is a "right" way to dealing with this issue.  Everyone has been taught something and they see it as right. And it is right for them.  I used to do the formula/breastfeeding debate all the time... now I just dont and I am happy with my decisions and I dont judge other Moms for their choice.  Parenting can be hard enough! lol Plus..Jesus was breastfed!  (Had to add that :) 

Jesus our comforter

This past week our household has been loaded with sickness. Today our boys are finally starting to sit up, colour, sing, and EAT even just the littlest amounts! Whatever flu bug was romping around looks like for them, its on its way out. Last night I started to feel a bit under the weather and was thanking God for not letting me be sick while they were at their worst! Today, Im feeling still a bit not quite 100%, and I hope that God will just protect me from the illness because theres just so much a Mom has to do!!!!


Yesterday I was giving one of the boys a bath and as I sat there watching him just so tired and weak I was thinking of how Jesus takes care of us in this way. He is our comforter! Just as parents are there for a sick child, to bathe them and hug them and nurse them back to health, Jesus is there for us through our sickness when we call to Him for help.  I just think its so amazing! I have seen Him do this so many times in my household alone, He is just so awesome it makes me smile ear to ear! 


In the NLT version of the Bible, 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.

Have a fantastic day everyone!

Lay 'em Down

My middle child just loves this song by Need to Breathe and makes me play it for him all the time.  I must admit its a really awesome song! And its meaning is so fantastic!  We can bring out troubles to God and give them to Him without worry! I just wish I could bring these gazillion loads of towels and sheets I have to God! ;)   Zayden passed his germs to him and now Tayven is sick.  I thought I would post this to our blog so he could watch it later when he wakes up.  The poor dude.  I just pray that they get well soon, its too quiet here!!! (wow I cant believe I just wrote that! LOL) 

When a princess asks questions...

She is so young, and yet so wise in ways that blow me away. She has such a simple approach to Jesus. She knows she is a Princess, she is a child of the King! She knows He loves her more than anyone else can and she knows she can go to Him with anything! And she is only six years old.

Over the past few weeks my daughter has really gotten a hunger for God. She is always ready to do a Bible study in the evening or spend a long time just reflecting on Gods love. I always see peices of paper with hearts that say "God" or "Jesus" on the inside and I know it must just make Jesus smile ear to ear!

Along with her love growing for God, her knowledge of how God works and such is growing as well. She is begining to ask questions about those around her who do not have Jesus as their saviour, or to those who believe that all walks of faith lead to God. I have asked all these questions myself in my walk with God, and thankfully due to studying scripture had a few responces for her questions. But I think because Im a "grown up" now I can tend to make things more complicated than they really are.

The one thing I knew was that these questions she had needed to be talked about. There were moments where it almost seemed she wanted to hide away from all those who could hurt her faith. Wow, I have had that feeling many times. She would show fear when I told her that not everyone believes in Jesus, even some people very close to her. But I also talked to her about prayer and how prayer can change things and to also never hide her faith from people when they ask her about it because it may be her that brings them to Christ! I also encourage her to read her Bible, and that together we could find scripture that would help her with her questions. Making sure that she understood that just because one of the people in her life doesnt believe in God doesnt mean we should avoid them! I think thats the last thing we should do! We may be the only Christian in their life. It says in John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."  No matter what! 

We know a lot of angry people.  Even we get angry.  Our world is angry, and a lot of people want to blame all their problems on God.  They curse His name and figure they can do it all on their own because He has never been there for them.  My daughter made an awesome point, God can not really be there for us when we are so angry and blaming Him for everything, God is love!  He fixes our problems, He doesn't create them but He will make them work out for our good if we just trust Him!  Its so simple! 

Jesus says in Luke 18 in verse 16-17 “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”


 

Hungry for the word of God???

Okay... I know I have said I want my children to be hungry for the word of God... but seriously, I didnt mean it like this!!!!!!

This is my youngest son, Zayden-William Thomas, who is two. He's quite the character and even at his young age I understand how important to share with him what I know about God and what the Bible says. We do daily devotions that are geared towards children and are easy and fun to understand. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:6 ~ Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.(NIV)~

But I keep telling him, "if you eat your Bible... we wont be able to read it!"...maybe thats another good reason for memorizing scripture!!!!

Gods Love

I have to add this email I sent to my family and friends yesterday into this blog because it really was part of the inspiration to make this blog (how can a person NOT share the love that God shows us even in the most strangest ways!) and it fits so wonderfully with Valentines Day that just passed, for those of you reading who didn't have a "valentine", or is just not feeling any kind of love in their life, know that Jesus loves you so much and wants to be your "valentine", your friend, and have a wonderful relationship with you.
Sometimes we get angry, frustrated, stressed and down right vulgar in our lives and its easy to forget about God in these moments. But know that He hasnt forgotten you!!!

"Mornings in my house are nothing but a bunch of chaos these days getting my daughter ready for school and having a three year old and two year old boy, usually playing police cars and a bunch of siren sounds at octives only dogs should here coming from their mouths. I was getting very impaitient this morning and trying to keep my cool. The boys were also playing with my camera and out of frustration I grabbed it and took it with me to take my daughter to the bus stop so they couldnt touch it with it around my neck.

I was feeling not too much love this morning and as I was walking down the one side of our street and this is what I saw.

It made me giggle and I had to take a picture. It reminded me of God's love and how easy it can be for me to forget about it in times of stress!

Psalm 139:7-10 (NIV)
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast. "