My pregnancy so far

I have reached that point in pregnancy where it has begun to dawn on us that very soon we will need to care for a newborn! Nappy websites have suddenly taken on a fascination (which combination, exactly, should I purchase for night wear I wonder . . . ?).  I have even been known to dream about cloth nappies (or maybe those were nightmares).

At 34 weeks of pregnancy, the goals that seemed so achievable when I made them in January have a much closer deadline! The fact that Mum gave birth to her first child 3 weeks early is a reminder that it really could happen any time. The freezer is already full of food (more than 20 meals), and thankfully the quilt top is sewn together now . . . 

. . . and I remind myself that baby will just want to be fed and cuddled, and really won't care whether Mummy's scrapbooks are up-to-date or there is a framed ABC cross stitch on the wall!

Thankfully my goals have been fairly simple. I am aiming for three things in this season of life:

• simplify 
  
• prioritise
  
• choose the best
  

I have set out basic things that I should aim for in late pregnancy and after birth:

• simple meals
• rest and self care
• laundry, dishes, toilet cleaning
• prayer
• remembering God's word
• time with Dave

I've also written down a whole lot of the things that can completely drop off my list if need be, including:

• Dusting
  
• Tidying
  
• Blogging
  
• Sweeping and mopping
  
• Craft
  
• Organising
• Reading anything more than the Bible
  

Hopefully having these things written down will help me focus on what is most important on hard days. 

I feel exceptionally blessed in my pregnancy so far, despite the fact that the mishaps just keep happening! My chronic back pain has not grown worse, and overall I have felt healthy and happy. These are amazing blessings, considering my physical limitations.

Speaking of mishaps . . . 

Pregnancy brain is a real phenomenon. Honestly. Have you ever left your wallet at home and not realised until some of your groceries had been scanned? Remedies . . . 

• Just accept it!

Lady, remember you have a TUMMY! It took me a long time to register that I could no longer fit through the same spaces as before. On one visit to the hospital I rammed someone with my tummy and said "I'm sorry, I keep forgetting I have a tummy!" Remedies . . . 

• Try to move more slowly

Baby will play up at the worst times . . . I am not sure if I can really blame the baby, but when I was a bridesmaid recently I did suspect him/her of being very naughty. I got such a severe cramp at the hairdresser's that I ended up crawling around her bathroom floor rubbing my side, in an effort to ease the pain. I was in there quite a while, and then had to lie on the couch. Meanwhile, baby was kick, kick, kicking right where the worst pain was and had changed position a lot since that morning. Thankfully I recovered in time for the ceremony. Possible remedies . . . 

• Laugh, laugh, and laugh some more. Really, what could be funnier than crawling around the floor in agony when you're meant to be painting the bride's nails?
• Keep in mind that accepting any major responsibilities while pregnant could be hazardous!

Truly, I do find these things funny and it all adds to the adventure that is being pregnant for the first time. Next time my blogging month is here, I may no longer be pregnant! I am reminded to enjoy this unique stage of life that lasts such a short time. Baby is not due until May 6, but we are hoping to see him/her a little early. Please join with us in praying for a healthy and natural birth.

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Sure, you can be a Christian polygamous, petrol sniffing, right-wing racist if you like.

We’ve all heard the argument. “Well, the Bible doesn’t say anything about _____”. Or, with more sophistication “That is not a matter about which the Bible is clear, so we really shouldn’t make judgements”. The idea behind both statements is that if the Bible doesn’t speak to something specifically, we are left to our own opinions and conscience.

The key reason why such arguments do not satisfy me is that I have yet to see how they can be applied consistently. Why, exactly, don’t they lead to the conclusion put forward in the title of this blog post? When does the Bible become specific enough to listen to? There are many things that the Bible does not specifically mention which the Christian church has long held to be sinful or at least unwise (and being unwise is not, as I’ve attempted to demonstrate, much of a step up from outright sin).

I have shocked people when I pointed out that the Bible says “nothing” specific about the evils of paedophilia or polygamy . . . I didn’t mention de-facto marriage, slave owning, or membership of the Nazi party. Yet surely Christians must face and explain these things if they are to put forward the argument that if something is not mentioned specifically it is an area of Christian freedom. If an argument does not work when it comes to large matters, does it work for small ones? If so, how do we make the distinction?

I believe that the Bible does speak, directly or indirectly, to almost all areas of life. The Bible doesn’t use the word paedophilia, but it forbids sex outside of loving marriage. The Bible doesn’t condemn polygamy outright. It shows its destructive consequences and deviation from God’s plan. There are areas where the Bible specifically says we are entirely free: what we eat and drink and what days we keep (Romans 14). In these cases, the Bible does speak – and tells us to follow our own conscience.

As we seek to grapple with what the Bible says, there are many things to keep in mind:

• We are to seek peace with one another, and it is wise to hold our tongues (read Proverbs!). I often fail on this one!
• Many of us struggle to live out the Bible’s obvious teachings, and we need to focus on these. How many of us can say we’ve “arrived” when it comes to forgiving others or helping the poor?
• Some areas of life are less important than others, and the very clear (love on another) must never be forgotten in our attempts to understand other matters.
  

Even when Christians are genuinely seeking to find out what the Bible’s implications are for a particular issue, they will not always come to agreement. It is still better, however, to attempt to make a Biblical case for one’s position. Otherwise, what will you have to say to the Christian polygamous, petrol-sniffing, right-wing racist when he tells you not to judge him? In my opinion . . . ?

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Engagement Anniversary

Dave and I had a great time celebrating our engagement anniversary on March 9. It is now two years since that happy day when we decided to get married. We are happier than ever that God led us to make that choice! We went to the historic town of Richmond to eat lunch and search for a wedding present for friends. 

Dave took these pictures on self-timer . . . 

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Educating for godly dominion

Last month, I posted an introductory comment on Christian education that I wrote as part of my Diploma of Education studies at Wesley Institute. Now I would like to share further from the belief statement I have drawn up, with this section on the Creation Mandate.

"As Christians we know that people are made in God’s image, to rule His world (Genesis 1:26). Part of this Creation Mandate is to form families through having children (Genesis 1:28). In order that humanity will rule the world well, parents are commanded to teach their children God’s ways. This teaching is not to be a haphazard and infrequent task. Rather, parents are to look for opportunities to share God’s word during every waking moment (Deuteronomy 6: 7). Truly Christian education, whether at home or at school, involves continual and deliberate sharing about God and what he has commanded. Parents can fulfil this responsibility through home schooling, which is the way that I was educated. If parents do not choose this option, Christian schools provide another way for children to be trained in God’s ways and from his perspective. Christian schooling enables parents to delegate their responsibility to teachers who love God. Teachers are there to help parents train their children to work in families and communities, and exercise responsible rulership over the earth. As families and communities take godly dominion, they glorify and enjoy their Creator."

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Joyful Motherhood

Psalm 139:9 says "He grants the barren woman a home, like a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!". As I read this verse, it struck me that "joyful" and "mother" are not words I think of together often! I was further challenged on this point when I listened to a Nancy Campbell teaching CD. Nancy shared her belief that God wants us as women to not just be mothers but joyful mothers.

How different this image God provides is to what we often see around us. I don't know about you, but when I think of words to describe the Mums I have known "joyful" is not the first word that comes to mind. Here are some of the things I might think of:

*Self-sacrificing
*Tired
*Frustrated
*Patient
*Perseverant
*Anxious
*Long suffering

What about you?

After listening to the teaching CD, I chaged my prayer for children somewhat. I began to pray that I would become a joyful mother of children. I knew that becoming a joyful Mum, when so many Mums I had known were not characterised by joy, would be just as much an act of God as the conception and birth of a child for us. This prayer has become a continual one for me, as I am constantly reminded of the many ways that it is easy to radiate anything but joyful motherhood! Even pregnancy brings many challenges . . . and I can easily see myself becoming a complaining not a joyful mother!

Here are some of the things I think may steal mothers' joy:

Anxiety for our children and ourselves. God's word repeatedly reminds us not to be anxious. However, if you are anything like me you are not very good at obeying this command.

Self-imposed pressure or pressure from others to do, do, do - and do it just right! Unlike Jesus' yoke, the yokes we impose on ourselves are often heavy.

Comparison with others. God's word speaks to this and tells us that each one should "examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another" (Galatians 6:4).

I believe there may also be things that contribute to a joyful attitude:

Confidence in God's purpose for us as mothers - the deep assurance that God has created us for this role and he will provide all we need to do it.

Trust is a closely related concept. Trust that God will do what is best for us and our children.

Knowledge that in laying down our lives we find them. We do not need to chaff against the self-sacrifice and loss of space and time that are basic to motherhood. Instead, we can see this as one way of being like Christ in dying to our own desires. If we know that this self-sacrifice is the path to true joy, we are comforted in the changes and sufferings that motherhood brings.

Investing all our energy and passion into what God has called us to at this time. There are countless opportunities out there to better ourselves, to serve others, to "escape the kids", etc. Often, the opportunities are the worst temptations! "Good" things that actually take us from what we are primarily called to do as wives and mothers, and increase that self-imposed pressure. I have even experienced this in pregnancy.

I am just starting out on my journey of being a Mum . . . so I'd love to hear from more experienced readers about what you believe keeps us from being joyful Mums and what helps us to live out God's heart for us - joyful motherhood!

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Zucchini Recipes and Ideas

There is nothing like growing your own food for inspiring creativity in using it! When you garden you don't have the luxury of buying only what you need for a recipe. Instead, you have to find recipes for the food you've grown! A lot of people resort to giving away their zucchini to anyone who will take one, because they have so many. Since I'm a more obsessive type, I've instead attempted to find a use for every zucchini we grow. Sometimes I have dreams about zucchini, and think I'll soon join the ranks of the givers of unwanted gifts, but in the meantime I've come across lots of ways to use zucchini. Here are a few that I recommend:

Stuffed Zucchini

If you let your zucchini grow a bit big, this is a fantastic way to use them. Cut the zucchini in half and take the soft inner part where the seeds are. Blanch them in boiling water until softened and drain. Prepare savory rice to your taste - we like to include beans, cheese, onion, some of the zucchini cut from the middle, and herbs. Pine nuts, currants, capsicum and onion can also work. Place rice into zucchini shells, and top with cheese. Bake.

Zucchini Bakes

I have a couple that we like.

* Breadcrumb Zucchini with parmesan and parsley
* Tomato, Zucchini and Capsicum Gratin - oregano and feta gives this one a great flavour

Stir Fries and Curries

Young zucchini are great as part of a general vegetable stir fry, or you can use them in Thai Green Curry. Basically, you can chuck a zucchini in most of these types of dishes!

Soup

This is a new one for me this year, and it is fantastic! I was surprised at how good zucchini soup can taste. You can use big zucchini with success.

Pickles

Another new one for me this year, I tried a zucchini pickle recipe. We will have to wait and see how it turns out, but I tried one someone else had made and it was great.

Egg based dishes

Zucchini can be added as one vegetable in a quiche, or better yet made into zucchini slice.

Muffins and cakes

Savoury muffins with zucchini can be tasty. I recently adapted one with delicious results (or we thought so, anyway). Here it is:

2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 cup cheddar cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 and 1/4 cups buttermilk or milk (buttermilk gives a lovely tangy flavour - you could also use a combination of natural yoghurt and milk)
3 0z (90g) butter, melted
2 medium zucchini, grated
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
Enough fresh tomato to garnish

Mix up the dry ingredients with the cheese and basil. Mix up the wet ingredients with the zucchini and add. Stir until just combined. Place in muffin cups and top with sesame seed and a small piece of fresh tomato.

Would you believe it, you can also put zucchini in sweet cakes and breads. Zucchini chocolate cake is lovely and moist, and you wouldn't know the zucchini was there!

Pizza

Add a small zucchini as one of the vegetables on pizza.

Miscellaneous

Pop zucchini slices in toasties, dice tiny ones in salads . . . anything! One surprisingly simple and good recipe I came across recently uses zucchini, oil, tomatoes, garlic, olives and parsley to create a vegetable mix that can be eaten hot or cold. It tastes great plain or on toast. I am hoping to experiment with placing it on top of pasta or a grain.



After all this, it is still possible to be inundated with too many zucchinis! I suggest harvesting the flowers for garnishes on salads, or choppping them up as one ingredient in salads. After all, one of the keys to zucchini control is pick 'em young! Pick them in the early morning and keep them in the fridge until needed.



If you have a lot of yellow zucchini, or patty pan squash like those above, the perfect thing to do with them is make Tammy's Chicken Squash Bake. We love this! Since we don't have a functioning grill, we just bake it for the last part. I also just use ordinary cheddar cheese, and it is fine.

I am happy to provide any of the recipes for these ideas on request. If you have further ideas for using zucchini and squash, please let me know!

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Education to the glory of God

Now that I'm a Mum to an unborn child, I plan to pay some attention to defining and understanding what our family's vision for Christian education is. My friend John Dekker once stated that he believed this was essential for excellence in home schooling, and I think he has a point. In the past, through my studies at Wesley Institute, I had the opportunity to define my beliefs in an assignment. I'll be using some of the ideas in this to build further understanding. Those of you who are interested in the topic of Christian education may also find these thoughts of interest. Here is the first part of "My personal philosophy of Christian education".

“To glorify God and enjoy Him forever” is the way Augustine described the goal of the Christian life. The education of children is part of this broader aim. Education is inescapably religious. It transfers information about what is meaningful in life, how we should live, and whom we should serve. Even when these ideas are not explicitly spoken, they form the basis of what is excluded or included in the curriculum. Secular education is not neutral. God cannot be glorified where he is not praised. Students do not have a full opportunity to enjoy God when he is not acknowledged. Christians who desire to glorify and enjoy God in education can look to the Bible for encouragement and guidance. The central biblical commands found in the Creation Mandate (Genesis 1: 26 – 28), the Great Commandment (Mark 12: 29 – 31), and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:20) provide insights into what truly Christian education should look like.

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