Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me,
Bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
Psalm 103:1-5
Throughout my entire life there have been times that unmistakeably God has moved. Situations that could not be explained other than His provision, His intercession, or His touch of healing. And yet, today...here and now...I struggle with simple petitions and a lack of trust. Why is it that I forget so easily ALL that He has done up till this very moment? Not even just in my life but in those around me...and throughout history! Scripture tells us to "forget none of His benefits"...we are called to remember what He has done and what He is CAPABLE of doing.
When we sit down to watch a movie...we don't pause it halfway through and study the picture on the TV. We allow the story to play out and watch it until the credits roll. I find myself studying the picture on the screen at the present time. Analyzing it from every angle...trying to figure out what good could possibly come from it...and then discouraged, I give up on the whole movie! Thankfully, God does not measure our lives by time...He sees the beginning from the end. He knows that this snapshot of my life will play an intricate part in the person I am in glory. I must REMEMBER all His benefits and wait for Him to satisfy me with His good things!
This pregnancy has been full of ups and downs and a few surprises. I have complete placenta previa and so the doctor has had me in for ultrasounds every few weeks to monitor me. This last Friday I had another ultrasound scheduled to check to see if the placenta had moved. Unfortunately, it had not. But we were hopeful that the tech would be able to tell what the gender of the baby was. So, we all squeezed into the little room and watched...
The kids were definitely NOT impressed. When I told them they were going to "see" the baby...they thought that meant OUTSIDE of my tummy. Hm...it was quite the disappointment to see a black blob on a fuzzy screen.
But the tech was able to see what we are having...and it is a BOY!!! Yes, the Jimenez gene overpowers once again! It is very rare to have a girl in the Jimenez family...Amy will be the only princess! And so, there will be one more Jimenez "brotha" joining the ranks! :-)
We have come off a weekend of arguing, tattle tailing, and just basic sibling unpleasantness. I don't know if it was me being irritable, or the weather, or simply time for it...but the kids have NOT been getting along. Thankfully, today was a much needed respite!!!
This morning Amy wasn't feeling that great. She has been lying around and we are waiting to see what happens next (pukies?).
I came upstairs to get ready (basically...out of my pajamas and into some sweat pants! :-) and Amy went to lay on her bed. When I came out of my room after changing my clothes, etc...I saw Tyler sitting on the floor next to Amy's bed and "reading" her some books. He was rubbing her back and showing her the pictures in the book. What a sweet, sweet brother!!! Hopefully this sensitive side will win through more often! :-)
My wonderful parents had the lovely idea of getting the kids harmonicas while they were here. Isn't that great!? Yep, so we have a constant musical soundtrack in our house that just puts me at ease and makes me feel so peaceful and relaxed! :-) The kids have asked me several times to "just sing, Mom, while I'm playing". Hm, unfortunately, I'm not able to follow along very well and so they have given up on their mother and started their own "band"!
THANKS MOM AND DAD!!!! (Just remember that if we visit Tucson...the harmonicas come too!)
Amy had her birthday party last Saturday (her birthday was actually on Sunday) and I have been waiting for pictures from my parents so I could post them. But I let the whole week go by...and decided to just celebrate Amy, in all her glory, over the last four years!!! My little princess...how she's grown...
