God's Thoughts - Dinner #67

     A month has gone by, and I still can’t help but be awed and amazed over the birth of our little Jacqueline Grace . . . Wow! Our God is SO good!  Psalm 139:17-18 declares, “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand . . .” How very many thoughts our Lord had concerning this Tiny Bundle!  And how perfectly incredible that our God – the God of the entire universe- takes the time to THINK about US!

     Having kept a careful watch on our ultrasounds, my doctor had already been concerned about our daughter’s slow rate of growth, and warned us that she might have to face some time in the NICU.  I had wondered about the details of Baby #2’s delivery, and played endless scenarios through my mind, but only the Lord knew the events that would unfold.   Jacqueline came into the world exactly 3 weeks before her due date.  When I think back upon it all, now, my heart wants to sing with the words of King Solomon, “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time . . .” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)  We had good health insurance, and a doctor whom I greatly admire . . . Our 18-month-old was able to be lovingly cared for by her Grammy, while we were in the hospital . . . A dear relative had brand new preemie outfits shipped to us, immediately, when she heard that our Baby Girl would be so tiny . . . And even though she was born at 37 weeks, Jacqueline weighed JUST ENOUGH to keep her from requiring a stay in the NICU!  We were able to start out the new year by going home from the hospital, as a family!

     Psalm 31:19 says, “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” And that’s exactly what our baby’s arrival was like – like taking carefully stored presents off a shelf, one after another – each one, a special blessing and answer to prayer.  Some of the Lord’s answers regarding our Baby Girl had been “yes” or “no”, some had been “wait”, and some were greater than anything we could have imagined!

Was there a reason that God closed all job possibilities in Virginia, last October, and gave us peace about staying here a while longer? Yes, indeed! If we had left in OUR OWN TIMING, Jacqueline would have surprised us before the 60 days that it usually takes for a new health insurance plan to go into effect!  More than likely, we would not have even had time to choose a new doctor, yet!  Isaiah 55:8-9 declares, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

    Things are quite busy 24/7 in the Kelley Household, right now, but my heart is just so full of all that God has done for our newest Baby Girl!  In Mark 5:19, Jesus told a man, “ . . .Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee . . .”  What has God done for us? He has blessed us with Jacqueline Grace!! Weighing little more than a 5lb. bag of sugar, at her birth, she went from sipping milk on a plastic spoon, to drinking with a preemie bottle nipple – no IVs necessary, praise the Lord! A month later, now, she is growing, eating, and doing great!  Usually gobbles down 3-4 oz. at a time, and lets you know REAL QUICK when she's suddenly starving! SMILE! Her big, beautiful eyes warm the heart, and make this mommy want to touch her hair, kiss her little cheeks, and rub noses with her, for all eternity! And this is only the beginning!  Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil . . .”  What wonderful plans God has for your life, Little Jacqueline!  What wonderful plans He has in store for EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US!!

     God Bless & Happy New Year!

Another Year of Blessings - Thanksgiving 2012

A – ANSWERS TO PRAYER - Granting us sweet peace that the Lord wishes for us to stay here, in Tennessee, for Jacqueline’s birth.  We know that moving to Virginia, and taking that next step towards missions, will all come in God’s perfect timing! (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2)

B – BAPTIST INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS, INC. - My husband and I were able to attend a wonderful week of missions training at CAMP BIMI.  We thank the Lord for granting us the finances, the vacation time, the babysitting, and the health that we needed!

C – CHICK-FIL-A – Their chicken sandwiches were one of my only real “pregnancy cravings”, during the “nausea months”. We are also grateful for the stand this company recently took, regarding the Biblical definition of marriage.

D – DEVELOPMENT - Brooklyn reached many important milestones in her little life, this year, including sitting up, crawling, eating finger foods, walking, signing, talking, and climbing! K

E – ELECTIONS – My candidate may not have won, but I had the right and privilege to vote!

F – FELLOWSHIP – Our hearts have been encouraged many times, during precious evenings of Christian fellowship in our home.

G – GOD’S WORD - My grandmother purchased a Children’s Bible for Brooklyn, and she absolutely pours over all the illustrations. It used to be that we only read a story or two before bedtime, but now she asks for it before naps, as well! K We are so thankful that she already enjoys the Word of God!

H – HEALTH INSURANCE – We now have a much better level of coverage, through Brandon’s work, than we did before.

I – IN-LAWS – When talk came of possibly moving, my husband’s parents were more than willing to take us into their own home, for as long as it might be necessary.  I’m thankful for the love that they show our family!

J – JACQUELINE – God is growing us, once more!!  We were even able to surprise BOTH sets of grandparents with the news, at the same time! Due in January of 2013 with our Baby Girl #2!

K – KROGER – What a blessing this nearby grocery store has been! Their coupons, sales, and service have been invaluable, during these first few years of our marriage.

L – LITTLE ONES – How blessed I am to be able to stay at home with my babies! The work I do isn’t always easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world!

M – MAGAZINES – The Lord opened the door for one of my “Dinner’s In The Oven” ladies’ devotionals to be published in issue #84 of ABOVE RUBIES Magazine! 164,000 copies were printed and shipped worldwide.

N – NO MORE NAUSEA – With God’s grace, I came through 6 months of pregnancy nausea and weight-gaining difficulties.

O – OVENS – After going 17 days without one, last month, I learned to greatly appreciate having an oven that works!

P – PROGESTERONE – I am so grateful to have an ob/gyn who carefully checks hormone levels, and made sure, early on, that I had the necessary medication to help sustain this pregnancy! 

Q – QUALITY TIME - There is something so sweet and peaceful about just being able to spend some time with my husband!! Meals, conversations, movies, snuggles, laughter . . . Thank You, Lord, for days off to re-connect as a family!!

R – RECOVERY – We each had bouts with various viral infections, food poisoning, sinus troubles, and other illnesses, this year, but are thankful that each one only lasted for a season. 

S – SOY - Brooklyn has now successfully transitioned from soy baby formula to soy milk, to some whole milk dairy products!

T – TAX RETURNS – The Lord allowed us to pay off Brandon’s remaining 2011 school bill!

U – UNEXPECTED PROVISION – Once again, we have seen a year where the Lord met our needs in numerous and unexpected ways!

V – VOWS – Enjoyed reading the true story of a Christian couple who stayed together through extremely difficult circumstances (“The Vow”– By Kim & Krickitt Carpenter).

W – WALKS – I’ve been able to get some good pregnancy exercise, pushing Brooklyn in her stroller, while having the opportunity to meet many of the neighbors on our street.

X – XXXOOO – With God’s help, our marriage becomes only stronger and our romance sweeter, every day! I love you, Brandon David Kelley!!

Y – YELLOW – I enjoy my husband’s love of football, and the way that he has been teaching our daughter how to say “Steelers” and “yellow” before she’s even 2-years-old! K

Z – ZANY FUN – We’re still young enough to enjoy a great deal of spontaneity in our lives, and are lovin’ every minute of it! K

Thank you for letting me share another year of God’s marvelous blessings! - Kristen Kelley

Why "Bother" To Celebrate - Dinner #60

     Baby’s 1^st. Birthday Party . . . Some parents host big, fancy affairs, some keep things simple, some choose not to celebrate it at all.  I think it is very sad to leave off observing the day, entirely!  A first birthday should be a special celebration of milestones! The Bible teaches us that it is IMPORTANT to celebrate things that the Lord has brought us through!  I don’t even know where to begin in thinking of everything God has done for us, in this first year of Brooklyn’s life!  He let me find a doctor who believed in testing progesterone levels, in order to prevent miscarriages . . . He allowed the doctor to get the umbilical cord off our baby’s neck in time . . . He provided a wise emergency room doctor who realized she was allergic to milk . . . He allowed her weight to begin successfully picking up . . . He gave her strength to sit up, and crawl, and walk . . . The Lord has BLESSED us!

     Whenever a Christian celebrates, the world stops and stares.  Psalm 126:2-3 declares, “Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” Christians OUGHT to celebrate things like birthdays, salvations, successful surgeries, or the start of a new year!  A time of celebration gives us an opportunity to sing God’s praises! “Yes! The Lord HATH done great things for us! Let me tell you what He has done!”

    Why “bother” to do something for a child’s first birthday? Joshua 4:21-22 tells us why - “And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.” Someday, you may have a preschooler in your home who loves to look at photos from his babyhood.  He’s going to want to hear all about the presents, the people who were there, the cake that got all over his face . . . And you’re going to be able to tell him, “We celebrated because we LOVED you! We celebrated because we were thankful that God GAVE YOU TO US for even just one full year of your life! We celebrated because you are a BLESSING!” What better time to rejoice in the GIFT OF LIFE than at a baby’s first birthday?!

     It’s more than just celebrating a birthday – It’s learning to treasure a child every day, realizing that we do not know how long we will have them with us.  I Samuel 1:27+2:1 “For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him . . . And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD . . .” All you need is a JOYFUL HEART - one that praises God and says, “Thank You for giving us this child!” Has God given your child health and life? Has He provided for your baby’s needs? Has He given you, as a Mommy, daily strength? Then, even a FIRST birthday is important to celebrate!  

Looking Back - Dinner #36

- Thanksgiving 2011 -

     Ever since I was a teenager, I have enjoyed creating a yearly “Thankfulness List” when November rolls around. It always utterly amazes me to look back and see all of the many things I have to praise the Lord for in a year! This year, as I reflect on what God has done for our little family, I want to share these blessings with all of you! Psalm 34:3 “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.”

I THANK MY LORD JESUS FOR . . .

·        * Providing EVERY SINGLE item and piece of furniture that our Little One would need when she arrived.

Matthew 6:32 “ . . . for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”

·        *  Giving us enough financial stability for me to end my job at the daycare, and become a stay-at-home mommy.

Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

·        * Allowing us to have insurance for our baby’s delivery, just in time.  We didn’t end up having to pay a single cent for our time in the hospital!

Isaiah 40:11 “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”

·        * Giving Brandon the opportunity to complete his undergraduate in missiology.  Even though he had to end his master’s studies, mid-semester, this fall, we pray he’ll be able to resume in 2012.

Proverbs 16:16 “How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!”

·        *  Blessing us with the most precious baby girl we could have ever hoped for.  We celebrated our 1-year anniversary on June 19^th, and Baby Brooklyn Elizabeth arrived on June 20^th! She weighed 6 lbs. 4 oz. and was 21 inches long. We praise the Lord for a very smooth delivery, and are also grateful that all the grandparents were able to see her within the first two weeks of her life.

Psalm 139:13-14 “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

·        *  Supplying for our needs as our family grew this year, sometimes sending us help in amazingly unexpected ways.

Psalm 34:9-10 “O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”

·        * Bringing Brandon and I closer than ever before as we entered our second year of marriage. We feel more and more blessed to be together, with every passing day.

Song of Solomon 5:16 “His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend . . .”

·        * Giving Brandon favor at his work and allowing him to be promoted to assistant manager, shortly after the baby was born. 

Psalm 90:17 “And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.”

·        * Answering so many prayers regarding Brooklyn’s weight, and giving her Mommy and Daddy wisdom one step at a time concerning her health needs.  After two months of struggling with weight loss and allergic reactions, after she was first born, she is now officially our “Chunky Little Monkey”, weighing over 13 pounds. SMILE! 

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God . . .”

·        * Allowing me to start a blog for the “Dinner’s In The Oven” ladies’ devotionals, as well as a children’s book review blog entitled “Pika’s Preschool”.  God gave me an open door to advertise both websites at our public library, this fall, and has already led internet users from Russia, Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, to explore these pages!

Hebrews 3:13 “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day . . .”

     Even now, as I review this list, my heart says, “Praise the Lord!”  We are also thankful for each one of YOU! You encourage our hearts, show us your love, and pray for us continually, and we do not take that for granted! May God bless you and your precious families! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Complaining At Home - Dinner #32

     Anyone who has ever been a stay-at-home-mom dealing with only one vehicle for any period of time, knows that it isn’t easy to be the one “stuck” at home all day.  This is especially true if you live in a small house or apartment, or are caring for more than one little one.  You can begin to feel quite lonely and depressed, without even realizing it.  You stare at the same walls, do the same household chores, look at the same refrigerator leftovers, and the complaining discontentment sets in.

     One day, recently, I let myself become so upset by my circumstances, that I made a whole list of things I was “tired of”. Not being able to do this or that, not having enough money for this or that, not having a husband who remembers to do this or that . . . As I was writing my list, however, the Lord helped me to see that for each thing I was writing down, there was some encouragement from His Word to combat the complaint I was recording! SMILE!  I looked up each verse that came to my mind, and wrote it underneath the "tired of" it applied to.  This exercise was such a blessing to me!  Exodus 17:7 tells us, “And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?” We can feel exactly the same way in our daily lives, but the answer is, YES, the Lord IS with us! He has not left us nor forsaken us! And we have no earthly reason to complain!

    Philippians 2:14-16 commands us to, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life . . .”  If we are murmuring, complaining, and arguing, we are not having a good Christian testimony to the lost world around us.  We are to be LIGHTS - not complaining little dark spots! We have the hope of God’s Word – the hope of eternal life – to share with others! Will it look at all like what we say is true, if we are gloomy and complaining all the time?!

     In Numbers chapter 14, we see that the majority of the Israelites did not even get to go into the Promised Land because of their murmurings!  They gave up the land “flowing with milk and honey” for the sake of complaining when times were hard.  God does not desire His children to complain and grumble through difficulties!  He brings us through difficult times, so that we might learn to TRUST HIM MORE!  Again and again, God provided for the Israelites as they traveled those 40 years in the wilderness.  He gave them food and water, and even kept the soles of their shoes from wearing thin, but yet, they still complained against Him. Psalm 106:21, 24-25 “They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt . . . Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word: But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.”  Aren’t we often guilty of doing the very same? Of forgetting the many ways God has taken care of us, and of murmuring against Him?   

     A thankfulness tool that has helped me in this journey of being a stay-at-home-mom has been a “Weekly To-Do Chart”. On the left is my list of household duties that need to get done within the course of a week, and on the right is a large bubble entitled “Special Moments”.  That “Special Moments” bubble is for me to record the blessings and the happy little moments that occur during those 7 days of my existence.  It helps me to see, over and over again, that a 7-day week is NOT just mundane dishes, laundry, sweeping, etc.  God sprinkles “Special Moments” into every week, if I’ll only look for them!  Husband comes home from work early, Baby discovers her toes for the first time, friends invite us out to eat with them . . . And I see each week that GOD IS SO GOOD TO ME!  I Thessalonians 5:16-19 tells God’s people to, “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit.”  Don’t quench the working of the Holy Spirit in your life by becoming a complainer! God wants each of us to rejoice, pray, and be a thankful woman after His own heart!  

Amid Financial Fears - Dinner #31

     In a day where people are losing their jobs, their homes, their vehicles, etc., it is important to still be THANKFUL!  I saw a little saying on facebook, the other day, that I immediately had to write down and post on our refrigerator: “What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?” Wow! Would we still have Baby smiles and Husband kisses? Would we still have air to breathe and eyes to see with? Would we still have running water and electricity? Without a doubt, we need to be a more thankful people! Finances may be terrible and bills may be hard to pay, but we are so much more BLESSED than any of us even realizes!! Proverbs 15:16-17 declares, "Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith."

     Most people have stories to tell of times when finances were tough early on in their marriage, but now more than ever, people at ALL stages of life are struggling. My husband and I understand what it’s like to buy beef, potatoes, eggs, and oatmeal when we could afford little else.  We know what it’s like to be driving with the gas tank below empty, praying that we’d make it to our job and back.  We know what it’s like to purchase one canister of formula, and trust God to supply the rest of our baby’s food for the week.  But we ALSO know that God has PROVIDED FOR OUR NEEDS, time and time again! Unexpected checks and giftcards have arrived in the mail, a bonus has suddenly been awarded at Brandon’s work, an illness has gone away on its own before a doctor’s visit was necessary . . . and we have NEVER ONCE gone hungry.  Psalm 34:9-10 “O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”

     The wonderful thing is, that every time God provides for you, He is giving you a story to tell the generation to come!  Psalm 78:4+7 “. . . shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done . . . That they might set their hope in God . . .”  Just like the Israelites erecting the twelve stones in Joshua 4, we need to share how God has provided for us in the past. “And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land . . . That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.” When you share with others how good God has been to you, even the unsaved catch a glimpse of the power of God!

     Sometimes it is just wonderful to recall that God DOES indeed know our every need! Matthew 6:32 declares, “. . . for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.” He thinks about you and cares about you! In Psalm 37:25, David tells us, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” Do you remember the story in I Kings about the widow whose barrel of meal did not run out and whose cruse of oil did not run dry? Our Lord and Savior does not change! He who provided for that widow’s needs, can still take care of His children, today!  May we all learn, more than ever, how to trust Him with thankful hearts!

    

New Praises - Dinner #20

     Wow!  At the start of a new year, do you ever take the time to sit down and think about all the worries, problems, and trials you faced in the previous year, that God brought you through?!  This year, my husband and I sat on the couch New Year’s Eve, and just reflected on the many, MANY things we had on our plate going into LAST year! As of last January, Brandon didn’t have an off-campus job, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to pay off his school bill, we didn’t know if I’d be able to get time off from teaching to do our marriage counseling in VA, I didn’t have a job lined up for me in TN, we hadn’t found a place to live, neither of us had a reliable vehicle in our own names . . . On top of it all, we were trying to plan a wedding together with BOTH of us out of state, but not even in the same state! LOL!  Do you know what? EVERY SINGLE one of those mountains of last year are not even there any more! God brought us through EACH and EVERY ONE, and provided for our every need!!

     In Psalm 77:11-12, Asaph declares, “I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.  I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.”  Here in January 2011, those merciful provisions of last year are such a beautiful reminder that HE DOES and WILL take care of us!  As a newlywed couple with a little one on the way, you can only imagine the stresses and fears we have on our list for THIS year!  What do you have on your own list?  How are you asking God to come through on YOUR behalf in 2011? Guess what, Ladies?  This year carries with it a host of new worries and prayer requests for all of us – Faith allows those to become praises we’re looking back on at the beginning of 2012! NEW THINGS TO PRAISE HIM FOR!

     Sometimes when we are facing big difficulties, it is almost as though we have to be reminded of Who our Lord really is! Who is He?  Psalm 77:14 declares, “Thou art the God that doest wonders . . .” Why do we think our problems are so big before us? Our God is the God of miracles! Who is He?  Ephesians 3:20 tells us, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think . . .” Our God is an awesome and amazing God, capable of more than we could ever imagine!  I Corinthians 2:9 says,  “But as it is written, EYE HATH NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NEITHER HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN, THE THINGS WHICH GOD HATH PREPARED FOR THEM THAT LOVE HIM.” 

     It is the start of a new year, Ladies.  I challenge you to make a list of all those insurmountable things you already see before you in the next twelve months – all the challenges you already know you’re going to have to face – and then stand back, look to Heaven, and hear the Father say, “Be still, and know that I am God . . .” (Psalm 46:10)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!