God is Good

Well-- you know that my life is getting back to normal when I no longer post to the blog every day!!! :) It actually is WONDERFUL to be busy again! I am getting out and about just like before, and I have to say that I feel completely normal again. I am SO thankful that I am able to have this time to readjust to normal life before Caroline arrives. I have been able to get so much done that I wouldn't have been able to do if I was still on strict bedrest.

Her nursery is finished! It looks so cute! I basically kept the walls and everything the same, I just added new bedding and pink accents-- and changed the wall letters to her name instead of Luke's. I am very pleased. I will post photos soon.

Luke's big boy bed transition has gone really well, too! Yippee! On Sunday I sat him down and explained to him that he did not need to get up during the night anymore. I told him that he couldn't get out of bed until the sun came up in the morning. For some reason that clicked with him, and he has slept through the night for 5 days straight! We are praying that he has officially made the transition now. When he would get up, he wouldn't make a sound-- he would just fling our door open and come in. Then I would just lead him back down to his room and he would climb back into bed and quickly go back to sleep. This really didn't bother me-- in fact, I enjoyed it in some ways. I never had to rock him or soothe him to get him to go to sleep. We would just lay him down and he would go to sleep on his on... So, I really don't mind tucking him into bed and patting his back now-- even at 3:00 am!! It is rather sweet to sit by his bed and watch him sleep. It reminds me of how blessed we are, and how I will be up at all hours of the night anyway soon with Caroline!!

Scott celebrated his birthday on the 12th. Luke helped me make him a cake. He LOVES to "help" now with anything and everything. He's pretty good at following directions.

We went to the doctor on the 17th and we now have an official birthday for Caroline-- Tuesday, February 28th, 7:30 am. I had initially wanted her to arrive in March, and we could have scheduled the c-section for the next day, March 1st. But, when it comes right down to it, I just feel blessed to be at this point. After all we have been through, I don't dare get concerned about what day she's born-- I am just SO happy that she will be born happy and healthy and at an appropriate time. I will be 33 weeks next week which is a GREAT place to be. Tonight Scott and I were talking about what a blessing my being on bed rest actually was. We both were able to spend such quality time with Luke that we never would have had if we had just kept living life as usual. All the drama surrounding my cervix made us stop and appreciate each day-- literally. It allowed Scott to be at home much more than he would have and to assume a much larger role in Luke's day-to-day life. It allowed me to spend great amounts of focused time with Luke instead of just running around from place to place with him each day. I will always treasure the times we had curled up together on the couch playing games on the computer, reading books, and watching Charlie and Lola-- and Thomas. God really worked good out of the entire situation on SO many levels. Although I would never want Caroline's very life to be at risk in any way again, I would gladly go through the bed rest experience again if necessary.

So, life is back to "normal" as we await Caroline's arrival. I still can't really grasp what it will be like to have an infant in the house again. I am praying Luke will adapt just fine and not be jealous or bothered by the chaos she will surely bring. I am looking forward to many things-- Knowing what I am doing and not being afraid that I am going to mess up or do something wrong; Not being anemic, sick, and traumatized from the whole delivery process this time around (please, God!!); Savoring the times I have with her because I now fully understand just how quickly it passes; Watching Luke interact with her and being able to see her respond to him.... Can't believe all of this is just 5 weeks from Tuesday!!! WOW!

Luke's 2nd birthday is also coming up on Feb. 3rd. We are doing a casual family party on Saturday the 5th. I am also so excited to be having a baby blessing shower for Caroline with close friends and family earlier that day. It will be SO nice to celebrate with all of them-- they have been our support, encouragement, sanity, and strength through all of this.

Still on track with my Bible reading-- we are in Matthew now.

Life is good. Life is good. God is good. God is good.

Sleeping Well, Moving Again, Reading the Word

Today was a great day! First, we have reached the 31-week mark in our pregnancy! Yippee! And, Luke slept through the night without a peep in his new big boy bed! He went down this afternoon for his nap without a fuss, and Scott had no problem putting him to bed tonight! He went right down! Can this transition really be that easy?!? We are hoping! :) I can't wait to put the finishing touches on his old nursery to make it Caroline's!

Scott's mom will be watching Luke tomorrow, so I am hoping to go shopping for birthday party invitations. It is so nice to be able to get out and about again. I am really feeling almost "normal" as far as my mobility. I think it just took a week or two for my body to realize that I could actually move again. I am so thankful that I am able to regain this agility before she arrives.

God is good! I am still on track with my Bible reading plan-- up to Genesis 29. It is so interesting to read all the stories again about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob... as well as Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel, and Leah. Haven't families been flawed since the beginning of time?!? Makes me feel a little better about my day-to-day foibles!

Big Boy, Big Bed, Big Birthday, Big Brother

Well-- today we made the "big move"... Luke is sleeping in his new "big boy bed!" He took his nap this afternoon in the bed and did great. Tonight he was a little hesitant to fall asleep. I sat beside him until he fell asleep-- which we never do, but, I figured we had to cut him some slack while he is getting used to the new room.

I think it is harder on me than it is on him! I was so sad today as I moved all of his clothes out of the nursery into his new closet. I just can't believe how fast time has flown! He is such a big boy now, but it seems just like yesterday that I was working so hard to get the nursery ready for him. Every little detail had to be just right-- now he is no longer even sleeping in the room. And, at the same time-- it hit me that this room is soon to have a new occupant! Seeing all her pretty little pink outfits hanging so perfectly in the nursery closet made it seem a little more real.

I still can't really imagine what it is going to be like having another little soul in the house. I am somewhat worried that Luke will have a rough time adjusting... he is such a good kid, I'd like to think that he will remain easy-going and flexible about it, but you just never know. He will have just turned 2 (by a month) when Caroline arrives-- if she waits until the 38 week mark. We also have no idea if he will succumb to the "terrible two" syndrome.... having a new baby sister could really exacerbate the problem!

So-- he will probably get a better night's sleep than I will tonight! I will probably toss and turn, hoping that he sleeps well and doesn't fall off the bed or wake up in the middle of the night scared to be in an unfamiliar place. My mind will also most likely be racing with all the "to do's" that I need to get done this week. We will be having Luke's 2nd birthday party in less than a month! I have a cake to order, decorations to buy, invitations to be made and sent, photographs to be taken, and a DVD to be made of his second year! Please let me get it all finished!!!

It is just crazy how fast life seems to be getting. I can't fathom that I will be the mother of two in less than 8 weeks! I am just praying that all goes smoothly, and that we will be able to roll with the punches!

30 Weeks! Hooray!

I am 30 weeks pregnant today! Hooray!

There were a few times along the way when we were afraid we wouldn't make it to this point, but God is faithful!

I go to the doctor tomorrow. I am looking forward to celebrating this milestone with her! Yes, we have at least two more months to go, ideally-- but we are a long way from the danger zone weeks were facing in the beginning.

I started on Luke's curtains today and got one panel finished. He went home with my parents on Monday, and they are going to bring him back on Thursday. I miss him, but we are using this time to try to finish up all the projects on our to-do list.

Thanks so much for all the prayers. We truly believe God was listening and has brought us to this point!

Man or Monkey?!

Hope all of you enjoyed the first day of the New Year today! We passed our last evening of 2006 playing Scrabble with my parents! We are just two wild and crazy kids! Scott won thanks to his use of all 7 tiles on "massacre"-- a 50 point bonus.

The first Sunday of the New Year also brought a great lesson at church. Tim showed a clip from Leno where he interviewed people on their Bible knowledge. If you have ever seen any of his "Jay-Walking" segments, then you know how pathetic the answers were. Who was swallowed by a big fish?-- Pinocchio. What did Joseph receive that made his brothers jealous?-- a new car.

Anyway-- his point was that basic Biblical knowledge-- even within the church has declined greatly over the past 50 years. Statistics bear this out. We live in a culture where 12% of people think Noah's wife was Joan of Arc ("ark?!").

I have always been extremely good at Bible facts. My dad would do Bible flash cards with us before bedtime-- always accompanied with a Bible story read out of our big white Bible story book. It was just something that was always emphasized, and I thankfully have retained much of the knowledge I learned as a child.

It is sad that the "Church of Christ" used to be widely regarded as a fellowship who knew its Bible. For better or worse, we were known as people who could quote book, chapter, and verse on just about any topic. That doesn't ring true today. It is simply not a priority in most of our churches or families today.

Tim actually passed out a "Bible quiz" and had everyone spend close to 15 minutes testing his/her basic Bible knowledge. Questions like, "Who wrote Philemon? A. Peter B. Paul C. Philemon D. Onesimus (Answer= B. Paul) He went over the answers. My score? 21 correct out of 25. Not too bad considering I was trying to pacify Luke and keep him from stealing my pen the entire time!

I really want Luke to grow up knowing the Bible. It weighs on me heavily. I want to make sure that I do my part to teach him all the great stories-- from the major to the obscure-- like my personal favorite tidbit of Bible trivia from my youth-- King Og had a bed 13½ feet long and 6 feet wide (Deut. 3:11). I even have an entire set of Bible flannel graphs to use on a flannel board-- a favorite memory of my Sunday school days. Yes, I know I am a nerd...

One of Tim's last points-- The difference between a monkey and a man? A monkey looks at a telescope, a man looks through a telescope. The Bible is an amazing telescope which gives us great insight into the heart of God and all the answers to life. We need to learn to look through the Bible and see its wonderful truths instead of just looking "at" it and never fully grasping the bigger picture.

All the Bible facts in the world can't replace a genuine, meaningful relationship with Him. That is ultimately the most important thing, but treasuring His words in our hearts is also important, too. It helps shape our souls and attitudes in His likeness and ways.

So-- my New Year's resolution is too spend more time in the Word-- not just reading for reading's sake, but really trying to glean wisdom and guidance from the Author Himself.

Happy New Year!

"...Forgetting what lies behind, and looking forward to what lies ahead..."

Philippians 13:3

One Project at a Time

This week Scott was off, so we decided to tackle several projects that we needed to get done-- preferably before Caroline makes her debut! First on the list was setting up Luke's new "big boy room". We had to move the office out into the bonus room so we could move him into the office space.

Luke's new room is cute. He has a blue race car bed which we pray he will transition into easily when we finally decide it's time for him to leave the crib. We hope to go ahead and have him start sleeping in the new room so that he will already feel comfortable and at home and not feel like he was kicked out when Caroline comes home. We'll probably move his crib into the room first for a couple of weeks until he is used to the idea and the prospect of sleeping in an actual bed. He's still a baby-- not even two. We really want to stay aware of this and not try to rush him into growing up too quickly just because a new baby is on the way.

We still have much work to do on his room, but we're getting close. I hope to get started on his race flag curtains in the next few days. We need to put up another shelf in his closet... It will all get done eventually.

We can hardly believe that we are a single day away from 2006!!! Not too many weeks ago, 2006 seemed like an eternity away. We were so hopeful that we would make it to the new year and reach the big 30 week milestone-- now, here we are! Praise God!!! He is so faithful! Being the completely sentimental type, I can only dream about what lies ahead of us in 2006. I can't even imagine what having a new little girl in our family will be like! How fun it will be to watch Luke grow into his new role as "big brother"! I am looking forward to getting back into a normal routine-- especially getting back to the Y every day. I'm even looking forward to being able to clean the house, wash clothes, and cook again!

(Don't hold me to that one!)

We will always remember 2005 as the year we learned that we can make it through anything as long as we work as a team. We learned that only God can bring true peace in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. We learned that good friends and wonderful family are some of God's biggest blessings to us in this life. And, we continued to learn that being parents is the BEST job in the world!

A New Church Family... A New Journey Begins!

Our photo from Otter Creek which was shown when we placed membership.

Today Scott, Luke, and I officially placed membership at Otter Creek. This is the first time I have blogged any about the whole process that led us to this place. Changing churches is such a hard thing to do....

I have attended Woodmont Hills since my college days, and Scott and I placed membership there after we got married. So, I would guestimate that I have been affiliated with that church for going on 13 years in total.

The one thing that I hope is never construed from our decision to go to Otter Creek, is that we no longer "like" Woodmont Hills. The truth is that we will ALWAYS love Woodmont. It is such an amazing place with wonderful people. I know I would not be the person I am today without the instruction and experiences I had there. I treasured every moment that I had there.

So-- why the change? There are several reasons... When you are in your 20s-- and childless-- you have much different needs, spiritually speaking. You are somewhat self-absorbed in ways. Church is all about the sermons and to a big degree the social interaction. Woodmont was such a great place to be on all counts for us while we were in this stage of our life and spiritual growth.

When you hit your 30s, you start to re-examine your church in terms of "community." You began to realize that you want church to be much more than hundreds of acquaintances that you only see once or twice a week. You want church to be where you commune with those who are you dearest friends-- people who know you intimately and know your battles, pains, and struggles... as well as the joys. When you have children an entirely new level of needs develop. You want your child to grow up in a church of people who know them, love them... where they feel secure and happy.

And-- before I continue-- let me say... We have struggled SO SO much with all of this. There is a fine line with having your needs met in church and feeling "at home," and at the same time, not slipping into the "consumeristic" approach of "church shopping" when it becomes all about which church meets our criterion of what we think will make us spiritually content. I genuinely believe that we made our decision out of pure motives and that we have tried with all our hearts to carefully analyze our reasons for wanting to make the change.

So-- at some point, Woodmont just stopped feeling like "home." We felt like we had gotten lost in the crowd, and for me, I felt like Luke was getting lost. Woodmont is just big-- which is a testament to the wonderful things that happen there and the wonderful teaching that speaks to so many. We had NEVER considered attending anywhere else, but this summer, a restlessness arose in our hearts, and we started to consider other places.

We started to visit OC in August. We attended a new member's luncheon in early October on a whim... we literally were pulling out of the parking lot, and I said to Scott, "We really should go", and the next thing we knew we were eating chicken and sitting with a room full of others who were interested in making OC home as well. We left feeling like OC sounded like such a great place to be. We really connected to the vision and goals that were presented. We felt like it was a place we could be needed and used.

My bed rest put a kink into our plans to keep visiting since I wasn't able to attend church anywhere. Scott and Luke continued to go without me. But, sitting on the couch for two months gave me so much time to think about this decision and to discuss it over with Scott.

At some point, I think it came down to-- OC feels like a place we can grow and develop the strong sense of church community we are looking for vs. Woodmont doesn't feel like home anymore. I was also just tired of "riding the fence." I wanted to make a decision and go with it. I'm not really a middle of the road person when it comes to being involved-- I just want to jump in and start working.

So-- we thought that Christmas Day 2005 would be a special day we would always remember as the day we started our new journey with Otter Creek. It was a great day, and we feel like we have made a great choice.

We are aware that we are leaving behind many wonderful relationships and memories at Woodmont-- I don't even like pondering on it for very long because it makes me sad. We had invested over a decade there and it is always hard to close the book on such an important chapter in your lives. Woodmont was so much of my identity for so long. I will always love WH and the people and ministries there.

We look forward to our future with OC! We are really getting in at a hugely transitional time. Otter Creek will be moving to a new building at the end of February after 50 years in their current home. It is also hard for them to let go and move on, but also a time of great anticipation. We are thankful that we will be joining the "new era" of OC and are excited about what lies ahead!

Ultimately, we are all members of Christ's church. The people we fellowship with each week are just a tiny part of the larger universal family to which all believers belong. Our loyalty must first be to Christ alone-- above all other things, even the names above our church doors. Right?

So-- thus begins a new chapter for the Westerman crew! If you knew how much I truly hate change and transition, you would know what a HUGE step this is for us! But, I feel a wonderful sense of peace about placing membership, and I am looking forward to all the great things that lie ahead for us and for OC!

Good news!

I am happy to report that although my initial blood work screen for gestational diabetes came back elevated, my follow up test shows that I DO NOT have gestational diabetes! YIPPEE!

I am so relived that at least one thing has turned out well and has not become a complication during this pregnancy!

Only 10 weeks to go before she arrives! As of now, and unless she decides to come early-- we are planning to schedule a c-section at 38 weeks sometime during the last week of February and the first week in March.

We have also decided on her name-- after MUCH thought and deliberation.....
Caroline Mae Westerman

Caroline is a form of my Mom's middle name, Carolyn. Mae is my grandmother's (my mom's mom) middle name

Caroline carries a variety of meanings-- strong, beloved, a lovely melody, a song of happiness. Mae is sometimes considered a short, feminized form of Matthew which means "gift from God." It is also an adaptation of Mary which means "bitter." This pregnancy has definitely had its share of "bitter" moments, but, in the end, we know Caroline will have proven to be our strong, beloved little fighter, and she will forever be our song of happiness!

Thanks for the continued prayers and support-- and for sharing in our joy!

Happy 28th Week! :)

Today is my 28th week of pregnancy! Yippee!

Although we aren't completely "in the clear" yet, we feel SO much better. Our 28th week was kind of a goal we were trying to reach, and it is crazy to think that we are already here! We are so thankful!

Scott didn't win his car or boat! There were 10 people-- he made it to 6th person to try out his key, but the 8th person won. Oh well-- wasn't meant to be!

I survived my 3-hour blood test. It wasn't so bad. I just worked on my dress and caught up on my journal while I waited. Guess it is easy for me to just sit and occupy myself now-- I am certainly used to it!

My best friend from Texas was here today to visit. She took me to get a pedicure for my Christmas present. I SO needed one, and it was wonderful! Very relaxing! What a fun treat to catch up with her, get my nails done, and get out of the house-- all in one day!

We are looking forward to Christmas this weekend. This will be our last Christmas as a family of three. Next year our little girl will be 9 months old! It is impossible to visualize that! Almost as impossible as it is to believe that Luke is almost 2 this Christmas! Time really does fly!

So-- tonight we are so thankful to be at this place and are so excited that my due date is getting ever closer. God is good!

Let them eat cake!

This week has gone by faster than any other week that I have been on bed rest. It is almost hard to believe that on Tuesday-- just three more days-- I will be at 28 weeks. This is a big milestone for us. Things start looking MUCH better after this point in the pregnancy. We are so excited to reach this goal.

I can remember having a conversation with our doctor when I was only 23 weeks along-- right before my surgery.... She was explaining to us what our odds looked like. At that point our little girl had virtually no chance of survival if she came early. The next bench mark was 26-28 weeks; she would have a much better chance of survival, but most importantly her long-term handicap rates would start to drop. So-- we are still praying that she doesn't show up until my scheduled c-section at the first of March, but we are at least feeling more hopeful that we're finally approaching a "safe zone" of sorts.

Our next goal is to make it to 32 weeks. Survival rates and long-term disability rates start to reach those of a full-term baby. Luke was born at 38 weeks and weighed over 9 pounds! So, we're hoping that our little girl will be big like him-- just in case she decides to show up earlier than we'd like! :)

I finally got my Christmas cards in the mail today! YEAH! It takes so long to put those together, but I really enjoy it. It is so worth it to me. Yet another example of how odd I am! :) I get pleasure out of weird things like that which most people don't give a second thought about.

Scott goes to the Titans game on Sunday to try to win us that car and boat. The odds aren't really on his side. There will probably be around 15 people who will get a key to see if they win. I don't expect him to come home with a new set of keys in his hands, but at least he will have a chance-- regardless of how slim! I'll keep you all posted!

We are planning to get Luke's "big boy" room set up next week. We would really like to have him used to his new room before the baby comes and he feels like he is being booted out of his space. We will probably try to get him in his new toddler race car bed in the new year. I am sure there will be some frustrating times trying to get him used to his new environment, but I am hopeful that he will eventually adjust and grow to like it.

Life is good! Although I do have to go in on Monday for a 3-hour blood test to see if I actually have gestational diabetes, the upside is that I have been "ordered" to eat DESSERT twice a day as a part of the 3-day carb-loading meal plan I have to follow to get ready for the test! It has been SO long since I have been able to eat chocolate! I had a BIG piece of chocolate cake tonight! YUM!

Another Hurdle on the Journey

Well-- as I expected, my blood sugar test came back elevated. This really wasn't a surprise to me since the same thing happened with Luke. I have to go in Monday for the 3 hour test to confirm if I actually have gestational diabetes or not. I passed this second test with Luke, but I don't think I'll be so lucky this time around since I am getting NO exercise to counterbalance the effect on my body. Oh well... it will just be yet another hurdle for us to tackle during this pregnancy.

On the up side-- I am 27 weeks today! For some reason this seems like such a big milestone, although we really won't be in the clear until we get past 30 weeks. But, I remember thinking how very far away that seemed, and now it is less than a month away. Yeah, God! I feel so thankful to have made it so far with no major complications.

Got my Christmas newsletter to the printer today-- thanks to Scott. Hope to have them all in the mail no later than Friday. It's so fun getting cards in the mail each day and seeing what everybody has been up to-- I'm sure that some find my newsletter annoying and containing WAY too much information, but I don't care. It is tradition that my mom always did and the first year Scott and I were married I put one together for us-- and I have every year since. I have them all filed away in an album and it so great to be able to flip back through it every Christmas and re-read all the highlights and see the photos of all the great memories we have shared over the past 10 years. So-- it is more of a historical record maybe than a Christmas card! :)

Found out today that my best friend's mom has cancer. She is upset. Reminds me of how I was when my parents were fighting their own battles with cancer a few years back. Makes you very thankful to have your family with you and to treasure each moment that you have with them.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Love, Luke

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

Went to the doctor today for my blood sugar test. That 50 grams of orange sugar water sure was a shock to my system-- especially since I have tried to eliminate sugar from my diet the last three weeks! YUCK!

I really don't expect to pass the test. I have already been warned that women on bed rest have much higher rates of gestational diabetes.... So, all I can do is wait and hope for the best. And, if it turns out that I test positive, it can't be any worse than the other hurdles we have already faced. It will be just one more hurdle for us to jump before our little girl makes her debut.

I definitely have a light at the end of the tunnel now. Dr. M says that at 28 weeks I can start loosening my be rest restrictions a little-- going out to dinner or to church! Even that little window of freedom sounds wonderful to me! So-- my eyes are focused on the next 14 days!

Thank you, Lord, for allowing us to reach 26 weeks with our precious girl. I can remember when 26 weeks seemed like an eternity away-- yet, now, here we are. You have been faithful to us once again!

Pathetic Pity Party

Today I was a little sad for the first time since I have been on bed rest-- which I guess has been going on for close to a month now. Why? Well, besdies the fact that Luke turned 22 months-old today, Santa came to church, and I wanted to make sure that Luke had his picture made. I also wanted to make sure that Scott captured every second on video and with our digital camera so I could share in the moment. It turns out that Luke is still not very keen on sitting on a man's lap who is dressed in red with a big white beard! Scott had his hands full trying to get him to sit long enough for a picture-- he cried the entire time. This didn't leave him much of an opportunity to capture the moment on film-- he had his hands full.

I was disappointed. I wanted a nice shot of Luke on Santa's lap for our Christmas newsletter (the official photos won't be back in time to include). I felt like if I had only been able to go I could have helped-- I might have been able to calm him and get him to sit long enough for a good shot. I was also just sad and frustrated that I missed out on the moment period.

I have missed out on several things already due to bed rest-- two weeks ago ZOE got to lead worship at the Ryman! How I wish I could have had that experience! Last week ZOE led at church and I hated to miss out on that since we rarely sing during church services here in Nashville. This weekend is Scott's company Christmas party in Denver. Of course, I can't go now... And the list goes on... But, I think the whole Luke thing bothers me more than any of the rest.

It is hard to be motivated to even decorate for Christmas since I can't be the one to hang the wreaths and trim the tree. It won't be the same directing Scott on where to put everything. I absolutely LOVE to decorate for Christmas, too... I have four trees and boxes and boxes of decorations that I love to pull out every year-- not to mention my Santa ornament collection! I must have close to 500 at least! I always pull out my Christmas music stash as soon as the plates are cleared at Thanksgiving! I so love to hear all my favorite Christmas cds again and to sit down at the piano and play carols to my heart's content... Add to that not being able to go shopping for hours in all the wonderful bustle of Christmas looking for the perfect presents.... Anyway-- I know I need to at least get one tree up for Luke's sake even if it's hard to get into the spirit.

OK-- so enough of the pity party sob story! My gloom only lasted for 30 minutes at most! I just reminded myself of how very blessed I am this Christmas. I have the most wonderful husband any woman could ever ask for-- I have the most precious son who delights me each day in new ways-- I have a gorgeous, comfortable home with or without Christmas decorations-- and I have a sweet baby girl who is on the way that I can't possibly even imagine how she will shape and change my life for the better-- I have devoted family and friends who are always there to support and love me.... Who could ask for anything more?!? God you are TOO good to me! Forgive me when I stop for even a single moment and try to feel sorry for myself! How pathetic!

So-- my "one day at a time" mentality is still in full gear. And despite the first four paragraphs of this entry, it hasn't been nearly as bad as I had anticipated. I started our Christmas newsletter today and that will take me all next week to compile-- plenty to keep me occupied! It is so fun to look back on the past 12 months and to ponder all that has happened, and it further reminds me of how very blessed we are.

25 Weeks and Counting!

The past few days have been rather tiring! Odd that I can actually get tired from sitting around all day doing next to nothing! Luke has been with us every day since Thanksgiving-- which really means that Scott has been mainly responsible for him along with trying to work from home. I know it must be very draining for him, but he hasn't complained once. He is being such a trooper through this entire ordeal.

Having Luke around is tiring for me, too, just because it wears on me that I cannot do anything with him like I used to. It is frustrating and sad, but at the same time, I love having him near me. I am thankful that he is still a tad too young to really have a concept of what is going on, but I know he realizes something is up with Mommy.

Today I was pondering how very strange it is all the silly day-to-day things I haven't been able to do for the last month. I haven't picked Luke up or changed his clothes or diapers. I haven't cooked a meal, swept a floor, folded/washed clothes, made a bed, gone to the Y to exercise-- all things which completely defined my world just a short while ago. It makes me long for the day when I will be able to resume all these tasks-- with joy and a renewed appreciation for my role around the house. I really miss the "normality" of it all. I hate feeling like I contribute nothing to the maintaining and running of the house. Like I already mentioned... Scott is a saint for picking up my slack along with all of his regular responsibilities, although I would have expected no less from him anyway. In the scheme of things, all of this temporary "sacrifice" on our parts is really minimal and trivial. Lord willing, once our little girl safely arrives, we'll be able to resume our lives again-- although having her here will automatically make things a ton more hectic-- not to mention the sleep deprivation we have to look forward to!-- But what a blessing even that will be!

I have a few projects lined up for the next couple of weeks. One is working on a smocked day gown for her. I was so excited to learn we were having a girl, because I had always wanted to learn how to smock. I wasn't convinced it was worth it for a boy, but was so eager to sign up for classes after we had our ultrasound! Obviously I wasn't actually able to make it to any of the classes due to the best rest. God has a way of sending you angels though, thus special thanks are due to Lana, our dear friend, who came over to teach me how to smock as well as also picking out material for me for the gown! She is the BEST! I will also start work on our 2005 Christmas newsletter. I really look forward to doing that each year. It is so nice to reflect back on all that has happened to our family during the past year and to see how much we have experienced and learned along the way.

Some things I am learning even now--- sacrifice is a crucial part of life along with self-denial. It teaches you to think outside yourself and to truly observe the world that is going on around you. I am learning that time is relative-- and very precious as well. The next month is critical for us and for our little girl's very survival, but for most, it will just be 4 weeks of chaos, shopping, parties, and routine which will pass in a blur. It all depends on your perspective and life circumstances. Externals tend to dictate the way we live our lives.

So- today we definitely have reason to celebrate since today I have safely reached 25 weeks of pregnancy! Each passing day means a better shot at life for our little one, and we feel very blessed! Thank you, Father! :)

In All Things Give Thanks

On this Thanksgiving, we have so many things for which to be thankful-- I don't even know where to start!

We give thanks for

• our little girl, who is still doing well and has made it to 24 weeks
• our incredible Luke, who is the most perfect son any parent could ask for-- he is such a joy to us-- so smart and sweet
• our marriage-- through the good and the bad, we remain best friends and genuinely appreciate the relationship that we have shared for 13 years
• our wonderful friends and family who lavish us with love and support
• our beautiful home that we are so blessed to have and to enjoy each day
• all the many blessings, big and small that God continues to send

It is good to pause and reflect on how fortunate and amazingly blessed we are. It is a day to refocus and "re-prioritize" and renew our spirits...

That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever. Psalm 30:12

May you all have a magnificent day of thanks with the ones you love and may you bask in the love that the Father has lavished upon us!

Good News!

We had a good report from the doctor today! The latest ultrasound showed that my cervix is now back to 2.5 cm! This is still on the short side, but much better than what it was when they first noticed it was short at 20 weeks when it measured 2 cm. He did a good job placing the cerclage, it seems to be holding well, and so far, I have had no complications from the surgery.

Yes, 2.5 cm is still short, but considering I was down to less than 1.5 cm at the time of my surgery, this is good news. Yeah, God!

I will remain on my modified bed rest, but they did say I can eat at the table and also encouraged me to walk around a bit more-- no prolonged standing, no lifting, etc. I will continue to play it safe over the next several weeks until I get to around 28 weeks-- no need to take any risks. They told me that it would also be ok to travel for Thanksgiving dinner with all my family!

The best news is that our little girl looks like she is doing great and looks perfectly healthy!

Baby Girl Westerman-- her head is to the right and she has her hand over her eyes!

We are so thankful for the good news, and we believe that all the prayers have sustained us to this point.

Blest Be the Ties...

I have posted before about our small group-- what a blessing they are to us. We usually switch up the hosting duties amongst us, but they are planning to meet at our house each week now, so that I can still participate from the couch! :) They all gathered around me tonight to lay hands on me and to pray over me and the baby. It was such a special moment for me.

Tough times can truly be a blessing. They remind you of how important relationships are and how much you need good friends, good family, and God to see you through the hard times. If you even have a circle of good friends and a supportive family, you are already blessed... and God is always with you!

It was so nice to hear Luke running around the house again this weekend. He is so wonderful and we love him so much. No matter what happens, we will still be blessed to have him.

I just feel so incredibly thankful tonight. I have no idea why I deserve to have such amazing people around me who continue to offer help and prayer. We literally have hundreds of people praying for our situation-- it is overwhelming, and I truly believe I have the peace that I have due to all those petitions on our behalf to the Father.

Luke Sweet Luke

Another good day today-- made especially great because Luke returned home!! I think he has aged at least 5 months in five days!!! He looks so much older than when I saw him last! Mom and Dad said he did great and didn't even cry once-- which is almost hard to believe.... They might be trying to make me feel better.

I am honestly shocked that this week has almost come to a close. It went by remarkably faster than I had anticipated, and I managed to maintain a positive attitude the entire time-- only by God's grace I am sure. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now that Dr. M said that I might be able to minimize the bed rest at 28 weeks. That's only about a month from now. One month-- still sounds like an eternity from the couch, but it could definitely be worse, I'm sure. I just pray that our visit with the surgeon on Monday shows signs of improvement or at minimum that things haven't worsened.

Lessons I have learned this week? Good friends are priceless. Family is priceless. Knowing that people are praying for you-- priceless. Thanks to you all!

One Day at a Time

Good day today-- I think my body is starting to adjust to its new situation. It's hard to believe that not even a month ago I was making daily trips to the Y to do kickboxing, power sculpt, and spin classes! In one day's time, I went from intense hour-long workouts to sitting on a couch for 14 hours a day. I can't imagine what my system is thinking!

I wonder sometimes if all that exercise worsened my condition.... I worked out in a similar way throughout my pregnancy with Luke-- up until two weeks before he was born. I just had no idea that things would be any different this time around. Dr. M says that it probably had no impact... I'll never know, I guess.

I got a fun treat in the mail today! One of my best friends in the world who now lives in Texas sent me a book! SO nice to know she is thinking of me and giving me something to do to pass the time. I actually had people calling all day long to check on me-- offering food and help. Brandon also sent me a beautiful MP3 that he and Sheryl recorded last night at church of "He's Always Been Faithful" (Sara Groves). What a great song to remind me that God is at work in this stage of my life and that He has never let me down. It is so humbling and overwhelming to have such wonderful people to call "friends."

Luke has been gone 5 nights now-- this is the longest I have ever been away from him. God has given me a peace about it, thankfully. I know he is having fun, and it is hard on me when he is here because I can't do ANYTHING for him. I am also glad that he is so young that he won't remember any of this drama. I just pray he won't feel deprived in some way. It kills me that I can't pick him up. If I am blessed to carry this baby girl to term, then have a c-section, and then recover for 6-8 weeks-- I won't be able to pick Luke up until sometime in April!!! That is SO sad! By then he will probably be too big to carry anyway!!!! :(

They are bringing him back tomorrow! I am excited to see him! I pray he isn't too spoiled! :)

Parting is such SWEET sorrow!

Forgot to mention that I also learned yesterday that my kidneys are starting to show signs of not handling my sugar intake very well. This happened with Luke when I had my sugar test done at 28 weeks. Although I never tested positive for gestational diabetes, I was probably borderline. Dr. M said that since I was exercising throughout the pregnancy with Luke, I probably offset the condition.

Now that I am on the couch, immobile, this will be an issue for me this time more than likely. Dr. M told me that the diabetes rates for women on bed rest were much higher.... SO-- that means no more sugar for me!

This will be a challenge since I love cakes and all things chocolate! It at least made being on the couch a little easier to bear! Oh well-- yet another lesson in self control and sacrifice.

Praying for 2006

Went to our doctor today. Although she couldn't tell us that there's nothing to worry about... she did find a way to make me feel a little better about some things anyway. She said they still had no idea if my condition was due to an incompetent cervix or pre-term labor-- I am actually still a little vague on what the exact difference is! Then she went through some sobering facts on survival rates of babies born at certain points. If our little girl were to arrive any time within the next three weeks, her odds of living and/or surviving serious or long-term health issues would be next to none. At 26 weeks, things begin to look slightly better, but still not good. At 28 weeks things look even better, but the magic line is 30 weeks. This would put us right at the new year-- so we are continuing to pray that she doesn't come before 2006.

The encouraging bit-- she did say if things were still going well for me around week 28ish (mid-December), then maybe I could get off of the couch and resume some limited activity!!!! That would be so wonderful! So I am definitely hoping and praying for that!

She also said that she didn't want us to be discouraged about having future children-- that this was a manageable condition and that having a cerclage (the surgery I had on Thursday) much earlier- around 13 weeks-- would probably help. I just want to make it through this pregnancy first with a healthy little one before I can even think about the possibility of being pregnant again! I would feel completely blessed to have Luke and a sweet little girl.

We go to see the doctor who did my surgery on Monday, so I hope he will be able to give us more information on how things look at this point. In some rare cases the cervix will actually lengthen after the surgery, so we would be thrilled to learn that this had happened in my case!

We still feel so blessed to have so many friends and family checking in on us each day to make sure we are ok and to see if we need anything. It is truly overwhelming and we appreciate it SO SO much! THANK YOU! I also thank those of you out in blogland for all your kind words and prayers.

No matter what happens, God is good. He has always been so faithful to us.

My Countdown Clock!

Triage to Tornadoes

Today was rather uneventful compared to yesterday's scare. I felt fine-- no signs of contractions. In some weird way, I am thankful that we had yesterday's false alarm. I think it makes me feel better to know that I can have those kind of contractions and yet nothing has to be wrong necessarily. And, I now know what it is like to check into triage and what they will do to assess my situation-- not that I ever want to go back until she is full term-- Lord willing!!!!

Anyway-- we just feel so thankful that we had an ultrasound tech who was alert enough to notice that something was wrong with my cervix in the first place. From other stories we have heard (and that I have researched on the internet), most women never get the chance to prevent losing their babies... it just happens quickly and silently before than can react. No matter what happens now, at least we can have some sense of peace that we have done everything possible to give our little girl the best chance at life.

One of my dear ZOE friends Melissa came by today with her daughter to cheer me up and fix me lunch. It was such a treat to spend the day with her-- makes time pass so much more quickly! Another precious ZOE friend, JV, and his wife Liz are our neighbors now. She fixed us lasagna for dinner. Yum! We are just so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family who are on our side and willing to help in any way. We couldn't make it through this without them, although it is still hard for me to accept help. Scott tried to explain it to me-- that just like we long to help our friends in need whenever the need arises, that is what our friends are feeling now-- it's not right to keep them out, and we are so blessed in accepting their kindness and generosity. I am definitely learning lessons already from all of this.

So, Luke weathered the massive tornado scares in Henry County today in Pa Bob and Ma Betz' basement. I predicted last night that my worst nightmare would come true--- I always have recurring tornado dreams for some reason-- and I was sure that my parents would be in tornado alley since Luke was staying with them!-- and they were! Thankfully, the storms passed just to the north and south of their home and they are all fine. Luke didn't even want to leave the basement after the front had passed through! He is having fun and I don't think he even misses us or realizes that he is gone. It is most definitely harder on us than it is him-- he won't even remember any of this-- but I have a feeling he will be spoiled rotten after several weeks of being pampered and catered to! Oh well!!!

We go to my doctor tomorrow although I'm not really sure what she will be able to tell us. She might give us her thoughts on the notes she got on my surgery. As far as the bed rest goes, I doubt anything will change... Even though they have no real facts that support or prove that bed rest even helps, they pretty much have to recommend I stay put. If anything happened and they had said bed rest was optional, all of us would have regrets.... So... the couch will most likely be home my home for the foreseeable future.

I'll update tomorrow!

Better Safe Than...

This morning I woke up around 7:30 with some tightening in my stomach. Since I am already at such a "high risk" point in this pregnancy, I immediately started to think that something was wrong. One of the warning signs they had told me to watch for was contractions.

I tried to tell myself I was over-reacting, so I lay back down and decided to just monitor things for awhile. Scott had scheduled business meetings all day long and I hated to think about calling him to say that he was going to have to reschedule them... he was already making such sacrifices by working from home anyway-- I wanted him to be able to attend some meetings as usual for a change.

As I lay in bed in my completely quiet house (Luke is with my parents), I just talked to God. It is so hard to know what to pray for in this situation. Obviously we ask Him for healing and for a safe delivery for our little one. But, what if she does come too early? It is hard to admit, but I have told Him that if she is destined to be born early and forced to suffer for months in the NICU and fight physical challenges her entire life-- then, wouldn't it just be better for her to go ahead and join Him? Maybe I am just being selfish because I don't think that I could handle it...

At about 9:30 my stomach tightened up in a ball. I had experienced this many times toward the end of my pregnancy with Luke--- I was sure it was just the typical Braxton Hicks contractions... But-- now, nothing seems "typical" in this pregnancy, so I was worried.

I called my doctor and spoke to Jeannie my favorite nurse who has looked out for us some many times over the past several years. She said that if I was worried that I should just head into the triage center and have it checked out.

I am usually one to analyze and over-analyze any situation before acting... but now my first priority is to get our little girl as far as I can in this pregnancy before she decides to be born. I decided that it was worth going in. If it turned out to be nothing, then I would still feel better knowing than wishing that I had done something after the fact.

Scott just happened to call in the midst of my panic. He was adamant that we go to the hospital. So, he cancelled his meetings and came straight home.

We got to the hospital parking garage, said a prayer, and then headed in. All the triage rooms were full with women actually in full labor, so we had to wait. When we were finally taken to a room, it wasn't the typical triage room, but a large private birthing room. At this point I hadn't felt anything in over an hour.

She hooked me up to the monitors and asked me a million questions (the same ones I had been asked before my surgery on Thursday!). When she finally revealed the monitor, I could tell that the contraction line looked good-- I have gotten pretty good at reading those things at this point! Her heartbeat sounded and looked good as well. I began to breathe a sigh of relief.

After an hour and a half of monitoring later, they decided that it was a false alarm! :)

My doctor had come by to check on me and she confirmed that I was right to come on in. There is just no way to know and in my situation, I have to err on the side of caution.

So-- we are thrilled and relieved to no end that the outcome today was not more tragic. In my heart I feel like this is just yet another hurdle we will have to jump before we have our little one home safely... but... one day at a time.

Thanks for all the support, love, and encouragement! Scott and I feel the indescribable peace that we know comes from all the prayers being lifted up on our behalf.

We are blessed.

Luke is blissfully unaware of all the drama and is having the time of his life with Pa Bob and Ma Betz!

Luke sitting in Pa Bob's computer chair!

As I Lay Resting...

Much has happened over the last several weeks... When we went for our 20-week ultrasound, they noticed that my cervix was measuring short. No action was taken at the time; my doctor decided I should return in a week to see what things looked like then. A week later it looked pretty much the same, and she was encouraged.... But this past Monday, things looked worse-- my cervix had shortened again.

On Thursday, I had a cerclage done-- a surgery to hopefully prevent my cervix from shortening any further and hopefully keeping our little girl where she needs to be so that I can carry her close to full term.

Needless to say, all of this has caught us off guard and has been a little hard to grasp. I am now on bed rest for the foreseeable future, which is also going to be a major adjustment for all of us.

Scott has me hooked up now on a laptop so that I can stay in touch, and I am sure I will have more time than I ever dreamed to keep my blog up-to-date!

Keep us in your prayers! We are confident that God is in control, and that His will will be done.

Much more soon from the couch!

Our little race car driver. Luke's new room will have a race car bed, so we thought we'd keep with the theme!

Happy Fall from Amy & Luke!

Happy Halloween

Tonight is my 2nd Halloween!
I'm ready to race onto the scene!
Hope you all have more treats than tricks...
And that you get your candy fix!

Love,

It's A Girl!

Well-- Luke is going to have a little sister! We are so thrilled-- most of all because she looked healthy and normal. We are very blessed.

Scott was a little shocked, even though he had a feeling early on that it was a girl. Perhaps he is already thinking about the wedding he will have to pay for in the future! I suppose girls are more "high maitenance" in some ways!

I am excited because now I am going to learn to smock and I can go crazy buying cute, pink frilly things! I'll also have a shopping partner- Luke hates shopping so far!

It is still hard to imagine adding another soul to the family, but we are looking forward to it! :)

Long Time, No Post!

Life has a way of keeping us busy, huh?! I have had SO many great blogging ideas-- even lying awake at night thinking of things-- but, I just haven't made my way to the computer to post them! Oh, well!

Life is good-- we had a tiny scare with the baby a few weeks back.... It appears that I had developed a rare antibody in my blood. My doctor wasn't sure if I had picked it up when I had the two blood transfusions after Luke was born, or if I had started producing it in reaction to the baby. So, they checked Scott's blood-- he came back negative, which means more than likely my body is not trying to fight off the baby, and I probably just have this weird antibody thanks to the transfusions. That was a relief, but I will still feel better when we go to have our 20 week ultrasound on Tuesday. I want to make sure that the baby's development is on target and normal. We are also very excited to learn if we are having a baby boy or baby girl Westerman!! I honestly do not care which as long as it is healthy-- plus there are definite advantages either way-- if it is boy, then Luke will have a GREAT playmate close to his age who will be interested in the same sort of things-- they can share toys and he can wear all of Luke's clothes!! If it is a girl, then I can learn to smock and have fun buying tons of pink clothing! So-- whatever God has chosen is fine with us! I'll keep you posted! :)

It's so hard to believe November is almost here! I SO love this time of year! From the changing of the leaves and the cooler air-- things just keep getting better and better! Halloween, costumes, and candy-- Thanksgiving, food, family-- Christmas-- parties, presents!!!-- New Year's, Scott's birthday, my birthday!, Luke's birthday, Valentine's Day, the new baby's birthday-- Spring, Easter!!!! Fun holidays and reasons to celebrate just seem to keep coming one right after another!!!

I sat on the couch tonight with Luke watching my thousandth "Charlie and Lola" episonde (a Disney cartoon Luke is addicted to!) before it was time for him to get ready for bed. He is such a blessing and SUCH a great kid! Every day is a joy with him! I don't know how we can possibly be so lucky with child #2!! He is getting so smart! He understands everything we say and is babbling away himself-- soon to be talking up a storm, I'm sure. We were cuddled up on the couch in the playroom when he reached over and grabbed my hand. Right then it hit me that this is what life is all about-- taking the time to treasure these sweet, simple moments. They go by way too quickly.

Scott and I attended a "new/prospective members" luncheon after church today at Otter Creek. I am SO agreeing with their entire philosophy on the vision of the church! We both feel SO comfortable there and "at home", but it is still an extremely hard decision to leave Woodmont, which we also love for many reasons. We're still visiting, and praying!

Last week in my Bible study on Becoming a Woman after God's Own Heart we examined having a heart for your children. It was a great look at our responsibilities as parents to raise our kids to know God's law and His Word, to teach them God's wisdom, to dedicate them daily to the Lord, and to love them in all circumstances-- just as God loves us. One of the things that really convicted me-- among many... She had us look at the "ideal wife" from Proverbs 31. She had us list the things we felt we had in common with her. This was pretty daunting in and of itself-- she sets a pretty high standard-- I haven't bought any fields lately! :) But, the thing that struck me was when she asked us if there were things in the list that we felt we needed to work on or to add to our life as a parent. The verse that hit me was this: She's quick to assist anyone in need, and reaches out to help the poor (Proverbs 31:20). I want Luke to see a true passion in my life and Scott's for the poor and those in need. I want to give him opportunities to serve others in that way. I really want to work on that, and for God to open our eyes to how He wants to use us for His glory.

So, tandem onto this the powerful missional message at the ZOE conference weekend, and I more than ever feel challenged by the call to really "be Jesus" to those I come into contact with each day. As scary as it is for me, I am praying each day that God will open my eyes to the opportunities all around me. I truly want to step out of my comfort zone and be bold for Him, I'm still not sure exactly what that is going to look like for me though-- but, at least I am opening myself up to the possibility!

ONE WEEK TILL ZOE CONFERENCE! :)

Scott and I have been truly blessed in life to have a great set of friends surrounding us. They are an amazing support system. They have prayed for us when we needed prayer, they have encouraged us, they have challenged us.... This summer we all decided to start a Sunday night Bible study together. We had all been in various small groups-- some of which worked well, some of which were scattered and unorganized.... But, we all felt this deep need to establish this group and take our relationships to an even deeper spiritual level.

All of us are now entering the "30-something" stage of life-- kids, job/career choices, house choices, church choices. Basically, we are all "growing up" and starting to realize just how important our spiritual walk is and how desperately we need good friends on the journey with us-- people we can be real with and share ALL of our lives with-- a level of intimacy which totally surpasses purely social interaction. We want our kids to grow up together, playing, etc. but we also want them to see us trying to grow closer to God as we strengthen the ties with each other.

Yes, our lives are crazily busy and our schedules are maxed out-- but meeting each week is a priority for us... the cost of NOT meeting is simply too great. We are trying to hold each other accountable to this commitment and to be very disciplined about it.

We are studying "Waking the Dead" by John Eldredge which has proven to be a great book for where we are. The basic premise is that we all rob ourselves of the true abundant life that Jesus came to give us because we aren't aware of the many ways we live in denial-- we hide behind masks and emotional/spiritual indecision rather than acknowledging our real reason/purpose for living. God has called us to a life fully alive in Him, and when we hide behind our masks, we rob Him-- and others-- of His glory.

It is so incredible how our group has melded even over the last few weeks once we have started to drop the "masks" and to get real about where we are on the journey. Once you decide to surpass the social appearances and lay everything out on the table for all to see, relationships quickly deepen. People begin to see "Hey, they struggle with the same things we do!"; "I feel the same way at times in my life."

It is no wonder that James tells us in chapter 5 that confessing brings about healing. We can only begin to heal those things we are honest in naming aloud to each other. I am so thankful that we have a safe place in which to do this! I can't wait to look back in 20 years and see how God has been working among us and to see all the ups and downs we have helped each other through. Community is a good-- and necessary-- thing.

ZOE conference is coming up NEXT weekend! Can't wait to worship with everyone! It truly is one of my favorite times of the year! God is so obviously present in the hearts of all those who come to seek Him. We were all practicing last night, and it just felt so good to know that these songs will minister to people in ways we can't even know-- but that at the same time, it isn't about us. There is so much freedom in that!

Safe travels for all of you who are coming! Can't wait to see you-- or to meet you! :)

The LIFE of the Party

We are doing a study of Luke at church and today the sermon was from chapter five. Tonight in our Bible study group we were discussing the sermon and what we had gleaned from the chapter and someone brought up the dinner at Levi's (Matthew's) house. What a scene-- Jesus hanging out with tax collectors and "other people" at a huge "party/feast"! Were these old drinking/cheating buddies of Matthew? Did he want them to encounter Jesus in the same way he had? Is this why he threw the party in the first place? Or, had his buddies heard about Matthew's crazy decision to give up the tax collector life to follow some strange rabbi? Had they come to the feast to see for themselves what Matthew had signed up for and what could possibly be so great about this guy he was so willing to give up everything to follow?

And, at the party, were those guys sitting around laughing amongst themselves about how much money they had swindled from people over the past month? Did Jesus hear them? Did he say anything, or did He let it slide? Or, did those men sense something when Jesus looked into their eyes? Did they have some strange feeling that this man knew them-- and all their sinfulness-- in ways they could never begin to imagine?

And then when the "good guys" showed up to crash the party and stop the fun, Jesus stuns them with: "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."

So-- we thought for awhile.... What did that all really look like? What did he really mean by that statement? And-- maybe even more convictingly-- what does that mean for us today?

I would consider myself amongst the "sick"-- even on my best days.... Jesus' use of metaphors is so frustrating at times at least on the surface. He could have answered those guys in more direct terms on so many occasions, but instead, He always seems to paint a word picture for them-- giving them something to chew on for awhile.

The relationship between a doctor and his patient is an interesting dynamic. We don't seek a doctor unless we are sick, and when we are sick, we are desperate for healing and relief. We are in some ways completely at the mercy of the doctor and his cures. We are totally dependent on him to fix what is ailing us. Was Jesus trying to get the Pharisees to realize that they, too, were utterly dependent upon Him-- only they refused to admit it? They were in complete denial of just how spiritually sick they were. Perhaps it is no coincidence that just before this banquet passage Jesus heals the leper and the paralytic-- both of whom sought out Jesus and had faith that He could provide the healing that they needed. A stark contrast with the Pharisee's mind set.

So-- what does this mean to those of us who are definitely "sick" in one sense, too, but who also have recognized that Jesus is the only answer for our lives? When we encounter the sick of this world who don't know Him, how do we meet them where they are and not come across as judgmental or overly fanatical about wanting to share our faith? Jesus also says-- "The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire"(Matt. 3:10). He obviously never condoned the immoral actions of the men-- so what does hanging out with sinners really look like? How can you simply associate with "sinners" without at some point having to face the "I am compelled to confront them about the sin in their life" moment? How did you socialize and let them know the truth at the same time? Where is the balance between calling someone from a life of sin and at the same time just loving them the way that they are?

Maybe those are really the easy questions. Maybe the harder questions have to do with why we are not hosting any banquets ourselves. How often do we really go out on a limb and put ourselves in those kind of situations where we know that we are actively pursuing the "sick"?-- those that Jesus made a specific point to reach while He was here. I think we most often have parties for the people who already love Jesus and already view Him the same way we do-- it isn't often that we pull up our chairs to a table with those who don't see faith in the same way we do. Why?!

Are we afraid of becoming the "door knockers" or "spiritual vacuum cleaner salesmen" of our generation? Do we assume that everyone around us already knows His love and mercy-- or that at the very least they have been exposed to Jesus already and have already made up their minds one way or another about Him?

It is all hard stuff to wrestle with! It takes us into scary territory. Reaching out to others can be so uncomfortable. I don't really want to put myself into such a vulnerable position. We live in a world whose mantra is "I'm ok-You're ok". We don't ever want to set ourselves up in the position of telling others that the lifestyle they have chosen to live is not consistent with how God has called us to live. Is that because we know only too well the baggage and sin we carry in our own lives?

It all has to come down to grace. When we can become comfortable simply sharing the wonderful freedom of His grace with others, then real change begins to happen-- in our lives and in other's lives. Donald Miller says that it isn't our job to change people, but rather it is our job to love people. When that connection is made, then God can work to bring about the change He desires.

Lord, please teach me and show me how to do this in real ways in my daily life!! I am so blind to the many opportunities that You lay before me every day to share Your love and mercy. Help me to be less self-focused and more other-focused. You have graciously given Your love and mercy to me-- help me to share it with others!

Future Big Brother!

We can now proudly announce that yet another Westerman will be joining our ranks in March! We are looking forward to seeing Luke with his new brother or sister and experiencing all the chaos that will come with having two! Keep us in your prayers!

Thoughts on Loss and Love

I know all of you have been deeply touched and affected by the haunting images of the Katrina victims. It seems like such an overwhelming tragedy-- you want to help, but you aren't even sure where to begin.... Luke and I went by Target today and picked up supplies which will be taken down this afternoon by a local church to another church in Jackson, Mississippi to be distributed. At least I felt like I was doing something to help.

As I loaded up boxes of diapers, sheets, food....-- it just struck me how VERY blessed we are. Buying those items was no real sacrifice for us. We have been so fortunate and this small gesture doesn't even seem like much. How can we not help when we have a hot meal to eat together tonight in our comfortable home and cozy beds to sink into when we turn out the lights?! I can't even begin to fathom how those people are coping... it truly does break your heart. I am praying that God will use us in even bigger ways in the near future to help out in any way we can. This is definitely not a cause that will be over in a matter of weeks.

I am almost finished with Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller-- what an interesting read. I have really enjoyed his insights on faith. Last night's chapter was "How to Really Love People." It was a great take on how we tend to only relate to people in economic terms. He started by showing us an example with cancer. When you ask people to use metaphors relating to cancer they more than not respond with "we battle cancer", "we fight cancer", "we defeat cancer", etc.-- all terms that have overtones of battle/war. Doctors say that this has a negative effect on cancer patients-- that it stresses them out and puts a lot of pressure on them when they see it as an enemy to be fought in a life and death battle. Then he moved on to our personal relationships and noted that our metaphors there follow a similar pattern-- not battle, but economic-driven-- "we value people", "people are priceless", "we avoid emotionally bankrupt relationships", "we invest in people's lives", etc. Miller comments:

And that's when it hit me like so much epiphany getting dislodged from my arteries. The problem with the Christian culture is we think of love as a commodity. We use it like money.... If somebody is doing for us, offering us something, be it gifts, time, popularity, or what have you, we feel they are priceless.... With love, we withheld affirmation from the people who did not agree with us, but we lavishly financed the ones who did. [We] used love like money, but love doesn't work like money. It is not a commodity. When we barter with it, we lose. Blue Like Jazz, pg. 218

I am sure that I have treated relationships in my life that way. It is so easy to reduce them to "How will this person benefit me?" or "Are they worth the investment of my time and energy?". That is very hard to admit/confess-- but so often true.

Miller goes on to share-- "Nobody will listen to you unless they sense that you like them. If a person senses that you do not like them, that you do not approve of their existence, then your religion and your political ideas will all seem wrong to them. If they sense that you like them, then they are open to what you have to say." BLJ, pg. 220

When we never allow ourselves to truly open up and love people-- we are the real losers. We are missing out on so much. Everyone has a beautiful story to share and things that we can learn from...

I am starting to see that my religious and political views don't really matter all that much in the scheme of things and that there is an entire world of people out there who need to be loved-- regardless of their views and perspectives on the world. It is too easy to surround myself with people who like me and think like me. Jesus called us to more than that. I think it is finally dawning on me that this is really at the heart of what it means to be "missional". It is getting outside of yourself just long enough to realize that people matter because they matter to Him. It isn't my job to change people-- it is my job to show everyone the love of Christ.

I sincerely pray that God will open my eyes and show me ways to LOVE people.