Working hard day after day, night after night, and year after year, for what?

Friends of ours always wonder how we do ever get time for ourselves. And it even seems that we do not think we are busy enough with 6 babies in 8 years. We moved 4 times in these years! Imagine all the house searching, packing and unpacking through the pregnancies and postpartum periods. And yet, it’s not enough. On top of all these, guess what, we gave up processed food 2 years ago! That is, no more pizza that can be ready in 15 minutes, no more store bought salad dressings nor nut butter in the fridge. There won’t be any cookies or crackers without baking. And we won’t have any flour to bake if we do not grind the grains with our hand mill. That’s not all. We moved to this country property 3 years ago, which means more grass to mow, more snow to shovel, more gardening, raising chickens for eggs and meat, splitting firewood for winter…etc. And yes, we homeschool. Sounds fun, eh?

It’s totally by grace and blessings that I have a very loving, understanding, long suffering, and godly husband. He takes care of a great deal of workload outside and inside the house! During the times when I am unable, he can even manage the kitchen and the children, except nursing of course. =)

To be honest, I found myself struggling with the workload sometimes, especially the time when I was battling with Candida Yeast Overgrowth. I felt weak and weary. Duties never ends, chores never ends, children fightings never ends. The To Do List is not a linear list, but overlapping with multiple layers. And the workload is the same day after day, if not getting heavier. Some mothers rush through jobs to earn some ‘Me Time’ for relaxation or socialization. For me, that ‘Me Time’ seemed so far away and impossible that I already dropped the idea of expecting it few years ago. The Bible says “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. “ (Proverbs 31:27) anyway. However, I did rush through jobs sometimes so that I could start rushing through other jobs. I started to question again the meaning behind all these rushing and routines. A schedule could help with getting things done, but could not answer my depressing question, “For what?” I know my mission is to serve my husband and train up the children as righteous soldiers for expanding God’s kingdom. However, diapering, mess cleaning, and even putting food on the table, do not really sound like anything related to God’s kingdom at all. The idea is so abstract that I could not grab it sometimes. And when I did not see the meaning behind, all the work became harder to get through. I became more irritable and could not enjoy my children at all time. When I looked at my children, I saw work. When I looked at my home, I saw work. When I looked at my husband, I saw my incapability in satisfying him.

Psalm 121:1-2 ”I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”

I then came before the Lord and seek for help, as I knew I would make every one miserable if I stayed being miserable. Then the Lord answered me,

1 Co 6:19-20 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

1 Peter 4:16 “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”

Yes, it’s just as simple as that! I am a Christian, so just be a Christian! Glorify God by letting people see God in me! Let my husband see God in me always! Let my children see God in me every minute! Therefore, it does not matter whether I am washing dishes or changing diapers, as long as I am glorifying Him I am serving Him! And if my children see God in me, they will less likely be drifted away from faith in the future as they have seen God! It’s really so easy to be too focus on the future and overlook the significance of now. Every NOW moment is what it counts! And how do I let my family see God in me?

John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

John 12:26 “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”

Eph 4:1-3 “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Eph 5:1-2 “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

Phi 2:3-5 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”

Col 3:12-17 “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

Love, servanthood, lowliness of mind, meekness, kindness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, forgiving, peace, offering, sacrifice, thankful, follow Christ……in short, can my family relate to God from what I am going to say and the way I say it? And can they see God on my face and from what I am going to do? Through this perspective, it is much easier for me to reflect on “Am I serving the Lord?” In fact, isn’t this what life is all about? To glorify God and be a witness of God. It is not about how well I cook, how wonderful my children read…etc These things are important, but not the focus! If ever we can do anything right and well, thanks God! And to God be the glory!

Psalms 127:1-2 “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.”

The last thing I would like to share here is ‘rest’. We all need to rest. We are not machines. However, I am not talking about the rest for selfish purposes, but the genuine rest that our soul and body need. Even the almighty God rests.

Gen 2:2-3 “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”

I believe it is not that God needs the rest, but HE is setting an example for us as we need it and HE knows.

Exo 20:8-11 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

Yes, the above is one of the ten commandments. And yes, it is a law in the old testament. You might think that this is only for the Israelites. Well, even if this is true, I believe there is always a reason behind every law, which is for the good of the people. If it is good for the Israelites, that it must be good for us as well.

Isaiah 58:13-14 “If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”

I was so wrong in the past that I thought I did not have enough time for everything, thus trying to catch up whenever I can on Sundays after church. This made me very stressful since both my mind and body never have a break at all. And when I saw my children, I saw work even on Sundays. I would ask the girls to come over to do a bit schooling here and there, and made everyone feels like it never ends. I believe this was the main reason of developing Candida Yeast Overgrowth last year that I put too much stress upon my shoulder. One would be healthier if one listens to God’s word and understands who build the house.

It has been wonderful since we started to respect the Lord’s days. We can focus on enjoying the blessings from God on that particular day of the week, thus grow our thankful hearts. And my brain can stop asking the questions “What should I do now”, “What’s next” for a day. And since I got the rest and know who’s in control, I do not have the fear to face the new week ahead. I am refreshed every week! During the week, I do not need to feel like ‘it never ends’ anymore, as I know I will have my rest soon!

The Lord is so good!

Praise to the Lord that our Melody was born on Wednesday afternoon, June 3, 2009 at 3:49pm. 7 lbs 3 ozs. Thank you for all your prayers!

Eph 5:19-20 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

Thanks to the Lord that Melody was finally safely born after an hour of hard pushing! I almost couldn’t make it as her face was facing up which made it very difficult. Thanks God for allowing my last ounce of energy just enough to push her out! I was sore all over my body afterwards. The pushing was always the easiest part for me in my last 5 labours, but definitely not this time. Childbirth experience never cease to surprise you! Some say Melody has to put on a show to make herself special. Well, she was really good at it!!!

The following is our beloved hymn that we sang to our little Melody. Click the song name to listen!

In My Heart There Rings a Melody

I have a song that Jesus gave me,
It was sent from heav’n above;
There never was a sweeter melody,
‘Tis a melody of love.

Chorus
In my heart there rings a melody,
There rings a melody with heaven’s harmony;
In my heart there rings a melody,
There rings a melody of love.

I love the Christ who died on Calv’ry,
For he washed my sins away;
He put within my heart a melody,
And I know it’s there to stay.

‘Twill be my endless theme in glory,
With the angels I will sing;
‘Twill be a song with glorious harmony.
When the courts of heaven ring.

The following information are all taken from the book “Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth” by Ina May Gaskin.

Induction of Labor

Episiotomy

Clamping of the Umbilical Cord : Early vs. Delayed

Delivery of the Placenta

Single-layer Suturing after Cesarean

Cesarean Section

Although I am pregnant with my sixth child, I still fear the labor pain. I think about the labor since the day I got my positive pregnancy test result, which is besides having tremendous joy about being pregnant again of course! When I shared this fear with my friends, they often looked at me in disbelief. Their reactions would be, “You have done this a lot of times already, you should have got used to it!” Well, I could not imagine how one can get used to this kind of extraordinary and overwhelming experience. And I am really not sure if one can actually get used to this kind of pain! However, I do remember the joy I had after the baby was born.

To be honest, the joy was not so much about the baby at first. I kept saying, “Thank you Lord, it’s OVER! IT’S OVER! GOD! THANK YOU!!” Such a relief!!! Then, I started to figure out what they were doing with the baby!

I had the last 5 births at the same hospital with the whoever on duty obstetrician. I had different nurses attending my labors each time, and almost all different obstetricians each time too. I found that I could not always had the same support from the nurses during labors as some were supportive and caring while the others were quite withdrawal or lack of experience. Also, they do have to come and go! Once, I had to go to the hospital alone with the ambulance. It was quite scary to be left alone in the birthing room during the intense stage of labor! I remember that I even grabbed the hand of the nurse and begged, “DON’T GO PLEASEEEE!” while she was heading out for the door! However, it turned out to be the easiest and the shortest labor that I had! How amazing that God took care of me with extra blessings when I needed Him the most!!

Several friends shared with me about ,their wonderful experiences with midwives, or even how wonderful a homebirth is. I hesitated at first since I already got so familiar with that hospital and did not want to change that factor. If I see a midwife in my area, I would have to register to another hospital. For homebirth, me and Derek were not quite sure too as we live a good 30 minutes away from the hospital, should we take the risk? Finally, I made up my mind to see a midwife. I concluded that the most important factor for me is actually having a continuous professional and yet personal and caring support during labor. We did consult the midwife for her opinion about homebirth, she said they won’t take the cases where the homes are more than 30 minutes away from the hospital! Therefore, we did not even need to make that decision! =)

You may ask, why not just take the epidural and the fear problem will be solved!? Well, it’s hard to explain. From the bottom of my heart, I always believe that the natural way should be the best. I believe God’s design is full of wisdom and meaning that I should honor it and respect it. Therefore, if the labor process should be painful, there must be a meaning to it, and I should experience it instead of avoiding it! Somehow, I believe it is a spiritual experience as well, an experience to train me and to lift me to another level! Or simply say, to experience God! I did have epidural once, my third labor. That labor went on for over two days, I got so exhausted as it was too painful for me to fall asleep. And I got so scared because I kept thinking back of the pain I had during my first two labors. Therefore, I decided to have epidural, but only to regret it afterwards. Only 30 minutes after the epidural was injected, I was fully dilated and the baby was ready to be born. However, I could not push her out since I could not feel anything! It turned out that the epidural had to be unplugged and we had to wait for another one and a half hour to push the baby out. I felt bad because it was me that Sonia did not born at a time that she meant to be. And what if I got paralyzed and could not take care of my girls anymore just because of my unwillingness to endure just 30 minutes more? I wouldn’t forgive myself for that!

Yes, logically I totally believe that I should aim for a natural birth without any medication. Just that the fear is still there. I have to prepare myself emotionally for the birth. There is a little library with resources of childbirth inside the midwife office, so I started to read books about childbirth. I never read any books about childbirth before! Not even after 5 pregnancies! And I am glad that I have read this one book called “Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth” by Ina May Gaskin.

I cannot say I highly recommend this book as the author is not a Christian, and I do have some reservation for some of her opinions. However, her experiences and professional observations do give me a clearer picture of how to have a more “enjoyable” labor! There are a few things that I would try to remember when I am in labor in a few weeks, and maybe these points can encourage you as well!

1) Believe in God’s Design and Pray Specifically

Believe that God’s design is beautiful and amazing. Everything that we experience during the labor is working beautifully together for the birth of the baby! The four kinds of hormones released, the contractions of the uterus, the opening of the cervix etc….this is a symphony designed by God! Pray specifically for the opening of the cervix and the vagina. There was a woman who just said that she wanted to open up and let the baby out, then the cervix opened another two centimeters right at that moment! And once there was another woman who just kept thinking “I’m going to get huge” while pushing, her vagina actually enlarged very significantly even before the baby getting there! Therefore, I believe that if we work with God and ask God for the opening of the cervix and the vagina, the result will be even more unbelievable!

2) Have A Joyful Spirit

It’s interesting that if the woman is tensed or having fear, her pelvic muscles will be tensed too. In some cases, the women’s cervix stop dilating for more than a day at a certain point or even close again! On the other hand, if the woman remains relax and joyful, the cervix will dilate faster and the level of endorphins will rise accordingly. Endorphins are a kind of hormone released during labor that can block the reception of pain and give us a feeling of pleasure. There was once a woman that her cervix kept dilating in a very fast fashion while she was hearing the loving words from her husband! Laughter surely helps too, so some jokes might not be a bad idea!

3) Keep the Environment Private and Peaceful

If there is an unwelcome or upsetting presence, a labor could be stalled or even reversed. The situation is just like having difficulty to relax and pee when there is a stranger standing beside you. This is most likely the reason why a lot of women found that homebirth experiences are much more pleasant and easier than hospital births.

4) Have the Right Expectations

If you expect it to be very painful, then it will really get very painful. There are some cultures and countries that the women do not fear the childbirth at all. They do not perceive childbirth as an extraordinarily painful experience, and therefore they do not really need any medication for pain!

5) Let the Primitive Brain Works

A French physician, Michel Odent, said that the human brain can be distinguished into two parts: the neocortex (the rational part) and the primitive brain. The primitive brain is the part that releases hormones. During labor and birth, several hormones will be released to regulate the process. However, if the neocortex is stimulated, it can actually inhibit the primitive brain to release those hormones properly. Therefore, it is best not to stimulate the laboring woman’s neocortex. How? Do not make her do any rational thinking, avoid making her feel self-conscious, use dim light, avoid strangers…….

6) Keep Abdominal Breathing Slowly and Deeply

Having deep abdominal breathing by relaxing and contracting the abdominal muscles helps relax the muscles of the body. It is also relaxing to the heart, the nervous system, and even the mind. Moreover, it brings in large amount of oxygen to help the mother and the baby function properly.

7) Enjoy the rest periods between contractions

Appreciate and enjoy these rest periods! Make a smile! Drink and pee!

8) Relax the Mouth and Throat

It is interesting that Ina May observed that if the woman can keep her mouth and throat open and relax, so will her cervix and perineal tissues. Therefore, after taking a deep breath, exhale and relax the mouth and throat muscles! It is even better if one can vibrate the chest by making a sound pitched low enough, or even singing a low pitched song! Ina May also observed that, during the most intense stage of labor, a woman’s cervix would relax and open more when she speaks out thankful and loving words!

9) Massage, Hand pressure, and Muscles Shaking

A lot of women shared the same experience that having their thighs being massaged and their lower backs being pushed against by their supporters can give great relief during labor. If these are not sufficient or if the labor is long and difficult, shaking the large muscles of the woman’s bottom or thighs side to side rhythmically can help too! Some even feel good when being shaken all over the body vigorously by two or three women!

10) Let the Gravity Do the Work

Changing positions and moving around can greatly help the cervix to dilate. Almost all women in different traditional cultures around the world choose the upright positions in labor. Having something like a rope for the woman to pull on above her head is even better! Also, positions like squatting or kneeling can increase the pelvic diameters.

Last but not least,
Surrender, Trust the Lord, and Go with the Flow!

This coming labor, I am going to enjoy the hymns that my husband and girls recorded for me, and several symphonies that I love. Also, I am going to have my husband reading to me several passages from the Bible too! For the past labors, I used to meditate Psalm 23 and some other Psalms. It worked pretty well as long as I kept myself meditating! =)

Pray for me!

Please also read Some Maternal Info that You Might Want to Know

A lovely song to share…

You’re My Little One by unknown artist

Listen Now

All of the words you’ll learn to say
All of the games we’re gonna play
I wouldn’t trade this feeling away
You’re my little one

All of the places we’re gonna go
All of the faces you’d come to know
Mommy and daddy loves you so
You’re my little one

I didn’t know that life could be so sweet
I’m so glad that we could finally meet
Holding you close I have the whole world in my arms
I love your fingers and toes and your cute little nose
your bright eyes that shine I’m so glad that you’re mine
Your cute little lips and your sweet little teeths
You’re my little one…

Please read “If You Have a Child Under 3 Years Old “

If you have a child under 3 years old, especially if you have a large family, this message will be very important to you. It’s a very good reminder from Brother Denny. Please go to the following link for the mp3 file of the sermon. And I do have a summary follows, but I do strongly recommend the mp3 file.

http://www.charityministries.org/audio/1913.mp3

 
Summary
Forming the Personality of a Child (especially under 3 years old) by Brother Denny Kenaston of Charity Ministries.

– Focus on forming the soul of a child. We as parent have a lot to do with that, we don’t just wait and see what kind of child what God has given us.

– When we have a 3 and under child, we have a piece of soft clay to mold. “That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace” Psalm 144:12, pay attention to “nurture” a plant and “polish” corner stones, meaning active role of parents. It seems that we overlook the foundational stage in the child development because of our fast pace life. The foundation is laid in the first 3 years of a child, they don’t just sleep, eat and play.

– Do we put our older children in charge of molding the foundation of our little child?
– Do we read a book or talk on the phone while nursing?
– Do we argue before our 1 year old because we think they don’t understand?

Consider the following points:

1. A child begins to hear at 28 weeks in the womb. They are influenced before they are even born. Therefore, the atmosphere is very important. Talk and sing to the baby, and read to it the Word of God.

2. Consider a peaceful homebirth.

3. Nurse your baby. God designs in such a way that when we nurse our baby, we can look at each other. It’s a precious molding time to form the sweet spirit of the baby, not for reading or something else.

4. At night, don’t put the baby down with a spirit of getting rid of the baby. In the morning, welcome the baby with a sweet spirit.

5. Work the child into an ordered, peaceful, scheduled life so as to mold security, and peace will prevail in the heart of the child.

6. Melodious and worshipful music is important to a child. SING to the child.

7. Provide stimulations.

8. The child learns reverence for the authority by father’s voice at an early age. Fathers, talk to the babies with sweet words.

9. A child can learn a lot more than what we think they can.

11. God’s Word is powerful when read by an upright heart.

12. A child can be trained to be very social at an early age, trained to be a person who loves to reach out to others, to love others. But it doesn’t mean passing the baby around without your presence.

13. Read to them as early as possible.

14. A child can be taught to love to sing at an early age.

15. A sweet loving atmosphere is very important.

16. TRAIN THE OLDER CHILDREN TO HELP YOU WITH THE WORK, AND MOTHER MOLDS THE BABY. DO NOT LET THE CHILDREN RAISE THE LITTLE BABY!!!

17. Don’t raise the baby with a despaired, depressed spirit, as the personality of the child will be greatly damaged. Get help, don’t just sit there and wait.

REMEMBER, it’s not the will of God to train the 9 year old while neglecting the 1 year old!

After learning how to praise our Lord, it’s time to give thanks unto the Lord! These verses are very beautiful. Although this week I am having a terrible break out on my face, these verses comfort me and lead me to a good attitude, a thankful heart, even in my bad and painful times. Again, they are from KJV Bible. Let’s meditate them throughout our days!

1Ch 16:8-12 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. Remember his marvelous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.

1Ch 29:11-13 Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

Psa 30:1-5 I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Psa 30:10-12 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.

Psa 100 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Psa 105:1-7 O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvelous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.

Psa 106:1-3 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can show forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

Psa 136:1-3 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth forever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth forever.

1Co 15:55-58 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Eph 5:19-20 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Th 5:16-18 Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

When the days are tough for me because of my skin condition and diet; when the days seems so unorganized; when there are tons of work awaiting me to catch up and finish…..Thanks to the LORD that HE didn’t let me collapse and give up but taught me that I have to learn how to praise HIM before any other things can go right.

Therefore, these days I am sorting out the praise verses in the KJV Bible, and reading through them daily to remind myself how to praise my Lord, and how mighty the Lord I’m trusting upon is. I am going to share these verses here, and hope that you can enjoy them also when you have a break any time of the day!

1Ch 29:13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

Psa 7:17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

Psa 8:1 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

Psa 9:1-2 I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

Psa 63:1-5 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips

Psa 71:8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honor all the day.

Psa 86:12-13 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name forevermore. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

Psa 86:15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

Psa 100:4-5 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Psa 104:33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

Psa 112:1 Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

Psa 118:21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

Psa 119:7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

Psa 119:175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.

Psa 135:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him, O ye servants of the LORD.

Psa 135:3 Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.

Psa 138:1-5 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.

Psa 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Psa 145:1-3 I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name forever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

Psa 145:8-13 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

Psa 146:1-2 Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

Psa 147:1 Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

Psa 147:3-7 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God.

Psa 148:1-5 Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.

Psa 148:13 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

Psa 150 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Isa 12 And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

Jer 20:13 Sing unto the LORD, praise ye the LORD: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

It seems like I was dormant the last two months, didn’t have a single post here. And I wasn’t even functioning at home too! I have been fighting a battle!

What happened was, I figured that my skin problem that started in January this year is related to Candida yeast overgrowth. Therefore, I put myself on Candida diet (a cruel one) since the end of August. I was getting better. And I thought I was better that I could tolerate a bit of ‘forbidden food’ in the beginning of October, so I ate a bagel and a tea biscuit from Tim Horton while we were on the road, and I even ate a piece of apple pie. And there you go, me and my family have to suffer for almost two months since then!

My skin got so worse and itchy and it flared up on my face which is not even cleared yet as of today. What’s worse was I got so frustrated, discouraged and depressed, partly because of the toxins released by the Candida yeast. I didn’t feel like doing anything, I was not myself at all. I have to push myself so hard to get up from a chair or move away from the window to do what I was supposed to do, like preparing lunch for my 5 little girls. And I lost my patience. Of course, I felt guilty, useless and helpless. I could only cry out to the Lord, “Please heal me!” The Lord didn’t take away my illness in an instant although He could if He’s willing. He is working on my self-discipline. During this harsh time, my weaknesses were just being magnified. When I had eaten enough nuts that day, I told myself it’s enough and I should wait for tomorrow for more, but a second later you would find me eating a few more again. And when I kept asking the Lord why it had to be so hard? The Lord said to me, “Why don’t you rejoice in me always, even now?”

With God’s mercy, my physical started to feel better last week. I seized the chance to not being sluggish any more and started to do exercise with my children, even singing with them. Then I kept getting better. More energy is back. Feeling more positive although I still have to fight the itchiness from time to time. I should be able to talk more about this Candida Yeast Infestation soon.

Thank you for all your prayers. Prayer is the most needed thing in a time like this. And I have to tell you how gracious I am to have Derek as my husband. His gentleness, understanding and support surely played a big part in getting me through this.

On top of all these, my 6th pregnancy was just being confirmed. All of us rejoice and are looking forward to this baby. And one good thing of this timing is, my first trimester was combined with my Candida problem so I don’t need another 3 months to feel sick again. However, the down side is that the strict diet and the toxins in my body now may affect the fetus’s health. Please pray for us that the baby would be healthy.

To be a joyful keeper at home, one needs to pray to start her day!

Here are two poems that I would like to share: