My Own Cheerleader

I love those moments when I KNOW, without a doubt, that God is speaking directly to my heart about something. When those times come I am reminded of the love that He has for His children and I am honored to be called His child. I've had that happen this week and my prayer is that some of you other mamas (and daddies) out there will be blessed by this! 

I'm 36 weeks pregnant-technically full term! We have an induction date scheduled for 2/20 unless sweet Chandler wants to come a little earlier. I remember this point in my pregnancy with Harris and thinking I was tired. I was cranky because of heartburn and lack of sleep. I had horrible back pain and my hips felt like I had been beat with a bat. I was so ready to get him here! Looking back on that time, I WAS tired but I was also able to come home after work and LAY DOWN until bedtime. Eliot would serve me dinner on the couch if that's what I wanted and Saturdays were spent doing absolutely nothing. Eliot and I would have nice dates weekly and we could sleep all day on Saturday if we wanted. I also remember that week before Harris was born I didn't even work! I laid around the house and read two books. It was awesome!

Now here we are. That some point with Chandler and if I thought I was tired then, there are no words for what I feel now. I don't necessarily feel bad I'm just mentally and physically EXHAUSTED. I drag myself out of bed in the morning after a night of no sleep and just count down the hours until Eliot comes home to help out. See, I was tired when I was pregnant with Harris but now I'm pregnant and CHASING Harris. Laying around on the couch is a fond memory of the past and there is no dinner being served various places around the house because we have dinner around the table, as a family. Harris is to the age now that he knows when something is going on with Mommy. If I'm not myself, he can tell and he stresses out. He gets sad when I'm down so I find myself trying to have energy for him. I'm trying to have strength to keep dinner cooking and a nice, clean home for Eliot to come home to. You see, I know what my job is and I can't in good conscience just go crawl in the bed and say "see ya suckas!" (Which I've totally contemplated btw...)

That's where God comes in. Earlier last week I was praying for strength and endurance for these last few weeks and then even more after she's here! In my Bible study on Wednesday we talked about a beautiful verse that jumped out at me so vividly, I knew it was encouragement from God.

2 Thessalonians 3:13

"As for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good."

Were you expecting more? There isn't really much to it. I guess that's why I knew the comfort I felt when I read it had to have come from God. What I do every day is "good". It may not be glamorous. I'm certainly not spreading the Gospel to hundreds of people. I'm not getting paid one dime. I know, however, that what I do holds eternal value in God's eyes and because of that, its good. Paul prayed a long time ago that Christians would not grow tired of doing what is "good" and I'm confident I was included in that prayer. Knowing God is watching me saying "Keep going Ashley! You can do this!" is all I need to get through the next few weeks and then some. Praise God for those little "hugs" He sends down sometimes!