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So many numbers lately:
6 hours of labor
2 hours of contractions every 3 minutes
2 long pushes
5lb15oz, 19 1/2 inches long
10 fingers, 10 toes
5 minutes of a first feeding
8-12 feedings a day
4-6 wet diapers
4-6 poop diapers
eating every 2-3 hours
nearly 2 weeks old
over 80 diapers so far
5 mg a day of coumadin
1000 mg a day of calcium
BUT lots that cannot be quantified:
the warmth of a little body next to mine
the light sweep of tiny fingertips on my ribs
the gentle sucking
the little hiccups
the desperate rooting of a hungry baby
the goofy faces and sounds of REM sleep
my husband's features in miniature
the amazement of a life in my arms that didn't exist over 10 months ago
the smiles of big brothers as they hold the new addition
God's provision of all we need, and some things we don't
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Broken for Others
My husband and I went to the Chrism Mass for our diocese on Tuesday this week. At this mass, the bishop blesses the Oils of the Sick and of the Catachumens, and consecrates the Sacred Chrism Oil. These oils are then taken back to the individual parishes in the diocese and used throughout the following year for the various sacraments. It was a beautiful, very reverent mass.
The Bishop's homily was about the Eucharist--the body and blood of Jesus. He talked about how Jesus' body was offered as a sacrifice, consecrated, and broken for us. As a people, when we take in the Eucharist at mass, we are united together as the Body of Christ--the Church. We offer ourselves, are consecrated through the Eucharist, and are meant to be broken for others. So we take the Eucharist into ourselves, and we become the Eucharist, in a sense, for others.
Today's gospel reading for Holy Thursday is the story of Jesus washing his disciples' feet at the Last Supper, and challenging them to serve others in the same way he served them.
And considering these two things, I ask myself.....am I serving others the way he did? All the way to the cross?
Do I allow myself to be "broken" for others? Especially for the dear, dear souls in my own household?
I have a long way to go.
The Bishop's homily was about the Eucharist--the body and blood of Jesus. He talked about how Jesus' body was offered as a sacrifice, consecrated, and broken for us. As a people, when we take in the Eucharist at mass, we are united together as the Body of Christ--the Church. We offer ourselves, are consecrated through the Eucharist, and are meant to be broken for others. So we take the Eucharist into ourselves, and we become the Eucharist, in a sense, for others.
Today's gospel reading for Holy Thursday is the story of Jesus washing his disciples' feet at the Last Supper, and challenging them to serve others in the same way he served them.
And considering these two things, I ask myself.....am I serving others the way he did? All the way to the cross?
Do I allow myself to be "broken" for others? Especially for the dear, dear souls in my own household?
I have a long way to go.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Pity Party Ended
Today on Palm Sunday the Christian faith embarks upon Holy Week, the week where we remember the events leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus.
I especially appreciate now as a Catholic the liturgies of this week that bring such contemplation and solemnity to the greatest sacrifice ever made.
Yesterday I was on call for work as a hospice social worker. It was a very busy day. I ended up putting in over nine hours--3 hours on one visit alone!! As a result, I missed the dedication mass of our refinished church and new narthex. I was extremely disappointed as this was a mass our whole parish community has been looking forward to since last fall.
So I went to mass with that chip on my shoulder this morning. On top of that, our priest seemed to have started a couple of minutes early and I ended up sitting in the very back--it was hard to hear and no one sings. I was very crabby. And I was grumbling in my prayers about how it wasn't fair and that my house was messy and (poor me, poor me, poor me)--blecchh.
On Palm Sunday in the Catholic liturgy, the whole passion of our Lord is read--from the Last Supper to his death on the cross. And as I meditated upon that, and then received our Lord in the Eucharist and thought of his sacrifice for us--for me.......well, let's just say God straightened out my heart.
Grant me more humility, Lord. Thank-you for your redirection.
I especially appreciate now as a Catholic the liturgies of this week that bring such contemplation and solemnity to the greatest sacrifice ever made.
Yesterday I was on call for work as a hospice social worker. It was a very busy day. I ended up putting in over nine hours--3 hours on one visit alone!! As a result, I missed the dedication mass of our refinished church and new narthex. I was extremely disappointed as this was a mass our whole parish community has been looking forward to since last fall.
So I went to mass with that chip on my shoulder this morning. On top of that, our priest seemed to have started a couple of minutes early and I ended up sitting in the very back--it was hard to hear and no one sings. I was very crabby. And I was grumbling in my prayers about how it wasn't fair and that my house was messy and (poor me, poor me, poor me)--blecchh.
On Palm Sunday in the Catholic liturgy, the whole passion of our Lord is read--from the Last Supper to his death on the cross. And as I meditated upon that, and then received our Lord in the Eucharist and thought of his sacrifice for us--for me.......well, let's just say God straightened out my heart.
Grant me more humility, Lord. Thank-you for your redirection.
Friday, February 22, 2008
What Adventure Awaits Me Today?
Here is the morning offering prayer I pray every morning:
Lord, I do not know what will happen to me today. I only know nothing will happen that was not foreseen by you or directed to my greater good for all of eternity. I adore your holy and unfathomable plans, and submit to them with all my heart out of love for you, the Pope, and the immaculate heart of Mary.
I'm a morning person. The start of a new day excites me--who will I meet? what will happen? what new things will I learn about myself or God? will my life be forever different at the end of this day? how will things change? how will they stay the same? will I make good decisions? will I succeed at fighting laziness and lack of motivation?
I know one day there will be a day that I wished had never happened--the death of one dear to me, I imagine. That doesn't excite me. I dread that actually.
But something about the fact of change and movement through life is the interesting part--that I will be a different person at the end of this day than I am now.
Lord, may my actions and my words be glorifying to you. May I not deny you in ways large or small.
Lord, I do not know what will happen to me today. I only know nothing will happen that was not foreseen by you or directed to my greater good for all of eternity. I adore your holy and unfathomable plans, and submit to them with all my heart out of love for you, the Pope, and the immaculate heart of Mary.
I'm a morning person. The start of a new day excites me--who will I meet? what will happen? what new things will I learn about myself or God? will my life be forever different at the end of this day? how will things change? how will they stay the same? will I make good decisions? will I succeed at fighting laziness and lack of motivation?
I know one day there will be a day that I wished had never happened--the death of one dear to me, I imagine. That doesn't excite me. I dread that actually.
But something about the fact of change and movement through life is the interesting part--that I will be a different person at the end of this day than I am now.
Lord, may my actions and my words be glorifying to you. May I not deny you in ways large or small.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Total Eclipse of the Heart
Anyone remember that 80s song? I'm sure you understand that the reason it came to me was because of the gorgeous lunar eclipse last night. I was blessed to see it from my bed snuggled in, through my bedroom window.
It made me feel so small. (And then I kept thinking about the people living at the space station and how they weren't able to see it, but then not feeling too badly for them because they can see the beauty of the earth from space. But I digress....)
Definition of eclipse......n. 1.a. The partial or complete obscuring of one celestial body by another. b. The period of time during which such an obscuring occurs. 2. A decline into obscurity, disuse, or disgrace.
Interesting. If you think about an eclipse of the heart spiritually, based upon the definition, it could be a good event, or a bad event.
If I am completely obscured by Christ, then I will have attained the holiness and humility I pray for. (That's a long way away!) And it takes a period of time--it is a process.
If my heart goes through an eclipse based upon the second definition--a decline into obscurity, disuse, or disgrace--it is not good. Sometimes my heart does go there.
I pray my life is eclipsed by Christ. Because unlike the earth and the moon, He does not throw a shadow on me. He shines through me and is brighter than me on my own.
.......I've had a hiatus from blogging for a couple of months. I know my husband has faithfully checked in every day! It's been a quiet period....in a good way. We are well into the contemplative period of lent as we prepare ourselves for the great celebration of Easter.
And for those of you who don't know.....baby #3 is on the way. We are due in August. That is quite a story and another example of God's grace in our lives. Maybe I'll tell it sometime......
Peace.
It made me feel so small. (And then I kept thinking about the people living at the space station and how they weren't able to see it, but then not feeling too badly for them because they can see the beauty of the earth from space. But I digress....)
Definition of eclipse......n. 1.a. The partial or complete obscuring of one celestial body by another. b. The period of time during which such an obscuring occurs. 2. A decline into obscurity, disuse, or disgrace.
Interesting. If you think about an eclipse of the heart spiritually, based upon the definition, it could be a good event, or a bad event.
If I am completely obscured by Christ, then I will have attained the holiness and humility I pray for. (That's a long way away!) And it takes a period of time--it is a process.
If my heart goes through an eclipse based upon the second definition--a decline into obscurity, disuse, or disgrace--it is not good. Sometimes my heart does go there.
I pray my life is eclipsed by Christ. Because unlike the earth and the moon, He does not throw a shadow on me. He shines through me and is brighter than me on my own.
.......I've had a hiatus from blogging for a couple of months. I know my husband has faithfully checked in every day! It's been a quiet period....in a good way. We are well into the contemplative period of lent as we prepare ourselves for the great celebration of Easter.
And for those of you who don't know.....baby #3 is on the way. We are due in August. That is quite a story and another example of God's grace in our lives. Maybe I'll tell it sometime......
Peace.
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