At ALL times!

This is a verse that has been continually working on me for many months now!

Psalm 34:1

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth!

I want this verse to be applied every day of myself and I so often forget it and choose to dwell on other things. The LORD is so worthy of all glory, honor and praise!! I needed this reminder the last few days to get back on track. As I was looking for this verse I also ran across another one that was very similar and something I really need to start living by!

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

As you may of picked up from my last post I have been kind of feisty and weighted down lately. I am now 16 weeks 5 days along in my pregnancy and feeling pretty good physically but emotionally have not been doing as well. I have been very emotional for really no reason and very resentful and angry for really no reason as well. I am praying that this is just a huge hormonal transition period and that there is not more going on. I have really been struggling in my marriage to love my husband and serve him with a joyful heart. I have struggled to really be able to express to him what it is that is going inside of me.. which leaves him feeling frustrated and confused. I am so grateful for his patience with me!!! He has grown so much since we got married just a little over a year ago and I praise God for the work that he has been doing in Andy! So if you could be praying for me as I work through this little bump in the road I would really appreciate it. I am not sure if it is a pregnancy thing or a spiritual thing or both...


As I was just sharing with you about this struggle I am facing... I was reminded of a sermon and book I read by Dr. James MacDonald with Walk in the Word called "Why Trials."

James 1:2-4

Count(press your mind down upon) it all joy, my brothers when you meet(fall into) trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness(endurance, ability to remain under). And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

For me.. what I am going through.. is not really a trial but it is definitely God  is refining me. Praise God for that!! I am not really suffering right now... but sometimes I think our emotions and attitudes can be considered a trial(in a personal sense and not in a external/physical sense). I have been richly blessed and fortunate to say that the trials in my life are tiny in comparison to what some people go through. This is not to say that it has done any more or less work in my heart then what some serious trials do in other people's hearts. God works in many ways and situations!

Anyways, what I am trying to get at is... I really liked something MacDonald brought to light on in this scripture. He talks about steadfastness, which can also be considered endurance, and he brings out the Greek word for endurance to bring a clearer understanding to these verses. The word in the Greek is hupomone and actually comes from two words--the word meaning remain, and the word meaning under. What a beautiful picture that is. The trials we are are facing--whether physical or emotional-- put pressure on us and weigh down on us more and more and more with each passing day. BUT GOD supplies us the strength to withstand the pressure instead of running from that trial(no matter how big or small). He sustains us and enables us to REMAIN UNDER it! I am reminded of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace and how the Lord sustained them in that furnace and was WITH THEM! 

I know that whatever is going on, I must remain under it and know that the Lord is with me! I need to stop throwing a fit, hands in the air, storming off to the bedroom(for my sake and for my husbands sake). I must remain under and fight with the sword of God whatever is weighing down on me... whether it be simply spiritual, body changes hormonally, whatever it is! I have so much to Praise my Father for!!

Baby Hentges seems to be doing well!! I believe I may have started feeling my little one as early as 2 weeks ago but was not really aware of it at the time. I am not 100% sure on what I am feeling... but if it is my baby... he/she sure likes car rides, his/her daddy (thankfully, we would hope that would be the case no matter what! hehe), and likes food! The first time I really considered whether what I was feeling was the baby or not was two weeks ago(Monday the 9th) when I was driving home from Arizona. I felt a pretty strong tapping going on in my lower abdomen(from my view--Left side). So like I said... Baby likes car rides! It was just a very treasured moment for me because I was driving... Andy was asleep... the sun was setting and it was just very peaceful(this has nothing to do with Andy sleeping) in the way the whole thing played out! Just mommy and baby bonding! I have felt it a few times more... late last week I was not feeling all that great so I did have a lot of gas cramps and could not decipher between the two but since then I think I can definitely tell the difference between the baby and my digestive system! Sometimes I am feeling this down in my lower lower abdomen.. almost feeling as if it is coming from my vaginal area.. obviously not the case but the baby must have been putting some pressure on my cervix or something. I went shoe shopping this weekend(for all these wedding coming up) with my mother and I had to tell baby to be a little more gentle because it was causing this twitching sensations almost. Baby must already be getting on my nerves.. HAHA! (Sorry for the babbling... this is more for me so I have it recorded :-)) Now I am feeling the baby more in the center under my belly button... almost favoring the right side. Which might explain why I have been a little sore in my abdomen over the weekend.. things must be shifting or something!! So overall things are going really well!! Next appointment is June 7th and hopefully we will receive the go ahead for our ultrasound and will know within the following weeks of my next appointment whether Baby Hentges is a boy or girl!!!!

I really do not enjoy showing baby bump photos... just cause I don't know whether to smile or not include my face or what... but I have many friends who are going away for the summer and family living across the U.S. and want to keep them updated :-) Plus, it has been very helpful for me to see other people's picture and what they looked like when they were at each point in their pregnancy so now I hope it is helpful to others. So I figured.. why not!

16 weeks 1 day

One last, quick story! I had a very special other moment with Baby Hentges this weekend but this time it involved Andy(making it more special)! We were at my parents house watching a movie and Andy came into the house and plopped down on the couch next to me. He laid down with is head on my side and his arm across my belly. I noticed something as we sat there... He had his hand pressed against one side of my belly! It just totally warmed my heart!! It was the first time I had really seen Andy initiate like that! It was just a precious moment for our little family! I loved having him feel my belly in anticipation of bonding with his precious baby too!! He is going to make a fantastic Dad!! I can not wait for him to be able to touch my belly and really get to feel the baby move... and I look forward to seeing to look on his face when he sees that baby at our ultrasound... and I smile at the thought of seeing him hold our precious little one for the first time!! He is going to be amazing!! He is amazing!! :-) Lord, THANK YOU for providing me with such an amazing husband!! Thank you for your saving grace that I may experience the joy of a child in the way that you intended!! ... in marriage... and with an amazing man to love his children and lead them!! May you be glorified above ALL else!!! "Not to us but to your name be the glory!"