Farmer #4 Coming Soon!!!

Yes, you have read the title correctly! The Farmer and his wife (me) are expecting another wonderful little blessing, due to arrive in May! I can't tell you the thrill in my heart to be carrying such a precious gift from the Lord for a whole nine months. A gift that is depending on me to make wise healthful decisions that can and will effect this child's health for the rest of his or her life! Talk about pressure!

 My pregnancy with Marshall was an overall good experience and recovery. However looking back, there was so much more I should have been doing to be healthy and "at my best". Thank God for grace in that he allows us to learn more about all subjects we are to take dominion of, at all stages, ages, and seasons of life. Including our health and pregnancy! What we put into our bodies will affect us; whether the effect is good or bad is up to you. 

As I begin this new pregnancy journey, here is a vague list of things I will be doing to stay healthy. First is drinking my recommended eight glasses of water a day. I put this first on my list, because I have to work really hard at actually REMEMBERING to do this! Don't laugh, I truly forget I am thirsty throughout the day when I am busy on projects, cleaning, being a mommy and wife and all the hundreds of tasks that go along with my glorious job description. It helps if I drink two quarts of water when I first get up in the morning. This seems to get my mind motivated to want to drink enough water.  I also am incorporating Red Raspberry tea. If you visit bulkherbstore.com , Shoshanna has a great article on the benefits of red raspberry and other herbs during pregnancy.  You can read it here.

  Ok, now here is the tough one, *gulp*.........

Besides for an occasional treat, and I do mean occasional, there is no need to pollute my body with something that is going to give me a sugar-high then an energy crash! With the exception of condiments ( because I love me some ketchup ;) ), I am excluding desserts (unless made with honey), yummy smooth delicious coffee creamer,  those scrumptious pies, cookies and cakes my wonderful sisters in Christ brings to the church every Sunday, and to my dismay that beautiful Southern tradition...... sweet tea. You may need to keep me accountable on that last one.  I have already excluded all these things in the first five weeks of pregnancy and would you know, I have felt the BEST I have felt since before I had Marshall! Just by eliminating sugar. I haven't had a mid-day crash, but have actually had energy to burn, Praise the Lord!

  Protein is next on my list. For all you anti-fish and egg eaters like me this is yet another hurdle to jump. Lets begin with eggs, I am eating them every morning. I am learning though that there are many different ways to "disguise" the taste of the egg. Such as smoothies, quiches, veggie and cheddar cheese omelets, and if all else fails, smother scrambled eggs in salsa like me (much to the gagging of my husbands family haha). I have learned to love salmon patties! I look forward to them these days. I will also be experimenting with tuna and other types as well. I wonder if you can hide the taste of tuna in a smoothie... doubt it : /.

  Now onto something more delicious.... smoothies! I have been making green smoothies from the yogurt I make from our fresh raw cow milk. My favorite so far is a banana spice smoothie. I have been buying bananas in bulk and freezing them, already peeled and sliced to be smoothie ready. I either use organic spinach leaves or I put in  my "Five Alive" barley grass powder to make it green. I am eating lots of spinach in salads as well. I will keep you posted as try new recipes for good nutrient dense smoothies.

   Unfortunately, we can't get all the good vitamins and minerals from the food we eat today ( Lord willing we can change that through our farming practices!) . Hence I  am taking Magnesium and Calcium every day along with my SuperMom multi. And I can't stress enough the importance of B vitamins. Magnesium and B vitamins are supposed to aid in morning sickness. As I haven't dealt with that thus far in my pregnancy, I haven't "put it to the test" so to speak. Here is list of websites I have enjoyed reading through about these topics, The Weston A. Price Foundation, The Mommypotamus, and Dr. Brewer Pregnancy Diet.

  Thankfully we won't have as much to prepare for in the lines of baby items this time around. Little Marshall is going to have to get used to some changes around the house when the baby comes.  However, I do think he is going to make a most excellent big brother!

                                                                                         

                                                                                        Christ's Blessings
                                                                               ~The Farmer's Wife~

Are you really living?

What are you living for?  The more I see the "men" of our day wasting their lives on useless things the more I am condemned for the time that I have wasted.  My son and my wife are depending on my labor for their well being, for their future, and for their spiritual growth.  How selfish to waste my time on things that only please me and have no value when I should be teaching, studying, working, LIVING the life God intended for me to live.

I recently saw a father teaching his son.  It was a perfect example of the correct method of how to teach your children as you "walk by the way".  He and his son had just sat down after playing a game and he started quizzing him.  However, he was not quizzing him in the things of God, he was testing his knowledge of professional sports!  I was amazed and saddened at the vast knowledge that this little boy had of all different players and teams of these games!  Amazed because of how much a child can remember and learn at a young age and saddened because I knew how many precious moments were wasted in filling his head with these useless things when it could have been filled with the knowledge of God and a zeal for his kingdom.   When we understand what the goal is, we realize we don't have time to waste our lives on things that don't move towards that goal.

I found this video by Paul Washer on a blog I follow, http://sonsoftheremnant.blogspot.com, and it stirred me afresh to be a man of God.  As the Romonowitz brothers said on their blog, if this doesn't stir you, nothing will.

I am so thankful that God has given us a task to do, a life to live, and a WAR to fight! 

"This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;"  - 1 Timothy 1:18

Even in farming we have to ask, "Why are we doing this?"  If it is for any other reason that to advance the kingdom of God and bring glory to him then it is for the wrong reasons.

Every area of life, including farming, is to be brought under his kingship.  And our farms should be staging grounds for our children to learn how to fight this war, refreshing places to come after fighting battles, and even battle grounds for the souls men when we have unbelievers into our homes to witness to them through hospitality.

May God give us the courage to be strong and play the part of men.  May he give us the grace to lead our families and work his earth in a way that would please him and advance his kingdom!

To Christ be the glory!

--The Farmer