My Personal Retreat

My husband recently booked a night for me at a guest house nearby for me to have a personal spiritual retreat before the baby comes. I learned a lot, and I wanted to share some of it with you. He wrote out most of the dimensions of my life, and I researched each of those roles and what the Bible says about each of them. (Though it may seem time-consuming, I would strongly encourage you to look up the verses below any category in which you feel you could improve.) Then, for each dimension, I VERY briefly summarized what it practically looks like to live that out in my life. Here's what I got:


Being a woman:
-I just took Proverbs 31 verse by verse, and asked how what she did has to do with me today. If you have never done this, I would strongly urge you to do so!
-Work diligently for my own spiritual life, for my family, and for others; use my talents for God's glory; take care o myself so that I can take care of others.


Being a mother:
- Deuteronomy 6:5-9
-Psalm 127:3
-Proverbs 22:6
-Colossians 3:21
-Lead my children in the ways of the Lord; discipline well; teach well; prepare well.


Being a wife:
-Colossians 3:18-19
-Ephesians 5:22-24
-Ephesians 5:33
-Genesis 2:24
-Mark 10:9
-Proverbs 19:14
-Proverbs 18:22
-Proverbs 12:4
-Love and serve my husband; look out for his best interests; respect and honor him; work with him as his partner.


Being a believer:
-Romans 12:1
-Romans 12:2
-Colossians 3:5
-Philippians 4:8
-Matthew 6:31-34
-Ephesians 6:10, 13
-Live as a sacrifice to God; always focus on the things worthy of praise; trust God with everything.


Being a teammate/colleague:
-Ephesians 4:32
-Ephesians 4:1-3
-Galatians 6:1-5
-1 John 1:7
-Have patience; show grace; work together, yet be okay with having separate roles and tasks.


Being an employee:
-Luke 16:10
-Ephesians 6:5
-Matthew 25:23
-Colossians 3:22-24
-Be faithful with what is entrusted to me; serve as though serving God.


Being an active church member:
-Hebrews 13:18
-1 Corinthians 3:9
-1 Corinthians 12:4-6
-Acts 2:45-46
-Philippians 1:3-7
-Pray for our churches; love them; partner with them for all of the tasks before each of us.


To unbelievers:
-Ephesians 4:25
-Romans 15:1-2
-Romans 1:16
-1 Corinthians 1:17
-Matthew 28:18-20
-Matthew 5:16
-Show hospitality; speak truth; be bold in sharing; let the light of Christ shine through me to others.


Being a daughter:
-Colossians 3:20
-Deuteronomy 5:16
-Proverbs 10:1
-Honor and respect my parents.


Being a sister/friend:
-1 Corinthians 13:4-8
-Proverbs 17:17
-Love always; be there for those whom God has specially placed in my life.

Baby Ferg 36 Weeks Update!

I went to my OBGYN today for a checkup and for booking the hospital room for delivery! Here's how things roll in South Asia!


Kyle went out with a few friends this morning so I had Corinth with me for the first part of the appointment. First, I paid for my prenatal appointment with my doctor. Then, I went to the nurses station to have my blood pressure and weight measured. Corinth was very interested in the BP machine (arm band)! Then, I went in to see the doctor. She asked me how everything was, looked over her report from my last visit (which I had, because here you carry ALL of your own paperwork, documents, x-rays, etc), and then gooped me up to hear the baby's heart beat. Corinth really liked the sound the baby's heartbeat made! The doctor even held the little hand-held machine so that Corinth could see it, which I thought was very sweet of her. Then, the doctor "consulted" with me (2 minutes) and Corinth screamed in my ear because I wasn't listening to every single word she was saying. Ah, toddlerhood... how lovely thou art!
Anyway, after that, as I called Kyle to see how everything was, he walked in! Then, we all went back to the payment counter to pay for blood work and an ultrasound (2 different bills because the services are done in 2 different rooms). I had to let Kyle pay for 1 while I went to the ultrasound office to have them sign for the other one, then went back and paid for it also. Then, we went to the ultrasound room and got see Baby Ferg! We all watched while the tech measured the baby's brain, head, heart, spine, legs, stomach, and a few other things. Corinth said, "this baby movie!" very excitedly, which I thought was pretty cute! During the ultrasound, there was no air conditioning or fan on, and it is very, very hot here! Because of that, I felt really nauseous and faint, so I told the tech and she said I could go to the restroom. I put some wet paper towels on my neck, and felt better, but after I went back in the room I felt terrible again. She stopped the ultrasound and let me sit up for a few minutes while they figured out how to turn the fan on. After that, I felt much better, but it was kind of scary (and embarrassing) to almost faint while I'm lying on a bed at the doctor's office! Because it was so hot in the room, Corinth and Kyle waited in the waiting room the rest of the ultrasound. The tech was trying really hard to get a good profile picture of the baby for me, but it had it's hand up to it's forehead the whole time so you couldn't see the profile very well. This exact thing happened last time they did an ultrasound, and that tech said it was because the baby is doing 'namaste' (the greeting here, in which you put your hands together and bring them to your head, face, or chest). My baby is already practicing the cultural norms here! :-)
After the ultrasound was over, I told Kyle that she and Corinth could go home because I was still going to be a while and Corinth had nothing to do at the hospital. Then, I went and got blood and urine work done. I could tell that the guy really loved his job... not! After that, I went back to the payment desk and filled out a form to do all of the hospital booking for delivery. Then, a girl took me on a tour of the hospital (which was so nice to finally see!) and then took me down to do billing. Billing was much easier than I expected, and the gentleman who did all of it was super helpful and kind. Yay! After that, I went back upstairs to, you guessed it, the payment desk where I paid the deductible for delivery, and I was out the door!
All of that makes me thankful that everything was so easy with Corinth in America, where there is 1 desk to answer all of your questions, 1 doctor who does everything for you (or at least arranges for the things she doesn't do) and 1 waiting room that is quiet, clean, and not overwhelming!


So, as far as the actual pregnancy goes, everything looks good! The doctor said I am not dilated at all (bummer) so I should not be having a baby this week. (After a healthy, premature baby last time, part of me was disappointed to hear I won't be delivering soon!) Also, the baby weighs about 6.1 pounds now, which is great! The doctor was disappointed in me, however, because I have only gained a 1/2 kg (1.1 lbs) in the last month. I responded, "I eat a lot!" Everything else is good, and I'll have weekly appointments from here on out!