A Soul at Rest...

"Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls"
~Matthew 11:28-29

I have always loved this passage of Scripture. The thought of having the privilege to come before the One great God of the universe personally and know that He will bear my burdens and give my soul rest has always overwhelmed me. What joy to know He will carry my heaviness and uplift my soul!

One part of these verses that is often unnoticed but has almost had a bigger impact on my life than any other is when Jesus says "learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul." God is an infinite God. So much so that we will spend an infinity exploring and discovering His character. And yet, out of all of His attributes, He chose in these verses to point out just two- His gentleness and humility. Two qualities so important that He says they are the key to a restful soul in this life.

I was talking with a friend the other day about marriage and how amazing it's been- how it gets better every day, how I can't imagine life without Tim, and how consistently I see the characteristics of Christ in Tim's life- and I remembered these verses. Ever since I've known Tim, especially since college when we really began to become friends, I've been encouraged and challenged by his humility. Although he was never the "Scripture-quoting, theology discussing, preacher-man" type that I always thought I would marry, his gentle spirit, his quiet eyes, and his humble servant's heart have constantly demonstrated the heart of Christ to me in ways no one else ever has. Tim really, truly loves people. And even after two years of being married to him, I still feel so overwhelmingly thankful to God for His gift of this man to me.

I know this post may be a little "mooshy" but I needed an avenue in which to express my adoring and thankful heart for my husband. It is because Tim has learned from Christ how to be "gentle and humble in heart" that we have rest in our marriage. He has brought the peaceful rest of Christ's heart into my life on a daily basis. When I look at Tim, I can't help but see the face of my sweet Savior. My true Prince Charming. And- as cheesy as it sounds- that really does "sweep me off my feet." I will never stop loving him for that. I will never stop loving Christ for that either...

Blessed...

Okay, so I think I am officially the worst blogger ever! It has been MONTHS since my last update on our little family...and so much has happened since then. So far, 2009 has been a year full of fun surprises and special blessings and the glory goes to our great God for it all! 

The biggest news is that God answered our many, many prayers and I am PREGNANT!! :) Our little baby is due October 13, 2009. Tim and I are thrilled beyond words to see God creating our little one so intricately day by day in my ever-growing tummy! Goodbye for now, "Pregnant Wannabes" Club! 

We found out I was pregnant on the day after the Superbowl. I was actually not quite 5 weeks pregnant yet, but I was somewhat suspicious that I might be. So I crossed my fingers and took a test the day before my cycle was supposed to start. As I watched it changing colors, it looked like another negative test and I was disappointed once again. Instead of bursting into tears however, I decided to pray, remind myself of God's perfect timing, and went to make some coffee. When I came back to the bathroom to get ready for work, I glanced at the test again to see that it was positive!! I was in shock! I immediately woke up Tim and made him look (I thought I might be imagining it!) and he smiled and said "yep babe...you're pregnant." What an amazing moment that was! I will never forget it! (Of course I spent most of it sobbing uncontrollably, but still an unforgettable moment. Haha!) We started praying for our little baby that morning and have continued to since. Praise the God of HOPE for His answered prayer!! :) 

I am now 14 weeks pregnant and it sure has been a fun experience. Wow, pregnancy is weird...especially the first 3 months! It was like a little alien took over my body and nothing about me functioned normally. I did get pretty sick during my first trimester and I was a total wimp about it every day! Ha! I don't know how women that are puking all day for 3 or more months can do it. Yuck. What a completely NOT fun, NOT magical, NOT amazing time the beginning of pregnancy is! The part that was incredible though, were the ultrasounds. I got to have 3 ultrasounds in my first trimester (because of a small complication) and although there was some concern, I couldn't have cared less! I got to see my sweet baby every 2 weeks because of that little complication. And that my friends, makes every pukey moment, every gross smell, and every trip to the bathroom worth it!

Since our last ultrasound, "Baby Biscuit" (as Tim has affectionately named our little "biscuit in the oven") has grown even healthier and stronger and has kicked me a few times. I can't wait to feel even more kicking, which I know will come in a few weeks. As my belly has grown, I catch myself checking it out in every mirror or window that I pass. I know I'm becoming totally vain, but I still sometimes can't believe I'm actually pregnant, and looking at that ever-changing belly has been such a fun reminder of our little blessing to come. :)

Thinking about our "Biscuit" has brought so much more awareness in my heart of God's faithfulness lately. The waiting is over...and God has chosen to reward our patience with the gift we wanted most of all!! His never-ending love and graciousness to me is a truly overwhelming thought and I'm so much more thankful than words could ever say.

"The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. The LORD keeps all who love Him...my mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever."  ~ Psalm 145:18-21

Other than our new addition, not much has changed in these past few months. We got a Wii finally, which has brought WAY more entertainment into our lives than a stupid video game should! Who knew they could ever invent a video game that I would not only become totally addicted to, but that I could actually beat Tim at! Needless to say, the world has become a very fun place lately.

We've got so many exciting things coming up to be thankful for also- another ultrasound in 6 weeks to find out if we're having a boy or a girl, a trip to visit my family for my sister's graduation from college, a baby room to decorate, and of course the last 6 months Tim and I will ever spend as "just the two of us." We are very blessed!!