Sweetest Aroma, NEW LIFE

I met a lady at church Sunday evening. She is a mother of five. We were talking about babies and deliveries. She told me that during one of her pregnancies she was reading Genesis 3. She could not understand how God could use birth pains as a discipline. She began meditating on the subject and then realized the similarities to Christ earthly ministry, death and resurrection and that of pregnancy and birth.

During Christ’s earthly ministry he endured hardships. He had friends die. He was tempted. He was betrayed. During the 40 weeks of Pregnancy a soon to be mother experiences lots of body aches and pains. She endures hardships. She is sick for several months, hoping that what she eats will stay down. Her body aches as it makes room for the child that grows within. She constantly in the end has this thing within her kicking her in the most uncomfortable of places.

Right before Christ arrest he asks the “Lord take this cup from me, but YOUR will be done”. As a woman comes close to her time of delivery and she starts to think about what is going to happen, fear strikes her and she wonders “what was I thinking, seriously. This baby has to come out, but Lord cant you bring this baby out some other way”.

 In Christ’s death he experienced excruciating pain. He was beaten and tortured and nailed to a tree. But through that death brought the sweetest aroma, LIFE. What could be more glorious then seeing new life come from your pain? God told Eve “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children.” Child birth is painful. It is excruciating, but it is only for a moment, and after that moment of pain the Dr places that sweet new life into your arms and it’s completely worth all the tears sweat and blood.

I just loved this analogy when Pipa told me. It was so just so beautiful. We might not truly be able to comprehend all that Christ did on our behalf. But as women we can know that Christ understands the JOYS and Pains we go through to bring forth New Life into this world.

A Traditionally Busy Life

Life for the Isaacs house hold has not slowed down. Even though I am a stay at home wife and soon to be mother I feel I am on the go all week long. It is good to not be idle. The first few months here when i was not as busy I started to feel like there was only so many times I could clean our tiny little home. But now I struggle to fine the time to clean it in a week times. Gary is busy with work, more now then ever now that the Church is looking for a Pastor. And in all of this we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little girl Lillian "Lilly" Christine.

Monday is Gary's day off and we try to make that our family day. We do our shopping plus we do what ever else we want for example go to the beach, or rent movies, or go for a drive. We hope to continue this tradition as our family grows.

Tuesdays is my day to be at home. It is nice to have one day at home a week to get organized and try hard to get the house clean or at least part of it. These days scrubbing one part of the house makes me so tired. It is usually laundry day unless it is raining then I have to get up early some other time in the week so I can get my clothes on the line to dry before 9. (the line gets sun only from about 10-2) Gary teaches a bible study on Tuesday mornings and then usually comes home to work. It is hard for me not to talk to him on these days because I have been by myself all day and I am eager to chat, but I have to let him get his work done.

On Wednesday's Gary and I go to Aristea Primary School and help with in the special learners class for 3 hours. We have really started to get to know our kids there and they have started to open up to us. I will be sad when the school year ends, because I will not be going next year since I will be in my third Trimester  and I am sure extremely uncomfortable. But Gary will continue and we are praying that some others from the church will step up and help out as well. In the Evenings we go to a Bible study right down the street from us. Gary is leading that one as well.

Thursday I go to the Ladies Bible Study which Gary is teaching. We just finished a study on the book of Job . It has been such a blessing.

Friday's I go back to Aristea and Gary goes to other local Primary school to counsel. He has really enjoyed this and has developed some good relationships  with some of the kids there. He has even invited them to come to youth and Sunday School and by Gods grace some have attended. That is one of our main reasons of wanting to get involved in the schools is to invite these kids to church. Friday evenings we are on the meal plan at Gary's Parents, another tradition we hope to keep as our family grows. I love how my sisters kids are close to my parents and since my parents are so far away I want my children to be close to Gary's.

Lilly will be the 4th girl in Three generations of Isaacs (Gary's Aunt and to Female Cousins. All his cousins and his brother only have boys) so every one is very excited about her coming into the world. When the Doctor told us that he was 99% sure is was a girl Gary did a little dance in the Sonar room. I had been having dreams for weeks about a little girl, but I kept refering to the baby as a he, we both were ecstatic about the news of a little girl. The only thing about a little girl is they turn into Teen age girls and that intimidates me. Soon after we found out it was a girl Gary said  with a big smile on his face "That means I get to go on 'daddy and me date' ". I told him a long time ago about how special "daddy and me dates" where to me. My daddy would take me for Chinese  and then we would go see a movie together. I can still name all the movies we saw together.  I look forward to Gary carrying on that tradition with our little girl.

Life is busy but we are enjoying it. God has blessed us undoubtedly and we are truly thankful for his provisions.

Knitting in the Womb

It is amazing to watch on a little screen your baby move.

The Dr pushed my tummy a lot and my little one did not appreciate it, but he would not do what my dr wanted. Stubborn (is that a Caines trait?) Next appointment we will find out, LORD willing, whether the Isaacs genes of Males will continue or if we will have a girl. We will be happy with either :)

8 weeks pregnant and what a time I have had! My sister said she thought it was funny that only I would tell me people that was pregnant as early as I spilled the beans, but knowing myself I just could not keep it in. I was so super exciting, I had been dreaming of being a mother since I can remember and now the Lord has blessed me with opening my womb and allowing Gary and I to conceive. 

I have not felt all that great. I battled morning sickness the first couple of weeks after finding out I was pregnant. nothing seemed to help the nausea. Heather suggested that I stop wearing pants that cut into my stomach, even if they don't feel tight, so I had to say goodbye to my favorite pair of jeans. And a lady at church suggested Sour Candy. Those are the two things that have worked for me. It is amazing. I am still so freaking exhausted, but I am staying busy and going to bed EARLY every night.

The Dr. said all looks well with the baby and I am so happy that I got to hear that precious sound of the heart beat. It is crazy to think that there is living, growing creature (baby) inside of me! God is good!

Three months and Pregnant

I needed another migraine prescription because mine was out. I thought I should go see on OBGYN kill two birds with one stone since Gary and I hope we would get pregnant soon. I was a few days late when it came time for my appointment. Dr Deale, who delivered my two nephews, was great. When I told him I was late he jokingly said "Congrats!" He offered to do an ultrasound but when he did he said, well there is a dot, but that could be anything. Take a test on Monday and call me. (He was very kind and did not charge us for the ultrasound). That following Monday, Gary and I needed to go grocery shopping. I ran into clicks (like CVS) and bought two pregnancy test. After shopping I asked Gary if he wanted me to take one of the tests now? He went into the Musica  at the mall while I stopped into the restroom. The test came out positive! We were super excited, but Gary said when we get home take the other test. I took it and there was no question about it It said pregnant. I was so excited. It was 11 am and I could not wait until 2 to be able to call my parents. I knew Gretchen would be up so I called her. When it came time for me to call mom and dad, mom answered I asked her  if dad was awake, she said no, so I told her to wake him up and get on Skype. She knew something was up:)

So Gary and I have been married three months and One month before our First Anniversary we will, Lord willing, have our first child. God is so great and I know that he has blessed us and I hope and pray that our baby is healthy. She/He has not made momma to sick yet. I have my moments but nothing like I have seen other pregnant women deal with!

Thank you Lord for this new Life.

Its been a whirlwind

I am no longer a MTW missionary but a wife of a Pastor. Gary and I covet your prayers not only in our marriage but in our ministry as well. We have many opportunities coming up to minister to the children in Kraaifontein (which is a suburb of Cape Town).

In American we have the Mason-Dixon Line. In South Africa you have the Boerewors Curtain. This “curtain” is North of Cape Town and when you cross it you are entering into primarily Afrikaans country, like when you cross the M/D line going south you are in the Confederate States.  Afrikaans people are people who are mostly of Dutch descent and they speak a form of Dutch called Afrikaans. Gary and I are living just north of this “curtain” which means I am trying to learn this language. It is not difficult except that it is a very guttural language and I have a hard time pronouncing words. But I know I will get there at least to understand it when people speak to me in Afrikaans.

Gary is working hard on his school work. He is taking a Biblical Counseling Course from Grace School of Ministry. Dr. Wayne Mack is teaching the course which takes place for one week four months out of the year. Gary has finished his first year and will be starting his second year come this October. He is also teaching two bible studies throughout the week and he preaches twice a month. He is also on the calling committee for the church where he is interning (The Pastor at Kraaifontein Baptist has been called to take a church Esly, South Carolina; outside of Greenville), so Gary has been busy with meetings several times a month.

Gary and I hope to start a ministry with the schools called “The Oak Project” based on Isaiah 61:3.  We hope to start an after school program for the kids to come and get help with homework or anything academically they are struggling with. We also hope to teach them life Skills and start a bible study. Are hopes are by putting love and effort into these kids lives we would be able to touch the parents as well, and hopefully through this be able to witness to the families, and bleed the ministry into the whole community.

We have contacted and met with one of the local Elementary schools (Fannie Theron) and we have a meeting with the other (Aristea) today. Gary has been given the opportunity at Fannie Theron to be their Counselor where he has full reign to use his biblical counseling in this school. He will go once a week for three hours and the chance to sit down with kids who have behavioral issues due to issues in the home. We are very excited about this opportunity and are eager to see what the Lord does with this. He starts in August as the second semester begins.

In July, we are holding a Holiday Club. We are not sure how many kids to expect but we hope that a good number of the kids in the surrounding areas join in. We are studying the Book of Acts and We will teach the kids about different Missionaries like: David Brainerd, Jim Elliot, David Livingstone, Amy Carmichael. We are hopeful that we get enough volunteers to help and that the Club will be successful.

Our home has been a constant rotating door. It has been such a joy to have several different people into our home. We had a friend from the Bible Institute up for dinner with in the first week we were home. I also made breakfast for our family on Election Day, since here Election Day is a public holiday. Then this past weekend we had the young adults from church come over for a meal and a bible study. It is such a pleasure to cook for people as they enter our home. And I look forward to doing it more and more.

We are staying busy and are enjoying married life and working together in God’s Kingdom. We ask that you keep us in your prayers, we know that Satan is very likely to try to destroy our marriage because of the work that we are doing for the advancement of the gospel. Pray that God keeps a hedge around us and that our eyes stay focused on Him. Also pray for all the ministries that we have our hands in and that God will be glorified in it all.

One Month

It has been one month since Gary and I pledge to love one another no matter what for the rest of our lives. It has been an emotional one month. I left my family for I don't know how long. I came back to a house I had only seen once. Unpacked all our things. Dealt with a husband who had bronchitis. and so much more. But This month has also been absolutely wonderful. I now get to sleep next to my best friend every night. I get to wake up  every morning to the same handsome face. It is so wonderful to know that we both have each others best interest at heart and we want to make sure we are serving one another to the fullest ability. I had a tummy bug a couple of weeks ago along with a migrain and I just felt yucky, so Gary pampered me the whole day. made me food that I could keep down and just made sure I was comfortable. He kept ice on my head and messaged my head. He treated me like a queen. It was wonderful. I feel so blessed to have such a loving husband. To him I give praise!