Immeasurably More!!

Ephesians 3:20 says that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.  I love this!  I have a fairly extensive imagination and have been known to scheme up a few outrageous ideas or elaborate plans.  Realizing that my God operates on levels that my imagination can't even begin to comprehend is staggering.  His love for me is unconditional, His mercies are new every day and nothing is impossible for Him!  Incredible.  And what does that say about His plan for my life?!  The things I ask Him about or imagine for the future are minuscule; He can do immeasurably more!

Going into a new week I never know what to expect.  Derek has set days for a few of his jobs, but other than that we make our own schedule, taking each day as it comes.  This means that as I reflect on the past week I'm always blown away by all that's happened in our life and the countless ways God has been leading us, teaching us and providing for us.  I didn't have any idea that this week would include a hot chocolate date with sweet friends, more fresh fruit than we could possibly handle or a bonus chance to listen to our baby's heart beat.  Once again, God's ways have proven to be so much higher than mine!

[growing bump!!]

This past week I accompanied Derek to a few of his landscaping jobs.  These particular jobs are my favorite because they come with free access to an impressive variety of fruit trees and whatever the gardens may be producing!  We bring buckets for lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, herbs, etc.  And we load up bags full of lemons, bananas, papayas, pummelos (like a giant grapefruit!), avocados and... MANGOS!  Yes, it's finally the best season of the year and I'm surprised that I haven't gone into a mango-induced coma, yet!  I can't get enough of them!  Derek came home one day last week with an 'early birthday present': his lunch box, packed full of mangos!!  He knows me well :)  Don't worry, we've definitely been sharing our abundance of fruits and veggies.. yes, EVEN the mangos!  If we keep it all to ourselves things will start to rot and a moldy blessing isn't much of a blessing anymore.

 [baby banana & Derek with his machete!]

God used a little time spent at our old hangout, the laundromat, as another reminder of just how blessed we are!  We only frequent this establishment when our comforter needs washing, now- compared to the weekly trips we used to make.  But two hours was all I needed to come to a whole new realization of how AWESOME it is to live in the apartment!  How incredible it is to have a roof over our heads, running water, a toilet, a washing machine..  things that are so easily taken for granted.
The longer I dwell on it the more I realize that this week was packed full of God doing immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine!  A skype date with a sweet friend, a completely unexpected package full of baby things, a jar of homemade jaboticaba jam (made from a grape-like fruit that grows on the bark of the tree!) and finding out that our amazing family members went together and bought us a crib!!  Immeasurably more, everywhere I look.
I spent some time floating in the ocean, feeling gloriously weightless and graceful.. quite a difference from the reality of a huge baby belly and an extremely off kilter center of gravity.  The ocean here is never truly 'cold', but I definitely prefer the perfectly wonderful temperatures that summer brings.  Our little stretch of the Pacific is now a balmy 80* and I love to simply float, forgetting about anything but the exotic fish and brightly colored coral until my body turns into a giant prune.

[33 weeks!!]

Our prenatal class this week was a tour of the hospital!  This definitely elevated our levels of excitement and made us realize how close we're getting!!  Things felt especially real when I volunteered to be the guinea pig for the nurse's demonstration and actually got in the bed and was hooked up to all the monitors, etc.  That's where the bonus chance to hear Baby's heartbeat came in.  Although our doctor appointments are very regular now and we hear that wild, healthy racing on a regular basis, it's still one of my favorite sounds!  After our nurse was done with her presentation she turned around to unhook me and, after a look at the machine, said 'Are you feeling these?'  I started laughing, thinking it was the joke at the end of the speech.  But she was adamant and showed me on the print out where I had gone through four contractions in 15 minutes!!  I hadn't felt a thing, so it was no worries and class progressed as normal but it definitely made for a little excitement among all us first time parents.  'Wait, is she going into labor?!'  'Is the baby coming right now??!'  Nothing like a few Braxton Hicks to liven up the evening :)
God is so incredibly good!!  I've felt Him and seen Him throughout this whole week and I'm SO thankful!  This Sunday at church His presence was especially tangible.  One of those experiences that can't truly be described except for the overwhelming desire to cry and laugh at the same time!  Even though I was terribly hot, I had goosebumps while we worshiped.  The Holy Spirit was so very present and it took my breath away.  I don't always go to church with expectancy like I should.  I don't anticipate all the ways that God can and will move in that time.  When will I learn; He is able to do immeasurably more than all I can ask or imagine.  

[island beauty]

one.step.at.a.time

When it comes to unknowns and contemplating the future there seems to be a vicious cycle on repeat in my mind.  I wrestle with the 'not knowing'.  Then, by the grace of God, I surrender!  But before too long my flesh kicks in assuring me that I do, in fact, need to know and we begin again.  I'm so thankful that God doesn't give up on me.  Looking forward to all that is to come is incredibly exciting.  We know He has things in store for us that we can't even begin to comprehend.  Just the other day we were marveling at all that's happened in the past few years and how we never would've guessed we'd get to live in Hawaii!  But human nature (and a hefty dose of nesting instinct) has me asking God about His will on a regular basis these days.

[throwback to our Aussie days!]

What's the next step in this journey we are on?  Where do you want us to go from here, God?  What is your will for our little family?  And that's when I stumbled across this verse.  ‘Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  There it was in just three little verses, the answer to my heart's questions!  The remedy to my endless dilemma.  What is God’s will?  Rejoice.  Pray.  Give thanks.  Always, continually and in all circumstances.  Pretty straightforward, lest I attempt to overanalyze the instructions.
No matter where God leads us, what we are doing or how our well-constructed plans may turn out, the command remains the same.  Always find a reason to rejoice.  Be in constant communication with our God no matter what we're facing.  And last, but not least, be thankful- regardless of the current condition of life.  I figure the only way one can truly attempt to carry through with these directives is through trust.  Being confident in who God is and the things He has promised us.  I know He has plans for me- prosperous plans of hope and a future [Jeremiah 29:11].  I know He will work all things together for good [Romans 8:28].  And I know He will guide and direct me, 'Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21  And that's all I need to know.  My part is to trust and obey, taking life one step at a time.

[Derek captured this butterfly that loves our lavender plant!]

We had another rainy week and the moisture is definitely taking the island to a new shade of green!  There certainly is a glorious amount of beauty in this place!!  We were a litte worried that we would face mammoth sized weeds when we headed to the land this week, but we were pleasantly surprised to find their growth insignificant.  The coffee trees are doing well; there's not much to report at this point in the growing season.  We're still selling our coffee from last harvest and, with hopes to start selling a bit larger quantities, we recently sent a sample to a local chain of tourist shops!  

Derek and I have discovered some ways to embrace the torrential down pours we've been experiencing.  One afternoon last week I found my husband outside playing basketball.  Not one to let boys have all the fun, I could only observe for so long before joining in.  Soaked to the bone, with not a care in the world, we were just shooting hoops and playing in the rain with our pup, Kai!  Solid way to spend some time :)  

We've also taken on the challenge of mastering 'latte art' and somehow this is especially fun on rainy evenings.  Fine coffee connoisseurs that we are, it was only a matter of time till we invested in our very own espresso maker.  This contraption has taken our beverages to a new level!  We've been experimenting with the classic 'rosetta' as well as hearts, flowers, tigers or whatever image we manage to conjur up in our mugs :)  I'm still steering clear of caffeine but Derek decaffeinated a batch of our beans, allowing me to indulge in the occasional latte.

Baby Pearl weighs four and a half pounds now and is 17-19 inches long!  Apparently we should be able to make size comparisons with a honeydew?!  He closes his eyes when he sleeps and opens them when he's awake.  His latest accomplishment is the development of his immune system- one step closer to living life outside the womb!  We can not WAIT to meet this little man.  Battling what I call 'restless leg syndrome' at night has me eagerly anticipating the day I will be able to ditch some of these wackier pregnancy hormones and side effects.  One thing I will definitely miss, however, is the movements.  Although the flips and twists continue to increase in intensity, I love how active our baby is and know I need to cherish every moment of the remaining weeks. 

[love watching this guy surf!]

God continues to provide work for Derek and we are incredibly grateful!  This weekend came complete with a graduation party for a friend, our first mangoes of the season and a swell for my husband's surfing privileges.  We are so blessed and so excited for all that God is teaching us and doing in our lives.  We may not know what all the future holds, or even what this new week has in store.  But we go into it with rejoicing, thankful to be in this place at this time.  And we continue to go to Jesus with every single detail, listening for His direction and obeying- one step at a time.

discovering new depths..

The truth of the matter is that sometime in the second trimester my runs slowly morphed into run/walks and have now become just.. walks.  At first this was difficult; I'm one to either go all out or not go at all.  But, I've learned to embrace this slower pace and now I truly enjoy these outings.  It feels good to stay active, whatever form that may take as my belly continues to expand.  As I've taken the speed down a few notches out on the jungle trail, I've started noticing enormous amounts of beauty that I would've otherwise missed.  Plus, when I was starting to feel lame about my pace a few days ago, a bug smashed right into my face; comic relief and confidence booster all in one!  At this point, I know that walking is what's best for Baby and me which is all that matters.  I also find myself chattering away with God on these walks and learning amazing new things!

One day this week as I rambled down the path with Kai and my extremely obvious baby bump these words popped into my head: 'Holy Father'.  This took me by surprise because I'm one to start my prayers with a bit more simplicity or familiarity.. Jesus, Papa, etc.  Then I found myself asking God if he liked this title, or if it was too stuffy, to 'religious sounding' for him.  And I felt him telling me to break it down.  Holy, that's what he is.  Perfect, exalted, completely worthy.  He is God Almighty, he 'wraps himself in light... the clouds are his chariot and he rides on the wings of the wind' [Psalm 104:2-3].  Nothing stuffy about that.  Then I thought about God being my Father.  I picture the prodigal son shuffling up the driveway and his Dad running to meet him.  He throws his arms around him and hugs him tight.  There's no guilt trip, no silent treatment.  He is genuinely overjoyed to have his son home and he throws a massive party!  'See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!' [1 John 3:1]  Nothing 'religious' about unconditional love! 

For unknown reasons these two terms have collided in my head, and as I walked along I began realizing the incredible significance of their coming together.  The untouchable, the divine catching a glimpse of me through the window, setting everything else aside and running to embrace me!  'You've come home and that's all that matters!'  Incredible.  The world can't comprehend a love like this.  No strings attached.  Real, authentic, beautiful love offered freely from the Creator of the universe at the unfathomable price of his only Son.  'For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.'  [John 3:16-17]  

[Mother's Day! 31 weeks- 4 days!]

Discovering a new level of God's amazing character was definitely the high light of the week but each day was also chock full of little bits of goodness.  My family attempted a group skype date; it didn't work out quite like we envisioned, but it was great to see faces and hear voices -even when those faces and voices didn't exactly match up.  Derek and I had time for some frisbee throwing!  We did a bit more harvesting in the gardens we're looking after.  As the Hawaiians describe having plenty of something, we now have 'choke' tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, corn, etc.  My favorite are the cherry tomatoes; sweet and juicy, I tell Derek it's like eating skittles and there's literally hundreds ripening right now!  My own personal skittle bush- sweet!  We also have 'choke' Ahi, tuna, after another deep sea fishing expedition for Derek.  He has some wild stories from this last trip, including 'the biggest Marlin he's ever seen' AND an epic reeling battle only to find that he had snagged a SHARK! 

Pregnancy quirk of the week: hot flashes!  And I also had an urgent craving for egg salad?!  Our second class at the hospital went well and we've mastered several breathing/relaxation techniques.  We had another appointment with the doctor and everything is right on track for both Baby and me.  Although, she couldn't measure him this time because he was turned sideways!  This seems to be his favorite position of late; we picture him in there with his feet crossed and arms behind his head.. just chilling in complete oblivion to the discomfort he's causing my ribs!  Cheeky little guy :)  

This side of the island has been playing catch up in the rainfall department, with showers every day if not ALL day!  We're so thankful for the moisture.  The gloomy weather did put a bit of a damper on my plans for snorkelling and a picnic this weekend.  But we salvaged things with homemade pizza and a movie marathon.  And Sunday was my very first Mother's Day!!  Derek surprised me with a beautiful plant :)  It's so exciting to think about all that will come with being a mom!  I'm so incredibly grateful for my own Mom and all that she has taught me.  I pray that I can embrace the journey of motherhood with the same strength and grace that I see in her.

Now we head into a new week!!  I pray that each and every one of you readers may come to realize the incredible love of our Holy Father!!  Let that love turn your life inside out.  Let Jesus walk with you and open your eyes to new bits of truth.  Dive into the incredible depths of His character.  And as the prodigal son [or daughter] that we all are from time to time, don't be afraid to trudge back up that driveway..  our Father WILL come running to meet you!  

Slurpees, Dramamine & a Ladybug Bladder

May has arrived!  That means we're only two months away from meeting this little man.  That also means we're in full-blown summer mode.  Yes, I realize we live in Hawaii and I'm probably not allowed to be as excited about 'summer' as those of you coming out of a genuine winter.  BUT, we've been eating corn on the cob and watermelon for lunch and I love it!  We spend more of our evenings outside, planting flowers, picking weeds and, occasionally, getting into water fights.  A few of the families Derek works for only live on the Big Island part time and while they are away we have permission to take full advantage of their gardens!  So, I've been tagging along to gather up peas, lettuce, tomatoes, etc. while Derek does his thing.  And after an especially toasty morning this last week, my husband surprised me with a Coke slurpee date, my all-time favorite!  See why I feel like summer?!

This week brought about several exciting things.  Derek was able to go on a deep-sea fishing trip!  He didn't snag the marlin he was hoping for but they did get several smaller fish.  He also managed to avoid any sea sickness (Dramamine is a wonderful thing!)- making the expedition a definite success.  We started our pre-natal classes at the hospital, which I had really been looking forward to.  I can't exactly say the same for Derek, but he was a trooper and I only had to drag him a little bit :)  I'll admit, I was a little nervous, too; Derek noticed that I was wearing 'my very finest pregnancy clothes' for the occasion :)  Watching a video of an actual delivery was slightly scarring for the males in the room and definitely made everything seem a bit more real!   We realize there's no way to be 100% prepared for all that is to come, but I'm thankful for the chance to gain a bit more knowledge and get to know other expecting couples.

[week 30 bump!]

With 30 weeks (and 5 days) under my belt, quite literally, the little monkey inside me is becoming increasingly cramped in his cocoon.  His new favorite pass-time is what I can only describe as 'ribbing' me from the inside.  At this point it just feels strange, but I can definitely see how it will become less fun as he continues to bulk up.  The other development of late is that my uterus is squishing and rearranging all my internal organs.  I feel like my stomach has relocated to the general throat area, my bladder is the size of a ladybug and my lungs have been deflated, folded up and tucked away in a drawer!  It could certainly be worse but this relocating of my insides does make for more frequent bathroom breaks, panting as though I ran a marathon after simply walking up the stairs and feeling like I'm going to regurgitate my dinner on a regular basis.  Sorry if that's TMI; I also seem to have completely lost my social 'filter' these days and don't have a problem sharing strange body facts with anyone who will listen!

My latest choice in reading materials has been along the lines of 'Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys' and 'How Do You Tuck In a Superhero?'  I realize I should be educating myself on things like 'Sleeping and Eating Patterns' or searching for literature on 'How to Get Dad to Change Diapers and Love it!'  But I've bypassed those genres for now.  I want to know what makes boys tick!  Needless to say, the stories these authors tell keep me in stitches and I end up repeating most of them to Derek because they're so bizarre and/or hilarious.  The thing I find slightly disturbing is that my husband totally relates to these wacky escapades and even gets this strange look in his eye as if he's fondly recalling all the similarly stupid stunts he's pulled over the years.  Uh oh... what have I gotten myself into!?

[Kai welcoming Derek home from work!]

My stomach has been waking me up at strange hours of the night/morning lately.  It used to be frustrating, but now I'm thankful for the opportunity to talk to God in the quiet.  I grab a banana or a bowl of cereal to apease my growling insides and then I pow wow with the Creator of the universe.. doesn't get much better than that!  Sometimes I go outside and watch the stars, other times I curl up on our awesome, new couch.  Although I find myself talking to God throughout the entire day, there is something special about this wee-hours-of-the-night-conversing.  'I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope.  I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning.'  Psalm 130:5-6  
God has so much to teach me, but in the business of the days I tend to have a harder time recognizing Him.  I long for His voice to be the most familiar in my life.  As easily as I can find Derek in a crowd or identify the tell-tale laughter of a friend, do I know the voice of my Maker?  Can I distinguish his calling, his leading amidst the noise of the world around me?  I'll admit, a lot of the time I can't.  That's why I'm thankful for sleepless nights; as I become more familiar with the way Jesus communicates to me in the quiet, the quicker I will be to listen for that same tone throughout the day.  May I long for Him like David did, 'My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.' Psalm 84:2  May I desire the Presence of the Lord more than anything else in the world.  For only in that Presence will I find true life, unconditional love and abundant joy.  Only in Him do I have a true purpose, a hope that can not be quenched and strength for whatever this life may bring.