[You Are Born To Blossom Pdf Free Download
Amancio Mccrae
Jacqueline stayed with Trey (hubby) and I. We did the Miles Circuit to help baby girl get onto the correct side. The exercises went on til about lunch time. I ate and got checked again. I was only dilated to a 2 or 3. Grrr! Maybe I was frustrated easily. ? We tried to sleep as much as possible in between contractions. I kept drinking my labor tea and water. Trey massaged me, held me, and played my favorite worship songs (as I could tolerate).
Things finally started to ramp up Saturday evening. My mom even made it into town (all the way from Oklahoma) about 7 p.m. I was no longer in early labor. Jacqueline and Trey continued to love on me. Mary and Diane attended as well. I loved having so many people there!
It was early Sunday morning by now, but I had no concept of time or modesty! I was ready for the baby to be out! I had wasted my pushing power by yelling too much, so rather, I held my breath and pushed. The only thing I heard was my mom telling me to think about the last part of a Cross Country race. Think about that last kick you must give to finish the race. Having ran for so many years, this was just what I needed to hear. I visualized a grassy lane coming around the last curve being able to see the final stretch lined with people. I pulled out my last bit of strength and ran the last few hundred meters. This imagery got me through to the end.
I pushed until I could feel her head with my hand. Apparently, my expression of shock was quite amusing. I pushed, as if I had done this before! After several more pushes, we discovered Gabriella was still in en caul (the bag of waters). Once her shoulders were out, I pushed a couple more times and she was out. The bag of waters burst as Gabriella came the rest of the way out. Diane handed me my new little baby as I sat shocked. I took a few steps back and lied down with her on my chest. Trey was on his hands and knees, bowed down, thanking God with tears of joy.
Gabriella was wonderfully healthy and so was I. She was born at 5 a.m. Sunday, May 21, 2017. We could go home around 10:30 a.m., that was amazing! I later asked my mom and Trey how long I had pushed. Apparently, what felt like one hour to me was actually four hours of pushing! I had no idea. That 24 hour labor was exhausting, but adrenaline kept me going!
Here is the floral stamping plate I received. It is the brand Qgirl in the style number 057 and can be purchased HERE for just $2.99! This plate comes with four different floral designs. I decided to use the design in the upper left hand corner for the nail art look today. It reminds me of beautiful cherry blossoms! By the way, I kept the blue covering on the plate in the photo above so there would not be a reflection in the picture. I, of course, removed that cover before using the plate!
Bethany's home birth was so special to witness and photograph. It was a healing birth experience for her, after having two cesarean births and a hospital VBAC. Bethany wrote her birth story, and shared it with me. Reading her story after seeing it all unfold before my eyes and through my lens was a privilege. I share it here now, with her permission, in hopes that it is also meaningful to you.
Many more gorgeous images to come, but for now, here are a few photographs that capture the beauty and strength of this mom during active labor, transition, and immediately after giving birth to her 4th baby at home.
Sweet Baby Matias was born in the Philippines at Shiphrah Birthing Home (part of Help International Ministries), shortly before I moved back to Grand Rapids. It was an absolute privilege to be a part of this family's special day.
I moved to Thomasville, with my family, in July of 1993. So, this year's Rose Festival was our first since moving to Thomasville. It was marvelous to finally witness the beautiful roses and participate in the festival. We marched in a parade, watched a parade, attended several events, and even petted a horse. Our weekend pleasantly ended with a friend giving us a single beautiful rose in a vase which has refreshed our senses.
For weeks prior to the festival until now, I have been thinking about writing an article comparing the life of a rose to human life. Now, I consider myself to be ignorant when discussing roses, but there are parallels we can draw from anything possessing temporal beautiful. The word rose, denoting a type of shrub and particularly the flower, appears in the Bible two times. In Song of Solomon 2:1, the rose of Sharon represents beauty as it does in Isaiah 35:1. But, the rose is also depicted in Isaiah as a beautiful flower that blossoms.
A rose that comes forth and blossoms is like the birth of a child. It is beautiful, innocent of any wrong, and loved. It grows and matures, blossoming into a mature adult. But, as no rose is perfect, so no human is perfect. The rose bush has a nurseryman as a child has a parent. The rose bush is watered, fertilized, and pruned to stimulate new growth much like we encourage, educate, and chastise our children to stimulate new grow - shedding poor behavior to give way to further blossoming of greater character.
Likewise, the flower of a rose bush dies and is reborn again the next season. We too must die to be reborn and acceptable to God. This is called the rebirth. As a flowering rose dies and is reborn the following season, a man must die and be reborn while living on earth so that death has no effect apart from human existence. Jesus says: "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again" (John 3:5-7).
A rose is born, blossoms, matures, and then fades away until being overcome by death. So with human existence, we are born, blossom from infancy to childhood, grow into mature adults, and then fade away until captured by death. As the life of a rose is fleeting, human existence is fleeting. James says: "For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." (James 4:14) The greek word translated vapor denotes a mist. One's life is like a mist that is here for a moment and then disappears and is forgotten. So, human life is here one day and gone the next without remembrance of the one who walked through the vale of death.
And ironically, as a rose returns to dust, so this human tent must also return to dust. Our corruptible tent in which human existence consists has been formed from natural elements and returns to that from which it had been formed. How appropriate that we bury ourselves in the ground since it is to the ground our flesh returns - from dust to dust.
But for Christians, there is a blossom is our heart that never fades, grows old, nor vanishes away. It is the blossom of eternal life. In the passage quoted below Paul explains that those in Christ have eternal life and that they are to reckon themselves to be alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer having dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; that the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:3-11).
So a Christian is like a rose in beauty and splendor, but unlike a rose in one respect. Unlike a rose, a Christian's inner-man never fades nor sees corruption. A Christian lives forever to enjoy the rose of Sharon - eternal life in the kingdom of God.
Eternal life is precious. Jesus asks in Matthew 16:26: "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" As I type these words, I am introspective regarding my life, my service to God, the brevity of human existence, and the certainty of eternal judgement. Have I sold my soul? Is there anything in life worth exchanging my soul? What will I think of the life I am living today as I lie upon tomorrow's paralyzing bed of death and look back on today? These are indeed frightful questions, but I conclude that it is better to look into my life today since I may improve only upon today. But, as for yesterday, I may only feel remorse.
It is so easy to tell them apart. And you should never feel sorry for eating the males ? Because they are the ones that will never turn into a squash/zucchini. They die at being a blossom. In this photo below the only female blossom is the one that ends in a tiny zucchini. All the others are males. I either buy the female blossom still attached to the baby zucchini or the male one which is the blossom only.
They are edible flowers. As such, can be consumed raw and cooked. In any way they need to be handled with care. Very delicate, beautiful flowers. I always rinse them with cold water, very carefully, place them on a paper towel to soak most of the water. Then take another piece of paper, big enough to wrap all. I will put them carefully on the paper, wrap them and place them in a plastic box and keep in the fridge. They are good for a few days, but will soon discolor. They are perfectly fine still, to be used , preferably fried at that point.
These blossoms look amazing and tastes so good in your fritatta! Simply mix some eggs with soft, creamy cheese such as chevre, ricotta, burrata, add herbs like parsley, basil, chive, mix and top it with the blossoms. Put the frittata in your oven and bake to perfection.
795a8134c1