Living with Luther

Song for the week...

2010-06-14T16:08:00.007-05:00

I've been chewing on these encouraging lyrics for a few weeks now, and I am rejoicing over 1 Corinthians 15:57
"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

May this encourage you in your daily life and walk as it has me.

with great thanks to Days of Grace for posting this.

Lyrics from "The Desert Song" by Hillsong's United

Verse 1:
This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in the hunger in me
My God is a God who provides

Verse 2:
And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flames

Chorus:
And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon forged against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

Verse 3:
And this is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on it's way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

Bridge:
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

Verse 4:
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow

still waiting

2010-06-13T22:27:00.009-05:00

for one of these to turn RED!!

It would also be nice if the squirrels and worms would stay away... any ideas? My dad suggested a big screen, but I'm not sure if I can swing that with the husband/yard police.

part two:
I started this post about two weeks ago and left it pondering how to salvage my green tomatoes from the worms and squirrels... I wish I could remember who gave me the bright idea (was it you Heather?) to pluck the green ones off the vine and let them ripen on my window ledge in the kitchen---away from all dogs, bugs, and wandering squirrels.

what do you know...

IT WORKED!!!

HOORAY for seeing the beauty of God's creative process on my very own window sill. i can't wait to cut these bad boys up and make Texas Caviar: MckMama Style

43,000 cookies SOLD!

2010-05-14T12:41:00.001-05:00

Thanks to The Mason Family for posting about these yummy cookies at Pei Wei. I had heard about these $1 gems through the Gladney grapevine, but I had yet to pick one up for my post meal enjoyment. Did I say post? I probably should clarify with PRE and POST meal enjoyment.

The Gladney Center and Pei Wei are joining together to present “Cookies 4 Kids”. For a limited time (May 3-16) Pei Wei Restaurants in Texas and Arizona are teaming up with Cookies4Kids to bring you this special cookie. All profits will be donated to The Gladney Center to help support children worldwide through Gladney's humanitarian aid efforts. The cookie is Double Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookie and it’s only $1.00!!

I'm pretty sure we bought a dozen cookies... what? they were for Zeb's hockey team...and maybe a few to spare!

Breaking NEWS....well kind of...
Over 43,000 cookies were sold in the first week!!

(from Gladney) We have until May 16th to step up and show our support.
The Firewall Pei Wei in Garland, Texas had the highest sales last week with over 2,200 cookies sold. The East Plano Pei Wei was close behind selling over 1,500 of the delicious cookies. Let's see if your neighborhood Pei Wei can make the Top 10 list for the 2nd and final week!
All profits donated to The Gladney Center to help support children worldwide through Gladney's humanitarian aid efforts.
We are so grateful for our many friends who visited Pei Wei, purchased cookies and helped spread the word!

Cookies4Kids: Changing the World One Cookie at a Time>

Ambition

2010-04-29T21:23:00.013-05:00

Nearly every week, I get the privilege to meet downtown Fort Worth for lunch and discussion with a variety of women. By variety, I mean all ages, races, and professions. Common Ground is the name of our lunch club, and it is a non-profit organization committed to providing personal, professional, and spiritual resources for working women.

It's a very stimulation group of lawyers, engineers, moms, service and sales reps, geologists, and administration types. we talk about everything from job satisfaction, sharing Jesus at work, balancing family and work, and as of late, AMBITION.

Ambition is an interesting topic. I have been thinking about it a lot lately, and mostly I have come up with the thought (or feeling?) that I'm not really that ambitious. I certainly feel motivated about several issues: Jesus, family, food, discipleship, recycling, girl-time, and, um what people think of me. (I mean, it's hard to lie on my own blog?) I may feel motivated, but it seems to fall short of my personal definition of ambition.

I see ambition as seriously determined and committed. My friend Jennifer is ambitious to win the price check game by grocery shopping at Wal-mart. My friend Beth has ambition to be a famous blogger. My husband is highly ambitious about his grass and obedient dogs. Even my new co-worker Lorri is crazy ambitious and started her own women owned paper company so she can sell the REALLY BIG accounts (the ones I drive by without batting an eye mind you).

All of that to say, what is a less than ambitious girl to do with all of this...competition?? According to Wikipedia, competition "arises whenever two or more parties strive for a goal which cannot be shared...and...Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment." I definitely think this ambition can be shared unlike actual competition, and I believe good competition can very well spur on productivity, which is one of my main goal

Is this post spiritual or worldly? I think I originally labelled it housekeeping, because I really believe digging through the idea of ambition can be internally spiritual and externally like housekeeping. The bible says in Luke 1:37 "for nothing is impossible with God," and James 4:6 says, "But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Lastly, 1 Cor 10:31 says "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
It seems the answer to the above question of "what's a girl to do," is pray. Live by God's grace, and whatever we do make sure it's to God's glory and not our own. I guess I can be ambitious after all-

Now that I've reassured myself that I can do all things through Christ, I feel like a list would be helpful to determine what I wish I were ambitious about...
(warning: this is a mixed bag)

* Jesus
* sewing
* blogging
* couponing
* gardening (although i did officially plant my first vegetable and herb garden...results tbd)
* loving the lost
* keeping up with girlfriends
* work at Campbell Paper or quitting bc somewhere in the middle is really not cool
* composting
* home decorating
*starting my own business (have I mentioned i'm signed up to get my YOGAfit certification? i guess this is a start)
* KEEPING A BUDGET

What are you ambitious about, or what do you wish/hope/pray to be ambitious about?

while you ponder, here are a few beginning victory garden shots...

...and a few weeks later..
tomatoes in the back row, peppers in the middle

and herbs up front!
lemon verbena, chamomile, thyme, and rosemary

newest addition to my kitchen counter...

2010-03-05T20:48:00.004-06:00

a RICE COOKER!

I know this seems like small news, but trust me it was a big decision. I don't know about you, but I am not crazy about having an appliance for EVERYthing. I prefer owning a manual can opener versus an electric can opener, and.... well maybe that is the only simplified version I own. I would like to think of myself as a minimalist, but as I think through the long list of appliances I have collected over the years, I realize I am hardly that.

All of that to say, I experienced a considerable amount of indecision when looking at adding a rice cooker to my appliance repertoire. I didn't grow up with a rice cooker, and I really didn't even know they existed until a friend mentioned it as her favorite appliance.

I would have never considered buying one except I have been terribly unsuccessful in preparing decent rice in my own kitchen more than I would like to admit. It is a lot harder than my friends at Pei Wei would lead me to believe, and my latest round of mashed potato brown rice drew the last straw.

Alas, I am the proud owner of a new rice cooker. I looked and looked, and after reading almost all of the 175 reviews on Amazon I finally decided on the Cuisinart 4 cup cooker. I deliberated for nearly a month over the well respected Asian models.

The

is definitely top of the line. I could own a pretty good model for less than $50, and the Zojirushi Induction Heating Pressure Cooker and Warmer is about three times as much. It certainly is not as cute as the Cuisinart, but the reviews were pristine compared to the Cuisinart. Plus with Japanese roots and name like Zojirushi it has to cook perfect rice. Right?

Well, I'll never know. I decided that there was NO way I could ever cook enough rice to wear out the Cuisinart, and I really don't think I even know the difference between "sticky" Asain rice and rice that meshes well with Teriyaki chicken.

Tonight was the big debut for the little 4-cup cutie, and it was PERFECT! I have never experienced such an enjoyable experience with an appliance. I mean so enjoyable, I felt led to blog. This is serious people. I LOVE my new rice cooker. I used Jasmine rice, because my friend Beth told me Lavender rice was her favorite. i looked and looked for lavender rice and figured jasmine sounded like it could have come from the same rice paddie. They both sounded like pretty flowers at least.

Our rice cooker and the Jasmine variety are both clear winners (on the first try!). The clean up was easy, and I am looking forward to coming up with my next rice dish. Any suggestions?

Last but not least-
My question to you is: if you could add ONE more appliance to make your life easier...what would it be?

I'm thinking about a juicer next 8)

ever ridden a donkey?

2010-01-26T23:05:00.004-06:00

This is how I feel about myself on a donkey. Not that I'm green, but I'm certainly over sized, untrained, and uncoordinated. one word comes to mind: humiliation.

In Bible Study Fellowship this year we are studying the book of John. This past week we studied and discussed chapter 12, and it is an action packed 50 verses. Lazarus is alive after being dead and reclined at dinner, Mary unassumingly anoints Jesus for burial with crazy expensive perfume, Jesus fulfills messianic prophesy with his entry into Jerusalem, the grain of wheat falls, and Israel once again rejects Jesus.

I have nowhere near enough bible knowledge to discuss these stories at length, although I am slowly learning. The point of this post however, is to share a couple of thoughts from our discussion leader that has me so amazed with the person of Jesus in such a new and profound way that I can't help but share them with anyone who will listen or read.

1. The Israelites wanted a conquering King with all of their hearts, but what they got when Jesus entered Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey was a suffering servant (per BSF lecture). The point was clearly made that we too are often as guilty as the Israelites of making Jesus into what WE want him to be.
***example***
Discontent with job situation -- God, give me a new one.
Disappointed with husband -- God, get me out.
Saddened by loss of child -- God, give me another.
***in response, i'm seeking to pray for God to show me TRUTH in ALL circumstances. What circumstances do you fall into that force God into something he isn't and how do you seek to find your way?

2. A donkey. Have you ever tried to ride one? My sister-in-law is FEARLESS, and she is the only one I know who has ever ridden a donkey for more than 5 seconds. Let me just say, it wasn't pretty. Have you ever thought about JESUS riding a donkey? Many of us have heard this story since childhood, but have you ever really thought about getting on a donkey, riding it through a mob of people (possibly 2 million), and not falling off? Think about it. Jesus did. Only the King of the world could climb upon a sassy ass, and gracefully begin the journey of our lifetimes. He peacefully rode through hundreds of thousands of people, fulfilling prophecy (psalm 118:25-26, Zechariah 9:9, & Daniel 9:25-26), toward the most important hour of his life and ours if you claim salvation in Christ. "the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." John 12:23

This makes me love and admire Jesus in such a new way. I will never look at donkeys the same.

South Dakota

2010-01-02T12:03:00.005-06:00

thankfully I didn't try to make this trip home for Christmas. Most of the Midwest was blanketed with about 20" of snow, single digit temperatures, and 40 mph winds (for those of you unfamiliar with this style of snow, think BLIZZARD from dairy queen or a shaken snow globe). Zeb and I stayed in Fort Worth for Christmas this year to spend the holiday with his parents and extended family. We experienced the dramatic 2" of falling snow on Christmas eve as we ventured over to Molly and Jeff Jamison's for fondue, and we scooted into downtown on the ice (or should I say onto the sidewalk...) to pick up Luke for Christmas morning brunch at Mom and Dad's. I wish I would have had this experience on video...

I left Zeb at home with a short list of honey-do's and the animals. The animals were fed, but I'm pretty sure my list didn't move...neither did the broccoli lasagna I left him in the fridge. Zeb has been slow to embrace the importance and power of vegetables.

Back to my trip-
for those of you wondering, I grew up in Nebraska, but my parents have moved back to their hometown of Yankton, South Dakota. Much of our family is there, and apparently they are not afraid of the elements unlike this converted Texan. I will say, the elements are breathtaking. My parents built a log house on a cliff by the lake about 5 years ago, and the wildlife and views are amazing. Unfortunately, it is quite the hike from the highway, and the last mile of "drive-way" required a shoveling by a friendly neighbor and his large bobcat (heavy machinery not wildlife). This is definitely an experience in country living. Their nearest neighbor is about a mile away, there is no trash pick-up, and google maps doesn't even register their zip code. The benefits of this far-away land are fresh air, deer and turkey for neighbors, and an unlimited supply of peace and serenity.

What Really Matters: Attitudes and a Special Couple

2009-12-14T12:26:00.002-06:00

Here is a post on Frank Garrott's ( President, Gladney Center for Adoption) blog about an important life lesson and a few details about Shower for Glory. I mentioned that night that we knew we weren't the only ones to experience this type of loss. We were aware of several in attendance who shared in our experience, but here is another family that has experienced something similar. Proof that reaching out really does bring people closer...community!

What Really Matters: Attitudes and a Special Couple

our story in the Star-Telegram

2009-11-29T11:43:00.000-06:00

Palliative-care program offers help to grieving parents | Local News | Star-Telegram.com

Shower for Glory

2009-11-05T23:03:00.005-06:00

here is the big news you have all been waiting for...well, all three of you. Shower for Glory invites are in! We love them, but even more we love our friends Michael and Yvette Livesay-Wright for longingly creating and printing them. You can find their work and actually purchase something for yourself at
www.polkadotdesign.com/catalog/lola-lorena-digital-designs

We are so excited to see what is in store with Shower for Glory. more details to come!

God knew...

2009-11-03T21:04:00.002-06:00

This is just one of those weeks where we will bake a few extra chocolate chip cookies. Thank you Lord for creating Nestle and the goodness of a warm, ooey, gooey, crispy and chocolate cookie. They have a tendency to sooth my soul in times of need, and this seems to be one of those weeks. We were due to deliver Glory this week. Just like we said so many times this summer, "time is our best friend and our worst enemy." This pending "due date" has stuck out like a sore thumb on my calendar until someone near and dear to me gave some of the most profound encouragement given throughout our entire journey. My mother-in-law, having gone through child loss as well, said to me that "God knew Glory's due date."
These simple words of "God knew" have provided such comfort and perfect perspective as this week neared. My hope is that our journey and lessons learned would encourage others in times of difficulty, darkness, or despair to cling to the perfect encouragement of God knows.

Thanks to all 3 of you who read this little blog, and please know how thankful I am for those of you who who've prayed, called, or provided sugar in it's best form (let me be clear: this also includes petit fours...). i love you =)

Shift

2009-10-11T23:29:00.002-05:00

Dear Family,

We are thankful to write to you today and to tell you how we believe our God is working through our circumstances. Many of you have appropriately asked, "Is there anything we can do to help...?"

We have not had an answer to this question, until now.

Life can sometimes seem like a series of events that don't work out like we hoped they would. We are working to shift this event in our life into good.

When Ally and I found out that we were having a baby last February, I had just gotten home from Ethiopia. I had the opportunity to visit several orphanages while there and had several thoughts of adopting one or two of the 6,000,000 orphans in the country. After my trip, we found out that we were having a child of our own. The kids faces that I had encountered remained on my mind. Ally and I had discussed the possibility of having a shower, not for our child, but one that would benefit the children of Ethiopia. Those plans were halted on June 13th, the day we received our difficult news. As most of you know, the following two months were difficult for us, going from one specialist to another, and having regular visits to see if our baby's heart was still beating. When Ally went into labor on August 14th, a sonogram revealed that Glory's physical heart had stopped beating. After 10+ hours of labor, we got to meet our daughter. The minutes and hours that followed were surreal at best. It's difficult to explain with words. My thoughts betray me even still when I attempt to write you about it. (Hence, the delay in writing you.) Your mind issues one word sentences like "Life. Death. Beginning. End. Sorrow. Joy? Pain. Healing. Hope? Anger. Trust. Bitterness. Believe. Doubt. etc." I will say this though: Ally and I were both of the mindset from the beginning, that we refused to let the finality of death define this circumstance. We refuse to allow bitterness to take over and we refuse to let life be forgotten. While we believe that Glory is in heaven, we want her short life and death to mean something, and so we are determined to do all that we can to make this happen.

It is with great joy that we can announce that we have teamed up with The Gladney Center for Adoption, a non-profit organization that has a presence in Ethiopia, and are in the midst of planning an event that will benefit the children of Ethiopia. There are children there that come into this world with nothing but the love of a mother. We will be participating in a program that will combine this vital love with resources that will help these mothers keep their children. If we can do this for one family as a result of our circumstances, Glory's life would mean something. We are asking for your help.

Gladney has worked with the Ethiopian Government, with great success to this point, and the relationships that they have already forged there give us a great advantage in providing help for these families. Our goal is to do more than put food on the table. Our goal is to promote "family" to the people of this country. Single mothers often have to relinquish their rights to their children because of their circumstances. We want to see these children stay with their mothers, brothers and sisters. Our desire is to raise both awareness and funds for the people of this country.

You have been our partner during this difficult time. You have fed us, you have clothed us in prayer, and provided stability during tragedy. Would you be willing to continue your work and help us to feed and clothe, and provide stability to families in Ethiopia? We would be further humbled by your support.

Here is a link to our updates to this point and details of this event will be posted here as we approach the date. It will be held Wednesday, December 2 at The Cultural District Banquet Centre, home of B.K.'s Creative Catering in Fort Worth. (This space has been graciously donated.) If you wish to receive updates on this event, click "Follow" on the home page. If you know someone who would want to participate, please feel free to forward this email. Invitations will be sent soon.

You have been a blessing to us. Will you join with us in blessing the people of Africa? We are excited about the possibility of continuing our partnership with you.

To God be the Glory

love,

Zeb & Ally
Romans 8:28
www.zebandally.blogspot.com

April showers bring May flowers...

2009-08-19T22:37:00.002-05:00

I read a daily devotional every once in awhile from the book Streams in the Dessert. I happened to pick it up on August 13th, and this was timely encouragement.

"If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth." (Ecclesiastes 11:3)

If we believe the message of this verse, then why do we dread the clouds that darken our sky? It is true that for a while the dark clouds hide the sun, but it is not extinguished and i twill soon shine again. Meanwhile, those clouds are filled with rain, and the darker they are, the more likely they are to bring plentiful showers.

How can we have rain without clouds? Our troubles have always brought us blessings, and they always will, for they are the dark chariots of God's bright and glorious grace. Before long the clouds will be emptied, and every tender plant will be happier due to the showers. Our God may drench us with grief, but He will refresh us with His mercy. Our Lord's love letters often come to us in dark envelopes. His wagons may rumble noisily across the sky, but they are loaded with benefits. And his rod blossoms with sweet flowers and nourishing fruits. So let us not worry about the clouds. Instead, let us sing because May flowers are brought to us through April clouds and showers.

O Lord, "clouds are the dust of your feet"! (Nah. 1:3) Help us remember how near You are during the dark and cloudy days! Love beholds You and is glad. Faith sees the clouds emptying themselves and thereby making the hills on every side rejoice. - Charles H. Spurgeon

28 weeks - part 2 - It's time...

2009-08-18T22:30:00.003-05:00

Thursday afternoon August 13th
After a full day on the couch with some peculiar but consistent fluid and cramps, I finally called the Midwife to see if she could tell me what was going on. Looking back it was obvious my water had broken, and I was experiencing contractions for the first time in my life. However, I'm a rookie, and I hadn't a clue. At 4pm I called Zeb to come home to tell him, "it was time." The Midwife had instructed me to come to the hospital, because I was likely in labor.

Zeb emailed this message out early Friday morning August 14th.

Dear Family,

Glory went home to be with her Lord this morning at 4:05.

Allison is resting well at Baylor All Saints after about 10 hours of labor.

She mentioned you all shortly after giving birth and wanted me to convey our thanks for what you have done for us.

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Job 1:21

Love,

Zeb & Ally

28 weeks - part 1

2009-08-18T21:53:00.003-05:00

This is our 28th week of the pregnancy and the 9th week of our journey with Glory. We went to bed Monday night before our Tuesday morning appointment with a small amount of dread, because it seemed like we had gone a day or two without feeling any movement from Glory. In spite of feeling very tired, I didn't fall asleep right away, because I couldn't stop thinking "is this it?" I asked the Lord to remove any fretting from my mind if Glory were still with us, and with that I fell asleep. I woke up very early due to some discomfort and realized something wasn't right. I was spotting and felt very unsure of this situation. I felt frozen for what seemed like an eternity pondering all that this could mean, and from there I took action. I packed our bag for the hospital, took a shower, dressed for the day, and placed a call to the midwives office. I told them my situation and that we did have our 28 week appointment and sonogram with the specialist. I was instructed to head to my regularly scheduled appointment.

As soon as we checked in and prepared for the sonogram, the technician had little Glory's heartbeat front and center. I couldn't believe it. In my mind, this was it. Apparently not quite yet. The doctor did tell me I had a concerning situation with the placenta, and I was to stick to bed-rest for the next 2-3 days until the spotting stopped. If not, there would be a good possibility of needing a C-section for delivery. We were hoping to avoid this at all costs.

On the way home, Zeb and I talked about how we felt as if this was it and that we actually felt prepared for such an event. It is amazing what God can do to a set of disappointed expectant parents over the course of several weeks. Back to the waiting game and with bed-rest to boot!

27 weeks

2009-08-18T21:49:00.002-05:00

My mom had requested a baby bump picture. This was taken after a yoga class.

July 25th... update#5/25 weeks

2009-07-26T20:48:00.001-05:00

Dear Family,

Our doctor visit on Monday was identical to the previous 5. We enter a room where a midwife or a doctor listens for a heartbeat. We hear the heartbeat, and then we go home. Sometimes we cry on the way, and sometimes we stop for donuts. And sometimes we do both.

Several have asked, "the doctor said 2-4 weeks? So what's going on? Is there room for a miracle? What if...?" We are told that miracles do happen, but having to see doctors all the time usually weakens that belief. The conditions that our baby has are many, Turner Syndrome is the least of these. According to doctors, the fatal issues are the lack of necessary chromosomes (which is related to TS), and the fluid that corrupts the vital organs. God can solve all the issues if He wants, and He may. We are doing our best to put our hope in Him. He can take it from there.

I was taking a friend home earlier that doesn't have a car, and was asking him about his life. I asked specifically about his relationship with his family. He told me that he rarely speaks to any of his family, even his daughters. To gain more insight on why he is the way he is, I asked him what kind of a relationship he has with his father. He gave a similar answer- "I never talk to him". From this I learned that he never had a true earthly father: one that loved and cared for him the way a father should, and as a result, he has been shaped this way. (I share this with you because you are our family and we want you to know how God is speaking to us. And so this is part of our update.)

In the midst of this conversation, several things became clear to me. I am blessed to have an earthly father who loves and cares for me the way he should, and we talk regularly. But more importantly, I have another Father that I do not talk to enough. I don't pray like I could. Even during this struggle, I haven't. I issue excuses like "what in the world would I ask?" or "I've already asked for children, and look what happened!" or "you're gonna do what you're gonna do, God and I can't stop you" etc. etc. etc. When my friend told me that he never speaks to his earthly father, I had the self-righteous thought of "just think what talking to God could do for you..." I was immediately convicted in my heart that I have access to God and I don't utilize it like I could. I spared him my confession, as he has previously joked, "You must be a Mormon. Mormons always talk about heaven and Jesus". I'll keep working on him slowly...

This story seemed relevant to me because I forget that it is our God that has comforted us during this time, and He has done so because even when I am not faithful to cry out to Him, you have. We are living a nightmare to many, but in the midst of it, He "renews our strength" (Isaiah 40:31) as we lay our burdens at His feet. Allison and I both agree that the Lord has given us these last 6 weeks to prepare us. He is shaping us in this way, and we have the opportunity to rely on Him. We know that hard times are to come, but we know that our strength will be renewed- again.

Allison's attitude during this time would humble you beyond belief. I promise. She gets up early. She exercises. She studies truth and she applies it. She is sad, but she remains composed and she is proof to me that I am loved by God.

We read Psalm 126:5 the other night and were comforted. It says, "Those who sow in tears, will reap with songs of joy."

I get upset with the Lord for allowing us to go through this waiting period, but a good friend of mine recently reminded me that the Saviour of the universe also went through a difficult waiting period-- when "He who knew no sin, took on flesh". Jesus waited and waited and waited. He knew his physical heart would stop beating. He cried out to His Father. He questioned his Father. And then, He was with His Father.

We sow in tears today, but tomorrow... tomorrow we will reap with songs of joy.

To God Be The Glory,

Zeb & Ally
Romans 8:28

July 8th...update #4/23 weeks

2009-07-25T19:06:00.000-05:00

Dear Family,

Saying "thank you" during this time in our lives feels so insufficient, but we express it the best way we can. We are blessed to have you in our life and our prayer is that the Lord might speak to you through our testimony. So, thank you for sticking close through this chapter. The love and support that you have showed has help to sustain us.

I've struggled to write an update over these last few weeks. Putting words to our situation has been difficult, but we know that we need to ask for prayer at this point, so here we are.

I'll tell you what we know so far. Test results have come back and showed that our baby has Turner Syndrome. According to the doctor, this is just an isolated chromosomal issue that is highly unlikely to repeat in future pregnancies. The fluid has increased on the heart and lungs. We nearing our 4th week of waiting since we were made aware of the situation. We are doing as well as we know how. We know that our God is sovereign. We know that our family loves us. We know that our family prays for us while we wait. We know that our God will receive glory from this situation, and we know that we will continue to believe in the power of the cross even though we feel weak right now.

There is something else we know. We are having a girl. We believe that this little girl is loved by its Creator. We do not know why she is facing affliction, but we have to trust that she is loved. While we know that she was sent to us, we are very confident that she was made for God. This is hard for me to type, because I feel angry that she will not necessarily bring us any joy. We ask all the questions that maybe you have asked in the valley, but we believe that God made her, and He accepts her.

We've given her a name: "Glory". We read Psalm 29 and are comforted. We are doing our best to ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name and worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness" (verse 2). While this is hard to do during a trial, we believe that the Lord will give strength to His people, and the Lord blesses His people with peace (verse 11).

We saw the doctor again this morning at 9:00. We are very fortunate to have such a wonderful group of doctors and nurses taking care of us. They say we have a fighter as the heartbeat is still very strong. Our next appointment is a sonogram/check-up with the high-risk specialist, and we're scheduled for Monday July 20th at 9:30. Meanwhile we're resting in the comfort of Romans 8:28

"for those who love God, ALL things work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose."

Love,

Zeb & Ally

June 23rd...update #3/21 weeks

2009-07-25T19:00:00.000-05:00

Dear Family,

We are headed back to see the doctor for our weekly sonogram.

Please pray for us...

love,
zeb & ally

We rest in...
Psalm 28

1 To you I call, O LORD my Rock;

do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you remain silent,
I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.

2 Hear my cry for mercy
as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your Most Holy Place.

3 Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
but harbor malice in their hearts.

4 Repay them for their deeds
and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done
and bring back upon them what they deserve.

5 Since they show no regard for the works of the LORD
and what his hands have done,
he will tear them down
and never build them up again.

6 Praise be to the LORD,
for he has heard my cry for mercy.

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.

8 The LORD is the strength of his people,
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.

9 Save your people and bless your inheritance;
be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Hanging in there

2009-07-25T18:51:00.000-05:00

Although time seems to be standing still, we know it isn't so when we look at pictures of Henry our latest addition. He has nearly doubled in size over the past month, and he is clearly winning me over. I'm not sure how I would manage the long days if not for the love and entertainment provided by my four-legged friends. Zeb has kindly held back his "i told you so" relating to dog #2...

June 15...update #2/20 weeks

2009-07-25T18:34:00.000-05:00

Dear Family,

We saw the doctor today. We were accompanied by a few dear friends. Dr. Tabor was brief and succinct. According to his expertise, these cases end in heart failure. We will return for sonograms on a weekly basis until such time. His best guess for a timeline is 2-4 weeks.

We are broken before our Father this evening, but have an inexplicable hope that is imparted through His people. The dozens of responses we've received from you have helped sustain us during this. Thank you.

Ally and I read a few verses from the Psalms when we were getting into bed on Saturday. We find comfort in this verse and know that we do not suffer alone.

43:5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

May our God bless you and keep you, and cause His face to shine on you, and give you peace.

Love,

Zeb & Allison

June 14th...update #1/20 weeks

2009-07-25T18:32:00.000-05:00

Dear Family,

We received some very difficult news from Allison's doctor yesterday, and so we write to you to ask for your prayer. Allison and I met downtown yesterday to make our first sonogram appointment. The result of which has left us quite sad.

Our baby has not developed properly due to an excess of fluid on the heart and lungs. Additionally, the baby is not producing the fluid necessary to thrive. There are also chromosomal abnormalities. The prognosis from two doctors yesterday was grim. According to cases they have seen previously, the chance of survival is less than 10%. In some cases, a child can be carried to term but the issues remain and life is short. In other cases, a child's vital organs cannot withstand the stress and a miscarriage occurs. Our case is not representative of most, in that a miscarriage typically occurs within the first trimester and we are currently at 20 weeks. We have an appointment with a specialist in Fort Worth (Dr. Tabor) on Monday at 2:30. Until then, we wait.

While we do not understand God's plan in this, we still trust Him. I almost hesitate to write that because our faith is weak at this point, but we know that we are not called to always understand His ways immediately. We are called to be obedient and faithful and this is our desire. We ask you to pray for us; for encouragement, for wisdom, for acceptance, for hope and for peace. We are thankful for you, and feel blessed to have you in our life.

Love,

Zeb & Ally

Romans 8:28

newest member of Pent family...

2009-07-12T00:04:00.000-05:00

Henry from the humane society (3 months)

14 weeks and counting

2009-05-09T17:47:00.000-05:00

If my expanding waistline and growing hunger isn't enough to verify this dream of becoming a mom is in fact a reality, then receiving Mother's Day cards is the real deal.

First baby bump shot (14 weeks)