Resource

I'd just like to take a second to offer myself as a resource for anyone you may know facing an unexpected pregnancy. 

I have some life experience to pull from, but also actual training and time spent as a counselor at a pregnancy clinic which may be useful to someone out there.

Currently, I stay home with my three little ones. But what with Facebook, texting, e-mail, etc., I've realized I'm still available and able to help. I can at least talk through options, provide information, and just be a listening ear.

Feel free to message or e-mail me (michelle.umbehauer@gmail.com) and/or pass this information along however you may want. 
Thanks.

Put Simply

It's buzzing today that CVS announced it will stop selling all tobacco products in its stores. I was pretty surprised by this, and I know people will have all sorts of opinions on it today. But after reading what the CEO of CVS had to say, it got me thinking. He stated:

"Put simply, the sale of tobacco products is inconsistent with our purpose." 

Good for them! They recognized their purpose, what they stand for, and realized they were plainly contradicting it by their actions. And after that realization, the next step was simple: stop the action.

Companies all have an aim, a mission statement. But what's yours? What's mine?

My purpose is to be ambassador of Christ in this world, an example to people of God's loving grace and hopeful truth. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

It's fair to stop and ask myself now and again, what in my life is inconsistent with my purpose? And if I find something, am I willing to cut it off, no matter the cost? (Matt 18:7-9)

It's projected that CVS will lose $2 billion annually by ending tobacco sales! That's significant, even to a major corporation, but they feel it's necessary in order to remain consistent. CVS claimed they were seeking to improve customer health, but they sold disease-causing, habit-forming products.

What's holding me back from my purpose? My aim, to be like Him.

• Attempting to worship and glorify Him early Sunday, but being a drunken mess all night Saturday?
• Singing of His Love, but speaking loads of hatred to strangers?
• Knowing of Gratitude, but whining all over Facebook?
• ____________, but __________________?

Locating the inconsistencies and taking the action to end them. Not to be perfect. We won't. But to be consistent with our purpose. A worthy, worthy attempt.

I Need You Still

What with having a semi-needy newborn, a tornado of a 2 year-old, and a new home that I'm resolving to actually keep up with, I haven't been able to sit, gather up my mind, and write until now.
(Thank you two-hour delay and PBS!)
My time alone with my thoughts and my God has mostly been confined to 15-20 minutes before the sun's even up. But at least it's there. It's not pushed aside. Not ever again.

I have a confession and I could use the above reasons as an excuse, but I won't. Because I'm not confessing out of guilt, I'm confessing to remind myself never to let this happen again. I'm confessing to declare that I have needs. Big ones. Ones that I can not function, breathe, walk, especially parent, without.

I NEED GOD, I NEED HIS WORD, I NEED PRAYER. I still NEED it.

We moved a little over a month ago, right before Christmastime. It wasn't until after New Year's that I realized my go-to Bible was still packed away. My toaster was out and popping and my TV was fully functioning, but of the half a dozen boxes still left unopened was the one labeled "IMPORTANT" with my Book inside, closed.

With the holidays, our Bible Study was on vacation. With all the projects around the house, weekly prayer time with my hubby was pushed aside. With a baby shifting around my sleep, my early morning time with Him was traded in for more time with my sheets. Maybe my writer's block was due to lack of Word, not time.
And when the holidays came and went, and all 3 kids had been home for weeks, and the house still wasn't where I wanted it, and had almost no routine to lean on, and had hardly had any real talk with my husband, I lost it. Crumbled. Completely caved in to every pressure around me.

It took an emergency date night with my husband early this month and time away from the house, kids, etc. for me to wake up. My husband will confess right along side me (triangle, bam!) that we kidded ourselves, if just for a few weeks, that we could do this solo. Without the spiritual support of each other, but most importantly, without Him. We were see-you-on-Sunday followers.

When the world seems to be going swimmingly, blessings all around, we tend to forget our desperate state. But I want to be constantly desperate. Needy. For Him only. And intentional to fill that need daily. Not if I get to it. Not if she sleeps in today. Not if that project gets done. Everyday, needing Him and going. Running into His arms and filling myself up with His Love and Grace and Mercy and Truth and Joy and.... everything I need, in Him.

I won't be thirsty. I have a bubbling spring within me, I'm going to drink from it often. More than often. Now. Always. Every second. Sipping, gulping, slurping. And I have food. So much food! Food some know nothing about. My nourishment comes from doing His will. (John 4)

But you gotta check-in with the Boss to see what He has for you. Hallelujah, I'm here, I'm sorry, I need You still, as much as when I was broken on a dirty dorm floor, I need you now, on my newly cleaned kitchen floor, I need you just as much. 

And I won't forget it.

Respect Thanksgiving

Things have gotten a little busy around here with one in kindergarten and two in diapers. Even still, all sorts of little nuggets of thought are always floating around in my head and its always nice to be able to get them out with written words. And for both diapered wee ones to be asleep at same time right now is quite the mini-miracle... so here I go!

Something timely that's been on my mind this week is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving - the prelude to Christmas.

In our house, Daddy is pretty much the Grinch about all things Christmas until after the turkey has been put away and the football games are over. Then, he concludes, the Christmas season is permitted to begin. He has actually hidden dvds, banned christmas music in his presence (I sneak it in the car), looked the other way in stores, and yelled, "Nonsense!" to the early outdoor lighters. (Yet, he can put back n/a egg nog by the half-gal with no hesitation at anytime?) His exaggerated point in all this though - respect Thanksgiving first.

I guess I get it. But more than appreciating Thanksgiving as just a calendar holiday which falls before Xmas, Thanksgiving needs to be recognized in our hearts as a prerequisite to Christmas.

Respect Thanksgiving by giving thanks to the Giver for the greatest Gift of all.

I've been teaching our 2 year-old a bit about the holiday. I made a silly jingle up that we sing-"Thankful means I'm glaaad, glad for what I have!"
Some of the things he's thankful for? Apple juice, movies, his baby sister... and to my pleasant surprise, he included Jesus in his list. My toddler can tell you "Jesus. Love. Dougie." And it warmed my heart to know that he is already glad for what he has in Jesus.

To use Thanksgiving to its full prelude potential, we can prepare our hearts for what's on its way. Being thankful that precious Jesus is coming, then waiting on that expectantly with huge hope. We know what's coming, the big One is just around the corner, and we can be so glad for its impending arrival! Not with a rushed, antsyness that always ends with an anti-climatic mess of wrapping paper on the floor. But with a overflowing thankfulness for the Gift we know is coming, the Gift that has already been given, and the Gift that is here to stay in our hearts 365 days a year.

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

 ~2 Corinthians 9:15

This Thanksgiving, as a personal reflection with yourself and God or as a family activity, think about making or writing out a "thank-you" card.
To: God.  From: Me. Don't just feel thankful on Thanksgiving, tell Him so. Remember His indescribable gift and His wonderful deeds!


We thank you, O God!
    We give thanks because you are near.
    People everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds.  ~ Psalm 75:1