Friday, March 30, 2012

Wrapping up Proverbs 31

After over a year of slowly delving into the character of the Proverbs 31 woman, I am almost sad to bid farewell to this daunting friend. I pray the lessons I have learned from her will truly become a part of my character, and that God will bring her to mind whenever I need it...One last time read with me about who this woman is [linked to and yet separable from all that she does...]
A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet...She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." (Proverbs 31:10-21; 25-29 NIV)
First I think it is important to recall, briefly, all that this woman is. She is...

  • Noble - She has an internal force of strength and virtue, from an external source.
  • Precious - She is deemed more valuable than rubies (the rarest of gems) by her husband.
  • Eager - She sets about her work with a feeling of great desire, pleasure, or expectancy.
  • Vigorous - She takes care of her own physical needs so she can be strong for her tasks.
  • Profitable - She earns income, but also has a spiritual profit of wisdom.
  • Prepared  - Her lamp doesn't go out, so she is ready for anything.
  • Giving - She takes care of the needy in some way.
  • Confident - Because she is prepared, she does not fear for her family.
  • Dignified - Her character is always evident.
  • Laughing -  She faces the future without worry and with humor.
  • Wise - She chooses her words and her actions carefully.
  • Kind - Her words follow the law of kindness.
Second I wanted to highlight the source and the results of her character.
"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." {Proverbs 31:30-31, NIV)
The source of all of these qualities is her accurate view of God. In verse 30 this is referred to as 'fearing the LORD.' This fear is not the stark terror kind of fear we usually think of, but an overwhelming awe and worship of God. It is recognizing who He is (perfect, holy, loving, powerful, personal) and that I have no right to be in His presence, yet here I am, and so I must worship. With this attitude toward God, and a desire to please Him, the character traits listed above will be a natural outcome.

The result of her character is "praise at the city gate." That doesn't mean much to us these days, but the city gate is where all the men of a city would go to conduct business, hold court, make deals, and brag. So her husband is going to go to the city gate and tell everyone what a wonderful woman she is. It's the equivalent of a modern day husband going on Facebook (or twitter or...) and telling everyone what a great wife he has. It's the warm feeling of a mate giving public acknowledgement that their partner is a true blessing to them. What a gift.


I hope this study has been encouraging to you, too. You can review earlier passages by clicking on the links in the first quote above. Leave me a comment below about which character trait you're working on at the moment. I think I'm working on eager and vigorous...

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Trisomy 16

Trisomy 16 occurs when an individual has three copies of chromosome 16 instead of two copies (one from each parent.) For a brief layman's review of how trisomy occurs you can check out my overview post here.

Like other trisomies, there is full trisomy 16 and mosaic trisomy 16. In full trisomy 16 all of the body's cells have an extra copy of chromosome 16. This form is not compatible with life and causes miscarriage It is the most common chromosomal cause of miscarriage in the first trimester. In the mosaic form the effects are less severe and can vary widely. Symptoms of mosaic trisomy 16 include slow growth before birth (intrauterine growth retardation, IUGR), delayed development, heart defects, speech delays, kidney defects, and reproductive disorders. There is also a partial trisomy 16 (16p+ or 16q+) where there is an extra arm of chromosome 16. Interestingly, one source (NIH) I looked at indicated that one form of duplication (16p11.2+) may give rise to an autism spectrum disorder and language delay.

Trisomy 16 disorders can be discovered prenatally. I say discovered because often the tests cannot completely determine the level of trisomy 16 that is present. Alpha Fetal Protein (AFP) screening, chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis are all tests that can be performed, but each has its limitations and risks. It is important to discuss any test results with a genetic counselor. Amniocentesis is probably the most accurate diagnostic procedure. Ultrasounds can help determine whether or not any physical defects are present. Many of these can be corrected by surgery. It is sometimes possible that the trisomy is confined to placental tissues (which can lead to premature birth and/or hypertension in the mother). A pregnancy that continues beyond the first trimester would indicate mosaic trisomy at most.

I would strongly encourage you to read some stories from parents of children born with mosaic trisomy to learn more from their personal experiences. 

For more information please see the following links:


Thursday, March 22, 2012

Rest...

...I am finding it somewhat elusive again. I've written about this before - receiving lots of advice that I couldn't quite follow and plenty of empathy from fellow rest seekers. Things have gotten a lot better than they were when I hit bottom. The dishes are (mostly) done, and so is the laundry. I've started tackling my closets one at a time. I am finding a lot of satisfaction in making progress on those particular pits of chaos. The rest of the house doesn't quite show how hard I've been working, but oh well.

It hit me the other day, however, when I could barely force myself out of bed to get started on the day, that I need to start making MY rest a priority. What made it obvious was all of the energy my children had that particular morning. They were running circles around me; quite happy and "productive" in their own way. I realized that we have always made it a point to get them enough sleep. Almost nothing gets in the way of getting them to bed on time. When we have a late night we arrange it so they can sleep later the next day, and I still INSIST on "nap time" for the twins even though they don't actually sleep every time...every once in a while they do which I interpret to mean that they still need it.
Resting via RaGardner4 on flickr

Meanwhile my own sleep seems to take a back seat to just about everything else. Housework I'm happy to put off (really!) but work, writing, food prep, facebook, and e-mail have all been known to keep me burning the midnight oil.

So one of the suggestions that I failed to enact last time I ranted about rest was - define a quitting time. I'm going to try this out for a week and see what happens. I'll try to report back and let you all know how it goes. If it's not done by midnight it will just have to wait...

Since I'm already past my deadline for tonight, I guess I'll close. And go get some rest. Night night...

This post is participating in the Jenny Matlock AlphabeThursday blogfest. Click the icon below to see other offerings inspired by the letter R.
Jenny Matlock

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Sunday Digest 42

I've been exploring the new social media space of Pinterest. I've been enjoying "pinning" things that I find all over the internet that might be useful at some time in the future - recipes to try, books to read, pillows to sew (someday). Sunday Digests are like my own more public Pinterest board. I find other blog articles, news pieces, stories and information that I think is interesting, helpful or inspirational and share it here with you. I hope you will enjoy these links as much as I have...

1) Lisa Leonard - jewelry designer, photographer, blogger, and special needs mom shares the story of her son's birth, and the amazing lesson from Psalm 139 that he teaches her. We are all fearfully and wonderfully made. Make sure to read the comments, too.

2) There have been several "What it's Like" posts lately from parents of children with special needs. Maybe there's something in the air. The first one I read was from a mom. She cited her inspiration which was an article written by a dad. I threw in my own three cents on 5 Minutes for Special Needs, and Tammy posted her thoughts at Praying for Parker. Truth is each parent child situation is unique...

3) And for an even more inside view, check out what the first day of school (college) is like for Lisa over at Reports from a Resident Alien. I love reading her posts because I feel like I'm peaking into the child's future (maybe)...

4) Lisa at Hopeful Parents shared about the challenge of filling a prescription for Ritalin for her son who has severe ADHD. Makes me wonder if government run health care is really such a good idea?? It reminded me of a play that was showing at our local theater. Distracted is the story of a mom struggling to help her son with ADHD. I did not get to see the play, but attended a free talk given by a local pediatrician after one of the shows. This program guide is filled with lots of interesting information about the play and ADHD.

I think that's it for this round of "pinning". Enjoy. When you visit these links please make sure to tell them you heard about them through The Simple Life.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Adding Some Fun to the Mundane

 It used to be my kids would be excited if I just made pancakes for breakfast. We have a tradition (started when my husband and I were just newlyweds) of having a "nicer" breakfast, usually on Saturdays. I guess I've made pancakes a little too often lately because the kids were getting a bit bored with them. "Pancakes, again?!?" I'm sure you've heard the refrain... Then I remembered these goodies taking up space in one of my kitchen drawers. I decided to see if adding some fun shapes into the mix would keep everyone a little happier. It worked...
 I have several different shapes. The farm animals (cow, pig, and sheep) were gifts from my dear sister-in-law. I don't recall where I got the heart and circle from. I may have purchased them back when we had more disposable income. Someday I think I'll get a few more shapes. (Maybe from a thrift shop or something...) but for now this selection was enough to keep the kids happy and excited. "I want a heart, I want a piggy." The only trick was keeping them from fighting over who was going to get what. Hearts seemed to be the most popular, so I made sure to make plenty of those.
 There are two tricks to using pancake forms. First, use cooking spray ON the form as well as on your skillet or griddle to keep the batter from sticking to the form as it cooks. Second, after the first side is cooked you use a hot pad to grab the handle of the form and gently pull it off (tapping on the griddle helps a bit) then use your spatula to flip the pancake. The flipping gets a little...exciting. Having a big spatula is essential to maintain the shape of the form on both sides. Usually at least one side looks good, so just present that one on top.
 This is one of those times that I almost regret my policy of not showing images of my kids on this site. How I wish I could show you their smiling faces as they devoured these fun pancake shapes. I'll have to settle for showing you their rapidly emptying plates. That empty spot at the table is mine. They were so eager to get started that they were eating before the last set of pancakes was done. They were, in fact, so voracious that I wasn't sure I had made enough batter. I waited until they were all sated before I finally sat down to eat myself, but...never fear...
There was plenty left for mama. Enough to try one of each of the topping options: "maple" syrup, apricot preserves, and strawberries with bananas. Somehow the circles were all left over...hmmm.


The idea of this post is to ask you to consider what has become humdrum in your home. What can you do to add some fun back in? I'd love to hear your ideas. Just click on comments below to add your ideas to the conversation...

Friday, March 9, 2012

Blessed and Noble (Again)

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet...She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." (Proverbs 31:10-21; 25-29 NIV)

We are almost done with the Proverbs 31 Woman - that paragon of womanhood who baffles many of us with her long list of accomplishments. Lately my to do lists have been winning, so being told there is more yet for me to DO is not what I want to hear. Instead, I keep reminding myself that the real goal is to BE, to have a character that is pleasing and honoring to God. This penultimate study initiates the postscript to this woman's to do list. We've read her activities and now we get to see what other people think...

First we hear from her children, and they call her blessed. This word in the Hebrew is ashar - a primary root that means to be straight, level, right, and happy. It can also mean to go forward, to be honest, or to prosper. It is similar to the wording Jesus uses in The Beattitudes (Matthew 5). This praise is perhaps especially meaningful given its source. It's pretty easy under any culture and family for children to find fault with their parents. In their view we are too strict, too busy, or too [insert complaint here]. These children recognize and boast about their mom's happiness, honesty, and prosperity. It is my prayer that my children will have the same response someday. What a sweet reward that will be.

Her husband echoes the children, and adds his own commentary that her actions are noble. Remember noble? It's how we started off this study, and so we come full circle. This is the same Hebrew word (chayil) from verse10 that talked about her character. Here it describes her work. Chayil (khah'-yil) refers to a force (of means, men or other resources) producing virtue, valor, and strength. This woman possesses an internal force (from some resource) that causes her to bring forth virtue (goodness), valor (courage), and strength in all of her actions. What's amazing is that what started off as a force of character (being) has become a force of work (doing). So maybe by being what God desires we can also do what He desires.

Our next study will review all of the qualities of the Proverbs 31 Woman and see her end reward. Thanks for joining me in this journey. 

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Trisomy 13 - Patau Syndrome

I'm continuing my look at Trisomy disorders by profiling Patau Syndrome, Trisomy 13. Though discovered in 1657, the genetic cause was determined by Dr. Klaus Patau in 1960. As with all instances of trisomy, Patau Syndrome occurs when three copies of chromosome 13 are in some or all of an individual's cells. There are three forms of Trisomy 13:
  1. Partial trisomy involves the presence of part of an extra copy of chromosome 13 in the cells.
  2. Trisomy 13 mosaicism occurs when some of the cells have an extra chromosome 13.
  3. Trisomy 13 has a full extra copy of chromosome 13 in all of the cells.
In some rare cases the extra genetic material may translocate and attach to a different chromosome. Trisomy 13 is fairly uncommon, occurring in approximately 1 in 10,000-21,700 newborns. Due to the severity of genetic damage (remember the lower the number of the chromosome the more genetic information it contains) the condition sometimes results in miscarriage or stillbirth (around 8% of prenatal diagnoses). Further, 80% of babies born with Trisomy 13 will not survive beyond their first year. However, those who do survive birth and early infancy can live to adulthood. Children with partial or mosaic Patau have an even more hopeful outlook. Therefore it saddens me to know that up to 64% of babies diagnosed prenatally with Trisomy 13 are eliminated by elective abortion.

Each child with Trisomy 13 will have different needs depending on what symptoms are evident. Some common issues include:
  • Cleft lip or palate
  • Close set eyes - may even fuse into one structure
  • Extra fingers or toes
  • Seizures
  • Limb abnormalities
  • Small head
  • Small lower jaw
  • Congenital heart defects - placement toward right side of chest, septal or ductal defects
  • Holoprosencephaly - the forebrain doesn't divide properly
Often these physical challenges are detected first by ultrasound. MRI or CT scans may also be used. Chromosome studies are used to specify the type (Patau) and sub-type (partial, mosaic, or full) of Trisomy.

Caring for an infant with Trisomy 13 often involves addressing breathing issues like apnea, feeding problems, heart failure, seizures, and challenges with seeing and hearing. It is essential for families to find support as they walk through caring for a child with Trisomy 13. One well-known organization to contact is SOFT. Another is Hope for Trisomy 13 and 18.


How fitting that March is Trisomy Awareness month!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Overlooking the Obvous [Or Obvious...]

On Tuesdays and Thursdays my dear husband works long hours away from home, and I cart the children around from one activity to another. It is perhaps unwise that these are also the days that the twins don't usually get a nap. In any case by the end of these days I am tired, and more than ready to turn on a show for the children and sneak off to my computer.

The other night this was not a good idea.

The child finally told me what the twins were up to. They had used some ketchup from dinner to try a little fingerpainting on the coffee table. Ahem.

I scolded them, but was more angry at myself. I should have known better.

I cleaned it all up, or so I thought, and hustled them off to bed to prevent further catastrophes. This was on Tuesday. Now it is Thursday night, and I'm finding it frustrating, and maybe a little funny, that I keep finding ketchup. Nearby the coffee table we have a leather ottoman and couch. Beige leather. Red ketchup. How could I miss it, right? Somehow I'm sure I'll find another spot somewhere. I think in my haste to "clean up the mess and be done with it" I overlooked some of the mess, even though it was obvious.

I have a tendency to do this with more significant spiritual matters, too. Things that I know are not a good idea. Events when I really should know better. Messes that I want cleared away and "dealt with." How wonderful to know that I have a Father who knows where every spot is. He has a way of drawing my attention to each issue, in its time, and saying, "Here, let's work on this one now."

Celebrating the letter O with Jenny Matlock and the Alphabe-Thursday crowd. Click here to see Other Opulent Offerings on the letter O.

Jenny Matlock

O was the first letter the child learned. It was natural progression from her obsession with balls, and all things circular and spherical. Funny to remember that...

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails