what makes you a woman part 2

Hey, it's Shelby again.  If you didn’t read yesterday’s post, I would advise you to before starting today’s!

So…. Where were we? Oh yes, me becoming an AUNT!

Delia and I are extremely close, wouldn’t want to do life without her. I love her to death; her and my younger sister Isabela (can’t forget Maxter too). Delia was the first born; she always did things before me; she drove first, she got a car first, she bought a house before me, she got engaged before me, and she got married before me. This is normal life. She is older than me! It is expected. 

There is ONE THING I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DO FIRST THOUGH, and that was become a mama. See a pattern happening? I love living by my timeline, and if we learned anything from yesterday, it is that I should leave these things in God’s hands.

Now my wonderful Big Sister is becoming a mama and I couldn’t be happier for her! I went to bed on the night of January 16^th thinking that we will be pregnant together. Our babies will grow up just as close as we are. Because clearly I was going to be pregnant soon and in a month I could take a test and run to her and tell her. Our littles just a couple months apart. Perfect timing.  

Do you see where this is going? You guessed it. I wasn’t pregnant a month later or the next month or the next. 6 months later, I’m still not pregnant. It was not supposed to happen this way, why is it taking six months? 

God, what’s going on?  My mama got pregnant with Delia just a few months after getting married; now Delia is pregnant just 2 months after stopping birth control. Both not trying as hard as I am. It’s in our genes, why am I not pregnant?

So, what makes me a woman?

Did you know you can’t adopt until you have been married for two years?  I am not pregnant, I can’t adopt yet, I am not a Mother.  That is what a woman is, right?  I was created to be a wife and mother. What happens if I can never be a mother, why do my thoughts always go to the negative and not to God?

Why can’t I just enjoy being young?

Why do I want to rush into the next step?

Why can’t I just TRUST in His perfect timing?

Why am I so impatient?

What if being a mother isn’t in God’s plan?

If you know me, you know I don’t have patience.  I want things to happen right away, when I want it to.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Proverbs 31:30

So, what makes us women?

GOD, God makes us women.  Just because I do not meet the standards I gave myself does not mean that I am less of a woman.

I do not get a “C” in this life. I get an “A+” because God is my FATHER, once we accept HIM we become so much more. 

His love and grace gives me the strength to stop my petty and untrue thoughts.  He tells me that I am cherished and loved, and He reassures me that I don’t know ALL and gently rocks me back to Him when I go down the road of thinking I am anything less than His.

I am a woman created by the ALMIGHTY and PERFECT God. He makes no mistakes.

We are not less of a woman if we never marry.

We are not less of a woman if we never have children.

We are not less of a woman if our house is not always clean.

We are not less of a women if ­­___________?

Come on, we are women; I know something popped in your head on that last one.

So, we all have a different idea of what makes us the perfect woman. But you know what? I want to be a woman who fears the Lord.

I want to be the woman God made me to be. I want to be remembered by being one of his.

If being one of His and following His perfect plan means it takes years to have a baby or never be able to and only adopt then He will carry me every step of the way. I will be honest, if I was never to become a mama it would be hard and I would be angry but that is where GRACE comes in.

Instead of being 6 months pregnant like I thought I would be by now, I am going down a different road. Well, a different road than I had in mind, this was always God’s plan though.

I am excited about this new journey. Tomorrow I quit the corporate world and dive into food full time. Excited to see where God is taking this little business of mine!

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Psalm 37:23

Will we still be trying for a baby? Of course. Will I be pregnant next month? Well, I can’t answer that question, cause God has that in His hands.

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the
purpose of the Lord that will stand
Proverbs 19:21

Am I trying to live by what I thought a woman was? Not entirely, I am going to love and support my husband and do life side by side with him and when I have children I will try and be the best mama and love them unconditionally. But, I am also going to be a woman of God. Love and serve HIM and place my future in HIS hands. 

Everyone is different. You may not be struggling in the same way I am. There may be something else in your life that is causing you to go on your own road and not God’s. You may be angry with Him because He hasn’t given you something you wanted or dreamed of. You may be thinking?  God, what’s going on? Do you not hear my plea?

I will reassure that His plan is more perfect than you could ever dream. Just in case you don’t believe me, Here are some of HIS words.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ... 
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-22

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3: 5-6

You know, it’s about time I took my own words to heart that I spoke to Delia when she came in shaking and I prayed with her. He does have this all under control and this is all a part of His plan.

Now little Meredith Jane is due in just a short 2 months. I get the pleasure of throwing Delia a shower and I get the glorious job of being Meredith's aunt BB! So excuse me if that’s all I talk about, I am just a tad bit excited for this little miracle to arrive. Now if I could only get Delia to let me touch her belly, everything would be perfect!

Don’t let you steal your own joy. This season of your life may not be happening how you expected it too. But you won’t enjoy it if you are so consumed with the “what if's” and “woe is me’” attitude.

GOD HAS THIS. GOD HAS YOU. TRUST GOD.