Journal Entry 18: Ember, Daughter Number 7

Jesus, if you’re not in it, I don’t want it.

Journal Entry 18: Ember, Daughter Number 7

Psalms 127:3 “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” (KJV)

In simpler terms than old England = Children are a blessing from God.

My wife is about a month and a couple weeks away from pushing out our 7th daughter, Ember. What can I say, God gave me pink sperm, so I have two boys and about to be 7 girls. Sadly, yet beautifully, we males of the house are greatly outnumbered. Even though we’re out numbered, I wouldn’t know a life worth living without being surrounded by my children. God has blessed this family in multitudes, and I am thankful.

Our latest blessing has had my wife looking for a place to do maternity pictures. She had a plan with an elegant, flowing, dress on railroad tracks by our house that tunnels into a green forest. The view is beautiful. Yet, thanks to life in general, things lagged behind, the dress wasn’t going to make it on time even if we could afford it. We had settled on a simpler set up in our yard. Then, God sent the south coast a winter storm.

          Last week we got snow, an actual snowstorm, down here on the south coast. This is a rarity to the point that in my 42 years living here we’ve had more than an inch of snow that stucikiooooiiioo  6]k only about 4 times. Snow doesn’t come often ar][[[[[[[[[]]\\\\\\\\\\\\\//.,jmbgb\ound (I left my computer to get some tea from the kitchen, and my daughter, Arena, decided to show off her writing skills.) here. So, to our delight, we got some maternity pictures with a wintery background. We also slightly froze, trying to please our photographer (our sister) who was having fun.

          This winter snow moment with my wife is where this article stems from and where I simply want to talk about blessings and thankfulness from Jesus. My oldest son, closing in on 17, is talking about moving out and starting that adult life when he’s 18. I laugh at this, because, he’s yet to save any money from his job and until recently had very little knowledge of what was waiting for him out here in the adult world. Couple weeks ago I picked him up from work and he finally had a clue of what moving out would take.

          “Dad,” Reid tells me with a mix of excitement and defeat. “So, my friend and his girl got a place together.”

          “Oh,” I sighed. I was expecting some idea of room mates and living with these friends from his work. It was not a pleasing thought.

          “My friend told me the cheapest place he could find was over $1,700 a month!”

          “Yeah.” This was common knowledge, so I thought.

          “I can’t afford that!” He generally looked surprised.

          I laughed. “Son, you know your sister is paying about that for her apartment.”

          “Yeah, but I thought I’d be able to find something cheaper.” He was generally disappointed. I almost felt bad for him, almost.

          “Son, with moving into an apartment, buying a car, car insurance, food and utilities, you’re looking at something closer to $2,500 a month, if you’re smart about it.”

          “I know,” he sighed pushing backwards in his seat and looking out the car windows. “I’m gonna have to get two jobs just to survive.”

          “You’re the one looking to move out at 18, son.”

          “Dad, our house is constant, like never ending, I need my own place.”

          “You know there is something funny, well, not funny but good about all of this.”

          “What?”

          “You’re starting to learn what I mean when I tell you we are truly blessed.” I look over at my son who nods his head. “I work at a church daycare as a cook/do-what-is-needed guy, and mom is a stay-at-home mom. Yet, we have all that we have.”

          “Yeah, no, Jesus has definitely blessed you!”

          I laugh again. My laughter is a mix of things. Some is from the ignorance of youth which my son was displaying and reminding me of my own early years. Another part of it was knowing, feeling, and living, in the blessings of Jesus.

My family financially wouldn’t be anything impressive, but that’s part of the beauty in our blessings. Every bill is paid on time each month. Our fridge and pantry is always full of food with homemade dinners that would make my southern aunts proud. Just last night I made a large pot of potato soup with sausage, home grown herbs, and my wife cooked up some buttery, cheese biscuits.

Sometimes I have to be reminded of just how much we’ve been blessed. Then, I have to be reminded to be thankful for my blessings. This is shameful on my part. Yet, I speak of it now, because some of us, perhaps many of us, need a reminder.

My mortgage, even though escrow jumped it up this year, is still hundreds of dollars less than what people in my local area are charged for a 2 bedroom apartment. Our current household number (with sister and her man and baby living with us) is at 11 people. We’re filled up. Yet, thanks to Jesus and Sam’s Club we’re able to afford groceries. We’re blessed, and my son reminded me just how much we’re blessed. Thanks, Jesus.

Look for your blessings, and then, thank Jesus for them. Ember, our soon to be born baby girl is a blessing. The fact that we’re creeping out of debt with a family this large is a blessing. My wife being able to stay home with our children and be a full-time mom is a blessing. Having working vehicles is a blessing. Surviving covid, never going hungry, having each other to lean on, these are blessings. Having a job and having working hours that allows me to be home with my family is a blessing. Thank you, Jesus, for our blessings.

If you have Jesus in your life, then I can say with some confidence that you have blessings in your life. Please, do not mistake me. There is hardship in your life as well, I’m sure. There is hardship in our lives. Life is hard, and sometimes it’s hard because that’s how we grow closer to Jesus and within ourselves. Look for the blessings, and they’ll help you face the hardships. Some of my hope comes from looking at the blessings and love of Jesus I already have in my life. And I put a lot of stock in the hope of Jesus, because life is hard and I need Jesus’ hope.

This article did some bouncing around. On one point, I wanted to share my wife and I’s goofy maternity picture. I like it. The other point of this article, is blessings. I have been blessed, and I wanted to voice some of it with thankfulness.