I looked at some pictures of a Mormon wedding today online, and something that really struck me about it was that there were SO many children in the pictures of the extended family. Their family is large and beautiful, and children are clearly welcome. It made me think sober thoughts about how the Enemy has lied to true believers about the importance, the value, the *necessity* of children. Those who have the true Gospel have, unfortunately, bought into his lies. In fact, some of our most respected teachers and preachers actually counsel young couples to hold off having children, and then be careful to "space them out". And those are the couples who are actually planning to have any children at all.

We have forfeited God's long-term blessings in favor of short-term convenience, or so that we can have more luxuries, or the designer "one of each" kind of family. We've lost sight of the eternal, and fixed our eyes (and affections) on the temporal. How far removed we are from the godly men and women of Bible times who begged God to bless them with children, who rejoiced to see them born, who blessed young brides of the next generation with a blessing of fruitfulness!

"Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways... Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table." {Psalm 128:1,3}

"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it." {Genesis 1:28}

"And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people." {Genesis 28:3}

"And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase." {Jeremiah 23:3}

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." {Psalm 127:3-5}

Do we believe that the fruit of the womb is His reward? Really? If we believed that, then would we be counseling young couples to prevent pregnancies? The fact is that Christians today have an unbiblical view on childbirth and family planning. We've accepted the world's philosophy on it, while other groups.. cults.. (not just Mormons) are multiplying and teaching their young their false doctrines, raising up a healthy generation of hell-bound zealots. And we look around us, bewildered at their sheer numbers, wondering how we'll ever be able to win them all to the Lord.

Well, the answer to that dilemma is right in our homes.

The fact is that YOU can't win that many people to the Lord in your lifetime. It's impossible. You will only be able to reach a limited number of people, and that's it. Meanwhile, people continue to be born, grow up without being taught the truth, and will likely, eventually, die lost. Will your influence only extend to the end of your life? Not if you have a whole passel of children, and train them up to walk in the ways of the Lord! I challenge you to do this:

1) Rethink your philosophy about childbearing and family planning. Does it line up with Scripture? Do you see large families as being abundantly blessed, or as unfortunate souls who perhaps haven't figured out "what causes that"?

2) Realize that children really are a blessing from the Lord, and treat them as such. Do not balk at the woman in your church who is "pregnant AGAIN??", and instead bless her with words of affirmation and joy. (Check out Luke 1:42!)

3) Encourage the young mother who is tired, who wonders if it's all worth it, who just had a baby and needs the support of others while she is resting. Give her the support she needs, lest she get discouraged and decide in her heart that this one's the last one, because she can't take anymore.

4) If you are married, of childbearing age, and you are physically able to have children, pray about taking your hands off the controls and allowing God to open and close the womb according to His will.

I have never heard anyone say they regret having a child, but I have heard many regrets from people who wish they would have had more. "Father, give us YOUR heart attitude about children!"

***This post is not intended to hurt those who cannot have children, nor to cause distress to those who could have, did not, and now it is too late. To those brothers and sisters, I say now is your opportunity to encourage the next generation to welcome children, and bless them with your words, your love and support!***

So I've been trying to work out a really creative way to make this announcement. I thought about making it cute. I thought about making it inspirational. I thought about making it funny and joyful. Because it's all those things! But since I couldn't make up my mind, I will just come out and say it.

We're expecting a baby!!!!!!! Number Eight is due in late November. Praising Father for the gift of life! :oD

My twelve-year-old daughter and I were driving to La Esperanza to clean the church building today, when we passed a woman standing by the car of a man who was leering at her. She was not dressed like a lady, and her laughter as we went by was garish and loud. It reminded me of a proverb about the "strange" woman, which I quoted to Jessica.

"She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house."

To which Jessica responded, agast, "Yeah, her feet are abiding about six or eight inches above the ground!"

This made me laugh. She was talking about the woman's really high-heeled shoes.

I hear that a lot from people who use finances as a reason to use contraceptives, and it baffles me. I'm not going to get into whether it's right or wrong to delay childbearing, but honestly, are finances a real reason for it?

I guess for us, having a baby is not a huge expense. We are not ones to purchase a lot of expensive equipment for a baby. If there is something "big" that we need, we try to find it used. We shop for clothing and bedding at thrift stores, or we make it. For the first year, the child is fed mainly breastmilk, which is free. How is having a baby expensive?

And besides that, where is God in all this? Does He cease to be the Provider when a baby comes along? Is He not the Giver of life, and can He not afford the children He sends? For those who are His own, I just don't see how finances can be a feasible reason to use contraceptives. Not only does He provide necessities, but He adds many blessings to the family because of the child!

"Sorry, Lord! I can't afford to receive the blessing You would send, so I'll just turn You down this time. Thanks, anyway."

Doesn't make any sense!

I was singing a blessing over the children tonight, and part of it goes like this:

"May the light of His countenance always shine upon your way. May His Spirit be ever by your side. May He hide you and hold you in the shadow of His wings, always keep you as the apple of His eye..."

As I tucked daughter #2 into bed, she asked me how all of us can be the apple of His eye. Daughter #1 answered, "God has a REALLY BIG eye."

I thought that was so funny! But they got me to thinking about the apple of the eye. It is the most sensitive, most guarded and protected part of the body. Each eye is nestled in a boney cove of the face, covered by a lid and lashes which keep dust and other matter from touching it and causing irritation or damage. When something flies toward the eye, the reflexes are quick to defend it. What a lovely thought, that the Lord protects His own as the apple of His eye! Isn't that where you would like to be?

"Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye..." ~ Psalm 17:7-8

So we had been invited to a special service at a sister church located about 45 minutes from here. Daniel is scheduled to preach, and our family to sing several songs. Tonight would be our fourth night being at church this week, and I could tell the children really didn't have their hearts in it. I couldn't blame them. We all get tired of being "out"!

Then my husband calls the pastor of that church to confirm the time we needed to be there. He said, "Oh, didn't I tell you? That has been moved to next week!" When their dad announced the news, the children rejoiced! Free time! Nowhere to go, nothing to do. Yeeeaaaah!

So what did they do with their free time? They went upstairs to sing and "play church". :o)

These days are busy days, and things can get hectic with a household of nine. Not that I would have it any other way! My mother-heart smiles a thousand times a day at the sweet and funny things that happen at my house. Though I might complain a little from time to time, I would not have anybody think that I would exchange my family for a smaller one.

Sometimes people ask if we are "done" (meaning "done having children"). Some are critical, others just curious. I'm developing a tougher skin for the ones that make thoughtless remarks about us having too many children. (Which ones would they have us get rid of?)

We've decided to take our hands off the controls, and leave this matter of family planning in the Lord's hands. Since we made that decision, I admit I've gotten sort of panicky at times, wondering where this road would take us. I admire families like the Duggars, but I am no Michelle Duggar! I do not have it all together, and do not always have a sweet, low voice when dealing with the children's - well, childishness.

But I've noticed that with each child born we have grown, not just in family size.. but WE have grown. My husband adapts and becomes more and more wise about leading and providing for a larger family. I am becoming better and better at home management and, yes, a more patient mommy. My older children learn more about forbearance and yielding their will to another as we make room for the new little one. I notice my two older girls (9 and 11) are taking on more household duties willingly and even cheerfully. (I don't think I ever did that when I was their age.) We live frugally, and find cheap or free ways to have fun.

I love my large family! Things are not perfect, but they are better than they've ever been. There is so much grace available along the way, as long as we admit our mistakes, forgive one another, and keep on growing together.

I don't foresee being physically able to have more than twelve, though it will probably be less. But for us, there is no number that is "too many".

Now let me begin by saying I'm a born and bred, independent, fundamental Baptist-to-the-bone, and I'm as conservative as they come. No, more so. But before I'm any of that, I am a Bible Believer, a follower of Jesus Christ. So as I read in my Bible, sometimes I come across passages that make me reconsider things I heard or thought as I was growing up. One of those things is that all dancing is sinful. In fact, a joke among us when anyone moves with a flourish is to say, "We're Baptist. We don't dance."

I was reading on a forum where someone asked advice about how to train their children, mentioning as a specific example, when to get them to stop dancing to music. I think people in my camp have been rather overreactive (made that word up) about dancing, thinking that all dancing is inherently wrong. Now there is no doubt that some types of dancing are sinful. But do we toss out all dancing because of that?

Reading the Bible, I see Miriam and the other women of Israel dancing for joy when God miraculously delivered them all from being slaughtered by the Egyptian army. I see David's exuberant dance before the Lord when the ark of the covenant was returned. There have been times in my life when I was fairly bursting to dance for joy a la Fraulein Maria in the Austrian Alps!

With children, I daresay it is well nigh impossible to squelch the dance out of them. Little ones naturally respond to music, and I encourage that because they are developing their sense of rhythm and timing, for one thing. But more importantly, they are learning to be joyful! Someday their understanding will awaken, and their joy-dances will be unto the Lord, and not simply a reaction to good music.

Speaking of good music, I've noticed that the way babies move their bodies is directly related to the type of music they are hearing. Melodious music causes them to make graceful, sweeping motions. Light-hearted, toe-tapping music does just that, makes the feet tap or stomp, and the head to bob back and forth.

An ungodly beat, however, seems to move the hips and shoulders more. I do not know why or how, but that is what I've seen. Someone gave me the link to a video that they thought was cute. It showed a child, perhaps a year old, dancing to a music video that was so wicked I was amazed that anyone would show it to their child, let alone encourage them to dance to it. The way that little baby moved further affirmed my suspicions about types of music and the body parts they move.

No doubt there are types of dance that Christians should not perform. Satan has his wicked version of all things godly, but we should not allow him to kill our expressions of joy and praise to our God. Did not our Creator put it in us?

I hope my children never stop dancing for joy! There are few things more beautiful to me than the sight of my children dancing. So as they grow, how shall we keep dancing pure, and not fall into sensuousness and sin? Simply by following the same guidelines of Scripture that apply to other areas of life:

1) Do it as unto the Lord, and not to be seen of men (as in, mankind). (Ephesians 6:6-8)

2) Men and ladies who are not married to one another should not come in physical contact. (I Corinthians 7:1-2)

3) Dance should not be performed in a way that arouses sexual desires in others, causing them to stumble. (Matthew 5:27-28)

I'm sure there are other guidelines that would help. Can you think of any more?

Well, my eldest daughter will be twelve this year. Last year she started to - umm, develop - and I'm trying not to PANIC! She has a very lovely, womanly shape already, and let me tell you I am more thoughtful of what she wears now than ever.

It occurs to me that T-shirts and other knit tops are no longer modest for her, unless worn underneath her dresses and jumpers. Why? Because those knit shirts show her form. Already. Before she is really even developed.

So now we are looking for tops that do not cling, but hang loosely down in the front, and do not fit closely.

Also, her skirts and dresses must not be made of a stretchy/clingy material (such as knit). Knits are for toddlers, ha ha.

My girls are such beautiful treasures! I want to teach them by example and by what clothes I buy or make for them, that the body is beauty to be concealed, and never exposed to the eyes of the general public.

I guess I'm a little nervous, yet excited as I recall the giddiness I felt when I was that age! I sense a peace and protection toward my modestly-dressed girls. Their fair skin and soft blond hair draws enough attention already. The LAST thing I want to do is to draw attention to their bodies by allowing them to dress immodestly. They are too precious, too sweet, too holy for putting on display so cheaply.

Four years ago the Lord gave us our John Benjamin. What a sweet, funny little guy he is! Always sensitive, a lover, not a fighter.. He defers to his brothers and sisters more often than not. When he opened some presents we got for him, he happily allowed his siblings to play with his new toys. I doubt I ever did that when I was four, ha ha!

So here are FOUR things I love about our J.B..

1) His sweet, kind nature.

2) His willingness to help with chores at home.

3) His sense of fun and adventure.

4) His amazingly limber little body. He jumps, falls, runs and climbs like a little spider monkey! LOL

I love you, J.B.! Happy birthday! :oD

They run rampant, if we're not careful!



Luckily, I have a strong and brave hubby who can keep those critters under control. :o)

"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." Isaiah 40:11

(Italics mine.)

As I try to ease back into the groove of things after adding a newborn to our mix, the reality hits that "the groove" has to change a bit. These last six weeks have had their stressful times, and some nights with less sleep than I like, but God's grace is always sufficient. I love this verse in Isaiah chapter forty! The Lord seems to have tender regard for mothers with young children, and there is a special grace available to us. In the midst of caring for my brood of seven little lambs I, too, am being shepherded with tenderest care.

There are some adjustments to be made still as everyone is scooting over to make room in the family for our sweet little Jeannette Abigail. I'm thankful for God's tender care, and for the rest He gives when we lean on Him!

I love our new little one. Isn't she beautiful?

Wow, it's February already, and our new baby is six weeks old. Time flies! (It's cliche, but it's so true!) And though I know the time was filled with valuable things like loving and caring for a newborn and making adjustments as a family, it almost feels as though January is missing from my life (just as it's missing from my blog, ha ha).

Recovery seems to be taking longer this time. I've learned that is so for two reasons: she was big, and she came quickly!

So anyhow.. I'm still here! Just wanted to reassure my readers. All two of them. ;o)

The sky is blue, the clouds are few;
The mountains are bluish-green.

The trees are green, the grass is yellow,
And plowing yonder ground is a fellow.

The birds are singing, a baby is cooing,
And LIFE seems so pretty to me!

~By Jessica Coates, age 11

Oh, did I mention that we had a baby? Ha ha!

It occurred to me today that not everyone who reads This Pilgrimage follows my other blog, where I posted our big news!


Jeannette Abigail was born in our home in San Juan, Guatemala, on December 22, 2009. She weighed 10 lbs, and measured 21.5 inches long. I posted about her birth at my blog Curiously Wrought, if you are interested in reading about a quick, no-nonsense birth. This baby did not dilly-dally! :o)

She's healthy. She's beautiful. She lights up our home. Praising the Lord for this precious little gift!

We took a walk a few days ago, and had fun snapping some photos outside with the children.


My lovely young maidens are becoming lovely young ladies!


Little ones grow SO quickly, and it's not long before the seasons change...


...and your little boy is suddenly looking like a young man.


And your little girl is leaving behind her babyish ways.


Savour them while they are little! Every word they say, every kiss, every hug...


..Every impish grin. ;o)

I love it all!

THERE'S our sweet boy!


It's so hard for this mama to believe that two years have already passed since our littlest man was born. Joel adds so much fun to our family!

TWO things I love about him:

1) His eagerness to learn about the world around him.

2) The way he snuggles, even if he is stingy about kisses. (Working on that. :oD)


We took this video of Joel several weeks ago.. Every mama thinks her baby is a genius!



Joel's name means "The LORD is God", and it is our prayer that Jehovah will be his God and his Lord all the days of his life!

Happy birthday, little man! We love you so!

Can a mother be too proud of her little girl? I am struggling with that right now, as I attempt to write what is in my heart about our firstborn, our daughter Jessica Faith. The Lord gave her to us eleven years ago, and we were so ignorant, so unsuspecting of the treasure we had acquired in her.

When she arrived, I became a mother. I learned for the first time what it was like to carry a part of me outside of my body. So small, so vulnerable, so beautiful, she quickly won our hearts. Our lives had changed forever, and we never looked back.

As she grew, we learned so much about ourselves, about humanity, about God. We denied ourselves so that Jessica might have what she needed, and it was our joy to do so! We taught her God's Word, and promised to teach her to walk in His precepts. In training her, we were being trained in valuable life and ministry skills. We made mistakes. She readily forgave, and adored us as the gods in her little universe.

All too soon, she was no longer a toddler, but a spunky, happy little girl full of boundless energy. Her younger sister had arrived by then, and she eagerly took on the task of showing baby sister the world. How she made us all laugh! I might have kept her a little girl forever, but God knew better. He knew the best was yet to come..

As the years passed, I marvelled at her intelligence, her charm, her individuality, and her growing faith. She often surprised me with the thoughtful things she said, many times displaying wisdom beyond her years. I wrote many of those things into a journal, lest I forget them. We often talked about God and the Bible, and she loved to sing about Him! One day, she told me she wanted vida eterna, to be with God forever. That day she gave her heart to Christ.

And now she is eleven years old. Practically a lady! She chooses for herself to love God, to walk in His ways and seek to please Him with her life. She still adores us, her parents, but she knows we are not perfect. We still make mistakes. And she still graciously forgives. Whereas once we led her entirely by the hand, now she is beginning to walk by our side in this grace of the Christian life. I catch a glimpse of who she is becoming. A Christian. A lady. My friend. I am breathless at the thought that this beautiful person is my daughter.

Thank You, Lord, for giving us our Jessica for these eleven years!

And now, here are eleven things I love and admire about Jessica:

1) Her sweet, friendly personality.

2) Her kindness toward others.

3) Her willingness to help her mom.

4) She is so good with handicrafts and sewing.

5) She loves to give to others.

6) She loves and honors her parents.

7) She enjoys helping care for her younger siblings.

8) She readily memorizes God's Word, and is quick to recall key passages.

9) Her godly desire to learn how to be a keeper at home.

10) Her lovely, feminine ways which delight those around her.

11) Her sweet Christian testimony she maintains among her friends.

Happy birthday, sweet Jessica! I love you!

Well, the "Swine Flu" vaccine is out, but the reports on its safety are wishy-washy at best. To me, most vaccines involve more risks than I am willing to take, for myself and much less for my children. Have you considered all the possible side effects of this new H1N1 vaccine? It is something to think about before you allow it to be injected into your body.

There are other means to protect yourself from not only H1N1, but also from any strain of flu this season. Here are some ways that you can take charge of your own health, reduce your risk of flu infection, and minimize the gravity and length of illness should you contract the flu virus in spite of your best efforts.

* Think "rabbit food". Try to incorporate more raw veggies and fruits into your diet. They are packed with immunity-boosting goodies, and will also help cleanse your body of impurities that build up in your colon and make you sick. Have you ever seen a rabbit catch the flu? I thought not. ;o)

* Avoid processed foods. Processed foods are any foods that come pre-packaged and are far removed from their natural state. Frozen dinners and snacks, even "healthy" choices, contain preservatives, flavor enhancers, and others ingredients that compromise your health and immune system.

* Take your vitamins. A good quality daily multivitamin, and maybe some additional C, will help to fill in the gaps in your diet and boost your immune system.

* Eat fresh garlic. Garlic is one of my favorite remedies for flu, colds, and other infections. It is a powerful natural probiotic, shown to be effective even against viruses. You can cut up a clove into little slivers and take them like pills, but of course a spoonful of honey can make a chopped clove of garlic go down a lot easier.

* Get some exercise. Research indicates a link between regular, moderate exercise and a strong immune system. Try taking a thirty-minute walk each day, or some other exercise that will be easy for you to stick to.

* Get enough rest. Ever hear the phrase "sick and tired"?Wear out your body, wear out your immunity. A tired body simply cannot defend itself against diseases. For me, seven or eight hours of sleep at night leaves me rested, but it might be different for you. Go to bed at a reasonable hour so that you get the rest that you need.

* Wash your hands. This one is pretty obvious, but it is SO important. We make it a habit to wash our hands before eating, after doing anything outside, as soon as we get home from church, grocery store, anywhere. We also try to teach the children not to touch their eyes, nose or mouth with their hands.

I hope these tips are helpful to you, and that you and your family will enjoy a safe, healthy Autumn and Winter! Oh, and don't forget to pray. :o)

I just posted an update on my pregnancy with baby #7 over at Curiously Wrought. Go take a look!