The name game

The two biggest questions I get these days are,
1. "Are you going to find out what you are having?"
2. "Do you have names picked out?"

Well the answer is yes, we are going to find out the gender we are having (so long as baby cooperates), and the ultrasound is scheduled for the 28th of this month!! 2 weeks from tomorrow is the big day and I can hardly wait!!

The second question has been harder for me. We have the boy name set, if I'm blessed with a boy he will be named Jonathan James Prickett. The name holds big meaning to my husband and I as a dearly beloved brother in Christ of ours was recently called home to be with the Lord. His name was Jonathan. My brother's name is John. So the baby would be named for the both of them. James is also a family name. My great uncle is named James and my father's middle name is James as well, so his middle name will come from the both of them.

The girl name has posed a problem for me since day 1. There have been a few names that I really like and would love to name a daughter for, one in particular being my grandmother Yvonne. I've thought and entertained several beautiful names and yet none of them seem to click in my mind as much as the boy name does. I've lost a few nights sleep over trying to find a girls name I am head over heels with, so I've decided unless the ultra sound tells us its a girl I'm not going to fuss about it anymore. (Dear baby, if you are a girl, know that it isn't a lack of love for you that we can't figure out a name for you yet, but rather, that I want just the right name for you! :-)

A boring/exciting testimony...

I found myself in prayer the other day as I was driving home from the gym. As I prayed a conversation came to mind that I had had with other believers months ago. We were talking about our testimonies and one friend commented how sometimes she gets jealous that she has what we sometimes call a "boring testimony," meaning she was saved at an early age and raised by believers. She didn't make a lot of bad choices but from an early age had walked with the Lord. My husband and I have what is sometimes called an "exciting testimony" we were both raised in good homes and grew up going to a church. But we didn't become believers until later in life and a whole lot of terrible choices came before we found salvation in Christ.

As I prayed over my friends and family, etc I found myself praying over my unborn child. I started to pray that my child would have a boring testimony...and then the Lord laid a different prayer on my heart. It doesn't matter if my child has a boring or exciting testimony. It doesn't matter what I  did or didn't do. What matters is what Christ did. He lived a sinless life, He died on the cross, He rose from the dead, He sits at God's right hand. He did it so that I could have life in Him. And so my prayer now is that my child just simply has a testimony, for that would mean that my child came to have abundant life in our Creator. And that, to me, is ALL that matters.

A long time coming...

Holy moly, I can't believe my last blog was December 2011...so sorry if you were following me!! So very much has happened since then! I am now very happily married to my best friend and love Ryan. That happened in July 2012...and we're expecting our first child, due August 2013! What an amazing and God blessed 7 months its been since we were married. It's been very challenging, we've laughed, we've cried, we've fought, and fought some more, we've mourned the passing of an amazing Godly man, we've cherished new babies born into our church family, we've said good bye to dear friends who moved away and hello to new friends that came into our lives. Ryan was blessed at the very beginning of our marriage (we were literally on our honeymoon when he got the call) to be offered a very well paying job, and at the start of this new year I lost my job and am now a stay at home wife. I wouldn't have my life any other way. God's grace has been overly abundant sprinkling into our lives at times and showering down at others but always present none the less.

And so here we are, all caught up on what I've been up to (for the most part I know I left a lot out) and now we can move forward in blogs to come! For tonight, enjoy some engagement, wedding, and family photos!

  Engaged: January 2011

 

 Married: July 21 2012

                        

 Tobinson Family photos taken Fall 2012

Life moments

Sometimes life puts us in a position that forces us to take a nice long look at our lives. The last few months have been that for me. Its been a wild ride. A wild, beautiful, rough ride.

And yet, God has been so good to me through it all. He's brought some amazing new people to my life. Sisters that have stepped up along side me and walked with me down this bumpy road. And I am so thankful. So thankful to my God that He cares enough about me to allow me to walk this road all the while never leaving me. And to put icing on His amazing cake, He's physically put some wonderful women beside me. I praise my God for walking with me, sanctifying me, and giving me some amazing new friends who love me and care for me and walk this hard road with me all the while helping point me back to the glorious cross!

Now that's what I call Gospel community the way Christ intended it to be!

No matter what....blessed be the name of the Lord!

PSALM 113

Praise the Lord!

Praise, O servants of the Lord,

praise the name of the Lord!

Blessed be the name of the Lord

from this time forth and forevermore!

From the rising of the sun to its setting,

the name of the Lord is to be praised!

The Lord is high above all nations,

and his glory above the heavens!

Who is like the Lord our God,

who is seated on high,

who looks far down

on the heavens and the earth?

He raises the poor from the dust

and lifts the needy from the ash heap,

to make them sit with princes,

with the princes of his people.

He gives the barren woman a home,

making her the joyous mother of children.

Praise the Lord!

I found it soo fitting this week that I read this passage as the responsive reading at worship this morning. I volunteered before I had read it. What a blessing it was to my life reading through it before worship and rehearsing it at home. I still find it such a comfort. I'm surrounded by death lately. By mourning. By grief. Its hard. I don't have the answers. And I have so many questions. But I'm comforted that regardless of the situation, I have someone who knows all the answers...who knows all I can take. Even when I feel like giving up, and boy do I ever. I had to shut off my emotions regarding 9/11 because I feel like I can't take anymore...and just when I thought I'd made it through the day my mom comes home crying, she's lost a friend in a tragic motorcycle accident. LORD BE WITH ALL THAT MOURN.  "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Matt 5:4 Comfort us Jesus...pick us up and move us forward...regardless Lord, your name is worthy to be praised and I will praise the name of the Lord forevermore. 

Self-Care vs. Self-Destruct

Father God,

WHY!!! Was she in pain? Was it quick? Did she cry out to you? Did she know it was coming? WHY??? That sweet little girl, she'll be so confused and grown up wayyyy too young. Its going to rob her of her childhood...and probably mess with her adolescence. WHY??? That sweet newborn boy will only have a very few pictures of the precious 10 days she had with him. WHY GOD??? WHYYYYYYYYYY? I don't get it. What will happen to this family that is destroyed? Will there be women to stand up and teach the children of her? Will we get to watch them grow up? Where does he go from here? Will they all stay together?

So many thoughts race through my mind as I think about this beautiful woman, 26 years of age, taken just 6 years after her daughter's birth and 10 DAYS after her son's birth. And yet, I can't even talk out loud about it without losing it. Those poor precious children had their mom riped from them so young. And her man, bless his heart...I can't even comprehend his pain. I do what I know best, the only thing I can do right now....never ending prayers cried out on their behalf. I have a Father, who hears them. Who is sovereign. Who knows everything I need and supplies it. Who is holding this young family in the palm of His hand up against His heart. He after all, hand crafted each and every one of these people I'm crying out about. He knows them all by name and what will happen. I find peace and hope in that. So tonight, I cry out for them...and for me. I'd rather start crying out for me and others when I'm broken than continue on the path of self-destruction. That's what happens when I don't care for myself and only for others...I self-destruct...and in that I hurt the ones I love. I don't want that. I want to love them, because I don't know when my Maker will call me or them home. But to love them the right way, I must first love me and the only way I can love me is if I'm in right relationship with my God & King.

---Thank you Kandy for being there tonight to talk with me and remind me of that...God knew I needed you. Thank you for allowing him to use you as an instrument to get through to me.---

Dear Addison

Last night was your first slumber party with me, though it wasn't planned, it was still fun! You see, there was a fire near your home, and so we brought you down to Mamaw's house to sleep for safety. You are only 2, and you were so sweet climbing up into my bed you were quite excited to be sleeping in Meme's bed. Zeke jumped up into the bed and you were even more excited that Zeke wanted to sleep by you! I covered you up and you snuggled in next to my pillow. The next thing I knew, you had left your pillow and were putting your head on the corner of mine. You put your forehead up against mine and you fell asleep. You were so sweet lying there next to me. I prayed over you as you slept. I thanked God for you, my miracle niece. You are my proof how Sovereign our great God is. You see, when your mom was pregnant with you she went through a great deal of stress. And yet, God in His mercy, chose to save you, for you to be born. And here you are. Beautiful and vibrant and full of life and personality. You amaze me every time I lay eyes on you Addison, for the simple fact that God hand knit you together. I love you sweetheart.

Love always,
Aunt Meme