Category - Parenting

19 Old Wives’ Tales & Myths for Predicting Your Baby’s Gender

July 26, 2016

Probably the two questions that I’ve heard even more this pregnancy than both of my other ones have been: “Do you know what you’re having?” (I always answer, “A baby,” even though I know they’re asking about the gender), and “Are you hoping for a girl?”

Because we have two boys, there are plenty of people who really want us to have a girl, our two boys included. And since the grandchildren on my side of the family are only boys so far – 8 in a row , and Brad’s side has only one girl and then 5 boys in a row…well, there are plenty of hopes for a girl soon to break those streaks as well.

Brad and I, however, are fine either way. We’d like a girl, but we also love having boys. Plus we have basically everything we’d need for a boy, and we’re getting pretty good at parenting boys.

Well, yesterday we reached that big milestone that many expectant parents look forward to: The 20-Week Ultrasound. You know, the one they do at 18-20 weeks to measure and check all the baby’s body parts, including those that will reveal the gender of your baby.

Since we are “finder-outers” who feel that the surprise of our baby’s gender is as much of a surprise now as it would be when he/she is born, we definitely opted to know if we were are having a boy or a girl.

However, before we did that, I took a suggestion from my sister-in-law (who is also expecting) to go through some old wives’ tales and myths for gender predicting so we can see how those results compare to the ultrasound.

There were way more out there than I have ever heard of, so I only did the ones that I really wanted to, but here are what the old wives’ tales say I should be having (stay with me, and I’ll let you know what the ultrasound showed us). Oh, and these are ALL just for fun. I don’t know that many of them have any scientific evidence to back them up, even though a few of them have proven to be surprisingly accurate more often than not for many moms-to-be.

19 Old Wives’ Tales & Myths to Predict Gender

#1. HOW YOU CARRY

I would guess that nearly every expectant mother has heard this one at some point. If you’re carrying the baby high, it’s a girl. If your baby belly is lower, it’s a boy.

For me, this bump looks pretty much like my other two, but I’m not sure if any of them were really high or low. However since it’s the same, we’ll say, BOY.

#2. CHINESE GENDER PREDICTOR CALENDAR

Supposedly the Chinese have had this one figured out for centuries. By looking at both the age of the mother when the baby was conceived and the month the baby was conceived, this chart can tell you whether you’re having a boy or a girl.

My results: BOY.

#3. HEART RATE

I remembered this one from my previous two pregnancies. According to this theory, if your baby’s heartbeat is below 140 beats per minute, you’re carrying a boy. If it’s over 140, it’s a girl.

Based on this, both of my boys should have been girls because they had higher heart rates. This time around, the baby’s heart is generally around 150, so GIRL? (Or just another active boy?)

#4. CRAVINGS

If you have developed a serious sweet tooth with this pregnancy, this myth says that you’ve got a girl. If you are going more for the salty or sour items, expect a boy.

Sadly, I’ve never really had cravings! I was so looking forward to the quirky things I’d want when I was pregnant, but alas, I experience more food aversions than cravings. However, with Elijah I ate a lot of fruits and veggies, and with Josiah more sugar and sweets, probably because I was tired after chasing a toddler around while pregnant and needed a boost of energy.

This baby, I’m just coping with the nasty taste I struggle with all pregnancy as best as I can, and salty or sour things work better for that. So, BOY, I guess.

#5. Wedding Ring on a String

This is a crazy old tale, and it seems to have a few different versions, so I did two of them.

One is to put your wedding ring on a string or a piece of your hair (went with some thread for this), and hold the ring over your belly. If it starts going in a circle, you’ll have a boy. If it goes back and forth like a pendulum, it’s a girl. This one circled, so BOY.

#6. NECKLACE VARIATION

However, another version is to dangle a necklace with a pendant over your hand or wrist. If it circles this time, it’s a girl. Pendulum swing, it’s a boy. This one also circled, but that would mean GIRL.

#7. MAJOR MORNING SICKNESS

If you are seriously fighting morning sickness early on or continuously throughout your pregnancy, you might be having a girl. Slight or non-existent sickness could mean a boy.

This time around I have been more nauseated and have actually felt sicker more often.

Based on this idea: GIRL.

#8. MOTHER’S COMPLEXION

If you’re dealing with a lot of blemishes and breakouts throughout your pregnancy, you can expect a daughter, or so this theory says since an old tale says that a girl steals her mother’s beauty. For me, this means BOY.

#9. MOTHER’S FEET

If you have been having colder feet lately, blame your little boy. If your tootsies are fine and toasty, it’s a girl.

It’s summer, so I’m not sure how accurate this one’s going to be because my feet have been plenty warm. GIRL.

#10. WHICH BREAST IS BIGGER

Okay, if this is TMI for you, just move past it. However, this belief states that if you notice that you are slightly lopsided up top, you can predict your baby’s gender. If your right side is bigger, it’s a boy. If it’s your left, it’s a girl.

BOY.

#11. DREAMS OF BABY

This one says that when you dream of your baby, if you dream of a boy, it’s actually a girl. If you’re dreaming of a girl, expect a boy. Your dreams supposedly show the opposite of what you’re having.

I’ve had two dreams of a baby boy, so does that mean a GIRL?

#12. HAIRY LEGS

According to this one, if the hair on your legs is growing in faster than normal, you’re having a boy.

Thankfully that hasn’t happened to me because shaving when you’re pregnant is enough of a PAIN! So, GIRL.

#13. CRAVINGS, Part 2

If the expectant mom is craving proteins, such as meat and cheese, she can plan on a boy.

Don’t know that it’s a craving, but cheese is something that I CAN eat. BOY.

#14. COLOR OF YOUR URINE

Yeah, kind of gross, but here’s what it says: If your pee is bright yellow, it’s a girl. Dull or clear, it’s a boy. I also saw the reverse of this, too – bright is for boys, and dull/clear is a girl. So…hmmm.

Plus if you’re taking a prenatal vitamin (which will make urine quite bright) and drinking the water you should be (which will give you clearer results), this test is just going to be all kinds of confused.

INCONCLUSIVE.

#15. BABY NAMES

If you can only think of names for one gender, that’s the gender you’ll have.

For us, we’ve only come up with girls’ names so far…GIRL.

#16. WEIGHT GAIN

This old wives’ tale says that if you’re gaining all your weight out front, you’ll have a boy. But if your weight is spread out all over, you’ve got a girl.

Hmmm…GIRL.

#17. HEADACHES

If you are experiencing headaches during your pregnancy, this theory says it’s because you’re going to have a boy.

No headaches here, so GIRL, although I don’t think I’ve ever had headaches with my boys (not until after they were born, anyway. Haha).

#18. SKIN

Dry skin during pregnancy is said to be caused by carrying a boy, while smooth, soft skin can be the result of expecting a girl.

I haven’t noticed any major dry skin, so we’ll say GIRL.

#19. FAMILY HISTORY

Do you have siblings? If so, you can predict your child’s gender by looking at the gender order for you and your brothers and sisters.

Were you the first born? You’ll have what your mom had, only starting at the second child.

If you’re in the middle, start with her third child.

For the baby of the family, you get to copy your mother’s order exactly.

Thankfully, my parents had three kids, so this works out easily for us. I don’t know how you do this if your parents only have one or two children.

According to this, we’re due for a GIRL.

RESULTS

Based on these old wives’ tales:

7/19 Point to a BOY

11/19 Say expect a GIRL

1/19 Inconclusive

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND OLD WIVES’ TALES

Of course, none of these old wives’ tales, myths, and internet ideas are as accurate as what an ultrasound can reveal. Even though some ultrasounds have been proven wrong when the baby is actually born (surprise it’s NOT a boy!), they are generally correct 90-95% of the time.

Our ultrasounds have been pretty obvious each time, even to Brad, who can’t always follow all the shadows and blobs on the screen. (Love you, honey!) And since I’m…ahem…older this time around, we actually have to have our ultrasounds done at the hospital because they have better technology to screen for deformities and issues that are statistically a higher risk since I’m now over 35. So, if we could tell the first two times, we should definitely be able to tell this time around with better equipment and picture quality.

And this ultrasound was just as easy to tell. It was no different. And by no different, I mean we’ve seen this kind of ultrasound before…twice. 🙂

We are very happy to announce that we will be welcoming our THIRD boy! Even though our boys were kind of hoping for a girl, they were very quick to embrace the idea of having a new little brother, and Brad and I are preparing for all the fun ahead with keeping up with three active boys. (By the way, we made our own color powder to put in a balloon.)

So, less than half of the old wives’ tales agreed with our ultrasound.

EXPECTANT MOMS, WHAT WERE YOUR RESULTS? Have you tried any of these or other old wives’ tales to predict your baby’s gender? What does your ultrasound show (or what did you have)? Let me know, and I can update this article with your totals, too!

For Such a Time as This: Placing Our Children’s Future in God’s Hands

July 19, 2016

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For Such a Time as This: Placing Our Children's Future in God's Hands. With so much uncertainty and chaos in the world around us, it can be frightening to think about what the future holds for our children. But God reminds me, often, that He is the One in control, and He has a purpose and plan for our children for such a time as this.

Over the last few years, months, and even weeks, it seems as if the world and people throughout America have gone crazy – terrorists, racial tension and division, corruption throughout the government, policemen under attack around the country, random shootings, and more.

I keep hearing people ask, “What is this world coming to?” or saying, “I can’t even imagine what the future is going to be like for our children and grandchildren.”

And it can feel frightening, especially when I look at our three beautiful little boys, so young, joyful, energetic, and innocent.

What kind of world will my children grow up in? What will they have to face or stand against?

I don’t know, and at times, I don’t think I would want to know if I could.

However, when the chaos of the world around us tries to grip this mother’s heart in fear, God reminds me: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelations 1:8)

He alone holds the future. He knows what’s coming tomorrow, in six months, next year, in ten years, and beyond. He’s been there. And He’s still in control.

And just like Esther of the Old Testament was set apart for a specific moment in time, so, too, are my children and your children or grandchildren. God knew when they would be born (or will be born). He’s not surprised or worried for them. It’s all part of His plan and part of the plan He has for their lives. He has called them and planned them for such a time as this.

God told the Prophet Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

Jeremiah was destined to be a prophet before anyone besides God even knew he was going to exist. Sometimes I watch my boys playing, and I wonder what amazing things God has in store for them. As young as they are, I’m only just now seeing their talents and abilities develop and grow. However, God already knows what He’s placed inside of them and the destiny that He has written for them.

All I can do is nurture their gifts and lay a solid foundation of faith for them, praying for them (and our crazy world) and being a living example of what it means to follow Jesus wholeheartedly.

Since I don’t know what the future holds, my job is to point my children continuously to the One who does so that no matter what they face or experience in their lives, they know Him whom they have believed, and they can stand strong and confident in Him as they follow the purpose and calling He has planned for them.

“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” Psalm 139:16

Get more ideas & encouragement from this real-life mom as I experience God’s faithfulness through the joy and chaos of motherhood.

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Our Favorite Children’s Book About Pregnancy & Babies

July 6, 2016

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Life in Lape Haven: Our Favorite Children's Book about Pregnancy & Babies. We love this simple, easy to read story about where babies come from. Perfect for young children & preschoolers. Informative without giving too much information.

When Elijah was about a year and a half old, I came across a children’s book that I knew we had to get. We were shopping at the thrift store, which is where about 75 percent of our kids’ library has come from, and I picked up a book titled, When You Were Inside Mommy. Giving it a quick glance through, it seemed simple enough for Elijah to understand and enjoy, so I figured it was worth the 90-cents. Plus, knowing that a second child was most likely in our future, a book for young children about babies and where they come from was going to come in handy.

This cute little book, written by Joanna Cole (author of the Magic School Bus series), quickly became one of his favorites, as well as mine. He loved learning about what it was like for him as he grew inside Mommy’s tummy, and it often led to stories from my pregnancy with him, such as how he liked to kick when I turned to my left side or how we decided on his name.

The story is written in simple terms but with enough information that a young child learns about how babies grow in the womb, how they get food and air through the umbilical cord, and how Mommy and Daddy waited and waited for their baby’s arrival. And while it’s informative, it doesn’t give too much information or create too many questions. (Also, while this story is about a mother giving birth vaginally at the hospital, you could easily add in your own details if you had a C-section or home birth or whatever your birth story might entail.)

By the time I was expecting Josiah, Elijah had a pretty good handle on the basics of what was going on with his little brother inside Mommy’s tummy and what would happen when Josiah was born. This book was on regular rotation at bedtime for most of that pregnancy.

And it’s back, again, for our third time around, with Josiah being the one fascinated with how it was when he was a baby and also how our newest baby is growing. He loves watching YouTube videos about how babies develop in utero (the boys enjoy seeing how big the baby is each week – this week we have an avocado), and he likes to point out the “bilical” cord, since he knows what it does, thanks to this book.

I say that this is our favorite book on where babies come from, but honestly, we haven’t really read many others. We haven’t needed to. And while it is geared toward ages two to four, Elijah still likes to read it, and I know that we’re going to keep this one in our collection for years to come.

While I picked up our copy at the thrift store, you can also find it on Amazon. Here is my affiliate link (which means that at no additional cost to you, I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through that link): When You Were Inside Mommy.

WHAT RESOURCE OR BOOK HAVE YOU USED TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT BABIES?

The Most Annoying Pregnancy Symptom that I’d Never Heard of

June 24, 2016

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Life in Lape Haven: The Most Annoying Pregnancy Symptom that I'd Never Heard of. When I was pregnant with my first child, there was one symptom - a persistent bad taste in my mouth - that was more annoying and frustrating than any other symptom I faced. Here's how I dealt with it and what I've learned about dysgeusia, the bitter, sour, metallic taste in my mouth when I'm pregnant.

When I started suspecting a few months ago that I might be pregnant, I was hesitant to take a test because my symptoms were a little different than what I’d experienced with my previous two pregnancies. I mean, being tired and having dizzy spells could easily be explained away as just being an exhausted mom of two active boys. The couple weeks of tenderness in my chest, though, was bit more what I was used to. However, even that wasn’t what I was looking for.

There was one symptom that I KNEW from my previous pregnancies that meant I was pregnant, without a doubt, and I wasn’t experiencing it.

With my first pregnancy, when this symptom hit, I didn’t know what to make of it. I’d never heard it listed among the classic “you must be pregnant” things, such as morning sickness, tiredness, sensitivity to smells, and food cravings. In fact, I’d never heard of it at all.

However, it was one of the first things that I had, and it made me the most miserable. Oh, and it lasted ALL NINE MONTHS!

What was it? A horrible, persistent, nasty taste in my mouth.

Sometimes bitter, sometimes metallic, sometimes sourish or just plain indescribably gross, the taste would cause me to gag or have to spit all day (and night) long. It was only gone when I was eating something. Once I didn’t have something in my mouth, it came back with a vengeance. Also, I found that eating certain foods, like milk or anything sweet, made it even worse.

From the first time I ate something in the morning, usually a cracker or toast even before I got out of bed (thank you, morning sickness) until I was finally able to fall asleep despite it, the taste was there.

At first my doctor and other experienced mothers suggested it might be caused by acid reflux or heartburn, both common during pregnancy. However, even taking medicine for heartburn didn’t change the taste.

I know now that it is somehow connected to all the crazy changing hormones.

As I started researching how to deal with this gag-inducing taste, I found out that it was way more common than I thought. It’s called dysgeusia.

Even though I also dealt with numerous other common pregnancy side effects: nausea, fatigue, sensitivity to smells, crying way easier than normal, heartburn, and food aversions, the bad taste in my mouth was seriously the MOST ANNOYING, FRUSTRATING thing about being pregnant.

I tried chewing gum, but found out that anything with artificial sugar made me even more nauseated, as did anything bubble gum flavored. Mints aggravated my heartburn.

It was super fun.

When Elijah was born, the taste was gone immediately.

Then, when I woke up one morning a few years later with a horrible taste in my mouth, I knew there was only one thing it could be. Our second baby was on his way, and I was about to face another nine months of yucky dysgeusia.

During that pregnancy, I tried lots of things to get rid of the taste. Lemon drops and cinnamon disks helped some, but the candy irritated my tongue after a while and had a lot of sugar.

Eventually I discovered that salt helped to neutralize the taste for a while, so I began swishing salt water and sucking on sunflower seeds all the time.

Again the taste plagued me for all nine months, and it actually seemed worse than the first pregnancy. However, I took some comfort in its presence after talking with my mom’s neighbor lady.

She was a mother to six children, and she had dealt with the dysgeusia with some of her pregnancies, too. When the taste was there, she had healthy, successful pregnancies. When it was absent, she miscarried.

So, while it was super annoying, it was a sign that things were going well with my baby, which was the most important thing.

Once again, when the baby was born, the taste went away immediately.

Now I know that there are some really rough pregnancies symptoms that I’ve never faced, such as actually throwing up all nine months or dealing with an illness while pregnant. And I also know that some women would happily go through anything just to be pregnant and have a baby.

I’m just saying that for as annoying as this symptom is – having to spend your days constantly battling not to gag on your own saliva – and having heard from several other mothers who have struggled with it, I’m surprised to have never heard about it before I lived with it for nine months…twice.

However, like any mother will tell you, my babies are worth whatever I have to go through to have them. Absolutely.

Which brings me back to my most recent baby on board.

After wondering about my unusual (for me) symptoms for a week or more, I finally decided to find out one way or the other, even though I wasn’t dealing with a nasty taste.

When I took the pregnancy test, I wasn’t as positive this time around that it would positive, and I was a little surprised when it was. (So was Brad. Haha.)

In the back of my mind, I was a little worried due to what my mother’s neighbor had said before, but I was also a little excited to think that I might face a yucky-taste-free pregnancy for a change.

Until about a week later, when I woke up to my old friend, dysgeusia, and it was pregnancy as normal for me once more.

This time around, it seems even more intense, so I’ve had to find new solutions for dealing with it. I can’t even handle the smell of sunflower seeds now, so they aren’t an option. (Nine months of them one time was apparently enough for me.)

(The following links are affiliate links to products that have helped me this time around. This means that at no additional cost to you, I may receive a small commission if you use the link to make a purchase.)

I’ve found that butterscotch disks and Gin Gins candies seem to help some, although not so much on some days as others. Mostly I’m going with salty things, such as Salt & Vinegar chips, slices of cheddar cheese, or just sprinkling salt into my mouth (I’ve been using Redmond’s Real Salt, which has trace minerals in it), and sipping really cold water.

As annoying and frustrating as it is, I only have a little over six more months to tough it out. I can handle that. And on the days that it feels overwhelming and discouraging, I just look over at my two precious boys.

I remind myself that I’ve already made it through 18 months of my life with this silly symptom, and the rewards for those months are pretty amazing.

I can’t wait to meet this next one.

MOMS, WHAT WAS YOUR WORST PREGNANCY SYMPTOM?

We Prayed. He Answered.

June 13, 2016

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For over a year, Elijah has been praying faithfully for one thing. Every night when we say our bedtime prayers, his very first words are, “Dear Jesus, thank You for this day. Please help Mommy to have another baby…”

And it’s not just habit. I’ve asked him about it. He has been praying, believing, and full of faith that God will answer his prayers. In fact, as I shared back in October, he is so confident that he was checking my belly for a baby after only three nights of praying. He has since checked a couple others times, as well.

With that kind of persistence and faith, it wasn’t long before Josiah took up the cause, too, adding “Thank you for the baby in Mommy’s tummy,” to his own prayers.

Of course, Brad and I have been praying, as well, but not just that we would have another child, but rather, that we would have another child if that was God’s plan for us and our family. We’ve prayed and sought God’s will and timing for each of our children, and we’ve never set a definite number for how big or small our family would be because we believe that God has a say in this, one of the most important areas of our lives. We’ve always used “precaution” until we felt that God said, “Ok, it’s time to have a baby.” And that might sound silly to some, waiting for God’s leading in when you have children, but I know with both of our boys, that once we knew we had His green light, I was pregnant within a few weeks. (I love how my friend Denise explains their approach to growing their family. She says it so well, and it’s exactly the way that Brad and I have looked at it.)

So, with Elijah and Josiah both praying for a sibling, Brad and I began really asking God what He had planned for us, and while three children had always been a consideration for us, we weren’t certain and needed to know.

Then one day I felt God tell me, “Be open to four.”

I laughed at first, not necessarily because I didn’t believe God could give us four, but because that would be just like God to say, “This is what you think the plan is, but here is what MY plan is.”

And knowing that Brad was still trying to wrap his mind around the possibility of three, four would be kind of a leap ahead.

When I told Brad, I said, “Maybe it’s because we’re supposed to have one more and then adopt. Maybe we’ll have twins, maybe we’ll adopt two. I don’t know. Maybe God just wants to remind us that we don’t want to box Him in. We need to be open to whatever He has for us because no matter what it is, it will be better than our plans anyway.”

So we have been prayerfully awaiting God’s direction for our family.

And now we have an answer, at least the next part of it.

We are happy to announce that in December, we will be welcoming Baby Lape #3 to our family.

(We have been assured by the ultrasound tech that there is only one baby. Since my dad is a twin and twins run in my family, I always have her double check.)

Our boys are ecstatic, and so are we. We know from experience how love multiplies and makes room for more, so we are very excited to meet our newest addition.

The boys are both hoping for a girl, since, as Elijah says, “We don’t have any girls in our house except for you, Mommy,” but Brad and I will be happy either way. We have everything we’d need for a boy, and we’re getting pretty good with raising them. Of course, we’d also love a girl, which would end the boy-streak on my side of the family (all grandsons – 8 in a row), give Brad and I both a chance to experience raising a daughter, and mean that we’d have some fun shopping to do. (We’ll find out the gender at the end of July.)

For now we are just celebrating this new tiny little life, planning for all the transitions and new adventures we’ll be facing as a family, and the boys’ prayers (and our) have switched to “Thank Yous” and prayers for the baby’s safe development over the next months and help for Mommy with all the pregnancy “fun.”

I love that our boys get to see God answering their prayers, and I’m thankful that they had to wait a while for that answer to come. They are learning early on that God’s timing doesn’t always match ours, but if we trust Him and His plan with faith and patience, we’ll be blessed no matter how or when He answers.

Images courtesy of Picture Bliss Photography.

How Darth Vader Helped Me Encourage My Child to Choose God’s Way

June 10, 2016

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Life in Lape Haven: How Darth Vader Helped Me Encourage My Child to Choose God's Way - Sometimes the most random conversations with your children can be God's open door to planting seeds and building your child's spiritual, faith foundation, even one about Darth Vader and Star Wars.

Have you ever had one of those conversations with your kids where it starts out with a really random question from your child, but then God opens the door to allow you to share something important or foundational for their faith? Do yours involve Star Wars, too?

This week a seemingly out-of-nowhere question from Elijah led us into a discussion about sin and how we all get to decide whether we are going to do things God’s way or not…all while talking about Darth Vader and armies.

It all started as we were driving along the backroads, heading home from my brother’s house where the boys had enjoyed a playdate with their cousins that afternoon.

Not far down the road, Elijah asked me, “What does the army do?”

At first, I asked him to repeat the question, because my first thoughts when he asked were spent trying to figure out what he was thinking. They hadn’t played “soldiers” that day, there weren’t any signs or billboards around to spark the thought, and no one had been talking about anything remotely related to the military that I could remember, so this seemed like a pretty random train of thought. (I’m sure it wasn’t for him…)

So, in an attempt to give him the simple answer, I told him that the army helps protect us and fights against bad guys in the world.

His reply was, “Like Star Wars.”

Again, I had to try to follow his thought process. “What do you mean?”

“Like the Resistance fights the Storm Troopers.” (He finally got to see the newest movie.)

“Ok. Yes. I guess so. The Rebel Alliance and the Resistance fight against the bad guys, like Darth Vader and the Storm Troopers.” (Sorry if you aren’t a Star Wars fan…we kind of are around here. We were basically talking about how the good guys battle the bad guys in the movies.)

Then Elijah said, “Well, Darth Vader was kind of good.” (Because right before he dies, Vader admits that the stuff he did was bad, and he helps to save Luke’s life despite almost 3 movies of being the bad guy.)

And just like that, the conversation shifted, and God showed me a teachable moment and gave me the words to share.

“Well, Darth Vader did kind of say he was sorry, and he did something good at the end. And no matter what we’ve done or when we ask, God will forgive us. But just think about how much of his life was wasted, spent hurting people and doing bad things instead of helping people and doing good. It would have been a whole different story if Darth Vader had chosen to do what was right rather than go along with the ‘Dark Side.’ But he kept choosing to do bad things, over and over again, until almost the last moment.”

Elijah thought about that for a second, and then, like a true big brother and human, he tried to justify himself based on someone else- his little brother: “Well, sometimes, Josiah makes me do bad things.” (I think he was remembering earlier in the day when the boys were arguing, and by Josiah arguing back and not letting Elijah boss him around, Josiah “made” Elijah shove him.)

So, I told Elijah that no matter what someone else does, we still ALWAYS have the choice about how we are going to behave.

“You know that God wants us to be loving, forgiving, helpful, kind, giving, and patient, right? You already know what God wants you to do. But the problem is that we don’t always want to do what is right. In fact, since Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, we all tend to want to do the wrong things. We don’t want to share, or be helpful, or be obedient. When Josiah isn’t sharing with you, your first thought is probably NOT that you should be kind to him, is it? It’s to get angry and be mean right back to him. So, you have to choose how you are going to behave. That’s why we need Jesus. He gives us the heart and the power to want to do the right things. So no matter what, you have a choice to either do things His way or not, no matter what Josiah or anyone else does. You get to choose, and He will help you if you let Him.”

Elijah was pretty quiet for a while after that, and then moved on to talking about something completely different, but I’m fairly certain his heart received at least some of the message.

So, parents, make sure you’re listening, not just to your children’s questions but to how God wants you to answer them. Sometimes the most random conversations can be used to plant seeds and leave an eternal impact.

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Category - Parenting

19 Old Wives’ Tales & Myths for Predicting Your Baby’s Gender

19 Old Wives’ Tales & Myths to Predict Gender

RESULTS

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND OLD WIVES’ TALES

EXPECTANT MOMS, WHAT WERE YOUR RESULTS? Have you tried any of these or other old wives’ tales to predict your baby’s gender? What does your ultrasound show (or what did you have)? Let me know, and I can update this article with your totals, too!

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For Such a Time as This: Placing Our Children’s Future in God’s Hands

“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” Psalm 139:16

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MOMS, WHAT WAS YOUR WORST PREGNANCY SYMPTOM?

We Prayed. He Answered.

We are happy to announce that in December, we will be welcoming Baby Lape #3 to our family.

How Darth Vader Helped Me Encourage My Child to Choose God’s Way

Have you ever had one of those conversations with your kids where it starts out with a really random question from your child, but then God opens the door to allow you to share something important or foundational for their faith? Do yours involve Star Wars, too?

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Category - Parenting

19 Old Wives’ Tales & Myths for Predicting Your Baby’s Gender

19 Old Wives’ Tales & Myths to Predict Gender

RESULTS

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND OLD WIVES’ TALES

EXPECTANT MOMS, WHAT WERE YOUR RESULTS? Have you tried any of these or other old wives’ tales to predict your baby’s gender? What does your ultrasound show (or what did you have)? Let me know, and I can update this article with your totals, too!

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

For Such a Time as This: Placing Our Children’s Future in God’s Hands

“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” Psalm 139:16

Get more ideas & encouragement from this real-life mom as I experience God’s faithfulness through the joy and chaos of motherhood.

Join my email list! (function() { window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { listeners: [], forms: { on: function(evt, cb) { window.mc4wp.listeners.push( { event : evt, callback: cb } ); } } } })(); First Name Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human:

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

Our Favorite Children’s Book About Pregnancy & Babies

WHAT RESOURCE OR BOOK HAVE YOU USED TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT BABIES?

The Most Annoying Pregnancy Symptom that I’d Never Heard of

MOMS, WHAT WAS YOUR WORST PREGNANCY SYMPTOM?

We Prayed. He Answered.

We are happy to announce that in December, we will be welcoming Baby Lape #3 to our family.

How Darth Vader Helped Me Encourage My Child to Choose God’s Way

Have you ever had one of those conversations with your kids where it starts out with a really random question from your child, but then God opens the door to allow you to share something important or foundational for their faith? Do yours involve Star Wars, too?

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

Join my email list!
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