Robyn.Bowles.es

Oh how I have neglected my blog/journal, and yet all the while have craved the time and opportunity I needed to document the meaningful and notable events of our lives!

Our days have been full and busy, productive and exhausting. . . caring for Josiah, housework, community responsibilities and maintaining relationships keep us occupied enough; but adding the additional fatigue that comes in carrying and growing a baby and the nearly 2 months of weekly deadlines I’ve faced in preparing and giving the first Healthy Pregnancy course have left me in an almost constant “overwhelmed” state.

Thankfully, I have finished the course, and although I have much to edit and improve and several evaluations to review I am no longer bound to strict deadlines, and that feels good!

I finished the class on Tuesday night, and on Wednesday was prompted to reflect a bit on my own emotional, spiritual and physical health. And through prayer, reflection and talking with Samuel and others I realize how much I’ve been neglecting myself.

“Self” sounds so selfish, doesn’t it?; but if I’m constantly hurried, short, tired and burdened I cannot be the best mother (to Josiah or our unborn baby), wife, friend, daughter, sister, teacher, neighbor or Christ-follower that I can and desire to be.

I am much too like Jesus’ friend Martha who was always busy with and distracted by many things and resented the laid-back nature of her sister, Mary; and yet Jesus himself said that Mary – who could relax and focus on what was truly meaninful – had chosen what was better.

So I am going to give myself permission to enjoy this very special time in my life. This time of being pregnant and having a delightful little boy to care for. I wasn’t able to fully embrace the beauty, wonder and excitement of my first pregnancy due to our living circumstances at the time; and I grieved that. I especially don’t want to have to grieve missing out on something I am now in the position to be able to fully embrace.

So stay tuned, as I look forward to sharing my reflections on many things – meaningful things worth remembering

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