Unexpected gifts, why I'm not a feminist and... the 2 week wait?

1. What's something you take for granted, that when you stop and think about it you feel truly grateful for?
I too often forget how blessed we are to have Tom's parents in the same building as us. When we get home from work, they oftentimes have food waiting for us, or have ordered something. With our odd evening schedules, this is such a God-send. Otherwise, we wouldn't be eating dinner until 10pm. They also come spend time playing and taking care of Dora when we are away or visiting my family, and we can always run over for a cup of sugar :)

2. The color brown-love it or no? What's your favorite shade of brown? Most loved something in your home or closet in a shade of brown?
Generally, I'm not a brown person. I guess my favorite thing we have in our house that is brown would be my hope chest. An old piece of furniture that my mother found when I was a kid. Now it houses our towels bathroom soap. Is it still a hope chest if it houses our toiletries and toilet paper?

3. What's something you're looking forward to today?
Returning to bed. Which sounds horrible, but I work a split shift so it's my remaining 3 hours of sleep.

4. The word 'feminism' is not new, but it has been generating all kinds of headlines in recent days and months. What do you think/feel when you hear the word? If you're a woman, do you want to be described as a feminist? 
I do not like the word feminist, and not because I'm a down-trodden wife. Feminism is defined as “the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.” but this isn't what the Bible teaches. Since the Bible says that women are to be their husband's helper and under the general leadership of men, and that's where I'm going to be. It's not a popular thing, going against secular worldview (or easy, for that matter. I am a woman too and I want to be in charge!) But I won't disobey God's word because of what I want. He saved me, so of course I will follow his word (specifically 1 Timothy 2, 1 Corinthians 14, and Ephesians 5).

Additionally, when that word comes up, it often means abortion. Abortion is not a right. Becoming pregnant and a mother is a gift, and if you choose to end it, that is a choice. Not a right. And while I'm all for equal pay and stopping violence against women I think that we can still try and break the glass ceiling without lumping it in with murdering children.

5. What's something you personally can't eat without making a mess?
Food. Mainly though, crackers, chips, anything that crumbles.

6. When did you last surprise someone with a little gift or when were you last surprised by someone with a little gift? What was it?
My mother-in-law gifted us some 'real' silverware. But I think that was also for her, because she wasn't a huge fan eating with the Ikea silverware that we got for $4.99. Though, I have to say, it's a nice upgrade :)

7. Share a favorite quote, saying, song lyric or scripture relating to gratitude.
Without a doubt, Come, My Soul, With Every Care. I tried to find a nice, modest congregation rendition, but came up with soloists and large men's choirs and some very different renditions (country version, different words, new verses, etc) that just didn't do it for me. But here are the words:

Come, my soul, with every care,
Jesus loves to answer prayer;
He himself bids you to pray,
And will never turn away.
You are coming to your King,
Large petitions with you bring;
For his grace and power are such
None can ever ask too much.

When we sang it for the first time, I remember welling up with tears. I was fresh off my first miscarriage and this song perfectly said what I needed to hear. If you sing, you'll know what I mean when I say that this song just fills you up. You feel full afterwards. And, did you know, it was actually written by John Newton, who wrote Amazing Grace.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
Two-week wait. We started 'trying' this month and should have an idea if it 'worked' around Thanksgiving. I put the quotes around those words because they just seem so ridiculous. Pray for us, that we're blessed again :)

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