What I Was First...

A very dear friend recently mailed me a book called "Rattled" (thank you sooo much Andrea- this is the BEST book ever). "Rattled" is a book full of practical and helpful information geared toward moms of newborns, written by a mom with the experience to back up what she writes about. It covers the time from pregnancy through the first year. The book is broken up into five parts, with each part split into chapters. Each chapter is further subdivided into sections such as "S.O.S-Spiritual Opportunity to Savor", which is a short devotional, "First Aid Kit" a bulleted list of practical tips, "Faith on Fire" which is a brief prayer, a few study questions, and "Food For Thought", a small sidebar (information printed off to the side) of facts and figures to supplement the chapter.Dads aren't forgotten in this book either. She devotes pages to the equally important role of dad, for new baby is as much of an adjustment to dad as it is mom. This book goes beyond child rearing advice and includes chapters on how mom needs to take care of herself as well.What sets this book apart, in my mind, is the authors honesty in writing about her own mothering experience. She includes in the book her own ups and downs, good experiences and mistakes. She also includes a chapter on miscarriage, having suffered through several of her own, a section on baby's first year and what to expect and a section with helpful links for surviving your first year.

So you are probably wondering why I titled this post "What I Was First". Well... what I was first was a wife. This book has reminded me of that last night. Sometimes with motherhood you forget about who you where first, and I have fallen prey to that. Donovan and I were together for 10 years before I got pregnant, and we had created a life of love. Yes it had its ups and downs, but we love each other and most importantly we love Christ.

Establishing an environment of mutual respect and honor within the home is a vital element in the overall development of my family structure. Without mutual respect and honor it is too easy for disruptive and negative elements to take a hold in the relational mix which makes up a family.

'Giving Honor Where Honor Is Due' is important in developing a relational framework that will continue to build up and strengthen the family. Your husbands role within the family needs to be appreciated and shown respect, as does my role as mother.



When we become mothers we have to take a step back and remember who we where first. A marriage is as strong as the two people involved let it be. If you forget who you where first then that bond becomes weak. I have to honor my husband and with the help of the Lord our marriage is unbreakable!