Honestly, I thought that witch hunts and things of that nature went out of style in the 1800s but apparently, midwife hunts are still on in Virginia.

My friend chose to help a woman…an educated woman…a well informed woman…a woman who had signed a full disclosure and informed consent…a woman who is holding her baby in her arms today…a woman who just wanted a chance to have a Trial of Labor!

My friend was honest, articulate, forthright, and unrepentant.  She stood up for the rights of all women and all families!  She stood up for the care that she gave and the decisions made by her and the family – they worked together AS A TEAM!!

This friend of mine is a wonderful woman, and a phenomenal midwife.  She is thorough and careful, she does not take risks with mommas and babies.  And yet – I watched her being treated like a criminal as if she was an underground, back alley midwife who had been practicing with dirty gloves.

Protect your midwives ladies.  Call your midwife today, send her an email, send her a card…tell her how important she is to you and what a difference she has made in your life!  It means so so so much!

What is full quiver?  It is based on:
Psalm 127: 3-5 (NIV)
³ Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.
⁴ Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.
⁵ Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

Do I think that means you should keep having babies under any circumstance?  No, I don’t.  I think that some folks may have a quiver that is full at one child while others may not ever feel that they have a completely full quiver.  I felt like my quiver was full when we had number 6.  My bestfriend felt that way at 3 children.  I also think that you can fill your quiver with foster children, neighborhood children, adopted children and discarded children….believe me, there are plenty! 

I was watching TV this morning as my sweet husband was getting ready for work.  The Duggars were on – the NYC episode.  I watched Michelle work with her children and I thought “there is a woman who is a mom just for the pure joy of being a mom”.  It brought my heart joy.  I have seen a few moms like this in my line of work.  Moms who are just completely in love with being moms – the high mountain days and the low valley days.  They love what they do and they are a blessing to their families and to everyone who is blessed to learn from them.

I have also seen moms who can’t stand their children and just get pregnant again because that is how they get attention. They are needy, their husbands don’t spend time with them or love on them unless they are pregnant and even though these women say they are upset when strangers say things to them like” don’t you know how that happens” deep down, that is attention too!  Needing attention is NOT full quiver, it is filling  a hole. 

I think that whether you believe in the full quiver way or not – just having children is a personal, private decision that should be made between you, your husband and your God.  It is not a decision that should be made because of finances, the size of your home, the type of car you drive, the college you went to or what your Momma has to say about it. 

Jeni

 Noah was a drunk; (Genesis 9:20-22). 

Abraham was too old; (Genesis 17th chapter).

 Isaac was a daydreamer; (Book of Genesis).

 Jacob was a liar; (25th chapter of Genesis).

 Leah was ugly, (Genesis 29:17).

 Joseph was abused; (Genesis 37:24-36).

 Moses stuttered; Exdodus 4:10).

 Gideon was afraid; (Judges 8).

 Samson had long hair and was a womanizer; (Judges 14th chapter).

 Rahab was a prostitute; (Joshua 2:1).

 Jeremiah and Timothy were too young; (Jere.1:6-7 and Ist Timothy).

 David had an affair and was a murderer; (2nd Samuel 11:3-27).

 Elijah was suicidal; (1 King 19th chapter).

 Isaiah preached naked; (Isaiah 37th chapter).

 Jonah ran from God; (The book of Jonah)

 Naomi was a widow; (Ruth 1:3).

 Job went bankrupt; (The Book of Job).

 Peter denied Christ; (Matt.26:69-70).

 The Disciples fell asleep while praying; (Matt.14:37).

 Martha worried about everything; (Luke 10:40).

 Magadalene was well you know, (Mark 16:9).

 The Samaritan woman was divorced more than once; (John:4:8).

 Zaccheus was too small; (Luke 19:3).

 Paul was too religious; (Acts 8:1).

 Timothy had an ulcer;…AND…(1Timothy 5:23).

 Lazarus was dead! (John 11 chapter).

The Lord gave me this song during church service this morning.  It sums up everything that I am. 
Thank you Lord for hearing my voice.  Thank you Lord for knowing what I need before I even know I need something.
Thank you Lord that you are helping me to be a living witness, that you use my hands and my feet, that you take me into homes that need to feel love and blessings!

You lived among the least of these
The weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away.

All my needs you have supplied.
When I was dead you gave me life.
How could I not give it away so freely?

And I’ll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.

Use my hands, use my feet
To make your kingdom come
Through the corners of the earth
Until your work is done

‘Cause Faith without works is dead
And on the cross your blood was she’d
So how could I not give it away so freely?

And I’ll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.

I give all myself.
I give all myself
I give all myself… to you.

And I give all myself.
Yes, I give all myself.
And I give all myself… to you.

And I’ll follow you into the homes that are broken
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.

I will blog more later about sticky shoulders and how to resolve them.

jeni

I crawled up on the bed with mom to talk and listen.  Her daughter was sitting close by and asked, “why are you a midwife” and I said, “because God made me one - it was all God.”

The baby, Joseph Daniel, was born into Daddy’s hands at 8:09pm.

We cleaned up mom and baby and then I went out to sit in the living room while they introduced themselves face to face.  And I began to thank God.  Thank you Lord for this day, Thank you Lord for this baby, Thank you Lord for this family, Thank you Lord that you made me a midwife.

Renea, my assistant, walked up and she said, “I love birth.  Just now a baby was born – in that bedroom!”  What simple words with such deep deep meaning. A baby was born – in that bedroom.  Birth is simple.  It works.  Our bodies work ladies.  We were designed perfectly.

I feel so blessed.