Baby Collages

As we were seated in the Doctor's office for the initial consult, collages of baby pictures decorated the walls. These little blessings were given a chance to live because their fathers had a change of heart and had their vasectomies reversed in the procedure room down the hall. A smile brightens Dr. Stanton's face as we admire the chubby cheeks of 100s of babies welcomed into repentant Christian homes by the grace of God. Dr. Stanton performs these reversals as a ministry. The only fee collected is for the facilities. He is the father of 8 boys himself.

During the years we were avoiding conception via vasectomy (I call these the winter years), I have often wondered if we allowed God to give us more children, who would they be, what would they look like and what would we name them. Many who practice birth control will admit they do this. There is always this little place in your mind where you dream of what might be.

I was missing blessings who would never exist because of my choices. Once upon a time I rejected the children of whom I dreamed--NO MORE!!

Seeing those collages confirmed what we were doing was right. We were correcting our wrong by re-setting our bodies to receive life God had designed us to produce.

Our two *post-vasectomy* blessings now pictured in Dr. Stanton's collage of welcomed children!!

Remembering "V" Day

This post is inspired from Dr. Voddie Baucham's book "Family Driven Faith" which is not about birth control, but he did devote a few paragraph's to his personal vasectomy experience. He write

"When Trey was born, we hired a doctor to speak to God on our behalf. He took his scalpel and sutures and told God, 'The Bauchums hereby declare that they no longer trust, nor welcome you in this area of their lives.'"

For us, I remember the day clearly... a $20.00 copay was all it took to sterilize my 24 year old husband--less than what it would cost to spay or neuter a dog!!

The message in our hearts was something like this...

"Here we are, God. We know we are "fearfully and wonderfully made", but we don't like it anymore. We have hired this Dr. to cut, shorten, tie and cauterize because we want to be sure you don't pull any tricks. It is time to have fun without the responsibility--it is all about US now. We know you would take care of our family if you gave us more children, but we don't want to give up our name brand clothes and fast food meals. Yes, we are grateful for the two you have given us, but not enough to want more. No thanks!!"

It took a few years, but we eventually came back to our senses. Thankfully, it was not too late as it was for the Bauchum family. Vince was relatively young when we had his vasectomy reversed. We have since welcomed 2 more children into our family and desire more as the Lord blesses.

We found Dr. Stanton, a surgeon in Arkansas, the father of 8 boys, who performs reversal surgeries as a ministry on his Saturdays. Before the procedure he showed us several large displays in his offices filled with pictures of children who are alive because of his ministry.  So many live because of this good man.

We are no longer in the "V" club. Now were are in the R-Squared club--
Repented and Reversed!!

A

Can't? or Unwilling?

Originally posted Thursday, February 3, 2011

The average Joe says, "I wouldn't want so many children because of the financial burden. I simply can't afford it."

In the words of Martin Luther:

"Although it is very easy to marry a wife, it is very difficult to support her along with the children and the household. Accordingly, no one notices this faith of Jacob. Indeed, many hate fertility in a wife for the sole reason that the offspring must be supported and brought up. For this is what they commonly say: ‘Why should I marry a wife when I am a pauper and a beggar? I would rather bear the burden of poverty alone and not load myself with misery and want.’ But this blame is unjustly fastened on marriage and fruitfulness. Indeed, you are indicting your unbelief by distrusting God’s goodness, and you are bringing greater misery upon yourself by disparaging God’s blessing. For if you had trust in God’s grace and promises, you would undoubtedly be supported. But because you do not hope in the Lord, you will never prosper."

— Martin Luther (Sermons of Martin Luther, The)

With a fresh-off-the-lot, over-sized, gas guzzling SUV/truck parked in the garage, most people who think they can't afford more children are not "paupers" and "beggars". They are simply unwilling.

How Many Arrows?

Originally posted 2/11/2011

How Many Arrows?

"As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be put to shame, When they speak with their enemies in the gate." ~Psalms 127:4-5 ASV

Today I asked my children this question and here are their answers:

"If you were going into battle, how many arrows would you want in your quiver?"
Aaron (3) - "At least 7."
Catherine (11) - "20??"
Alexey (14) - "As many as I could get."

Out of the mouths of babes!!

Only God should decide the amount of "arrows" we should have in our quivers, but it is clearly Biblical to desire many of them.

The Joy of Our Boy

Originally posted 12/29/2010

The Joy of The Boy

I want to share a testimony of how God has used our little boy to do great things in our family. As always, I cast no judgment on the practices of others, but I do not wish to be silent about how God is working in our lives.

Today is our little boy's 3rd birthday. Aaron is our 3rd of 4 children and he is the only boy.

He is such a joy to have in our home. His energy, activity, humor, emotions, silly antics and manly nature keep the ladies in our family entertained. How we love our little boy, yet...

his Dad and I cannot celebrate his life without an underlying feeling of remorse and sorrow.

This boy is a mercy child. He is our first child born after a vasectomy reversal. We almost rejected him as we had for many years been rejecting the potential for other children in our family. When we gaze upon this boyish blessing we come face to face with the fact that we almost prevented his life and we even had to be convinced by the Holy Spirit through His Word to accept him. If left to our own plans to do what merely seemed right in our own eyes, we would have closed the door on him not accepting him into our family. This is a humbling reality.

This is the reality that leaves a bittersweet mixture of joy and regret in our hearts.

How merciful God has been to us to open our blind eyes to His Truth, His Design, His Will, His Enlightenment, His Provision?!?!



Not only do we celebrate Aaron's life today, but also, how God has used him to lift us out of the worldly rut of rejecting life and into a challenging, yet deeply rewarding place where all of His blessings will be received into our home from now on despite the cost. We will continue to give God ALL the credit for every child He delivers to us because He alone is the giver of life, not us. We destroy, prevent and waist life, but God is so merciful to send His Son to give us a new heart and to show us His Ways that lift us out of our evil destruction.



Aaron is more than just a birthday boy. He is a testament to how God is working in our household!!

The Womb Produces Weapons

"Womb Is A Powerful Weapon"

I love this quote. It could easily become a one-liner for Scriptures like Psalms 127 which say, "Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them."

Or Genesis 3:15, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

As the Southern Baptist Convention and many other religious organizations have promoted throughout history, the womb is an evangelical tool. It is a very effective medium for spreading the good news of Christ.

Here is a great article by an unlikely source explaining the quiverful movement, and how the womb could be used as a weapon:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102005062

Christians Woman Should Not Take the Pill