Preparing for Baby

So at 37 weeks pregnant, I am feeling like it will be SOON that we have another little munchkin bringing joy to our home and it is time to get ready! I am trying to find energy to deep clean the house and cook extra meals, actually getting baby clothes washed and a crib set up, and relishing these last days of baby kicks and one-on-one time with my first baby. Oh, and worrying about labor. Can't forget that one :)

The interesting thing I find as I have all these things on my "to do" list getting ready for Baby is that God has a whole other set of priorities in preparing me for what lies ahead. Lucas and I have been visiting a new church for the last month or so and are participating in their annual Daniel Fast that is held at the beginning of each year; seeking God's will for our lives and striving to grow closer to Him. I thought it was kind of a crumby time for restricted eating, beings as I get to gain weight these days, but it has turned out to be a wonderful time of growing with the Lord. I am finding that I let other things distract me from my relationship with God far too often and it is so good to get really close to Him in this season when I will need him so much. Fasting has also offered Lucas and I a wonderful opportunity to see our own weaknesses (especially as I was really sick during part of it) and prepare to lean on each other and God for the strength we need. It has also been wonderful to seek God's will for some specific decisions about our future and receive some clear and interesting insights. God has been so faithful to us in this season; and it couldn't have come at a better time, really. What a good reminder that, while we can get stuck in our small goals, God is still out there managing the big picture and working His change in us when we let him!