On Tuesday, I went back to my sweet group of ladies to resume Bible Study. I've been without these gals and a meaty study for seven months. Seven l---o----n----g months. I've stayed in the Word, but the fellowship and group study is irreplaceable.
I am one of the youngest in the group by at least a decade; most have children who have long since grown up. But after four years with these women, I can't walk away in favor of another Bible study that has more favorable hours and/or childcare. The wisdom that drips from this circle of women is heavenly. I'd be a fool to leave. As much as I consider it at times, I also can't ignore the elephant in the room - God called me to this group, not only to be a part of it, but also to be a part of the leadership team within it. Every time I entertain the thought of moving to another Bible study for the sake of Faith's schedule, He places His loving hands firmly on my shoulders and sits me back down.
The study has always met on Tuesday evenings from 7:00pm to 9:00pm, which has always been around Faith's more tumultuous time, not to mention her bedtime. When she was real little, the ladies would beg me to bring her and have her just hang out with us, but she was a comedy of errors, tooting one moment, hiccuping the next, needing to be nursed, and so on. While the ladies loved it, I knew it was too much of a distraction, so I hung up the towel for awhile. I have missed their fellowship incredibly.
So Tuesday was it. The BIG day. BIG for so many reasons:
* Despite The Bottleless Faith, I was leaving Ken with a baby and bed time duty, but no nursing available. Horrible set up.
* I was giddy with the idea of reuniting with the girls.
* And the icing, and I mean wedding cake buttercream icing, was that we were starting a Beth Moore study on Daniel. I LOVE prophecy. And get even nuttier over eschatology.
Before I left, Ken asked for any parting advice. I suggested giving her a Bumbo faucet bath to keep her happy, and to try and hold her off from bedtime until I came home. After a fantastic evening, I rushed home to find Faith sacked out on Ken's chest. She'd cried it out a bit, and hadn't gone for the bottle, but she didn't have any remnant giant shudders going on in her sleep. Ken said he gave her two Bumbo baths. :) I was still able to nurse her then and there and put her directly to bed for the night. So all in all, it was a success! But I did promise Ken that I would work harder with her to get her to accept the bottle.
So Wednesday morning the weirdest thing happened. She actually took 3 oz. from a bottle and FROM ME. It was a beautiful moment, as she was playing with my face and I was trying everything in the world to keep encouraging her to drink. The tears were welling up in my eyes at the relief of an occasional bottle feeding or two in our future, and also at the realization that the Lord has wanted me to walk by faith on this one. To trust that He would take care of Faith's needs, but I need to lean toward Him for this. So the angels were singing Bottle Hymns in heaven all of Wednesday.
She hasn't taken a bottle since. Little stinker.
But I'll keep leaning, and pushing the bottle once every afternoon, because baby girl, Mama is going back to Tuesday night Bible Study, and I'm doing this Daniel thing.
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