Sounds like a title to a Lynyrd Skynyrd song, right? But that's the only way to describe how I've been feeling about OYWO these past weeks! Before I began, I had thought through many of the ramifications of no coke, coffee or chocolate for a year: a summer without Slurpees, a fall without mochas, a Christmas without 7-layer or rum-ball cookies...
But for whatever reason, I hadn't thought of being pregnant. Yes, there is a baby in my belly now; and Lord willing, will be born around the beginning of February! This is not a complete surprise, we had planned on having more kids. But the surprise is how I COMPLETELY DID NOT CONSIDER being preggers without a little caffienated goodness to ease my queasy stomach. It just hadn't crossed my mind. That was probably for the best, though, since I admit there were more than a few times when I've thought "I'm pregnant - I can't possibly keep this up now!"
Now, if you've never been pregnant, or been around someone who's pregnant, or if you are a "pregnancy purist" who only eats organic carrots and homemade yogurt while with-child, you might not understand my panic. But if you are like most NORMAL pregnant women (or you've known one), you realize that growing another human being in your body warrants a piece of chocolate or sip of coffee every now and then! 200 mg (yes, now it's 100 mg) of caffeine a day is considered safe during pregnancy. FYI, 100 mg of caffeine = 2 and 1/5 cans of coke a day...
So, I'm not quitting and I'm just gonna roll with it. :) It is nice not having to count my milligrams, or worry if I've gone over the limit! I'm also hoping this caffeine-free baby will be one of those who just falls asleep in my arms as I hum, or on the rug while playing with blocks (wasn't that lucky with our first two). Just don't remind me about those first couple months of baby's life, where "a good night's sleep" doesn't exist - remember, this goes all the way until April!
Welcome
Do you have a certain food that you "can't live without"? For me, it's Coca-Cola. And coffee. And chocolate. Caffeinated, brown goodness. Are you like me? If not, bet you know someone who is!
To make a long story short, for the sake of sponsoring needy children through the Christian charity Compassion International, I'm giving up all three for one year.
Here's why:
1. I'm asking people like YOU to pledge $1/week to Compassion International for each week I stick with it.
2. I’ll be able to use the cash normally spent on my fave 3 to sponsor a child.
3. I’ll be reminded daily to pray for those in poverty, and to ask God 'why have I received much?' [a dangerous question]
Join the $1/week pledge list by emailing me through the link at the left, and tell others who also might be interested to visit this blog. And on the days when I'm not curled up on the floor, crying for a cup of coffee, I'll write you something that's either informative or just funny. Thank you!!!
To make a long story short, for the sake of sponsoring needy children through the Christian charity Compassion International, I'm giving up all three for one year.
Here's why:
1. I'm asking people like YOU to pledge $1/week to Compassion International for each week I stick with it.
2. I’ll be able to use the cash normally spent on my fave 3 to sponsor a child.
3. I’ll be reminded daily to pray for those in poverty, and to ask God 'why have I received much?' [a dangerous question]
Join the $1/week pledge list by emailing me through the link at the left, and tell others who also might be interested to visit this blog. And on the days when I'm not curled up on the floor, crying for a cup of coffee, I'll write you something that's either informative or just funny. Thank you!!!
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How this began:
Few days have passed in the last 20 years where I haven't had Coke, coffee or chocolate (the first 10 were healthier - thanks Mom). On good days it was a can of Coke at dinner; on bad days there was a steady caffeine drip rushing through my veins. Why bother with Sprite, juice, or vanilla-flavored stuff when I could have my brown-caffeinated favorites?
My die-hard allegiance was challenged, however, when I heard a radio interview with Wes Stafford of Compassion International describing mothers in Haiti who, right now, are feeding their kids something else brown: dirt. I’ve been complaining the past 12 months about our rising grocery bill…but what if I had less than $1 a day for food AND everything else???
After the interview, little thoughts began sprouting in my mind: I gave up chocolate for Lent, but would I give it up for a year? How about coffee? For the “least of these”, would I spend a year without, big gulp, Coke? (yes, that was a pun.)
Then came the logistics: should I just wander around town with a shoebox each week? To sponsor 100 kids at $32 each divided by $4 per month donations equals 80 people, right? And Google Friend Connect is so fun and easy for anyone to use, isn't it???
Getting this idea to actually work has been, so far, a bit messy. Go ahead and look at the carnage in the earlier posts; I obviously didn't have a fine-tuned plan in the beginning. But, thanks to helpful friends and my close buddy Failure, I think I finally have a decent plan to make this work.
My die-hard allegiance was challenged, however, when I heard a radio interview with Wes Stafford of Compassion International describing mothers in Haiti who, right now, are feeding their kids something else brown: dirt. I’ve been complaining the past 12 months about our rising grocery bill…but what if I had less than $1 a day for food AND everything else???
After the interview, little thoughts began sprouting in my mind: I gave up chocolate for Lent, but would I give it up for a year? How about coffee? For the “least of these”, would I spend a year without, big gulp, Coke? (yes, that was a pun.)
Then came the logistics: should I just wander around town with a shoebox each week? To sponsor 100 kids at $32 each divided by $4 per month donations equals 80 people, right? And Google Friend Connect is so fun and easy for anyone to use, isn't it???
Getting this idea to actually work has been, so far, a bit messy. Go ahead and look at the carnage in the earlier posts; I obviously didn't have a fine-tuned plan in the beginning. But, thanks to helpful friends and my close buddy Failure, I think I finally have a decent plan to make this work.
3 comments:
Congratulations!!!!
Iam sooo happy for you both.. Congrats. I know it can be a little scary not having your comfort foods for this... but it will not only help Compassion, but give you and the baby a healthier pregancy. How are you feeling? Blessings to you and your family
Breezyneon (Gena Knight)
Thanks ladies!
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