October 4 Day : 4 Now

Day : 4 Now
‪#‎captureyourgrief‬
‪#‎healyourheart‬
‪#‎pregnancyandinfantlossawarenessmonth‬

Now it has been 4 years and 3 months since I lost Jonah. Lot's of healing has occurred. Time really does heal. But what time cannot do is take away the scars. It was crushing to me to loose 2 babies a year apart. When I lost Faith in 1991 I had peace because I had a 5 month old baby, and Faith was a sweet surprise. But I had such a spiritual experience as she left this world, I was okay. The last two were the hardest, because they were both deeply wanted and prayed for. The hardest blow was losing Jonah. I knew when the Dr.s office said we lost the heartbeat, my dream was over. I had been fighting advanced maternal age....there was no more time. The timer went off and my biological clock called it quits...long before I safely delivered the one last child I deeply desired. I had a rough few years and found multiple ways to heal. But always feel a twinge when I see a mother nursing a child, a healthy round belly growing on a young mother, or walking by the baby isle and smelling sweet baby powder. I left it open to mother nature after that...but no baby.....now I am closer to being a grandmother...but nowhere near ready for that new adventure. Actually one thing that is amazing is the strength I have gained and the empathy for mothers who suffer loss. That's why every October I honor with women everywhere those precious, short lives. And if my daughter ever needs me if she finds herself in my shoes, she will know...I really do know how to comfort her. So how am I now? Getting stronger...and that is what counts.

October 3 Day 3: Before

Capture Your Grief
Day 3: Before
‪#‎Captureyourgrief‬
‪#‎healyourheart‬
‪#‎pregnancyandinfanttlossawarnessmonth‬

{Full Project Details - http://carlymarieprojectheal.com/2014/09/capture-your-grief-2014.html

Before I lost you, the world was full of possibilities, A new life to birth, a new child to cherish.Baby shopping had commenced, Hopes were high. I was innocent to the pain I would soon feel. The optimistic, joyful naivete hope and attitude in life I had enjoyed was soon to change....into what?....that is the question for another day.But I was never the same. I will Cherish our short time together, your heartbeat fluttering below mine. Our souls enter-twined, and beautiful as a butterfly.A butterfly has such a short life span, but like you my sweet babies...it still touches lives and is never forgotten.

October 2 Day: 2 Heart

Day 2 Heart
‪#‎captureyourgrief‬
‪#‎healyourheart‬
‪#‎faith1991‬
‪#‎landon2009‬
‪#‎jonah2010‬
@carlymariedudley

In 1991 I carried faith's heart for a beautiful 3 months, I was given a spiritual blessing that she was too pure for this world. Her spirit visited my husband at work, he knew she passed before I did. He called to tell me.
In 2009 3 days before I borded a plane to a wedding in Cabo Mexico, I was awoken by stabbing pain and ran to my restroom where my darling Landon left this world, and left me in a puddle of blood and sorrow. Placenta Failure to Develop was the lab report. My life in total shambles I flew to Mexico and felt the healing sun and sand, a grace from God. His timing was right, even if no time is right to loose a child.
In 2010 My miracle began, God heard my prayer, and I carried sweet Jonah. Every day was a gift, his soul next to my heart. I saw his beautiful heartbeat fluttering on the ultrasound. All was good, until one afternoon I sat straight up in bed during a nap, I felt his soul exit my body. I just cried. I waited patiently for another Ultrasound....only to confirm we lost his heartbeat. The most soul melting words rushed over my being. This is what I call ugly pain, I carried him 2 more weeks. But all of their hearts are in my heart forever.

October 1st Day 1: Sunrise

Day 1 Sunrise 7:21 a.m.
Alderman Ford Park, Florida
‪#‎captureyourgrief‬
‪#‎whathealsyourheart‬
‪#‎faith1991‬
‪#‎landon2009‬
‪#‎jonah2010‬

Morning Dawns,
Memories are bittersweet,
Of love, of loss,
Of babies hearbeats.

Beautiful project for Preganacy & Infant Loss Awareness Month

I am taking part in "Capture Your Grief", For any of my friends out there who have experienced a pregnancy LOSS or loss of a child, I wanted to share this healing, memorial, event. October 15th Is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Memorial Day. I think this month is perfect for this beautiful project.

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

Day 2 Proverbs 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

Definition: Trust: Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing.

Custody; care. Something committed into the care of another; charge.

The condition and resulting obligation of having confidence placed in one:

One in which confidence is placed. Reliance on something in the future; hope.

Her actions are not based on how others treat her or by what others think, her character remains steady, and she remains reliable and dependable. In his heart, her husband, has full confidence in her; her integrity, wisdom, and discretion in the use of his assets and in the care of his interests. He is at ease when he is away because he knows that all is safe with her and she would never do anything to cause him sorrow, suffering, pain, or distress.

He is not suspicious, worried, or jealous, because she is trustworthy. He can confide in her and trust her without reserve and will have no reason to regret it. He can safely rely and depend on her to do what he would do, in the manner he would do it. He believes in her securely, his trust is well founded because she will never let him down or do anything to harm his personal gain.

Her husband trusts her in the management of their resources and her industriousness adds to the family income.

He will never stop getting good things, he will lack nothing of value, and he will have no lack of honest gain or need of dishonest spoil. She will greatly enrich his life. Their marriage is an intimate relationship built on complete trust. She is sexually pure and works to maintain and retain her sexual purity emotionally, physically, and mentally. God is making them ONE, of one mind,one heart.

What God is saying is that the husband can trust in her decisions and knows that he can depend on her for support. It is hard for a man to have such a responsibility for a family. A wife's support is a necessity. I believe that " he shall have no need for spoil" means that his wife makes him complete.

There was no need for outside influence, be it financial needs, sexual needs, emotional needs, or physical needs.

Consider in this story the integrity that Abigail showed. David’s men had protected Nabal’s men and sheep from outside forces (1 Samuel 25:15-16). As soon as Abigail heard of her husband’s insulting behavior toward David, she began to make preparations to make up for his foolish actions. Without telling her husband of her plan (1 Samuel 25:19), she and her servants prepared a largeamount of food and drink and traveled to where David and his men were camped (1 Samuel 25:18-20). Abigail prevented certain disaster regarding herself and her family by humbling herself before David (1 Samuel 25:23-31). Abigail did an extraordinary thing when she took the blame for the sin of her husband (1 Samuel 25:28). She humbled herself and interceded for her people before David. Desiring to intercede on behalf of one’s family requires a character of humility, sacrifice and personal cost. The result of Abigail’s actions was that David’s heart was softened and he was kept from bloodshed that day. He accepted her offering and granted her request (1 Samuel 25:35)

Besides having God as deity the wife helps to make the man feel complete. Believe it or not women, but God did not give you your husband so that you can make him who you think he should be.

God gave you your husband so you could pray for, hold up, strengthen and uplift this man, while God was tearing down, uprooting and creating him into the man of God that he was called to be.

It is vital that we as woman are on our knees in prayer doing warfare for our Husbands so that they can be the leader that God has called them to be.

Psalm 45:10-11, eagerly awaiting the next set of instructions the Lord has for a bride...

Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.

Hearken, consider and incline...three words used to get our total and undivided attention. What is the advice that the bride is to listen to, what is it she should stop and think about, what is it she should be willing to accept that the psalm writer is about to say directly to this woman who is about to embark upon married life?

We find that she is told to forget her own people, and her father's house.... In other words, the bride must break off all her prior relationships, all other bonds or alliances that have formed and separate herself forever from all that she has known since birth, clinging only to her husband, the king. Does it mean she should never speak to others or never spend time with them? No, of course not!

But she must readily understand that her primary focus and heart's desire is to be toward her husband. Hence, she must now put all of her efforts into building a close relationship with him - above all else - and love him with singleness of heart and mind. Her newly acquired husband is not to be added to the bottom of her personal list of special people and activities or personal goals, for the king deserves more than leftovers! He is to be placed at the TOP of his wife's list, as most important to her...Proverbs 31:11

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

Where do you have your husband placed today on your list of priorities?How much effort are you putting into building an intimate relationship with him? It is wise counsel that this young woman is being given, and we would all do well to take heed to its constructive encouragement! Many husbands today are tended to and loved only if there is nothing else the wife is busy with such as children, or grandchildren, a part-time job, activities with "the girls", decorating pursuits, Sunday school projects and church responsibilities, home school commitments, the computer etc.

Only when the wife has accomplished all that she has wanted to do first or all that she considers top priority and has enough energy, thought, or even time left to spend on or with her husband is the king remembered, let alone reverenced.

Let's be honest , sometimes the attitude we take toward our husbands is this - "He can wait; who does he think he is anyway, a king or something??" In fact, we're guilty often times of behaving as if our husbands were a "royal pain" rather than a king! And God says it is foolish of us....

Proverbs 31 Devotionals Day 1

Proverbs 31  Devotionals

Day 1 Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Definition - Virtuous: adjective
Having or showing virtue, especially moral excellence.conforming to moral and ethical
principles In accordance with principles of right or good conduct: ethical, moral, principled,
proper, right, righteous, rightful, right-minded.Morally beyond reproach, especially in sexual
conduct: chaste, decent, modest, nice, pure,chaste.

King Solomon in Old Testament time was known for his wisdom (that is, up until the end of his life when he turned to pagan worship). The Lord had given the gift of wisdom to Solomon per his request. Much of the book Proverbs in the Bible, and the wisdom therein, comes directly from Solomon’s hand.

Proverbs 31:10-31 speaks directly about a virtuous woman. If we look up the definition of “virtue”, we will find explanations of moral excellence, goodness, and the ability to conduct oneself with ethical principles.

The word "chayil" is what God uses to describe His idea of a choice woman.You have probably always heard it translated as the "virtuous woman."The Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary

explains that the term "chayil" was used to describe great forces and armies. A woman said to be "chayil" would possess a certain strength, might, and power!

The Proverb 31 Woman is no wimp. She is a woman of great strength! She is a woman of purpose. She is a strong contributor and asset to her home. She manages her affairs well. She is business-like, intellectual, and above all else God- fearing.

Her husband and children proclaim her as blessed. She is a "virtuous woman".The virtuous woman places all of her trust in the Lord. She knows that only through him, she has "come this far by faith."

When her child is sick, she is able to say
"All is well" as the Shunammite woman.

She is full of good works like Tabitha,

after her deliverance from difficulty
she sings" Miriam's song."

She possesses the wisdom and judgment of Deborah,

and pours out her heart before the Lord
as Hannah did before she received the
blessing of Samuel. 

And she realizes when she lays
her head down each night, that as
Mary, in her own unique way,
she is truly blessed among women.

She knows her redeemer lives and never fails to thank him for "Just another day." She is a woman of vision, and destiny. God has placed within her Spirit a ministering to others. She is not ashamed to wash the feet of Jesus with her tears and dry them with her hair because he alone is her life-line. Her head is held high, her steps are sure, and her words are well thought over. Her appearance portrays her royalty having divine DNA within her very soul.

Yes, she knows the storms will come, the winds will blow, there will be times when there may be sickness, trials, and heartache. However, her conclusion of the matter is this, she is assured that there will be times of joy, laughter, and deliverance with life more abundantly; this is the promise of her Father in heaven.

Joseph Smith often alluded to the bible in his writings and discourses, as the following will demonstrate. The 13th Article of Faith, of course, borrows liberally from Philippians 4:7, where the apostle Paul speaks to the saints: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

The writings of both Joseph Smith and Paul on this subject could be summed up in : We believe in being virtuous. The concept of virtue combines every noble and decent human characteristic, quality, attribute or desire.

The word "virtue" derives from the Latin term virtus, which means manliness or worth. An earlier definition of virtue was, in fact, manly qualities such as valor, strength, courage and conviction.

Long ago, the word came to be applied to the female sex as well, as in the scriptural passage, "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies" (Proverbs 31:9). Significantly, the First Presidency very recently has added the attribute of "Virtue" to the Young Women theme (see Dec. 20 Church News, p. 3).

In fact, the qualities that comprise virtue are applicable in appropriate ways to both women and men, to young as well as old.

In the scriptures, the word "virtue" is used to mean not just goodness but also occasionally the power to heal. See, for example, Mark 5:30, Luke 6:19 and Luke 8:46, wherein we read that virtue went out from Jesus and healed the afflicted. See also, Alma 31:5, which states that Alma, in an effort to reform his people, thought it expedient that he "should try the virtue of the word of God."

It is important that virtue should have this double meaning, for godly qualities can heal both the one who has them and the one who is influenced by them.The Virtuous Woman, where can she be found? Women say with me- I am she, because I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

If we compare the concept of virtue with a disciplined, prepared, lifestyle, the two would strongly parallel each other. In other words, a preparedness lifestyle contains many of the same virtues as those listed in Proverbs 31:10-31.

We will be looking at those virtues during the next 30 verses. Of course, this set of scripture verses refers to a woman in particular, but in truth the principles apply to all who desire wise living.