Harvest Time

We took Aria to the pumpkin patch the other day to take pics (enjoy!). While I was there I started thinking about "harvest time" and the significance of our time in this specific generation. This scripture came to mind and got me really excited:

"Later the Master selected seventy and sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he intended to go. He gave them this charge:
"What a huge harvest! And how few the harvest hands. So on your knees; ask the God of the Harvest to send harvest hands." ~Luke 10:1-2

What a huge harvest! As we move closer and closer to the time when Christ will return, let's press on and not just make sure we are "fireproof", but that those around us know of the incredible gift God is offering them - eternity with HIM and an abundant life here and now. So many that we might not even realize are so starving to know the TRUTH (Jesus), but they don't even know that they are hungry at all. Let's be the sweet aroma of harvest food (Pumpkin Pie, Turkey and Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Pecan Pie... etc.) for those around us and allow the Holy Spirit to stir up the hunger pains in them!

Aria Rayne @ 5 Months

I can't help it... I think my little baby girl is the sweetest little one ever! (Proud Mama!) Heather Funk took these and I just had to share 'em with you all! ;0) Enjoy!

Been A While...

Well, let's catch up the last 7 months real quick:

April 18, 2008 Aria Rayne Clay made her entrance into the world. Though I was originally going to have her at home, my my mid-wife was in the middle of delivering 2 other babies at the Birth Center. Needless to say, I ended up there. It was as great of an experience as a birth can be. ;0) (As I told several of you - it was the most miraculous and horrible experience of my life.) Yup - so that means all natural (no drugs, no crazy nurses bugging you every 2 mins, no drugs, no separation from Aria after birth, no drugs, no hurry out of the room, no drugs... ;0) You get the picture.





She was 8lbs 5oz & 20 1/2" long! There aren't words to describe the whole experience, but the moment I laid eyes on her one word comes to mind: Breathtaking! The second she came out, Erika (WONDERFUL friend who assisted my midwife, Mary & coached me through the whole thing) put her on my chest and this little girl pushed herself up on her arms, lifted her precious little head up and looked me square in the eye, as if to say, "Well, that was a lot of work! Glad to see we made it through, Mommy!"

So the first 5 months of her life are now hindsight - how quickly life flies by!

Aria @ 1 Week:


Arora & Aria @ 2 Weeks:


Aria @ 1 Month:


Aria @ 2 Months:


Aria @ 3 Months:


Aria @ 5 Months:


Stay tuned, more to come!

Baby Shower & Bar-B-Q Blessings

This past Saturday, we had an AWESOME time with our friends & family here in Miami. We had a Co-Ed Baby Shower / Bar-B-Q at our assistant pastor J.P. & his wife Heather Funk's house. Marren & I are still basking in thankfulness for the lavish generosity of our great & awesome God poured out on us through His people. For those of you who participated... THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!! It was sooooooooooooooo fun & encouraging & we LOVE spending time with you!

I'm not going to talk much, cause I have lots of pics to show you! Enjoy!


My Family












All Da Miami Clays: Arora, Marren, Me (& Aria), Kelli (& baby Clay) & Darren


Da Twin Clay Daddies













Mary Harris has become the new Calvary Chapel Midwife!
Shannon & Acacia, Lodi & Elizabeth, Mary Harris, Kelli (& baby Clay), Me (& Aria)


Da Cake! Yummy!










The 3 Ex-Roomies... How times have changed in the last couple years!



Excited Parents!

Looking for the blessings

Well, I don't really have very much good news, today. We're in the "when it rains, it pours" stage right now.
Don't read this if you are depressed! This isn't going to help.

Our jeep started acting up last week. So, I promptly took it into the repair shop & had both front axles replaced & bought 2 new tires (2 had screws in them! and were totally bald). That, plus labor, was a cool $700.00. It ran great for about 24 hours. So, I took it back and they fixed some crazy noise (for free!) and then told me I needed a tune up. We just paid $350.00 for a tune up 4 weeks ago, so I politely asked them to check again. They proceded (for the rest of the day!) to do a complete computer diagnostic. They couldn't find ANYTHING wrong. (This test was only a mere $75.00) Meanwhile, my jeep has issues going faster than 55mph... but they said that they can't find ANYTHING wrong. So, as I am on my way to bring Kelli to get some cheap maternity clothes, the jeep freaks out on I-595 and starts to smell like burning oil. I pull off at the next exit and PRAISE GOD, there is a Good Year tire & Car repair shop right there. After waiting about an hour we get the diagnosis: for about $920.00 our jeep will be back to normal. (And Midas put in an extra QUART of oil when they did the oil change - thus causing our engine all KINDS of issues! AND the place who replaced my axles didn't put on - or put on wrong - the axle seal!!) Well, we don't have the $920.00 to put down, so I ask for them to prioritize the work - basically, so we can just get back home. The person at the computer was a woman (yes, this may be sexist, but I DO trust them more!) and she was also a mechanic who had once owned her own shop. She talked to me like I was a person & didn't jerk me around with a lot of mechanic lingo she knew I wouldn't understand. So, the $920.00 went to $395.00. I walked out paying $319.00. That was a blessing! Thank you Jesus! And Kelli was with me, so I didn't end up breaking down into a teary mess who had given up hope. Four hours later, we were on our way. Of course, on our way home, we had to pull off the highway and go on back roads so we wouldn't go over 35mph. But we made it home all in one piece. Now our dear jeeps gets a vacation.

After all of that, I woke up with an annoying head cold... at 1:22am.

I LOVE being pregnant. I LOVE our baby Aria. But I DO NOT love having to get up to pee EVERY hour! At night, it takes me FOREVER to get in just the right spot, where I am able to breathe, my back AND my tummy are supported, and I'm not burning up or freezing cold. Then, just as start to slip into a regular breathing pattern, I have to get up & pee! WHY??? Never mind, I don't really want to know. And if I'm even the slightest bit emotional (which is just about all the time right now), I start to cry. Not sob - just a few tears. If this was just a release, I really wouldn't mind. But with this cold, it makes me all stuffed up & I can't breathe again! So now I have to start all over. But at this point, Aria is awake & wanting to show off or let some energy out. Either way, she's kicking up a storm. So I concentrate on relaxing breathing (after I get up to pee & blow my nose), rub my tummy in a soothing way, & try to relax. This usually settles her down so I can then search for my new "spot".

I know that God is our provider and that He sees what is going on. I know that a running vehicle is not synonomous with freedom or peace. I know that I will one day breath normally again. I know that I am OVERLY emotional right now... due to lack of sleep and being pregnant. I know that I will not be pregnant forever (only 7 +/- more weeks!). I know that the end of the world is not this second. However, I really would like to see the other side of this mess soon! Please, Lord, strengthen me so that I don't fall apart under this light & momentary trouble. And please help me to see YOU & your faithful love, provision & care in the midst. Amen.

Jungle Island!

We had Arora only for the weekend - so we decided to make it memorable! We scooped up Darren & Kelli and all went on an adventure to Jungle Island. (For those of you who don't know what this is, it's a zoo + theme park). First, we decided to feed the parrots. They were lined up along the path as you walked in. At first, Arora was like, "NO WAY am I going to feed one of those!" But then she saw all of the adults feed them with no problems & she decides to give it a try. The first ones were very gentle as they slowly used their tongues to scoop the food out of her palm.
Unfortunately, the next one she picked to feed was a really LIGHT PINK one that was in a really bad mood. As soon as she held her little hand up for the bird to eat from, he nibbled her little finger and kept at it! He was very proud of himself & squwaked & danced around afterward too!! (Stay away from these ones!) We all just wanted to take the little bugger out right there - but there were cameras & none of us could afford to pay for the stinker! I was so sure that that would be the end of the day for her, but Daddy got her an ice cream to help with the healing & we were off to the tiger show. (Auntie Kelli made sure that they took the bird away, though, so no one else would be attacked!)


We saw all kinds of baby tigers & even a liger (tiger/lion mix)! There was also a 2 year old monkey & a little skunk who joined the show. We walked around and saw some grown (and I mean GROWN) up tigers &


a Liger (900 lbs, 11 ft long), more beautiful parrots, monkeys & orrangutans, goats & alpacas, pot belly pigs, turkeys, roosters, giant turtles, a crocasaurus (this guy was like a school bus!), an albino alligator, all kinds of snakes, african penguins... and tons more.

We probably only really saw like 1/2 of the park & then we were all too hungry to continue, so we ate & relaxed. We came home & all took a nice long nap! Then Daddy took Arora to the park to swing (really high!), we ate dinner, read bible story books & hopped into bed. What a day!
I've added some pics so you all can see some of the highlights! Enjoy!

Pregnancy

Having a baby is a learn as you go experience. There's no way to be prepared for all the stuff that pregnancy & childbirth throws at you. It sure helps to be able to laugh at it all though! ;0)

Antsy Anticipations

This year seems to have started with a lot of promises for things to unfold. Marren & I are expecting our precious treasure, Aria, in just 11 more weeks! There is a possibility that we will not only have Arora more often, but we may (depending on what God decides) have custody. How like God to use our circumstances to teach us individually what He is also teaching us corporately! Our church is focusing on deepening intimacy & refreshment with our awesome God, so that we are able to establish wells in the "valley of Baca" (weeping)

~PSALM 84~
"How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
Selah
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.
Selah
Look upon our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.
Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless. O LORD Almighty,
blessed is the man who trusts in you."

How do you make a place of weeping a place of refreshment? Don't waste the pain. If God has entrusted you with weeping, He has also offers to empower you to not only have His victory, but also to leave a lasting reminder for those that follow after you into that valley, that the Lord is GOOD & that weeping endures for a night, but JOY comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5b). Sometimes in our valleys we loose hope that we will ever see daylight again. We get so focused on the hardship & trial that we loose sight of the fact that GOD IS WORKING. God is challenging us now... will you trust me or will you worry? Will you obey or will you question? Will you choose faith or give into fear?

It's easy for me to have a better "vantage point" when I come out of time spent alone with God... so why don't I do this EVERY DAY??? I was totally convicted this past week about the amount of time I spend ALONE & LISTENING to Him. He is so faithful to speak TRUTH and LIFE into my very soul, to guide my footsteps, to give me rest - if only I will come and drink deeply from Him. So that's what I'm about to do...

New Year, New Family, New Life

I'm wondering if I will ever really feel grown up. When I was younger, I looked forward to being older... 16, 18, 21, 25. Then I just thought it was because I was single - so I looked forward to being married. For sure, then I would feel like I had arrived into adulthood.
Nope.
Now, I am a wife, stepmommy & 7 months pregnant & I still don't feel like I've arrived. It's a good thing that I am learning that feelings are just that... feelings. Your behavior isn't led by your feelings. Neither are your convitions. Your choices had BETTER not be either. Yet is there a point when you actually feel like you are totally prepared for the role you have been given or appointed to?

I look at some people that God used in the Bible & tend to think that I'm probably never going to "arrive" at a place where I'm totally ready. Look at Abram, Moses, Joshua, Joeseph, Gideon, David, Jeremiah, Mary, Peter, James & John & the rest of the disciples, Paul... etc. Seems like God specifically chooses people - and then equips them to do what it is He is calling them to do. He does not find the best qualified and charge them.

As I continue to prepare for the arrival of this precious life that God has entrusted to Marren & me, I take much comfort in knowing that God has never brought his people into a place where HE won't have victory. I just need to remember that I need to choose His victory as well... be like Caleb & Joshua at the entrance of Cannon - sure of my AWESOME God.