Martin Luther Quote

Sanctity of Human Life 2011 Message by Rebeca

Today I spoke at church during the Spanish service about the sanctity of human life. This issue becomes more and more important to me. Right now I am expecting baby number four but this is my fifth pregnancy. Before you wonder whether I had an abortion I will share what happened with my first pregnancy.

Tim and I had talked about contraceptives and the such and had made a decision (that is a whole other issue for another day) that I would not take prescription contraceptives. And when we got married I got pregnant during our honeymoon. We were nervous and happy about the pregnancy all at the same time. Everyday I got more excited about my pregnancy but at 12 weeks experienced some of the worst pain I had ever had as I miscarried my first baby. My heart broke and I felt so empty. Still I found comfort in God's word and in knowing that baby Shiloh was with the Lord. This is the closest I have come to feeling what a girl must feel after an abortion and I would not wish this on anyone.

Right now I am about 17 weeks along in my pregnancy, but did you know that I could take hwy 80 to hwy 635 to hwy 75 exit Knox Henderson Ave and find a red sign with white lettering that says Routh Street Women’s Clinic, 4321 where I could have an abortion.

It really wouldn't be that long of a drive for me, but apparently from looking at directions from their website people come from Oklahoma, Waco, Tyler and many other places near and far.

The website makes me feel comforted that I should not feel like I am the only one making this choice.

"Dallas Abortion - For decades Routh Street Women's Clinic has provided confidential abortion services to tens of thousands of women in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. We know that the decision about having an abortion can be difficult and involve complex issues. We also know that you are making a serious and significant decision about your pregnancy. If abortion is the best choice for you, you are not alone -- it is estimated that at least 43% of the women in the United States will have an abortion by age 45."

Wow 43%!

But what exactly should I expect..

If your pregnancy is measured at less than 16 weeks LMP, your abortion can usually be completed in one visit to the clinic. At more than 16 weeks LMP, you may need two visits to the clinic on consecutive days. Each appointment may take as long as 4-5 hours. You must stay within a half-hour's drive of the clinic overnight, and we can refer you to affordable lodging near us if you need it.

Once you have dressed, you can expect to relax in our recovery room for about 20 minutes (one hour after some second trimester procedures). After you go home, you can return to most normal activities.

So does this bother you? I mean almost everyone is doing it or at least close to every other woman. And well you've heard that it's my body and my choice?

People this should bother you!! I would want you to tell not to do this. I would want you to give me words of hope. I pray that your eyes are open to the truth of abortion. I wish I could give you a passion for life, for women, for babies, for the lost.

"This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life" -Deuteronomy 30:19, 20a

baby at 16 weeks. This baby has fingers, toes, a heart beat.

Abortion is murder. An innocent baby is killed and a mother is wounded.

God is a healer and he wants to heal or hearts and our land.

If you would like to learn more about abortion or need resources follow this link.

Selah Funny

Early one morning as Tim was heading to work he told Selah,

"Now Selah Bre, you be good for your momma."

She replied, "Yes, because sometimes I have bad feelings in by brain."

Quote of the Day

“What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in Heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well pleasing to God, not on account of the position or work, but on account of the Word and Faith from which the obedience and the work flow.”

- Martin Luther

Resolution: Read the whole Bible in a year

One of my resolutions this year has been to read the whole Bible in a year. I bought a small ESV Bible to take on my trip to Africa. On the back it has a reading plan that I've been following. I recently also found it online and put a link on my blog.

What I've really enjoyed about the online option is that it has a button where you can listen to the reading of the Bible. So far I am staying on top of my reading.


ESV Yearly Bible Reading Plan

To guide the reader each year-once through the Old Testament, twice through the Psalms, and twice through the New Testament.

Online link click here.

Another cute Seth quote

Seth is praying during our night devotional time but before he ends he says "Abuelito, I love you. I hope you are doing okay." After that he asks Tim if he thinks abuelito heard that. Tim says, "I think he probably did, and if not I am sure Jesus will pass on the message." Seth replies, "well I hope he tells him in Spanish."

For Seth: The Future Farmer (?)

Almost as far back as I can remember Seth being able to talk that he told us he wanted to be a farmer when he grew up.

Today Seth would tell you that when he grows up he would like to be a photographer, paleontologists, an artist, and book illustrator these would all help Seth work with dinosaurs and make a dinosaur book. Seth still also wants to be a missionary, a detective, and a farmer.

Here is a quote that made me think that it would be great if he did one day become a farmer at least like the kind quoted.

“Not so long ago the farmer and his wife were the most diverse and inventive people that walked the planet. They had to ‘know more about more things than anyone in another profession.’ The farmer had to be a botanist, biologist, carpenter, mechanic, veterinarian and mid-wife, weather-forecaster, and tireless digger of the soil. The farm wife was, as often as not, a horticulturist, animal handler, culinary wizard, food-preserving expert, accountant, and confessor, who say with endless patience and heard her husband’s woes. And they both had to have the calm of a philosopher and the patience of a saint to survive all the adversities man and God heaped on them. Almost as important, they had to be first class human beings and even better friends, for on farms of old everyone needed the help of his neighbor to survive. And most farmers were all that and more. As Louis Bromfeld wrote in the late 1930s, ‘For companionship, good conversation, intelligence and the power of stimulating one’s mind, there are none I would place above a good farmer.’ “
A Reasonable Life by Ferenc Mate

Good day & Resolution

Today was a good day because... Seth called me a genius, Selah thinks I am amazingly talented, and Sydney says I am her favorite Mami in the whole wide world.

I was noticing that since the time I started my blog in 2008 my posts have progressively decreased.

Noted by the count on the right of my blog saying

Blog Archive

• 08 (137)
• 09 (122)
• 10 (58)
• 11 (7)

So one of my new years resolutions is to get back to writing on my on-line journal. I think I've been doing more reading and surfing other blogs than writing on my own.

But well that is all I have for now. Hoping inspiration will come soon.

For now I will post one of my latest favorite pictures of my two princesses at HA.

Tratamiento de Dialisis por Carlos Escobedo

(click to enlarge)

2 Corintios 12:5-9

⁵ pero de mí mismo en nada me gloriaré, sino en mis debilidades.

⁶ Sin embargo, si quisiera gloriarme, no sería insensato, porque diría la verdad; pero lo dejo, para que nadie piense de mí más de lo que en mí ve, u oye de mí.

⁷ Y para que la grandeza de las revelaciones no me exaltase desmedidamente, me fue dado un aguijón en mi carne, un mensajero de Satanás que me abofetee, para que no me enaltezca sobremanera;

⁸ respecto a lo cual tres veces he rogado al Señor, que lo quite de mí.

⁹ Y me ha dicho: Bástate mi gracia; porque mi poder se perfecciona en la debilidad. Por tanto, de buena gana me gloriaré más bien en mis debilidades, para que repose sobre mí el poder de Cristo.

Cute quotes from kids

This morning Selah said, "Wow Mami, when you have your baby you are going to have FOUR kids." I said, "Yes and I am going to have so many children I won't know what to do." Selah replies "Yeah I guess we'll have to buy a shoe to live in!"

Yesterday after my dad's funeral we had a devotional before bed time with our kids. Selah volunteered to pray for my dad her abuelito. Seth said "Selah you don't have to pray for abuelito because he is doing really well... actually he's doing really, REALLY well!"

My Fathers Obituary

CARLOS M. ESCOBEDO

MISSION – Carlos M. Escobedo, 60, passed away on January 15, 2011 at McAllen Medical Center in McAllen. He was the Pastor of Grace Baptist Mission in Madero for 19 years, he had a heart for starting missions in Mexico. He battled severe illness for many years, but would never let it slow down the work of the Lord throughout his life. He always was grateful to God for the opportunity to see all his girls grow and serve the Lord.

He was preceded in death by his parents Francisco and Maria Socorro Escobedo; daughters Rayito and Yessica Escobedo.

Carlos is survived by his wife of 37 years Isabel Escobedo of Mission, daughters Rebeca (Tim) Carpenter of Mesquite, Raquel Escobedo of DeSoto, and Ruth (Jody)McDonald of Kaufman, Texas; grandchildren Seth, Selah, Sydney Carpenter, Joseph DeForest "J.D." McDonald. He is also survived by siblings Ruth (Ernesto) Ibarra of Alton, Alma (Jesus) Donato of Monterrey, Blanca Esther (Juan) Cepeda of Monterrey, and Francisco Javier (Laura) Escobedo of Monterrey as well as by many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held tomorrow, Monday, January 17, 2011, 4-9 pm with a 7pm prayer service at First Baptist Church in Mission. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, January 18, 2011, at 2 pm at First Baptist Church in Mission. Burial will follow at Valley Memorial Gardens Cemetery in McAllen.

"Yes we are fully confident, and we would rather be away these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8"

On my Father's Passing

This is the message I sent to people to let them know about my father's going away.

1/15/2011

Thank you to all who have been lifting us up in prayer. Your prayers have been answer and God's will has been done. My father went to be with the Lord this morning at approximately 10 AM. We have been made strong through the power of prayer and the Spirit of the Lord.

His going was peaceful as we prayed and sang hymns over him. Oh how I wish my eyes were open to what was happening as angels came and lifted my father from his sick and frail body.

We spoke to my father these last few days as we visited with him reminding him of how awesome it would be for him to finally be free from his earthly body. We told him how much we knew he loved us. We recalled many memories we had of him, some that made us laugh and some that made us cry. I really wish I could write more eloquently right now, but words fail me. I hope soon that God would give me inspiration to share with you the life He allowed my father to live. My father was a gift to us and many others. He left a legacy for us to follow.

I don't know why but lately a little memory of Selah has been replaying in my head. Selah was singing the song "I have decided to follow Jesus." It is a song that makes me think of my father and I know he would have loved to hear this. So just the other day Selah is walking around the house singing to that well know tune except she changed the lyrics to "I am excited to follow Jesus. I am excited to follow Jesus." I didn't correct her but just smiled to hear her singing that. Her song made me think that truly I should be excited to follow Jesus. We know that there will be times when things look grim and when we will have times of sorrow but when we decide to follow Jesus we know that we can trust his promises. He promises to never leave us nor forsake us. He also promises a heavenly home for those who trust and follow him... That makes me excited. Excited to know that today I didn't really have to say goodbye to my father but see you later.


Mourning with hope, Rebeca

Prayer Updates for my Dad

My parents with their grandkids this summer

I am re-posting the notes I have been writing on Facebook

by Rebeca E. Carpenter on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 6:38pm

Please be in prayer for my father, Carlos Escobedo, who is in critical condition at the ICU at Regional Hospital in McAllen, Texas. Yesterday evening my mother, Isabel Escobedo, found him unconscious at home. They have him sedated and on a respirator which they are slowly weaning him and are at about 50%. They are running several test to see if he suffered a stroke or any brain damage. Though his doctor thinks it was more likely a heart attack they are still running several test to know exactly what happened.

My father has had health problems for almost as long as I can remember and has been on dialysis for over 16 years. He does not have diabetes but his kidneys do not work because of a tumor. Even through all this my father has been very mission minded and tries to help pastors and churches in Mexico. His health has definitely continued to decline through the years, but we have seen 2 Corinthians 12:9 evident in His life...

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Please be in prayer for him and my mother. I am so thankful for the body of Christ who is surrounding my father and mother with prayers, love and support. Thank you from the Escobedo family.

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by Rebeca E. Carpenter on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 2:32pm

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for my father. God has given my father victory over a lot of health battles. My family knows that it is only by God's grace and power that my father has lived this long. Over sixteen years ago I was in a doctor's office with my dad when the doctor told him that he had four months to live. God has been good to the Escobedo family and we give Him nothing but praise. "His mercy endures forever!"

My mom has told me that my father is in a coma and his breathing is close to nothing with the respirator back at 100%. My mom is still waiting to talk to the neurologist and see the results on the brain scans. My father's doctor has told my mom to wait until tomorrow to make any decision whether to take him off life support. But in some ways they have told my mother to prepare for "the worse."

As I think about this I remember something I learned in college from my New Testament professor. I had been struggling with the question of praying for healing. I told my teacher after class about not knowing exactly if I was praying the right way. I was praying for my father's healing, primarily for him to get off dialysis, and for full recovery of his kidneys and the sort. I prayed constantly and fervently while at the same time doubting my faith and if I was praying God's will. My professor answered with a question. He simply asked "What is the worse thing that could happen to your father?" I thought a moment and said, "Well I suppose the worse thing that could happen to any person is that they would die and go to hell, but that can't happen to my father because he is a believer." He went on to tell me about how we sometimes view sickness and disease as a curse and one of the worse things that could happen while failing to see that God can still use that for His glory. That has really stuck with me and given me hope and a new perspective in life. When I shared this with my dad several years ago I think it was also very meaningful to him because I remembered he shared it with the church that evening (My dad is a pastor for those who don't know).

In this time as we are possibly facing the possibility of what the world will sometimes call "the worse" I turn to them and through tears reply you mean "the best?!" Because for a believer we should say like Paul "for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

Praying God's will be done. Rebeca E. Carpenter

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by Rebeca E. Carpenter on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 4:43pm

Thank you to everyone who is praying for my family. We received relatively good news from the neurologist. He said my dad's brain is still responsive and though it is not working perfectly it is not as bad as it could be at about 40 % activity. His heart is still beating on its own and it is mainly his lungs that are not working. The doctors don't have a conclusive report on what caused him to go into a coma so they will be running more test tomorrow. Today he will undergo dialysis and they are also waiting to see how he responds to that.

My sisters and I are set to leave early Saturday when my sisters are off work. Tim and I are still trying to decide whether I should leave before then, but for now my mom wants me to wait for my sisters so we can all come together. Please continue to pray for us and for peace and wisdom.

My mom keeps telling my dad that he needs to get better and keep fighting because we are coming to see him. We pray that he does get better and that God will continue to use him for His glory.

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Here is a song that Tim was playing tonight that which lyrics speak to my heart today

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea:
A great High Priest, whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on his hands,
My name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heaven he stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see him there
Who made an end of all my sin.

Because a sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Praise the One,
Risen Son of God!

Behold him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I am,
The King of glory and of grace!

One in himself, I cannot die
My soul is purchased by his blood
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God
With Christ, my Savior and my God

Names

Thinking of names... whoever names their kids, names that start with the same letter, well freaks like us... leave it to us and by the time we get to baby 14 we will have to be make up names... and just kidding I really don't think I will be having 14 children.

At the moment here are some names we are liking

Boy: Samuel, Soren, Sawyer

Girl: Savannah, Sparrow, Sinclair

Recipes for a wintery day

This delicious Pozole recipe and hot chocolate really hit the spot on a cold and snowy day. Tim had a craving for Pozole and I had a craving for homemade hot chocolate and with a little web search we found some recipes that worked.

Pozole

• 1 1/2 lbs pork shoulder
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tablespoon cumin powder
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 tablespoons california chili powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 4 cups canned white hominy, drained and rinsed
• 3 -5 cups pork broth, from cooking pork shoulder
• 1 cup canned diced green chilis (optional)
• salt
• 2 whole fresh jalapenos, chopped (optional)
• 3 whole ancho chilies, seeded and stemmed (garnish) (optional)

Change Measurements: US | Metric

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 1 1/2 hrs

1. 1 This recipe requires a simple prep.
2. 2 Prepare the onion, peel the garlic, chop the onion, peel and chop the 2 garlic cloves, chop the green chilies and jalapenos if you are using them and get the hominy drained and rinsed.
3. 3 I boil my ancho chilies in a separate small pot for the garnish part(read below).
4. 4 Now you are ready to cook.
5. 5 Place the meat in a large saucepan and just cover with lightly salted water.
6. 6 Add 1/2 chopped onion, the 2 cloves peeled garlic, pepper, cumin, and oregano.
7. 7 Bring to a boil over medium heat, skim off any foam that rises, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
8. 8 Remove meat and broth, reserving both.
9. 9 Saute the remaining chopped onion and garlic in oil until translucent.
10. 10 Add the remaining spices, stir for a minute.
11. 11 Cut the reserved pork into 1 inch cubes and add to the pan.
12. 12 Stir in the canned hominy, pork broth (if there is not enough pork broth, add chicken stock, I like to add it anyway for flavor, about 2-4 cups, eyeball the amount you like), green chilies and jalapenos (optional).
13. 13 Cook at a simmer, covered, for 45 to 60 minutes until the meat and hominy are tender.
14. 14 If necessary, cook for up to an additional 60 minutes until the chilies and onions are well blended into the broth.
15. 15 Degrease the stew, taste for salt, and serve in soup bowls.
16. 16 This is a delicious recipe and well worth the effort to make.
17. 17 Garnishes that are always served with are:.
18. 18 lots of lime/lemon wedges.
19. 19 sliced radishes.
20. 20 chopped cilantro.
21. 21 Shredded cabbage(not red).
22. 22 fresh/ packaged fried corn tortillas.
23. 23 When my ancho chilies are soft from boiling(takes about 15 minutes), then i put them in the blender with 1 1/2cups of water, 1 clove of garlic and about 2 tablespoons diced onion, and about 1 tablespoons of salt and pepper. I blend this thin, then strain it to get the liquid separated from its "pulp". I throw the pulp into the soup for the flavor i like but you can discard if too spicy for you. The remaining liquid you put in a serving dish for guests to add in their own bowl, if desired. Beware! It's HOT!

We did not follow directions to the dot, but it was still very delicious .

Hot Chocolate.

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream

Directions

1. Combine the cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn't scorch. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil! Remove from heat and add vanilla. Divide between 4 mugs. Add the cream to the mugs of cocoa to cool it to drinking temperature.

I added whipped cream on top and marshmallows and a little less than the sugar asked for because some people had commented that it was too sweet.