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Our Charis Family
Ginjah Gardner
Hello Charis Family,
This is a new season in my life with my husband of
30 years, Bill, who is retired. We raised our
daughters, Rebecca and Sarah, and adopted Stevon,
Bill’s nephew, when his parents died. I also
had a child out of wedlock when I was 14, whom I put
up for adoption. She found me when she turned
21. Because she was C-section, I was not able
to VBAC when my labor stopped in the hospital
with my second child, despite walking the halls,
etc. My 3rd child was a planned C- section.
We have 3 beautiful grandchildren, Ethan 5, Gauge 2
and Sofia “ brand new”. Thank you, Sarah and
Stephen! Rebecca and Peter have given us a
grand-dog, Murphy 1 yr, an English Bulldog and a
grand-turtle, Ralph 10 yrs old. Stevon wants
his fiancée to finish college before focusing on a
family… I guess I can wait!
Seven years ago, my friend had a water birth in a
birthing home. She invited me to play guitar
through her labor. I naturally made sure her
family was well taken care of while they waited for
the newest member of the family to arrive.
That was my introduction to midwifery! Two yrs
later, our 20 year old daughter announced she was
pregnant and I encouraged her to consider water
birth with a midwifery team, instead of getting lost
in the health department's number system. She
fell in love with the birthing home and I was
honored to attend her birthing classes, which gave
me more exposure to this awesome way of life!
Last year my friend's daughter was laboring in the
hospital. I grieved that they were alone in
their first experience, so I took my camera, and
held visitors at bay so the new mom-to-be could get
her rest and privacy. The little training I
had with my daughter two years earlier was helpful
with supporting this young girl in labor. The
baby was perfect, and I got to help her put her new
daughter to the breast for the first time.
That was the most exhilarating 12 hours of my life!
That day I Googled “Christian Doulas” to find out if
there was such a thing, and if there was even
training for it in Florida! Wow, right in my
backyard was Kristin Schuchmann! As we
connected throughout the year I kept feeling a deep
call to support her in her midwifery business, but
was not sure how I would fit in.
Recently, I attended the labor and delivery of my
same friend’s daughter’s second baby. And I
came home and told Bill, “I HAVE TO DO THIS!”
I called Kristin, re-visited my options in the
Doula/Childbirth Ed program and signed on the dotted line!
I was already working on my qualifications for
becoming a birth assistant.
It’s been a long time since I have felt so strongly
and so
comfortable about something! This is ‘just
right’ and ripe timing on all levels! I don't
work, but volunteer all of my time in ministry and
helping others, mostly one-on-one. I teach
Andrew Wommack’s Discipleship Evangelism 48 week
Course, and I’m enrolled in AW’s Charis Bible
College. Next month, I will be formally
licensed and ordained for ministry, as well.
In addition to that, I have a ministry for up and
coming Christian musicians and comedians, Ginjah's
Jah Café, started in 2001. As a Christian folk
musician, I didn’t fit in well with the professional
church music ministry, so I wrote and played in the
midnight hours when my family was asleep. My
heart is to see people enjoying freedom and
confidence in who they are meant to be.
I am extremely delighted to be part of the Charis
Childbirth team because it is God-focused,
professional, organized, and provides an opportunity
to use my unique gifts in helping others find their
individuality. Yep! Charis Childbirth suits me well!
Kristin told me before I signed up, “Get ready to go
on the Potter’s Wheel, because your life is going to
change!” While I do not know exactly what all that
will encompass, I know I am merely a living
sacrifice; no stranger to the Potter’s Wheel (the
process that brings the change I am not able to
conjure up on my own.) Obedience is better than
sacrifice!
My
Doula/Childbirth Educator track officially started
Oct 1st! And perhaps by the time this article
publishes, I will have Karen Strange’s Neonatal
Resuscitation Class under my belt in preparation for
birth assisting. (Can you tell I am excited?)
I am looking forward to educating women on options
for childbirth to empower them with choices! Along
with Doula/Childbirth Ed and Birth Asst, I will be a
Lactation Counselor. And I won’t be doing it alone;
I have already felt the camaraderie among this
family of like-minded women! Thank you!
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Charis
Cuisine
Carrot Nut Salad
Ingredients:
Eight – ten medium carrots, grated or spiralized
One-half cup celery chopped
One-half cup green onions chopped
One-half cup dried cranberries
One-half cup raw cashew pieces
One-third cup pumpkin seeds
Dressing:
One-fourth cup grapeseed oil
One-fourth cup apple cider vinegar
Ten fresh basil leaves chopped fine and a few leaves for garnish
One lime, juiced
Sea salt and pepper to taste, if desired
Mix all salad ingredients and set aside. Mix all dressing
ingredients and whisk to combine. Drizzle dressing over salad
and toss gently to coat all. Garnish plates or bowl with
fresh basil leaves. Serves 4-5
Kale Cantaloupe Blackberry Salad
Ingredients:
One large head of curly kale, stripped from center leaf spine
and chopped into small pieces,
One red bell pepper chopped
One and one-half cup blackberries
One cup raw cashew pieces
One cup sweet pea sprouts
One-half medium cantaloupe cubed
One-half cup other sprouts (beet, broccoli, spinach)
Dressing:
One-fourth cup apple cider vinegar
One-fourth cup olive oil
Three tablespoons orange juice
One tablespoon Miso paste
Two teaspoons honey
Pinch of black pepper to taste
Combine kale with all dressing ingredients, toss well, and let
sit in refrigerator for 20-30 mins. After kale sits with
dressing, mix again and add all other salad ingredients except
blackberries. Toss lightly. Add the blackberries
just before serving to the top of salad and as a garnish in the
middle. Beautiful! This recipe serves 6-7 people.
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'Behold, I will
bring them from the north country, And gather them from the ends of
the earth,
Among them the blind and the lame,
The woman with child and The one who labors with child, together,
A
great throng shall return there...And My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the LORD.'
Jeremiah 31:8, 14
~~~
©2012 Charis Childbirth
Services, All Rights Reserved
Feel free to forward this newsletter to friends in its entirety,
leaving all attribution intact.
October 2012 |
