Wendy's Whimsies

Rush on Hannity Part 2 of 2

2009-06-05T12:31:00.001-04:00

Rush on Hannity Part 1

2009-06-05T12:30:00.000-04:00

Heard of Norman M Thomas?

2009-05-11T08:50:00.000-04:00

Norman Mattoon Thomas (Nov. 20, 1884-Dec. 19, 1968), and some of us are old enough to remember him running for President, was a leading American socialist, pacifist and six time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America.

Norman Thomas said this in a 1944 speech:

"The American people will never knowing ly adopt socialism. But, under the name of "Liberalism", they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened." He went on to say: "I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democratic Party has adopted our platform."

posted by the NC 5th District Republicans Facebook group.

Housing crisis was foreseen in '99

2009-05-07T14:42:00.000-04:00

Precinct Chairmen

2009-05-06T11:21:00.000-04:00

"Organize the whole state so that every
Whig can be brought to the polls...

...Divide the county into small districts and
...appoint in each a sub-committee,

...Make a perfect list of all the voters and ..
.ascertain with certainty for whom they will
vote,

...Keep a constant watch on the doubtful
voters and... have them talked to by those in
whom they have the most confidence,

...and on election day see that every Whig
is brought to the polls."

— Abraham Lincoln
February 21, 1840

sent from the Forsyth County Republican Party Facebook group

The Liberals Were Right

2009-04-22T16:02:00.001-04:00

This is difficult for me to admit but, admit it I have to:
my liberal friends were right.

They told me if I voted for McCain, the nation's
Hope would deteriorate, and sure enough there
has been a 20 point drop in the Consumer
Confidence Index since the election, reaching a
lower point than any time during the Bush administration.

They told me if I voted for McCain, the US would become
more deeply embroiled in the Middle East, and sure enough,
tens of thousands of additional troops are scheduled to be
deployed into Afghanistan .

They told me if I voted for McCain, that the economy would
get worse, and sure enough unemployment is approaching
8.8% and the new stimulus packages recently sent the stock
market lower than at any time since 9-11.

They told me if I voted for McCain, we would see more "crooks"
in high ranking positions in Federal government and sure enough,
several recent cabinet nominees and Senate appointments
revealed resumes of scandal, bribery and tax fraud..

They told me if I voted for McCain, we would see more "Pork at the
trough" in Federal government and sure enough, 17,500 "Pork Bills"
showed up in Congress in just three weeks...

They told me if I voted for McCain, we would see more deficit spending
in DC and sure enough, Obama spent more in just 30 days than all
other Presidents together in the history of the good 'ole USA ....

Well I ignored my Democrat friends in November and voted for McCain.

And they were right ..

All of their predictions have come true.

Plans for a New Global Reserve Currency?

2009-04-21T16:03:00.001-04:00

I realize this is a few weeks old, but worth noting this kind of stuff is still in the back of Washington's mind ....

Backdoor nationalization of our banks

2009-04-21T15:50:00.000-04:00

Obama's European tour

2009-04-08T16:44:00.002-04:00

It's John Stewart, so know beforehand it's secular sarcasm (if you don't know who he is) ...

"Barack Obama will rid the world of nuclear weapons and make vegetables taste like ice cream."

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

M - Th 11p / 10c

00Bama - International Man of History

thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Economic Crisis

Political Humor

Yet, quite funny :p not "LOL" funny, but still, funny ;o)

school vouchers

2009-04-07T12:20:00.003-04:00

From this article:

"... It’s bad enough that Democrats are killing a program that parents love and is closing the achievement gap between poor minorities and whites. ..."

What I want to know, is, which gap is being closed? Between poor minorities and "middle class" whites in the traditional schools? The poor minorities and "poor" whites in traditional schools? or the poor minorities and whites in the private schools?

The private schools in the DC area are $7500 a year, right? The private school our kids have went to (rural NC) are $2500 a year. They mention the kids are reading half a grade above grade level. My more lower-than-higher middle class white child was reading three grades above his grade level last year (this year to be announced). Last year's test scores, overall, his 3rd grade class scored an average of eighth grade, sixth month above the national average of third grade, seven months!

Maybe DC needs to take some notes from that school?

I would love to have vouchers in NC, and we'd have a much better education it sounds like than what DC has to offer, and it would save the Government a TON of money!

However it is a crying shame they are freezing funds over the charter schools in NY, despite its proving it is academically achieving. Reminds me of the homeschooling case in NC. Maybe the next election more people will remember what is happening NOW~ and this will be Obama's last term (God willing) and someone with common sense will win?

Help Counter Pro-Homosexual Lobby in NC legislature

2009-03-31T11:34:00.002-04:00

from the American Family Association:

Equality NC, a pro-homosexual lobbying group and its allies are vigorously working for the passage of two bills that would promote the normalization of homosexuality in the public schools.

HB 548 and SB 526, The School Violence Prevention Act (the Bullying Bill) would require local school boards to amend their existing bullying policies to include "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression". The measure would not only create a protected status in North Carolina's pubic schools for homosexuality, bisexuality, cross dressing and other alternative sexual behaviors, but would also require schools to teach these behaviors are normal and acceptable.

HB 88 - The Healthy Youth Act would supplant Abstinence Until Marriage (AUM) sex education as the standard for North Carolina's children with Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE). While the current standard, the AUM curriculum teaches "a mutually faithful monogamous heterosexual relationship in the context of marriage is the best lifelong means of avoiding sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS," CSE would teach "respect for marriage and committed relationships" - opening the door to present unmarried heterosexual relationships as well as homosexual, bisexual and multi-partner relationships as equal with traditional marriage.

CSE would become the standard for North Carolina's children, meaning that unless a parent intervenes requesting their child take AUM, then the child would be placed directly into CSE. CSE should not be the standard sex education curriculum for North Carolina's children!

Send an e-mail to your Representative and Senator and asking them to oppose these two egregious bills (The Healthy Youth Act and the Bullying Bill). And while you are at it, tell them of your support for SB 272 and HB 361 - The Defense of Marriage bills.

(more reading)

''Christian' reality TV a popular concept'

2009-03-31T11:11:00.003-04:00

I agree with this article, you do vote with your remote. It is so important to support family friendly programming, not just in theory but in action as well. I was glad to see a new program air just in time for Jon & Kate's hiatus, it's called Table for 12. While Jon & Kate aren't promoted as a "Christian" show, if you have read Kate's book Multiple Blessings, you know beyond a shadow of a doubt they are indeed Christians. (I have never laughed and cried so much in a six hour time span as I did when I read that book. Yep- couldn't put it down! Six hours!).

"NC's 'Healthy Youth Act' healthy in name only"

2009-03-31T10:39:00.002-04:00

This is quite shocking and sicking, actually. Where are the morals of people? If you have to resort to lieing to get something, is it truly worth getting? There has been a bill introduced to the NC house, 'endorsed by Equality North Carolina, an advocacy organization for homosexual, bisexual, and transgender issues.' It is being glossed over as abstinence based, yet, seventh through nineth graders would be taught about the use of over a dozen contraceptives. Sure! That's abstinence based, right? Not quite, people.

North Carolinians!
Go to the Christian Action League website, download the PDF, print it, and show all of your friends and family what is going on- and CONTACT your state legislators!

Obama's first judge nomination

2009-03-31T10:26:00.003-04:00

Can we now start actually questioning the merit of him actually "attending church" and "being a Christian"? Because that was not allowed during the campaigne. Christians who verbally wondered about the kind of "Christian" church he went to were stared down at the audacity to ask such a question. I had wondered if this man was actually a Christian- now, I believe I can safely assume he is not. Because he is not, we can no longer be suprised when he pushes through anti-Christian legislation (like the killing of babies born alive in an abortion attempt).

A BIBLICAL Christian- would not do this:

From the Liberty Counsel newsletter:

"President Barack Obama's first judicial nominee, David Hamilton,
is a former ACLU attorney, who as a federal trial judge issued
a court ruling that said "No" to Jesus and "Yes" to Allah.

In 2005, this former ACLU activist ordered the Speaker of
the Indiana House to immediately stop "sectarian prayers"
at the opening of the legislative session. Specifically,
Hamilton ruled that prayers "using Christ's name or title"
were sectarian and therefore unconstitutional.

To make matters worse, in a post-judgment motion for this same
case, Hamilton ruled that prayers said to "Allah" were acceptable!
So, according to Obama's first judicial nominee, prayers to Jesus
are unconstitutional but prayers to Allah are just fine!

Liberty Counsel filed an amicus brief opposing Hamilton's
ruling in that case and fortunately it was reversed by the
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the same court to which
he has now been nominated for life time tenure. But this
case and others have exposed the far-left, anti-faith and
anti-life positions of President Obama's first judicial
nominee. Go here for more details on Hamilton's record.

On Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee begins its hearings
on the Hamilton nomination. I am asking you to take a stand
with me in opposing this nomination."

Click here to take action through the Liberty Counsel.

Anniversary of Terri Schiavo

2009-03-31T09:49:00.003-04:00

From the Christian Law Association newsletter:

"Terri was the first American ever court ordered to die without being criminally convicted of a crime.

When our nation’s journalists and politicians discuss this issue, as they still do, they continue to get it wrong. This was not the government meddling in a private family decision. Terri’s husband voluntarily took this matter to court to obtain a judicial order mandating his disabled wife’s death. Terri was neither sick nor terminal, but a probate court judge ordered her death despite the heroic efforts of Terri’s family, her attorneys, and many elected leaders including the President of the United States to urge a higher court to overturn this outrageous decision. "

(Click Here to Order or to Download a FREE Copy of the DVD Fighting for Dear Life)

I think of this story, and it makes me think of the recent story of the North carolina Homeschooling mom who had her right to homeschool overturned in "divorce court" by a judge that clearly had an agenda of getting her kids into public school, despite their high grades and academic testing. (blog)

We cannot put our heads in the sand while the government and local courts are consistently doing things to take away our freedoms. They cannot be allowed to do that, they must be held accountable. We must stay aware of what is going on around us, and be willing to stand against the wrongdoings of our government, before it is considered trreason to say anything against the government. If we do nothing, we are allowing it to happen.

Have you plugged in to your local 9-12 project? If not, I encourage you to- today! My local chapter is meeting at the end of this month and I am going to be there. I am also going to be going to our 4-15 local tea party downtown. Think that's a fly by night operation? Think again, these things are popping up all over the nation, don't take my word for it, look for yourself! Go to the website to find the one nearest you and make it a family event.

Don't stick your head in the sand- open your eyes and pay attention to what is happening to our nation- and do something to stop it! When my kids are grown, and they are sitting with their grandkids talking about how things were when they were little, and they talk about a certain president called Obama and how through his UNgodly, flawed vision almost RUINED the most wonderful country in the world ... they are going to be able to say their grandma made sure she done everything she could to stop it, and through her and thousand other God fearing parents and Christians- it WAS stopped.

Never take freedom for granted!

The new Government Motors logo

2009-03-30T16:30:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Michelle Maulkin for the link, and Doug Powers for the excellent workmanship in photoshop ;) Check it out ... LOL!

Scriptures and our government

2009-03-30T11:55:00.002-04:00

Pastor said last night of the bible "... an old book with a contemporary theme...", and that sure is true, isn't it? I just run across this in my reading:

Matthew 23:
2Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

3All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. ("do as I say and not as I do- pay taxes, avoid regulation that works and affects our personal friends and alliances' BONUSES (Fannie & Freddie..)

4For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. ("we'll spend the money, your kids and grandkids can pay for our likely-to-fail programs that destroy our country's foundations...")

5But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, ("I want my Gulf Stream ride and I want it NOW!")

6And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, (Wednesday's Cocktail hour, anyone?)

7And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. (Yes we can! Yes we can! Oh merciful one! (lol, sorry, couldn't help it)..

8But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

Yet we are to be separate from those who do that.

Tomorrow is THE day!

2009-03-30T10:48:00.001-04:00

Tonight (March 30th) at midnight is the cutoff date for guaranteed delivery from the Red Envelope Day site- http://www.RedEnvelopeDay.com/send.html

I think we're going to use the site to send ours. Are you sending? Have you sent one alrady? Where did you find your envelopes?

Great conversation

2009-03-30T10:36:00.004-04:00

I love watching Shepard Smith in the afternoons. You can tell what he really thinks about things just through his expressions, lol This is basically a conversation with him and Judge Napolitano talking about the acts of our House of Representatives in the last week, and how the UNconstitutional slant they are taking. I believe they're all insane (HoR) myself, and Pelosi isn't making things better by far!! Us little people need to get involve and realize what we are and are not voting for! Iam so thankful my mother in law over a year ago spoke up and greatly praised "the one Republican" she'd ever vote for- Mike Huckabee - when we were visiting family out of state.

If my mother in law would consider voting Republican (because of him), I wanted to know what was so special about him. When we got home, I started looking him up. Then I started following the election. Then the addiction began. All I'm saying is if a stay at home mom with "some college" education can follow this, then it serves to prove that most anyone can use the common sense that God gave them to make well researched decisions on who is truly the best people to run our country.

and ACORN is NOT the group to help the little people realize this!

"One World Trade Center"- seriously?

2009-03-30T10:07:00.003-04:00

"One World Trade Center"- seriously? It makes me think of the One World Order that the world is going to experience after the church has left this world and the world ends up under one leader. Hmmm- I wonder if this is why Obama is not releasing his birth certificate? Because he really is NOT a natural born US citizen? If you haven't yet, sign the petition demanding Obama release his birth certificate like every other US president before him has done.

How much more are the families of 9-11 victims going to have to take for the sake of our country trying to be politically correct?! I must say- Gretchen Carlson just rocks, and she is calling it like it is (in terms of political correctness > scroll to "above the fold" > "All Scream for Ice Cream">) on Fox and Friends, and I'm so glad to have someone in the media. Needless to say I am a Fox fan ;o)

What are your thoughts on this 180 turn against the naming of the Freedom Tower?

what happened to free will?

2009-03-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

Do people, not all, but the majority of people who voted him in, actually want our freedoms taken away like this? Does she ACTUALLY think if you have a trans fat, corn syrup, hormone, and additives free diet, that you will actually lose weight based on those factors alone? SERIOUSLY? aaaaannntttt- wrong answer lady! This is just crazy.

Obama responds to Leno appearance critics ... sorta

2009-03-21T16:56:00.001-04:00

I just love how he tap dances around eveything and never truly addresses things. I guess that's where his press secretary gets it from.

Calvary Girl: Wordless Wednesday 3-18

2009-03-18T12:09:00.000-04:00

Calvary Girl: Wordless Wednesday 3-18

Bailout (a funny)

2009-03-16T20:54:00.001-04:00

see more Lol Celebs

The Lord reigneth- not Pelosi and Obama

2009-01-30T09:34:00.001-05:00

A friend of mine wrote a quick but true and comforting reminder on her blog. I encourage you to click over and read it. Be sure to leave her a comment, too. (If you're feelin frisky- leave me one as well, ;-)

Freedom of Choice Act

2009-01-14T16:23:00.002-05:00

The Obama Administration and the ultraliberal 111th Congress are
moving quickly to implement the most radical abortion agenda in
the history of our Nation.

Through legislation called the "Freedom of Choice Act," they want
you and I to pay for abortions and they want to force pro-life
health care workers to participate in this horrible act!

I signed Liberty Counsel's Citizen Petition opposing this radical
abortion agenda. Please join me here!

If FOCA is passed, legal scholars agree that it would overturn the following current laws and controls on abortion:
38 states' prohibitions on partial-birth abortion
44 states' laws governing parental involvement
40 states' laws significantly restricting late-term abortions
46 states' laws protecting an individual health care provider’s right to deny an abortion on grounds of conscience
27 states' conscience protection laws affecting institutions
28 states' laws requiring a mandatory waiting period before providing an abortion
16 states' laws mandating ultrasounds before an abortion
33 states' laws requiring counseling before an abortion
All 50 states’ reporting requirements on abortion

“The first thing I’d do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act.”
--Barack Obama 7/17/08

Merry Christmas Friends!!

2008-12-24T17:46:00.001-05:00

I have my last sheet of Gingerbread cookies in the oven, and as soon as they cool we're headed off to my parent's house for Christmas Eve festivities. That would be Hamburger soup for dinner and the opening of presents. Our day is packed tomorrow so I doubt I'll be online unless it's to fling food on facebook in the morning ;) So be safe, and we'll see you on Friday!!

"B" is for Bribery?

2008-12-18T18:31:00.002-05:00

I'm not so sure ...
While I agree with yes,, children should want to do good, that is said in the pretense of what I believe is children in stable families where parents are actually involved in a child's education.
The study / studies that are being done that are paying children for performance, are paying children that are in underperforming schools (one is the DC area), in underperforming areas and inner city neighborhoods. What works for us as conservative christian families will not work for children in other families..

The students in these programs probably have no idea where to even start, to achieve success academically. Some of these cash for grades programs are tutoring programs, others are school-grade based only. The idea is to get these kids motivated to do well in school (I was a mediocre student until my aunt committed to $5 for each A I made, and even then, I could only do three of six even when I tried, and that was not with anyone helping me along.).

For most of these kids, money is what speaks to them. So, they are going with what initially speaks to the children, and the hope is that while the children are applying theirselves for the cause of earning money, they will realize that have gained a love of learning and an interest in doing well academically, without being paid.

So under those circumstances, I think it's a good idea. It helps grow good patterns of behavior, and it's not a permanent situation. I'd much rather them do this than to keep throwing money at school systems without the schools actually performing, kwim?

What do you think?

links-
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/05/16/study_0514.html
http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2008/11/28/giving-students-cash-for-grades.html

PC Police at it again

2008-12-16T00:12:00.004-05:00

I can't believe the story I just read. I'm glad it is in England, and I love the lady's response and of that of her neighborhood, but still? A neighborhood association telling someone their Christmas lights, which are on their private property, are offensive and to take them down? PULEASE! Yeh man, "Bugger Off!!".

Throughout the Election season people were rolling their eyes at Republicans and their assertion that Obama would lead us towards socialism. I, for one, did not appreciate that but hey, I guess I'm a fear-monger for agreeing to such things, right? Maybe not.

Apparently, socialistic values have been creeping in for a while and are being shown in multiple examples now by the local (umm .. democratic) governments!
Case(s) in point (from monicamemo.com):

Faced with a $12.5 billion deficit next year, New York Governor
David Paterson .. is teeing up the following:
Higher gasoline taxes
New taxes on clothing
New taxes on health insurance
Requiring new
license plates ...
... "anti-obesity" tax on non-diet soda.
If you want a
Diet Coke, no problem. If you want a Classic Coke, you're screwed. Wait,
correction: According to New York State, you're fat AND you're screwed.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has put into effect all
kinds of intrusions, including banning transfats ... and putting a 6 cent
surcharge on all plastic bags.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has banned plastic water
bottles. Most cities and states have passed widespread smoking bans, instead of
allowing individual establishments to determine whether or not to allow smoking.
And who can forget The Bama's campaign statement: "We can't drive our SUV's,
you know, eat as much as we want, and keep our homes on, you know, 72 degrees at
all times."

This is incremental fascism. It starts with plastic water bottles, moves on
to non-diet soda, and ends with you in Orwellian chains of an oppressive
nation-state. It's time we demanded some of our freedoms back, and a reversal
of those we've already lost. *

For the record, as someone misunderstood something in one of my signatures on iVillage, "Obamaphobia" is a word some uses to describe a "fear of socialism". Not wanting your capitolistic country to take a turn towards socialism does NOT mean that one does not like people who are socialists or live in socialist countries. There is a VAST difference!! Some may not agree that Obama would do that, but I and others believe he would, and I expect frankly nothing less than respect from others for me to have my opinion, as I respect their right to their own opinions that might differ from my own.
Afterall, in America, that's what it's supposed to be :o)

Lets talk "Auto Bailout"

2008-12-12T16:27:00.003-05:00

There has been something about the whole auto bailout issue that has not set right with me, and I have not been able to put my finger on it til just now. Something about it just didn't seem right, howbeit the noble, concerned reasoning that has been stated in support of it. I guess it's one of those things I can see both sides of, but my better judgement has leaned against it instead of for it.

But why? I've been decluttering our very cluttered bedroom today while listening to Fox News (fair and balanced), and Shepherd Smith was on. I just love that guy, he's so funny, LOL and he's very good at reading comments from emails from "both sides", but one email he read struck home for me, so much I've paused the TV so I could come here and type it out for anyone out there who reads here ;o)

It was from John in Alabama:

"... it is unconstitutional to use Federal tax dollars to bail out
industries and union labor states with Federal tax dollars taken from industries and non union states. It is not fair to unfairly advantage Michigan over Alabama citizens. And to use Alabama tax dollars to bail out Michigan is unconstitutional."

He hit it on the head right there. There are southern states where Foreign car companies have plants, and they are functioning and doing fine. Why is it my responsibility to bail out families whose primary provider makes $70/hr, when there are families in NC whose primary provider only makes $18/hr? Is it Dish Network's fault their business is functioning properly and the auto industry isn't? Is it our fault, as tax payers?

Since when did it come to be our responsibility as hard working, frugal lower middle class citizens to ensure companies do not go under?

Did Mr. Ford himself not file bankruptcy some seven times before Ford Motor Company got off the ground?

Christmas Wins In North Carolina School

2008-12-09T18:11:00.002-05:00

I could not believe this story when I heard it this morning. Surprised, but not shocked though. Someone down the road apparently didn't make it known that Santa is NOT a Christian theme! There are many, MANY Christians that do not include Santa in their Christmas celebration. It can potentially be a hot topic in some Christian circles, really.

See the FoxNews report (video) here.

Read the OneNewsNow article here.

Day Without a Gay

2008-12-09T17:50:00.004-05:00

from http://www.onenewsnow.com/:

SAN FRANCISCO - Some homosexual marriage supporters are urging people to "call in gay" Wednesday to show how much the country relies on homosexuals, but others question whether it's wise to encourage skipping work given the nation's economic distress.

Organizers of "Day Without a Gay" -- scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants -- also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money.

"We are all for a boycott if that is what brings about a sense of community for people," said Hetherington, 30, ... "You can take away from the economy and give back in other ways."

Scott Craig, a fifth-grade teacher at Independence Charter School in Philadelphia, had no problem requesting and being granted the day off. So many of the school's 60 teachers were eager to show support for homosexual rights they had to make sure enough stayed behind to staff classrooms. About 25 teachers plan to take Wednesday off and to have their work covered by substitutes while they discuss ways to introduce homosexual issues to their students and volunteer at the local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, Craig said. A letter telling parents why so many teachers would be out went home Monday.

Join The Impact, ... has urged people to withdraw $80 from their bank accounts Wednesday to demonstrate gays' spending power, and to devote the time they might otherwise spend watching TV or surfing the Internet to volunteer work.

Witeck-Combs Communications, a public relations firm in Washington that specializes in the the homosexual market, published a study this year that estimated that those consumers spend $700 billion annually.
____________________________________________

So, what would the economy look like if all of the Christian community stayed home from work, and withdrew their consumer contributions? Which group is really larger?

Are gay people going to really quit buying things? What is the point of pointing out how much they spend annually?

What happened to tolerance?

Is there a group in Philadelphia gathering to protect their children from the classroom indoctrinations that are being planned to happen in that charter school? If that was our school- my kids would be out that day and they would NOT be counted absent. What happened to being neutral? (I'm SO glad our school is! contrary to some strong opinion, not all public schools are created equally @@ )

Join the conservative resistance

2008-12-09T17:30:00.002-05:00

from www.grassfire.org:
"The Resistance States: As an American citizen, while I will show respect to President-elect Obama, I oppose the far-Left and socialistic elements that comprise the centerpiece of his agenda. I recognize that it will take a patriotic and resilient Citizen Resistance to block implementation of this agenda and I join with others who oppose these threats to our liberties. "

Click here to sign... (and read more)

Newsweek trashes the Bible

2008-12-09T15:23:00.003-05:00

Newsweek trashes the Bible in support of homosexual marriage

Newsweek magazine has published a lengthy article stating that the Bible supports homosexual marriage. The article was written Lisa Miller, Newsweek religion editor.
Miller's article is one of the most biased and distorted pieces concerning homosexual marriage ever published by any major news organization. The article is much too long for this e-mail.
Dr. Albert Mohler has offered a response to the Newsweek article. I suggest you read Mohler’s article and then read Miller's Newsweek article.

Mohler made a significant point in his response: "The national news media are collectively embarrassed by the passage of Proposition 8 in California. Gay rights activists are publicly calling on the mainstream media to offer support for gay marriage, arguing that the media let them down in November. It appears that Newsweek intends to do its part to press for same-sex marriage. Many observers believe that the main obstacle to this agenda is a resolute opposition grounded in Christian conviction. Newsweek clearly intends to reduce that opposition."

Send an e-mail to Newsweek telling Newsweek you are disappointed with its distorted interpretation of scripture.

Forward this e-mail to your friends and family. They need to see how the media distorts scripture to support same-sex marriage. Ask them to send the e-mail to Newsweek.

Call CEO Thomas E. Ascheim at 212-445-5245. Please be polite.

If you subscribe to Newsweek, cancel your subscription and tell them why.
read more at World Net Daily:
Newsweek: Bible OK with same-sex 'marriage'

I gave up on Newsweek a long time ago. Has anyone read this article?

Communist paranoia?

2008-11-11T17:17:00.001-05:00

Does this sound as crazy to you as it did me?-

The Ukrainian actress, who plays a Bolivian secret agent opposite Daniel Craig's
007 in "Quantum Of
Solace", has also gained ire of the Communist Party of St. Petersburg, which
in an open letter on its website condemned her for aiding "the killer of
hundreds of Soviet people and their allies." The group's statement describes 007
as "a man who worked for decades under the orders of Thatcher and Reagan to
destroy the USSR."

The Communist Party of St Petersburg, a splinter group of the second
largest political party in the Russian Duma, has made headlines earlier in the
year when it denounced "Indiana
Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" as crude anti-Soviet propaganda
and called actors Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett "capitalist puppets."

read more-
http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/olgakurylenko_blog.html

Seriously?

My 9-1-1 tribute

2008-09-13T16:39:00.006-04:00

I have not been able to blog the past few days, so this is my belated 9-11 tribute for this year. I have not done anything before. I am not sure why this year struck me so hard. Perhaps the finalities of this year. This will be the last year the loved ones in NY will be able to go down to Ground Zero because construction is going to start within the next year. This is the first year for the Pentagon Memorial Park. Maybe I'm just very sensitive to loss this year. Whatever it is, this was a hard one this year.

I heard it on TV that morning from David Beamer something along the lines of (because I cannot remember the exact wording); "we have had seven more September elevenths, but we have not had another 9-11.." and I thought that was so profound to think about, and could not help but be so thankful for that fact. It's not due to lack of trying as I believe it's up to six plans have been thwarted in that same time frame, too.

I hope you'll enjoy my playlist as it is in honor of those who lost their lives on that day, of their loved ones, and for our brave military who has sacrificed so much since '06 in the war on terror.

You'll have to start the music, as I realize some read from their workplaces and did not want to scare you to death (or have attention called to your office!) by having it on 'autostart'.

Five for the weekend

2008-09-06T18:25:00.000-04:00

Please feel free to join me and comment!

1) (If you're American)- have you been watching the conventions? What are you thinking?
Yes, every minute of both of them. I'm very excited about Sarah Palin being on the Republican ticket. I believe it's shown some true colors in our country over the past week, really.

2) How's the weather where you're at? (Remind us where you are!). Anyone in the line of the hurricanes?

We weren't in line. It was supposed to rain today and it was mid 80's from noon on in. It rained this morning a little and was damp last night though.

3) Back to school- how's that working for ya so far? (be it your going back to school, taking a class, or your kids going back...)

The kids are enjoying their new school (they started a charter school this year). Jackson says it's stricter than the private school they've attended their whole school careers. Homework has been an experience. It's not that they come home with too much, just the attitude surrounding it. kwim?

4) Have you tried a new food or recipe this week? (What was it, did you like it?)

No

5) What's going on this weekend in your world? *g*

My Sunday school class had "couples night out" last night at the Mexican Restaurant in town where our church is. There were about 30 people there. It was nice to visit with friends. We got to know a new couple in class a lot better. They just moved to NC from IL. That's a culture change BIG time ;-) After dinner we all walked to the new coffee shop in the same shopping center and chatted more. That was fun.

Today we took the kids to the local ar show that is held each year this weekend. They have it at the airport right up the road where I grew up. There were a number of older planes on display with facts posted near them. The air show was sets of planes doing tricks, skywriting, etc .. my neice and her beau was there, he was working as a vendor for his company. We got to visit with them for a little while. We all have a lot of sun now on our faces and necks ;o)

When we got home the deer family was in the front yard, a doe and her two babies. They're regular visitors in our yard but each time they show up it's so exciting to see them and see how the babies are getting so much bigger. I was able to get a few pictures today cause I was borrowing my mom's (much better) camera. I will post them when I get them transferred and resized and all.

Tomorrow is church day. The air show cost more than what I thought so I think we'll be having Sunday lunch at home, especially since we had Mexican Friday night. (We usually have it Sunday after church). Usually we chill out after church until it's time to go back. I'm thinking that children's choir starts tomorrow, I'll have to check on that!!

Sarah Palin, her faith

2008-09-05T13:37:00.006-04:00

I mentioned in this post that when asked, Sarah Palin professed to be a Christian, attending a non denominational church. There has been a lot of buzz around the Christian community about her vice presidential nomination. Some of it I have been quite surprised with. The biggest one is assuming we know what the will of God is for someone else. I'm reminded that as humans how well we are at deciding what is best for someone else's family, when we do not know what all of the details are. How we can become the example of godliness when we see another family have something happen that we have not encountered- how we have that instant knowledge of how it would not happen in our own families because we wouldn't have done the things the other family did- such as the mother work outside of the home. I'm reminded that we are SUCH sinful, prideful people! YES! I'm talking about Christians!

I expect such reactions from the lost, for example the parts of the Democratic party that has now found a sudden case of "family values". The idea that Bristol being pregnant at 17 is a reason that Sarah should not be the VP nominee is ridiculous. There's NOTHING Sarah can do now at home that is going to make her any less pregnant! The presumption that Bristol becoming pregnant reflects on Sarah's absence in the home due to being Governor is ... you know, my mind is stirring so much over that I cannot even come up with a word for it right now. Can someone help me? HOW DARE YOU assume you know what was behind Bristol's pregnancy!!

I will never forget my high school math teacher explaining to us what "assume" really means- it makes an 'a.s.s. [out of] u. [and] m.e.' . Yes, that's strong and might not had been appropriate for a 14 year old to hear in school but boy did it stick with me. That's why I try my BEST not to assume I know what's behind a situation unless I am really there. I believe the reactions by Christian women asserting that had Sarah been home and not working as Governor of Alaska, Bristol would not had been pregnant, are not presenting a godly, gracious, merciful reflection of what Christ is really like. It's more so reflecting that attitude of the Pharisees in Jesus' time IMO!! "If you do this, and this, because this is to be this way ... you will be OK". YOU MIGHT NOT BE OK!!

Life is a journey, and Christian life is a battle in that journey to heaven. We are NEVER guaranteed that things will work out EVEN IF we do the best we can. All we ARE guaranteed is that God will give us the grace to get through the trials we are faced with. Bristol's pregnancy did NOT surprise God at all. You know who I bet it did surprise? Sarah and Todd. Better yet- Bristol! I'm seeing a lot of Christians ASSUME that Sarah was not doing an effective job in teaching abstinence to her children, because of this. The fact is, we can do everything "just right", and we still might not get the results we were striving for. Fact is, we can teach and teach and lead and lead our children, but when they become teenagers, their faith has to be their faith, and our convictions are no longer their convictions, it has to be their own.

If your teen does not get pregnant before she gets married, PTL for you. That did not surprise God. If your teen does get pregnant before they get married, bless you. I will not think any less of you as a mother and a Christian (like people are against Sarah), because due to your profession as a God loving, fearing Christan mother, I know you done the best you could and understand that once our children become teens, they are responsible for their own actions, and have to answer to God for their own sin; and you know what? THAT DID NOT SURPRISE GOD. Furthermore, no one knows whether the conception was a "one shot wonder" or not, so to assume that Sarah's kids are out running around without morals because their mother is "out of the home pursuing a career", is silly- borderline gossippy in my mind. So lets not act like we have those facts and give grace where grace is due. God gives US grace, why are Christians not showing her the same amount that is shown to them?

It is clear that Sarah has taught her child to accept the responsibility for her own sin, because she is making things right. She is having the baby, and she is getting married. Okay and for those who question whether or not Bristol and Levi's marriage will "make it" because they are so young- THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING!! How self righteous can we be?! There have been a number of young couples in my own church that have gotten married as teens, the girls being the younger teen (17 even!!) and the boys being a year or so older. These have to be the godliest examples of marriage I have ever seen- to the point I wish MY marriage had the start theirs did. Bristol is going to live the rest of her life with the knowledge she sinned, that one decision impacted everything she has probably been dreaming of in regards to falling in love, getting married, then having kids ... she does not need a nation of sinners condemning her mother for her own sins by way of not supporting her mom with their vote when she is obviously the best choice available.

Our duty, as citizens in this upcoming election, is to elect the best person for the positions they are running for. To look at who is most qualified, and to look at who shares the values we share. It is so utterly clear that Sarah Palin holds our values, yet we are ready to not vote for her ticket because we are going to judge her personal life? Let me share with you a story.

Young mother, assistant manager of a convenience store. She's qualified for a promotion. She's a hard worker, dedicated, independent, responsible, very good at what she does. There's no other person more qualified than her for the current promotion to store manager available. Yet the district manager discounts her, because the store available is five miles further to drive than the store she is currently working at. Not because she's not qualified, or that there was a person more qualified than her for the job, but because of where she lives, the district manager doesn't think driving an additional five miles would be acceptable considering current gas prices. HA!! We're talking about a company that makes money from gas sales!!

Is that a professional, acceptable decision? OF COURSE NOT!! It's shotty! and I fail to see where there's a difference between that and Christian women not supporting Sarah on the ticket.

I say, let Sarah determine whether it is God's will for her life for her to run as VP and possibly become our first female president (Lord willing IMO!). We CANNOT know what God's will is for her. We DO know that God's will for our country is to become more righteous, and NOT supporting the McCain - Palin ticket is definitely a step in the OPPOSITE direction. I voted for Mike Huckabee by principle, but we need to realize this presidential race is between Obama and McCain. There might be other people running, but now is the time to realize that if we have any hope for godliness to be restored to our nation, McCain is the hope we have. It might not be the same hope we would have if Mike Huckabee was running, but it's more hope than what we as bible believing Christians would have in Obama. I could write Mike Huckabee in this November, but even he has the wisdom to tell his supporters to vote for McCain this November and have our votes actually going towards a cause.

No one is perfect, not one of us. We have all sinned, and if we are born again, we are all forgiven. I believe it's high time for a lot of Christians in our country to practice what is preached, and show grace when grace is due. Quit being grace hoggers because you get it every day. I implore you to research the issues and make an educated decision on what God would have you vote for in this election for our country, instead of trying to decide what is best for Sarah Palin and her family. I'm going to leave their family decisions up to the head of that family, Todd Palin.

As a matter of fact, it might serve well to make note from this article:

"Then there’s the motherhood question. How could a full-time mother of five,
including a disabled infant, possibly serve as Vice President? Won’t she be forced to neglect her children? This shouldn’t be much of a problem for Palin. She’s received rave reviews for her performance in a far more difficult job, running the government of Alaska, while also being a hands-on mom. Besides, no elected office in the land is better suited for a full-time mother than the vice presidency. Unlike governors, vice presidents spend most of the day looking for something to do."

So if you can't get past the idea of her working, think of voting for her for VP as putting their family in a better situation than what they've been in for the past year and a half. ;o)

SO.

In speaking about Sarah Palin's faith, I want to ask my sisters (and brothers) this:

If you believed with your whole heart God was leading you to a job position- would you want a nation of sinners second guessing that?

I've made a big decision recently in which I believed 100% it is God's will for my family, and I cannot tell you how HURTFUL and potentially discouraging it is to see people second guess my decision. Do we really want to elevate ourselves to that level of spirituality to assume we know what God is telling someone else? Or do we want to vote in November what would be best for our nation, and vote for someone who would strive to leave this nation in a BETTER condition for our children when they grow up?

For anyone interested, this is a video of Governor Palin speaking at the Wasilla Assembly of God Church in Wasilla, Alaska. Yes, I am IFB and no I do not agree with a lot of AoG doctrine, but that does not mean I question her salvation- especially when her character in my opinion is a strong result of her salvation. She practices what the bible preaches, unlike the opposition. In my opinion if you do not vote for the McCain - Palin ticket, you are welcoming the Obama - Biden ticket into the White House.

Whose values mean more to you?

Rudy Giulani at RNC: great speech!

2008-09-04T12:14:00.003-04:00

Rudy was great, I haven't gotten to see Mike Huckabee's yet. This was the keynote address:

The Sarah Palin RNC speech

2008-09-04T12:11:00.005-04:00

For those who missed it. My comments to come, yours are welcome ;-)
There's 4 parts:

Wonderful World

2008-08-31T16:31:00.002-04:00

This is so cute, I received it on Facebook but wanted to share it with you all here:

Gotta love Miss. P, and she knows who she is. I just ran into an old post I saved of hers with these comments:

No no no that's not a dumb question silly ....
A dumb question would be:

"Can you nail jello to a wall?" or

"After eating, do amphibians have to wait one hour before getting out of the water?" or

"Before they invented drawing boards, what did they go back to?"

Sarah Palin: I could not be happier

2008-08-29T19:49:00.006-04:00

I am SO thrilled with John McCain's choice in picking Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, to be his Vice Presidential running mate. I heard of her a number of months ago and had read about her on the web. My conclusion was she is about like a female version of Mike Huckabee, I just LOVED what I found ;) Apparently I'm not the only one. There's a blogger that started a campaign last year to draft Palin for VP, so people were noticing this talent long before the Presidential race got going strong.

The press release from the McCain website says it all, this woman is what we need! (emphasis mine, below)

ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain today announced that he has
selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate and to serve as his
vice president.

Governor Palin is a tough executive who has demonstrated during her time in office that she is ready to be president. She has brought Republicans and Democrats together within her Administration and has a record of delivering on the change and reform that we need in Washington.

Governor Palin has challenged the influence of the big oil companies while fighting for the development of new energy resources. She leads a state that matters to every one of us -- Alaska has significant energy resources and she has been a leader in the fight to make America energy independent.

In Alaska, Governor Palin challenged a corrupt system and passed a landmark ethics reform bill. She has actually used her veto and cut budgetary spending. She put a stop to the "bridge to nowhere" that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars.

As the head of Alaska's National Guard and as the mother of a soldier herself, Governor Palin understands what it takes to lead our nation and she understands the importance of supporting our troops.

Governor Palin has the record of reform and bipartisanship that others can only speak of. Her experience in shaking up the status quo is exactly what is needed in Washington today. *

The fact that the democrats are jumping on the offensive and the attacks started within an hour of her acceptance speech shows me that she makes them nervous. She's inexperienced? Hallo? Did someone say inexperienced? Maybe a future post will be the job duties of a Senator and that of a Governor, do you think that's due? Lets be real people! Lack of judgement on McCain's end? It appears their records are closer than any of the other names that were being sputtered around.

Sean Hannity spoke about it today and you know he has a point ... it seems Obama is the one that "does not get it" - he sure doesn't have an understanding of middle America, that's for sure!!

Watching Obama's speech and the convention this week made me draw a more clear conclusion though about him. I've wondered forever "what is a 'community organizer'"? From what I saw at the convention, he seems to be an inspirational speaker. If someone has more information, please let me know. But it seems to me that he was in more of an encourager role to help the people laid off from the Steel Plants, and organized them to help bring them together for support and bring an awareness of the options they had before them in regards to their future.

Lets take a look at what Sarah Palin has been doing for the last twelve years:

Feb. 11, 1964 — Born in Sandpoint, Idaho.

1982 — Graduated from Wasilla High School in Wasilla, Alaska.

1987 — Graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Idaho.

August 29, 1988 — Married Todd Palin, whom she would have five children with.

1992-1996 — Entered public life, serving two terms on the Wasilla City Council.

1996-2002 — Elected mayor of Wasilla City, Alaska, for two terms until term limits forced her from office.

2002 — Lost her first statewide campaign for the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor.

2002 — Frank Murkowski left the Senate to become governor and named Palin chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

2003 — Split with the party leaders by battling Randy Ruedrich, the head of Alaska's Republican Party.

2006 — Upset then-Gov. Murkowski in the Republican primary, then defeated former two-term Gov. Tony Knowles, a Democrat, in the general election.

2007 — Pressured lawmakers to get the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act passed, to build a natural gas pipeline to deliver 35 trillion cubic feet of North Slope natural gas to market.

Aug. 29, 2008 — Chosen as Sen. John McCain's vice-presidential running mate in the 2008 election.

(thank you AP)

I mean when this woman's reputation is strong enough to (possibly) change James Dobson's mind, whoa! She's animantly pro life, and practiced what she preached in giving birth to her youngest in April who she knew to have down syndrome.

"The day after the birth, the Palins released the following statement:
"Trig is beautiful and already adored by us. We knew through early testing he
would face special challenges, and we feel privileged that God would entrust us
with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives. We have
faith that every baby is created for good purpose and has potential to make this
world a better place. We are truly blessed."

In an e-mail she sent to relatives and friends the day of Trig's birth, she
wrote: "Many people will express sympathy, but you don't want or need that,
because Trig will be a joy…Children are the most precious and promising
ingredient in this mixed-up world…Trig is no different, except he has one extra
chromosome." " (wnd.com)

Another answer to some burning questions some of you readers might have from a Time Mag interview:

"I knew early on that the smartest thing for me to do was to work hard, do
the best that I can, make wise decisions based on good information in front of
me. And then put my life, get myself on a path that could be dedicated to God
and ask Him what I should next. That will be the position I will be in as long
as I'm on earth — that is, seeking the right path that God would have laid out
for me.

[What's your religion?]
Christian.

[Any particular...?]
No. Bible-believing
Christian.

[What church do you attend?]
A non-denominational
Bible church. I was baptized Catholic as a newborn and then my family started
going to non-denominational churches throughout our life."

more about the spiritual questions from an article at onenewsnow.com:

"Christian activist Dr. Gary Cass also believes evangelicals will strongly
support McCain now that he has chosen Palen as his running mate. Cass is
chairman of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission (CADC), which this past spring unveiled an online petition for a true Christian vice president. The document called on presidential nominees for both major political parties to select a running mate who as been born again, who publicly affirms historic Christianity, and who has a proven record of supporting traditional Christian morality.

Cass says Governor Palin will re-energize the evangelical base. "We have a young,
evangelical leader who stands for our particular issues, who will be now be a
leader into the future," he says of the governor-turned-VP-candidate. "[I]t was
a very courageous choice by John McCain."

Ladies and (possible gents), if you have not gotten to watch the news today, take a look for yourself the stick of dynamite John McCain suprised the world with today making history in choosing the first Republican female vice presidential nominee, Sarah Palin:

Part Two:

To comment on this post, click on the post title, scroll down, and click "comment" as usual!

Uhg, cellulitis

2008-08-29T19:26:00.002-04:00

written yesterday-
Not trying to share TMI, but I have a boil /cyst on the inside of my thigh that has developed cellulitis underneath / around it. I had a bout of cellulitis back in April and that was BAD. I caught this go round early but it spread SO quickly!! So I'm stuck to the bed until this goes away. Good thing I have the laptop but man does this hurt. PTL mom had some antibiotics she could send to me or it would be REAL bad! I have damp gauze with salt taped to it to try and keep it draining, and talk about putting salt in a wound, ouch! The irony is this spot is not even a couple of inches from the spot that developed the infection in April.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I'm feeling better today. It's still there but not as bad as it was. Still sore, but not as much, whew!! I'm going to continue the antibiotics though cause from experience I know those infections are deep. Prayers are appreciated!!

Hannah's in the blogging world

2008-08-27T22:48:00.004-04:00

Stop by and say hi to my little girl. No, she can't type, she has a ghost writer ;-) But she wanted her own website and I thought this would be a way we can spend some special "us time" together. and how CUTE is that layout? It's bad when she's got a cuter blog than me! LOL!!!

If anyone knows of a cute camo theme for boys, I welcome the input (guess who that's for ...)

~WW

New movie encourages Christian marriage

2008-08-26T15:20:00.003-04:00

A while back I read SisterLisa's interview with the leading lady in the upcoming movie "Fireproof". It's a great interview, and the trailors on the movie website are chilling. I cannot wait to go see the movie and hope it will be showing close by. The leading actor is Kirk Cameron, who I just loved when I was a young girl (who didn't?!). One News Now had a short article with quotes from him about his upcoming film. I am amazed at how the Lord has transformed Christian entertainment using this wonderful actor. I would like to read his autobiography that come out this year- has anyone else read it?

I found it interesting to learn that Kirk is torn between the presidential nominees, in that he wished he felt better about both of them. I would be curious to hear what kind of reservations a Christian has about McCain under the circumstances.

Does anyone else feeling the same way? Would you care to share with me in an email interview for the blog?

Obama and abortion (more)

2008-08-26T13:37:00.006-04:00

Last posted about here.
More about Obama and the abortion / BAIPA issue.

From this article:

New audio reveals that while arguing against the Born Alive Infant Protection
Act (BAIPA) in the Illinois Senate in 2002, state lawmaker Obama suggested two
doctors tending to a baby who survived a botched abortion would be too much of a
burden to the child's mother.

"And that essentially adding an
additional doctor -- who then has to be called in an emergency situation to come
in and make these assessments -- is really designed simply to burden the
original decision of the woman and the physician to induce labor and perform an
abortion," he stated.

Seriously? (You can listen to the audio here) I would not think a baby surviving a late term abortion (different from partial birth) would be considered an emergency situation, but a possibly outcome therefore an additional doctor is the responsible thing to do, not an additional burden! When you decide you are going to have an abortion, you have to be responsible for what entails the abortion, and any possible alternate outcomes. I think it is sick that the debate of this all boils down to the mother's desire to have a dead baby, plain and simple.

The nurse that testified before congress, Jill Stanek, explained the atmosphere in Christ Hospital where she used to work. She said that they offered the option for parents who aborted their babies to have their footprints done for certificates; a chapel with a chaplain available for baptism, among many other things. All I can think is "WHAT?". I'll have to find a link if there is one for that interview as that was on the Sean Hannity radio show, however, you can read the transcript of his interviewing her about this on Hannity & Colmes right here.

Her interview with Bill O'Reilly in which she explains this late term abortion procedure, and more about Christ Hospital can be seen here. It's worth a look for the additional info shared. That interview was in '00. Yes, learning more about what we did not know about this subject can make us uncomfortable, and even emotional at times. I had a surge of emotions hearing in that clip that the hospital Jill Stanek worked in was actually associated with an Evangelical Lutheran Denomination, that was pro choice!

There was something said about Sisterlisa including images in her post about this subject, but it's important that people learn more about that which they do not know, so they may educate others. That is our hope for the Election in November, educating people on the truths about Obama. If someone did not do that with me in '00, I would have voted for Gore (Oy!!)

It kills me how willingly democrats (not 100%, but a great majority of what I have seen) are ready to excuse Obama's willingness to legislate infanticide. Just because Obama is not the one literally aborting the baby, or the one leaving it on the table, does not mean he has any LESS responsibility in each and every botched abortion resulting in the death of a baby born alive! Here's an example of the shouting matches that are ensuing because democrats are denying Obama's role and responsibility in this very important issue:

Is this what our country is coming to? NO accountability if the accusation is happening on your side of the fence? I think about this morning's headline about the possible plot to assassinate Obama on Thursday night. I can only imagine liberal bloggers will be saying it's a "vast right wing conspiracy"! C'mon people!! But even if the person was a supporter of the Republican party, there's NO WAY I would make excuses for these guys! I believe they would be swimming up a creek without a paddle for sure!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I found out something that was quite interesting. If you didn't see the Saddleback forum, this question was asked: "Can you give me a good example where you went against party loyalty, and maybe even went against your own best interest for the good of America?"-

Guess what? He lied again it appears! According to this article, Obama said "I'll give you an example that, in fact, I worked with John McCain on, and that was the issue of campaign ethics reform and finance reform. That wasn't probably in my interest or his.... But I think that we were able to get a bill passed that hasn't made Washington perfect, but at least has started moving things forward...."; but the reality is, Obama withdrew his support and cooperation with that bipartisan legislation ONE WEEK LATER. Wow, that's about the same turnaround time for him to "correct" anything that has been "misstated", isn't it?

That ordeal results in a letter from McCain stating:

Dear Senator Obama: I would like to apologize to you for assuming that your
private assurances to me regarding your desire to cooperate in our efforts to
negotiate bipartisan lobbying reform legislation were sincere. When you
approached me and insisted that despite your leadership's preference to use the
issue to gain a political advantage in the 2006 elections, you were personally
committed to achieving a result that would reflect credit on the entire Senate
and offer the country a better example of political leadership, I concluded your
professed concern for the institution and the public interest was genuine and
admirable. Thank you for disabusing me of such notions with your...decision to
withdraw from our bipartisan discussion. I'm embarrassed to admit that after all
these years in politics I failed to interpret your previous assurances as
typical rhetorical gloss routinely used in politics to make self-interested
partisan posturing appear more noble. Again, sorry for the confusion, but please
be assured I won't make the same mistake again.... Sincerely, John McCain.

When is this going to be covered in the media? This is a character issue- he's lied AGAIN! In a church, no less! This is NOT a "race" thing, it is a character thing!!

Book Giveaway

2008-08-25T14:59:00.002-04:00

Sisterlisa is doing it again! She's giving away some children's books this time, and she wrote about it here. They look lovely and I'm hoping I'll get to win again but I am so thankful for winning in the last giveaway, I won't be disappointed too much if I don't go two for two, LOL I think I might even order those books if I don't win one. Even more now, I want to have godly reading material in our home for the kids.

I encourage you to go by Apples of Gold and look around. My time has been so crazy lately that I have not been able to spend time there like I would like, but plan on "scheduling" some time to play catchup this week ;O)

How was your weekend? 8/24

2008-08-25T14:10:00.003-04:00

We had a nice weekend. Saturday for some reason I slept VERY late. J let me sleep until 11:45! I would not have chosen to sleep that late but Friday I mowed our entire yard in an attempt to suprise J. I guess that took more out of me than I thought, really. I've been praying for motivation in my life, in all areas, and the Lord is answering that prayer! When I woke up J was getting ready to fix "breakfast" (at noon, lol) so we all ate together which is rare except for the weekends. After that the kids played alone while J and I watched the Olympics some. Around 3-4 we went outside so the kids could swim a while. J played with them in the pool a while, while I watched and surfed the net.

Saturday evening Jackson and I went to my parents for a little while. The kids needed a break from each other, and I needed a break from Hannah's whining. I was wanting to invite them over for lunch Sunday and since I don't have a phone right now that seemed like a perfect opportunity to kill a few birds at one time. Jackson's neighborhood friend over there knocked on the door wanting him to come outside, so I told Jackson he needed to stay in the yard if he went outside. There's a history of Jackson not doing as he was told, bending to the peer pressure of the other children in the neighborhood. There's the one that knocked on the door from 3 doors up, he's a year older, and then there's twins from one door up across the street.

A few weeks ago Jackson stayed over there a few days. When we picked him up we found out that the twins were coming over demanding that Jackson get them something to drink (mom keeps fully stocked with soft drinks), or icee pops (again ... she's a grandma). When Jackson would give them some, they'd take off up the road and not include him in playing because he wasn't allowed to go as far up the road as they were choosing to go. I expect more out of the older boy, but mom said the older one wasn't doing much better because he would go play with the twins too. He said one of the twins even hit him one time, but not wanting to be a tattletale, he didn't tell mom. (It wouldn't do good, I would go to their parents, mom wouldn't, so ...)

Saturday Jackson was excited because he found a small frog outside and he had it in a little carrier at mom and dad's 'cause he wanted to show them his frog, so the fact that the older boy come down for a visit was a bonus. About 15 minutes later I started looking around the yard out the windows to see what they were doing and I did not see them. I was about to be upset thinking Jackson yet again went up the road to D's house when I told him when he needed to stay in the yard. (We do let him go up there when we'll be there long enough, don't get me wrong, there are times he's allowed to venture up the road 3 houses ;)

When I walked outside, I saw him standing behind our car in the driveway. Alone. When he looked up, his eyes were red. I believe he had been crying some. Yet again, D come down to play, but the twins come outside and he dropped Jackson like a hot potato. D told Jackson to come up the road with him, and Jackson said no, he couldn't. D chose to leave. So we stood outside and talked about what a true friend would do, and how it was important it was that Jackson learned that fact that he could not treat others like D and the twins had treated him. That these kids are not really his friends- they are kids in the neighborhood he plays with occassionally, but they are NOT his friends. Friends don't do that to friends.

He was SO okay and confident about him doing the right thing!! Usually he is upset when he gets left out, but this time, he wasn't. Well, he was, but he had an understanding there, that wasn't there before. I was so proud of him. Because of that, dad and I took him to our favorite ice cream parlor and we had ice cream. He ate an entire banana split (6 scoops of ice cream, 3 toppings, whipped cream and a cherry!). He not only ate it, he took a straw and sucked up all the melted stuff in the bottom, LOL! But he does that every time he gets one too ;o)

When we got home around 10, J reminded me I told Hannah I would roll her hair for church Sunday. OY! I had forgot! I tossed her in the shower and asked J if he would help. He slid out of the lounge chair he was sitting in to the floor, and somehow he pulled something BAD in his back. That was Saturday night, he toughed it out Sunday morning but was hurting too bad to go back Sunday night, and he is working at home today. Please pray that the pain subsides! He's hurting a great deal. I have to giggle though cause a friend asked how he hurt his back and my best answer was "rolling Hannah's hair" :p

Church was good, as always. I have friends moving to Washington State, yesterday morning was their last service. It was the youngest daughter of this family, a long time buddy of Jackson's (she's his age), that walked up beside me at the beginning of the baby's graveside service and held my hand the entire time. The older middle school aged daughter was one of my teen workers in the nursery; their mom, my friend, worked in late stay at the school when I was working FT and she took care of Hannah in the afternoons. We all know this is the Lord's will, their moving, but it's always hard to say bye, ya know? Their oldest two, boys, are having a rough time with the move, especially the oldest- which is in his senior year (I believe, pretty sure). Please pray for this family that they find a good church there ASAP and get plugged into some fellowship there!

Mom and dad come over for lunch Sunday. That was nice. I've been longing for us to start doing "Sunday lunches" instead of going out to eat so much. After lunch we all went outside and spent time together while the kids swam in the pool.

The kids and I went back to church last night as usual, but J had to stay home because of his back. I handed Jackson a dollar for the offering, and he gave it back to me. I thought that was weird, then he grabbed my purse and pulled out his money holder and took out a quarter! He chose to put his own money in the offering, instead of mine! Granted, this is the first time his money holder was in my purse, but the fact he made that decision so quickly, he made me so proud.

Since the kids have started school, all three days last week, they have a heightened sensitivity of how they are different from the kids they are around. Hannah said Thursday and Friday that she prayed four times during school, each day. I think she's praying more now than she did in Christian school ;o) No but really, her prayer life is becoming her own now, PTL! She's not praying because it was what was being done, she is praying because she is choosing to pray! Friday a kid come up to Jackson on the playground and asked if his name was Jackson. He was really puzzled because he did not "know" the kid, until the kid told him his name. It was one of his kindegarten buddies that did not return to the Christian school! His dad last I remember was getting a job in another city and they were having to move, but apparently they're back in the area. This is so exciting because Jackson really liked this kid, they playted soccer in little league the year of K. They wer ein K4 and K5 together.

God is just so good to us. Oh and Hannah invited her teacher to church for "Friend Day" we're having Sept 28th. Her teacher sounds receptiveto the invitation so I'll keep ya updated ;o)

Gold medal mom

2008-08-23T15:51:00.002-04:00

I just read an article by Momtourage, an interview with Debbie Phelps, mother of Michael Phelps, 8 gold medal winner of this year's Olympics. I have enjoyed watching this woman so much during these games. It is so obvious how much she loved her son and wanted to see him succeed in this year's games (what mom wouldn't?). I am in awe of everything this woman is. Her life story as a working FT single mom of three, her "baby" boy having ADHD (Michael!). This article is a definite must read, check it out.

Come back and comment when you're done reading!

Kids and exercise

2008-08-22T19:51:00.001-04:00

(written yesterday)

So, "they" say that kids should get an hour of exercise a day. Jackson only gets 20 minutes of recess a day at school. If I let them, they would sit in front of the TV all evening. Dh was able to finish getting our swimming pool set up a couple of weeks ago. After that I just knew the weather would turn cooler for the rest of the year ;) See, our yard is NOT level, and MIL bought us the Intex easy set pool, 12 ft wide / 3 ft deep. So dh built a 16 ft by 16 ft "sandbox" for the pool to go on, which require 3 yards of sand to be delivered. It was a BIG job for him and Jackson! "Together time".

So knowing the kids need the exercise, and the pool needs to be used, and seeing how the weather has turned warmer than what I remember it being- I told myself the kids needed to go swimming this afternoon. I didn't want to go though, in the pool, that is.

So ahhhh the life! My laptop is picking up a great signal and I have two hours of cordless time. I'm sitting out here in the beautiful shade, playing on the boards and catching up on stuff while watching them play and listening to them "bond", LOL I NEED something for them to do each day that is going to wear off the excess stress and energy they will have built up from school! PTL for MILs who like to spoil their grandkids!

How do you get your kids to burn off that energy?

"Faith of my Fathers" exerpt

2008-08-22T12:59:00.002-04:00

I tried to find the book exerpt I read the other day from John McCain's memoirs Faith of my Fathers but was unable to. I'll keep looking. However, I did learn that apparently they made a movie from the book. Below is nine minutes of exerpts. MOVING, to say the least. This is the kind of hero I want my kids to have. The very last statement IMO speaks volumes about this year's presidential election!!

School update

2008-08-21T18:04:00.003-04:00

Tuesday afternoon we got the call, she got in! I think she was the last first grader enrolled in this school! There are three classes, and there are 28 kids in each class. Each class, well, at least the one she is in, has an assistant too. We didn't find out who her teacher wa suntil yesterday morning, the morning of the first day, but that was okay because Monday night at open house we had been told she was #1 on the list, so we went and introduced ourselves to each of the teachers and she got to look around each of those classes. So it wasn't ALL brand new when she went in yesterday.

Monday night we met Jackson's teacher. To save on time I won't share all details, except that my God is SOOOOO good!! he answered every prayer that has been said for us concerning this transition and I have absolutely no doubt at all that this is the Lord's will for us. I had a friend share with me her opinion that she didn't think God would ever "call" anyone from to public school, after I shared that I felt that's what the Lord was having us do this year. It really hurt when I heard her say that but, I guess we all say things we don't mean to others that hurt. It just reminded me to keep my eyes on God in this time and I kept remembering the words my other friend shared with me.

When meeting Jackson's teacher, she asked what school he was coming from and shared she used to teach in a Christian school. That was good, but knowing not everyone who professes to be a Christian lives accordingly or believes what the bible says, either. In conversation I asked if she went to church anywhere and she said yes, shared where they went (north of our church, which is in a very conservative county), and that her husband was a Baptist preacher! *g* Jackson told her our church name, and she then said "do you know ....?", which, was my very good friend and assistant teacher in the nursery! I said yes and how, and my friend taught her son when she was teaching years ago. J said surly to goodness it had to all be a coincience, he couldn't call our kids out of private Christian school to public school and still end up with a Christian teacher of like faith! I cried I was so amazed at God's goodness to us.

First day stories:
Jackson:
"Mom, my teacher really is a Christian, she says "amen" a LOT!"

Hannah:
(as she tosses her bookbag down)
"Mommy, they didn't pray today!!" (with a look of atonishment on her face)

me- "yes sweetie, we talked about this. Your teacher at this school can't pray with the class like Mrs. L did last year, this is not a Christian school"

"then why are we there?"

Jackson- "because we can't afford Christian school"

me- "So you didn't pray today?"

"NO, THEY didn't pray (pointing outwards), I prayed (pointing to her chest)"

me- "Oh did you pray for your lunch at lunchtime?"

(puzzled look on her face like she realized, she forgot to say the blessing, lol)
"No, we went to the library and it was really quiet there so I prayed in the library"

AAAWWWWW!!! My baby prayed beyond the food blessing on her first day of school!! How perceptive of her!!!

I'll have to share more first day stories later ;)

CA Supreme Court, Obama, The Dark Knight

2008-08-19T15:02:00.004-04:00

The same California Supreme Court that created a "right" to homosexual
"marriage" earlier this year has now ruled that the state may force healthcare
professionals to provide services that support an immoral and physically
dangerous lifestyle.
California's highest court was unanimous in its decision on Monday that
Christian doctors may not refuse to perform artificial insemination for
homosexual patients. (See "California court says no religious exemption for
doctors") Attorney Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI),
reacts to the ruling.
** read
more **

I believe this is a disgrace. An absolute disgrace. You know what else this attacks besides people's personal freedoms? It's an attack on Capitalism, yet the very people perpetuating this doesn't even realize it. So people who disagree with the homosexual lifestyle are hate motivated. What about the people who so spitefully choose to push legislation to FORCE people to do something against their will or else lose their job, essentially taking away their basic free will, in a free, democratic society?

Let me go on record as saying THEY are the ones that are hate motivated!! Yes, those who disagree with the lifestyle might refuse service to them- who cares? It's not like they're the only ones available to perform said service! How about a service contract, "I will provide this service only if you agree to (fill in the blank)"- how would that fly over?

Oy, I sure hope to see this ruling overturned. I think it's a matter of time before the California Supreme Court loses all credibility.

"Yesterday the New York Sun reported that the
Obama campaign has admitted that Obama lied about a 2003 bill he axed which
would have required medical attention for infants born alive during an attempted
abortion.
... Obama told interviewer David Brody in the CBN interview that it was
"ridiculous" to suggest that he had ever supported witholding lifesaving
treatment for an infant born alive. "It defies common sense and it defies
imagination, and for people to keep on pushing this is offensive," he
said. Now, 24 hours later, his campaign concedes he "misstated"
this point. David Freddoso's column for National Review is on this
same topic.
The truth is that Obama supports abortion at any time, including
the time after the baby has been born alive, which puts him to the left of even
Senators Boxer and Kennedy. The only question is, when is a baby not fair
game for murder in Obama's eyes?"
*** read
more ***

It's worth repeating:

"The only question is, when is a baby not fair game for murder in Obama's eyes?"

I also wonder, when is this man going to be able to say something and stick to it? Hes very indecisive and unable to communicate effectively at all. I wish there was a blog post somewhere that had a timeline of all his initial statements and subsequent "clarifications", don't you?

There's a thought-provoking article on LifeSite News about the movie The Dark Knight. This movie has grossed $400 million in its first
two weeks, and seems to be on its way to overtaking Titanic as the
all-time box office champ.
John-Henry Westen, the author of the article linked to above, actually went
to see the movie along with millions of others, and says the movie was
"visually and viscerally stunning but deeply disturbing, even diabolic."
** read
more **

We saw the movie, I agree with this assertion. Have you seen it? If so, do you agree?

Mid August Update

2008-08-18T12:17:00.005-04:00

Back to school
Flylady
Calvary Girl
Reading
Weekend Fun
Politics
Back to work
Extracurricular Activities
Prayer Requests

Back to school:
As of last Thursday, Hannah was in the seventh spot on the waiting list for the charter school. The open house is this evening. They're doing something so neat I thought- they're having a hot dog dinner / back to school "celebration". It starts at 4pm, you arrive at the gym and get your classroom assignment, they'll then also give you your dinner tickets and you can either go eat first or go see the classroom first and meet your teacher. This also includes a tour of the school. They are also offering free family portraits as well. This will be SO nice, I don't think we've had a family portrait done since Hannah was born! I mentioned making an appointment at Olan Mills a few weeks ago but it was a bust, so this will be great.

The office lady said to check with them tonight to find out Hannah's status, and I will be calling tomorrow afternoon as well. PRAY HARD we know something by tomorrow, because the traditional public school's open house is tomorrow night. I prefer not to even have to go there if we can avoid it. I fear it would cause some confusion for Hannah, although she does have a strong understanding of what is going on. She has become very peaceful about the change being made, which is an answer to prayer as well. I just hate taking her to the schools saying "this is where you might be going...", the limbo is murder on me! ;o) But they did say, Wednesday, on the first day, they will do a physical head count in each classroom and if a child is not present, they automatically lose their enrollment in the school. So it might be that she doesn't start on Wednesday, but we get a call that afternoon saying to bring her on Thursday. The traditional school doesn't start until Monday so I will be very thankful for that call on Wednesday if not by Tuesday afternoon or before.

Flylady:
I signed back up for the flylady list week before last, but haven't gotten very far. We ended up with my BIL spending the week with us (last week) so I got a bit of nothing done except shopping and FINALLY my mother's day pedicure while he babysat for me, LOL! This is the BIL that lives with MIL and Jackson will go there and spend a week with them playing video games and whatnot. The kids enjoyed having him here but he got a dose of "my life" and I had to giggle when he said "I don't know how you do it every day!" cause he rarely experiences the two of them together.

So back to flylady, I'm hearing some groans from some who avoid her because of either the emails or the shoe thing. Well, I set a separate account to receive the emails, for one. But I was impressed with the "welcome" files that basically walks you through the first month of adding new things to your routine. So while I should be on day 10, I'm still working on Day 3 ;o) But I love the flexibility that is there now that wasn't before. I really believe in the long run this is going to make a difference for our family ... this time ;o)

Calvary Girl:
Calvary Girl Devotions is up and running!
Be sure to go and subscribe today so you won't miss a thing!

Reading:
I just finished A Vengeful Spirit by Lizzy Armentrout. Lemme tell ya, this book is GREAT- definitely worth ordering TODAY! You won't be let down, I'm waiting on the second one now, and I have never read these kinds of books before! LOL!! Don't just take my word for it, read the first three chapters for yourself :p

So, after reading my first mystery novel, I'm now starting a book more like what I'm used to reading, the more "soul searching" type books. This next one is Love as a Way of Life, by Gary Chapman. I won a copy of it from Apples of Gold Ministries through a drawing Sisterlisa had last month- yay! Love free books *g* I've already read two of the love languages books, so I'm looking forward to reading another one of Dr. Chapman's books. I'll let you know what I think of it when I'm done ;o)

I'm so excited about my bible reading. My new years resolution was to read it in a year. After January, I fell off the wagon. I started back on my plan at www.christianity.com last month, and have been playing "catch up", but you know? I know "catch up" sounds so .... not that good- out of duty, so to speak. But I NEED this extra reading!

This has been such a rough year for us, I'm having no problem sitting in the Word for an hour a day! I've found my niche, too. I'm using the audio option at www.biblegateway.com, and am listening as a read along, so it's double the blessing. It's amazing to me how much more I'm getting from the OT readings from listening while I read. If anyone has any questions on how to maneuver these sites, please don't hesitate to leave a comment or email me!

IMO this is proof that if you want to find the Lord and spend time with Him, it's possible to do so away from groups of people, bible studies and books about the bible. Just plain ol' bible reading, like someone I know says- it's the "Nike version of Christianity: JUST DO IT!!". Right there, in front of you, at the computer, just you and God. Sometimes we just make things so much more difficult than it needs to be. Get up before the kids are awake and DO IT! :o)

Weekend Fun:
Well, since we had BIL all week, you would think he would be ready to be without kids ;) But MIL wanted to have the kids the weekend before school started, so she got them (with BIL) on Friday night, and is bringing them home today. So what did J and I do? We went fishing!! Saturday morning we went out to breakfast to a place we take the kids, but we got to sit in a two seater booth! woo-hooo! LOL Then we went to visit my aunt that broke her knee and has been bedbound for four weeks. She has two more weeks and will be getting a brace and can return to church, PTL J called his (other, oldest) brother to see if he wanted to meet us at his spot and he was happy to get together for an evening of fishing.

We each caught three in about four hours or so. I caught my first bass! It wasn't a "big" one, maybe a pound. J decided he wanted us to go back yesterday, so we got permission and went back to the pond after church yesterday and spent the evening on the pond. It's on the guy's land, WAY back off of the road. I would love to have a bunch of acres with a pond on it! (Jackson would, too, LOL!) this is also the same spot where J and his brother hunts deer during deer season too. We didn't catch much at all yesterday. I traded off hoping for the big one with a smaller hook for more frequent bites and hooked in a number of small brim and one baby bass.

J, however, of course he does things big ;o) He got a four-five pound bass, it was a biggie! Then he was dealing with getting hits on his (two) rods. We're talking, an hour of messing with it and "missing" them. FINALLY he got a hook, and we just knew he had a big catfish on the line the way the drag was pulling and the rod was bent over. After a few minutes we could see it ... it wasn't a catfish, it was a TURTLE!!! and a BIG, MAAAADDD turtle to boot! Oy was that thing hissing too! We have pics on his phone I'll post ;o) He finally broke the line and went back in the water. We really didn't want him out of the water anyway- LOL!!

If you think that is exciting, hold your horses ;) If there's ever proof prayer works ... I noticed this place had the most amount of bees at a pond I had ever seen. We were soaked in Skin So Soft so the swarms of mosquitoes were being deterred, and I had hopes that it was working for the bees. I had been swatting one away from me all afternoon, then realized the bees were yellow jackets. I thought they looked like honeybees myself, but BIL got stung on the other side of the pond the night before. It / they kept flying around me and I would just swat it / them away. About sunset, I had my BK cup with tea in it to drink and reached down for a swallow.

IMMEDIATELY I started spitting out the tea and scraping my teeth against my tongue outwards as FAST as I could- one of those yellow jackets had gotten IN MY STRAW!!! PTL- I realized what it was *somehow* right when it hit my tongue and started spitting and scraping. It's amazing to me how the Lord just puts in your head what you need to know! I saw the thing flop to the ground as it fell out of my mouth!! It took me about thirty minutes before I was sure it had not stung me and the pain was from me teeth ;o) PTL for His protection and wisdom!!

Politics:
Did anyone see the "Saddleback Showdown" last night? I'm hearing that McCain done very well. I missed it because I forgot to set the timer! But I've caught highlights (great video).
Conservatives, I do believe that there's more to Mr. McCain than what we previously thought, especially those of us from the Huckabee camp. I plan on posting an excerpt from Faith from my Fathers, his book, that I saw on a forum. I wonder why he would want that stuff private? The only reason I can think of, is humility. Did you know he has sons that are currently in the military? At least one in Iraq (best I remember?) ... WOW. Talk about invested interest.

This Obama craze is so mind boggling to me. It makes me want to scream sometimes! How can this man profess to be have a relationship with Jesus Christ, yet refuses to admit life begins at conception (video), but seeks to defend not just abortion, but murder of already born babies as a result of failed abortions? YES people, think twice before considering this man for president!!

Back to Work:
I've been praying hard. Logistically, it makes sense that while the kids are in school that I would find a PT job until at least after Christmas. We have debt that needs to be settled, and it won't get settled until there's cash flowing. Since I don't know which way J's income flows most of the time, and I have the time, it just makes sense at least through Christmas. I've been praying about applying to Gymboree, since I would get a discount on the clothes. ;o) But I have a reservation about working there, and afraid "something" happening where I would not be comfortable enough to go back and shop. It's a gut thing I can't get past for some reason. The mgr at Gloria Jeans offered to give me an application though, LOL!! I'd get all the fresh brewed coffee I wanted *g* I just don't know and I need some direction or peace about where to apply. I don't know if my gut feelings are coming from fear or what, I really need prayer concerning this.

Extracurricular Activities:
Hannah (6.5) has a new hero, and her name is Shawn Johnson (bio). I am so proud. We found Shawn back during National competition, I happened to see "Gymnastics" in the channel guide on ESPN, so I recorded it for the kids. That was when we were amazed by this little spitfire *g*
Hannah has said she wants to be like Shawn, and wants to learn gymnastics. That'll run us about $60 a month. The same gym offers Karate, which Jackson would be interested in, that would be $109 a month now that I'm looking. Yikes!! (Maybe we'll talk him into gymnastics, LOL) This isn't a final decision, yet though. It's in the long view though, we can see it, we just need to work it out.

What's for sure is soccer this year. Hannah will play on Thursday evenings. The league I want them in and plan on enrolling them soon has 6 yo's practice and play the same night. Jackson will practice some other night and play on Saturday. This is going to be fun! :o) My hope is that this will give them something to do at home together, kwim?

Oh but we aren't stopping there! They also want to do Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Sign up for those are soon, so stay tuned! ;o)

So in conclusion, our prayer requests:
* We find out before Tuesday about Hannah's school enrollment.
* We get into our new routines smoothly and the house gets on the track to being decluttered and orderly.
* Guidance for my decision as to where to apply for a job.
* Guidance and wisdom for our finances.

Who is out there?! Leave me a comment so I know you're reading!!

The Internet Soapbox

2008-08-08T09:24:00.001-04:00

Thought I would leave you with a funny someone posted on my Facebook page recently that I loved ;o)

School update coming soon, sorry for the delay!

TRAVELING ON YOUR KNEES (poem)

2008-08-06T11:46:00.000-04:00

TRAVELING ON YOUR KNEES

Last night I took a journey
To a land across the seas.
I didn't go by ship or plane
I traveled on my knees.

I saw so many people there
In bondage to their sin,
And Jesus told me I should go,
That there were souls to win.

But I said "Jesus, I can't go
To lands across the seas."
He answered quickly, "Yes, you can
By traveling on your knees."

He said, "You pray, I'll meet the need.
You call, and I will hear.
It's up to you to be concerned
For lost souls far and near."

And so I did; knelt in prayer,
Gave up some hours of ease,
And with the Savior by my side,
I traveled on my knees.

As I prayed on, I saw souls saved
And twisted persons healed,
I saw God's workers strength renewed
While laboring in the field.

I said, "Yes Lord, I'll take the job.
Your heart I want to please.
I'll heed Your call and swiftly go
By traveling on my knees."

By Sandra Goodwin

Hermit Crab update

2008-08-05T14:01:00.002-04:00

from this post

Lacey is out of the sand! Woo-Hoooo!! It took her about five weeks but she is completely molted, and is out of the sand playing with her sibling. It is so cool cause she is *considerably* bigger than what she was, much moreso than JC (Jackie Chan). Neither of them have changed shells yet, that's what we're looking for. JC's shell is starting to show wear, but at the same time, it can still pull completely inside its shell. Lacey however, is so big it cannot pull its legs inside its shell. I'm wondering if it doesn't like the shells we've placed in there and if we need to get some more. From what I understand hermit crabs are quite dedicated to their shells and can be picky in choosing one. I found this site that has very reasonably priced, beautiful, natural shells that are the same shape (snail like) Lacey is now, the ones we have differ a bit from her shell now.

We've learned so much about these creatures, they're very interesting! Someone mentioned the other night how hermit crabs "die so quickly", to which I didn't say much about cause I didn't know. I do know these hermit crabs have been in Jackson's presence for about a year, they're medium sized, and they can live thirty+ years if cared for properly. WOW!

If anyone is thinking about a "low maintenance" pet for their children, I highly recommend hermit crabs, but PLEASE, PLEASE! do not purchase one until you have FULL done the research needed to understand what they require. Yes, they're low maintenance, but they do have care requirements, and it can be somewhat pricey to start up. Just don't go into it with your eyes closed and little knowledge, and don't rely on the pet stores for your information!

Feeling better about school

2008-08-05T12:50:00.002-04:00

I got a note from a friend yesterday that just left me in tears. She's always had such a way with words, but what she said just organized a few of the thoughts I have had over the past week since making the decision for the kids to enter the public school system; she also encouraged me regarding God's will for our life. I asked her if it was okay for me to share it here, in case there might be another person reading my blog that might be going through the same thing. It also gives a very different perspective regarding how a Christian "should" educate their children.

I am so blessed to be able to call this woman my friend, and thank God so much for having her in my life! She is going through insurmountable trials right now, yet was sensitive enough to the needs of her sister to send encouragement. God knew what I needed, and he sent it. PTL!! Along the same note, I'm waiting for the admissions director to call me back about Hannah's enrollment. Please continue to pray things move quickly and we'll know SOON that she's indeed "in" and they don't have to go to different schools.

Hey! Loved the blog from your bday and I wanted to be the first to say
"Welcome to the Mission Field!!!" I'm sorry, I'm one of the weird ones
that just wants to do the happy dance everytime I hear of a Christian family
infiltrating public education. It's a mission field, I'm telling you,
right in your back yard! (or up the street).

You are going
to be such a blessing to that school. J.D. is going to a charter middle
school this year. They sell Dr. Dobson books in the school office.
I'm not a fan of Dobson, but he is my brother and I couldn't help think, "that's
cool!"

Also, I just want to throw this out there and you can
totally reject it, but you said that you couldn't help think that your children
having to attend public school was a consequence for the financial folly at
home. You also said that you always said you would never send your kids to
public school. I don't know if this is true in your life, but sometimes I
find that whatever I say I'll never do is precisely what God calls me to
do. And when I read that part about financial folly, I couldn't help think
that maybe it's the other way around. Maybe the financial issues are a
result of refusing to send the kids to public school. Maybe they're part
of the wooing, God bringing you to this place of desperation to get you where he
wants you to go. Now I'm not saying that's a for sure truth at all, just
something to think about. Our Dad owns that cattle on a thousand hills and
we're in the will, chick. I can't explain it, but I am just convinced that
there is a family at that !
school
that your family is going to bless
beyond measure. I know that he won't waste his workers.

I
also know that, when called to go places we're not sure about, it's easier to
say, "here I am, Lord, send me" than "here they are, Lord, send my kids".
But I want to tell you what you already know: he loves them more than you
do. He will go with them. God is in the public school.
"Whether (they) turn to the right of to the left, (they) will hear a voice
behind (them) saying, 'This is the way, walk in it'." He will guide
them. And I don't know your kids, but when you speak of Jackson it just
sounds like he has such passion for the Lord. I am so excited to see the
impact for the Lord he will have. Yes, our kids can be missionaries
too!

If you were sent to Africa as a missionary I'm sure you would
encourage your kids to befriend the children of the families you were sent to
minister to. I'm sure you'd expect them to carry the word of God to them
as their friend. Missionaries do this all the time. You are a
missionary and so are your kids. You've not been sent to Africa, you've
been sent to the charter school. God loves the kids that go there just as
much as the kids in Africa. Your calling is no less real than that of a
missionary to Africa.

I encourage you, as a family, to start each school
day by saying in your hearts, "here we are, Lord, send us". And I
encourage you, my fellow worker, to look for the opportunities that he is
preparing in advance for you to do in that school. I will pray that doors
fly open. I will pray that God direct you to families to minister
to. He's preparing them in advance. He will show you, just listen
for the voice that says, "This is the way, walk in it".

I don't
believe every Christian is called to Africa. I don't believe every
Christian is called to public school. But for those of us who are called,
He provides the grace, strength and guidance to do the work he's prepared for
us. Welcome to the P.S. I Love You Mission Field, (Public Schools, I love
you). Your family will be in my prayers.

School, Sitemeter, Theme Week, name it

2008-08-04T12:58:00.004-04:00

School update:
I haven't heard anything from the charter school yet pertaining to Hannah's enrollment. They said Jackson was a sure thing though. This is nerve racking yet she didn't seem to worried that Hannah wouldn't, but it makes me wonder .... no, I'm not going to wonder, I left it at the alter last night and we've already purchased uniforms! Just pray pray pray please! Also pray for Hannah's anxiety over this. She has some strong feelings based on the stereotype of public schools that has been inadvertently portrayed in our church. :o( I need discernment in that area too. PTL her children's church teachers are right there ready to listen to her and help ease any fears she might discuss with them.

So, I have two sites I visit frequently: Apples of Gold Ministries and Growing in Grace Magazine online, both owned by my buddy Sisterlisa. Friday, I lost connection with them! *gasp* IE(7) said "operation aborted, cannot open website" and when you clicked "ok", the window closed. I had no idea because I could reach my blog fine, and she uses blogger too. Then I try her site this morning and voila! I'm in! Here I thought my scanning over the weekend worked, until I read her post saying she'd removed sitemeter from her pages until more knowledge is gained. (Love ya hon but IE7 was fine with sitemeter until Friday!) Then I saw A's post from PPP about it. Yikes! I had one other blog, that would load, but I got the error when I tried to submit a comment. It looks like her sitemeter is still up but I can comment today.

So is it sitemeter, or did my little scans this weekend work? ;o)

It's still theme week at Creating Websites and Graphics! Come on over and request your theme week tags, we'll be accepting requests until Thursday!!
This is mine-

Click here to request it.

On Frugal Kitchen we are playing the ABC's of the supermarket (thanks Dana!); tax free holidays; my birthday; and meals on a budget ...

Not to mention some NEAT new recipes!!:
Cucumber and Tomato Tangy Yogurt Salad
Instant Vegetable Soup
Broccoli with Sesame Seeds

Easy Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken
VEG: Zucchini Lasagna
Cold Sesame Chicken Salad

Pina Colada Smoothie
Special K™ Fruit Cookies
Creamy Cheese & Cherry Pie

What else? Don't forget to sub to Calvary Girl Devotions, you won't want to miss out ladies! She's hoping that it will be a real blessing her to her readers.

Mom got us a new vacuum cleaner this weekend at a yard sale, a very nice dirt devil. I think I'll go get me a bite to eat and vacuum the house! Have a great day and don't forgot to say hey- I don't know if you're here or not if you don't! *g*

Happy? Birthday to me

2008-07-30T08:56:00.004-04:00

Today is my 33rd birthday. Yesterday was rough with emotion, yesterday evening I had a massive headache coming on, by last night I had taken a dose and a half of medicine for it. I woke up this morning with it not much better, and took 600mg of Motrin hoping that will calm it down. It didn't help that the kids woke earlier than usual and were already being noisy in the living room (next to our room) instead of their own rooms across the house. In a little while we'll be getting ready and the kids and I will head to my parent's house. Mom has an appt for a colonoscopy at 1:30, and dad is keeping the kids. Mom said we'd be there for two hours, I think I'll take the laptop and get some digiscrapping done ;o)

I've been praying a lot lately for the Lord to give me wisdom. Beyond that, knowledge and understanding. (I've spent a lot of time in Proverbs lately). I've been very uneasy about homeschooling. I'd always said that if my kids could not go to private school (the one associated with our church) that we would home school. It occurred to me last school year that we cannot go another year struggling the way we have, because Jackson knew what was going on. He knew we were always behind on it. But you see, without going into detail, it's been a struggle for me because it has been my desire for YEARS that we go by a written budget. We don't, and it is not my decision. I am not "in charge" of our bills, I carry no responsibility in that arena because I have no say in what goes where and when. I smile and nod. This is where our lives have come to. You see, when two cannot work together as one for a common purpose, then to avoid further strife in the relationship, "one", should carry the burden of getting it done.

Of course that avoids regular, daily strife, but it does not avoid the consequences of what that kind of arrangement does to the relationship. When one in a relationship refuses to listen to and consider wisdom offered by the other person in the relationship, is it really a relationship? or a dictatorship? Just how far should we go in that "live by faith and not by sight" scripture? Because that is the story of my life- living by faith. Waiting for the Lord to move in our lives where we, as a couple, do things together, responsibly, in a godly manner. I have so much financial wisdom in my head, shoot that might be why it hurts half of the time because it wants out of my head and no one around me (ahem) will receive it genuinely. Sure, it's been offered that I "take it", but I don't want it (total financial responsibility)- we've done that, it does not work! In our situation, something will always happen to screw things up. So what am I left with? I smile, and nod.

So I'm faced with the decisions about school. My kids love their school. They love their teachers, the environment, they feel safe there. I am comfortable with them being there. Yet I had to sit down and explain to them at the end of the school year that we'd be homeschooling. Jackson was ok with that because it kept him from public school, which is really, lets be honest, made to look like the pit of hell when it's spoken of in our church environment. (that's another topic to be addressed later, I don't believe that impression is meant to be made necessarily). Hannah did not understand the concept and we haven't really talked a whole lot about it. I figured when we started, she's understand. But in the past week I've been working in finding the curriculum, calculating the costs and such. Then we got our school bill in the mail, and I opened it.

We owe twice as much to the school, as it would cost us to home school. I had no idea it was that behind :o( How can we bypass paying the school and purchasing home school supplies? I mean, I was even wondering HOW we were going to purchase the home school supplies knowing how much that would be. Then again, I wonder each month if the power is going to be paid on time. I quit opening the bill because it boggled me on why or how we could be behind on it to begin with.

So what would wisdom say? I know it would not be right to rob a bank and give it to the church to further God's Word. That's not right. So why would it be right not to give the first $home school supply amount$ to the school towards our balance? We cannot do that! We are now *in debt*, basically. So yesterday, as heavy as my heart was, I made the decision (because it was mine to make, he is of the 'whatever' mindset). Fortunately, there is a charter school about a half a mile from our house. I've heard good things about it.

It's the "anti" of my biggest beef with public schools today, lack of parental involvement and teachers having to be too many things to the students and not able to teach. One of the school's focuses is- parental involvement. They encourage parents to sit in the classrooms and be involved. They even have parents sign a contract committing to being involved. The big thing with this school is, there are only so many they allow to be enrolled, and, well, it was July 29th with school slated to start August 20th, weeelll .... and their website said they worked off of a lottery system for excess applications.

So the kids and I went for a walk yesterday (since J had my car and we don't have a second one right now.) Jackson (rising 4th grader) was very apprehensive and we discussed the differences on the way up there. Hannah (rising 1st grader) screamed, wailed and cried. She moaned the whole way up there. She liked their playground though ;o) Jackson and I prayed that if it was indeed the Lord's will that he would open the doors of opportunity for us. Low and behold, we got there at 1:30, and they closed at 12:30! There was a number on the door for the admissions officer, so I called and left a message. She called me back around 3pm. There was an opening for Jackson, and we would know about Hannah [today].

She said they had a LOT of children being pulled from their school as a result of the high gas prices. I'm not sure about other states, but here charter schools do not have bus services, and anyone from any district can enroll. I dealt with a mom from freecycle that had her kids there and she drove about 25 minutes one way to bring her kids to school there. :-O She said she would be culling the list this morning and if I done their app's online they'd be waiting on her first thing this morning. As of yesterday Hannah was 16th on the list but she acted like that wasn't a big deal. I was relieved. Sad we were having to do it, but if we had to do it, I was glad the kids would be able to attend this school and not the other surrounding ones that OY ... this school in their report card scored 10 points higher on their test scores than either of the other two schools the kids are eligible for. Thank God he has us living where we live. Thank God for high gas prices- otherwise I don't think they'd have these openings!

There's another benefit: they wear uniforms. THANK YOU JESUS!! Jackson is none too happy about that but Hannah is ok. She said she did not care if she was going to public school she was NOT wearing pants! So there ya go, lol Gymboree has some sweet uniform styles that are on sale now too so I'm ok with that. The lady is supposed to call me this morning to let me know about Hannah's status.

It's ironic I stated the other day that I think parents who have their children in public schools have to work that much harder to ensure their children are ready spiritually for the things they will face in that setting verses private school or homeschooling. I guess I am accepting that challenge. It occurred to me last night we could still order the Bible materials we were going to, and work with the kids with a "bible class" at home. That could serve as our daily devotion, ya know?

I have peace that this is the right thing to do for our situation. I also have peace that children who go to public school CAN turn out for the Lord and live for the Lord while they're young. I have a very good example in a friend I have been watching for years. As parents we do the best we can by our children, but there are times we have to trust in the Lord in ALL our ways, and let HIM direct our paths. That being said, this decision has brought clarity on another decision I have been facing, too- to PTL (I'll let you know about that when the time is right).

So while I'm at peace with this, that does not mean I am happy with the situation. The kids are going to public school as a consequence for the folly that is in our home, plain and simple. There's nothing I can do about it, and because of that, I am trying not to become bitter. Please continue to pray for us in this regard.

What are we doing for my birthday? Well I'm taking mom to the doctor, and when we get back the kids, dad and I are going to Chick Fil A for dinner for my birthday. That way the kids get to play and we can have peace while eating, LOL oh! and I'll get a cookies and cream milkshake, have you had one? They're awesome.

Yay! Liberty counsel defeats ACLU in CA!

2008-07-28T15:45:00.004-04:00

Check this out!~

From the Desk of:
Mat Staver, Founder
Liberty Counsel

A few weeks ago I made a pledge to you that Liberty Counsel
would take every possible legal action to stop the ACLU
and others from pushing their radical homosexual marriage agenda.

Well, we just beat the ACLU in an important case!

As you may recall, the ACLU filed suit in California to get the
marriage amendment taken off this November's ballot. The ACLU
wanted four judges to re-write the state’s marriage laws
instead of a statewide vote of millions of citizens!

Liberty Counsel filed a motion to block the ACLU's lawsuit and
we have learned that the legal arguments we used were accepted
while the ACLU’s case was rejected.

Please go here for my exclusive audio report to you on this
Important victory against the ACLU:

http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=9272&CID=290&RID=16719031

Praise the Lord! Be sure to list to the audio report, it's quite informative and very interesting if you are interested in this subject.

Perhaps you heard about the new law in Colorado pushed by radical homosexual activists that effectively bans the Bible as"discriminatory". I just signed a petition to stop such "hatespeech" laws from going into effect.

Please join me.

Go here tosign:

http://www.libertyaction.org/292/petition.asp?PID=17763187&NID=1

Obituary of the late Mr. Common Sense

2008-07-28T15:25:00.003-04:00

OBITUARY OF THE LATE MR COMMON SENSE

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense,
who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was,
since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons
as:
Knowing when to come in out of the rain
Why the early bird gets the worm
Life isn't always fair
Maybe it was my fault

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies:
Don't spend more than you can earn

And reliable strategies:
Adults, not children, are in charge

His health began to deteriorate when parents attacked teachers for
doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their
unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get
parental consent to administer Tylenol, sunburn lotion or a band-aid to a
student but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and
wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became
contraband, churches became businesses and criminals received better
treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when it became punishable for you to
defend yourself from a burglar in your own home but the burglar could sue
you for assault.
He began to lose ground rapidly when well-intentioned but
overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6 -year- old boy
charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from
school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding
a student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense finally gave up after a woman failed to realize that
a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap and was
promptly awarded a huge settlement for her stupidity.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and
Trust; his wife, Discretion; his Daughter, Responsibility; and his son,
Reason.

He is survived by his 3 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone
Else Is To blame, and I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was
gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority
and do nothing...

Monday chatter 080728

2008-07-28T12:19:00.005-04:00

Lots to do today. I accomplished my goals from last week, PTL

So today (and the rest of this week lol):

Clean the kitchen:
Dishes
Floor (sand all over it, you can just feel it when walking barefoot!)
Counters (1, 2, 3)

Call mom and see if she'll bring a vacuum cleaner over (dad went to vacuum the kid's rooms while we were at the beach, and the belt in ours broke ... my floor is ROUGH looking.)

Get the living room completely presentable, decluttered

Declutter the dining room some

Move furniture:
desk from Jackson's room to dining room
cherry oak desk across dining room for Jackson
Hannah's bed so we can put up her canopy
bookshelf- it needs a home- our bedroom? Hallway?
desk in hallway- to Hannah's room?

Clothes in foyer, find a good way to get rid of them (be it lot for sale at church or amazon)

My nightstand- reorganize, declutter

our bedroom- get the luggage put away

my closet- extra clothes- declutter and make decisions (keep or toss)

order curriculums

fill out FAFSA (if I haven't missed the deadline)

there's more, I'm sure ...

All morning I have been after my children- UHG! we're going to do something about their rooms if it kills me! They are going to be so desolate and deprived of all modern day priviledges if they do not realize mom means what she says! Jackson doesn't realize he is losing his door today, that will be interesting....

Weddings, new friends, old friends

2008-07-28T10:23:00.007-04:00

I had a wonderful weekend. For anyone who was wondering, we didn't do anything for our anniversary. J was too tired when he got home Friday (needless to say no plans were made beforehand obviously). He did go to McD's and get me a tea (I'm a big tea drinker, but have not been making it at home, therefore, when I get it, it's a treat ;o) and I had been craving a Burger King Hershey's Chocolate Pie, so he went out and got me a tea and a pie. I fell asleep from my sugar high I guess cause after that I wasn't up from long. Since Wednesday is my birthday we said we'd do something next weekend.

One of my cousins got married on Saturday. This is the cousin I grew up with. He's actually my "first cousin once removed"- my first cousin's child, but, I am only three months older than him, so, we grew up together. Not even just because we were the same age, but he lived with his grandmother, who is my mother's sister, who is my father's second wife. (Yep, spend a few minutes figuring that out, LOL!!) So, my mom had an almost FT job, day and night shifts (either 9-3, or 3-9), and my dad worked day shifts 7-3, BUT! dad did not drive so he could not come get me when he got home from work. My aunt, this cousin's gma, babysat me. So with him living with her, he was ALWAYS around, like this bratty little brother. Our family did not make efforts to teach conflict resolution, social skills, nothing like that. So, we toughed it out, literally.

We only started actually getting along when we become adults, in our 20's. He was the "wild child", until about four years ago when he met "the one". It just warms my heart to see how she has changed his life for so much to the better. She has two daughters, they're 8'ish and 11'ish now. The irony is she and I used the same babysitter when Jackson was a baby / toddler, and that babysitter was my best friend's sister. *g* They're just a great couple and she has been so good for him. To see him settle down, be HAPPY, and CONTENT, so precious. (Now, the only thing that could make the situation better is if they were saved and in church...)

But lemme tell ya, their wedding, had to have been the best one I have ever attended!! The church they chose was GORGEOUS!! We were wondering why they chose the location they did but when we walked in, I told J "this, is why ..." it was just beautiful. Small enough, that it was packed and people standing in the back during the ceremony. An easy 100+ people, probably 150 were there? The music, was perfect. Now, I know a lot of Christian's eyebrows would be raised to hear of a music program being perfect and it be non traditional music , but country music, but ... it was absolutely perfect. She even walked down the isle to mine and J's song, which, the wedding being the day after our tenth anniversary, made me all sorts of mushy ;o)

The vows, though traditional, they ALSO said the passage from Ruth! ("... thy people shall be my people.. ")- I've never been to a wedding where that was used. That tore me up! (Did I mention I cry at weddings? LOL) Then to include the girls, they done a "Unity sand", four smaller bottles of colored sand, and each of them poured their color into a bigger bottle, to signify their unity as a family. SO sweet. The older daughter was a bridesmaid and the younger was the flower girl. The COLORS~ RED! Her dress was trimmed in red at the top, and had a floral pattern in red stitched over the abdomen part, and her veil at the edges was trimmed about 1 inch of red satin. The FLOWERS~ red and white roses. It was SO perfect. I was jealous ;o)

The reception was fun, I got to visit with friends I had not seen in a long time. One being my best friend (K)'s niece and her family. (Another age thing, my best friend is a year older than me, her niece is my age, LOL!!) It was cute though cause she met my niece (22 yrs) and they acknowledged they were proverbial cousins, LOL! (I did hear news I did not expect- a guy I went to school with was killed in a motorcycle accident Friday night. That was such a shock. There's enough pondering son that for a separate post...)

After the reception Hannah, dad and I went to the nail Salon to get mani - pedi's. Well, Hannah just gets her nails polished, she's not quite ready for all that yet ;o) But the lady that does her nails does designs on her ring fingers and big toes and they are so cute, she does a very good job. I've noticed a pattern. It's not uncommon for my fingers to start hurting what seems like out of the blue. They'll hurt under the nail and around it. Just a constant pain for a few days at a time, stinging, no less from time to time. Almost like pouring lemon juice in a scratch or something! Then it hit me, as my nails have been hurting since Wednesday or so, that I had not had a manicure for a month. I wonder if lack of manicures, the dry skin under my nails is what is bringing on the pain? They weren't hurting anymore after the manicure Saturday and haven't since. I'm going to pay closer attention in a couple of weeks to see if it happens again.

So I went from orange to pink in my nail color ;o) While Hannah and I were at the reception with mom and dad, J and Jackson went home to work on a HUGE sandbox, where our new pool MIL bought for the kids will reside. It has to be on perfectly level ground, and there's nothing level about our yard at all, lol So a load of sand was delivered Saturday morning, the wood was delivered later, and poor J worked until after dark Saturday night on the big box. What will happen is the pool will be on one side, and there'll be a section where the kids will actually be able to play in the sand beside the pool so we have twofold entertainment *g* The pool is 3 ft deep, and 12 ft 'around'. Hannah is like a little fish so this should provide endless hours of entertainment.

Sunday I was standing at the welcome center at church talking to a friend about the death of my school mate and she was sharing with me what they had done at the racetrack and how they were there. A woman who looked to be my age with two boys come up and asked about where the boy's classes would be located, so I offered to take her to the classes and I introduced her to the teachers. Come to find out her family is moving down here (to NC) from Illinois. She's here now with two of her six children, and her dh is coming down this Thursday with the others and the U Haul.

She come to my Sunday school (SS) class and sat with me (J works the sound in the auditorium so we don't have SS together). After talking to her I don't doubt the Lord brought them down here for me ;o) You think he'd do something like that? I do. I believe there are extra benefits in each of his plans for our lives. Come to find out she has an "internet life" very, very similar to mine! You just don't get to meet "people like that" often, LOL We totally hit it off. I'm so excited to meet her and think this will be the beginning of a wonderful friendship :o) Yep, she's going to read this too cause we've already exchanged email addys, screenames on multiple websites, facebook invites, an blog addresses :p~~~~

After church we went to "Dairi-O", this locally owned faster-food restaurant and ice cream shoppe. It was nice. They have picnic tables outside, a screened in porch with tales or you can eat inside. We ate outside. The weather was nice last night. It made me think that would be a good way to fellowship with other friends after church on Sunday nights, making plans ahead of time to meet there. We hardly ever socialize as a family with others, it's 99% of the time just me and the kids. That's something I would love to see changed.

So overall we had a great weekend.

Now, if my Monday could get better, I'll be a happy camper!

Friday chatter, board topics

2008-07-25T12:37:00.002-04:00

If it kills me, this will get done ....

* Find recipes for marinating raw green beans.
* Find the best way to freeze green beans.
* Find a good way to store homemade pickles.
* Fill out the letter of intent to the state to homeschool the kids.

When I get these done, I'll add more ...

I am STUNNED.

We had 49 people vote in the poll for our first monthly theme week! KUDOS to the new CL of CWG, Dana, for promoting it like she did. She is going to be a wonderful leader for that community in furthering what Brenda and I worked so hard to build. Brenda and I are working more in a "behind the scenes" type of capacity now, and it works for us. We will be participating in Theme Week each month though :O)

So August 1st, be sure to come by Creating Websites and Graphics to request some Back to School themed tags in the Offers folder!!

Light & Lean Cooking are talking about zucchini in the form of brownies, oh my! Kelly from Frugal Kitchen is wanting to know a good recipe for the cooking-challenged one to make baked macaroni and cheese; the others are talking about the kitchen gadgets they cannot live without; and on the Curious Chef they're talking about Odd Sandwich combinations .. hhmmmmm ....

Have a great day eveyone!

Happy Anniversary to me!

2008-07-25T12:13:00.005-04:00

Today is our tenth wedding anniversary! That day was such a blur of activity, it was literally funny. People pick on us, okay, me, because I'm not the most punctual person in the world. I remember it taking longer than expected at the hair salon to get our hair fixed. It was me and my two best friends at the time (and one still is, and remains, my best friend). We had our long hair curled, and swept up on top of our heads. It took three and a half hours for them to get our hair finished! :-O So by the time we got back to mom and dad's, grabbed everything and rushed to the church ... whew! The wedding was to start at 5, we didn't get there until 4:15!

I had six bridesmaids, and the rest of them were already at the church freaking out cause we weren't there. Then you have someone who forgot their hose, then someone forgot their eyeliner, oh goodness. But my two buddies took care of everything. Hey, we were the ones who went to Myrtle Beach on a whim and twenty dollars, and still managed to look good so .... ;o) I remember of one the bridesmaids looking at me and saying "are you OK?", and said "Yeh, why?", and she said "then will you please show us you're breathing cause you look like you're about to fall out!" LOL!! Apparently I got a little serious in my thinking there.

So it's ten til five, and my sister in law who was directing the wedding, was about to turn blue. Cause NONE of us it seemed was ready, but there was something she wasn't telling me. Then I saw it- J getting out of a car outside of the church- he was just getting there!! So it is on record- I was there before him, neener neener!

I didn't walk down the isle until 5:15, but that was okay. I had two of the cutest little flower girls, ages 3 and 4. The daughters of one of my buddies. I remember watching my sister in law telling them "see your mommy down there? walk down the isle, tossing your flowers on the floor, and go straight to your mommy..". Yeh, apparently Maddie didn't see mommy right off, and when she got three quarters down the isle she TOOK off, RAN down the isle, straight to her mom, who was standing on the stage that was about 2 ft high. Maddie THREW that leg up climbing on the stage and her dress went *completely* over her head ... she stole the show ;o)

To think my flower girls are turning 13 and 14 this summer. Their mom and I are mourning *g*

We honeymooned in Banner Elk, NC, and fished the whole time. It was wonderful. We still get to go back to that resort because that's where my dad has his timeshare and it's a great inexpensive trip for us. We hope to go back in the next couple of months, actually.

So what are we doing for our anniversary? I don't know. Money is tight, and he has not said anything about going anywhere. My friend is having an Arbonne party this evening, I'm tempted to go to that if we don't have plans. I've never been one and it would be good for me to have some fellowship with the ladies from church.

And how sweet, my cousin, who is my age, who I never thought would tie the knot, is marrying his girlfriend of however many years ... four or five? Yeh, I think they waited as long as J and I did (we were together four before we married) ... he's getting married tomorrow. If it wasn't for lap year they'd be getting married on our anniversary, how sweet! :p

I'm so excited for them.

Michael Savage and Austism comments

2008-07-24T22:17:00.003-04:00

I am going to read some more on this subject tomorrow, but it just kills me from what I have read so far how incredibly crazy people can be in America. I was reading on the iVillage Beehive an entry about the current buzz this week about Michael Savage's recent comments about Austism. It reminds me of the recent Imus comments that were taken out of context a few weeks ago, people back again accusing him of being racist.

But this time, Michael Savage is being accused of saying that children who are diagnosed as autisic, is not really autistic, they are just "brats". Contrary, what I have gathered is that he is saying the disorder is overdiagnosed, and there are kids out there with the dx that is not truly autistic. I am going to do some more reading on this, but you can do some footwork yourself and listen to the snippets from his show here.

As for what I thought about the iVillage article, I posted my comments but iVillage blogs has a habit of not showing mine, maybe they're anti conservative commenters? ;o) I mean they did source the Huffington Post for this entry- I'd think they could find a more balanced source than the Huffington Post people!!

So for my comments:

I believe celebrities are elevated to levels by the public they should not be. Just because someone is famous, doesn't mean they are required to know everything about everything. Though, I do have a problem with the article that is referenced in this entry. Their only sentence in the whole article that gives room for context is "...Savage offered no apology in a message posted Monday on his Web site. He said greedy doctors and drug companies were creating a "national panic" by overdiagnosing autism,..."

Why should he apologize for saying he believes autism is overdiagnosed? In this article they crucify him completely through, but we have to ake a mopment and realize this is a liberal blog, talking about an appaently conservative person, so there is not going to be a *fair balance* of reporting and wording of the article.

iVillage, I challenge you you to find better balanced sources for your articles.
From this page -http://michaelsavage.wnd.com/?pageId=1156
It says:

"Dr. Savage has clarified that his July 16th statements concerning autism
were not directed at those who are in fact challenged by this horrible
affliction, but were instead addressing efforts to broaden the concept of autism
beyond those who truly are autistic to a broader "autistic spectrum" of
behavioral symptoms which are also manifested by persons who do not suffer from
autism, and his concern that many children are being misdiagnosed as autistic
due to the subjective nature of autism diagnosis (due to the lack of known
biomedical indicators, such as blood tests, to definitively confirm or deny the
actual existence of autism).

Dr. Savage has also explained his belief that there have been efforts by
certain professionals and professional organizations to expand diagnoses of
autism more broadly, for various reasons, and his concern that this victimizes
and stigmatizes children who are misdiagnosed as autistic.

On multiple other occasions Dr. Savage has expressed his concerns that
other conditions, such as ADD and ADHD, are overdiagnosed and result in improper
medication of young children, which Dr. Savage regards as abusive.

In the context of his broader concerns, it is clear that Dr. Savage's
comments were intended to suggest his opinion that, in the vast majority of
cases, most children throwing tantrums, or refusing to communicate, are not
autistic. Unfortunately, by condensing his multifaceted concerns into 84 seconds
of commentary, the necessary context for his remarks was not apparent, and the
few words he used to express his concerns were, in this instance, inartfully
phrased."

Straight from the results of the investigation by the network its self.

Now, I find it *crazy* that people think that one should be fired for exercising their right to freedom of speech! (Imus was not fired, btw) The people in San Franscisco who are going to protest outside of the station would do them selves well in showing grace to others as it is shown to them.

I had a child that fit every single "check" of the ADHD "list" beginning at three years old, and he got worse at four, then five, into his sixth birthday. A friend of mine with an autistic son even went through their diagnostic scales with me, and my son scored HIGHER on the autistic scale than her dx'd son did, yet my son was NOT.

I was told by EVERYONE including parents of children with ADHD I needed to find a doctor that WOULD dx him so we could get him medicated to "calm down". My ped REFUSED to dx him, because in her 30+ years of experience, she did not believe he was.

He does NOT have ADHD and shortly after his sixth birthday he changed dramatically. BY seven, those behaviors that everyone felt needed to be medicated and therapies for, were gone.
I DO believe there are children who are diagnosed with disorders they do not really have. I also have a family member who has aggressively persued a dx of ADHD for her child, (like she was telling me to do with my own), and after having her child with me for a period of time I can TELL you he doesn't have it, he needs consistency in his life, which his mother does NOT provide!

So I'm erring on the side of giving Mr Savage some grace and believing his follow up statements, and believing that he was saying publically what I already believed- there are parents out there that are not parenting as responsibly as they have the courage or strength to do, refuse to get support and *would rather blame their child* for their child's inapprorpiate behavior, and seek a medical label, than accept responsibility for their own parenting shortcomings.

Lets quit acting like this does not happen in own country!!

Do you have any thoughts on this?

A book giveaway!

2008-07-24T14:18:00.002-04:00

My friend Sisterlisa from Apples of Gold / Growing in Grace is giving away a book! She wrote her review of Gary Chapman's new book Love as a way of life. You can read her review here. Gary Chapman is a very good author. I've read a couple of his Love Languages books. You can sign up in her thread to have your name entered for a chance to win one of the two copies she is giving away. If you post about the giveaway on your blog, then you'll get two chance to win- isn't that great?

A little snippet of knowledge, he is the senior associate pastor at the "big Calvary" church in my city. There are two 'Calvarys' in this area, ours, about 12 miles from the North end of the city, and the "big" one, towards the west side of the city. We refer to it as the "big" Calvary because it's about twice our size, LOL We're not small, but we're definitely not that big, either!

While we are talking about books, I would like to take a moment and give a shout out to a new Christian author that Lord willing is going to take the realm of Christian mysteries by storm- Lizzy Armentrout. She just released her first book A Vengeful Spirit last week:

"Welcome to Pilotview, NC; a quiet, peaceful town where nothing much happens.
That all changes when evil strikes the Irvin family. Why is someone targeting
Tucker's family? What could a 12 year old have done to bring such terror to his
home? Why is his father missing? Shelly Gale, his teacher, can't resist helping
one of her students as his family seems to go through trial after trial. You
won't be able to put this book down as you follow Shelly and Curly in their
quest to help the Irvins find who is responsible for turning Pilotview, NC
upside down! "

Lizzy herself is a Christian school teacher, and has an amazing testimony for the Lord. If you would like to purchase one of the books (if amazon is out of stock) let me know and I can "hook you up"! ;o)

Thursday Chatter, Homeschool

2008-07-24T13:43:00.004-04:00

I'm feeling a little better about the homeschooling thing. I searched through the curriculum websites and emailed J about it, he said his mom said she would help. We need to get moving soon, though. I have to file an intent notice with the state and have to be able to tell them when we will be starting school, and they want a 30 day notice. Yikes! We need to move quickly! We decided to go with the A Beka curriculum from Pensacola Christian College. They have a DVD format where all of the lessons are actually taught via DVD, and I just facilitate and grade their work. The teachers for each grade that teach in the DVDs are also available by phone or email personally, which I *really* like, and feel better about.

From their FAQ it appears they'll have three hours of instruction each day with their subjects, Hannah might be a little less only being first grade (Jackson in 4th). My only concern is Jackson has been doing, and succeeding mightily in Saxon math. I need to find out of there is a big difference between Saxon and A Beka as far as teaching styles, and what their goals for the year is. Jackson was doing pre algebra concepts at the end of third grade using Saxon and he had like a 98 average. He made straight A's all year last year, I want this to continue!

So I'm feeling better about this, just anxious about how it will all work out. Physically, I'm just not sure what's going on. I feel like I'm in such a fog, I can't think clearly a good deal of the time. I'm SO tired, a lot. I wish, so wish, that our insurance situation was figured out. I wish J would actually get excited about the fact we don't have insurance and resolve to get something done about it. I have these migraines, and I can only take what we have here at the house to fend them off. I should be on Zoloft (chemical imbalance), yet I'm not and look at how I feel. I'm guessing I'm just dealing with lower amounts of seritonin right now than usual, and that's why I feel worse than I usually do without being on the Zoloft. I can go months and be alright (not good, but alright), but these days I just feel "bleh". Prayers please?

The grocery exile is underway. I learned from the Frugal Kitchen (links in sidebar, too) about this concept- you take everything out of your cupboards, and make note of what's in your fridge and freezer, and you don't buy anything extra until everything is used up. I like this on a few levels. One, it forces you to think more about your future purchases. Two, it helps you save money. Three, and my most favorite- it really helps with the "first in /first out" method I so dearly like to adhere to. I found an unopened can of baking powder that expires next month, and a barely used one that expires Dec '09! Do we know of any uses for baking powder besides baking, where I can use that can up? ;)

Last night we had an one pot pasta dish with shell pasta, garbanzo beans, petite diced tomatoes, minced garlic and olive oil with grated parmesean cheese sprinkled on top. It was YUM-O! Do you have any go-to pasta recipes? If so, hope on to Frugal Kitchen and share them with us :) While you're there, tell us what you think about Dr Fish's pedicures *g*

I clicked onto what looks like a really neat blog "Not of this world" by Katrina. She had posted a comment on Growing in Grace, and I had that thread set up to email me all replies after mine, so I read hers and clicked through her profile to her blog. It's very cute! What I liked reading was a snippet about a "good house". Here's the link to the post, check it out. It's not long at all, it just gives you fuzzy feelings with the visual it gives of what a good house should be.

I also saw a cute little thingy on her blog "how many of me", with a link to the website, so I followed:

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
276
people with my name in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Wednesday's chatter

2008-07-23T13:50:00.001-04:00

Today has not started out well. I woke up later than I should have. Usually when I wake up later I'm still not in a bad mood. I guess I didn't sleep well last night. I don't know, I don't remember anything. I do know that I feel rough, my neck is very tense like a headache is coming on, I am overwhelmed, period. I am very unsettled. very. I'm starting to feel conflicted as to whether I really need to be homeschooling this year. I'm wondering if it is really the best decision for our family, right now. Jay has made it clear that it will be "my thing", and you know, .... I'm just not that sure that I can emotionally tackle those things of responsibilities.

I'm full of fear right now. If they go to public schools, which, the one two tenths of a mile from our school has a very good reputation but I don't know if I could get them in there or not- but I worry with the differing curriculums, if they won't fall back in their educations. I don't believe in after-schooling, six hours plus homework is enough. I just don't kow. I mean, we do NOT have the money to purchase their curriculums, who am I kidding? I have to practically beg for grocery money through logic each week. When I think of our financial situation, I just feel sick. Maybe this is why my headaches are coming back so frequently?

As for my to do list today, I will be happy to finish what I started yesterday. What's left is in red:

* finish Jackson's bedclothes (comforters, sheets, pillow cases ...)
* Put away the clean dishes and wash what's in the sink (not much)
* Wash the dirty dishes after dinner (as so to not have as much in the morning)
* Straighten the livingroom, try to get rid of some folding chairs that were left from the week of the baby's funeral that have become "catch all's". This means putting everything piled up on them away, too.
* Continue decluttering "my corner" of our bedroom. It has become a "catch all" for winter clothes. I'm trying to get all the winter clothes in one spot, soooo ....
* Find recipes for marinating raw green beans.
* Find the best way to freeze green beans.
* Find a good way to store homemade pickles.
* Write out all of the groceries I have to work on my grocery exile.
* Fill out the letter of intent to the state to homeschool the kids.
* Figure out how we are going to buy our curriculums, and how much longer I have before I need to order them- what my deadline is.

But for now, I think I'll just go cry ...

Hermit Crabs

2008-07-22T15:35:00.002-04:00

Hermit Crabs!

We have two; "Lacey" and "Jackie Chan". They were Jackson's class pets, and we got to keep them at the end of the school year. June 25th, the week Jackson was at camp for the first time, Lacey buried herself in the sand. Well, their setup is a 10 gallon aquarium with playsand now, we did have it mulch with a shallow sandbox for them to play in. They like the all-sand setup much better than the mulch, we've learned. Anyhow, Lacey buried herself. It as nothing new to see one bury its self, Jackie Chan done it a lot in the mulch.

Naturally, I assume that Lacey is molting, yay! They're bigger hermit crabs, not like the little things you see at PetSmart. They fill up about 3/4 of your palm when out of the shell. We have three bigger shells in the tank with them that they've played with, sat on, etc ..

So Lacey has been buried in the sand for almost a month. I was starting to worry if she had died! But what we had read on molting, if we went digging to find out we could actually possibly kill her due to our impatience. I posted on the Other Pets board at iVillage and got a good link for resources, and learned that bigger crabs can take as long as two months to molt. WHEW. It hasn't been quite a month yet, so we're out of the dark as far as worrying if Lacey was dead or not.

I did read additional signs as to whether one is about to molt, and thought to myself, some of those sound like Jackie Chan, how weird! I thought JC was grieving and missing Lacey because they play together a lot and it was missing its friend. But then I remembered when we urged it out of its shell, how it had a gel sack under its hind leg, and Jackson and I thought "Hmmmm...".
So get this- Sunday morning, we see this 'crater' in the sand where Lacey had buried its self, and we see Lacey's shell! It's alive! Woo-Hoo!

So we're leaving it alone, and we're leaving JC alone in case its about to molt. TODAY- what do we find? JC has either come out of its shell completely, or shedded its entire exoskeleton and is in its shell rebuilding it's new exoskeleton. It's so wild!

Meanwhile, Lacey is shedding its exoskeleton, little by little. We've found two limbs above the sand where its buried its self, including the small pincher claw. Well, I say buried, the sand could have just fallen back on top of her, too. We were looking yesterday and you could see it through the glass moving it's antennae and two limbs, but by bedtime the sand had fallen enough into the hole where we couldn't see anymore.

So now we're constantly checking the tank everytime we walk by it, how neat is this!?

Tuesday Chatter, VOTD

2008-07-22T14:45:00.009-04:00

I skipped posting my to do list yesterday, though I don't feel like I got a lot done. I have found our couch, though it keeps trying to run away under toys and such. We're working on that ;o) So all of those clothes are put away, hung up, etc ... I believe, now watch I'll find another load tucked away somewhere, but I believe that the only dirty clothes I have, are in the washing machine. I'm working on Jackson's bedclothes now. Oh, and I've made the bed- yay - that's an effort thing for me ;o)

The rest of today I need to:

* finish Jackson's bedclothes (comforters, sheets, pillow cases ...)
* Put away the clean dishes and wash what's in the sink (not much)
* Wash the dirty dishes after dinner (as so to not have as much in the morning)
* Straighten the livingroom, try to get rid of some folding chairs that were left from the week of the baby's funeral that have become "catch all's". This means putting everything piled up on them away, too.
* Continue decluttering "my corner" of our bedroom. It has become a "catch all" for winter clothes. I'm trying to get all the winter clothes in one spot, soooo ....
* Find recipes for marinating raw green beans.
* Find the best way to freeze green beans.
* Find a good way to store homemade pickles.
* Write out all of the groceries I have to work on my grocery exile.
* Fill out the letter of intent to the state to homeschool the kids.
* Figure out how we are going to buy our curriculums, and how much longer I have before I need to order them- what my deadline is.

I think that's all the pressure I'll put on myself today ;o)

I've decided to wrote the devotionals on a separate blog, which was my intention anyway to have a separate devotional blog. I'll let you know when its ready for launch. I think I am going to pace myself and schedule them to post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday then reevaluate in the future if changes are needed. Just letting you know where the devotionals had gotten to ;o)

BUT! I wanted to leave you with these verses that really struck me in my reading this morning as to how holy God really is:

Amos 8:8-12
8Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.

9And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:

10And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.

11Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

12And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

Amos 9:
8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the LORD.

10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.

14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

Isn't that amazing?

Sibling behavior, prayer requests

2008-07-22T14:25:00.006-04:00

Oy, kids! We have a real pattern of behavior emerging with ours that I am overwhemed at the moment in knowing how to really break it. Naturally, brothers and sisters are going to argue and fight. Jackson has started hitting Hannah without even thinking about it. Now I'm not talking about beating her down or anything, and I'm not saying she's innocent in not hitting him, but at the same time, it is not acceptable behavior.

Two things bother me:
One, that he feels he can hit her and there not be consquences. He has been grounded, he has been spanked, he has had priviledges taken away, yet, it still happens. We need an additional approach to this. A lot of this comes from his temper. He has a great one, but I know he can keep it in check because he has had a number of instances this summer where he was the abused one, and he turned the other cheek. Why can't he understand that treating his sister in a like manner is wrong?

Two, Hannah has taken on the victim role. Is that the right term? She has come to think, even though she has seen him get in trouble, she would rather him still play with her and hit her, than to see him suffer the consequences of hitting her. He will slap her, I'll hear it from the other room, yet, she doesn't want him sent away and says it's ok although she is clearly not ok with a whelp on her leg, arm, back, wherever his hand managed to land at the time.

THIS, especially, concerns me. How do you teach a little girl to stand up for herself and to understand that even if it is your brother, abuse is NOT ok? Her heart is a thousand miles wide, she would do anything for anyone and give you the shirt off of her back. But I have got to figure out a way for her to understand that it is not ok for him to hit her. NOW, if we were on the playground and someone hurt her, though not adamant about it, she does expect the offender to suffer consequences, and understands that it is wrong, and why. But with Jackson- it's the opposite.

They are very close, yet they have no trouble parting from each other either. Overall, I'd say they have a very healthy relationship, except for the pattern of abuse. It concerns me in a way because Hannah is the only person he will treat like this, and because they are so close, it concerns me because when he grows up, I don't want him to grow up thinking it is ok to abuse the ones you love or are closest to, be it physically or verbally .. (or even passive aggressively.).

We need some prayer in this, will you pray for us?

I also have a decision I have been praying about, and it is not one that needs to be made for the immediate future, but I need some peace either way. Yes, no, or wait. Waiting is perfectly fine, I am just such a compulsive "wanna be in the know" type personality, especially when it is my life (lol) that I just need some peace on it. When the time is right, I will share what the decision is.

I also have a health issue going on. It is repeating, and I know how to treat it, but, I'd appreciate anyprayer I can get that it will heal quickly. Even though I know what it is and how to treat it, doesn't make it less painful. Not to mention I seem to be getting more headaches lately - I'm prone to migraines.

My aunt fell and broke her knee last week, if you think about her please say a prayer that she'll heal and recover quickly. Sh's an active 72 year old, I hate to think this will be what slows her down, so I'm praying for total recovery physically and emotionally. kwim?

I think that's my laundry list right now ;o)

Shopped Friday, Saturday Chatter

2008-07-19T12:22:00.005-04:00

The kids and I were out a good part of yesterday. I had built up $75 in Gym Bucks from Gymboree and this week is the time to redeem them. The kids and I went to the mall, which usually I dread. We had talks before we left the house, in the car on the way, and on the way into the mall walking together- they WERE going to be good. I don't know what's got into them that they think it's appropriate to run about in public like they were on the playground. You know, they DON'T play like that outside or on the playground!

So we had lunch first, they had Chick Fil A and I wanted to try out the new Mexican Grill "Wholly Moly". WOW! I got a chicken burrito (about 3/4 size of what we get in regular Mexican restauarants), a side of spanish rice, refried beans (that had more whole beans in it like I like, too), a personal size order of chips and salsa (YUM! Watch out! the salsa has a definiate KICK!), AND! a medium sized drink .... all for the grand total of $5.25! I was very impressed. I wish the mall was closer to us, we would eat there after church on Sundays instead of our regular Mexican spot, lol!!

After we ate I got my traditional Gloria Jeans Cafe Mocha, and on the way to Gymboree downstairs we got Jackson's drink refill and Hannah went to the bathroom, of course. We got to the store and YAY! They're getting fall items in. I was concerned cause both kids have more than enough summer items now.

I ended up buying Hannah two dresses for next year, some capri pants that will work for her well into the fall, another pair of skorts, I broke and got a regular priced item, a sweater top / dress that requires a collared shirt underneath it. "Apples" is the theme right now ;) So she has a pair of white (winter) tights with apples down the leg, some apple ponytail bands, blue hair barettes to go with the striped tights I got, so when I go back she can get the striped dress.

I scored Jackson two pairs of pants that will be great for church or errands this fall. He needs church pants now, so this worked. Last time we shopped I was informed of the fact pants have to fall just short of your toes on your shoes to look right. So I got it right this time ;O) Of course, I come home with a massive headache.

So what's going on today?
I want to find my couch. I didn't find it Thursday though I got a LOT of laundry done. So while I'm not washing today, I'm folding, hanging, and putting away. If I do nothing else today, I want to get that done. The kids and Jay went to MILs to visit for a while. He's supposed to call me to let me know if we're getting together for dinner tonight or not. Thursday was his brother's bday, and yesterday was that brother's wife's bday. Mine is the 30th, so this would be a good a weekend as any to celebrate together since we don't get to see them often.

Oh, and one more thing. I realized the other night, I spelled my blog title wrong when I created the URL for my blog! Yep, look up there. "Whimsies", is not spelled "Whimisies"! So, I'll continue to blog here for the time being,but I'm trying to figure out what to do. I have an idea, so stay tuned ;O)

The LORD trieth the hearts

2008-07-19T11:27:00.007-04:00

Proverbs hold so much wisdom, it is worth reading it over and over again for the awesome reminders it gives us for our daily lives, wouldn't you think?

Proverbs 17:
3The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.

"... the LORD trieth the hearts."
He knows what's in our hearts, even when we don't know what is it our hearts. He's so faithful to us, so patient when we are seeking him. I've been in the process of letting go things that have been dear to me for a long time. It's been a real process of sorting through my emotions. Sometimes, when when something is not a sin, the Lord may still call us away from it for our own good. He knows our very natures, and he knows how things will affect us, even when we may not realize how something will effect us. We can go on doing what we "think is ok", without taking serious stock into what the Lord would have. I believe sometimes he allows us to wander around the thing he wants us to let go, just so we can see for ourselves what he is trying to tell us.

It's like a parent, they tell their child the plate is hot, knowing, sure as the world, that child is going to touch it anyway. It's not going to cause third degree burns if they child touches it, though no parent wants their child to feel pain. But I have grown to like those moments with my children, when Hannah touches the plate anyway, despite what I've told her. "Ouch!", she says. Then I get that moment ... "Well? I told you so!".

I wonder how many times God giggles at us "Well, I tried to tell you..." "If you would just listen to me...", but it's in those "ouch!" moments, that we learn to trust him more. We need to retrain our thoughts, and stop kidding ourselves when we say the plate is not as hot as it really is. Do we really want to feel that pain? Sometimes, pain might be needed to drive the point home. I can ground Jackson for a month from his favorite home activities- playstation, computer .... but he can endure. What hurts, is when he gets a spanking. Just enough pain to show him the pain it brings to his mother's heart when he acts in an ungodly manner, or makes an ungodly decision. The same kind of grief it brings God, when we, as His children, do the same thing.

I think of an article I read once about a girl hiding from her mother. We cannot hide from God. We cannot hide from God, what is in our hearts. He tries our hearts, he knows what is there. During times of stress or turmoil in our lives, what is in our hearts, truly, in our hearts, will come out. We can stuff our emotions, and act like things are okay, but he knows deep down, they are not, even if we have lied to ourselves for so long we really think it is. It is when we go through the fire, that the truth comes out.

When we lost the baby (our great nephew that I babysat 50+ hrs a week), when we got the news that morning, my supernatural strength went into overdrive. I cried for five minutes when Jay told me what happened, then I jumped up, got ready as fast as I could, and we were on our way to my sister's where my neice was staying, where it happened. I had nearly a dozen calls, people from our church it felt like (which, I appreciated and needed every one of them), and spoke with a sister in Christ about the situation so she could pass on to our online group what to pray for. It felt like eternity before we headed back to my house, everyone, because our house is big enough to accomodate large groups. That whole week people were in and out, I was receiving food, being "hostess". It was only when we went to the funeral home the afternoon of the wake, when the baby was "ready", for my neice to see him. We walked up to the casket, and I looked in, and the others started to cry. My Pastor and his wife were there.

He was at the casket with us, and I looked up and he asked if I was ok, and I nodded yes. Then I looked back down at the baby, and I was SO upset- that did NOT look like him at all, I thought! That was my last chance to see those little itty bitty cheeks, his slender face (when he was laying down, his cheeks looked so slim), his tiny little self! He was BIG! His face was twice the size it should have been. His face was covered in makeup! That was NOT the shape of his lips at all!! I turned around, walked across the room towards my pastor's wife (which beforehand had been becoming a good friend as we had been getting to know each other as of late), and I just fell on her. Alllll of these emotions come rushing through me. We went outside, and bawled, we talked, then Pastor come out. I'll never forget what he said- "I thought you were doing TOO good". I guess I was.

I was so busy stuffing my own emotions aside to try to protect my neice from potential dramas, and to make things as smoothly as possible for everyone, I had not really cried in four days, since I learned the news that Monday morning. The Lord knew those emotions were there. He knew what it was going to take, to make the situation "real", for me. When the fire comes, for me it was seeing the baby in the casket, the true emotions come out. What about other situations in my life? I know I tend to smile and act like I'm at peace with the way certain things are in our home and marriage, because I don't want to seem like a nag; but when my emotions catch up with me, it's an overwhelming whirlwind through my mind. The Lord knows this. He knows it all. Why do we try to fool ourselves?

I would like to think, that when we go through the fire, that what people see, is what has always been there, nothing new. I believe that is what God wants for us. The challenge, is getting to that point.

Thursday's chatter

2008-07-17T13:04:00.005-04:00

wow, I need to start waking up earlier, lol I slept horrible last night, in that, I barely slept. I was wired and keyed up until almost 5am, and I woke about 9:30. I've already got a number of things done:

Wrote two posts about my reading from today, turned into a devotion of sorts and a testimony.
Dried a load of clothes, that is on it's way to my bed to make two loads waiting to be folded and put up.
Washed two large blankets, one is hanging outside the other is in it's second rinse- it will go outside when it's done.
I washed dishes from last night's dinner and this morning's breakfast.

I know that doesn't seem like much, but in my world, that's movin' on to better things, LOL!! So today's ToDos ... I would like to:

*Get the dishes I washed put away.
*Finish washing and drying the bedclothes from our room, completely (put away, everything.)
*Get the clothes that are dry on my bed, folded, hung, and put away.
*Find my couch again, it's covered with clean clothes from last week that no one felt the need to put up. I just caught the memo under the end table that said "... even though your clothes are on hangers and just need transported to your closet, mom is the one that does that. Even if you have to move said clothes to sit down"
*Not have a headache by VBS.

Speaking of VBS, we had 450 kids last night! Praise the LORD!!
So what are YOU doing today? Remember you can sub to this thread and receive email notifications with my responses, so it would be like 'chatting' almost! :o)

Vent on society- celebrities

2008-07-16T23:59:00.002-04:00

Has anyone been following the Christie Brinkley divorce?

I normally don't follow celebrity stuff unless it's Patrick Dempsey, then well ...)- but FoxNews has been covering this a great deal, and that's my channel, so ... but I'm looking through my DVR and see the Red Eye was accidentally recorded last night, so I'm watching it, and they're talking about "the latest", which, OMGoodnes .... what in the WORLD is our society coming to when this kind of crap is said!!!~

"Peter Cook, the estranged husband of Christie Brinkley, was said to be narcissistic by a court psychiatrist (Oh, so NOW we see a diagnosis as to why he was tossing $3k into porn each month?) during their publicized divorce trial proceedings on Tuesday.

Dr. Stephen Herman, the court psychiatrist, said that both Brinkley and Cook need therapy. Herman said that Brinkley needs therapy as "an outlet for her anger and feeling of betrayal" (okay, we can see this...) by Cook, who had an affair with 18-year Diana Bianchi, which ended their marriage.

Herman said Brinkley, who's been married four times, also "needs to start working on deeper issues," including "her choice of male figures." (Blame the victim? "It's your fault you married this guy though you had no idea he had a thing for teen girls and was addicted to porn" UHG!!)

Herman met 11 times with the parents, their 13-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter. He said Peter Cook is a "narcissist" who constantly needs to have his insatiable ego fed. Cook, a Hamptons architect, "needs constant reassurance that he is a terrific guy," Herman said in the report. (UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!, I thought the idea behind therapy for narrcissim was to overcome the desire to think the world should revolve around you!! This QUACK is doing the opposite!!)

Prior to the scandal, Brinkley described Cook to an interviewer as "just the greatest father."

The primary focus of the trial has been on Cook's teenage mistress and his Internet sex activities. He has apologized for both. (He's sorry he's having to publicly admit what he done ... he's sorry he got caught ... if he was truly sorry he would have apologized before the trial, but these apolgies happened in court!!)

The court heard testimony last week from Cook, 49, and Diana Bianchi, who was 18 during their affair in 2006. Cook said he gave Bianchi a $300,000 payoff, had sexual encounters with her in his office and Brinkley's Hamptons homes, and spent thousands of dollars on online pornography.

Narcissism is a borderline personality disorder, first diagnosed by Sigmund Freud, who named it after Greek myth of Narcissus, who was doomed to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water.

Narcissism, the borderline mental illness, is the act of extreme self-love, self-centeredness and self-regard."

http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=52847&cat=14

Disclaimer: I haven't seen what's on the rest of this site, it's the first one I found the quotes for the topic on ...

When did it become OKAY to act like this? At the rate our society is going, NO ONE will be accountable for ANYTHING because we can just claim to be ill!!

How about we all come down with "acute plagarism" and sell other people's work and expect to get paid for it because it's our illness. Huh? What do you think?

Wednesday TaDa's

2008-07-16T14:47:00.005-04:00

Lets see ... what have I gotten done today?

A TON as far as designing the blog some more.
As you can see, a LOT of posting.
I read my bible, today's passage and 'catch up' passage.
Washed a load of dishes.
Dried half of them and put them away.
Washed #1 load of laundry, put it outside to dry.
Washed #2 load of laundry, about to rewash it if needed (this was a basket our psycho kitty rebelled in, uhg)

Hmmmm, feels like so much more!

VBS is this week, so I need to get dinner ready for us to eat early, because the bus will be here by 6pm. I missed last night because of a massive headache, but I think by taking meds early I avoided a migraine.

added at midnight: I finished the day wth cooking venison meatloaf- using a homemade BBQ sauce that was GOOD! and a concoction for a make shift "casserole", LOL

I mopped the mess that was my laundry room, which was awful. Our female cat is refusing the litter box, which is in the laundry room. When I woke up to her pee'ing in the bed with me in it, that's when she become an outside cat .... Ohhhh- lemme go let her in, LOL ..... ok I'm back. So anyways. if there's *anything* in the floor in the laundry room, she will go on it. So the idea is, she can sleep inside, but Jay has to put her out when he gets up in the morning. Well, she was "accidentally" left inside, and I did not realize it until after lunchtime. There was a basket with pillowcases that was soaked, and another basket with towels and a couple of T shirts, and urine was running across the floor, and where the boys (three more, she makes four cats total), where they jump in and out of the litter box, there was a nice layer of litter over the little river of urine. YUCK!!

Then imagine an average dirty kitchen floor to begin with, that has had three sets of four paws walking over the urine in the laundry room that is off of the kitchen, tracking it through the kitchen little by little. BLEH! So I scalded the mop the best I could and went over the kitchen whole I was mopping.

Needless to say, I'm going to have to figure out how to change the head on my miracle mop Thursday!!

I have a ton of To Do's for tomorrow, be on the lookout! So what have you gotten done today? :O)

Verses for today, July 16th

2008-07-16T13:06:00.008-04:00

For my "catch up" reading from Jan 30th, I got tickled to see Genesis 39 was included, as we have been studying that chapter for the past couple of weeks on Sunday nights. The verse I really appreciate from that passage is:

9There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

I appreciate how the Lord included in His Word an example like Joseph, who as far as recorded, always had God first and foremost in his mind. When faced with a temptation, he took stock of all of his blessings, and remembered where his blessings come from, and remembered his moral values and recognized it was blatant sin against God. He was so close to God, it did not take him time to ponder his answer to this woman, his decision was already made before he was in that situation. I like that, that's good stuff *g*

Then you have God's faithfulness even in times of trial-

21But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
23The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.

Even when he is put in jail, he is made a "boss", even in jail, the Lord's presence in Joseph's life was visibly seen. Because what I jsut learned and never thought about was, Potiphar put Joseph in HIS prison (v1, 20), which was in his home. Even though his wife says Joseph tried to seduce her, he chose to keep Jospeh close to him. That's a testimony IMO

In Psalm 30 I find hope:

2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Again I got tickled with today's reading from "the plan", it was 1 Cor 5, because Pastor preached on it this past Sunday night, and boy was it a serious sermon too, but done with SUCH conviction and love!!

Then 1 Kings 18 was the story of one of my favorite prophets Elijah. Go read it ;o)

I have to say I don't think I have ever read in Amos maybe besides a cross reference. That was an interesting passage and made me think f my name devo study, about God's name JEHOVAH-NAKAH, "the Lord who smites", (when his mercy and long suffering have been exhausted, the Lord smites in judgement.).

Proverbs 16 is awesome.
There were a few verses in this chapter I love:

3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

5a Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: ...

6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
7When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
9A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

11A just weight and balance are the LORD's: all the weights of the bag are his work.

16How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
17The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
18Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
19Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.
21The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

22Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.
23The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.
24Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
25There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

32He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

The resignation post

2008-07-16T10:49:00.003-04:00

NOTE: Please read this post first, it was intended to show before this one but I can't make it, LOL!!
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This is a copy of the post I made when I resigned as leader of the forum I have led for the past seven years. When I started on this board I was a baby Christian, though saved for a few years- but had not grown in the Lord. The Lord used this board to bring greatest revivals and growth spurts spiritually, in my walk with him. I belong to a WONDERFUL bible preaching & teaching church, and it went perfectly hand in hand.
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Last March I had a huge post written. I held on to it. I was not ready. But for the past seven years I have been a leader on this board, I've always kept it in prayer, for the Lord to let me know when it was time to hang up my hat. I come to terms with it back in February, that it might be time. I wrote the post in March, late March. The baby died a couple of weeks later.For the past two months I have been in a hole. A pit. Was it the grief? Or was it just severe depression as a result of my grief? I don't know. I do know, I had no desire to get out of bed. and mainly, I didn't.

For the past couple, three weeks, I've started getting out of bed again. That's big. My relationship with the Lord has struggled. He's been here, giving me my space. Always walking two steps behind me, ready to catch me when I was weak and falling.I'll be honest here. Last fall there was an "episode" that happened here, and I walked away from that not the same. That was when I started praying hard. I don't know life separate from this board. SEVEN years. That is half of my relationship with Jay, OVER half of my marriage. My FAMILY is here. But the Lord told me something in that "episode"- he said it would happen again. I would feel that way again. I knew if he said it, it was true. I just chose to ignore it, apparently.Then I chose not to post the post in March. I got so "busy" with "life", I put off obeying the Lord.

Then we lost the baby. Then I went into my (moreso physical) depression / grief coma. Then I woke up- and last week, it happened, again. I felt "that way" again. The hurt, the frustration, the shock that the things that were said, were said. I went to bed that night, determined to walk on past it and "leddigo". Then the second wave of hurt come in, the next morning.You know I spent that whole day in pain. Hurt. Frustrated. Crying. Anger. Then as I was on the phone with a loved one that I knew could talk me down, the Lord spoke. "Wendy, I told you so ..." .

I believe, last fall, the Lord knew I would not have the guts to post that post. Looking back, had I obeyed and posted the post, what happened last week, probably would not have happened. But it did, and here I am.I could rehash what happened last week, but I won't (here) ... because the Lord brought me to the verse from Joseph-"... but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." -- Genesis 50:20

He used that verse to show me he used what happened last week to get me to a point of "doing" instead of "thinking". "Delayed obedience, is disobedience."

I can't do this anymore, this is not what the Lord is calling me to do.So after this week, I will no longer be a CL on this board. It has been a wonderful seven years, but the Lord is bringing me to another chapter of my life, and my time needs to be focused elsewhere. I will be blogging, a lot. I plan on offering a supscription service so updates can be sent straight to email for anyone who would like to keep up.I'll be around, but it won't be near as much.

I still plan to maintain CFLNews. After much contemplating over the past week, I've also decided to start fresh here with a new name, too. He pressed on my heart using any of my other names here, where there are existing post counts, I would be holding onto the past. I need to look to the future. My kids need more of me than what I have been able to offer them. Jay needs more of me. I need to move closer to them, and to the Lord. So, that shall I do ;o)

I love you all, and count myself blessed having gotten to know each of you and have you in my life. I decided three years ago, if I have another baby girl, she will be named after one of you. That's already in stone- that's how much you mean to me.I could keep rambling, but I'll leave with this. Even writing one of the hardest posts I've ever had to write, The Lord brings comfort. Hannah brings me her worksheet for church tomorrow night, and it's about "precious possessions".

There's a frame, and she is to draw something that means a lot to her. The bottom says this-"If you had to give up a "precious possession", in order to serve God, could you do it? Think of people you know who serve God in one way or another. What does it cost them to serve and follow God?"

Well, this is in my "frame"-

Originally posted July 1, 2008

Reading the bible?

2008-07-16T09:30:00.011-04:00

The air is fresh (I think), the sun is shining, the view from the window is bright, I already have a load of clothes finishing the rinse cycle, on my second cup of coffee, Hannah (6) is fed (Jackson (9) is still asleep), I just got out of the shower and dressed, and guess what?

I've read my bible this morning! :D

Now, knowing this is a new blog some of my already-friends are going to have to bear with me while I bring my new friends up to speed on some things. Though some of my already-friends might not know some of the things I will be sharing here on this blog (more blogs to come). My bible reading, aside from a passage here and there for reference, and at church, has been non existent this year. I set out to read my bible in a year, you know, those lofty "New Years Resolutions". In the forum I was leading, everyone (well, almost) said they would like more accountability in their bible reading. I was excited, because I needed it too. So we started off the month with "daily bible threads", for everyone to share what they had read that day and to discuss it if desired. This was to encourage everyone to grow closer to Christ.

I realize God knew that was going to happen, and I do not want anyone to think I am accusing the lack of involvement in those threads as my "excuse" to not read my bible, because we are all accountable to God, whether we have a human to answer to or not. But the interest, or should I say involvement, never started. I done well for about a month. I was using the bible in a year plan presented from http://www.christianity.com/ , which is VERY nifty if you have not seen it yet! Here's a screenshot of what it is like (and is for free)-

So you have your "checklist", and you just check the day off after you have read it, and it will continue to show you month to month what you have or have not read. For example, come to find out, I stopped reading on the plan on January 30th. When I logged in this morning it was automatically on July, so I clicked the months backwards until I found a check mark again:

You can also change your reading plan preferences, start dates (so if you start with me tomorrow on July 16th, your plan will run from July 16th '08 to July 16th '09. You can choose to read your own bible (as I do) or you can read the provided text right on your computer, which I am sure this can be a good thing for people who work outside the home and want to read on their breaks or lunch hours:

So this site is a real blessing for me personally. I hope it might help someone else who stumbles upon this post, too.

So back to accountability. That is part of the inspiration of my personal blog, to keep myself accountable, to myself. It is nice when others join you along, but I will be the first to admit, we are responsible for our own selves.

Sidenote:
If you are struggling with the issue of reading your bible daily, please, join me in the comments area so we can encourage one another! My blog is set up to where you can receive follow up comments after you have commented to a post- so when you sub to a post, you will receive an email with my response (and maybe others) to you :o)

You can also subscribe through feedburner (look to the right) and you will receive notifications of all new posts I make here, which is handy if you check your email first like I do, lol

End Sidenote.

So I confess my own sin in not being in the word daily as I should have this year.

This has been a rough year, too. It's been a struggle of my own "spiritual get up and go", obedience to the Lord, and tremendous grief over the death of our great nephew 4-14-08 (who I babysat 50+ hours a week from this third week of life).
As you can read my the resignation post, I had come to terms with the Lord's will that I was to resign as community leader of that forum in February, I should have posted that post then as the Lord was telling me, but alas, do we always listen and obey immediately? Nope. But it was not new news to the Lord. He has used all of that to my benefit now, because he has shown me my own reflection in my own children, so we are working on instant obedience together now ;o) Along with a good number of other things I'll be covering in due time.

So YAY! I read my bible today! Actually, I sat down and read it three other times this month, too ;) from a daily devotional book I love "Learning to Worship His Name", and the Proverbs reading for the day.

But today! Today, I read the daily reading from c.com-
1 Corinthians 5; 1 Kings 18; Amos 2:1-3:2, and the reading from January 30th- Luke 22:1-38; Genesis 39; Psalms 30, and Proverbs 16, and the snippet from my devo book. My intention / calling is to start writing devotional type posts, which will be on one of my other to-be blogs. But here, I'll just share the verses that jumped out at me, and if anyone reading wanted to join, please feel free. Share what you read that day or the day before (or the day before ...) that spoke to your heart or something you thought was just "good stuff".

My desire is revival in my home. Is it yours?