Laura's Life

Pray for Barack Obama

2008-11-05T09:58:00.011-07:00

Romans 13:1-2

1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.

2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

Because so many Christians prayed for God's will to prevail in the Presidential elections, we know the outcome has been ordained by God.

Christians must now overwhelmingly pray for God's guidance for those we elected to office to govern our great Nation. With the Democrats gaining seats in both the House and Senate they now hold a majority in both, and the addition of a Democratic President means two-thirds of our government is now held by those with liberal Democratic views. The concern of many conservatives is the tip to the left in the check-and-balance system created at the founding of our country to keep the best interest of all citizens in mind. We need to pray for fairness and impartiality for those who are making decisions that will affect us all.

From now until January 20, please join me in praying for Barack Obama in these days leading up to his inauguration and thereafter by registering with the Presidential Prayer Team. By signing up, you will be sent email notification each day reminding you to pray for his health and safety and for his discernment and wisdom to be that ordained by God.

Maybe these changes in government are what we who hold the Bible firmly in high regard needed to call us to more earnest prayer to our gracious heavenly Father.

Go VOTE!

2008-11-04T11:15:00.000-07:00

Democracy vs. Socialism

2008-11-03T09:47:00.003-07:00

By now, everyone has heard the infamous Joe the Plumber interview and the resulting "spread the wealth" idea brought about by Senator Obama. But the question remains, who is responsible for caring for those unable to care for themselves like widows and orphans?

Socialism views the government as responsible to ensure everyone has equal parts of the share, whether they participate financially or not.

Democracy views everyone as responsible for themselves.

Which is the correct Biblical view?

In the Epistles, we see a clear outline for the care widows and orphans. Who were these letters written to? Certainly not for the Roman government, but to the Church.

1 Timothy 5:3-16

3 Honor widows who are widows indeed;

4 but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.

5 Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day.

6 But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives.

7 Prescribe these things as well, so that they may be above reproach.

8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

9 A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man,

10 having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work.

11 But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married,

12 thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous pledge.

13 At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention.

14 Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach;

15 for some have already turned aside to follow Satan.

16 If any woman who is a believer has dependent widows, she must assist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are widows indeed.

James 1:27

27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Acts 2:41-45

41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;

45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.

If we, the Church family, are properly caring for those who can not care for themselves then there will be no need for government aid and the issue of "socialized programs" will no longer exist.

By the way, in case you didn't notice Senator Obama told Joe the Plumber his tax breaks would start for those making under $250K per year. On Friday that number was down to $120K and that's not take home pay. That's what you make before taxes, insurance, mortgage, bills, food, clothing...

Prop 102

2008-10-31T10:04:00.002-07:00

In addition to the facts listed in the video above, here are some other ways recognizing a homosexual marriage as a legal marriage would affect you and your local church:

• Pastors or other religious leaders could be sued for refusing to perform same-sex marriages.

• Wedding services such as photography, catering, gown designers, etc. could be sued for refusing services to same-sex marriage couples.

• Churches and temples could be sued for refusing to allow same-sex marriages to be performed in their sanctuary or on their property.

In Arizona, Proposition 102 is on the ballot November 4. Here's the complete wording taken directly from the site Yes For Marriage.

"Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state."

That's it. The entire proposition is only 20 words in simple clear English. I urge you to vote YES on Prop. 102 in Arizona and YES on Prop. 8 in California.

Godless

2008-10-30T11:49:00.007-07:00

So, I missed the multi-million Barack Obama 30 minuet "infomercial" last night because I WAS AT CHURCH. Was it by coincedience the airing was when evangelical Christians would not be at home to watch? I think not. Evangelicals, by and large, have already backed John McCain. By purchasing network time that conflicted with traditional Bible study, Senator Obama didn't give his opponents the opportunity to even view his advertisement let alone question him on the content.

It's obvious that we are not his target audience anyway.

Arrogance

2008-10-28T10:12:00.005-07:00

Maybe Senator Obama doesn't know it is illegal in many states for your employer to forbid you from exercising your Constitutional right to vote. There are people all over the world who stand in line for hours in the extremely harsh elements to vote in free elections.

By sanctioning skipping work obligations, this ad takes arrogance and irresponsibility to a whole new level.

Native Born

2008-10-27T10:02:00.014-07:00

According to the Untied States Constitution, these are the requirements for being United States President:

"No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty five years, and been fourteen Years a resident within the United States." (Article 2, Section 1)

Both Senators Obama and McCain have had their eligibility questioned based on the Native Born requirement.

John McCain's Natural Born citizenship was questioned because he was born on a US Naval Base in the Panama Canal prior to the annexation of the canal as a US territory. This claim was dismissed because the Panama Canal was annexed in 1937, one year after McCain's birth and the citizenship requirement became retroactive to his birth in 1936.

Barack Obama's Natural Born citizenship was questioned because evidence has surfaced that he was born in Mombasa, Kenya and NOT in Honolulu as stated on his Certificate of Live Birth. This claim has yet to be refuted as Jerome Corsi who was investigating Obama's birth records was forced to leave Kenya after being told the records in Kenya are sealed.

Here is the document the Democratic Party has produced claiming it is a legitimate Birth Certificate. Here is what an authentic Birth Certificate looks like. Note the obvious omission of details such as the statistics of the birth (length and weight) and the name of the hospital as well as the doctor who performed the delivery are missing. Also of note, Barack Obama Senior is listed as "African" where in 1961 he would have been listed as "Negro" or "Colored". Use of the term African-American would not have been used until after the Civil Rights Act in 1964.

The most pressing question in my mind is why are Obama's Kenyan records sealed? If he wasn't born in Mombasa, why do they have records of him at all? Is it possible he is heavily involved with the Orange Democratic Movement which is lead by Raila Odinga, the current Kenyan Prime Minister who was granted a government position to appease the violent uprising after the election (which Odinga lost to Kibaki by 200,000 votes)?

Once again I am not surprised many of my friends and relatives haven't heard any of this information in the media. Why would they? Of course the media will do nothing to upset the chance of election for their darling Obama, even to the detriment of the American Republic and loss of the freedoms the Founding Fathers fought and died to create.

One Vote

2008-10-23T13:42:00.005-07:00

The video states our country has never been more divided in our lifetime. The last time such division gripped The United States was when The American Civil War waged a great cost to our nation as 620,000 soldiers gave their lives to grant freedom to all Americans.

10 Reasons Christians Should Not Vote For Obama

2008-10-20T14:03:00.005-07:00

Forwarded by my Dad from an email letter by Christian apologist Brad Harrub, PhD:

1. He has voted in support of infanticide

In 2002, as an Illinois legislator, Obama voted against the Induced Infant Liability Act, which would have protected babies that survived late-term abortion.

PROVERBS 6:16-17
16 There are six things which the LORD hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood

2. He is pro-abortion rights

He has maintained a 100% pro-choice rating with planned parenthood and NARAL, cosponsoring the Freedom of Choice Act.

JEREMIAH 1:5
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
And before you were born I consecrated you;
I have appointed you a prophet to the nations."

3. He is not in favor of traditional marriage between one man and one woman

In an open letter to the "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual" (LGBT) community that was posted on Obama's official campaign website on February 28, 2008, Obama wrote that he unequivocally favors completely repealing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

GENESIS 2:24
24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

4. He supports same sex marriage

The Illinois senator said he supports extending "fully equal rights and benefits to same-sex couples under both state and federal law."

1 CORINTHIANS 6:9-10
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

5. He supports the teaching of homosexuality in schools

"And if we feed them hope, and we feed them reason and tolerance, then they will become tolerant and reasonable and hopeful. And that, I think, is one of the most important things that the next president can do."

MATTHEW 18:5-6
5 "And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me;
6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."

6. He supports funding research using human life in the form of embryonic stem cells

"I stand in full support of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act as I did when this bill was introduced and sent to the President's desk in the 109th Congress. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill."

ISAIAH 49:1
1 Listen to Me, O islands,
And pay attention, you peoples from afar
The LORD called Me from the womb;
From the body of My mother He named Me.

PSALM 139:13-16
13 For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

7. He has known ties to convicted felon Tony Rezko

Bill Ayers and his wife Bernardine Dohrn helped found the radical Weathermen, launching a campaign of bombings that would target the Pentagon and United States Capitol. While Obama was only 8 years old at the time, he has since served on boards with Ayers and bonded their relationship as Obama jumped into politics with Ayers help and support.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:33
33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."

8. He believes anyone who disagrees with his views to be bitter

"So it's not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

ROMANS 1:21-25
21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and [d]crawling creatures.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

9. For twenty years he sat at the feet of a "preacher" who promotes more racial strife

If ever there was a place in which someone should get up and leave if you don't agree with the teachings, it would be in this horrible worship setting--yet Obama remained there for 20+ years.

EXODUS 18:21
21 Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.

10. He was educated for at least four years in muslim schools

Are the American people ready for an elected president who was educated in a muslim school as a young boy and has not been forthcoming about his Muslim heritage?

MATTHEW 7:15, 21-23
15 Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
21 Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
22 Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

Help get the word out. This man is not a wise or Christian choice to lead our country.

Thanks for your time.
Brad Harrub, Ph.D.

Just For Fun...

2008-10-19T00:46:00.004-07:00

I needed a break from politicking to... well... dance! This is perfect (thanks, Shawn!)

We got that freak appeal!

Why I Can't Vote For Obama

2008-10-18T13:09:00.007-07:00

By Huntley Brown

"Dear Friends, a few months ago I was asked for my perspective on Obama, I sent out an e-mail with a few points. With the election just around the corner I decided to complete my perspective. Those of you on my e-list have seen some of this before but it's worth repeating…

First I must say whoever wins the election will have my prayer support. Obama needs to be commended for his accomplishments but I need to explain why I will not be voting for him.
Many of my friends process their identity through their blackness I process my identity through Christ. Being a Christian (a Christ follower) means He leads I follow. I can't dictate the terms He does because He is the leader.

I can't vote black because I am black; I have to vote Christian because that's who I am. Christian first, black second. Neither should anyone from the other ethnic groups vote because of ethnicity. 200 years from now I won't be asked if I was black or white. I will be asked if I knew Jesus and accepted Him as Lord and Savior.

In an election there are many issues to consider but when a society gets abortion, same-sex marriage, embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning to name a few, wrong economic concerns will soon not matter.

We need to follow Martin Luther King's words, don't judge someone by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I don't know Obama so all I can go off is his voting record. His voting record earned him the title of the most liberal senator in the US Senate in 2007.

NATIONAL JOURNAL: Obama: Most Liberal Senator in 2007 (01/31/2008)

To beat Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton as the most liberal senator, takes some doing. Obama accomplished this feat in 2 short years. I wonder what would happen to America if he had four years to work with.

There is a reason Planned Parenthood gives him a 100% rating. There is a reason the homosexual community supports him. There is a reason Ahmadinejad, Chavez, Castro, Hamas etc. love him. There is a reason he said he would nominate liberal judges to the Supreme Court. There is a reason he voted against the infanticide bill. There is a reason he voted No on the constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. There is a reason he voted No on banning partial birth abortion. There is a reason he voted No on confirming Justices Roberts and Alito. These two judges are conservatives and they have since overturned partial birth abortion. The same practice Obama wanted to continue.

Let's take a look at the practice he wanted to continue.

The 5 Step Partial Birth Abortion procedures:
A. Guided by ultrasound, the abortionist grabs the baby's leg with forceps. (Remember this is a live baby.)
B. The baby's leg is pulled out into the birth canal.
C. The abortionist delivers the baby's entire body, except for the head.
D. The abortionist jams scissors into the baby's skull. The scissors are then opened to enlarge the hole.
E. The scissors are removed and a suction catheter is inserted. The child's brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed.

God help him. There is a reason Obama opposed the parental notification law.

Think about this: You can't give a kid an aspirin without parental notification but that same kid can have an abortion without parental notification. That is insane.

There is a reason he went to Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years.

Obama tells us he has good judgment but he sat under Jeremiah Wright's teaching for 20 years. Now he is condemning Wright's sermons. I wonder why now?

Obama said Jeremiah Wright led him to the Lord and discipled him. A disciple is one in training. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19-20 "Go and make disciples of all nations." This means reproduce yourself. Teach people to think like you, walk like you; talk like you, believe what you believe, etc. The question I have is what did Jeremiah Wright teach him?

Would you support a White President who went to a church which has tenets that said they have a…
1. Commitment to the White Community
2. Commitment to the White Family
3. Adherence to the White Work Ethic
4. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the White Community.
5. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a portion of personal resources for strengthening and supporting white institutions.
6. Pledge allegiance to all White leadership who espouse and embrace the White Value System
7. Personal commitment to embracement of the White Value System.

Would you support a President who went to a church like that?

Just change the word from white to black and you have the tenets of Obama's former church. If President Bush was a member of a church like this, he would be called a racist. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton would have been marching outside.

This kind of church is a racist church. Obama did not wake up after 20 years and just discovered he went to a racist church. The church can't be about race. Jesus did not come for any particular race. He came for the whole world.

A church can't have a value system based on race. The churches value system has to be based on biblical mandate. It does not matter if it's a white church or a black church it's still wrong. Anyone from either race that attends a church like this would never get my vote.

Obama's former Pastor Jeremiah Wright is a disciple of liberal theologian James Cone, author of the 1979 book A Black Theology of Liberation. Cone once wrote: "Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him."

Cone is the man Obama's mentor looks up to. Does Obama believe this?

So what does this all mean for the nation?

In the past when the Lord brought someone with the beliefs of Obama to lead a nation it meant one thing – judgment.

Read 1 Samuel 8 when Israel asked for a king. First God says in 1 Samuel 1:9 "Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."

Then God says

1 Samuel 1:18 "When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day." 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king."

Here is what we know for sure.

God is not schizophrenic.

He would not tell one person to vote for Obama and one to vote for McCain. As the scripture says, a city divided against itself cannot stand, so obviously many people are not hearing from God.

Maybe I am the one not hearing but I know God does not change and Obama contradicts many things I read in scripture so I doubt it.

For all my friends who are voting for Obama, can you really look God in the face and say; Father based on your word, I am voting for Obama even though I know he will continue the genocidal practice of partial birth abortion. He might have to nominate three or four Supreme Court justices, and I am sure he will be nominating liberal judges who will be making laws that are against you. I also know he will continue to push for homosexual rights, even though you destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for this. I know I can look the other way because of the economy.

I could not see Jesus agreeing with many of Obama's positions. Finally, I have two questions for all my liberal friends.

Since we know someone's value system has to be placed on the nation,

1. Whose value system should be placed on the nation.

2. Who should determine that this is the right value system for the nation?

Blessings, Huntley Brown"

Huntley Brown is as described on his web site a "Christian Concert Pianist whose personal repertoire includes classical, jazz, gospel, reggae and many other styles." Snopes.com contacted Huntley Brown to verify he wrote this e-mail. He did. And here is his response to Snopes.

"Yes, I wrote this e-mail. I was responding to my friends who asked me to vote for Senator Obama because he is black. It was not my intention to send it around the world.

I did not post this email or send out any pictures attached. I wish they had not done that.

My friends did not ask me to vote for Senator McCain, which explains why my e-mail was geared towards Senator Obama.

My email was not meant to influence public opinion in any way, but simply to share with my friends my views on why I could not vote for Senator Obama.

I have problems with both candidates, but the differences I have with Senator McCain pale in comparison with the ones I have with Senator Obama.

For the record, I am not a politician. I am not a Democrat or a Republican. I am a Christian independent who just loves the Lord.

If Senator Obama wins, he can count on my prayer support every day.

I tell my friends it's like a family where you have different opinions, but you love each other just the same. I love and appreciate Senator Obama but our views are diametrically opposed.

If I knew my e-mail would have generated this much interest on a national level, I would have left out a few points. I don't want people to think I am against gay people or against people who have abortions. (I am not.) We are all sinners by grace but we need to have some absolute laws to govern society or else we will self destruct.

What has really bothered me is our beautiful black women constitute only 6% of the population, yet they comprise 36% of the abortion industry's clientele. Obama has done nothing to stop this. Most people don't know that the leading abortion providers have chosen to exploit us blacks by locating 94% of their abortuaries in urban neighborhoods with high black populations. Obama has done nothing to stop this?

To be honest I can't wait to vote for the first black President but it has to be a person who shares the values I read in the Bible.

Thanks for checking to make sure my e-mail is legit, it is.

The sad part is I have been getting hate mail and my family is being harassed. As you can imagine, not everyone is happy with my e-mail.

God bless you richly."

Did You Survive an Abortion?

2008-10-10T10:47:00.010-07:00

How many abortion survivors do you know? I have a dear friend who went to a clinic as a teenager to find out if she was pregnant. When she learned her test was positive, she was told she could have an abortion if she didn't want to tell her family she was pregnant. My friend decided to schedule the abortion and was told not to tell anyone because they would try to convince her to keep the baby. Because she was very nervous about the procedure, she told another friend who told her mother of the plans. Her mother talked her out of having the abortion.

My friend now has an adult son whom she loves very much and counts him as one of the biggest blessings in her life! She had been told to abort this wonderful Christian man by someone who didn't know her, her family or her situation. I would qualify that child as one who survived an abortion. Even though the surgical procedure was never performed, he survived the easy availability for his mother to abort him.

I only know about my friend's situation because she has supported my speaking out about the lies Planned Parenthood and Pro-Choice supporters speak in the name of "Freedom of Choice" for women. You might have a very close friend or even a family member who is alive today because their mother decided to proceed with the choice of birth. They may not even know their mother contemplated abortion at all.

Do some choices have bigger consequences than others? Absolutely! If I decide to take home a pencil from my office, I might get a reprimand and a lecture from H.R. about ethics. If I decide to have unprotected sex with someone, I might get pregnant. Is the choice to carry that baby to birth a punishment?

I have recently known two teenage girls who had sexual relationships with their boyfriends and got pregnant. One decided to publicly announce her mistake, ask for forgiveness and decided to carry the baby to term and adopt her to a family unable to have a child. The second girl decided to move away for the duration of the pregnancy but still carried the baby to term and adopted her to a family. I think the most unselfish decision a young mother can make is when she considers another family to raise the child and gives them that gift. Especially when that family is physically unable to bear a child of their own.

I told the teenage mother I was very impressed by her maturity to make a decision in the best interest of another family and the baby. Since we were living in California at the time, it would have been convenient to take the "easy way out" and have an abortion before anyone knew she was pregnant. Girls at any age can acquire an abortion without parental consent in the following states: Alaska, California, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Vermont, Washington.

Regardless of reason or rationale, every abortion is birth control.

Finally, Some Good News!

2008-10-10T00:08:00.004-07:00

From a letter my husband sent to me today from American Family Association...

Great news! Because of AFA supporters like you, McDonald’s has told AFA they will remain neutral in the culture war regarding homosexual marriage. AFA is ending the boycott of McDonald’s. As you know, AFA called for the boycott in May after McDonald’s joined the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC).

McDonald’s said McDonald’s Vice President Richard Ellis has resigned his position on the board of NGLCC and that his seat on the board will not be replaced. McDonald’s also said that the company has no plans to renew their membership in NGLCC when it expires in December.

In an e-mail to McDonald’s franchised owners the company said, “It is our policy to not be involved in political and social issues. McDonald’s remains neutral on same sex marriage or any ‘homosexual agenda’ as defined by the American Family Association.”

We appreciate the decision by McDonald’s to no longer support political activity by homosexual activist organizations. You might want to thank your local McDonald’s manager.

After a 3 month complete boycott of McDonald's, I'll be going in tomorrow to let the manager know why our family is going to be patronizing their restaurant again. And then I'll buy a Big Mac.

Vanity

2008-10-08T10:24:00.000-07:00

Below is an excerpt of a review with the author of a recently published book titled My Beautiful Mommy written to help parents discuss plastic surgery with their young children.

"Many parents don't explain to their kids what's going on," said the father of four, with his fifth child on the way. "Children are very perceptive. You can't hide a major surgery from them. When mom goes down for two weeks after a tummy tuck it affects them."

Illustrations show a crook-nosed mom with loose tummy skin under her half shirt picking up her young daughter early from school one day and taking her to a strapping and handsome "Dr. Michael."

Mom explains she's going to have operations on her nose and tummy and may have to take it easy for a week or so. The girl asks if the operations will hurt, and mom replies, "Maybe a little," warning she'll look different after the bandages come off.

The girl asks: "Why are you going to look different?"

Mom responds: "Not just different, my dear — prettier!"

This type of children's book was inevitable with the choice for elective plastic surgery increasing by almost 500% in the past ten years. However, this book was written by a plastic surgeon, not by a child psychologist. I think there is a clear conflict of interest here. Mothers (and fathers for that matter) are going to see this book as confirmation that there is nothing wrong with having lipo to help her "loose those last 15 baby pounds". The doctor who wrote this book has one agenda, to further his practice by making parents think it's ok to hand a book to a child and expect the surgery to fix all their woes.

2 Peter 2:18-19

18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,
19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.
20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.

Christian parents don't need to purchase this book or undergo elective plastic surgery when the Bible speaks directly to the issue of vanity.

I Timothy 2:9-10

9 Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments,
10 but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.

I'm concerned that daughters who look to their mothers for guidance about body image are getting a dangerous message from this book, that something is wrong with you on the outside and getting surgery will help you feel better on the inside. It's possible this author/doctor is prepping his next generation of clients by enlisting their parents help to give children this book.

Titus 2:3-5

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,
4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

Chinese Contamination

2008-10-08T00:09:00.004-07:00

At the time of my post about melamine contamination in China sickening 50,000 infants and leading to the death of six, there had not been any detection of the milk contamination in the U.S. The following is a recall by the FDA for foods imported from China to the U.S. that are contaminated with melamine:

FDA Statement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Statement
October 6, 2008

FDA Detects Melamine Contamination in Flavored Drink
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has increased inspections and product testing efforts in response to the melamine contamination problem which originated in Chinese dairy products. As a result of the FDA’s on-going testing program, the agency has detected melamine contamination in Blue Cat Flavor Drinks. The distributor of the product, Tristar Food Wholesale Co. Inc., initiated a recall of several flavors of Blue Cat Flavor Drink, based on the FDA’s findings. The FDA advises the public not to consume this product and recommends that retailers and food service operators remove the product from sale or service.

Other Recalls
On September 26, the FDA issued an alert to consumers that seven Mr. Brown instant coffee and milk tea products were being recalled by the Taiwanese company, King Car Food Industrial Co. Ltd., due to possible contamination with melamine. King Car Food Industrial Co. used a non-dairy creamer manufactured by Shandong Duqing Inc., China, which was found to be contaminated with melamine. The recalled products are:

Mr. Brown Mandheling Blend Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown Arabica Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown Blue Mountain Blend Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown Caramel Macchiato Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown French Vanilla Instant Coffee (3-in-1)
Mr. Brown Mandhling Blend instant Coffee (2-in-1)
Mr. Brown Milk Tea (3-in-1)
The FDA recommends that consumers not consume any of the above Mr. Brown instant coffee and milk tea products. The FDA also recommends that retailers and foodservice operators remove the products from sale or service.

Sunny Maid Corp. Monterey Park, Calif., who is an importer and distributor of Mr. Brown Instant Coffee products, is recalling the products in the United States.

The FDA is working with regulatory agencies in the United States as well as with other countries. The California Department of Public Health and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority reported that its testing of White Rabbit Creamy Candies has shown melamine contamination at high levels. In light of the widespread contamination of milk and milk-based products in China and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority’s finding, the FDA continues to recommend that consumers not eat White Rabbit Creamy Candy and that retailers and foodservice operations remove the product from sale or service.

A recall by QFCO Inc., Burlingame, Calif., of the White Rabbit Creamy Candies, is underway in the United States.

The FDA is closely monitoring these recalls and will continue to perform follow up activities of other recalls that may develop.

Although the products listed above appear to have only been sold in Asian import stores, those stores ARE IN America. Please, please, please read labels carefully to be sure products you buy for your family DO NOT have China listed as the country of origin. If you are unsure where the product was manufactured, DO NOT purchase the product, find a substitute.

In order to try to combat the influx of harmful products, I will be reading labels much more closely to avoid purchasing products from China. The Chinese government had claimed the melamine contamination had been contained and was not a concern for the public at large. Unfortunately, they were wrong and the danger of illness from Chinese imports is not limited only to consumables since lead-based paint has been an issue with products imported from China for some time.

Done With NBC

2008-10-07T22:32:00.002-07:00

After the shock of what I had just seen wore off (a day later) I'm left with some questions.

•Who at NBC thought it would be a good idea to defame a decorated war veteran by interviewing his torturer? There was no reason for this interview to even take place. There is no justifiable reason to give audience to such people as those who torture prisoners of war.

•What point does NBC think they will make by discrediting Senator John McCain with an interview of the director of the prison where he was held in Vietnam? I thought the motive was fairly transparent... pure hatred of Senator McCain and anything noble and honorable in his life.

•Why does the timing of this interview coincide with the race for President of the United States? Someone at NBC, perhaps everyone, wants Senator Barack Obama to be elected the next President and anything they can dig up is fair game.

One comment left on the YouTube video sumed up my feelings well.

"What's so unfortunate in this country is that there are so many people who will believe NBC's version, just because they hate anything with a Republican or Conservative label attached to it. Liberals should come with a warning label: Open mind, brains fell out."

I think I'm ready for another boycott...

Injury

2008-10-06T09:11:00.004-07:00

For those of you who have yet to hear the news, we are requesting prayers for my parents speedy recovery from injuries they both have to their leg/foot. Here's a run down of the events so far:

Dad
Three weeks ago, my father mis-stepped outside their house in Prescott and severed the tendon that attaches the knee cap to the quadriceps muscle in his thigh. Although he heard the "pop" in his leg, he waited two weeks to see an orthopedist for a consultation. The doctor informed my dad the usual procedure for this type of injury is surgery within 36 hours. Since my dad was at almost two weeks past the accident, the doctor was less than optimistic of success but he did perform the procedure last week. There will be extensive physical therapy after several months of recovery. Please pray for miraculous healing for my father.

Mom
When my mother was coming out of the house the day of the surgery to take my father to the hospital, she twisted her ankle on the stairs and broke the arch in her foot. Fortunately, they were already going to the hospital so she got an x-ray and diagnosis right away, but she still will need to see an orthopedist this week. She was told by the E.R. doctor to stay off her foot, but she has been unable to do so since she has been caring for my father. Please pray she will be able to follow through with the directions of her doctor and have complete healing.

We are blessed to be close enough to spend the past weekend at their house cleaning and making it more handicapped "friendly". They have a wonderful church family in Prescott that has been so gracious to bring meals and offer to drive them to appointments. They have had a wheelchair, walker and a set of crutches loaned to them so they are some what mobile but this new house has steep concrete stairs leading up to the front door, so they are unable to go outside for the fear of taking another fall.

We'll be spending the upcoming weekend there again to do some cleaning, shopping and whatever they need. Please pray for our strength too. It's been hard for me to see my parents unable to care for themselves.

Couscous with Asparagus

2008-10-03T09:20:00.005-07:00

Bountiful Baskets co-op this week had LOTS of tomatoes (I think I had 8) and fresh asparagus. Here's the recipe for the lunch I made yesterday to use up the last of my tomatoes:

2T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1c chicken broth
1 package Near East toasted pinenut couscous
2 roma or plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
10 spears asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in large skillet and saute garlic about 2 minutes. Add broth and couscous seasonings. Bring to boil and stir in asparagus. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 1 minute. Stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.

I've loved being in the co-op for the past month. I've been motivated to try recipes I never would have attempted without the addition of the fresh produce we've received. If you haven't done so yet (and you live in Phoenix), please check it out. You won't be disappointed!

What This Really Means

2008-10-01T22:33:00.006-07:00

The issue most Americans are expressing with the continuation of Gwen Ifill as moderator for the Vice Presidential debate is that the appearance of impropriety should have been grounds for her removal by the debate committee that selected her as moderator, yet she still remains. At the very least, Ms. Ifill should decline to moderate the debate to maintain her respect as a professional. Personally, I am most angry that a journalist assumed she was above full disclosure of the timing for release of her book when she was selected to moderate the Vice Presidential debate.

What exactly does Gwen Ifill have at stake if Barack Obama is elected as US President? The sale of 100,000 copies of her book will put her on the New York Times Best Seller list and I think that's a conservative estimate if he is President. The list price for the book is $24.95 and her profit will be 15% (the standard profit). That means Ms. Ifill stands to gain a minimum of approximately $375,000. I think that makes it difficult to be "unbiased" toward anyone opposing Barack Obama including Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Ms. Ifill has stated that she is a professional and all her questions will be fair to both candidates. However, any question too easy for Governor Palin will be viewed as pandering to the idea of partiality while any question too hard for Senator Biden will be viewed as over-compensating for a bias toward his running mate, Barack Obama. This is a loose/loose situation that will further divide America down deep party lines.

Update 10/3/08
Ms. Ifill did not present a disclaimer prior the debate stating she would be impartial to both candidates. I found this upsetting, but throughout the debate she proved to be very professional and did not favor either one. She did a fine job a moderator and I think she was a good choice.

U.S. Capitol Visitor Center

2008-09-30T09:56:00.005-07:00

The video above has a definite agenda and some of the facts about the flag ceremony aren't quite right. However, I believe the information about the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center are accurate and unsettling. So much so that I sent the following letter yesterday to the House:

To whom it may concern,
I have just completed watching a video on YouTube which lists some facts that have been purposefully omitted in the new visitor center at the U.S. Capitol. I am particularly disturbed that the line "In GOD We Trust" was left off the replica of the inside of the House chamber.

The religious references in the history of the United States of America were one of the driving forces behind the creation of this country. Our Founding Fathers were so convicted by the right to religious freedom that had been denied in England, due to the forced religion of the Church of England and persecution of Quakers and Pilgrims who opposed it, that they chose to fight for independence. The separation of Church and State they enacted was not to keep religion out of government, but to keep government from forcing membership to the state sanctioned Church as they had experienced in England.

I fear that what I see happening in the U.S. today is the same "forcing of religion" only now is viewed as "reverse" discrimination. By omitting religious facts from history to encourage to the views of the Atheist, we are approaching the same intolerance of freedom of religion that our country was founded to protect.

I respectfully request the errors in the historical facts are rectified prior to the opening of the Visitor Center to ensure all those who enter receive an accurate representation of the history of the United States of America.

Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Laura Shewmaker

If you choose to send a letter also to americanvoices@mail.house.gov, it is always in your best interest to state the facts for your argument rather than your feelings. Facts are steadfast and infallible, feelings are subjective and wain.

Here's A Thought...

2008-09-29T13:30:00.007-07:00

A commentary by Joseph Farah from WorldNet Daily. I wish I'd thought of this:

My bailout plan
Posted: September 29, 2008, 1:00 am Eastern

Congress is beginning debate on a $700 billion plan for U.S. taxpayers to bail out banks, mortgage companies and investment firms that made bad loans to unqualified consumers, including illegal aliens, and became insolvent as a result.

Officials say this plan is designed to protect us from further harm and to prop up the teetering economic system the government has created.

I have a better idea.

Let's not put more money into the hands of those who created the problem. Let's put the money into the hands of the people who were victimized. Why should the victims pay twice and the victimizers get off scot-free?

Here's my plan:

1. Those who bled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac dry by lying about the government-created mortgage companies' real worth so they could secure billions in personal bonuses should make restitution. They should be forbidden from ever holding any government job or position in the financial world for the rest of their lives.

2. Anyone who made more than $1 million a year in the other failed banks and institutions should be forced to contribute all their income in excess of $1 million a year to my bailout program.

3. The chairmen of the Senate and House banking oversight committees should be forced to resign in disgrace from their positions.

4. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who literally started the first bank run in California with his irresponsible public statements, should be forced to resign from the Senate.

5. All candidates for federal political office who received contributions from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or any executives of those institutions, or the other failed banking, mortgage and investment firms, should be required to give the money to the bailout fund.

6. Since the Bush administration is trying to sell the idea that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac actually hold assets of greater value than the cost of their proposed bailout, I suggest they auction those institutions off to the highest private bidders.

7. Instead of paying $700 billion to prop up the institutions that created the mess, I propose $700 billion be paid directly to those victimized by the scandal – the American people – in the form of a tax cut. This would stimulate the economy and help the country grow its way out of this crisis.

I'm sure this plan has a few holes in it. That's because I made it up in about 15 minutes.

But I'm also certain it is far better than any official plan being floated in Washington today.

So, I'm asking you to get on board. Make amendments if you like. But tell those scoundrels in Washington stop picking your pocket and your children's pockets with this bailout of the banking class.

If my business goes belly up because of bad decisions I make in running it, no one is going to bail me out. I fail to see why businesses thousands of times bigger than mine should face no risk and, in effect, be insured against mistakes and bad judgment by the taxpayers of the United States.

This is not the way the free market works.

What is at stake in this bailout scheme is not just amounts of money few of us can even imagine. What is at stake is not just massive tax increases in the future. What is at stake is not just rewarding criminals and shysters. What is at stake is whether America will protect the last vestiges of a free enterprise system for our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

No more quick fixes that, in fact, cost us far more in the long run.

No more cover-ups of wrongdoing.

No more rewarding the worst kind of fiscal irresponsibility.

Support the Farah plan.

More About Fannie

2008-09-29T09:06:00.002-07:00

Here's a commentary by John Gibson on Fox News about campaign contributions Barack Obama received from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This was before discussion of a bail-out began.

Who's Fault Is It?

2008-09-28T15:34:00.005-07:00

So where do we put the blame for the current crisis? It appears McCain warned about the housing crisis and the need to regulate Fannie and Freddie, but the blame for the collapse of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be placed squarely on the shoulders of the American public who greedily took advantage of the inflated prices in the housing market. The responsibility must be taken up by those who purchased homes they could not afford (and they knew it!), bought shiny new cars, new boats, new clothes, ate at fancy restaurants... all purchased on credit.

Don't be fooled, the current planned federal bail-out is only a Band-Aid slapped on the wound of American selfishness and greed. Until people suffer for their own decisions and learn to live within their means, we are doomed to see this cycle repeat in another 20 years.

Communist Corruption

2008-09-21T16:37:00.007-07:00

Last week, the Chinese government recalled massive quantities of powdered milk used to make infant formula after the deaths of 6 infants and the illness of 6500 others. Today, the number of babies sickened by tainted powdered milk is over 53,000. The thought of that many children made ill by the corruption of the industry (and the government who has allowed it) makes me want to cry. The recall was issued when it was discovered the milk was bulked with melamine to mask that water had been used to stretch the pure milk farther. When ingested, melamine causes reproductive damage, or bladder or kidney stones, which can lead to bladder cancer. After more investigation by the Chinese, it has been released that the tainted milk product is not limited only to powdered formula, but also in liquid milk in distribution throughout China.

The Chinese government might have been able to convince the world this was just a horrible mistake and they are able to guarantee the safety of their food products if not for the pet food recall of 2007 after 8500 dogs and cats all over the world suffered renal failure from eating pet food manufactured in China that was tainted with melamine.

Communism is all about big government regulating what is best for the "unfortunate common people" because the government doesn't believe the people are educated enough to make decisions on their own. I think it sounds a lot like the current Democratic platform on Universal Healthcare in America.

The USFDA has issued a warning for American's not to purchase any milk based products from China until further notice.

I'm Cuter Than Both

2008-09-19T08:28:00.014-07:00

Michelle Obama has gone on to say she really was referring to herself when she used the word "cute", and she was not talking about Vice Presidential candidate, Governor Sara Palin. Unfortunately, the clip above cuts off before her comment, "I'm talking about me." She said this after she understood the enthusiasm of the crowd implied they knew she was referring to Sara Palin. Just like the "lipstick on a pig" comment made by her husband, the audience appeared to be one step ahead of Michelle Obama.

The problem both Michelle and Barack have so easily demonstrated is they should not be involved in town-hall style meetings with no tele-prompter or cue cards to avoid such mishaps as these. Neither have the eloquence nor dynamic personality of John McCain, nor his personal convictions to be able to speak from the heart with honesty and integrity on all issues. The infamous interview with Pastor Rick Warren was the beginning of the awakening of America to the inability of Senator Obama to speak unscripted in his own words.

I think one of two situations are at play here. The first is Michelle Obama is a genius to not directly say that she loathes the attention Governor Palin is taking from her husband, and so she let the media take over to drive her one comment to the top of the talk. The second is she doesn't have a clue how politics work. She isn't running for anything and her opinion shouldn't be important to anyone unless she is talking about being the mother of two beautiful girls and the wife of a politician running for President.

Ratatouille

2008-09-17T16:43:00.009-07:00

True to my typical ad-lib style of cooking, this "dish" has no real recipe. My inspiration for meals starts by reading recipes online to get ideas for ingredients and cooking times and temperatures. Then I do my own thing with what I have on hand and make a recipe mine. I only follow a recipe or measure quantities of ingredients if I'm making a cake. Anything else I make is seasoned to my own taste and it's always delicious, or so I've been told!

So, here's how I used up some of my super fresh veggies from the produce co-op for lunch today...

1 eggplant cut into 1/4 inch rounds
3 tomatoes cut into 1/4 inch rounds
2 bell peppers chunked
4 zucchini squash chunked
garlic powder
dried basil
kosher salt
olive oil
5 sprigs fresh rosemary *I don't think the rosemary added any flavor, I just try to use it a lot because it grows like a weed in my yard

Cut and salt the eggplant and let stand for one hour. Dust off water from eggplant and place one layer in bottom of casserole dish that has been coated with olive oil. Top with zucchini, peppers and tomato. Sprinkle with garlic powder, basil and salt (to taste). Repeat layering veggies and seasonings until you don't have any left. Place rosemary on top and drizzle with olive oil. Bake covered in preheated 350 oven for 40 minuets.

Wonderful!

Obama and Abortion

2008-09-17T01:33:00.002-07:00

This post is not about the issue of abortion being against the law of God. For information about abortion and God's word, see my post Life. This post is about babies who are born alive after an attempted abortion, which is referred by the administering doctor as a "complication" of the abortion procedure, and Senator Obama's stance on the care and welfare of those babies. Or lack thereof.

Abortion procedures performed in the first trimester (usually before the 9th week) are Medicinal Abortion by taking several drugs to induce labor and cause a "miscarriage", or Suction Curettage (or vacuum aspiration) in which a long plastic tube connected to a suction device is inserted into the uterus to suction out the fetus and placenta. These procedures are not survivable by the baby.

Abortion procedures performed in the second and third trimester are Suction Curettage (or vacuum aspiration) and Induction Abortion in which salt water, urea, or potassium chloride is injected into the mother's uterus causing chemical burns to the baby with the intent the baby will die while still in the womb. Birth is then induced by pitocin being given to the mother via IV to cause contractions and laminaria is inserted into the vagina to cause dilation of the cervix for delivery of the dead baby.

However, if the baby survives an Induction abortion and is born alive, the doctor may then decide to terminate life by inflicting one of the following on the baby:

1. Suffocation by drowning.
2. Strangulation or stabbing by the hand of the doctor.
3. Exposure by leaving the baby unattended.

Senator Obama voted against a state bill to mandating doctors to give medical attention to the viable breathing baby who by some miracle has survived an induction abortion. By sanctioning neglect of an infant, the doctor has government approval to participate in infanticide by one of the preceding methods.

It is my hope and prayer that education on these abortion procedures and Senator Obama's support of denial of medical attention to babies who survive abortion will cause a great cry by people who are shocked these procedures still exist in a civilized society.

Here's What I Know

2008-09-15T12:36:00.002-07:00

Barack Obama's paternal grandfather converted from Christianity to Islam while schooling in England and changed his given Kenyan Luo tribal name to Hussein Onyango Obama. Barack Obama's father married his first Kenyan wife and fathered four children. They were never divorced. Obama Sr. moved to Hawaii for university schooling and although he was still married to his Kenyan wife, he fathered the son of Ann Dunham, Barack Hussein Obama II. Barack Obama Jr attended an Indonesian Islamic school from age 6 to 10 where he recited Islamic prayer and was taught how to read by using the Koran.

Barack Obama's father is from the Luo tribe, the same Kenyan tribe as Raila Odinga, the current Prime Minister of Kenya. Odinga was appointed to office due to a violent uprising after unfounded accusations of corruption in the Presidential election in December 2007. There is some evidence the slaying of 1500 Kenyan Christians (who supported incumbent President Mwai Kibaki) was sanctioned by Odinga himself. While it does not appear Senator Obama is a blood relative of PM Odinga, Senator Obama's campaign association with Odinga should not be viewed as a positive element to his campaign for US President.

Barack Obama gained access to the US Senate seat for Illinois due to the release of sealed divorce documents of his Republican opposer Jack Ryan. Mr Ryan withdrew from the race to fill the senate seat previously occupied by two term Republican Peter Fitzgerald when the divorce documents revealed Mr Ryan had a sexual addiction that led to the divorce. For several months, Mr Obama ran for senator unopposed and worked to persuade Republican voters to elect him to office. Senator Obama was elected by 70% majority to the US Senate where he has served a scant 3 years.

Although America was star-struck by Senator Obama's dynamic speech delivery early in the race for President, the winds of "change" have swept in and Americans are becoming educated about this man who appeared out of nowhere to claim the Democratic nomination for President.

For those who will hear, be warned this man is not who is presented to be. He is a charlatan and a puppet, but for what purpose has yet to be seen.

Bountiful Baskets

2008-09-13T07:33:00.005-07:00

I just picked up my first produce basket from Bountiful Baskets food co-op. I have to say, I am impressed. All the produce is at or near perfect ripeness and ready to eat.

Here's what's in the picture:
6 ears of corn
1 eggplant
2 bell peppers
1 sandwich bag full of green beans
2 heads of broccoli
7 tomatoes
6 bananas
6 peaches
6 apples
5 plutos
1 basket strawberries
1 cantaloupe
1 bag of green grapes

All for $15... wow. I'll be prepping the food and menu planning today to use all the wonderful fresh fruit and veggies this week. I'm so excited! If you live anywhere in the Phoenix metro valley, I highly recommend getting on board. With quality as good as this, you won't be disappointed.

There She Stands

2008-09-11T19:55:00.006-07:00

May we never forget the events of September 11, 2001.

May God bless George W. Bush for keeping America safe from terrorist attacks for the past seven years.

May God bless America.

Oh Snap!

2008-09-11T13:12:00.005-07:00

Corn Is Taking Over

2008-09-10T18:04:00.006-07:00

Years ago, I watched a documentary about US government subsidizing for corn farmers. I was aghast thinking my tax dollars were given to farmers with the specific instruction not to grow crops. The thought still makes me mad. A large portion of what is allowed to grow and be harvested is processed into high-fructose corn syrup or corn syrup solids and put in most food produced in the US. It is surprising to me corn farmers would be in favor of advertising corn products since they have been paid to sit on their land for years without having to work. Doesn't this mean a change in lifestyle from their life of ease?

(I'm not sure what point the YouTube poster was trying to make with the extra 'stuff' after the ads, I apologize for the inconvenience.)

This advertisement from the corn industry makes it sound like corn syrup is just fine and dandy (nevermind the punch she is holding probably contains a large quantity of Allura Red which has been linked to childhood hyperactivity and is banned in Denmark, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, and Austria... but I digress). After thinking about what I saw in the TV ad, it is obvious most American's don't know what high-fructose corn syrup is and the need to avoid massive consumption in our diet.

It is very difficult to find anything in the supermarket that doesn't have some corn in it. For my friends with corn allergies, I wish you all the best in your efforts to find foods you can tolerate!

My background in biology and chemistry comes in handy when reading and understanding biological information, but the effects of high fructose corn syrup are not complicated chemical reactions.

Here are some of the basics:
Fructose is a naturally occurring sugar found in honey, fruits and grains such as corn. Eating fructose in it's natural state is very well processed by the body. When you eat whole fruit, the body breaks down the fructose and takes in the vitamins along with fiber and the sugar.
High-fructose corn syrup is not a naturally occurring sugar. Massive consumption of concentrated sugars, like high-fructose corn syrup, has been linked to contributing to medical illnesses such as diabetes at a higher rate than even table sugar. Much of the foods we eat in America every day contain large amounts of high-fructose corn syrup.
Table sugar, whether derived from cane or beets, is also a processed chemically treated food and not a naturally occurring substance as a white crystal. In 1957 British scientist John Yudkin made a link between consuming refined sugar and coronary heart disease.

Just like exposure to plastics outside our home is beyond our control, so our exposure to processed refined sugars is difficult to limit. Since without an allergy to corn I would be uncomfortable imposing my non-corn syrup request on someone who has invited our family to dinner (like the mom in the commercial did at a party), here's how we're limiting our concentrated sugar intake in our house:

1. We do not consume fruit drinks or soda. The children and I only drink milk, water or 100% fruit juice.

2. We eat whole fruit or fruit sauce (such as applesauce) without added sugar.

3. We do not eat white bread. I have just joined a food co-op and I'm eagerly waiting for my first order of all-natural wheat sandwich bread this Saturday!

4. I will only cook with raw sugar or honey from now on (after I run out of the 5 lb bag of cane sugar I just bought!)

Although we have always done the first three points, the fourth will be a change for me, hopefully for the better!

Author's Note
I suppose it is possible the corn farming industry is looking out for the health of their customers (which is all Americans not growing our own food), even their commercial admits sugar must be consumed in moderation. The trouble is, so much of the food available for purchase in the supermarket contains high-fructose corn syrup that it is almost impossible to heed this advise.

Ouch

2008-09-09T15:51:00.016-07:00

Only four days after the close of the Republican Convention the gloves have come off. Senator Obama has reverted to fourth-grade name calling for the critique of his opponent who, by the way, is not Governor Palin but Senator McCain. It appears Senator Obama is desperate to try to take down anyone he can reach.

Mud-slinging in the pig pen of politics has begun.

Update 9/10/08
Although Senator Obama's representatives are on damage control claiming he was using a common metaphor in his address and not comparing Governor Palin to a pig, it is clear the attending audience made the comparison.

Either the entire audience (including anyone who has watched the YouTube video) misinterpreted his intention, or Senator Obama is very naive and not very bright. Regardless, the Senator owes Governor Palin an apology and then needs medical attention to remove his foot from his mouth.

One Reason I Don't Watch Oprah

2008-09-05T09:41:00.010-07:00

Although Oprah Winfrey has made a public statement that she is not going use her program as a platform to interview politicians, the photo above clearly shows Barack Obama making an appearance on her show.

I completely understand that it is the "Oprah" show and that Ms Winfrey is free to have anyone she wants on her show, it's her show! She has publicly made her choice for a Presidential candidate and is not open to the idea of presenting a journalistic program which would require her to give equal interviews to all Presidential candidates and their running mates.

As a mother of three children (one still at home full-time) I don't have the luxury of time to watch any other entertainment shows to balance the liberal opinions I would receive from watching Ms Winfrey's program. I have decided to skip the hour of Oprah and actually do something productive for my family (like laundry, dishes, dinner, etc... you get the point.) Her endorsement of one candidate has made it obvious to me where her values lie, I don't need to continue to watch her program to have it confirmed.

After the election I might have time to detail many of the other reasons I dislike the Oprah show, from the entitlement of "My Favorite Things" to Eckharht Tolle and his misguided total embrace of New Age religion. Then again, I don't know if I really want to open that can of worms.

On Life... Again

2008-09-03T00:37:00.014-07:00

The issues being discussed for America in the upcoming Presidential election have prompted me to look at political morality again and measure where each candidate stands. I have tremendous respect for teen mothers who chose to carry their babies to term when the option of abortion is readily available and seems the easy way out of an embarrassing confrontation... especially if you mom is the Republican Vice Presidential nominee.

Over a year ago I wrote a post titled Life about abortion and the Biblical evidence against it. Although I was told I was completely wrong by some Christians for using Old Testament scripture, they were not able to persuade me against the clear message in God's Word that taking the life of an unborn child, whether by accident or intent, was punishable by death.

An article from Stand To Reason written in 1999 is staggering in comparing abortion supporters to Nazis but draws some very clear lines to link the two. The site Abort 73 is working to educate women about the procedure of abortion and what an aborted fetus looks like.

After education on true abortion procedure and the sale of aborted fetuses, Christians must not keep quiet any longer. We need to educate all women on these practices. Then we have to be ready to step up and offer viable options to killing millions of people before (and sometimes after) their first breath.

Please pray for ways you can make a difference in the life of a woman facing this decision with the love of Jesus Christ. The precious life God created should be left in His hand.

Matthew 19:13-14

13 Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them.

14 But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Update 9/3/08
Here's an excellent article titled Legislating Morality from apologist and educator Frank Turek, outlining the urgent need for Christians to become involved in current politics.

Hallmark Cards

2008-08-22T12:21:00.012-07:00

Another American corporation has made the jump from neutrality on gay marriage to open acceptance. Our family will no longer purchase Hallmark Cards and we will go out of our way to purchase any competitor product.

Here's the letter I sent today to Hallmark Cards:

To whom it may concern,

It has been brought to my attention that Hallmark has created and is currently selling greeting cards that congratulate same sex marriage and civil union.

As a Christian, I am disappointed in your decision to move from neutrality on the gay/lesbian issue to open acceptance.

Until Hallmark discontinues to manufacture these cards, my family will go out of our way to purchase product from your competitors.

Sincerely,
Laura Shewmaker

To send Hallmark a letter letting them know you disagree with marketing this product line, click here.

Update 8/23/08

Here's the response letter I received today from Hallmark Cards:

Thank you for your comment.

Beginning this summer, Hallmark's selection of more than 200 wedding cards will include four cards that use specific language and images appropriate for same-sex wedding ceremonies or civil unions. Hallmark makes cards for all kinds of relationships and situations, and we have for years produced cards for relationships that might be defined as "non-traditional" - including heterosexual couples who are not married, those in mixed race or interfaith relationships and blended families - so people in each of these situations could find cards to meet their needs. It is our goal to be inclusive rather than exclusive so that our products appeal to the widest range of people who wish to communicate and connect with one another. Not every one of the more than 200 wedding cards we offer will be right for every relationship, but we want every consumer to be able to find one that is just right.

We understand that this is a sensitive issue for you and appreciate you letting us know your concerns.

Thanks,

Hallmark Customer Care

I've been informed by friends who also sent disapproval letters to Hallmark they received this same form letter as a response from Hallmark. It's obvious by grouping same sex marriage with mixed race and interfaith marriage Hallmark Cards demonstrates a lack of understanding of "traditional family" values.

Why Integrity Counts

2008-08-10T23:41:00.011-07:00

Due to the following information received April 10, 2008 from American Family Association, our family has decided we will not patronize McDonald's restaurants until they publicly retract their disrespect of family values.

McDonald's has signed on to a nationwide effort to promote "gay" and "lesbian" business ventures.

According to McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner, McDonald's will aggressively promote the homosexual agenda. In remarks on McDonald's Web site concerning the company becoming a member of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), Skinner wrote: "Being a socially responsible organization is a fundamental part of who we are. We have an obligation to use our size and resources to make a difference in the world...and we do."

The company gave an undisclosed amount of money to the NGLCC in return for being recognized as a major promoter of the homosexual agenda. In return, NGLCC placed Richard Ellis, vice president of communications of McDonalds USA, on the NGLCC Board of Directors.

Ellis was quoted as saying: "I'm thrilled to join the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce team and ready to get to work. I share the NGLCC's passion for business growth and development within the LGBT community, and I look forward to playing a role in moving these important initiatives forward."

McDonald's refused to comment to World Net Daily on the placement of its executive on the board of the "gay" advocacy organization but did send an e-mail confirming the corporation's support for the agenda of the homosexual business lobby.

"McDonald's is indeed a Corporate Partner and Organizational Ally of NGLCC. Our vice president of U.S. communications, Richard Ellis, was recently elected to its board of directors," said Heidi M. Barker, senior director of media relations for McDonald’s. NGLCC describes itself as promoting the LGBT community first and always, including same sex marriage.

NGLCC gives credit to sponsors such as McDonald's for its financial and other support that helps in its work. "Through the commitment of our corporate partners, the NGLCC has been able to advance the ideas and causes of the LGBT business community," the Chamber said.

As parents raising children with biblical values, occasionally Dan and I have had to remind our oldest daughter that it is not ok for God's people to break the rules that are in keeping with His Word, even when it looks like everyone else is doing it and the consequences seem insignificant. If mommy isn't there to help her remember the right thing to do, God sees her actions and expects her to obey Him because He loves her.

There are many Biblical examples of uncompromising integrity but my favorite one to use with my children is Daniel and not just because it's Daddy's name!

In Daniel chapter 6, King Darius made Daniel second in command in the whole kingdom of Babylon. Because Daniel was a man above reproach, the other rulers in Babylon decided to trick Darius so Daniel could be eliminated.

Daniel 6:6-10

6 Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: "King Darius, live forever!

7 "All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions' den.

8 "Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked."

9 Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.

Daniel knew he would be seen praying to God. He knew he was disobeying the order of the king, but he remained faithful to God. Daniel also knew God would be glorified in whatever the outcome.

Daniel 6:16-24

16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions' den The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you."

17 A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel.

18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions' den.

20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?"

21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, "O king, live forever!

22 "My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime."

23 Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

24 The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions' den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

So why did we decide to boycott McDonald's since loosing our visit once a month will hardly make a difference to their financial bottom line? Not for fear of being thrown to the lions, but because it's important for our kids to know their parents can "walk the talk". That we are "set apart for the Gospel of God" (Romans 1:1). Our actions need to be in line with what we say because God sees us. Our family needs to do what is right in God's eyes as commanded in His Word and our obedience is expected, even in seemingly insignificant things like where we eat lunch.

Update 8/12/08
As a Christian, it was very important to me to let our local McDonald's know why we would not be frequenting their restaurant. I personally went into the restaurant and told the manager in a straight-forward but loving manner that the corporate public stance on promoting homosexuality was offensive to Christians and we would not be eating there. The manager gave me the e-mail address for the owner who she said was also a Christian (the main reason the manager was working for this particular restaurant).

I sent a cordial letter that day to the owner of our McDonald's outlining the above reasons for our family to boycott all McDonald's restaurants.

It's been almost two months with no response.

The Sinner's Prayer

2008-07-29T13:35:00.013-07:00

In my previous post "Pray for the Laurie Family", did you notice Pastor Greg Laurie asked those who were ready to pray the sinner's prayer to say the words out loud? In all the times I've seen an altar call or heard a pastor offer this prayer, I have never heard those who responded make their commitment verbally. During the prayer here, I wondered if any of those standing were new to the service and were caught by surprise since all other experiences I've had with offering this prayer the individual was asked to "pray these words in your heart".

If Christians are trying to follow a Biblical example of how to attain eternal life, we should look for examples in the Bible. In Romans, Paul writes a letter to the Christians in Rome about his concern for his fellow Jews who have not accepted Jesus as Lord.

Romans 10:1-10

1 Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.

2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.

3 For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness.

6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: "DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, 'WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?' (that is, to bring Christ down),

7 or 'WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)."

8 But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Is offering the sinner's prayer a good example of following a Biblical guide to attain eternal life?

Pray for the Laurie Family

2008-07-29T10:35:00.007-07:00

Please pray for the family of Pastor Greg Laurie as they face the death of their son, Christopher Laurie. Chris died on July 24 in a car accident in Southern California.

Greg Laurie is the pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA and the leader of the Harvest Crusade which introduces thousands of people to Christ every year.

Chris leaves behind his daughter Stella and his wife Britanny, who is expecting another daughter in the fall.

Unbroken

2008-07-26T17:39:00.007-07:00

Jeremiah 18:1-6

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD saying,

2 "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will announce My words to you."

3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something on the wheel.

4 But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.

5 Then the word of the LORD came to me saying,

6 "Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel."

The LORD God is my potter. If I remain soft and pliable to His ways, He is able to do good things through me. However if I become hard to Him, He can break me to accomplish His will.

It's easy listening to Satan tell me God made me a smart and strong woman and I can make my own decision without asking permission from anyone. If I continue down the path of selfishness, I can always count on paying the price later.

I have been broken before, and I pray for my will to be broken every day.

Unbroken

Fallen to pieces
(I am undone)
The things you said
(Manipulation)
I trusted you like a fool
While you made all the rules
So you searched me out
And you took me down

To be unbroken, what would that be?
If words that were spoken, had not shattered me
If I was unbroken, I’d never know
The beauty of hope, and how far grace will go
To be unbroken
To be unbroken

The things you found
(To use against me)
Have lost their sound
(When mercy ensoothed me)
I fell to the Father’s feet
His words washed all over me
And all the scars you made
Watch them fade away

To be unbroken, what would that be?
If words that were spoken, had not shattered me
If I was unbroken, I’d never know
The beauty of hope, and how far grace will go
To be unbroken
To be unbroken

I’ve tasted bitter, tasted sweet
Embraced the victory, and some defeat
I’ve tasted bitter, tasted sweet
I found the beauty in the place they meet

To be unbroken, what would that be?
If words that were spoken, had not shattered me
If I was unbroken, I’d never know
The beauty of hope, and how far grace will go
To be unbroken
To be unbroken

Unbroken by Zoe Girl

You Are What You Eat

2008-05-21T23:16:00.019-07:00

There is documented evidence on the detriment discarded plastic has on our environment. While I am not anti-plastic, I use some sort of plastic product every day, I have a love/hate relationship with plastic. I love the convenience that plastic affords busy moms and the many advances in modern medicine that would not have been accomplished without the use of plastic. What I hate about plastic is that I don't get to choose which plastics I expose to myself and my family and I have little control over what way those plastics come into our home.

In my college education to become a Biologist, I took almost 3 years of Chemistry, Biology, Zoology and Botany. Additionally, I worked seven years for B Braun Medical, a medical supply company that manufactures IV drugs and delivery systems. B Braun products are known in the medical field as superior for Intra-Veinous (IV) drug and blood delivery systems mainly because B Braun IV products do not contain plasticizers like DEHP in the PVC from which the IV products are made. PVC is mostly encountered in its rigid state as white tubes that plumbers use to get water into your house from the street. PVC is perfectly safe for water use in this hardened state. What most people don't know is that IV products are made from PVC then a plasticizer is added to make it flexible. The more pliable the plastic, the more plasticizers it contains. The problem health care providers have with using plastic containing DEHP for IV fluid containers and delivery systems is that plasticizers have been proven to leach into whatever product is contained in the plastic.

The medical industry has accepted the seriousness of exposure to plasticizers for patients in a compromised state of health (such as dialysis, surgery, ICU, etc) so they are willing to purchase a more expensive plastic product to ensure harmful plasticizers are not transfered to patients. But what about the massive amounts found in the every day lives of the "healthy" public? What about the exposure to small children whose bodies are not fully developed? What about the elderly or those in poor health?

Bisphenol A (BPA) is found in the plastic lining of cans containing soups, beans and soft drinks (organics too), reusable plastic water bottles and plastic baby bottles. Plastic manufacturers do not deny that BPA leaches into canned foods and beverages and is routinely ingested by humans. BPA is controversial because in the bodies of tested laboratory animals it mimics estrogen and thus induces hormonal responses. This means BPA is an estrogen receptor agonist and can act like the body's own hormones leading to similar physiological effects on the body such as weight gain, breast growth, possibly cancer in both male and female subjects. Studies by the CDC found BPA in the urine of 95% of adults sampled in 1988-1994 and in 93% of children and adults tested in 2003-04. Almost all exposure is through diet, and infants fed with liquid formula are among the most exposed through the plastic bottles used to feed babies the formula.

DEHP is used in medical IV supplies (with the exception of B Braun Medical products) as well as food packaging materials and some plastic children's toys like teething rings. DEHP has been shown to cause liver tumors in both rats and mice receiving DEHP in their diet throughout their entire life span. Based on the results of these cancer studies, the National Toxicology Program has classified DEHP as a substance that may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen.

It may seem and impossible task to completely remove plastic from your every day life if you live in a typical American home. As the person who brings all the food and drink into the house from the market, I have a huge responsibility to my family for the safety of these products. Here are some ways I've been able to lessen my dependance on plastic in our home.

1. We use glass containers for storage of leftovers. Most people have something already in their fridge or pantry in a glass jar. Just wash well it when you're done (sterilizing is a good idea) and put that leftover spaghetti in there! Almost all food in the supermarkets are packaged in plastic, so some contact is unavoidable but there are ways to protect yourself from the most harmful of plastics. Plastic items are marked with a recycling identification code (the number surrounded by chasing arrows), which stands for:

1—polyethyelene terephthalate (PETE)
2—high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
3—vinyl, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
4—low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
5—polypropylene (PP)
6—polystyrene (PS)
7—other (includes polycarbonate, acrylic, polylactic acid, fiberglass)

If you must use plastic for food storage (and purchases) be sure to choose 1, 2, 4 and 5. Learn to recognize and then avoid numbers 3 and 7 for food usage as they could be BPA leaching plastics. Beware of plastic lids for your glass containers... if they are coded 7, be sure the lid does not come in contact with the food.

2. I stopped using plastic baggies to store food. You can actually taste the plasticizers in your food if you leave it in a baggie for too long (that's scary). Use aluminum foil, wax paper, or small paper bags.

3. I NEVER microwave food in a plastic container or cover it with plastic wrap. The waves that heat food can knock DEHA plastic molecules from the container into your food. Put the food on a plate and then put a paper towel over it before microwaving your lunch.
Authors disclaimer: That's not my microwave in the picture!

4. We will stop purchasing bottled water. I've committed to invest in stainless steel bottles for our family to reuse for water bottles from now on. Plastic water bottles as well as yogurt, whipped topping, and margarine tub containers are not designed for reuse. Cleaning disposable plastics at high temperatures (like in the dishwasher) degrades the plastic which becomes unstable and more likely to leach plasticizers into your food from the container. Please be sure to always recycle disposable plastics responsibly.

Update 5/23/08 Here is another article from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy about harmful plastics and safer alternatives.

I Needed This...

2008-04-25T10:34:00.005-07:00

What a sweet video. This made me smile today.

The Lord's Prayer

Surprise in Zimbabwe

2008-04-02T17:46:00.003-07:00

The 2008 presidential election in Zimbabwe is over and President Robert Mugabe has lost the popular vote. While I think this is good news for the country of Zimbabwe, this result is a surprise to me since Mugabe has been the Zimbabwean president since their independence from England was official in 1980.

President Mugabe has been a controversial leader in southern Africa for decades, compared to Hitler by some. He is strongly anti-white to the detriment of the country as a whole and has been considered the reason Zimbabwe has gone from a food producer for much of the continent of Africa to dependance on the WFO for grain and staples for most Zimbabweans.

BBC News article about the Zimbabwe election can be read here.

More info on President Mugabe can be found here.

Corruption

2008-03-05T14:47:00.006-07:00

After two months of questions about the situation in Kenya and praying for resolution, the power-sharing agreement that was signed last week was beginning to comfort some of the people here and abroad who love Africa and those who live there.

Just today, there is an accusation that the administration of President Kibaki was behind the early conflict that arose after the election in December as reported here by a BBC News undercover officer.

If these allegations are in fact true, this might be looked on as justification for more rioting and killing. However this time, most likely it would be done by other tribes as payback for the previous violence. Even if this is just a rumor, it could have the same effect at if it were true as there is so much corruption and deception among people in power over most all of Africa that many Africans don't trust leaders from another ethnic tribe.

Agreement

2008-03-02T15:59:00.008-07:00

Although controversy has at times surrounded former UN leader Kofi Annan, he has done a great service for the people in Kenya. Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga, the two leaders in Kenya, have now signed a deal for power sharing with the creation the post of Prime Minister to be occupied by Odinga with the Presidency still held by Kibaki. There has been peace in the country for several days and hopes are high that some sense of normalcy will return to Kenya in the future.

This article from BBC News details some of the points of the agreement between Kibaki and Odinga. The proposal contains strict guidelines for both sides that have to be adhered to and it is always possible that either side could walk out of the agreement at sometime in the future, putting everything back in question and leading to another period of unrest.

While this proposal has been signed and everyone looks to be in an agreeable mood at the moment, there is still a long way to go to return Kenya to the stable country that gave it decades of prosperity. Much of the peace in the past had accumulated over 30 years and it could take many years for a complete economic recovery for the people in Kenya.

Please continue with prayers for those who will need time to heal from physical and emotional wounds from the fighting. The latest number of victims are 1500 killed and 600,000 displaced. There is still much for Christians to do in Africa, and Kenya will need the love and peace of Jesus Christ to help move past the events of this election.

Responsibility

2008-02-27T18:53:00.004-07:00

There is no current resolution in the peace process in Kenya. At this time, Kofi Annan has called off the talks until the both leaders can meet face to face so as to get beyond the name calling and accusations of dishonesty within the discussions. Please read this article from BBC News for more detail about the events this week.

The killing in Kenya has stopped for the time being, Praise God! However, the estimated number of refugees is now over 600,000. I can't fathom that many people on the run, it boggles the mind. The beginning of this battle in Kenya has been compared by some to the first days of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, a massive extermination of 800,000 Rwandans in 100 days at the hands of their brothers.

If you would like to know more about the Rwandan genocide, I highly recommend the 2005 Portuguese movie "Beyond the Gates", also known under the USA title "Shooting Dogs". It is the true story of a Catholic Technical school in Kigali that was a base for the UN peacekeeping forces in Rwanda and then became an emergency refugee camp. A BBC reporter has a line in the film that was chilling in its honesty.

"In Bosnia, it was the best stuff I've ever done. I cried every day. Strangely enough over here, not a tear. Anytime I saw a dead Bosnian woman, a white woman, I thought, that could be my mom. Over here, there just dead Africans. What a thing to say. We're all just selfish pieces of work in the end."

Although I knew the facts about the genocide in Rwanda, seeing this movie so well acted in graphic detail with personal characters was very difficult to watch but made it all the more real. On the verge of genocide in Africa again, what will we do right now... do we have a responsibility to people half a world away?

James 4:13-17
13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

Christians can not sit idle and allow genocide to happen when we have been given the chance to intervene.

Deadline

2008-02-22T20:49:00.007-07:00

After two months of severe violence in Kenya, there is still no end in sight. There had been some hope to end the unrest at the beginning of the month as peace talks were orchestrated by Kofi Annan, but peace has not materialized.

The number of displaced people is now at over 300,000 and the number of dead is over 1000.

We need to be on our knees right now and for the next 5 days for the men, women and children trapped in Nairobi and the Rift Valley of Kenya. As this Reuters video states, there is a deadline proposed by the opposition for an agreement to be reached in one week. You can also read this AP article for more information about the process thus far.

I have great fear that if there is no resolution reached in the time given by the Orange Democratic Movement, we may have to reconcile the horror of another genocide in Africa.

Peace Talks in Kenya

2008-02-05T09:14:00.001-07:00

In this picture are Kofi Annan (orchestrating peace talks), President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga.

While there has been one small step toward ending the violence in Kenya, the killing is still going on. Please continue to pray for all those suffering during this difficult time, many of our brothers in Christ are being killed by tribal differences.

Here's another Reuters video from Saturday Feb 2 with a short update.

Battle in Kenya

2008-01-30T18:30:00.001-07:00

In March of 2002, our family was blessed to travel to Kenya for two weeks while Dan did some work for the EPA and the Kenyan government assessing their air quality concerns. While we were there, we stayed in the Nairobi Holiday Inn. It's a large tropical compound in the city and is unlike any "hotel" in the U.S. with private patios on the rooms overlooking the pools. We went on two weekend safaris to see the African wildlife. The people were wonderful and I had great hopes to repeat the trip with all our children when they are in high school to see where their grandparents worked for so many years and where Dan went to high school at the Rift Valley Academy.

Currently, there is a situation in Kenya that requires our immediate attention and prayer. After the presidential election last month, there was some question from the Kenyans about the legitimacy of the outcome as the incumbent won after many voters supporting the opposition began to emerge. In the days afterward, the tempers of the government police were frayed and they began to disperse the protesters with tear gas. All this was happening in the Kenyan capitol of Nairobi. This week, the violence in Kenya has spread wide and there have been many killed in Kenya in the name of racial prejudice, some estimates are nearing 1000 dead in just over a month.

There are two main tribes in Kenya currently involved in the fighting. The largest and most wealthy is the Kikuyu, to which president Kibaki belongs. The second is the Luhya, the original protestors of the election. The police and army have been accused of unfair treatment of the Luhya protesters as the military is under the control of the president, a member of the Kikuyu. The result in the countryside has been a backlash of the Luhya against their Kikuyu neighbors. Unlike the wars waged in the west however, this violence is severe. Rivals attack with machete knives in brutal ambush with sweeping indiscrimination killing anyone within reach of their hand.

Kenya has been a haven in Africa for travel of tourists, missionaries and humanitarians for more than 30 years. It has become an example in the continent for other countries on how to successfully host the tourism industry. This coming war could very well end the economic freedom Kenyans have experienced during these past 3 decades. If the tourism industry collapses in Kenya, it will lead to an economic disaster for the country as a whole. Even people not directly involved in the industry will be effected as the entire economic stability of the nation is tied to tourism.

This current Reuters video report contains graphic pictures of dead and dying in Kenya. It is heartbreaking to see so much hatred on the streets I walked with my family only 6 years ago. I encourage you to watch and pray for ways that you can become involved in saving lives in Kenya. The religious demographic in Kenya is almost half Protestant and one quarter is Roman Catholic.

Our brothers in Africa need intercession through prayer now.

UPDATE Today, Jan 31, the U.S. has advised that Americans avoid travel to Kenya. Please read the Reuters article here.

Our New Kitty

2007-11-08T11:00:00.001-07:00

After a lengthy search, we are pleased to announce the newest member of our family has arrived... Kindoa! I spent several weeks doing research on the web for a pet adoption agency. After the experience of having to find a home for our previous cat because she could not interact with our family after the children arrived, we were looking for an adult cat that would already be used to having kids around and love being part of a family.

Well, to make a long story somewhat short we adopted a four month old brown tabby kitten this week! She is so cute and loves us as much as we love her. She lets the kids pick her up and play with her, but when she's had enough she just goes under a chair or bed and lays low for a while. The kids love her and we're so happy she found a loving home.

If you are looking for a pet, (and you live in Phoenix) I recommend HALO pet rescue. Our agent, Nita, interviewed me on the phone to get specifically which cat would be the best fit for us and she was completely professional. When she met in person with our entire family, she had already found the perfect kitten just for us. We just had to meet the kitty to see if the chemistry was there!

We will love having Kindoa for a long time... thank you Nita!

8 Random Things About My Kitchen

2007-10-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged. I haven't done one of these in a while, but this one is a little different and might be fun to see how long it takes me to think these up...

1. Our kitchen in our new house is eerily similar to our kitchen in California. I must have really liked the layout because is just like our other house, right down to the peninsula over the sink! The only differences between the two kitchens are the placement of the fridge and range/oven are switched and we now have a pass through door into the entry which makes the floor space here a little bigger. Other than that, they are almost exactly the same. Same angles, same cabinet placement, same pantry... weird.

2. I have three sets of dishes. I have formal Noritake China that was received as a wedding gift (it has only been used once), Mikasa dinner ware that I use for company, and our everyday dishes are a set of vintage mustard colored earthenware that belonged to Dan's grandparents in Zimbabwe. The mark on the dishes is Willsgrove Ware Pottery Made in Rhodesia. Based on the color, I would guess it's at least 40 years old. I cried when I broke one of the bowls.

3. I have an under-mount kitchen sink which I absolutely LOVE! I do most of my food prep on the counter next to the sink so I can just wipe the crumbs and mess right off and wash it away. It was way more expensive to install than it should have been, but I think it's a great invention and I would recommend it.

4. We have an eat-in kitchen. (That's just the fancy new way to say we have a breakfast nook.)

5. I almost always have fresh flowers on my kitchen counter. They make me happy.

6. I have a can of salmon in my pantry that we moved here from California in 2005. I don't eat fish, so I haven't felt the need to open it. Ever. I suppose I should toss it out, but it's really difficult for me to throw canned goods away. However, since I wouldn't eat it after storing it for this long and I won't feed it to anyone else, I think it's time to just let go.

7. We eat our big meal of the day at lunch. Dan has always preferred to have a big lunch and a very small dinner, so when he started working from home I changed the meals to fit his schedule. I make traditional dinners for lunch on weekdays (stroganoff with rice, meat-loaf with baked potatoes, chicken enchiladas, etc.), small dinners (chicken and biscuits, quesadillas, grilled cheese, etc.) and then we eat leftovers on Saturday.

8. I post the menu for the week on the inside of the pantry door so when it's time to start meal prep, I always know what I'm making for each meal that day. (I make my shopping list on the other side, so I have it with me at the store to see what ingredients I need to buy... it works really well for me!)

I tag Jesica, Davina and Amber... have fun! I finished this in just under an hour, how'd I do Sara?

Funeral for a Fish

2007-10-22T17:32:00.000-07:00

Sunset, our beautiful amber Beta Fish, has passed on. Fortunately he wasn't acting right for a couple of days before he died, so I was able to prepare K for the impending loss of her pet. She cried when we noticed he was looking pale, a sure sign he wasn't getting enough oxygen. She stood at his bowl with big silent tears, watching him struggle to "breathe". She is such a tender child, she so easily empathizes with the emotions of others so it was very hard for mommy to see her precious little girl hurting (I can't imagine what it will be like when the first boyfriend breaks her heart!)

When he finally died, we decided to burry him in the yard rather than the more traditional "burial at sea" for goldfish. K was very composed during the excavation of the grave, but she began to sob when she placed his foil coffin in the ground. It was oh so precious and very touching.

Although it was a difficult time for her, I was able to use it to discuss the plan God has for life on this earth. How all living things must die and how we never know when anyone or anything might die. We spent time talking about how much God loves us and wants His children to be with Him forever, but we have to choose to go to heaven. It was another lesson on eternity for her, but I was glad I was able to use a tragedy in her life to share about the love of God and part of His plan for her.

Pediatric Cold Medicine

2007-10-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

Today I found this article on children's' cold medicine very disturbing. Not so much that I went upstairs and threw out my Triaminic, but I will seriously consider every dose I give my children in the future. The most upsetting new information I found was that pediatric cold medicines have never been tested on children. That seems beyond irresponsible. It's like the FDA said, "Whoops... we forgot to make sure these products are safe for kids. They're ok for adults, so we just assumed smaller doses for children was the way to go. Sorry mom and dad." Now that the FDA has determined these medicines have no real effect on cold symptoms in children, it seems possible the pharmaceutical companies have been conducting tests all along, only it was on the public without our knowledge.

The timing of this article is not well received at our house as we are about to embark on the cold and flu season and with three kids under 8 years old, we have a lot of colds each year. It has also raised my uncertainty on flu shots again. I really disagree with giving my children live flu viruses, especially when the vaccine is based on the flu strains from last year. However, knowing that there won't be anything to alleviate their symptoms if they get the flu, I may just give in and have the family vaccinated.

Having children is an incredible responsibility and requires undivided attention. As I look at my precious babies right now, they are completely vulnerable and trust me for everything that is put in or on their bodies. I feel I may have failed them in not completely researching the over the counter medicines I've given them since birth. It's a scary thought, and one I might have to ask their forgiveness for if they suffer any adverse effects in their future.

Update:
Since reading this article (and calming down a bit) I've done some more thinking about the effectiveness of pediatric cold medicines. As a child, my brother had severe chronic sinusitis and my mom gave him Triaminic to alleviate his headaches. It worked. Fast forward about 30 years to my kids and a cold. The pediatrician recommends Triaminic as a decongestant and I remember, "Hey, my mom used that on us... I can't believe it's still around!" I went to Walmart and voila, there it was! So now I'm thinking, if some of these products have been around for decades and moms are still buying them, they must be doing something right!

Roadtrip, Beaches and Disneyland!

2007-10-13T09:58:00.001-07:00

We're finally home after a wonderful week in Southern California. The weather was absolutely beautiful, the kids were amazing and no one had a melt down or was ill, which I had prayed fervently about. We spent an entire day at Disneyland from opening until they kicked us out an hour after closing! This picture is at the Small World ride with my mom, my cousin Cindy, her mom and Cindy's adorable kids.

Here's J, K and N in line to ride Dumbo.

We had a great day at Coronado Island playing in the sand and surf. J was taken down by the very first wave after we'd been on the beach for 5 minuets, but she didn't cry and she held hands with Grandma for the rest of the day!

Thank you to all who prayed for us to have a safe and fun trip. We were so blessed to get some time away with friends and family but next time we want Daddy to come too!

Infant Swimming Resource

2007-09-29T16:48:00.001-07:00

While doing some 'catch-up' reading the other day, I went to the blog of a friend who lives in Colorado. Since their climate doesn't lend itself often to swimming pools, she had an entry about Infant Swimming Resource but she didn't elaborate much about their services.

However, I live in Phoenix where close to 50% of homes have a pool or some kind of backyard water feature. In the summer, rarely a day goes by where there isn't a news report of a child drowning somewhere in the valley. The frequency of drownings is incredibly heart wrenching and this summer our own Pastor attended a funeral for a friend who's toddler drown.

The video link above is amazing. To see a baby fall in a pool and not panic was incredible to watch. He remained calm, so much so that I noticed the water in the pool became almost still. He called for his daddy, but stopped himself from crying when he started to get water on his face. Children are born with the intelligence they will have as adults, and they can learn the techniques necessary to prevent them from drowning if they are taught.

The service is expensive, but how can you possibly compare it to the cost of losing a child, especially now that you know they can be safe around water by taking this course.

Shine

2007-09-28T16:56:00.000-07:00

I woke up to another day
Another day to celebrate
Your beauty and Your mystery, it’s more than any eye can see
I’m not the man I was before
With You, my life is so much more
Break the chains and open doors to a world I can't ignore

Chorus
Lord let me shine, shine like the moon
A reflection of You in all that I do
Lord let me be a light for Your truth
Light of the world, I wanna be used
To shine for You

As simple as a passing smile
Or listening a little while
To someone that's convinced that they are in this all alone
Here's my chance to share the news
To introduce the good that's You
Here You go again, You never cease to blow my mind

Chorus

You're the love that we all need
You lift us up to our feet
You hold the key to eternity
The King of Kings alive in me

Chorus
Lord let me shine, shine like the moon
A reflection of You in all that I do
Lord let me be a light for Your truth
Light of the world, I wanna be used
To shine for You

Shine by Salvador

Here We Go Again

2007-08-26T23:56:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we will start our third week of school. That's right... AZ schools all start early August. I think that's crazy since we have another month of summer. This week it will be 110 again, Ugh! Even though it's a broiler here, the kids are loving school.

K is going to Montessori at Anthem this year and she is doing very well. She's an artistic right-brain thinker and she should do great with the open structure of the Montessori method. N is going to preschool three days/week but asks every day if he can go to school! He is such a neat kid... a total bundle of energy. I think that has a lot to do with just being a boy, I love it. J is too old for her age. On the first day of school she went and got a lunch box from the pantry and said, "I'm going to school". I really want to savor every moment with her, it's going by too fast for mommy!

Here's a pic from the first day of school. Next year there will be three kids in the picture, sniff!

Complete

2007-07-13T15:50:00.000-07:00

A great song from Andy Chrisman's album One, I highly recommend it!

Don't be disturbed if I'm not melancholy all the time
Don't be surprised to find a smile upon my face a mile wide
And don't be alarmed if it's so hard for me to stand still right now
But there's something going on right here
Even as I sing this song

There's a joy I know dancing in my soul
And it comes from being with You
It's unbelievable how my heart is full
And it comes from knowing the truth
That I am complete in You

Don't be afraid to jump right in and help me sing this song
Don't be surprised to find a smile upon your face a mile wide
And don't be embarrassed if it's hard for you to stand still right now
'Cause there's something going on right here
Even as I sing this song

There's a joy I know dancing in my soul
And it comes from being with You
It's unbelievable how my heart is full
And it comes from knowing the truth
That I am complete in You

Money won't complete me
Fame won't complete me
I am complete in You
A big house won't complete me
A nice car won't complete me
I am complete in You
Yeah, yeah, yeah, no I won't do it
Nah, nah, nah, I still won't do it
I am complete in You
Well all these things yeah, they're nice things
But I am complete in You

Yeah I am complete in You
Yeah I am complete in You
Yeah I am complete in You

Complete Andy Chrisman

Summer in Anthem

2007-07-10T17:09:00.001-07:00

So... summer in Anthem is in full swing and we're having a ball! For those who are interested, here's what our schedule has been like up to now:

Monday- Errands
Tuesday- Library
Wednesday- Arts & Crafts
Thursday- Waterpark!
Friday- Homeschool

We've been sticking pretty close to this schedule up to now. With Dan's departure to Sudan this Saturday, the kids and I will put the Summer Schedule on hold and spend some much needed time in Prescott with my parents. The weather up in the Arizona mountains is at least 15 degrees cooler than the Valley of the Sun so the kids will get to play outside for a change. We are truly blessed to be this close to my family and we take advantage of it as much as possible!

Please pray for Dan and Marcus while they are in Sudan for two weeks:
For hearts to be prepared for the message of Christ
For physical safety in the coming and going of travel
For logistics with baggage, equipment and supplies while in Sudan and Kenya
For physical health including restful sleep in their tents at night

Sam has updated the Impact Africa site with much more information about the vision of their mission to Sudan and the long-range goal to claim Africa for Christ.

Thank you for your continued prayers for our families while we pursue the lost for our Lord Jesus Christ, one step at a time.

Birthday Catch-up

2007-07-08T22:07:00.000-07:00

I should have posted this a long time ago, but I really haven't had the time before now to go through my iPhoto library to pick the cutest photo from "the Dude's" birthday. This is from the actual birthday day, Dan has all the pics from the family party and I haven't looked at them yet.

This boy is such a doll, I can't describe the feeling I get deep down for this adorable little guy. He has been such a blessing to our family and my heart feels like it will just burst when he says "Mommy, can you hold me?"

Um, yeah!

Craft Day!

2007-06-27T00:55:00.000-07:00

We are having a great summer. Craft day is always a big hit with the kids, although some have more patience to finish a project than others.

More summer pics coming soon!

Long Time, No Blog

2007-06-20T20:50:00.001-07:00

Until now I didn't have anything to write that I wanted everyone in the world to read... until I tried Coppertone Continuous Spray sunscreen. It is amazing. The Shewmakers were boating with the Parker boys on Bartlett Lake in Tonto National Forest for 6 hours last Saturday and no one got even slightly pink. That's not a big deal for my kids that have Dan's ability to tan with ease. I, however, am Scotch-Irish and do NOT tan. I sprayed this sunscreen on when I arrived on the boat and didn't reapply it for 4 hours. When we got home that afternoon, I didn't even have a hint of a sunburn.

Now the bad news. It was expensive (the cheapest I have found it was $8, which is what I paid at Walmart) and the can won't last nearly as long as the lotion sunscreen you have to rub in. Also, you shouldn't spray it on your face as the alcohol in the spray that causes it to dry quickly can burn eyes. On our faces I used Coppertone Water Babies lotion SPF 50 for the kids and Hawaiian Tropic Oil Free Faces SPF 30 for myself. Those were my only "downs" to the spray sunscreen and they are heavily outweighed by the easy spray application (especially on the kids), it dries almost immediately, and best of all no one got sunburned!

So, hopefully there's some useful summer shopping advise on sunscreen from a mom who found one that is really convenient and really works.

Really.

Kate and Daddy in the water, thanks again Jeff!

Shewmaker Reunion

2007-05-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, the Sam Shewmaker family had a short reunion before Sam and Nancy return to the mission field in Africa this September. We were blessed to have Jon and Gayle come to AZ from AR to have all the children and grandchildren together, the first time since Christmas 2005! We had a wonderful time of fellowship, food, laughter, food, playing, food, and prayer. I love each member of this family more than I can adequately express in words. If you ever have the chance to get to know any of them, you will be equally tied to them, I just get to be related!

For a family photo to commemorate the occasion, we drove to Sedona on Saturday. This picture was taken south of Sedona, as on the north side of Oak Creek we received rain and snow, which are not conducive to taking photos with small children. We did have a great time, just not much hiking around in the weather.

May the LORD continue to bless the Shewmaker and Roberts families as we follow Him in complete obedience. Although far in distance, we are ever close in heart.

The Wisdom of Children

2007-04-24T23:47:00.000-07:00

Several states have adopted laws enforcing "hands free" phone technology for drivers with the intent that it will make cell phone use while driving a car less hazardous. My own children have shown me how absurd this is. Let me give you an example of what happens in my house when I take a phone call. And mind you, I'm not driving a car. I'm just making lunch.

(phone rings)

Hello. Oh, Hi mom! Kids, Grandma is on the phone, could you please stop doing the Tarzan yell for just a minuet? Sorry about that, mom...

What was that, mom? I apologize, but I couldn't hear you over the crash of the lamp hitting the floor.

You'll have to repeat that last thing you said, your grandson just picked his sister up by her ankles and is trying to put her in the trash can.

At this point, I usually excuse myself from the phone and have a quick little talk with my children about respecting the person on the other end of the phone and that they need to be quiet while mommy is talking.

Back to the phone call:

I'm so sorry about that, but you know how kids are when you get on the phone (laugh). Anyway, you were saying...?

And as I continue in my grown-up adult conversation for a few minuets in beautiful silence, I am blissfully unaware that my kids have gone to the living room. I don't know how many of you have had that awful sick-to-your-stomach sinking feeling that it has been way too quiet for way too long, but this is definitely one of those times for me.

I run around the corner to the living room (the only real "adult conversation" area in our home, complete with antique piano and off white sofa that we purchased before we had kids) and there I behold the mayhem that has taken place while I was on the phone with the grandmother of my sweet children. What a blessing for them that I spend a lot of time in prayer asking God for wisdom in raising them to fear God and not me.

I've gotta go, mom. Please pray for my sanity and that I don't make the six o'clock news with what I want to do to myself or your grandkids.

This is some of what was on the floor:
-all the cushions, pillows, blankets and books that had been on something else
-all the Kleenex from a brand new box
-all the Spanish moss from my silk bamboo along with most of the leaves from the bottom third of the tree
-the baby's diaper that she decided needed to be changed ("change you di-po" is currently her favorite sentence)

I think my kids are genius children, however I think that they have capitalized on something rather obvious. After all, they are 2 and 3-years-old, but they know the benefit of my inability to comprehend what is going on right in the other room if I'm on the phone.

There are documented psychological studies that prove brain function actually slows down while talking on a cell phone, even with a hands free devise. You can read this as one example.

So why have some states gone ahead and made it ok to use a cell phone as long as you aren't holding it? I mean, come on, if my two-year-old has enough sense to know that she can get away with murder when mommy is on the phone (and I'm not even driving a car!), why can't all lawmakers see that driving while talking on the phone might not be a good idea regardless of where your hands are?

I found this info from cellular-news with the current list of requirements for countries and states for cell phone use while driving. Take Massachusetts, for example. They have a partial ban where drivers are required to keep at least one hand on the steering wheel while holding a phone. What?! When I was in driving school I was told I shouldn't take my hands off the 10 and 2 positions to change the radio station! And don't get me started on the ban in seven states for school bus drivers using a cell phone... they had to make that a law?

If you're still reading this and you're waiting for my opinion (just in case you haven't already figured it out), here it is...

Stop driving and talking on the phone at the same time!

Glory Defined

2007-04-24T18:28:00.000-07:00

This song really said a lot to me today, that my faith is rooted in God and nothing will ever change that. People will disappoint, but the LORD is steadfast and unchanging by the Power of His Name. I am holding to His promise of that.

There's always a better way
There's always a bridge that needs crossings
There's always the straight and the narrow
The wide and the shallow
But I know that you're guiding me
And the best is yet to come
You've given me hope for tomorrow
And I know some day

I'll wake up to find
Your glory defined
and I will finally bow at your feet
I will lift up your name in honor and praise
when I cross over Jordan
I know that I'll be running home to you

It's always the simple things
It's always the obvious that crashes over me
It's always in front of me
It helps me to remember
This is what I live for
And I can't wait

I'll wake up to find
Your glory defined
and I will finally bow at your feet
I will lift up your name in honor and praise
when I cross over Jordan
I know that I'll be running home to you

There's never a question in your message
Never a moment without your presence
There's never a doubt in my mind

That I'll wake up to find
Your glory defined
and I will finally bow at your feet
I will lift up your name in honor and praise
when I cross over Jordan
I know that I'll be running home to you

Glory Defined by Building 429

Too Cute Not to Share!

2007-04-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

Mmm... peanut butter!

Easter

2007-04-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

New Easter Bibles!

Both of the older kids have started asking philosophical questions of my husband and me. Our 3-year-old son has already asked us "God is Jesus. How is that?" Amazing, this is a profound mystery that scholars have wrestled with for over 2000 years!

What a blessing to have children who's questions about the LORD make me reaffirm my own faith and beliefs so I can "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

The Crucifixion

2007-04-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

After Easter, I spent some personal time with the LORD in contemplation of the crucifixion of Jesus on Passover and His resurrection on the third day. The LORD spoke to my heart with some awesome insights, as I knew He would, in His love for me as His child and partner in Covenant.

I first thought about the act of crucifying the Christ on the Passover. Just as the Israelites had been commanded to sacrifice a lamb to receive a "pass over" of the angel of death, Jesus was sacrificed to deliver us from eternal death. Ok, that one I've known for a long time (it probably deserves further explanation, but that will be for another post). But, as I let the LORD speak to me further about the resurrection, I wondered if there is any significance in Christ remaining in the grave the day after He died. Surely He could have been raised on the second day, but He was not, it was the third day. Was there any significance there?

God does nothing by chance or without specific reason, so I let myself think and pray about it more. The Holy Spirit revealed profound Truth, as is every revelation from God in His Word. I heard the Spirit say, "The Christ, as God, had to remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy." There was no way that God could break this or any of His commandments, as that would negate every other commandment and what would I have then? A God who changes His character and His Word... this is impossible and not a God I would want to worship!

Exodus 20:8-11
8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

10 but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.

11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

I let myself imagine the "rest" God was allowing Jesus to receive. After the horrific slaughter the Christ endured as my passover lamb, God the Father allowed Jesus to spend the next day in His Holy presence; basking in His Glory, communing again with His Spirit after total and complete separation from Them both when He took my sin upon His body on the cross.

This Is Awesome! Because our LORD never changes, I can bank on His Word to reveal Truth to me every time I seek Him in His Holy Scripture. Praise God, He DID raise from the dead, and through His resurrected life, I can enter the Kingdom to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

So Long Self

2007-04-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

My new mantra...

Well if I come across a little bit distant
It's just because I am
Things just seem to feel a little bit different
You understand
Believe it or not but life is not apparently
About me anyways
But I have met the One who really is worthy
So let me say

So long, self
Well, it's been fun, but I have found somebody else
So long, self
There's just no room for two
So you are gonna have to move
So long, self
Don't take this wrong but you are wrong for me, farewell
Oh well, goodbye, don't cry
So long, self

Stop right there because I know what you're thinking
But no we can't be friends
And even though I know your heart is breaking
This has to end
And come to think of it the blame for all of this
Simply falls on me
For wanting something more in life than all of this
Can't you see

So long, self
Well, it's been fun, but I have found somebody else
So long, self
There's just no room for two
So you are gonna have to move
So long, self
Don't take this wrong but you are wrong for me, farewell
Oh well, goodbye, don't cry
So long, self

Don't feel so bad (don't feel so bad)
There'll be better days (there'll be better days)
Don't go away mad (but by all means)
Just go away, go away

So long, self
Well, it's been fun, but I have found somebody else
So long, self
There's just no room for two
So you are gonna have to move
So long, self
Don't take this wrong but you are wrong for me, farewell
Oh well, goodbye, don't cry
So long, self
Farewell, Goodbye...

So Long Self by Mercy Me

Bye, Bye Baby

2007-04-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

Although she still refers to herself as "baby", she is no longer a baby. We now have a toddler. As hard as ending the baby chapter has been, I didn't cry. Well, I did shed a tear on Monday, her last full day of being a one-year-old.

May God bless our sweet girl in this new year full of discovery and wonder at His creation and may He grant my prayer to be filled with His wisdom to raise God fearing children.

Beautiful Name

2007-04-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

I'm listening to this song right now, thinking of my family that is making preparations to return to the Mission field in Rwanda. I pray daily for their safety, but above all else, that the Word of the LORD will continue to go forth in Africa brought by Godly men and women like Sam and Nancy Shewmaker.

Beautiful Name from Different Kind of Free by ZOEgirl

Your heart I seek to find
With Your hands You fashioned mine
Let me be used by You to carry Truth
To the ends of the earth
'Til everyone's heard
My mended heart will share Your words
I will tell the world that You are God

I will run
I will fly
I will live to be a sacrifice
Through it all I'll rise above
Unafraid I'll face what comes
I will run
I will fly
And for my faith I'll live & die
I'll be strong
I will press on
For the sake of Your beautiful name
Your beautiful name

Should all life cease to grow
Should chaos take control
The only hope we know is You will save us
It's worth the cost to take up my cross
As You take back what's been lost
Until all who doubt know
You are God

I will run
I will fly
I will live to be a sacrifice
Through it all I'll rise above
Unafraid I'll face what comes
I will run
I will fly
And for my faith I'll live & die
I'll be strong
I will press on
For the sake of Your beautiful name
Your beautiful name

I'm not a captive anymore
I'm gonna soar to a new place
Take on a new pace
I know what my life is for

I will run
I will fly
I will live to be a sacrifice
Through it all I'll rise above
Unafraid I'll face what comes
I will run
I will fly
And for my faith I'll live & die
I'll be strong
I will press on
For the sake of Your beautiful name
Your beautiful name

May the LORD continue to bless their labor for His Kingdom now and forever.

Jesus' Example

2007-04-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

Do you want to learn how to know and then do the will of God? There is no better model than that of Jesus himself. During His 33 years on earth He never failed to do every assignment given to Him by the Father. He perfectly completed every assignment God gave Him. He never sinned. Would you like to understand how Jesus came to know and do the will of God?

John 5:17,19,20
17 Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working."
19 Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these."

This is one of the clearest examples of how Jesus knew what to do. An outline of Jesus' approach to knowing and doing God's will would be:

Jesus example
- The Father has been working right up until now.
- Now God has Me working.
- I do nothing on My own initiative.
- I watch to see what the father is doing.
- I do what I see the Father already is doing.
- You see, the Father loves Me.
- He shows Me everything that He, Himself, is doing.

This model is for my life personally and for His church. It is not just a step-by-step approach for knowing and doing the will of God. It describes a love relationship through which God accomplishes His purposes. In short: Watch to see where God is working and join Him!

God Is Always at Work Around You

Right now God is working all around you and in your life. One of the greatest tragedies among God's people is that, while they have a deep longing to experience God, they are experiencing God day after day but do not know how to recognize Him. The purpose of Experiencing God is to learn many ways to recognize clearly the activity of God in and around your life. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God will instruct you and help you know when and where God is working. Once you know where He is working, you will adjust your life to join Him where He is already at work.

You will experience His accomplishing His activity through your life. When you enter this kind of intimate love relationship with God, you will know and do the will of God and experience Him in ways you have never known Him before. The study of the material in Experiencing God cannot accomplish that goal in your life. Only God can bring you into that kind of relationship.

Jesus is Your Model

2007-03-30T00:38:00.000-07:00

Interpret Experience by Scripture

During your life you will have times when you want to respond based on your own experience or your own wisdom. Such an approach will get you in trouble. This should be your guideline: Always go to the Bible for truth (or, for the Holy Spirit to reveal Truth).

Look to see what God says and how He works in the Scriptures. Make your decisions and evaluate your experiences based on biblical principles.

When you study the Scriptures, do not base your decision on one isolated case. Look to see how God works throughout the Scriptures. When you learn how God has worked throughout history, you can depend on His working in a similar way with you. Your experience is valid only as it is confirmed in the Scriptures. I do not deny any experience that a person has had. However, they must always be interpreted according to what is in the Scriptures. Someone might say, "Well, I don't care what you say, I've experienced this."

My response is, "I do not deny your experience. I do question your interpretation of what you experienced, because it is contrary to what I see in the Word of God." Our experiences cannot be our guide. Every experience must be controlled and understood by the Scriptures. The God revealed in Scripture does not change and the Truth of Scripture will never contradict itself. You must be cautious about isolating a single experience from the context of Scripture. You will want to see how God works throughout Scripture. You will never go wrong if, under the Holy Spirit's instruction, you let the Bible be your guide.

The Bible Is Your Guide

Christians are becoming more and more disoriented to the Bible as a guide for faith and practice. Because of this, Christians have turned to worldly solutions, programs, and methods that appear to be the answer to spiritual problems. The Word of God should be the only guide to what we should be doing. Some people say, "That is not practical." They want to move away from the Bible and rely on the world's ways or on personal experience. As a Christian disciple, we cannot abandon the guidance found in the Bible. The Bible is the only guide for faith and practice.

How do you let the Word of God become your guide? When I seek God's direction, I insist on following the directives that I see in the Word of God. The previous blog post Jesus Is Your Way is an example. Does God call people to follow Him without giving them all the details up front? We know that He called Abram to follow that way. Is that a pattern consistent in the Scriptures?

Matthew 4:18-20
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.

Matthew 4:21-22
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Matthew 9:9
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

Acts 9:1-20
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.

"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"
"Yes, Lord," he answered.

The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."

"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."

But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

In some cases God gave more details than in others. In Moses' call, God gave him a bigger picture of the assignment than he usually gave. In every case, however, the individuals had to stay close to God for daily guidance. For Moses and the children of Israel, God provided daily guidance through the cloud by day and the fire by night. For Peter, Andrew, James, John, Matthew, and Saul, God gave very little detail about their assignments. He basically said, "Just follow me, and I will show you."

What Is God's Will for My Life?

When people seek to know and do the will of God, many ask, What is God's will for my life? Seminary professor Dr. Gaines S. Dobbins said, "If you ask the wrong question, you are going to get the wrong answer." Sometimes we assume that every question is a legitimate question. When we pursue an answer and always come up wrong, we cannot figure out what is happening. Always check to see if you have asked the right question before you pursue the answer.

What is God's will for my life?- is not the right question. The right question is, What is God's will? Once I know God's will, then I can adjust my life to Him. In other words, what is it that God is purposing where I am. Once I know what God is doing, then I know what I need to do. The focus needs to be on God, not my life!

Jesus Is Your Way

2007-03-11T22:31:00.000-07:00

For 12 years, Henry Blackaby pastored in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. One day a farmer said to him, "Henry, come out and visit with me at my farm." His directions went something like this: "Go a quarter mile past the edge of the city and you will see a big red barn on your left. Go to the next road and turn to your left. Take that road for three-quarters of a mile. You'll see a tree. Go right for about four miles, and then you will see a big rock..." Henry wrote all of this down and eventually got there!

The next time he was to go to the farmer's house, the farmer was along for the ride. Since there was more than one way to get to his house, he could have taken them any way he wanted to. You see, the farmer was the "map". What did the driver have to do? Simply listen to the farmer and obey him. Every time the farmer said, "turn" they turned. The farmer took them a different way than before. The farmer was the "map"; he knew the way.

When you come to the Lord Jesus to seek His will for your life, what do you ask?

Lord, what do you want me to do? When do you want me to do it? How shall I do it? Where shall I do it? Who do you want me to involve along the way? And please tell me what the outcome will be?

Or...

Lord, just tell me what to do one step at a time, and I will do it.

Isn't the first response most typical of us? We are always asking God for a detailed "road map". We say, "Lord, if You could just tell me where I am heading, then I will be able to set my course and go."

He says, "You don't need to. What you need to do is follow Me one day at a time." We need to come to the place where the second response is ours.

John 14:6
"I am the way and the truth and the life."

Who is it that really knows the way for you to go to fulfill God's purpose for your life? God is. Jesus said "I am the way."

He did not say "I will show you the way."
He did not say "I will give you a road map."
He did not say "I will tell you which direction to head."
He said, "I am the way." Jesus knows the way; He is your way.

If you were to do everything that Jesus tells you one day at a time, do you suppose that you always would be right in the center of where God wants you to be? When you get to the place where you trust Jesus to guide you one step at a time you experience a new freedom. If you don't trust Jesus to guide you this way, what happens if you don't know the way you are to go? You worry every time you must take a turn. You often freeze up and cannot make a decision. This is not the way God intends for you to live your life.

I have found in my own life that I can release the way to Him. Then I take care of everything He tells me one day at a time. He gives me plenty to do to fill each day with meaning and purpose! If I do everything He says, I will be in the center of His will when He wants to use me for a special assignment.

Abram Followed One Day at a Time
Abram (later, God changed his name to Abraham) is a good example of this principle at work in a Bible character. He walked by faith and not by sight.

Genesis 12:1-5
1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

2 "I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."

4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.

What did God say? How specific was He? "Leave" and "go." Go where? "To a land I will show you."

Are you ready to follow God's will that way?

Many times, as with Abram, God called people just to follow Him. He is more likely to call you to follow one day at a time than He is to spell out all the details before you begin to obey Him.

Matthew 6:33-34
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Now, spend time with God in prayer and...
... agree God is absolutely trustworthy.
... agree with God that you will follow Him one day at a time.
... agree that you will follow Him even when He does not spell out all the details.
... agree that you will let Him be your Way.

If you cannot agree to these right now, openly confess your struggles to Him. Ask Him to help you want to do His will His way. Claim the promise: "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" Phillipians 2:13.

...Worth a Thousand Words

2007-03-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

She even makes sand look cute!

Introduction

2007-03-01T23:22:00.000-07:00

John 17:3
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

The heart of eternal life and the heart of Experiencing God is to KNOW GOD and to KNOW JESUS CHRIST whom He has sent. Knowing God does not come through a program or method. It is a relationship with a Person. It is an intimate love relationship with God. Through this relationship, God reveals His will and invites you to join Him where He is already at work. When you obey, God accomplishes through you something only He can do. Then you come to KNOW GOD in a more intimate way by EXPERIENCING GOD at work through you.

John 10:10
... I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Relationship to Jesus Christ - a Prerequisite

The understanding here is that you already have trusted Jesus Christ as Savior and acknowledge Him to be Lord of your life. If you have not made this most important decision in your life, the rest of the Experiencing God study will have little meaning because spiritual matters can only be understood by those who have the indwelling Spirit of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:14
The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

If you need help with this important decision, please call on your pastor, a deacon or a Christian friend for help. They will be there for you and direct you to the relationship you seek.

Looking for More in Your Experience of God?

You may have been frustrated in your Christian experience because you know God has a life for you that you have not experienced. Or you may be earnestly desiring God's direction for your life and ministry. You may have experienced tragedy in you life. Experiencing God will help you to:
-hear when God is speaking to you
-clearly identify the activity of God in your life
-believe Him to be and do everything He promises
-adjust your beliefs, character, and behavior to Him and His ways
-see a direction that He is taking in your life and what He wants to do through your life
-clearly know what you need to do in response to His activity in your life and
-experience God doing through you what only God can do!

This is an impossible task for a Bible study course. These are things that only God can do in your life. Experiencing God will be a catalyst for your deeper walk with God.

The most important thing to remember about a relationship to God is His interest in you. As His precious child, He is infinitely more interested in your life than you or I could possibly be.

Experiencing God

2007-02-23T23:26:00.000-07:00

One of the most important studies of the Word of God I have encountered is Experiencing God by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V. King. The insights I learned from this study the first time I participated over eight years ago, enabled me to grow my relationship with God to a deeper level of faith and action. I learned how to know when God was speaking, what He was saying and what I had to do to obey. I was so impressed with what I learned from Experiencing God, I felt I had to complete the study more than once. In fact, I was enrolled as a student twice, lead a study once and read the textbook.

While I am serving our church on our elder selection committee, I decided to refresh my memory with the insights I found from the Word specifically in the Experiencing God Bible study. I love the Word of God so much, I want to share some of the Truth revealed through the Holy Spirit that I learned and had forgotten, so I will post some of these wonderful thoughts here. As I go through the study each day, I hope to post some of the things I learn.

I pray that the Spirit will speak clearly to each of you as you read the revealed Truth and study the Word of God to find His answers to all of your questions.

Five Things About Me

2007-02-11T21:25:00.000-07:00

1. I was an extra on an episode of Seinfeld and I was an audience member for three shows... that was fun!

2. I raised pigs as a high schooler in 4-H. I still remember what the 4 H's are, if you ever want to know.

3. I've known my husband for 30 years. I think that's pretty interesting since I'm only 38.

4. I've been on safari at Masi Mara, Kenya. Our oldest went too, she was 26 months old.

5. I'm 5th generation C of C.

Now, who to tag? Dan, if you ever get your blog up, it's you baby!

Life

2007-02-06T02:32:00.002-07:00

I've been working on this post since November. The subject of abortion and unborn life is so sensitive I actually thought about deleting this before it was finished. By the power of the Holy Spirit, I didn't delete it. I have decided to publish this post because the Holy Spirit revealed insights from the Word of God that I needed to put down for someone to read. If you read this post and decide to comment, please be sensitive to other readers and to me.

This post is taken from a radio message by Chip Ingram. You can find the podcast at Living on the Edge.

God says he has absolute truth. God created life in Genesis 1:27

So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

We know human life is sacred because God created it. God had capitol punishment in the Bible, whether we agree with it or not and scripture affords the same value to a fetus, from the first cell on, as to any other human life.

The first Scripture used against abortion is often quoted by Christians.

Psalm 139:13-16

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

God was involved in plans for us before we were born, not after we took our first breath. We find examples of this in both the Old and New Testaments. (David, Jeremiah, Paul)

But... what if in Scripture, we saw the same punishment for the murder of an unborn baby as for fully developed human beings?

In Exodus 20, there is the receiving of the Ten Commandments. The following chapters in Exodus are an explanation and application of these Commandments.

Exodus 21:22-25
22 If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

God views the fetus as special, needing protection as a pre-born human being.
If we believe the Bible is truth, we can not ignore this teaching.

There are several emotional oppositions the Pro-choice movement uses to keep us from taking our stand.

The mothers' life is in danger.
This is extremely rare and exceptionally uncommon. Former US Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Coop has said that in 30 years of practicing pediatric medicine, neither himself nor his colleagues ever had to choose between the life of the mother and baby.

Pregnancy from rape and incest.
These are horrific tragedies. However, punishing an unborn human for sin committed by another doesn't solve anything. Two wrongs don't make a right. Only 0.06% of rape result in pregnancy. Due to post-rape exams and procedures performed by hospitals (i.e. D & C), rape resulting pregnancy is extremely rare. The act of abortion is much harder on the mother emotionally and physically with regret, guilt, and depression toping the list.

A return to back ally abortion.
Before abortion was legal, in 1965 only 265 deaths occurred due to illegal abortions. Abortion became legal in 1973, since that time with the advances in medicine we would expect the statistics to have become better. However, according to the CDC, the statistics for the mortality of the mother is almost exactly the same. Of all pregnancy-related complications in New York and California, 20% were due to abortions. In 1996, about 20 women for every 1,000 women aged 15-44 years had an abortion, and for every 1,000 live births, about 325 abortions were performed, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

So, where do we go from here? What do we do about Christians who are professing the word of God but teach contrary to it? First, we need to work on finding forgiveness. There has to be an accountability to take responsibility for false teaching and then establish limits. Violence is ungodly and unrighteous. Bombing abortion clinics and murdering doctors is sin and, again, two wrongs don't make a right.

Romans 16:17-19
17 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.

We are called to be light to the world, not heat. Light illuminates, heat drives away. It is not our place to keep others from sinning, but to bring the darkness to light and gently restore our brother in Christ.

Galatians 6:1-2
1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Matthew 18:15-17
15 If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Acting in love, we need to be sure our method matches the message of Christ. How would he approach someone caught in the middle? WWJD? The loving body of Christ's Church has to use dialogue, not condemnation, so as not to drive our brother away.

Ephesians 4:15-18
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

It is vital to address the core issue based on the word of God: is it a human being or a mass of tissue? If you are able to use these scriptures to help your brother (or sister) to understand what this means, be sure to listen to their answer and share the truth in love.

I did not post this subject as a debate on interpretation of scripture. Everything written is from the Word of God, taken in context, and has been brought with prayer and love. If you have been convicted here by the Holy Spirit, please take it to God. Study his Word, the answers to all of lifes questions are there. He is faithful and he will honor seeking his name in truth.

Someday

2007-02-01T16:00:00.000-07:00

While driving in my car today, the song Someday by Nichole Nordeman was playing. So rare is the time I get to listen to something other than Veggie Tales, that when I do get the opportunity to hear something for adults, I am sure that I choose wisely.

Once again, the lyrics of Nicholes songs are so poignant from the Word of God that I have been inspired to write them out to encourage you. This song specifically made me think of my dear friends who are going through a tough time right now. May you find peace in this song as its poetry speaks from the Lord.

I believe in the rest of the story
I believe there's still ink in the pen
I have wasted my very last day
Trying to change what happened way back when

I believe it's the human condition
We all need to have answers to why
More than ever, I'm ready to say that
I will still sleep peacefully
With answers out of reach from me...

Until someday
All that's crazy
All that's unexplained
Will fall into place
And someday
All that's hazy
Through a clouded glass
Will be clear at last
And sometimes we're just waiting
For someday

We are born with a lingering hunger
We are born to be unsatisfied
We are strangers who can't help but wander
And dream about the other side...

Of someday
All that's crazy
All that's unexplained
Will fall into place
And someday
All that's hazy
Through a clouded glass
Will be clear at last
And sometimes we're just waiting
For someday

Every puzzle's always missing a piece
Every unsolved mystery
More than half of every whole
Rests in the Hands that hold you
For someday

And someday
All that's crazy
All that's unexplained
Will be beautiful, beautiful
And someday
All that's hazy
Through a clouded glass
Will be clear at last
And sometimes we're just waiting and waiting
For someday

from Brave by Nichole Nordeman

Although the entire chapter of 2 Corinthians speaks directly on this subject (Treasures in Jars of Clay), I have only posted the last three verses here in order that they would be read. I encourage you to read the whole chapter for encouragement.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Coming Soon...

2007-01-19T21:31:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not having a post yet for the new year. However, I have been working on an entry of a complicated and controversial topic and I have been fine-tuning it for several weeks making it ready for your enjoyment.

So do not despair, my reader. Your new installment is coming soon...

Find Your Wings

2006-12-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

Once again, I realize the importance of my role in the lives of the little children God has given to me for this short time. My responsibility for their basis of faith is paramount to any other call in my life. If there is a time for me to bear the witness of Christ to another, it is this time.

It's only for a moment you are mine to hold
The plans that heaven has for you
Will all too soon unfold
So many different prayers I'll pray
For all that you might do
But most of all I'll want to know
You're walking in the truth
And If I never told you
I want you to know
As I watch you grow

Chorus:
I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

May passion be the wind
That leads you through your days
And may conviction keep you strong
Guide you on your way
May there be many moments
That make your life so sweet
Oh, but more than memories

Chorus:
I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

It's not living if you don't reach for the sky
I'll have tears as you take off
But I'll cheer as you fly

Find Your Wings by Mark Harris

What You Need To Know About Gardasil

2006-12-17T15:56:00.001-07:00

My husband and I were watching TV one evening when a commercial for a new drug came on. While I don't think drug companies should be allowed to advertise to the public (a major conflict of interest, but that's another post), this commercial caught my attention. The drug was called Gardasil and the women in the ad were praising it for its prevention of "certain types of cervical cancer". What upset me was the lack of the mention that this type of cancer is caused by a STD (sexually transmitted disease). Interesting, they left that part out, and I noticed.

I decided to Google Gardasil and found several websites with information about it. However, one website in particular was not what I expected and I found out some extremely disturbing facts about Gardasil vaccinations.

The first thing I noticed that I thought was a little strange was it was a pediatric website. That's right, a children's' medical information website. Why would a drug to prevent a STD be explained on a pediatric site? What I found out made me very angry.

Gardasil will only be administered to girls before they become sexually active. Consequently, the ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices that proceeds the CDC) recommends that Gardasil be routinely given to girls when they are 11 or 12 years of age. Gardasil can be started as early as age 9 though, and can also be given to women 13 to 26 years old. The goal is to vaccinate girls as young as NINE YEARS OLD for a sexually transmitted disease.

I wonder what these parents are going to tell their daughter she is being vaccinated for? Do they know they are opening the entire Pandora's Box of sexual information with their 9-year-old daughter? If they don't discuss it at that time, when do they tell her she had this vaccine... when she leaves for college? When she gets married? Why did her parents have her get it? Because they didn't think she could wait until marriage before losing her virginity? Our daughter is almost 7, and I can't imagine I will think it is remotely appropriate to have this discussion in two short years.

Although I have not encountered this yet, I expect schools to begin to educate girls about cervical cancer and that they need to get this vaccine to prevent it. I doubt they will proceed this message with the information that the vaccine is unnecessary if girls remain virgins until marriage.

Parents, it is of the utmost importance that you are aware of your girls' pediatrician and what he could give your child. Investigate every vaccine presented prior to permitting that your child receives it. Do not let your doctor override your moral conviction, and be sure to explain why you refuse. Please do not think I don't have my children vaccinated against other childhood diseases, because I do! My children have all their shots within a few months of the recommended age. A pediatric vaccine for a sexually transmitted disease is not the same thing.

What is implied by Merck with the use of Gardasil:
1. Untreated HPV will most likely develop into cervical cancer.
2. You can only get HPV through a sexual encounter with an infected partner.
3. Gardasil is only administered to girls who are virgins.

Christian parents, we must educate our daughters that God loves us and His laws are for our benefit. Our sons have to be taught this lesson as well. They must remain pure for their future wives, so as not to bring disease in their marriage to their beloved wife. Gods design for us is perfect. One man, one woman for life. Parents, understand what is assumed if we allow our children to get this vaccine; we assume they will be sexually active outside of marriage and not monogamous.

Here is the pediatric website I read, I've also included their information about Gardasil below.

Gardasil is a new vaccine being made by Merck & Co., Inc. and which has been approved by the FDA to prevent cervical cancer in females between the ages of 9 and 26 years of age.

What Gardasil Is Used For:
Gardasil is a vaccine against the HPV or Human Papillomavirus. The Gardasil vaccine protects recipients against 4 types of HPV, including the two types that cause most cervical cancers and the two types that cause the most genital warts.

HPV Facts:
HPV is a sexually transmitted disease that causes genital warts, abnormal Pap tests, and cervical cancer.

About 20 million people are infection with HPV in the United States and almost 3,700 women die of cervical cancer in the US each year.
Since many people have no symptoms and not even know that they are infected with HPV, they can pass on their HPV infection to their sexual partners without knowing.
There is no cure for HPV infections.

Gardasil Facts:
Gardasil won't prevent all forms of genital warts or cervical cancers, but it is highly effective at preventing genital warts and cervical cancers that are caused by the types of HPV that the vaccine targets.

Who Should Get Gardasil:
Since Gardasil prevents HPV, a sexually transmitted disease, it is important that it be given before people become sexually active. In fact, the ACIP recommends that Gardasil be routinely given to girls when they are 11 or 12 years of age. Gardasil can be started as early as age 9 though, and can also be given to women 13 to 26 years old.

Gardasil Side Effects:
According to the CDC, so far in testing, 'there appear to be no serious side effects. The most common side effect is brief soreness at the injection site.'

Gardasil Controversy:
Some experts think that Gardasil may lead to controversy because some parents will have problems thinking about giving a vaccine against a STD to pre-teens. Other parents might not want a vaccine against a STD at all, believing that their children could not be at risk. And still others think that Gardasil might encourage promiscuity, since it could foster the belief that it protects against STDs.

What You Need To Know:
Gardasil is not a 'STD vaccine' in the sense that it prevents all STDs. It simply provides protection against certain types of HPV, but not other STDs, such as HIV or herpes.
Cervarix is another HPV vaccine that is being developed by GlaxoSmithKline.

References:
Genital HPV Infection - CDC Fact Sheet.
HPV Vaccine - CDC Fact Sheet.
CDC Cervical Cancer Screening Fact Sheet.
Immunization against genital human papillomaviruses. Bonnez W - Pediatr Infect Dis J - 01-NOV-2005; 24(11): 1005-6.

Christmas Traditions

2006-12-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

I adore Christmas. This is a time of great nostalgia for me, thinking of the times with family who have gone from this world, of family living many miles apart, of the awesome sacrifice of God to take on human flesh and live a pure an sinless life. Having young children is making everything about it even more special. We have a lot of decorations in our home, and I have been able to share with them their Biblical meanings.

Christmas Tree- I am reminded of the blessing to always walk in the way of the Lord whenever I see my evergreen Tree.
Psalms 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Poinsettia- The star shaped leaves of this traditional Christmas flower are used to remind us of the Star of Bethlehem that the Three Wise Men followed to find the boy king, Jesus.
Matthew 2:10-11
10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

Christmas Holly- The spikey leaves are reminders of the Crown of Thorns placed on Jesus head, the red berries represent His shed blood.
Matthew 27:27-31
27 Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

Candy Cane- Tradition has it that in Cologne Cathedral, France, circa 1670 some restless youngsters were attending ceremonies around the living Nativity. To keep them quiet, the choirmaster persuaded confectioners to make sticks of candy bent at the end to represent shepherds' crooks, then he passed them out to boys and girls who came to the cathedral.

When the red striped cane appeared at the turn of the 20th century, Christian pastors used the colored candy cane as an example of Jesus virgin birth in the pure white candy, three small red stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed, and the large red stripe for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.
Matthew 1:18-23
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."

Nativity- I love having the Nativity Scene in our home to show our children all the parts of the birth of Jesus including the Three Wise Men, the shepherds, the animals, the Angels, Mary and Joseph. Many non-protestant traditions exist regarding the timing of adding each figure to a Nativity Scene. Since the Wise Men did not come to the stable at Jesus birth, they are placed away from the Scene, the rest of our Italian Nativity Scene is displayed together throughout the Christmas season without the baby Jesus. He is placed in the manger Christmas morning.

My most treasured pieces in our Nativity Scene are the shepherds and angels.
Luke 2:8-20
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Santa Claus- While our children are young, we will continue with the tradition of Santa Claus without the "naughty or nice" list. We expect our children to behave to an acceptable level without presents from Santa as bribery. When they can understand the importance of thinking of others rather than themselves, we will introduce Saint Nicholas.

Nicholas was born in the 4th century to relatively affluent Christian parents in Patara, Lycia in Asia Minor. His parents died when he was relatively young and Nicholas received his inheritance but is said he gave it away to charity.

The most famous story of Saint Nicholas tells of a poor man who had three daughters but could not afford a proper dowry for them, meaning they would remain unmarried and, in absence of any other possible employment might have to become prostitutes. Being too modest to help publicly, Nicholas went to their house under the cover of night and threw three purses filled with gold coins through the window opening onto the man's floor. The father discovered their benefactor and confronts him, only to have Nicholas say it is not him he should thank, but God alone. People then began to suspect that Nicholas was behind a large number of other anonymous gifts to the poor, using the inheritance from his wealthy parents. After he died, people in the region continued to give to the poor anonymously, and such gifts are still often attributed to Saint Nicholas.

While our family has been giving anonymous gifts for several years, we will begin soon to include our children in this wonderful tradition of giving selflessly. It truly blesses the giver more that the receiver.
Acts 20:32-35
32 "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

I hope these insights have inspired you to find out more about your own family Christmas traditions. I pray for God's blessings for each of you. Not just at Christmastime, but always.

Holy, Holy, Holy

2006-11-23T01:37:00.000-07:00

About two months ago I was watching the NRB network, channel 378, on Directv. (If you have Directv I recommend you add this channel to your list of favorites.) As I was working in my kitchen I overheard a show and the message delivered was so compelling that I had to sit down and watch. The program title was The Jewish Jesus taught by Messianic Jewish Rabbi Kirt Schneider. The message he brought was so profound I've been telling people about the insights he presented, but I would like to share it with more people so I'm posting it. Sometimes it takes me a while to get a grip on what the Scripture is saying and put my thoughts into words.

The point Rabbi Schneider made on this episode was the need for Christians to view the Bible as a whole book of truth, both the Old and New Testaments are about God and His love for us. Many churches today disregard the Old Testament as "the Law" and since Jesus came to be our sacrifice once for all, we can ignore the teaching there. Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion.

Matthew 5:17
17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Jesus and Paul saw themselves as proclaiming the completion of Judaism. Many of the churches today have become disconnected from their Jewish roots. The church established by Jesus has been grafted into the olive tree of Israel (Romans 11:17; Ephesians 2:12, 13).

Rabbi Schneider pointed out that the Old and New Covenants connect. When Jesus rose from the grave and appeared to His disciples on the road to Emmaus, they did not recognize Him at first. He then revealed to them who He was, by taking them on a journey through the Hebrew Scriptures.

Luke 24:27
25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

But the last and best illustration Rabbi Schneider used to bridge the Old and New Testaments was the example of the only time a word is used in three-time succession in the Bible. There is no description of God as "all loving, all loving, all loving" although we know that He is. He is not described as "all knowing, all knowing, all knowing" although we know that He is. There are only two times where we see a description of God in three word succession and it is in the Old AND New Testaments.

The first example is when Isaiah sees the Holy God in Heaven:
Isaiah 6:1-3
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory."

The second example is when the apostle John sees the revelation of God, also at His throne in Heaven:
Revelation 4:6-8
6 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come."

My favorite contemporary Christian musician is Nichole Nordeman. She was at the Women of Faith conference I attended last week. She sang a song from her newest album that puts me on my knees every time I hear it.

Holy by Nichole Nordeman

How many roads did I travel
Before I walked down one that led me to You?
How many dream did unravel
Before I believed in a hope that was true?
How long? How far?
What was meant to fulfill only emptied me still
And all You ever wanted…

Only me on my knees
Singing holy, holy
And somehow
All that matters now is
You are holy, holy

How many deaths did I die
Before I was awakened to new life again?
How many half truths did I bear witness to
‘Til the proof was disproved in the end?
How long? How far?
What was meant to illuminate shadowed me still
And all You ever wanted…

Only me on my knees
Singing holy, holy
And somehow
All that matters now is
You are holy, holy

All I have is gratitude to offer You

It is easy to view the God of the Old Testament as a strict Lawgiver and the God of the New Testament as a God of grace. However, His plan from the beginning of the world was to send the Messiah to save the lost. The entire Bible tells of God's love for us. His reaching, longing desire for us to be with Him. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is not in His nature to change who He is, that would alter His faithfulness. The Holy Bible is His living Word, Jesus Christ. I am constantly amazed at the ability of that Word to have implication to my daily life, from BOTH the Old and New Testaments.

Praise God for His wonderful gift!

John 1:1-2, 10-14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Laughter, the Best Medicine

2006-11-21T14:14:00.000-07:00

Here's another chuckle... have fun!

And Now For Something Completely Different

2006-11-05T00:51:00.001-07:00

This is what happens when you post after midnight...

Third Time's the Charm

2006-10-31T22:49:00.000-07:00

I had intended to post this entry on Sunday night, but I unfortunately got the flu from my kids (again). So, here goes!

This past Sunday, our worship message was about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of the betrayal. My eyes were opened to a point in scripture that I hadn't seen this way before.

Mark 14:32-42 NIV
32-They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."

35-Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36-"Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

37-Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38-Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

39-Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40-When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.

41-Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42-Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

So, the first thing I noticed was Peter having to be told something three times, again. ("Peter do you love me? Feed my sheep." John 21:15-17 & "You will deny me three times." Mark 14:66-72) Jesus came and found Peter, James and John sleeping when He had told them specifically to stay awake. Poor Peter, he had nothing to say in his defense. He had been caught. I often identify with Peter, he is so willing to speak what is on his mind, but often without understanding the weight of his commitment.

I have a theory about why Peter had this "rule of three" when it came to Jesus telling him something important. It seems that the first time something is presented, Peter goes it with his gut response and doesn't necessarily contemplate what Jesus says. The second time, he might think "Hmm. That was weird. I've heard that before." but his response is the same as the first. The third time the same thing happens AGAIN, a light-bulb goes on. Peter finally gets the point. There is no way he can say it was only a coincidence, there must be more going on here.

Once again, I find myself alike to Peter. How many times has God tried to get my attention, and I just nod my head and say "Sure God, whatever... you know how I feel... I'm already on board" But because He loves me, God continues to pursue me. I am convicted in my own complacency of faith in the times I don't feel the true dimension of what I am agreeing with. How trivial I make the call of the Spirit when I don't acknowledge the greatness I am joining. The blood of Christ requires complete devotion, every day, with each call, and to this I pledge my undivided attention.

Something New

2006-10-11T13:29:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess my friends are wondering about my life and what's going on so I figured I'd better update my blog. I just hate checking other blogs to find they haven't been updated in over a month, so goes my life! Always time to read, never time to write.

The kids are doing well. Our oldest is in first grade, still adjusting to all day school. I think there is a lot of seat work that she is not used to, and she is a very active girl. I understand that she needs to be aware there is time for quiet and time for play, but it is hard to communicate that to a six year old. She seems to have a lot of friends and does well with her work. I think it is good for her to be away from home for a while, but I miss her all day.

Our son is a great kid. Everyone who meets him says so, so it's not just his Mom bragging on him. He is easily entertained, cooperative and is excited about anything (sounds like his older sister!) Everyone in his preschool class knows him, and his teachers go out of their way to hug him goodbye at the end of the day.

The baby is smart. She talks a lot and has the patience to figure out things if she wants to. She would probably toilet train by two, if I'd devote the time. I am still in awe at how fast she is growing. I think I'll have my work cut out for me on this one.

Dan's work is going well. I'm amazed he can be at home with us all the time and still provide for us. What an incredible blessing for our children that they have Daddy around anytime they need him.

We are so blessed with our beautiful home and wonderful friends here in AZ. If you are ever in the area, please stop by and have some tea and cake, our house is always open for you!

Christmas is Coming Soon

2006-09-13T13:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, so not really that soon, but I love just thinking about the Holiday season approaching. My favorite time of year is the weekend before Thanksgiving all the way through the month of December. In fact, I build up the Christmas experience so much that I usually go through a mild depression after New Year's day. I love the decorations, the shopping, the food, the music, the family, the Savior. Since I usually have my gifts purchased by Oct 1, I really get to enjoy the season with my family and friends. Christmas and Thanksgiving are a special time for my family and I'll love doing more this year with our Church family as we have so many dear friends in our town.

It's tough living in the southwest during the fall because there isn't a change of seasons to mark the way to Christmas. I've often said southern California has two seasons: "Summer" and "not Summer". Arizona has two seasons as well: "what summer is everywhere else" and "you have got to be kidding me".

In my vain attempt to get in some kind of a mood for fall, I've changed my bedroom linens, put out new fall-colored table linens, and changed my fake plants to dried leaves and flowers. If nothing else, it's at least something new to look at as I try to convince myself it won't always be 100 degrees outside!

I hope I've inspired you to think a little about the holidays, I can't wait.

Seasons Greetings!

...In a Hand-Basket

2006-08-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

As recently as this week, the California legislature has once again forced their own idea of morality on the unsuspecting residents who enroll their young children in public schools. A little back ground on what recently happened in the schools in my native state and gained media attention. In 2004, a graduate student gave a questionnaire about sexual awareness to a class of 2nd grade 7-year-olds without the knowledge of the parents. The test had been presented to the district without the sex questions, they were added back later by the test preparer. The parents were not informed of the change in the test, a young student informed his parents of the questions. The one question that was released to the media was something like "Has anyone ever touched your private area and if so, did you like the way it felt?" The justification for this line of questioning was to identify possible sexual abuse in the students. At the time, there was much uproar in the media about the questions, but to my knowledge, no action was taken against the student who authored the test or the district for allowing it to be presented to the children.

Now, there are two senate bills in California that would mandate teachers include the sexual orientation of persons in history in addition to their instruction. Why should those with children in other states be concerned? Many of the textbook manufacturers who write books for California will have to change their literature and they will supply those books to other states. Also, where California goes, so goes the nation.

SUMMARY: SB 1437 expressly prohibits textbooks, instructional materials, and school-sponsored activities from “reflecting adversely” on transsexuality, bisexuality, or homosexuality. Instructional materials could not only say “a husband and wife,” but must include “two wives who are married lesbians.” Sex education assemblies would have to include information on sex changes (to avoid “reflecting adversely”).

“Instruction in social sciences shall include the early history of California and an age-appropriate study of the role and contributions of both men and women, black Americans, American Indians, Mexicans, Asians, Pacific Island people, and other ethnic groups, and people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, to the economic, political, and social development of California and the United States of America, with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society.”
-- SB 1437, Sec. 1.

Since when did sexual orientation (or whatever the p.c. term is now) become applicable to American history? But wait, there's more! If this wasn't bad enough, SB1441 requires the same instruction be extended to PRIVATE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS including elementary, secondary, upper, college and university schools if they are receiving any state funding.

SUMMARY: SB 1441 requires recipients of California government funds to promote transsexuality, bisexuality, and homosexuality.

I encourage you to read further on both issues on the web site Campaign for Children and Families. On their web site, I found a National Opt-out Letter to send to our school district. The letter is specifically graphic in the information my child is not to receive without my written approval. I also gave a copy to the school where my daughter attends and I included a cordial cover letter that informs the school I would like to make other arrangements for my daughter when these issues arise. It is irresponsible and unwise for me to delegate the sexual education and awareness of my children to our public schools at the discretion of their teachers and accept what they deem "age-appropriate". I will have to stand before God and be accountable for their instruction and I intend to keep His teaching foremost in their lives. Please leave me a comment if you would like a copy of the letter I gave to our principal.

Why would I continue to keep my children in public school, why not pull them out and home-school them? This issue does not dissuade my confidence in the ability of trained and dedicated professionals to educate my children. There are dynamic class and social functions that my children can only access through the public school and my ability to influence and educate other families is also a concern. Now is the time for parents who are "on the fence" to stand up and change the things they don't want taught or presented to their children, who are my neighbors and friends. This current struggle strengthens my conviction to be increasingly involved and ever present at the school. If my children were not attending public school, I would not have a vested interest in the education of impressionable young minds and I would not be personally involved at the school. After only two weeks, I am already on a first-name basis with the teacher, registrar, secretary and principal at our elementary school and have joined the PTA.

Still think this can't happen to your child because you don't live in CA? As reported on Fox News, a first grader in North Carolina came home with a picture book, King and King, from her school library. It's a story about a prince who marries his true love, another prince. The students parents expressed their concern regarding the contents for a six-year-olds reading, but the school principal, who views the matter as an issue of diversity, said what is "inappropriate" to one family may be "totally acceptable" to another. American culture has already become more tolerant of homosexual behavior, even the term "same sex marriage" removes the stigma the unchurched have with homosexuality. Unless you live on a mountaintop in Tennessee with no TV, radio or internet, then the influence of Hollywood, the media, and social situations will trickle-down to us all. What a state our country is in. Americans are in a unique position to change what we don't like the government doing with our tax dollars in public schools or anywhere. I hope more parents will be as outraged as I am if they are adequately informed and will take necessary legal action. I can't believe this is even an issue... sex education to kindergartners. This is not okay.

Authors note - It has taken me three days to finish this post. Every time I started writing I got so mad I couldn't type.

Back to School!

2006-08-14T23:56:00.000-07:00

Whew! The summer is over, but not the weather... we are still in the fire furnace that is the Phoenix metro! We have been enjoying the evening thunderstorms, they cool it off for the kids to play outside in the rain and prepare for their baths. While we are getting ready for back to school for the kids, we are wishing they wouldn't grow up so fast!

Today was our oldests first day of 1st grade and her first full day at school. She was so excited for her first day, she woke up at 6:00 am and said, "Mommy, wake up, I'm going to be late for school!" I was really looking forward to sleeping another hour, but we got up and went to school, on time. I was worried she would be apprehensive about staying there after being home all summer, but I took her picture at her new desk and she smiled at me and said, "Bye Mom, see you after school!" What a big girl, way too soon for poor mommy! A big "thank you" to all those who prayed for her eye. God carried her little head to just the right spot when she fell. Praise Him, she has no damage to her eye! It is so much better than it was, and she hasn't been self-conscious about how it looks.

Our son had a fever yesterday, so he missed his first day of school for precautionary measures. He went to "Meet the Teacher" on Saturday and loved all the play-doh, play kitchen foods, cell phones (they have REAL ones!), and the big playground. He is so excited, his teachers are great, and he even has a friend from Church in his class! The day before his sister's accident, he was stung by a scorpion. We called poison control and they said as long as he didn't have an allergic reaction, there was no need for concern. He went right to bed and woke up the next morning as good as new. Things are usually good for this boy, he's a roll-with-the-punches kind of kid.

I had my appointment with Dr Altman today to talk about my chronic strep issues. I really liked him, and was very comfortable with our discussion. He was straight-forward about my three options, being; wait and see if I have another infection, have severe antibiotic treatment, or a tonsillectomy. He said he did not want to do the surgery, as there are more complications with adult elective surgery (I think adults just complain more), and it's possible I might never get another infection. However, his parting words were "Just call me if you want them out, I'll do it for you." So, the ball is in my court... if I do get another strep infection, I will have the surgery. Thank you all for your prayers, and continue to pray for our family, we love you all so much!

What's Wrong With Me?

2006-07-21T00:26:00.000-07:00

I'm coveting prayers right now, as I've been diagnosed with a throat infection again. This is my fourth since moving to Arizona last year, and before that I hadn't had one since being a teen (many years ago). I have continual sinusitis, aggravated by acute allergies which may be triggering an infection, but my GP doesn't know why I keep getting Strep. I have an appointment with an Ear Nose and Throat Dr. for a consultation, but the first appt. they could get for me was August 14. I am praying the Dr. will have a diagnosis, whether I am a Strep carrier or someone else in my immediate family is, and will have an effective course of treatment. I know God is in control of my physical body as well as my spiritual health and I know He is with me, all is in His hands.

Please pray for me and Dr. Altman as I seek his help.

Here Comes Summer!

2006-06-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

Well, in Arizona summer has been here for a month already, although not officially until mid June! We turned our a/c on a couple of weeks ago and won't turn it off again until sometime in October. Yikes! I have a summer schedule for the kids so they won't drive me crazy asking "what are we doing today?"

Here's our plan, so far:

Monday: Shopping/Errands
Tuesday: Library
Wednesday: Arts & Crafts
Thursday: Water Park (yes, Anthem has it's own)!!!
Friday: Gymnastics (at home)

Since my kids love Walmart, it's not too bad going shopping with the two older ones while baby J is taking her nap. With Dan working from home, I don't always have to take all three kids when I run my errands, and that's really nice! I do have to use bribery to keep them happy while shopping, but fortunately they are easily persuaded with 25 cents for gum!

We kicked off our summer vacation with a quick trip to Cali to see our friends over Memorial Day weekend. Everyone looked great, and we had a lot of great food (thanks Ken and Dianne!) As much fun as we had, and we wanted to stay longer, it was easy to see what motivated us to move out of the L.A. metropolis, the TRAFFIC! Dan and I both noticed how many cars there are all over the place all the time. In our little Anthem, we only leave town once a week at most. When summer comes, the snowbirds fly away and our population decreases by a third which greatly affects the traffic. Since we live on the same side of town as Walmart, we rarely drive more than 50 miles each week. It sure makes gas prices a lot less painful when you only fill up once a month!

We were able to visit our old church and it felt... different. We've been so blessed to get involved at our new Church in our ministries, but it made our visit to SH seem just that, a visit. I shouldn't have been surprised that I didn't feel like I was "at home" while we were there. So many people prayed for us to have a good transition to AZ, and I know that prayer has been fulfilled. We are so blessed to have our new Chursh feel like our home and we love it.

As for the water park, we haven't gone yet this season. I'm going to buy a new swim suit today and I've been psyching myself out for two days to go shopping. I'll try on every suit in Rob May until I find one I can live with. Being almost 40 and bearing 3 kids has given me some strict swim suit requirements. Hopefully I can find something under $150, but I'm not holding my breath! Ahh, the things you do for your kids.

Taking Back Our Homes

2006-05-08T16:43:00.000-07:00

Our family recently received the Imprimis newsletter for the month of April. Although Dan said he has read several issues, this was the first one I had seen. It is a publication of Hillsdale College in Michigan, founded by the Freewill Baptists in the mid 19th century. I don't know how we got on their mailing list, but I was impressed by the article, Taking Back Our Homes, and its author, Rebecca Hagelin. It reminded me that while my children are in my home and under my care, God has given me the responsibility for what they see, hear and experience.

I invite you to read and let me know your thoughts.

Seeds are Planted in Rwanda

2006-04-28T14:20:00.000-07:00

My father-in-law Sam Shewmaker, is planning to return to the mission field in Rwanda in a few years. When I found out about his desire to return to a country that has suffered so much pain and strife, (I might post my feelings on the Rwandan genocide at another time, but it is VERY difficult for me to express), I asked why this particular country was selected. Sam, as the voice of Christ, said because they need the love of God the most. Wow! What a selfless attitude he has for the gospel of Christ! As difficult as it is for me personally to see them go back to Africa, I can not ignore the steps God is so clearly placing for Sam and Nancy to return, specifically to Rwanda. They have recently moved from Searcy AR to Fort Worth and were only a couple of hours from OCU where Sam was asked to deliver an address to the Rwandan President, First Lady and Ambassador to the US.

This is what he said.

Your Excellency, President Kagame and Madame Kagame
Ambassador Nsenga
President and Mrs. Oneal
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Students

Mwaramutse nyose
Karibuni sana mu Amerika

Your Excellency, we wish to express thanks to you and your people for honoring us by a
visit to this campus today. Murakoze!

As a son of Africa myself, it is a special pleasure for me personally to witness the
beginnings of a relationship between this Christian University and the Nation of Rwanda.

Your Excellency, as a citizen of the United States of America, I would like to express, on
behalf of many of my fellow-Americans, and indeed on my own behalf, a belated, though
deeply felt apology, that the government of the United States did not come to the aid of
the people of Rwanda in their darkest hour. This fact is a stain on our national honor for
which we are deeply sorry.

Some of us have visited your beautiful country and have met some of your beautiful
people. While we have been moved to deep grief for the tragedy of Rwanda, we do not
pity the people of Rwanda, because they are not a pitiable people. We see them as a
resilient people who are growing in their hope every day. Your Excellency, we believe that
this is in large part due to your effective leadership. We believe that God has put you and
your government in this position of leadership in Rwanda "for such a time as this."

Many of us present here today represent a fellowship of Christian congregations known as
Churches of Christ. As followers of Jesus Christ both in belief and in action, it is our
desire to partner with Rwandans in the planting of churches that, in a holistic way, will
become communities of healing that meet the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of
the people.

It is our desire to work in solidarity alongside your people to achieve the goals of your
national Vision 2020, in whatever fields, be they in the field of spiritual development and
the planting of churches, the fields of education, of training in business, information
technology, in primary health care training, or in strategies to assist families to break out
of the cycle of poverty. We look forward to a harmonious working relationship with
Rwanda that expresses Christ's spirit of compassion and service.

In closing, let me say on behalf of Churches of Christ, that we wish you, the government
and the people of Rwanda great success and the bountiful blessings of God on your path
to national unity, prosperity and well-being.

May God always abide in Rwanda. Imana Ikurinde.

I Love Ann!

2006-04-25T23:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, I added Ann Coulter's web link to my page because I really love what she has to say. Dan said I had better be careful who I tell that I liker her, someone could get offended. Although some people might need to read with a grain of salt, I like how conservative she is and she doesn't care who she offends! I'm certainly not comparing her to Jesus, but He wasn't politically correct either. In our current world of not wanting to step on toes, she tells it like it is in a way that people need to hear and I predict she will continue to have a growing audience.

Enjoy!

p.s. Although Ann's current article "It's Hard Out Here for a Pump" is good, I was particularly fond of the following posts:
-Lie Down With Strippers Wake-up With Pleas
-Brown is the New Black
-Revenge of the Queers
You can access these articles, and a host of others, on her Archives tab at the left of her home page. Happy reading, salt shaker in hand.

Four Friends

2006-04-24T16:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday our pastor delivered a message about Jesus healing the paralytic taken from Mark chapter 2. He made the observation that the men that were with the paralytic were his friends. I had never thought about that. It was probably true, who else would carry a paralyzed man across town, dig a hole in the roof, and lower him to Jesus. These men had probably been with him a long time and were not "fair weather friends". They knew if their friend saw Jesus he would be healed and their faith is what Jesus saw (Mark 2:5) and he healed the man. I thought a lot about that yesterday, that the faith of the friends is why Jesus healed him. Our Connection group talked about four friends in our own lives that would drop everything to help us. I was the last one in our group to speak so I was able to hear the comments of the others. There were a couple of people in our group who were disappointed they could only name one or two friends that they would call for help. When it was my turn, I shared about when I fell down our stairs in Cali and broke both my ankles. I couldn't walk for six weeks so I was in a similar situation as the paralyzed man. Our son was a baby, our daughter was three and my mom lived and worked in Mass so she couldn't help me. My friend Laurie organized our church to have someone come every day when Dan left for work at 7:30 and stay until he came home at 6:30. Some volunteers could only come to help for a couple of hours, some brought dinner. It was very difficult for me to just lie there and let someone else clean my kitchen, do my laundry, feed my family, but what I learned is that those people weren't ministering to me because they were my friends (although they were) but because they were being Jesus' servants. Some of them were only acquaintances but they were members of my church and were therefore my friends. Other people who don't have the Church family don't have any way to cope with the hard times in this life so they become alcoholics, adulterers, they abuse their children and spouses or even commit suicide. When God established his church, he knew we would need other Christians to help us in times of need. When we share our vulnerabilities with other Christians we become closer friends and able to connect on a deeper level. When we minister to our brothers and sisters we are being Christ in their lives.

Dear Mr President

2006-04-17T22:23:00.000-07:00

This letter sums up my feelings on the immigration issue well... I don't know it's origin, but I found most of the points hit the nail on the head!

Dear President Bush:

I'm planning a little trip with my family and extended family, and I would like you to assist me. I'm going to walk across the border from the U.S. into Mexico, and I need to make a few arrangements. I know you can help with this.

You see, I plan to skip all the legal stuff like visas, passports, immigration laws and all that, and I'm sure they handle those things down there the same way you do here.

So, would you mind telling your buddy El Presidente Vicente Fox that I'm on my way over? Please let him know that I will be expecting all of the following:

1. Free medical care for myself and my entire family.
2. English-speaking government bureaucrats for all services I might need, whether I use them or not.
3. All government forms must be printed in English.
4. I want my children to be taught by English-speaking teachers.
5. Schools must include classes on American culture and history.
6. I want my kids to see the American flag flying on a flagpole at least as high as the Mexican flag, if not higher.
7. Please plan to feed my kids both breakfast and lunch at school, free of charge. And make sure it's nutritious.
8. I will need a local Mexican driver's license so I can get easy access to government services.
9. I do not plan to have any car insurance, nor will I make any effort to learn local traffic laws.
10. In case any Mexican police officers do not get the memo from El Presidente Fox to leave me alone, please be sure that all police officers speak English.
11. I plan to fly the American flag in my yard, put American flag decals on my car, and have a gigantic American celebration every July 4th. I do not expect, nor will I appreciate, any complaints or comments from Mexicans.
12. Make sure jobs that pay cash without extracting taxes are available, because I plan to send large portions of that money back to my relatives in America, and cash expedites the process.
13. Please expect, and calmly tolerate, frequent angry demonstrations disruptive to the local economy should anybody ever complain about the strain I might be placing on the Mexican economy.

I know this is an easy request, because you already do ALL these things for all the people who come to the U.S. from Mexico under the same conditions. I'm sure El Presidente Fox won't mind returning the favor if you ask him nicely. I'm sure he's always been friendly and generous to those who evade Mexican law when entering Mexico.

Thank you so much for your kind help.

Precious Children

2006-04-13T23:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I forget how blessed I am to have my three children. My girl is so innocent and full of curiosity. While taking her to kindergarten, the voice from the back of the van will say, "Mommy, why is the sky blue?" I didn't know kids actually said that! She is a joyful child, so sweet and trusting of those around her. My prayer is she will adjust to her new school in Arizona and speak with confidence in her class among her peers. She is smart girl and can go anywhere in life. The boy, is all boy! He is always in the dirt or mud or climbing on something, but still needs cuddle time with mommy in the mornings. I love his tiny voice and spikey hair, he is the sweet one and will be able to do anything he sets his mind to. Our baby is becoming her own individual, probably out of necessity, or she could be lost in the chaos of our house! She likes to talk and will waive bye-bye when asked (neither of the other kids would). Being my last baby, I relish each baby milestone with great emotion and some tears. She has been such a blessing in our lives, we all love her. God, forgive me for neglecting the reality that I am richly blessed with the gift of healthy children. I dedicate my life to raising them to your glory.