This is my life as Mommy and Wife!
It's chaotic. It's exhausting. It's incredibly rewarding. It's my dream. God has blessed me beyond measure! I'm not always joyful, I certainly don't always have it together, but all I do in this life, I want it to reflect my Savior's love and grace.
I'd be honored if you followed along as I live out my role as Mommy and Wife! And may you leave encouraged, even just a little, as you strive to wonderfully fulfill the role you've been given!
Such profound words. Words not just about an event, but about a man--the Resurrection Himself.
He's no longer trapped by death, or confined to a borrowed tomb.
And because He isn't, we aren't either. 1 Peter 1:3 speaks of a living hope that we have because of Christ's resurrection: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead"
And though we may all die, Jesus said this: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,"
This morning, I'm REJOICING in Jesus Christ my Risen Savior!
Chocolate. Doesn't the word just give you warm and fuzzy feelings? It's almost my BFF.
But unfortunately, a lot of the chocolatey goodness sold today is pretty much h-o-r-r-i-b-l-e for us.
*tears*
However, when I came across the recipe I'm about to share, I was giddy with excitement. You mean I don't have to feel guilty about eating something chocolate? Oh my. Sign me up.
I found the original recipe via The Cheapskate Cook.
Ladies, these are splendidly simple and you can mix things around. It's totally forgiving. (My kind of recipe)
photo from The Cheapskate Cook
The list of ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats*
1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1/3 cup honey
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (sweetened works fine)
1/2 cup sesame seeds (or ground nuts or flaxseed) **
1/2 cup chocolate chips (or raisins, mini chocolate chips, M&M’s or ground nuts)
*(From the Cheapskate Cook herself) "My only disappointment with these is that they use uncooked oats, which according to my research aren’t the easiest for your body to digest. I’m sure these can be replaced with something healthier, but up until now I’ve just been thankful for a frugal treat that doesn’t have an ingredients list a mile long."
**Instead of the sesame seeds, I ground up raw walnuts, raw almonds and raw organic pumpkin seeds. I also sprinkled in a tiny bit of ground flax. (Not a huge fan of the taste of flax, but that stuff packs a nutritional punch, so I put in just enough to get something out of it, but not enough to really taste it ;)
I like that this recipe uses honey as the sweetener. It's still a sugar, but it's nature's sweetener. Good ol' raw honey.
Just FYI: Your kids will totally think you are the coolest mom ever if you give them a few of these beauties for breakfast. I honestly don't feel bad doing that every now and then, because not only is this recipe a "not as bad as..." one, but depending on which ingredients you choose to add, and their quality, these Chocolate No-Bake Energy Bites can actually be very nutritious!
Now, I'm off to the fridge to get my Chocolate fix. And I'm not feelin' an ounce of guilt about it ;)
There seems to be a great awakening in the hearts of believers. An awakening toward those who need to be rescued--orphans. Those precious children who have no home, no security, no love of a mother and father, or siblings.
James says that pure and undefiled religion is "...to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world"(James 1:27 NASB) We may not all be called to adopt or to foster a child(ren). But we are all called to help in some way. That's what the Word of God tells us.
Bob and I have been challenged by our church and its mission to care for the orphans of our city, state, nation, world. We are praying for wisdom in this area to know exactly at what capacity He would have us obey. It's a little scary, I must admit. But we know how important it is for our children to have a loving and secure home--we want that for others, too.
In the words of R.C. Sproul Jr., "God didn't say natural born children are a blessing; God said children are a blessing." All children. Orphaned or not. They're a blessing. And we are to care for them in some way.
There's a documentary coming out soon called Rescued. I'm a documentary-lover, much to the chagrin of my husband =) But he's a trooper--he's watched documentaries ranging from health, homeschooling, abortion, and natural birth to even...gasp...the beauty industry! That's true love my friends. But back to the point at hand...
Here's the trailer for the upcoming documentary Rescued. I believe it's something all Christians should watch, if possible, and to pray fervently about how they are to answer the call "to visit [care for] orphans and widows in their distress"
Let's be the church. Let's not just be hearers of the Word, deceiving ourselves. But let's be doers of the Word, to the glory of God!
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
The ungrateful thought struck me in the middle of my complaint-filled internal tirade. "What on earth are you saying? You have nothing to complain about!" It must have been the Holy Spirit gently prodding me to remembrance. Remembrance of all the unmerited blessings in my life. Even though some days are tough, some seasons of life are longer than I would like, I have been given blessing after blessing. If I were to count them and name them one by one, it would surely take an eternity.
I know how hard it is for me to bear my son's constant whining. Is that what I sound like to God sometimes? I feel like a spoiled child at times, so prone to whine and complain when things get tough--even if it's mostly inward--for God certainly can hear those complaints when others do not. It grieves Him, too, those wayward thoughts. Because as the following quote points out, an ungrateful and complaint-filled life is a life full of pride.
"Gratitude is the overflow of a humble heart, just as surely as an ungrateful, complaining spirit flows out of a proud heart. Proud people are wrapped up in themselves. If people or circumstances don’t please or suit them, they are prone to whine or become resentful.
A humble person thinks much of God and others and little of himself. He recognizes that anything he has is better than he deserves. He doesn't feel anyone owes him anything. He doesn’t feel entitled to have more, or for life to be easy, or for everyone to love him and treat him well. He’s grateful for the least little kindness that’s extended to him, knowing it’s more than he deserves."
~Nancy Leigh DeMoss~
What conviction for me! I don't want to be wrapped up in myself. I want to think much of God and others. I want to realize the truth that is this: I don't deserve the goodness of God--certainly not His salvation. But He, the God of the universe, humbled Himself and came to earth in human form and willingly laid down His life to save us all.
How can we not be humbled at such deep, unwavering love? Divine love. Amazing and unmerited grace. In light of all that, how can we possibly be ungrateful? Ladies, let it not be named among us.
But since I've drastically cut down on the amount of sugar I eat, I haven't been baking dozens of cookies each week like I used to. Sigh.
So, I've turned my attention to homemade bread.
I've always been nervous around recipes involving yeast. Not sure why. But I've dodged yeast-necessary recipes for years.
However, I think I'm becoming more courageous as I age. It's probably motherhood that's done it for me. After all, if I can survive the shockingly wild tantrum of an almost three year old boy while simultaneously nursing a 10 month old baby girl, I should be able to handle a recipe that involves yeast. ;)
The recipe I'm sharing today is from Hallee the Homemaker. And my word, it's good. I'm a carb and dairy lover by nature, so this is heaven in my mouth!
2 packages (4½ tsp) active dry yeast 1 cup warm water (it should feel warm to the touch – if it feels hot, it’s too hot) 5-5½ cups of whole wheat flour {I used unbleached all purpose flour} 2 TBS sugar 2 tsp Kosher or sea salt 2 TBS unsalted butter (softened) 1 cup warm milk (105°F to 115°F) 1 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp dried oregano 2 tsp dried parsley leaves 16 slices provolone cheese {I didn't quite have enough provolone, so I added freshly shredded Mozzarella} -----------Directions-------------- Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Grease a large bowl. Grease the bread pans.
Mix the flour, salt, sugar, and salt, garlic, and herbs to bowl. Stir (or if using a stand mixer, mix on power level 2 with bread hook for 1 minute.)
With the mixer running, gradually add the yeast and water mixture, warm milk, and softened butter.
Mix on level 2 for about 2 minutes. Add remaining flour, ½ cup at a time until the dough is no longer sticking to the side of the bowl. Don’t use all of the flour in the recipe unless you need it – the amount of flour used will be dependent upon the moisture content of your flour.
Knead dough for 2 minutes on power level 2 (or knead by hand for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.)
Place in greased bowl, turning over to grease the top. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place, free from draft, for one hour or until doubled in bulk.
Punch dough down and divide in half.
Place dough on a floured surface and roll into a rectangle approximately 9×14 inches.
Evenly distribute 8 slices of provolone cheese.
Starting at the short end, roll the dough tightly. Pinch the ends. Place in greased bread pan.
Repeat with the second ball of dough.
Cover and let rise for one hour or until doubled.
Preheat oven to 375° degrees F (190° degrees C).
Bake each loaf for about 40 minutes, or until browned.
Recently, it was made aware that someone whom my husband and I look up to had fallen into infidelity and adultery.
It was a jaw dropping, heartbreaking discovery.
I hurt for this man.
I especially hurt for this man's wife and children.
More than ever--and maybe it's just because I'm older, married and more aware--marriages are being destroyed left and right.
How does that happen, especially to a Christian couple? That's what I always wonder. There's a little fear to that thought. If it could happen to them....
Which is why we MUST. WE MUST be on guard. Our enemy, who is very, very real, wants nothing more than to steal from us. Our joy. Our marriage. Our children. All that we hold dear. And he will kill and destroy if he has to. (John 10:10)
He has no sympathy.
There is no kindness in him.
Age isn't a factor. He targets young and old.
At first, this can all be a scary realization.
But goodness. If God be for us, who can be against us?? (Romans 8:31)
NO ONE.
We have the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord! (1 Cor. 15:57)
We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us!! (Romans 8:37)
While we should realize the power of our enemy, we should not cower down. We have no need to lack faith or lose courage.
Let's fight the good fight!
Let's fight for our marriages.
Let's be the woman of God, the wife and the mother the Lord has enabled us to be. Has called us to be.
Women, I know when there are little ones in the house, time alone with God seems impossible.
But it can't be. It just can't.
We must be in the Word and on our knees in prayer.
We must meditate on, and commune daily with our Lord.
We may not be able to sit down in the afternoon with our Bible and some uninterrupted time. But either in the morning before the kids arise, or in the evening after they've gone to bed, we should spend some time with the Lord. We should work to hide His Word in our heart. That way, we can recall those precious and powerful words to our minds during the day. We can be encouraged during days of frustration. We can find a soft answer when we want to speak harshly. We can respect our husbands when we'd rather fight back. We can choose to walk in love and humility when pride says we deserve better.
We can fight the enemy with the power of the Living Word.
We must. We must. Don't ever let the enemy have a foothoold in our lives. In our marriages.
Because that's just what he's looking for.
And that's what he found in our friend I mentioned earlier.
To end, and to hopefully sum up what I feel are scattered thoughts, I'll share a video that has been floating around Facebook lately. It's short, but quite powerful.
“The best way to make homemaking a joyous task is to offer it as unto the Lord;
the only way to avoid the drudgery in such mundane tasks
is to bathe the tasks with prayer and catch a vision of the
divine challenge in making and nurturing a home.”
~Dorothy Patterson
Homemakers, are we bathing our tasks in prayer?
I hope to better catch the vision and divine challenge of serving my Lord and my family through the keeping of the home God has so graciously blessed us with!
Honestly, I've been too lazy to upload my recent pictures onto the computer, re-size them, and then choose which ones to post about. ;)
And..I really just enjoy reading other blogs more than I do writing my own. But I don't want to let my blog go by the wayside like I have so many times before.
So, I'll get back in to the swing of things by posting a lovely article from a blog I recently stumbled upon. (Deep Roots At Home)
"How of ten have I said that I long for the 'good ol' days' when life was simpler......instead of a random neighborhood--a community of brethren......instead of the nursing home--family......instead of family movie night--family devotions...instead of running around town all day--staying at home......instead of a Facebook status--a private letter or card......instead of sharing thoughts on the internet--sharing thoughts with the family...We all hold dear the values that strengthened the family as portrayed in these winsome images. But, we can never go back to the former times as we imagined them to be."
While on Facebook last night, I came across a Youtube clip of Beth Moore that a friend had shared.
I watched it.
It was pretty good.
I didn't see how it applied to me, though.
When it was over, and as usual, all the other similar clips were shown at the end.
And I saw, "Get Out Of That Pit"
"No....I don't need to watch that one.", I thought. [heart tugging] "It's 49 minutes long! Woah, definitely not going to watch it!" [heart still tugging]
Sigh. "Ok, I'll watch it."
Truth is, I knew I needed to. I've felt for awhile now that I've been stuck in a pit of discouragement--a pit I've lived in for too long. And not just discouragement, but all the other struggles it produces. The lack of trust and faith it can foster. The anger and discontentment it creates.
So, it's time to take the pictures down, to hire a moving truck. I'm so out of this pit! God has been victorious for us! There's no need to remain where we are at. No need at all.
In the video, Beth shares three ways we usually find ourselves in a pit:
A. We are thrown in by others. Remember the story of Joseph? His brothers literally threw him in to a real pit. Maybe you've been thrown into a pit by your spouse's infidelity. Or your business partner's deceit.
B. We slip in. We let sin take a foothold and before we know it, we've slipped in to some type of
bad habit or relationship that we never dreamed we'd find ourselves in.
C. We jump in. Willful, planned sin. Even David asks in Psalm 19:13 for God to keep him from willful sins.
Beth Moore finishes her message by proclaiming the power that Christ has to deliver us from our pits. He is our rescuer.
Are you in a pit today? It may be something as serious as alcohol addiction or something as seemingly minor as laziness and lack of discipline. But they're all pits. Anything that keeps us from the victorious and free life that Jesus has for us, is a pit we must be pulled from.
We can't be completely sinless while on this earth--we'll never really have it all together--but by God's grace, there's no need for us to be overtaken by any sin. As much as satan wants that to be our end--to bury us alive--Christ has conquered Him for us! He is our Victor! And He stands ready and willing to deliver us and give us the abundant life that can only be found in HIM.
If you feel a tugging, please watch the video. It's long, but it's so worth it! Let's Get Out Of That Pit!
I was strolling through the toy section at Target with Ethan and Emma and came across these two vampire dolls. I'm especially fond of the guy vampire with that "special dress" (more like lingerie, don't ya think?) for his "goulfriend". What a wonderfully wholesome set of toys. [facepalm]
Actually, when I saw these, my jaw dropped.
And quite frankly, I became angry.
For some unfortunate reason, our culture is totally wrapped up in all of the vampire, witch, werewolf hysteria going on. And it's dangerous.
We as Christians should be extra cautious before we watch any show, read any book, or buy any toy if we know it has this darkness involved. It may seem like a "silly little toy" or "just a fun movie" but "what fellowship hath light with darkness?" (2 Cor. 6:14)
Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to have you, to sift you like wheat” (Luke 22:31)
Let's use discernment.
And let us never allow Satan a foothold. He'll sift us like wheat. And he wants only to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10)
It's bad enough to be involved in this darkness as an adult, but when we start allowing our children to be involved as well....
Then shame on us.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea." Mark 9:42 ESV
The Christmas decorations are packed away for another year (sigh), and memories are tucked safely inside my heart--ones I'll treasure forever.
It was a great few days with family. Bob and I are blessed to have our parents so close. My siblings also live nearby. I'm very thankful for that.
Ethan was incredibly excited this year about all the toys he received. It was adorable to see the spark in his eyes, to hear "Oooh Mommmyyyyyy!" at each new gift he received, and "Daddy, loooook!" as he figured out how each new toy worked.
So. Stinkin. Cute.
It was Emma's first Christmas, which of course, is always a special occasion. She's enjoying the toys she recieved, as well. Although, as it goes with babies, I think she would've been just as happy with the boxes and wrapping paper that housed the toys.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now it's time for birthday planning! Ethan will be three....Threeeeeee! I can't believe it. Completely ridiculous.
That's the 25th of February.
And then my little Emma girl will be ONE whole year on March 4th! It's literally been the fastest year of my life. Pinterest will be my best friend for the next few weeks, I'm sure! =)
Emma's birth was the highlight of the year for me; otherwise, 2011 wasn't the greatest, although I'm incredibly thankful I could be a part of it!
With that said, 2011 has sparked something in me--an intense desire to make 2012 better. To not waste my life (As John Piper's book so aptly encourages)
I want to live with purpose---to be intentional.
I have so many goals for this year. And I actually wrote them down and got specific. I don't believe I've ever done that before.
I've got a lot of changes to make, and with the grace and power of the Lord Jesus Christ, I can make those changes! I'm so excited for a fresh start!
I'm so thankful that He makes all things new! (Rev. 21:5)
A few goals from my list:
*To spend time with God, everyday. To pray without ceasing. I want Him to be my priority. My All.
*To wake up before my family, at least 5 days out of 7. It should probably be all 7 days, but I'm going to start easy on myself as I adjust to a more disciplined schedule. (It's embarrassing for me to admit that I usually rise when my children wake me up--but that's how it was for most of 2011--and I'm ready to change that!)
*To exercise at least 3 times a day. Long enough to break a sweat and get my heart pumping.
I used to be an athlete and was in great shape. But now I think I'll need to get in shape just so I can get in shape!
*To lose 30 lbs. Ahhh!
*To cut waaaaay back on our sugar intake (I love to bake, so this will be super tough!)
I've studied nutrition for several years, so I know what we should be eating. But putting all that into practice is usually easier said than done.
*To be in bed by 11pm. It's currently 12:32am. Needless to say, this is going to be a tough one, too.
*To stop being so distracted by silly things!! I've already deleted my Facebook and Pinterest apps off my phone. I need to spend much less time online, and much more quality time with my Lord, children, and family.
Many women do not have an issue with wasting too much time via the internet, but I do. This is something the Lord has really laid on my heart.
*TIME MANAGEMENT. I am so bad about being late to places. It's embarrassing and incredibly rude. I've struggled with it for as long as I can remember. This is a huge goal for me.
I have other more specific and personal goals, but these are some of the majors.
Ladies, I am so excited to share a free e-book offer with you!
Written by Courtney Joseph, from WomenLivingWell.org, The Proverbs 31 Woman: One Virtue at a Time, is a priceless tool for women. I read it in one sitting--it's short and to the point. But the author packs a punch with loads of encouragement, wisdom, inspiration and exhortation.
I cannot recommend this enough! What a blessing it was to me, especially considering my struggles with discouragement this year. I've been so down--I've magnified my shortcomings and compared myself with women who seem to have it all together--"I always come up short" is what I've uttered a million times. But you know what? God. Still. LOVES. Me.
Yes, I have a lot of work to do.
Yes, it will be challenging to become more disciplined.
Yes, I'll still have to battle the enemy and fight the feelings of inadequacy.
But... "I can do ALL things through Christ which strengtheneth me"! (Phil 4:13) emphasis mine
And, oh, how I want to model the Proverbs 31 woman!
*I want to please the Lord with this calling He's graciously given to me. *I want my children to one day "arise" and call me "blessed"! *I want my husband to feel secure and confident in my role as wife and mom!
This book will encourage you to find that end! And this E-book is completely free! All you have to do is "like" Women Living Well on Facebook. When you do, there will be a green/white/orange box under the author's profile picture labeled "Free Ebook". Just click on that and read, save or print!
Ladies, ultimately we should strive to imitate our Savior.
To follow hard after Him.
But since He wrote the entire Bible, through men inspired by the Holy Spirit, then the Proverbs 31 Woman is certainly someone we can be excited to model ourselves after!
Last night, our little family enjoyed "Family Movie Night" with our church. The place was packed.
We watched Polar Express, munched on popcorn, and downed some Christmas cookies. Yes, downed them. We love our sugar much more than we should.
I'm hoping to rid ourselves of that vice after the New Year.
Oh, how easy it was to type that. It's a shame that's not all it takes to say goodbye to sugar. A crying shame.
Anyway....
Halfway through the movie, during intermission, our Pastor came up and spoke. He somehow managed to weave the Gospel into a story centered around Santa Claus, children and a train. Pastors just have that special gift of seeing the spiritual in everything.
As he shared the Gospel, and went through the "pray this prayer" speech, I started to tune him out. After all, I accepted Jesus 18 years ago. I figured it was a prayer that no longer applied to me.
But as I was holding my little girl, staying still in hopes that she would, too, I paused. And I began to listen.
Eyes closed, heart focused.
The recent reminder from Jessica @ Muthering Heights, came to memory. The reminder to receive words in fresh amazement. Words that had been dulled through the years by familiarity.
The words I'd grown numb to were as new as they had been the night I spoke them as a 9 year old girl.
And the words touched my heart. They stirred something in me that had been asleep for far too long.
An invitation not for me, but for me.
An invitation not to receive salvation, for I'd already received it.
But an invitation to worship the King of Glory. To remember the extravagant grace poured upon me. To marvel in wonder at the babe who came to die.
A priceless gift--the person of Jesus Christ.
Oh, the depths He had to stoop!
From glory to gloom.
From splendor to squalor.
Wickedness, hatred, apathy and unbelief is what He came to.
For you.
For me.
To give us an eternity. With Him.
"This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ." ~Frank McKibben
I've struggled with discouragement a lot this year.
Which is why I'm so thankful for the Word of God. Such comfort it brings on those days I feel worthless.
I'm also thankful for the many blogs on the internet written by godly women.
The other day, I read a lovely and reassuring post from A Wise Woman Builds Her Home. I read through misty eyes as I soaked up the encouragement that flowed from her words. Here's an excerpt that greatly resonated with me:
But God sees all.
He sees every hot meal you make, then eat cold. He sees every tear you cry when you are exhausted. He sees every diaper you change and every slow reader you refuse to give up on. He sees you draw close to that unlovable child. He sees you go the extra mile in cleaning that bathroom as you do it as unto Him. He sees you share the gospel daily with your family by the choices you make, the lines in the sand you draw, the life you have chosen.
You are serving Him.
And He will reward you. Maybe in this life, as your children may one day rise up and call you blessed. But certainly in the one to come.
If you're struggling in the trenches of motherhood, let this article buoy your heart with hope. You are not alone. Mothers all across this world are struggling in one way or another. Remember that God sees. And He cares. And He's rooting you on.
Afterall, you're the one He handpicked to be "mommy" to your children.
Be encouraged. Take heart. Fight the good fight.
You're doing a great job.
"But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head."
Psalm 3:3
Friendships are truly priceless.
Even if they've only ever been from across the miles.
With today's technology, we can feel like we're right there with one another, even if we're really hundreds of miles away. It's a neat time we're living in.
I have one of those long-distance friends. Alicia.
We actually met through the blogland a few years ago.
Our firstborns are one day apart, so that, I think is what drew us together--the common ground we shared.
And almost three years later, our friendship remains.
She's a prayer partner.
Gifted with encouragement.
Very creative (I go to her when my mommy brain is foggy and can't for the life of me come up with anything crafty to do with Ethan)
Compassionate
Funny!
A godly example of what a woman, wife and mother should strive to be.
We chat on Facebook, through texts and sometimes on the phone. But we've never actually met in person.
We keep telling each other that we WILL meet one day! What a blast that would be!
I told you all how great of a gal my friend Alicia is because she started her blog back up after almost a two year break. I'm so excited for her to be back! She's going to have all kinds of great tips to share, and godly encouragement to extend.
It could be something as simple as singing joyfully with my children about our Savior and His upcoming birthday celebration!
Or it could be visiting a neighbor and sharing the news proclaimed long ago to some scared shepherds in a field.
"A Savior has been born! He is Christ the Lord!"
This Season is His. This day is His. How would He have me to live it? Who would He have me to meet?
What would He have me to say?
Whatever His plans, may I obey them.
And when the day is done, I can crawl back into the bed that beckoned me earlier this morning. And I will sleep sweetly, knowing that the Lord can use the weakest vessels around. The failures, the flaws. The victories. The mundane daily tasks. The simplest moments in life. For His Kingdom purposes.
Is there something in your life that you are passionate about? A cause of some sort?
Mine would be the unborn--those who are legally killed in the womb under the banner of "Choice".
And let me tell you, this passion of mine gets me into controversy and debate pretty often.
Pinterest, of all places, has been a recent place of debate. I have a board called, "Passionately Pro-Life" where I posted a picture of people holding a banner which read, "Pray to end abortion". Two women recently decided to make some comments that I felt needed a response.
It's a full blown debate now. And I'm discouraged.
I'm discouraged that, though they think they are brilliant and have it all correct, they are wrong. I'm not saying I'm always right. Not saying that. Because many times in discussions, I'm completely uninformed about the topic and should probably just keep my mouth shut.
But I've researched this due to my heart for the unborn. I want to know the truth so that I can share it with others. So many women have believed the lies spread by those like Planned Parenthood and our culture in general. Did you realize some women honestly do not know that they are carrying a child? It's shocking, the ignorance that still abounds.
These women need that truth. They deserve that truth. Their unborn babies deserve for their mommies to know that truth.
I'm not posting this so a debate will explode in my comment section. That's about the last thing on earth that I want to happen from this post. I'm tired of the debates. Of feeling like what I do is pointless.
"Why fight it anymore? They aren't going to change their mind."
"This is a waste of time. The enemy has deceived them for too long."
My thoughts, all too often.
Oh, but GOD is bigger than that. HE is more powerful. And when we pray and obey, HE ACTS.
I may not immediately see the fruit of trying to be salt and light. Of trying to be a voice for those tiny babies who do not yet have one.
But I cannot become discouraged, although the temptation is always at my doorstep.
My heart hurts for these women, just as it does for their unborn babies. They need facts, yes.
But I've come to realize that more than anything, many of these women need Jesus.
I know my efforts are not in vain, although it feels that way at times.
As much as I would love to have un-controversial passions, I don't. As much as I would love to turn a blind eye and pretend the world is doing o.k., I can't.
And I don't think that's the kind of life we've been called to as Christians.
I think God has purposely put this passion in my heart. And as much as I don't want to at times, I need to follow through. Maybe my approach could change. And I could better pick my battles.
But I will not be silent.
"If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, "Behold, we did not know this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?"
Ever since the earthquakes here in Oklahoma, I took down the heavy framed art that was over our bed.
Paranoid? Yep.
But hey, better safe than sorry.
So....I've been trying to find something else to go above our bed that, God forbid we have another earthquake, won't come crashing down on our head.
I get this paranoia from my mom. I think.
I'll go ahead and blame it on her.
I love you, Mommy =)
Anyway, I was blog browsing and came across a giveaway for some vinyl lettering. It's hosted by Artful Homemaking.
Aha! This could be my solution, because I can never find what I'm looking for in the stores. They're kind of on the cheesy side or totally wrong for a master bedroom...or more than I'm willing to pay because I'm kind of cheap like that.
As much as I would love to win, and your entering the giveaway will decrease my chances of winning, I will go ahead and tell you about it.
Aren't I nice?
(I also need another entry and blogging about it will give me just that!)
It seems parents are having to fight harder every day just to maintain the right to parent their own children without interference.
And this case is no different. You can also read a longer, more detailed version here.
If you can contact Michigan's elected officials on this family's behalf, it would be greatly appreciated. The article will provide you with the links to do so.
Let us continue to be in prayer for our Nation.
I'm rather fond of the freedoms we've been given under the Constitution.
