What's In A Name?

My husband and I watched the movie, Elizabethtown last night. It wasn't that great. One part of the story which I thought was interesting though was the lead character's description of what a person's name means to her. For example, she said, "I've never had a good experience with an Ellen."

Today, I read this article from the Christian Science Monitor. According to the article, you can go here and pay someone to tell you what they think your child's name should be. It amazes me that people put so much stock in what other people think about their baby's name.

As I wrote earlier, we decided to use Biblical names for our children. It didn't start out that way, but after 2 or 3 have Bible names you can't really digress. I mean, would it make any sense to have a Matthew, Mark, Luke and Jasmine?

I love names. Even when I am not expecting a baby, and long before I was married, I would think about names and write all the different variations when I should have been paying attention during church.

How did you come up with your child's name? As I said, ours is a mix of Bible names and family names and names we just, plain like. And I didn't pay anyone to tell me that.

Legos & Planes

Gideon spilled a big bucket of Legos all over the floor.
I bent down to the floor and started picking up a few of the gazillion pieces and I said, "Gideon, come here and help Mommy clean up."
He replies, "I don't want to." (surprise, surprise)
I continue to pluck pieces out of the carpet, and I said, "Gideon, it's time to clean up."
He starts to throw a few Legos toward the bucket while acting like his wrist stopped working. He says in a dramatic, whiny voice, "I caaaaan't and I TI-erd!"
I said, (a little more loudly this time), "Gideon, clean up the Legos and do NOT complain!"
He said, "I not a plane Mom, I'n a kid!"
Yep - Numero uno training expert right here.

Double Standard Emphasizes Color Barrier

Back in the day, when Oral Roberts' son, Richard, divorced his first wife the Evangelical community was in an uproar. I was just a child then and I remember my parents talking about this controversy.

In August, televangelist Paula White and her husband, Randy, confirmed that they were divorcing. Nothing has changed. Randy is still the pastor at Without Walls in Tampa, and Paula is continuing her tv appearances and book tours.

In contrast, last year when Ted Haggard's infidelities were revealed it made headline news and the leaders of the Christian community welcomed his resignation.

Why the double standard? Is it because Pastor Haggard's sin involved homosexuality. Is it because Randy and Paula had been divorced before they got married? Divorce is divorce and adultery is adultery, and the last time I checked churches were still preaching that no sin is more grievous than another.

In my view, parishioners in predominantly black churches are more forgiving of irreconcilable differences than their white brothers and sisters. Randy White's church in Tampa is a predominantly black church. Other black church leaders have divorced and even been part of scandalous affairs and abuse cases. But that doesn't seem to affect their jobs. Why?

Are white church members more judgemental than black church members? Over the years, Evangelicals have been trying to erase the color barrier and it has worked beautifully in some churches. However, this view of divorce and infidelity is an example where our cultures are vastly different and perhaps one reason why churches are still largely segregated.

Works For Me Wednesday - Angel Food Ministries

With 5 kids, my pantry is almsot always bare. Someone should send a label with these children, "WILL EAT NONSTOP FOR NEXT 10 YEARS." So, I am always on the lookout for a way to avoid the grocery store while still keeping their bellies full.

For the last few months, our family has been enjoying the blessing of Angel Food Ministries. This is an organization that provides grocery relief for anyone who wants to participate. There are no restrictions regarding income or need. Anyone can participate.

Once a month you can order food from Angel Food. You pay about $25 for a box of food that is usually worth $60 or more. You pick up the box you ordered from a participating church. If you want, you can order more than 1 box and additional specialty boxes. You must order in advance and pay in advance. If you do not pick up your box at the designated time then the church donates that food to the needy.

Some of the food we've enjoyed includes hamburger patties, frozen sausage, blueberry muffins, waffles, fresh carrots, popcorn chicken, pork tenderloin, and more.

If you are interested in finding out if there is a church in your area participating go to www.angelfoodministries.org and start ordering! Now, I'm on my way to pick up some more food : )

For more Works For Me Wednesday tips go here.

Kids Worship!

Hillsong is by far my favorite music. Our family has been listening to their worship music in our home since the mid 90s. While looking for Christmas gift ideas, I came across this. What do you think about kids worshipping like this?

Willow Creek Changes Their Tune

In the last 10 years a wave of seeker-sensitivity has hit churches across this country. Pastors went from preaching the gospel, to delivering relevant messages about self-esteem and relationships. Churches went from being a house where individuals could grow spiritually, to a place where our waistlines are growing from Starbucks and donuts. Classes used to focus on studying Matthew, Mark, Luke or John and now focus on hosting satelitte seminars from Maxwell, Barna and Osteen.

I have held off long enough, but my red head is about to blow. I've wavered back and forth, but the bottom line is........I do not believe in the seeker-sensitivity movement of today's churches. I believe what the Bible says is true. Yes, the gospel is offensive. But, we are to preach it anyway. "Through Him and for His name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith." Romans 1:5

Evidently, the founders of this dumbed-down system have realized their error.

Check out this article where Willow Creek admits they are wrong.

I have 2 observations about this article: 1) it took a multi-year study for them to figure out this doesn't work? I'm no theologian and I coulda told you that. It's contrary to the Word of God - therefore it is by definition bound for failure. 2) Kudos to Willow Creek for disclosing the truth from the research. A lot of organizations would have sugar-coated the results and spinned them to meet their needs. Huge pats on their back for honesty.

Never Say Never

I don't know about you, but as I get older I'm learning that all those things I said I'd never do....I've done.

I said I'd never let my child have a pacifier past age 1.

I said I'd never let my child eat junk food.

I said I'd never take unruly children to the grocery store.

I said I'd never homeschool.

I said I'd never sit across from my husband at a restaurant with nothing to say.

I said I'd never drive a minivan.

I said I'd never live in a big city.

I said I'd never have more than 3 kids.

[Please make it stop!] There's only about 2 things left on my coveted list that I'm still hanging onto. I dunno when I'll learn, but here they go....

I'll never put my children in daycare.

I'll never color my hair.

Let the countdown begin.

State Seizes Baby To Perform Blood Test

I am familiar with this family through my membership on the MOMYS Digest. The Anaya family has 10 children and I remember reading Mrs. Anaya's emails about having to travel out of state to have a homebirth b/c their homestate of Nebraska had too many regulations that went against the Anaya's beliefs. Mrs. Anaya recently gave birth to a son in Nebraska. (I think the baby must have arrived early or she would have traveled to Iowa.) The Anaya's do not believe in blood testing b/c they believe life is in the blood. Therefore, they refused the newborn screen. Six weeks later, the sheriff's department barged into their home, took the baby and the judge ordered the baby had to be tested and kept in foster care until the test results came back.

This six week old baby had never been away from his mother and never had a bottle. But, what is even more grievous is the audacity of the Nebraska officials who snatched a baby from his mother's arms in order to prick him with a needle.

Here is the entire transcript of the conversation between the Anayas' attorney and Rush Limbaugh.

Someone needs to get the word out to the unsuspecting citizens of this country that we are now living in a socialist state. When is election day in Nebraska?

Just Love Him

"If you make doctrine the main thing, you are very likely to grow narrow-minded. If you make your own experience the main thing, you will become gloomy and critical of others. If you make ordinances the main thing, you will be apt to grow merely formal. But you can never make too much of the living Christ Jesus. Remember that all things else are for his sake. Doctrines and ordinances are the planets, but Christ is the sun. Get to love him best of all."
Charles Spurgeon

Parents Are More Involved Now

According to this article, parents are more involved in their children's lives now than they were 10 years ago. (I'm not sure if I would be included in this group or not since I started having babies about 10 years ago!)

Anyway, this is good news for American children; but I wonder if this research is correct and if the correct questions were asked.

Check it out.

Interview With Me

Here are 5 questions from Stephanie at Adventures In Babywearing:

1. What is your favorite childhood vacation memory?
My favorite vacation was when I was about 11 years old. Our family traveled all over my home state of Kentucky visiting all the places I'd heard about but never seen. We didn't plan much of the vacation, we just drove all over the state. We visited My Old Kentucky Home, Bardstown (liquor!) and Lincoln's birthplace. To this day, I still remember most of those landmarks.

2. What was one of the first blogs you ever read?
The first blog I read was Corrie's Pineapple Pundit. That lead me to Spunky and Mommy Life and then it spiraled out of control!

3. If you were to run into a gas station and quickly had to pick one candy to eat, what would you grab?
Snickers, of course.

4. Of all the places you've lived, which is your favorite? If you could move anywhere to stay for good, where would that be?
I have lived in 7 states, my husband has lived in 10. I can't say I have a favorite. There are things I love about each place: Texas' tourism, Kentucky's beauty, Ohio's attitude, Wisconsin's family-friendliness, Illinois' diversity, Indiana's friends, Missouri's all-in-oneness.

Stay somewhere for good? The thought has never occured to me. I don't think I'll ever land. Thirty years from now I envision myself living in an RV traveling the country to visit all my redheaded grandchildren.
5. What is your "go to" meal that you make most often?
Breakfast for supper or spaghetti and meatballs. I'm a simple girl.

Now it's your turn. If you want to be interviewed, leave me a comment including the words "Interview me." I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions. If you don't have a valid email address on your blog, please provide one. You will update your blog with a post containing your answers to the questions. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.