How Much Is Enough?

The other day I went to the store, and I noticed that the Easter paraphernalia took up 3 huge aisles. It's not March yet, and I'm already sick of it. Easter, to me, is such a quiet, solemn time for reflection about Jesus and what He did for us. All the eggs and bunnies and candy just cloud it all. But, as I was thinking about this upcoming Easter I remembered back a few years when Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of the Christ came out. That movie inspired me, and so many others. After watching the movie, there was one thought that kept coming back to me....."How much blood was enough?" I couldn't stop thinking about it. I still vividly remember the scene when Jesus is being beaten beyond recognition. Every drop of blood that was spilled was for you, it was for me. But, He could have stopped it. One drop should have been enough, right? He was flawless. But, no - He allowed His whole self to be sacrificed, to be broken - every drop of blood. He gave it all.

I'm not a songwriter by any means. But, these words poured out of me after seeing the movie. Have a blessed Resurrection Day.

I walk down that long dirty road and I wonder … how much?
I hear them yell and see their hate and I wonder…how much?
I feel the pain and taste the blood and I ask…Father, how much blood is enough to save the sin of this world?
Is this enough?
And He says…… not yet.

I listen to the curses they hurl and I wonder…how much?
I feel them tear my flesh and I wonder…how much?
I feel the pain and taste the blood and I ask…Father, how much blood is enough to save the sin of this world?
Is this enough?
And He says…not yet.

CHORUS:
Father, my body is torn and broken!
Is this enough to save the sins of the world?
And He says…not yet.
Abba, the time has come! I have nothing left!
Is this enough to save the sins of the world?
And He says…not yet.

BRIDGE:
Here I am Father, at your right hand,
Behold your children! They are tired and ready.
Abba, is it time to bring your beloved home?
And He says… My work is not done…not yet.

Protection or Control?

UPDATE: Vaccine linked to 3 deaths

Have you heard about this? The Governor of Texas recently issued a mandate that all pre-teen public school girls be given the new vaccine to prevent HPV (a sexually transmitted disease.) A House of Representatives committee has since challenged this mandade, and I think the Governor has backed down. However, other states are considering the same action. (Here's another article where you can read more and get more details.)

The drug company (Merck) is promoting this vaccine so that we can protect our girls from this wide-spread STD, and they are touting it as the first drug to prevent cancer. Umm, forgive me if I'm wrong but since when do we take advice from drug companies on how to protect our children? Last I checked, parents were in charge of that - not the Governor of Texas.

For argument's sake, let's say I agree that it's a good idea that we put this new, barely tested, poison in our young daughters' bodies....what then? What am I saying? "Well, she MIGHT get an STD (which MIGHT lead to cervical cancer which she MIGHT get when she's older) so let's give her this vaccine to protect her just in case." Ok, what's next? "Well, she might get breast cancer, so let's go ahead and do a double masectomy just in case." or "Well, she might get in a car accident so let's go ahead and revoke her license now before it's too late."

I do not understand how intellectual, scientific, PARENTS can agree to this hogwash. This government is screwed up, and you want to know why our family has decided not to send our children to brainwashing institutions....err...I mean public schools?

Spunky used a term that made me think of her when I read this information...OUTSOURCING PARENTHOOD. This vaccine is just another way for parents to give away the responsibility of sex education, abstinance training, and plain ole moral teaching.

"But, as for me and my house - we will serve the Lord."

M&MS

You can create your own M&M here. Here's mine - what'd ya think? Our kids are our M&MS so this is especially fun for them.

Don't You Know What Causes That?

That's the comment my husband and I get when others find out we are having ANOTHER baby. My response, "Uh, yep - that's why we keep doing it!" Anyway..... my husband asked me to blog about my journey through wanting more babies - so here it is:

When I was expecting baby #3 I had an all-out argument with God. This baby would make the third child born in our house in less than 3 years. I was already going nuts, or so I thought. I knew if we didn't do something permanent that I'd have a baby every year for the next 15 years. I proceeded tell God this. (Can you picture it?) I'm standing in our garage working on a birthday party project for #1 and God and I have this dialogue going. It sounded a little bit like this...

me: "God, You know I'm not doing a good job with the ones You've given me now. What do you expect from me?"
God: "Are you saying you are doing this all on your own? Have You asked Me for help?"
me: "I know that You'll help me God. I know that, but I have got to stop having babies at some point. I have plans you know and if I'm always pregnant or taking care of a toddler we won't be able to achieve any of those goals."
God: "And are these plans that you've made? Are these goals My goals for you?"
me: "Ok, God - of course, I want what YOU want for my life, but how can I really serve You if I'm home all day nursing a baby?"
God: "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and give you a hope and future..."
me: "Allright - Your plans are greater than mine. But God, how are we going to do this? What will people say? My family already thinks I'm crazy!"
God: "In whom do you find refuge?"
me: "YOU, God! YOU ARE MY REFUGE! Ugggh....What do You want? You just want me to give up everything and let You run the show?
God: silence
me: "God, I am DONE having babies! I want to be done!"
God: silence
me: "Lord, I'm done."

and then it happened...

I heard Him. The God of the Universe did what it took to get my attention b/c He knows this stubborn red-head better than anyone.

God: "NO!"

Ok, so now what? I've just heard the Lord. You know, like a Moses or Adam or Joshua moment. Uh....can I just walk back in the house and start cooking dinner? Nope. This is a moment you don't forget. This is a moment where you measure your life. So, now I have to deal with the FACT that God spoke to me and it wasn't what I wanted to hear. Can I just move on? Could you? I couldn't. I had to respond.

Then I began to learn. I read. I listened. I prayed. I talked with my husband. I argued w/ God some more. What I learned was this mountaintop I'd been sitting on wasn't where God was. He had moved. A song by FFH at that time still resonates with me....."Lord move in a way that I've never seen before. There's a mountain in the way and a lock on the door. I'm drifting away, waves are crashing on the shore. Lord, move - move in me or move me."

God was moving me. Can I just say that is one of the most uncomfortable places to be in. BUT, once you are there (we've never really arrived, but you know what I mean) it is the best place to be in. Better than you or I can put into words. I want to, but I just can't.

I learned about the quiver-full lifestyle, and about trusting God with it ALL, and about letting go of me. I learned about loving motherhood and embracing this job as a calling. I learned about enjoying my children rather than trying to hurry-up and get it over with. I learned about being quiet. I learned about listening to others who did it different than I did instead of assuming they didn't know as much as I did. I learned about pride. I learned that nearly every problem or sin in my life can be traced back to this one issue. Pride.

I do not know why the Bible doesn't just come out and say, "Thou shalt have as many kids as you can until you are 40." Or, "Thou shalt have 3 children and be finished." I wish those words were in there, but they just aren't. Which means, we have to search the scripture and look to the Lord of lords for answers in this area.

I do not know why for some true Believers it is ok to have a vasectomy or take birth control pills. I do not know why God chooses not to speak to them about those issues. But then again, I also do not know why a 4 year-old little girl dies of cancer. I just don't know. What I do know is this is how God has chosen to speak to ME. This is how He has chosen to get my attention and require all of me. This is my burning bush. I am standing in His presence and He requires complete trust from me. If I am not completely trusting Him, then I'm being disobedient. I cannot live like that.

So, where does that leave me? Well, after #3 was born (6 years ago) I just knew I'd be pregnant again within the year. You know what? God has a sense of humor. My husband and I continued to "let God plan our family" (you can take that however you want) and I spent the next 3 years enjoying our stair-steppers. On our 3rd child's 3rd birthday I got pregnant with #4. Now, it will be just before #4 turns 3 that #5 will be born.

So, no - I'm not having babies every year. But, I am having babies! What a blessing they are! What a journey I have been on, and WOW have I learned a lot (and changed a lot.) When I tell others that our children are ECSTATIC about baby #5 - they do a double-take. "What, you mean your kids want more?" Uh...yes...yes they do! They want to be blessed! Imagine that. They see the joy that children bring into a home. They enjoy having their best friends share their bedroom. They yearn to keep the little ones little b/c "they are so cute!"

Am I done after #5? I'd like to be done. Sure, I'm human, and I'm getting old! But, that's God decision not mine. When He gives my husband and I peace to do something about it - then we will, but not until then.

These kids teach me a lot. I thank God that He struck me w/ lightning - I mean, spoke to me in the garage - otherwise I would have spent the last 5 years pursuing the plans I had made for Him instead of the plans He has made for me.

I look forward to hearing about your journey. For those of you who are just treading into this unknown water I'd encourage you to search online. There are a lot of us out there, and we really aren't that crazy.

What Is Going On At Vision Forum?

I frequently read the blogs of other "thinking mothers" who challenge me in so many areas. I found some comments on one blog, which linked me to another, and finally to the original poster. There is a controversy surrounding Doug Phillips and Vision Forum regarding the shunning of a family from Mr. Phillips' church. We, in the church, get easily caught up in controversy and the world sees it. No wonder they think they don't need what we have.

I like how Barbara at Mommy Life responded...

Since I published Doug Phillips' excellent New Year's piece on forgiveness, several people have emailed me asking about the controversy surrounding the excommunication and shunning of a couple from his church, as well as attempts to discredit them in the wider Christian community. How does that square with the wisdom he has shared on forgiveness? While I don't have time to get involved in a big controversy, I do have some experience with this problem which I felt compelled
to share with the couple who have gone public with their testimony.

I am not judging Doug Phillips. I understand the weakness in Christian
leaders which can contribute to this problem. This kind of event takes place on
a regular basis all over the United States in aggressively religious churches.
What I mean by aggressively religious churches is churches that have forgotten
that Jesus said we must come to him as children, that we are not to lay heavy
burdens on people, and that we are to love one another.

What seems to happen is that a couple with good ideas for conducting
their spiritual life or raising their family begins to teach others. At
some point the sharing of principles which worked for them crosses over the line into moral superiority, judgment of others and legalism. There are so many people I can think of that this has happened to - the Ezzos and the Pearls come to mind. On the other end of the spectrum is Dr. Dobson, who dispenses help for parents with a helpful spirit and without the overlay of moral superiority.
Do you see what I mean?

From our own devastating experience in 1990 with an out-of-control
Christian leader, Tripp and I learned that Christian leadership can never
succeed (yes it can succeed in the world's terms, but not in Christian terms)
unless it is built on servant leadership. The picture I keep is Jesus washing
the disciples' feet. When a leader's platform begins to be about elevating
his/her own ministry and having people serve it, there is something wrong. A
Christian leader should come under the people who are learning from him and lift
them up to release their potential, not use them to release his own.

Also, sometimes in these "perfect" Christian congregations, a couple
who doesn't fit in perfectly can cause great discomfort and things can rapidly
spin out of control. Tripp and I saw it happen over and over in the "cutting
edge" "remnant" church we were in: if a couple was not in lock step with the
leader's thinking, they were counseled with the purpose of getting them to
conform. A big delay in their immediate "healing" (meaning coming into
conformity with the group model) brought out the worst in the leadership. Next
thing we knew, they were drummed out of church and private things they had
discussed were used for sermon fodder. We were told to shun them.
My response to this kind of behavior is that it strikes me as being more like the Pharisees than like Jesus. When we pick Bible verses to back our strategies which are at variance with what Jesus said, I'm gonna go with Jesus every time.

While I don't want to be presumptuous (and I refuse to get in a big
debate about this) -, my guess is that God is trying to get Doug's attention
through the couple who has taken their story public (which they certainly have
the right - and also the Christian responsibility) to do. My feeling is that the
truth is stronger than falsehood, so if Doug has nothing to be ashamed of, he
should not be so threatened by this. After all, these people are alone (thanks
to Doug's church) and he has thousands of defenders....

Please know that I am not making any judgment on Doug Phillips. I just
think there is a better way to work this out. Since I was once accused myself by
a former pastor of not being a true Christian, "marked" and shunned - and since
I know that all along I was a Christian and it was not the pastor's call to make
but God's (John 10:14 - also somewhere there is a verse "The Lord knows who is
his" but I don't have time to find it right now because I've got to cook dinner
:), I feel qualified to speak on this couple's behalf and say there is probably
some truth to their claims.

Doug Phillips will have thousands of people who blindly defend him. The
fact that this couple is willing to do the difficult task of trying to call a
larger-than-life figure to account when they are people of relatively small
consequence and thus easily discredited and discarded (I always hated that in
elitist churches and religious systems) should be taken seriously. Rather than
rushing to Doug Phillips' defense, his followers should be urging all parties to
submit themselves to an independent reconciliation service.

I realize that this might not sit well with some people in my own
church who think very highly of Doug Phillips. But we cannot put people on such
high pedestals that we think they are incapable of human error. We can't just
dismiss the claims of someone who has been harmed. Otherwise we become idolators ourselves.

I'm Back With Apostrophes

Ok, I've been out of the loop for a while. It's been a little rocky in our household the last few months, but now things are back on track and we are good to go!

I am now 12 weeks pregnant w/ baby #5 and finally over most of the morning sickness, nausea, vomitting, eating non-stop, roaming around in my jammies all day, and ice-inhaling stage. THANK GOD I can think clearly again. Well, sort of...

Ok - something has been bugging me for a while.... improper use of apostrophes. I am not, by any means, an expert on punctuation. I constantly misuse a comma and semi-colon. I distinctly remember learning how to use them correctly, and I also remember not commiting that knowledge to memory. Okay, that said....I do know how to use an apostrophe, and from my observation most of this country does not.

Let me explain.... the following sentence has 2 apostrophes used INCORRECTLY:
"The Johnson's invited us over for dinner along with 2 more guest's."

If we put an apostrophe in "Johnson" then that means we are talking about something that belongs to them, but if we are talking about more than one person (plural) then no apostrophe is needed. The word GUESTS just happens to end in the letter S. That doesn't mean it needs an apostrophe it just means it ends in the letter S!

Somehow in the last few years we have all forgotten the correct usage of an apostrophe because now we just add it if the word ends in an S. No, this is not the end of the world. Yes, there are greater needs to discuss. BUT THIS DRIVES ME CRAZY. It's become an epidemic. It's everywhere...billboards, commercials, letters, websites, magazines, etc. Is there an apostrophe advocate somewhere trying to make sure this little punctuation mark pops up where it's never needed?

Just the other day I was at church and there was a poster hanging on the door which said, "LADIE'S MEETING" Ugh. So, if you omitted the apostrophe and the S the word would read LADIE? No. It would have been fine for the poster to say, "LADIES MEETING" because we are talking about more than one lady, or if you MUST add the apostrophe onto a word that already ends in an S then it should be added at the END OF THE WORD if it's possessive. So, it could have said, "LADIES' MEETING" and been correct.

This bad habit also rears its ugly head during Christmas when every card is signed, "Merry Christmas from the Miller's" or "Happy Holidays from the Wilson's" NO, NO, NO! If it's more than one Miller who is wishing me a Merry Christmas then that makes the word PLURAL so it is spelled MILLERS.

Ok, enough - as if my regular ranting wasn't enough...my pregnant rants are even better! Just wait and see. But could you do me a favor, please? Before you send a letter, or print a poster, or sign a card THINK to yourself....am I talking about more that one? (If so, no apostrophe.) Or, am I talking about something that belongs to this person? (If so, apostrophe until your heart is content.)

To Test or Not To Test?

Since we are teaching our children at home, the testing issue doesn't affect me right now. I have been enjoying the freedom from grading scales and testing scores. Our children seem to be learning just as much as they would if they felt the pressure of a test coming. I check their work, correct their errors, and we move on.

The testing issue; however, is a very hot topic among public school educators and home educators. I understand the NEED to test. I do not understand why testing is THE issue upon which funding is based. Even higher education institutions no longer put as much emphasis on testing scores as they once did. So why is it the fuel that's pumping federally-funded schools?

"As debate continues over the proper role of standardized testing in college admission, the roster of schools announcing they will no longer require the exams continues to grow....Gettysburg College yesterday became the latest to make SAT or ACT exams optional, announcing it was doing so after faculty voted 2-to-1 in support of the idea. A day earlier, Mitchell College in New London, Conn., announced a similar move. Gettysburg, a private liberal arts campus with 2,600 students, said research on its own undergraduates over the years shows high school grades are a better predictor of campus success...officials of some schools with test-optional policies said applicants who chose not to submit scores did about as well on campus as those who submitted scores...about 730 campuses make exams optional for all or a substantial share of their students, up from 280 schools about a decade ago...of the 300 most selective institutions in the nation...95 percent required the exams and were not considering a change."

(click here for the full article)

Over at Spunky's blog she is encouraging parents of public school children to pull their kids out of school the week of testing. If these parents are so opposed to the negative impact of testing, why are they sticking with the program? I agree with Spunky. You can complain all you want, but nothing speaks louder than money to those who are only interested in funding.

Ok, I'm starting to get it....

Mark Foley has got me thinking. A lot of conservative Christians, like myself, feel lost in this world of aggressive liberals. We sign online petitions, and we discuss boycotts, and we protest when the Ten Commandments are removed from our state house. But, all in all - we do not know what to do against this massive liberal movement which has penetrated our schools, our government and our television.

I'm starting to get it though....maybe I'm a little slow. I never did score very high in comprehension. But now I think I have a clue as to where we can start to get the Titanic turned around.

Definitions.

That's it.

We cannot begin to fight for morality when we are talking about two different things. How can we stand up for "family" when "family" doesn't mean the same thing to the people we are arguing with?
How can we stand up for "character training" in schools when the "character traits" we are discussing are not the same.

When I say to a friend that I'm opposed to stem cell research because of how it violates life at the most basic level. My liberal counterpart says she supports stem cell research because it saves life at the most basic level.

We are not on the same page. Republicans and Democrats will fight for the next 1000 years without ever accomplishing anything because they are all just talking for the blah..blah without any knowledge of what they are talking about. How can we move forward or accomplish anything when we cannot even agree on what we are talking about.

When did this start? When did we start to question everything? When did we refuse to listen to anyone? When did we make up our own definitions to suit our own moral code? When did it become ok for there to be no wrong or right?

I'm going to take a stab at this one...because like I said, I'm starting to get it...

When did this start? (it started in the Garden with Adam and Eve) But for those readers unwilling to accept the Bible as truth let's take another stab at it... it started with Roe v. Wade.

The message we are giving our kids and their kids and their kids: there is no accountability. There is no "wrong." You do not have to suffer consequences for anything. There are no wrong choices - if you mess up, there is a way to fix it with no cost to you.

And we wonder why the Mark Foleys in our society think it's ok to do whatever they want with whomever they want.

Whether we like it or not - there is a right or wrong and there's only one standard to measure it by. Click here to learn more about that measuring stick. As soon as we start compromising that - we are back to the beginning. A lot of blah...blah without accomplishing anything because no one can agree on the basics.

Where does that leave us - at square one. That's where we'll stay.

God help us.

Child Prodigy

My husband and I saw a segment on TBN tonight about a child prodigy (art & poetry.) Go to this website to learn more about Akiane Kramarik.

What a gift it was for me to see the majesty of our supernatural God working through an innocent, humble, open vessel. Isaiah 11:6 "....and a little child will lead them."

Let's Go To The Movies!

There have been several family-friendly films which have made it to local theaters recently. Many of these films have been produced by Christians and have strong Christian themes. I would encourage you to check out these movies and buy a ticket when the film comes to a theater near you.

End Of The Spear (www.endofthespear.com)
One Night With The King (www.8x.com)
Jesus Camp (www.jesuscampthemovie.com)
Facing The Giants (www.facingthegiants.com)
Love's Abiding Joy (www.familychristian.com/movies/)

Episcopal Church Elects Female Bishop Who Supports Homosexuality

I saw this article on another blog and researched this, and here's what I found...this is from Wikipedia...

"The Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori; born March 26, 1954 in Pensacola, Florida is the Presiding Bishop-elect of The Episcopal Church. She is the first woman elected primate in the Anglican Communion.

Jefferts Schori was raised in Roman Catholicism until 1963, when at the age of eight her parents brought her into the Episcopal Church in conjunction with their own move out of Roman Catholicism. She attended school in New Jersey, then went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in biology from Stanford University in 1974, and a Master of Science in oceanography in 1977 and a Ph.D. in 1983, also in oceanography, from Oregon State University. She earned her M.Div. in 1994, and was ordained priest that year. She served as assistant rector at the Church of the Good Samaritan, Corvallis, Oregon, where she had special responsibility for pastoring the Hispanic community (she speaks Spanish fluently). In 2001, she was called and consecrated Bishop of Nevada. She was awarded a D.D. (honoris causa) in 2001 from The Church Divinity School of the Pacific. (It is a common practice for a bishop in The Episcopal Church to be awarded an honorary doctorate from her or his alma mater seminary.) She is an instrument-rated pilot.

She married Richard Schori, an Oregon State professor of topology, in 1979. They have an adult daughter, also Katharine, also a pilot: she is a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.

The Episcopal Church met in General Convention in Columbus, Ohio in June 2006. Jefferts Schori was elected Presiding Bishop by the House of Bishops on June 18, from among seven nominees on the fifth ballot with 95 of the 188 votes cast. The House of Deputies, consisting of deacons, priests and laity, overwhelmingly approved the House of Bishops' election later that day. Jefferts Schori will be the first woman Primate in the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.

Although Jefferts Schori's election was an indication of widespread support in the Episcopal Church in the United States for ordaining women to the historic episcopate, the Diocese of Fort Worth, which opposes women in holy orders, has asked the Archbishop of Canterbury for "alternative primatial oversight" (a previously unheard-of expression), analogous to "alternative episcopal oversight" suggested in the Windsor Report. Several other conservative dioceses affiliated with the Anglican Communion Network, including some that do ordain women, have made similar requests.

Jefferts Schori voted to consent to the election of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003, the controversial appointment of a gay bishop. Therefore, her election as Presiding Bishop has been regarded by some conservative Episcopalians as a confirmation that the Episcopal Church is unwilling to change its institutional views on homosexuality and Christianity, especially gays in ordained ministry or living in committed relationships. Jefferts Schori's election may also be an issue for some bishops of other churches in the Anglican Communion, which does not universally recognize the ordination of women.

At a June 18 news conference, the Presiding Bishop-elect articulated a willingness to work with conservatives. She expressed her hope to lead the church in the reign of God, rooted in imagery from Isaiah and including such United Nations Millennium Development Goals as eradicating poverty and hunger: "The poor are fed, the Good News is preached, those who are ostracized and in prison are set free, the blind receive sight."

Jefferts Schori will remain Bishop of Nevada until taking up the position of Presiding Bishop officially on November 1, 2006; her investiture and seating in the office will be held November 4 at the (Cathedral Church of SS. Peter and Paul) Washington National Cathedral. An Episcopal Presiding Bishop's term is nine years."

I have a few Episopal friends, and I hadn't heard this news yet. There seems to be a dividing line in the Episopal/Anglican church and this election makes the division even clearer. The future should be very interesting...

Mars & Venus

I know God created both men and women - we were all created by Him. However, it is true that most times it seems like we came from 2 different planets. WHY, WHY, WHY do we as women try to change men to be more like us? Most men I know who get frustrated when they can't understand women just brush it off and say, "I can't ever understand women." But, what do we do? Instead of accepting our differences, the females try to "fix" the men and make them more like us? "You need to do this." or "You should have handled it this way." Yadda, yadda, yadda.

THEY ARE DIFFERENT. WE ARE DIFFERENT. We are not going to communicate the same, or hear things the same way, or work together the same way, or even listen the same way. WE ARE DIFFERENT and IT'S OK.

The challenge is to recognize the differences, accept them, learn to live with it - and move on.

That's a very cliche sentence I just wrote, but WOW would this world be a much nicer place if we just did it. If we have a conflict with another person, we are instructed in the Bible to first go to the person and make them aware of our grievance. Well, what do you know? God sure knows what He's talking about! Problems could really be diminished if we'd do what the Bible says, instead of trying to fix it our way. How do we do it? We mull over it, and discuss it with 10 other people (gossip) and we let our feelings fester until they are about to drive us over the edge. Then MAYBE we approach the other person and let them know why they were wrong and how they need to change.

Surprise, surprise - most times it doesn't work out too well. If we'd follow the Lord's instructions and just GO TO THE PERSON most of the misunderstanding would fade away and everyone would sleep better.

Ugh - it's been a bad day, and I needed to rant and rave a little.

Think You Know Me?

Ok, I've done this dozens of times, but need to put one on here - copy and paste it and send it back to me so I can learn about you : )

1) Who is the last person you high-fived? kids at church
2) If you were drafted into a war, would you survive? probably
3) Do you sleep with the TV on? nope
4) Have you ever drank milk straight out of the carton? yep
5) Have you ever won a spelling bee? are you kidding me - no.
6) Have you ever been stung? Yes, bee & jellyfish
7) How fast can you type? really fast
8) Are you afraid of the dark? nope, but afraid of the critters hiding there
9) What is your eye color? gray or green, depends on the day
10) Do you ever wear the same clothes twice without washing them? Yep
11) Are you drinking anything right now? nope
12) Favorite animal as a kid? koala bear
13) Can you hoola hoop? nope
14) What do you want for Christmas? The Message Bible (Old & New Testament)
15) Favorite cereal: just one? Golden Grahams, Smart Start, Total Raisin Bran, etc, etc
16) Do you talk in your sleep? no
17) Have you ever flown a kite? Yes
18) How many people are on your contact list of your cell? about 50
19) Have you ever asked for a pony? no
20) Plans for tomorrow? laundry, homeschool, homeschool meeting
21) Can you juggle? No
22) How are you feeling today? stuffy but well rested
23) Have you ever been suspended or expelled from school? not in a million years
24) What are you looking forward to? in the morning when the kids climb in bed w/ me
25) Have you ever crawled through a window? yep
26) Have you ever eaten dog food? ICK..no
27) Movie you can quote line for line? Grease, High School Musical, Incredibles
28) Favorite fast food breakfast? McDonald's Egg McMuffin
29) What 3 things can always be found in your refrigerator? Eggs, Milk, Butter (duh)
30) Any cool scars? long one on my shin from falling thru the sliding door in the van, small one on my ankle from IV when I was a baby
31) What do you do when no one is watching??? lots of things
32) Do you like dancing? yes
33) Who did you last talk to on the phone? friend from Indiana
34) Where was the last place you ate? at the kitchen table, oh you mean OUT? Uh, new Latin restaurant at the mall
35) What is the last movie watched? Invincible
36) What song did you hear last? You Are Good by Brownsville Choir
37) How many emails do you get a day? not counting SPAM, about 20

55 Reasons To Homeschool

Because we are homeschooling, we are often faced with the WHY question. Here is a great website with 55 WONDERFUL reasons to homeschool. (My personal favorites are #6, 8, 20, 39, 43, 54 and ESPECIALLY #48!!) If you are questioning it or maybe considering it - check out this site. (Thanks to BohemianMama for having this link.)

Just Enough To Get By

I've been thinking recently about this attitude: Just Enough To Get By. It seems to be the anthem of my generation. Our parents were work horses whose parents taught them to work hard and save, save, save. Now we are reaping the benefits of those savings, and what do we do? We spend like crazy. The debt among Americans is the highest ever - I'm sure as a result of credit cards. Not only are our spending habits different, but our attitudes are different than those of our parents and grandparents as well.

For example, I heard my husband's co-worker talking the other day about taking dancing lessons for her wedding. She said, "We wanted to know just enough to get by at our reception."

This attitude also exists in education. No Child Left Behind (a.k.a Clinton's School-to-Work program) says by it's very namesake that we are going to do just enough to make sure every student is getting just what they need, and none would be left behind. (What about a reform named "Every Child Exceeding To The Best Of Their Ability.") This topic is mentioned in the "55 Reasons To Homeschool" list I mention in my next post - check out #25.

Anyway...back to my point....my generation seems to be living by the principle that we can do just enough to get by. I'll tell just enough truth not to hurt anyone or get myself in trouble, I'll pay just enough on my credit card balance not to get a late fee, I'll learn a little Spanish so I can make it in the marketplace, I'll take a few lessons so I'll look like I know what I'm doing on the dance floor, I'll go to church once in a while to make sure I'm going to get into heaven, I'll call my mother every Sunday to fulfill my duty to her, I'll get my Bachelor's degree to get my foot in the door, I'll study just enough to maintain my GPA... the list goes on.

Sure, there's the small percentage who are experts in their field. But didn't people used to do their best? Our culture has made it so easy for you to be successful without really even knowing what you are doing. Give a good sound bite, act the part, and be confident and we'll all take your word for it.

I heard a pastor in Florida speak about the LAW OF NECESSITY. He challenged the congregation to admit the fact, that even as Christians, we live by our so-called moral code until the LAW OF NECESSITY requires us to step up to the plate. For example, we might say we are pro-life. We might even support pro-life ministries and political candidates. But, what happens when our daughter becomes pregnant as a teenager? That's when the LAW OF NECESSITY kicks in. What do we really believe? We want our daughter to be successful, and have a bright future so maybe in this case, pro-life is not the best option? Or, let's say we sit in church and agree with the pastor when he challenges us to earn an honest wage and be a good example for the Lord. But, when we are overpaid by 10 hours the LAW OF NECESSITY might cause us to say, "Hey, it's their mistake and my gain. It'll be too much trouble to fix it anyway."

I know I used to be caught in this web, maybe I still am. I'm just thinking about my friends, the people I went to college with, and my husband's co-workers. I'm wondering how strong our morals really are when we seem to do just enough to get by.

Why when we come across someone who is an expert in their field, or very verbal about their opinion do we assume they are fanatic and need balance in their life? When did this middle ground, and "intolerant" wave penetrate our generation?

I don't think JUST ENOUGH is good enough. I'm not perfect, but I'm working on becoming more like the One who is.

How Do You Do It?

When others find out we have four children and we are homeschooling, their next comment is often..."How Do You Do It All?" My answer...I don't. Well, I don't do it ALL. I don't have a job outside the home, I don't keep my house spic-n-span clean, I don't cook a 5-course meal every evening. I do, however, try to do my best at following the Lord, raising our children, and managing our home. And besides, I know of plenty other mothers who have more children than I do - four really isn't a lot of kids you know.

I have learned so many great tips over the years that help in keeping our chaotic lives running smoothly. Most of the tips I've learned are from the MOMYS Digests.

Here are some tips....please share yours with me too!

*Laundry always seems to be the straw that broke the camel's back...so now, I get it all done on one day...We have one day designated as laundry day. Everyone in our house knows it. We don't go anywhere on that day, I camp out in the laundry room, divide the clothes into baskets and when they are clean the children put them where they go. It's done and no one has to think about it for 7 more days : ) Another tip...what to do w/ all those mis-matched socks? Have a stash of safety pins in the laundry room. Pin matching socks together as you throw them in the washer, when they come out of the dryer, take the pin out and fold them together. It helps if you instruct your family members to be sure and fold dirty socks together instead of throwing them in the basket separately, that way you don't have to search for them.

*SAY NO - just b/c someone asks you to do something (teach Sunday School, drive the church van, babysit their children, volunteer at school, coach t-ball...) doesn't mean you have to say yes. My family and I are much happier when I say YES to what the Lord asks of me, instead of what someone else thinks I should do.

*Stretch out your grocery shopping trips to once every 2 weeks or even once a month. I save a lot of money this way by eating what's in the cupboard, and I save a lot of time instead of going to the store for 2 hours every week.

*Go Pajama-less. It took my husband about 3 years of convincing before I finally caved in and decided to do away with the kids' pajamas. He'd always ask me why I was making our bedtime routine harder than it had to be. With 3 of our kids born in less than 3 years, bedtime was a little crazy for a few years. So now, the kids go to bed in what they wore during the day, or put on some clean play clothes to wear the next day. Sure, we have a few p.j.s for special times, but for the most part - we're pj-free and bedtime is much easier (so is laundry.)

*Take some hints from FlyLady and tackle your house one zone at a time. You can do it. Focus on the cabinets one week, then maybe filter through toys the next week. One job at a time adds up to an organized home.

*Find out what's important to your husband and focus on those things. If your husband would prefer to come home to a warm meal rather than an empty laundry basket then try to change your priorities. If your husband is irritated when he finds you still in your pajamas, but doesn't mind if the floor isn't mopped - then try to put on clean clothes and forget the floor! It'll make your evening more peaceful.

*Put your kids to work! I have found that children as little as 3 years old can begin to really contribute with chores. Some moms have a scheduled chore chart that works well for them, others use the MOTH system to schedule chores throughout the day. I have found that designating a certain time of the day for everyone to work together on chores works best for us. While I'm preparing dinner, each of the kids is working on whatever chores I give them. When they are finished w/ one job, they come to me and get another. I try to pair up 2 children on a hard job, and allow an older one to teach a younger one how to complete a job. Works for us.

*Homeschooling. This is one of the most misunderstood genres of our time. When a non-homeschooler sees me they think I must be out of my mind trying to teach all these kids. When, in reality, it's because we are all home together that our life is simpler than it used to be when we were going to and from school and pre-school and to and from PTA meetings and ballgames. We lived in the van. Now we live at home and have tons of down time and we aren't dead tired at the end of the day. (By the way, we still go to and from ballgames!)

Let me know what works for you....

A Rut and Bullies

We are in a rut right now. You know there are good days, and bad days. Well, lately we've had a few bad days in a row. Our children just seem to be at each other's throats and my temper is short with them. I need help!

While searching for encouragement, I came across this post from Spunky's blog. Sounds like a GOD-INSPIRED plan to me! Check it out...

Terrible Two?

You know that old saying....welcome to the terrible twos? I don't buy it. I'm getting ready to dive into my 4th round of parenting a two-year old. Two is not terrible. I've talked to many parents about this, and most all agree. Two is fun...three is difficult. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news for those of you who are parents of two year olds and you thought you made it out easy. Maybe the third year will be a breeze for you, but most parents I talk to agree that age 3 is difficult (especially with boys.)

Every child is different, and we cannot label a child's disposition just based on their age; but I have found that when one of our children turn 3 we have to step up our game a little. We have to be on our toes, prepared for mood swings, ready to be challenged, and stocked with a full tool box. It isn't impossible. Obedience can be achieved. But a three year old is more in tune with their own will and their ability to push Mom's and Dad's buttons. I want to encourage parents of three-year olds who wonder WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FUN BABY? No, you have not failed miserably as a parent. No, your child probably doesn't have ADHD. No, your child will not spend most of their time in the principal's office. But, your child will have a better sense of right and wrong, and a respect for boundaries if you stand firm during the third year. Didn't someone once say this is the hardest job in the world? Here is where the toughness begins.

Now, as for the two-year old....this fall we'll have another two-year old in our house. Let the games begin! I have found that during this year it's a wonderful time to teach your child to come when he's called, to stop when Mommy says stop, to use his manners, and to learn to use the bathroom. That's a lot to accomplish in one year and it's a lot of fun. So, look out TERRIBLE TWOS - we are ready to make it TERRIFIC!

My "Grand"Father

One week ago today, my grandfather passed away. It was time. His life ended the way he would have wanted it. We take confidence that He is with the Lord now, and his body is whole. But, I still miss him. Thanksgiving will never be the same, Christmas will be hard, and the joy of watching basketball together is lost. I have lost my father and now my grandfather. My life is full of testosterone though with the love of my husband and three sons. Here is what I wrote when I learned of Grandad's death...

Thanks for your prayers. As you know, Grandad was like a father to me. He was a young man when I was born, about 40. He supported me when my own father was too sick to do so. He drove me to and from school and cheerleading practice when my own father was in the hospital. He walked me down the aisle when my own father was in a wheelchair. He attended the dedications of my children after my own father had passed away. He was the epitome of a "grand"father to me. I will miss him dearly.

Put On Your Thinking Caps!

Yippee! We started school today. Everyone is excited. Don't school supplies just get you in the mood? The kids wanted to start on Saturday when we set up their desks and organized their folders; but even I have to draw the line somewhere. We are homeschooling, so we can do it whenever and wherever we want - but I still want my weekends off ;)

The kids and I made "Back-to-School Thinking Caps" for our first day. (We even gave the baby one, although he's not too crazy about it.) When my son sat down to start school, his DVD teacher asked everyone to "put on their thinking caps" so he felt very prepared to start 2nd grade.

A day like today makes me thankful that we decided to homeschool again. However, I know the hard days will come soon enough. I need to remember what this feels like. For those of you who are skeptical about homeschooling, just know that we are human. We have good days and bad days just like everyone else. But, in the end, we feel like this is what's best for our family for right now. I make a lot of mistakes, but sometimes I get it right (with the help of the Lord.)

This summer while we were camping, a family who was camping a few spots away from us came over and asked me..."Do you homeschool your children?" Uh oh... this is one of those moments where you know that your answer is going to shape another person's entire perception of the whole homeschooling population. A thousand questions ran through my head..."Where are my kids right now?" "Did someone just get in trouble?" "Where is the soap to wash their mouths out?" Anyway...I stood tall and said, "Yes, as a matter of fact we do." She said, "I knew it. I could just tell. You have such articulate and smart children, and they work together so nicely."

WOOO HOOO! My heart did a little party dance. When all I can hear is the bickering and complaining, it's nice to know that a stranger can see the light shining through my children. Thank you Lord for calling me to teach my children to be salt and light in this world. Keep me focused on the goal. "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." 3 John 4