Hello All!

 I wanted to let you know about a blog that I recently came upon called "Radiant Purity & True Beauty".

The link to this blog will be permanently kept on the right side column, but I wanted to direct your attention to a specific series that the blogs author is writing on,  "A Question of Femininity".

She has already done two posts and I've enjoyed both of them and are looking forward to more. 

In todays culture it is so easy for the lines of femininity to become hazy and to lose our focus of what God desires of us.  Femininity is a gift God has given us and Melinda has a done a wonderful job reminding us of what God desires.

I hope these posts will be as encouraging to you as they were to me!   Enjoy!

The Declaratory Act

I was reading the book "Constitutional Law" and came across this Act of Parliament that I had never heard about.  I love history and was excited to find this.  Hopefully you will find it interesting as well.....

THE DECLARATORY ACT

MARCH 18, 1766 ¹

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AN ACT FOR THE BETTER SECURING THE DEPENDENCY OF HIS MAJESTY'S DOMINIONS IN AMERICA UPON THE CROWN AND PARLIAMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN

Whereas several of the houses of representatives in His Majesty's colonies and plantations in America have of late, against law, claimed to themselves, or to the general assemblies of the same, the sole and exclusive right of imposing duties and taxes upon His Majesty's subjects in the said colonies and plantations; and have, in pursuance of such claim, passed certain votes, resolutions, and orders derogatory to the legislative authority of Parliament, and inconsistent with the dependency of the said colonies and plantations upon the crown of Great Britain: may it therefore please Your Most Excellent Majesty that it may be declared, and be it declared by the king's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the said colonies and plantations in America have been, are, and of right ought to be, subordinate unto, and dependent upon the imperial crown and Parliament of Great Britain; and that the king's Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, of Great Britain, in Parliament assembled, had, hath, and of right ought to have, full power and authority to make laws and statutes of sufficient force and validity to bind the colonies and people of America, subjects of the crown of Great Britain, in all cases whatsoever.

II. And be it further declared and enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all resolutions, votes, orders, and proceedings, in any of the said colonies or plantations, whereby the power and authority of the Parliament of Great Britain to make laws and statutes as aforesaid is denied, or drawn into question, are, and are hereby declared to be, utterly null and void to all intents and purposes whatsoever.

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1. 6 George III, c. 12, The Statutes at Large, ed. Danby Pickering (London, 1767), XXVII, 19-20.

"The Declaratory Act was what drew the final 'line in the sand.' The Fundamental belief that drove the American people toward independence was a conviction that it was a violation of basic human dignity for anyone other than the people or their own elected legislative representatives to decide the rules that everyone must obey."[1] 

I hope you found this as interesting as I did.  I love learning new things about history and this book "Constitutional Law" has been fascinating!!!   Although I only just started it, I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in government or history.

 

Footnotes:

1. Constitutional Law for the Enlightened Citizen by Michael P. Farris Esq. pg.7

Reading....

Hello All!
 In my last post I talked about one of my families New Year's resolution - cleaning and organizing a certain section of the house each season.  In this post I am going to comment on one of my personal goals..........reading...   I love to read and read and read.  Last year however was not a great reading year :[  I was so busy doing other things that I only read a few books.  This year I want to read at least one book per month if not two.  January started off very well - I was able to finish six books! 
1. Thinking Biblically by John MacArthur
2. Elsie Dinsmore   by Martha Finley
3. Elsie's Holidays at Roselands   by Martha Finley
4. Elsie's Girlhood   by Martha Finley
5. Elsie's Womanhood   by Martha Finley
6. Joyfully At Home   by Jasmine Baucham
(Obviously I am trying to re-read the Elsie Series. There are twenty-eight in all! It doesn't seem to matter how old I am, I always enjoy these books.)

This month I have started a book by Jerry Bridges called "Respectable Sins" which has been really convicting.  I'm sure I will have several things to share regarding what I am learning in that book.  Mr. Bridges writes very clearly and makes the book an easy one to read.  He brings truths to home that at times I've found heart-wrenching.

For school books I've started "The Life of Christ: The Smart Guide to the Bible Series" by Robert C. Girard.  This is for my Life of Christ class with Apologia Academy. The other book is "Constitutional Law for Enlightened Citizens" by Michael P. Farris Esq. which I am doing on my own.

Both have been really good and will be ongoing until the end of May.  In a few weeks I will also be starting to read "Experiencing the Passion of Christ" by John MacArthur for the Life of Christ class as well.

A few days ago I went up to our library (yes, the one that is almost finshed being organized) and picked out 74 books that I need to read preferably within the next year or two! :]  This may be a little unrealistic but as I went over our shelves I realized that their is so much I need to learn about so many things. 

One of the things that stuck out to me when I finished "Joyfully at Home" last month, was Jasmine's idea of redeeming our time at home through reading.  Not fictional romance or adventure books, but "meaty" books on church doctrine, church history, economics, history, government, homemaking, and other books that would further my knowledge in areas that I need to strengthen.  My time here at home may last my entire life or it may be for a few years, but however long it may be, I need to thank God for this time that I have to study His Word. Time that I have to read about economics, church history and other topics. Time that I have to pursue my hobbies. Time that I have with my family. Time that I have to serve God.  If God chooses that I should someday marry, I will not have the luxury of reading as much as I do now.  God has given me this time, what will I do with it?  Will I spend it dreaming of my future and twiddling my thumbs, or will I see it as a valuable and highly treasured gift to seek God's will, spend time with Him, and learn new things that I will need to be a better citizen, person, sister, daughter, friend and co-laborer in Christ in this country that God has placed me in.

Ephesians 5:16 "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

SNOWFLAKES                                                                                 

 

They shine like silver butterflies
Drifting in the sun,
As though they fly on crystal wings
That winter cold has spun.

They catch and hold each soft sunbeam
And then, without a sound,
Turn into sparkling gossamer Before they touch the ground.

~~By Sandra Liatsos.~~