Check it out!

"I’ve been learning over and over that unless someone is willing to see the unwieldy plank in their own eye, it’s absolutely impossible to help them out of their destructive patterns and self-deception.You can yell and grieve and make a scene. You can spend hours in gentle counsel and eloquent exchange and loud weeping and tongue-biting patience. But unless that person wants to change, it’s not happening. No argument or mercy or fervency is enough. They’ll need to be pierced by their own convictions, or in the worst case, they must come to their own ruin and see the miles of hurt they’ve caused. Otherwise, you’re only reinforcing their pride and building their defenses and rationalizations. Often the only thing we can do is to pray and humble ourselves. To look at our own plank first. To expect the best, even if the other person is taking no strides. To keep the door open. To keep serving. And maybe it’s not about the other person anyway. If they don’t change, you will."— J.S. Park

Holly Stratton wrote a post on lifehurts.us .  She talked about how we protect our hearts and build walls because of how much we fear vulnerability.  I couldn't resist sharing it with all of you and I highly encourage you to click the link above and read her post!

Hope you are all enjoying your September!

Releasing The Bottle

I started this post about a month ago... things got busy though and I forgot to post it...however, I wanted to leave that beautiful picture of what New England starts to look like at the beginning of October...just a week or two before peak foliage :)



It is that beautiful time here again in New England!!  The fall foliage is starting to burst out in crimson reds and golden hues of yellow and orange! "sigh"  I totally understand why we have "leaf peepers" (tourists that come for drives just to see the fall foliage) in our state!!

On another note though...

I joined my friend a few days ago on a trip to Boston to complete an event on her "24 List".  She turned 24 a week ago and has made a list of 24 things she wants to do while she is 24.  This dear friend has fought cancer over the last two years and finally won.  Over the past few months I have seen her return back to the girl I remembered and knew was still in their somewhere :)  She wants to live life to the fullest and cherish every moment!  Therefore, the list of 24 things she wants to experience this year is a list of sentimental, fun and adventurous things to do or opportunities to learn and stretch her creativity!  This trip to Boston included writing a message, putting it into a glass bottle and sending it out into the unknown.  Hoping, praying, wishing that someday, someone will find it and it will impact their lives....

"We The People"

    "'We the people.' These are the first words of the United States Constitution.  'We the people'...do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America."  Those aren't just pretty words.   They are a clear statement of the origin of all authority and power in this country.  This government by the people derives it's power from the people -- power flows from the bottom up, not from the top down. 
    The Constitution is not a document whereby an all-powerful government grants certain rights and privileges to its citizens.  No, it's the other way around.  The Constitution is a document whereby the citizens of the United States grant certain authorities and powers to the government.  'We the people' aren't passive recipients of rights granted in the Constitution; "We the people" are the actors, the initiators in this exchange.
    At least, we're supposed to be.  The truth is, 'We the people' have grown quite passive when it comes to our relationship to the government that we empower.  As a nation, we have grown quite ignorant of how and why our government works.  And in our ignorance and passivity, we have surrendered too many rights and freedoms to our government.

"Phases of the Moon"

In Sunday school last week our teacher brought up a parallel that I had never seen before...  I've been thinking about it all week and thought you all might enjoy it as well (if you haven't already heard it :]).

"Phases of the Moon"
Found on Pinterest

The moon reflects the light of the sun.  However as the planets rotate the earth blocks part of the sun from the moon and the light the moon is able to reflect changes. (yes there are more scientific ways of saying this and exactly how it all works, but that is not the point here :})

So here is the parallel...

We as Christians are supposed to reflect the light of the SON.  However as the things of earth come into our life our ability to reflect the SON diminishes. 

Our teacher asked us a few questions, "How much of the world do we allow in our life?  How well are able to reflect the SON with the influences of the world that we have allowed in?  Are we full moons, half moons, or quarter moons?  What would you like to be?"

Today in History ~ November 19, 1863

The Gettysburg Address

by

Abraham Lincoln

November 19, 1863

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, concieved in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.  Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure.  We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that this nation might live.  It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.  But in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.  The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.  It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.  It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave their last full measure of devotion--that we here hightly resolve that these men shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth." 

May we never forget what those men, as well as the countless others, who have given their lives for our country and our freedoms.  Are we willing to make sure that "these men shall not have died in vain"?

Our country needs our help.  What will you do to make a difference?

Dear Readers,

I'm sorry I haven't posted lately.  This summer is flying by and lots of things have been happening in my life, to keep me away from the computer for long periods of time (which is needed in order to write you a decent post :}).

Unfortunately (Fortunately?!! :})  Tommorrow morning our family will be starting a ten day vacation!  It will be our first one in 10 years, so we are really excited!  However, this means that I will be unable to post during that period of time and I am sorry about that. :(

Before we leave however, I wanted to leave a very important post with you to "ruminate" on while I'm away. 

For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while now, realize that one of my passions is fighting for Parental Rights in the U.S.. As of right now an Amendment for protecting the rights of parents is quickly approaching its congressional hearing (July 19, 2012).  If you are unfamiliar with the Parental Rights Amendment (PRA) you can read some of my previous posts on it here, watch the trailer for "Overruled: Government Invasion of Our Parental Rights" here and watch the actual movie here.

As the date is fast approaching for the hearing and as I won't be getting back until 10 days before the hearing, I wanted again remind those of you who know and let those of you don't know, how important this amendment is to you, our parents, our future, homeschooling, the future of the United States of America, the safety of children and so much more.

When I recieved the following email from PR, I was filled with dismay.  This amendment is so important!  Please read it:

Supreme Court Ruling Threatens Parental Rights

Yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling in the health care case marks a decisive turn in the American experiment of freedom. There is no doubt the opinion shocked and dismayed liberty-minded citizens across the United States. It also upped the ante on the Parental Rights Amendment – and that’s why I must urge you to help.

Let me explain.

First, the ambiguity of federal HIPAA legislation was already a problem for parental rights. It is an open door that lets states infringe a parent’s fundamental liberty to make informed medical decisions for their child. Under the health care law, this gap is only going to get worse.

Second, the health care bill allows the government to spend millions on home visitation programs in which government officials enter your home to monitor and instruct how you raise your kids.

Third, the decision has made explicit a disturbing legal doctrine long implicit in the Supreme Court: that Congress has unlimited power to tax for any purpose, even beyond its enumerated powers. This provides one more tool the government can use to control what happens in your home.

If we are to protect parental rights in America we must pass the Parental Rights Amendment soon! The PRA will provide protection for parents and families in every one of these areas of concern.

As a citizen of these beloved United States,  I realize what a great debt I owe my God, my ancestors, my grandparents, my parents and those in the military.  They have done probably more then I will ever understand to ensure that the freedoms that I so often take for granted, are there for me to enjoy.  I must ask myself and you, "What will I do for the next generation?" "What will I do to honor those who have gone before me?" What will I do to protect what God has deemed a foundation of this earth, the family?"

Please, contact your local government leaders as well as those who serve at the national level.  We have elected them and they need to know how we the the people feel about it.  How important it is to us, that our parental rights are protected! 

You can visit parentalrights.org for more information on the amendment, how to contact your Senator or Congressman and how to get involved.  But most importantly, to add your name to the petition saying how important this bill is to the citzens of the U.S.!

 

Encouragement Found In A Post

I recently read a post on a fellow bloggers blog and she had a guest writer named Jasmine Bauchman, write a post that was fantastic.  The title of the post was "The World Is Watching You".

Here is an excerpt of the article to give you an idea of what it is about.

"If you choose to train to become a homemaker -if you choose to live at home with your parents and serve your family until you become a wife and mother -if you live under the jurisdiction of your parents until you are given in marriage to a godly young man to whom you choose to submit... And especially if you do all of this because of biblical precedent and precept...

Expect some stones to fly in your direction..........

.......don't lose heart. You are different -you are counter-cultural -you are purposeful -"

I really enjoyed the post as it hit home in so many different areas.  Sometimes it can be so easy to be a "Stay-At-Home-Daughter (SAHD)" and yet other times it can be incredibly difficult.  You love being available to help and serve in the many different areas and situations God has given you, that you wouldn't have been able to experience if you weren't at home during this time in your life. You love being with the people that you love the most in the world and being able to work/serve with them every day.  Then the next day you can be wondering if it is God's will that you stay home when the questions/remarks of other people make you feel guilty for leading a life that is counter cultural and unusual (special).  The wave upon wave of sometimes innocent and sometimes not so innocent comments that are said can make you wonder if it is worth it.

Jasmine's post was exactly what I needed when I read it and I hope that it brings as much encouragement to your heart as it did to mine.  For those of you who are not "SAHD" it is still a neat post if you look at it from a Christian's point of view and read the article as if it was written to Christian's set apart in the world. :] Here is the link to the blog "A Little Space" and here is the link to the post "The World Is Watching You."

Enjoy and be encouraged! 

A Unique Clothing Challenge!

“The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It's the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows & the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years.”
― Audrey Hepburn

 

How true... God wants our hearts to be a reflection of Him and He wants people to be able to see Him in our eyes, actions, words, hobbies, etcetera.  However, although I agree with Audrey that "The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears" I do believe that what we wear reflects our inner heart and if we are to be a reflection of Christ then our clothes are to reflect him as well.

 

So...... I just found out about a "Clothing Challenge" that will be starting tomorrow and ending next Saturday.

 

I've seen several different clothing challenges and each one has a God honoring vision, but I've never felt led to enter any of them.  This one however, I feel is different from the others.

 

* First of all, it is for girls and  guys! 

* It's focus is on the hearts of the wearer

* It is a week "to put a little thought into what message your clothes say for you."

 

The focus of this challenge is as follows:

 

"Not attracting abundant attention to yourself, avoiding over thinking your outfits (and people’s responses to the outfits), and self control (avoiding gaudiness)."

 

The challenge's focus is to wear clothing that is carefully chosen to send a message that honors God, without spending an absorbitent amount of time choosing the outfit.  Our appearance is a reflection of what is in our hearts and our hearts as Christians are to reflect Christ. 

 

I think this will be a lot of fun and would love for more people to get involved!  If you are interested, please go and check out the challenge, sign up and then let others know!  Have fun!