Tips on Dressing Little Girls

My daughter wears dresses only, so this post is discussing just skirts/dresses/tops/coats, etc.  I've received a lot of questions on this topic, so I thought it would be a help to others to share how I do it.

I thought I would give some tips and ideas for those with girls in dressing them and were you can find good clothing and how to get the most use out of your daughter's clothing.  I plan on making my daughter's clothes hopefully in the future but up until then I have been buying most of her clothes at Gymboree and ebay.  You may say "why spend all that money for Gymboree clothes?"  Well, I've have learned that higher quality clothing lasts longer than say clothing from Wal-mart that barely lasts a year! 

Here is how I shop for my daughter:
  • Buy clothing 1-3 sizes too big, depending on length
  • Make sure you have tights and shoes and accessories to match
  • Feel the fabric - you can tell if it is sturdy and will not fade easily
The reason I buy my daughter's clothes big is because I want them to last a few years.  For instance, I bought her several lines from Gymboree when she was 2 and she wore those outfits up until she turned 5!  They didn't fade and now that she has outgrown them, I'm saving them for our next little girl.  All I had to do was buy the bigger tights and shoes on ebay.  This winter, because she has grown out of a lot of things, it was time to purchase a large amount of clothes and I got them all mostly in size 10/12, even though 7/8 is more her size right now.  I expect the clothes we bought will last her 3 winters, along with the coats I purchased.  It has worked for us since she was 2 years old!

I'm so impressed with the high quality in Gymboree's clothing and how it has stood up to many a washing and even after 2 1/2 years use, it can be used again for the next child and still looks almost new!  That to me is worth the investment.  With some of her corduroy items, they fade quicker than any other fabric I've had and I use Rit dyes to bring them back to their rich color.

The only problem we have had with buying larger sizes in dresses is the first year of wearing them.  For instance, this year - the size 12's are very big on her but I simply use a fabric fit clip in the back to cinch the waist and then roll under the sleeves.  The coats that she has worn since she was 3 are now too small, so I had to purchase those as well and know they will give us at least 3 winters worth of use!

Since my daughter is homeschooled, I don't have to buy her school clothes.  I buy her church clothes, since we go 4-5 times a week and then I buy her a few "going out to the store" clothes and then play clothes usually come from the second hand store. I hate going in "kook" stores and they always make me sneeze and itch all over but I do maybe once a year go to Value Village and get some used clothes for my daughter's play clothes (playing outside, vacations, etc) and wash them really good.  I'm itching right now just thinking of Value Village LOL!!!!!!  =0 However, I'm thankful that we have such places for those times we have been in need in past years and it was a blessing to have those stores.

Taking care of the clothes: I wash them all on delicate in cold water and hang some to dry and for others, I put them in the dryer on delicate/low. For stains, I use Tide-2-Go pen or shout gel.

I try and make sure I don't buy anything that she doesn't have shoes that match.  However, black shoes match almost anything - but there have been some outfits I really couldn't see going with even black shoes or any other she had and so I didn't purchase them. 

My daughter wears a lot of tights, but in the summer months when she doesn't wear tights under her dresses/skirts, she has some stretchy or cotton shorts underneath when playing.  I've seen the Duggar girls when they play sports have those stretch biker shorts to the knees and those work really well for girls when riding their bikes, playing outside, playgrounds, etc.

I like to earn Gymbucks, if you are unfamiliar with this program, it is basically buying items during the time to earn Gymbucks and then spending those Gymbucks during redemption week.  If you purchase $100 worth during the earning period, you get $50 in Gymbucks.  So when the week comes to redeem those Gymbucks - you get $100 worth of stuff for just $50!  It works really well for us and I got $100 worth of free clothes last week.  I also do the Gymboree Rewards.  I normally earn the Gymbucks at the Gymboree Outlet and then you can only spend them at the regular Gymboree store.  The outlet is cheaper than the regular store.  The great thing about Gymboree is that they match everything for you!  Each line is interchangeable and everything matches, so you just have to pick out what outfit you want.

Hating Evil

Psalm 97:10
"Ye that love the LORD, hate evil"

 Thou hast a good reason to hate evil, for only consider what harm it has already wrought thee.  Oh, what a world of mischief sin has brought into my heart!  Sin blinded thee so that thou couldst not see the beauty of the Saviour; it made thee death so that thou couldst not hear the Redeemer's tender invitations.  Sin turned thy feet into the way of death, and poured poison into the very fountain of thy being; it tainted thy heart, and made it "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked."  Oh, what a creature thou was when evil had done its utmost with thee, before divine grace interposed! thou wast an heir of wrath even as others; thou didst "run with the multitude to do evil."  Such were all of us; but Paul reminds us, "but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

We have good reason, indeed, for hating evil when we look back and trace its deadly workings.  Such mischief did evil do us, that our souls would have been lost had not omnipotent love interfered to redeem us.  Even now it is an active enemy, ever watching to do us hurt, and to drag us to perdition.  Therefore "hate evil" O Christians, unless you desire trouble.  If you would strew your path with thorns, and plant nettles in your death-pillow, then neglect to "hate evil"; but if you would live a happy life, and die a peaceful death, then walk in all the ways of holiness, hating evil, even until the end. 

If you truly love your Saviour, and would honour Him, then "hate evil."  We know of no cure for the love of evil in a Christian like abundant intercourse with the Lord Jesus.  Dwell much with Him, and it is impossible for you to be at peace with sin.


"Order my footsteps by Thy Word,
And make my heart sincere;
Let sin have no dominion, Lord,
But keep my conscience clear."


by Charles Spurgeon

What Brings a Great Revival?

I contend there has never once been a great revival without the preaching against sin.  Without feeling the very fires of hell and awfulness of sin - one has not been brought to salvation.  Flowery messages and pats on the back have never produced a great revival in which the sinner is turned towards God. One-sided preaching is not only un-biblical it is often the practice of such preachers who can't bear the criticism and hatred of people for their own egos but rather want the acclaim and love of men.  They want to make "God seem like a doting old granddaddy with no righteousness, no holiness and no wrath against sin."

If people never become lost, how can they ever be saved?  A sinner can never be saved without repentance.  So how will a preacher who never preaches the full gospel lead a sinner to repentance?  Repentance of what?  If there is no preaching and no conscience being brought to the realization of sin, then how will people know they are in need of a Saviour?  What should they be saved from?  "Until sin is made hateful, Christ is not made lovable and desirable.  Until a man sees himself a great sinner, he does not see Christ as a great Saviour."

Great revivals are brought on by great preachers of God.  God tells us in his word in Romans 10:14 "...how shall they hear without a preacher?"  We can look at accounts from the Old and New Testaments to see the evidence of this great truth.  Jonah tried to run from God's commission but eventually he went and cried against the city and their wickedness as God instructed. Jonah 1:2 For the city to be revived and to be turned back to God - a preacher was sent by God to cry out against them and their sin!  Then great revival came to Ninevah because of one man denouncing sin and God spared them!

What about Isaiah?  We could be here all day sharing his wisdom but let's look at a few concerning what God required in his time.  How did God tell Isaiah to speak to the people?  In quiet, soothing tones with flowery messages that made them feel oh so good?

Isaiah 58:1
"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins."

Whew!  God instructed to cry aloud and lift up the voice like a trumpet!  What was he to show the people?  Their transgression and their sin. There are many other examples in the Old Testament of what preaching really is but what about the New Testament?  Did God change his hatred for evil?

What about the man whom Jesus himself said "there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist."?  Matthew 11:11  John the Baptist was the boldest of bold at that time.  He not only name-called the religious leaders but he got even more personal and rebuked King Herod for his adultery!  He was so bold against sin that it cost him his head!  How many preachers today have lost their head for preaching against sin?  Are there any left that bold and that "great" as Jesus said John the Baptist was?  To preach even if it cost you your own head - now that's some real Holy Spirit filled preaching!  This is what Jesus calls a GREAT preacher!

Peter boldly accused the others for the murder of Jesus!  Acts 2:23  He denounced sin, not only in sinners, but Christians as well.  Going so far as to see God strike one couple, Ananias and Sapphira, dead in front of him.  "Tradition says that Peter was crucified downward by those that hated that 'kind' of preaching."

Stephen preached so boldly against sin the people couldn't stand it anymore as his words cut them to their heart, they ran on him and gnashed on him with their TEETH and beat him to death with stones!  How many preachers today have preached so hot for God that their own life was taken away from them?

Lastly, we will discuss Paul.  I love Paul, he was my kind of preacher!  He didn't back up for anyone and no wonder God let him write so many books in the Bible because he truly was a man of God.  How about the sorcerer who tried to prevent Sergius Paulus from hearing Paul's message?  Did Paul just let this man stand in the way of another's salvation?  NO!  He boldly stated:

Acts 13:10
"O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?"

He then continued praying for this man's blindness and God blinded him!  Then guess what happened?  Sergius Paulus saw and heard Paul's rebuke of this man and the judgment of God and it led him to salvation!  One man standing up and being bold against sin, caused another man to repent.   Sometimes it is for those around others that we must take a bold stand in public.

Paul continued to preach against just about every sin in the book and instructed others to do so as well.  He didn't preach a one-sided gospel, he preached the full gospel!  Because Paul was bold and a denouncer of sin he faced persecution from having to flee in the middle of the night to being stoned and left for dead to scars in his body.  He suffered for Christ's sake.  He could have said "I don't want to offend anyone and have enemies so I will just calm down a bit".  No way!  Paul was not like some preachers today because Paul demanded repentance everywhere he went.

If preachers are preaching what God wants they will be hated in this world.  For the greatest preacher of all, Jesus himself, was hated and he told us:

John 15:18
"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you."

The Great Revival in our land rests in the hands of God's preachers.  Will they be willing to give their life or their "head" by preaching bold against sin to bring others to repentance?  Or will they cowardly back away and become as the watchman in Isaiah who it says "are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter."

1 Timothy 5:20
"Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear."

2 Timothy 4:2
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine."

Titus 1:13
"This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;"


A sinner must first realize he is lost in sin before he can ever be saved and God chose the "foolishness of preaching" to bring about this realization.  He needs a preacher to show him his sinful condition and need for a Saviour! 

Some items in quotations are quotes from John R. Rice

The Joy of Time with Children

I came across this article today in the UK's Daily Mail.  It was asking the question if working moms should feel guilty.  I want to concentrate on the first part of the story - the woman with experience.  The Mother who had children and is feeling, 20 years later, regret.  She worked and missed a lot of her children's life.  At first she did it just because and then she was divorced and it was a necessity at that time for her to work.  However, she got married again and recently chose to stay home with her children.  Then she realized the error of her ways with her previous children. 

Here are some of her quotes:

It may seem strange to some, but it is only recently that I have felt able to acknowledge that mixing work and children comes with its downsides. Why did it take me so long? Part of me doggedly believed I had to stick to my 'line' - that work gave me independence, adventure and, of course, money. But I have to admit that another part didn't want to examine what the effect of more than 20 years of working motherhood had had on my children. 

It's obvious, perhaps, but what I give them now, which I rarely could before, is my attention.

I am also happy to be discovering so much more about the joys of spending real, unrushed time with them.

Her answer to those choosing to work over staying home with their children:

'Are you sure that it's the right thing to do for everyone - children and husband included - and not just you?'

When you stop and look it at, you see that it isn't about you anymore.  It is about your children.  They need love and attention!  You let go of your selfishness and love of money.  You realize the things in life that are most important are the things you can take to Heaven with you.

What doest thou here, Elijah?

1 Kings 18-20

Tonight's message was just what I needed! Pastor preached about Elijah and Ahab and the abundance of rain.  Ahab tried to blame it all on Elijah for causing the problems but Elijah threw it back in its proper place and told Ahab, it isn't me that troubleth - its you and your people's wickedness!  Isn't that like some to blame the one who preached the word of God?  But Elijah was bold and he told them it was their own wickedness that troubleth Israel!  Elijah had those that worshiped Baal do a 'showdown' of gods.  You may remember the story how Elijah taunted them and told them to scream louder, maybe their god can't hear them.  Then God came and showed himself to everyone that day with Elijah's sacrifice.  Even after that great victory, Elijah goes and gets discouraged.  Ain't that like us sometimes?  lol  Moping and pouting about how bad we have it waa waa waa!  Sometimes you just have to tell yourself to SHUT UP! 

Notice that Elijah was one of the greatest prophets, yet he himself was even able to let satan discourage him into thinking that there was no one left that was righteous.  God asked him twice "what doest thou here Elijah!?!?"  Elijah kept whining that no one is left and he's tried to stand for God and waa waa but wait.......did God smite him because of his pity party?  No!  God encouraged him!!  What did God tell Elijah?  He told him to open up his eyes!!  There are 7,000 that have not bowed their knee - there are those who haven't turned over to wickedness!  Christian, be encouraged that there are those who will stand and be counted.  There are those who just like Elijah will wave the flag for God and not bow to satan.  God wants you to know there are others living holy, you are not alone.

I've been where Elijah was before and its not a fun place to be.  However, I've learned over the years, that even if wickedness and compromise surrounds you and seems like everyone is doing it, you can rest assured that there are those which have not bowed the knee.  Though sometimes we can't see for the cloud around us and our circumstance - we can know that God has not forsaken us.  Pastor was even mentioning tonight about some preachers in our organization who are out preaching we are the only ones saved.  How wrong they are!  I'm in a group with about 400 other holiness women who attend holiness, trinitarian churches across the US that preach and teach the same as NTCC!  These ladies are fine as gold and God exudes from their life and its wonderful to be in the fellowship of the saints!  They love to talk about God and soul winning and the wonderful things God has done in their life.  Since being in the group - I've been strengthened by them and edified.  Since seeing the others out there, it has given me hope and its been a wonderful fellowship.

Pastor was also talking about smiling through it all, even when you are discouraged, etc.  This is something I had to teach myself over the years.  People ask me a lot why I smile all the time and seem so happy.  I had one lady think that I never had a battle because of my cheerful personality.  I explained to her that I sure 'nuff do have battles lol - but I make it a point to smile and be happy around others because it could be worse!  A phrase I often say (that i got from Dave Ramsey) when others ask how I'm doing is "Better than I deserve!!!"  I've been pretty sick over the years and at times almost died, so I know that it most definitely CAN be worse.  What I'm suffering now is nothing compared to what I used to suffer in my body - so why complain!?!?  I have it so much better than I used to! 

Once Elijah got over his pity party, he got out of that self-pity pit!!  Don't be downtrodden, that is what satan wants.  If satan can get you down, he's got you!  Count your joy something so special that you guard it and don't let anyone rob it from you!  Keep yourself unspotted from the world and be a testimony and example to others. As another Pastor preached a few services ago - guard your treasures, those that God has given you and those of your church.  Don't let satan steal God's treasures!  A peaceful mind is often the first thing that goes when we got our eyes off of Jesus.  However, all we have to do is get our eyes back on him and the peace and joy floods back in.  Ignore satan on the sidelines waving his sin for all to see - don't give him the time of day and just go on and that will be the greatest hit to satan that you could give.  He hates to be brushed off as uneffective!!!

The message was a great reminder to not go to the place of discouragement and stay there but realize that God knows all and sees all and just get up and go on and keep serving God!  We are on our way to glory!!

Satan's Best Allies - So Called Christians

I am still thinking on this morning's message that Pastor preached "The Right Choices" or "You Know Brass isn't Gold!"  2 Chronicles 12:9-12  It really did something for me and I'm not going to go into great detail but it drove me to a firmer, bolder stand for God!  I was reading a lot tonight - a hunger for righteousness and a disgust for worldliness in the church.  The whole message was basically about counterfeits and guarding your treasures that God has given you and the church!  I dare to fight and stand to keep worldliness and ungodliness out of my church........I know several others who will also.  Will you dare to stand?  Or are you busy polishing your brass behind the curtain?



They who design and endeavor to win others . . . must religiously avoid that which is the greatest obstruction of all, the profligate and atrocious lives of some that call themselves Christians. If men were prompted and employed by the devil himself, they could not be more effective in making the Gospel to be abhorred, than by living as some Christians do. How can it be expected, that the poor, ignorant heathen should have any reverence for the great and sacred name of God, when they hear those who pretend that they have a deep veneration for Him, reproach and blaspheme Him? . . . Can any man convince them, that the saints are such excellent creatures, when they see those who call themselves so, live like brutes or devils? - George Hammond

I now see more good and more evil in men than I did before. . . . I once thought that anyone who could pray eloquently and fluently, and talk well of religion, had to be saints. But experience has revealed to me that low crimes can co-exist with high professions. - Richard Baxter 1615 – 1691

There is a widely-spread desire to make things pleasant in religion – to saw off the corners and edges of the cross, and to avoid, as far as possible, self-denial. On every side we hear professing Christians declaring loudly that we must not be “narrow and exclusive” and that there is no harm in many things which the holiest of saints of old thought bad for their souls.

That we may go anywhere, and do anything, and spend our time in anything, and read anything, and keep any company, and plunge into anything, and all the while may be very good Christians – this is the maxim of thousands. In a day like this I think it good to raise a warning voice, and invite attention to the teaching of God’s Word. It is written in that Word, ‘Come out and be separate. - J.C. Ryle

I believe there is far more harm done by unholy and inconsistent Christians than we are at all aware of. Such men are among Satan’s best allies. They pull down by their lives what ministers build up with their lips. . . . I fear that Christ’s name is too often blasphemed because of the lives of Christians.- J. C. Ryle

Our Lord’s strong language about the false teachers of the Jews ends here. Those who think that unsound ministers ought never to be exposed and held up to notice, and men ought never to be warned against them, would do well to study this passage. No class of character throughout our Lord’s ministry seems to call forth such severe denunciation as that of false pastors. The reason is obvious. Other men ruin themselves alone: false pastors ruin their flocks as well as themselves. To flatter all ordained men, and say they never should be called unsound and dangerous guides, is the surest way to injure the Church and offend Christ.- J.C. Ryle 1816 – 1900

Many a church has fallen into a condition of indifference, and when it does so it generally becomes the haunt of worldly professors, a refuge for people who want an easy religion, which enables them to enjoy the pleasures of sin and the honours of piety at the same time; where things are free and easy, where you are not expected to do much, or give much, or pray much, or to be very religious; where the minister is not so precise as the old school divines, a more liberal people, of broad views, free-thinking and free-acting, where there is full tolerance for sin, and no demand for vital godliness. Such churches applaud cleverness in a preacher. As for his doctrine, that is of small consequence, and his love to Christ and zeal for souls is very secondary. He is a clever fellow, and can speak well, and that suffices. This style of things is all too common, yet we are expected to hold our tongue, for the people are very respectable. The Lord grant that we may be kept clear of such respectability! -Charles Spurgeon (“An Earnest Warning about Lukewarmness”)1834-1892

God's Word vs. Man's Opinion

I chose this picture for this post because it demonstrates so well a lot of kid's teachers - the TV.  But this isn't about the TV, although it does most definitely apply!!

My husband and I have been having some pretty soul-searching talks lately and with others at church on the topic of recent - dealing with the ungodly public school system.  Pastor was describing just the other night how they have taken out spirituality by removing prayer and Bible and the name Jesus, the teachers are in unions now and its all about the money and you would be hard pressed to find one who is actually there for the love of it and for the care of the child.  You are saying when you give your child to a teacher "I trust you to TEACH my child".

A commentor made the comment what about the pediatrician, nurse, etc.  They are teaching my child 6 hours a day.  Teaching is the subject here - can Christians let God haters teach their children?  Can Christians let a homosexual indoctrinate their children?  How bad does it have to get for some to come out from among them?  Will it take another school shooting close to home?  Will it take another teacher having sexual relations with a student?  Will it take them having those MANDATORY sex lessons from K-12?  For some, they will still be sitting in 'Sodom and Gomorrah' all the way till God himself destroys it before they would wake up.  Was taking out God, prayer and Bibles NOT BAD ENOUGH for some Christians??? Was it really not enough?? Is God not worth it??  Was it not 'bad enough' when they kicked him out??  Does God really not matter that much?  Guess not........you can have school without God.  It's ok to leave him out during the day in all subjects because after all..........who needs him that much in day to day life right?  Sheesh, we go to church once a week and I couldn't do more than that because God has his small part and I wouldn't dream of giving up my priorities to have more God HA!

I could do a post on the Biblical backing of keeping our children out of a God haters teaching that would go on for pages!  Not only does he say COME OUT from among them and be ye separate, he even told us to ABSTAIN from all appearance of evil and this hasn't even included the verses on teaching the children daily.  One commentor said we have to contribute to the school by putting "God back in the school" and sending our kids there.  I guess we should also go in bars and brothels to add a bit of God there too huh? Or what about Sodom and Gomorrah??  Lot became corrupt in the midst of them and he would have been destroyed if it wasn't for Abraham's plea's.   Maybe we should re-write the Bible and instead of come out, we could do better than God and put "go in among them" that way we could put GOD back in them right??

The only thing I hear from the other side; those that support the public school - are merely man's opinionsNot once have I been given Biblical backing for this view.  Yet, they reason among themselves that is must be ok.  Doth not God tell us in Proverbs "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."  If someone could show me through God's word of Biblical principle how it is ok for a child to learn from a God hater/homosexual/liberal teacher then please do but NONE yet have used GOD'S WORD in their criticism - rather they go off an opinion they have formed or another man's opinion or their own reasonings with no backing from God's Word.  When will we get back to God's word!?!
True friends warn you of danger and toil ahead.  I heard a story the other day about a King who was drinking from his cup but every time he tried to take a drink, this bird would swoop down and get in his way so he couldn't drink from the cup.  He would shoo the bird away and yell at it and this happened a few times and he still couldn't drink from his cup!  He finally said "that's it" and drew his sword and the next time he tried to take a drink from his cup, the bird (as he had expected) swooped down and he killed it, knocking his cup on the ground in the process.  He went to get his cup and noticed a snake - then he realized the grave error he had made.  All along the bird was simply trying to stop him from drinking his death and he killed the very thing that was trying to help him! 

I said all this to provoke others to search their reasonings and opinions and see whether they be of God or the enemies making?  Does it line up with the Word of God?  FORGET ME!  Does it line up with God's word and His instruction for His people over all time??  If not, then stop and ask yourself just who are you really listening to? As was preached this morning, don't just drift along and go with the flow.  This is your child we are talking about!  The one that GOD gave you to raise for Him!  I take that SO seriously and I'm so careful and make sure I have God's backing in my decisions.

Drowning in a Sea of Books.......

Last week we got our curriculum books and I laid most of them out on the table as you can see in the photos below.  We started homeschool this Monday and just completed our 3rd day and I must say that my daughter is LOVING it and even wants to do it at night.  It does take sacrifice on my part but I believe my daughter is WORTH it!  I believe it helps kill any selfishness a person may have lol - after all, it isn't all about 'you' anymore.  To give your time and energies over to train up a child in the way he/she should go is the calling of a Mother. 

It has been amazing to feel the Holy Spirit when we start school with prayer and 'invite' God into the classroom!  The first day I did this, I almost shouted because the Holy Spirit's presence was so strong and I didn't expect that.  I knew that including God in our children's learning was without question, a must, but I didn't expect the strong presence I felt that first morning!  It was as though God was saying "Thank you for allowing me into the school!"  I'm sure God's heart is saddened when His people send their children to schools that don't want God but he is even more happy when they make him the first and foremost importance of a child's learning!  Then when we did Science - WOW!  The presence of the Holy Spirit once again filled the room and I felt such joy teaching Katie just WHO created the world and how God did it!  God blesses truth!!

Jesus the Critic

The title might have got your attention I'd say! Most people don't hear Jesus being called a critic but he was by definition. These thoughts have been on my mind for quite some time now. My husband and I have talked them over and I've even had a conversation with my Pastor about some that I'm writing about in this post.

You may remember the post, "Misconceptions about WWJD" and how so many people perceive that what Jesus would do is never name-call, criticize, fault-find or raise his voice but yet he did all of those. What they don't understand and have failed to grasp by mere lack of thought - is that fact that there are two kinds of each of these things. One for the good and one for the bad.

First lets start by defining these terms:

Criticize - finding fault with, denouncing, evaluate
Fault-find - in essence, criticizing, pointing out wrongs in others
Complain - to express grief, pain or discontent; a formal accusation or charge

Now let's begin with the good side of these, or rather the ones Jesus himself portrayed.
  1. Standing up for the Truth
  2. Rebuking evil or wrong doing
  3. Pointing out the evil in another to warn others
In the conversation I had with my Pastor - I had brought up my blog. It isn't any secret I receive a lot of hate mail, distasteful comments and the such like on here. I just wanted to make sure I was not in any way doing something wrong. He commented that I'm taking a stand for the truth. I have never really viewed it quite that way. Yes, I knew this was something God wanted me to do because there was a need online for truth in Google searches lol, but to view it as me standing out in the midst of the world with my sword, standing for the truth of the Almighty God - encouraged me to not be discouraged! For whatsoever we do for the Lord is not in vain. It also helped me to forgive those that say things about me, gossip about me and call me all manner of things in what I share. I've even lost friends with what I've stood up for. However, I've truly been able to let it deflect off of me when I realized I am a partaker in Christ's sufferings.

When you stand up for the truth, whether its standing up for what the Bible says about truly being saved to all aspects of a holy life - you are sounding out against evil! Jesus stood many times for the truth, rebuked evil and pointed out the wrong/evil in others. In all essence of the words, he criticized the rulers of his day, found fault with them and complained about those who were using God's house for a house of merchandise! Yet, he did it all with Love (tough love) and to show others what is right. It was still compassion, still meekness, even though it was stern.

Stephen stood for the truth - even though it cut the hearers to the heart until they stoned him - he did not shut up for anyone!! I'm sure if Stephen had a blog, he would probably get virtually stoned as well lol. My own Pastor gets his inbox full of hate mail daily and his blog only opened him up to more of that but he still stands for the truth. Paul named names - Demas, for instance, and how he had forsaken him for the love of the world! Then don't forget Jesus' name-calling when he called Herod a fox. Yes - there is a time for everything!

We could go on and on about examples but I think you get the just. Now let's move on to the wrong side of the coin.

When someone criticizes God, find faults with righteous people living for God and seeks to tear down God's church - this is wrong! They seek to tear God, and all he stands for, down - they do the biddings of satan. They despise those that are good. They can't stand when a woman looks like her gender and vice versa for a man. They crave sin and lust continually and thus their heart is evil and they criticize, fault-find, murmer and complain sinfully. So for them, to come to a blog that holds the Bible and God as the sourcebook - it convicts them and they lash out with bitter criticisms and fault findings against God's Word and his standards for living.

We can go all the way back the days of Moses when the people murmured and complained about what God had given them for food. It just was never good enough. Un-thankful hearts motivated their complaints. Then in New Testament times we see the Pharisees finding fault with Jesus. Jesus had no fault! Yet, they watched his every move to try and find that one little thing that seemed to them to be enough to make something out of. Their fault finding was motivated by the spirit of satan to tear down the righteous.

So in summary, you can see the two sides of this coin. A lot of times I've heard people refer to another Pastor's exhortation to not criticize or find fault with others and they assume it pertains to all things. What they failed to realize is that Pastor himself does these two very things over the pulpit, yet he does them in the way that Jesus himself did - to provoke good works and rebuke sin! When he criticizes those that are doing wrong, those that have done evil in our midst and sometimes calls them out - it is for their good and Biblical. Just like Paul instructed. Paul even went as far to say turn them over to satan for their soul's sake!

Another Pastor was speaking tonight on not offending God or man. However, he was simply stating, not that we should never stand for God or anything righteous, as to not offend anyone, but rather not to offend in a way that is wrong. For if he had meant all offending is wrong, then we better stop preaching at people LOL. Stephen offended others so bad they stoned him, but you see.........he did the right offense, the one that stood for God and truth! There is a wrong offense and we know when we have done that - said a word out of turn that was inspired by bitterness or jealousy, etc.

If you are a true born-again believer, doth not the Bible say that those which love God's law "nothing shall offend them"? Psalm 119:165 So, if you are offended, what does that say about you? Most of the time, it is our pride that is offended. Other times, what we think is offense, is in actuality - conviction, because we know what we are doing is not right and we can't stand it when someone else hits that spot.

Someone was mentioning to me recently about how they endeavored to not hear anything negative. (I imagine they will be a cave dweller soon) They took the idea from a message Pastor preached about not letting negativity in your ears. However, did Pastor stop reading the news? No, he shares stories a lot of bad things that are happening. He was talking about those that want to just talk negative - to have a coke with the devil, so to speak. Who needs that in their ears all the time was what he referring to.

Misconceptions come from a weak walk with the Lord. The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth. God will lead you but if you don't spend time with Him, how will you know which way to go or what to do? You won't!

It's high time we start to look unto Jesus and let his life, here on earth teach us! For all the answers lie in the great Book; The Bible; God's Word!! It is truly an instruction book to life.

The Case for Christian Education

I came across a blog today and I had to share this post! It is a must read! She gives many links that are worthy of reading:

http://proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com/2009/09/case-for-christian-education.html

A quote she shared from John Wesley, I also wanted to share. What would John Wesley say today in this society that has schools which teach as though God is irrelevant to a child's education and that some think its acceptable to leave the Creator; God out of a child's learning. To let them be taught by a system that most definitely, beyond any doubts, supports satan's type of education - the Godless one........let John Wesley's words speak even unto this day as it applies even more the so!! God give us more men like these who have their eyes on the greater learning - that which God is a part of!

"Let it be remembered, that I do not speak to the wild, giddy, thoughtless world, but to those that fear God. I ask, then, for what end do you send you children to school? “Why, that they may be fit to live in the world.” In which world do you mean, — this or the next? Perhaps you thought of this world only; and had forgot that there is a world to come; yea, and one that will last for ever! Pray take this into your account, and send them to such masters as will keep it always before their eyes. Otherwise, to send them to school (permit me to speak plainly) is little better than sending them to the devil. At all events, then, send your boys, if you have any concern for their souls, not to any of the large public schools, (for they are nurseries of all manner of wickedness,) but private school, kept by some pious man, who endeavors to instruct a small number of children in religion and learning together."

The matter is simple for you must only ask yourself these questions:
  1. Would God support/approve of an education that leaves God out?
  2. Is God behind such an education?
  3. Does God smile happily as your child learns science, history, etc minus the Creator?
You can't say yes to any of these but you could if you replace "God" with "satan" and then you can see the big picture and you will begin to THINK and realize just who is behind the curtain. Let me replace that for you:
  1. Would satan support/approve of an education that leaves God out?
  2. Is satan behind such an education?
  3. Does satan smile happily as your child learns science, history, etc minus the Creator?
Whose side will you choose? Whose report will you believe? Is God irrelevant to a child's education or not? I hope to provoke others to thought as that is the purpose for even God himself said "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" - you can't just follow the crowd because the crowd is going to hell.

Mandatory Gay-Friendly Classes: Have we reached "enough" yet?

I can't imagine a real, born-again, Bible-believing Christian would even consider allowing their child to attend a school which indoctrinates homosexuality in such a way as this!!  It is happening in California - children as young as 5yr old in Kindergarten will be indoctrinated with this ungodly teaching!  Wake up America!!  Why don't you just go ahead and give your child to satan already - because you are by who you entrust them with.

Hey Lot!  Get your children out of that environment!  Abraham - get out from among that bad environment......notice God has always commanded his people to COME OUT from among them and be ye separate.  Now some are letting the very devils teach their children and indoctrinate them against God's Holy Word......the shame!  This is one person who will stand for God's word and speak up, I'm not ashamed!  I really don't care what you think of me either, because I have the Bible to back me up and you have absolutely nothing from God's word to back up your sending them to this horrible pit of ungodly, humanistic education.  You think taking God out of a child's education is ok??  Who indoctrinated you to think he wasn't important enough to have during the day?  Do you really think your ten minutes of Godly instruction 'some' nights will outweigh the 6 hours of anti-God instruction they receive daily?  What about in the Old Testament when he commanded them morning, noon and night?  They didn't have public school indoctrination back then - parents actually wanted kids (prayed for them) and taught them in the Lord!  Who are you looking to for your example - God's word or a man??

"Parents in the Alameda Unified School District were refused the right to excuse their kids from classes that would teach all kids in the district's elementary schools about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender alternative families. The parents say they are concerned about "indoctrination" in the schools, but administrators say the course is needed to protect against sexual discrimination — and that the lessons are protected by laws in California and 10 other states."

Washington IS one of the ten states folks!  You know, I can't see God saying "Oh yes, let the little children learn that being a HOMOsexual is ok and acceptable".  No, rather God would say as he has always - it is an ABOMINATION!  Your stupid! - there I said it........if you think raising children in the precepts of the Lord involves someone teaching this perversion as acceptable. Maybe this will be 'enough' for some parents - because taking God out of the school just wasn't "bad enough" for some.  Who needs God from 7-2 daily anyway? He just isn't that important.

Read the article here:  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,546280,00.html?test=latestnews

Fox is also doing a special tonight on "Do you know what textbooks your children are really reading?".

Education is Discipleship: http://bradmelton.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/education-is-discipleship-two-biblical-options-for-christian-families/

Here is a quote from the above article:

“SECULARISM is a philosophy that claims that there is no God-or that if there is a God, He is irrelevant. HUMANISM essentially says that in the absence of God, humans can and should act as gods by judging, choosing, and defining what is right for themselves. The philosophy pervading the public education system combines these two philosophies into one.”-Ken Ham, Genesis of a Legacy, p. 152

If you have something opposing to say - realize this is a blog that supports homeschooling, some private schools and Christian schools and doesn't support God-less school systems, so it may be time you stopped visiting here instead of getting angry and retaliating. Luckily I don't blog to please, I don't even blog to be popular, I blog for Jesus and stand for His Word.

Training Daughters

I have a daughter and that is all I know about raising so far but I do hope to have a boy one day! :)  With boys, you raise them to work but for girls we are to raise them to be homemakers.  I've learned a few things over the years from raising my daughter and will sure learn more as the years go by! I wanted to share what I've learned and do.

Home Economics should be a course in every girl's life from when she is young on up.  I've entertained the idea of making a curriculum for Home Economics for girls but have decided I don't have the time.  When my children are gone and grown I plan on taking that wisdom and helping others with it.  I wish there were older ladies that would have taught me, but I had to learn on my own.

I did find a Home Economics course geared towards my daughter's age that I'm adding to our curriculum this year and will let you all know how it is and then if I like it I will most likely recommend it on here!  It is by an older lady sharing her nuggets of wisdom for us younger ladies with a lesson each week in Home Economics at the early ages. Up until this time, I have taught her to do laundry, dishes, clean up and she has made pizza and cookies.  She loves to be like Mommy!!  

Our children learn from us and if we don't teach them, who will?  Pastor Kinson was speaking about teaching your children at home about God in a recent Bible study .  Have you read the Bible to your daughter regularly?  I even read the Bible to my daughter when she was in my womb.  A Christian should not neglect the greatest of all books to teach their child.  We should teach them daily God's word so they will be rooted and grounded in God's word and then they can be prepared to face the world and make their choice of what they will choose one day.

God can't lie!  Let's look at some scripture that we can rest confident in God if we do our part in what His Word teaches us:

Proverbs 22:6
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

If we train them up in the way of God, they will not depart from it.  Notice, we have to do our part to get the end result.  Should we not be ever so careful with their delicate, impressionable minds?  Yes!  God has called us to raise Godly seed unto Him and to teach them to fear the Lord.  We have such great responsibility and our daughter's lives can be determined by our following of God's Word not mere man's opinions.

Character training is another great thing we must teach our daughter's.  My daughter knows what being generous, thankful, loving, caring, compassionate is!  I had to teach her these things.  I could share stories all day of how she has demonstrated these character traits in day to day life among her peers but I will share just one:

There was a boy, about a year older than my daughter, sitting next to her.  An older lady came up to Katie and offered to buy her a candy bar.  The boy scrunched his face up and said "what about me?  You going to buy me one?"  She said "No, you can ask your Daddy to buy you one".  The boy got mad and by the time my daughter came back to sit down with her candy, his Dad had to come over to him.  He was telling his Dad how it wasn't fair he didn't get candy but before he could continue (without any prodding), my daughter gave him her candy!  He greedily snatched it away with the Dad having to make him say thank you but my daughter smiled and turned to me and said "I love to share Mom".  Now that made my heart melt and oh the joy of seeing your little one be so unselfish and generous even to an undeserving kid lol.

Teaching her thankfulness and saying thank you was one of the first lessons I ever taught her!  That is crucial - if you can get them to understand being thankful, then half the battle is won!  A thankful heart complains less of what they don't have and loves more.

This year we will learn a character trait once a month until it is fully grasped in day to day life.  

Daily prayer with our children and FOR our children is key.  I taught my daughter to pray when was very young.  I constantly ask her to do the prayer for the meal because it helps her get more familiar with speaking to God.  How do you teach a child to pray?  I simply taught her by saying "You talk to God just like you talk to me or a friend".  She really grasped that and sat in her bed that night talking to God.  Whenever she would get hurt or sick, we would pray and now its to the point if she hits her toe on the door, she immediately calls out to Jesus for healing lol. Yes, she knows who the Great Healer is!!!!  She has witnessed God's miraculous healing in my life and even her own life.  He has healed her of a lot of things on the spot and it has strengthened her faith.

Not only teaching them to pray but praying for our children is something we must do daily.  Before she was even born, I was praying for her to accept Jesus one day.  I've prayed for her every day (may have missed a day every now and then when sick,etc.) since she was born.  Some nights I've been so tired and just lay down and she comes to me and says "Mommy! You forgot to pray on me, I need you to pray on me." and that just melts my heart.  Many a nights, I have laid in her bed till she fell asleep and just watched her sleep and cried and called out to God for help in living the life before her daily and teaching her the ways of the Lord.

There is so much to be said about the subject of raising daughters in the admonition of the Lord. This is just a short introduction to Training Daughters and I hope to post about it again one day in the future.   A final note - God has entrusted you with the care of your daughter, let's not let him down!

Various Thoughts on Teaching our Children

Hubby and I were talking before church about how it 'used to be' different in public schools.  Coming from a small town in TN, we still had prayer over the intercom - prayer groups and Bible clubs.  Most of the teachers had a reverence for God and/or morals.  Today, those kind of men and women are far and in between. 

Church tonight was wonderful!  Pastor preached for a while and talked about how we can't go back on God!  Towards the end he started talking about when he grew up in school, how they PRAYED, you could talk about God and the teachers cared for the students and had morals!  Then he contrasted it with today - he talked of how they have taken the spirituality out of the schools and look what we have now and what kind of kids those schools are producing!  Not just tonight but last week's Bible study, Pastor had spoke on teaching our children about God at home. 

It is either, my mind is so much on school now that I'm noticing the increase in talk about teaching children or that God is urging His people to speak up about it!  Times have changed and people need to wake up and honestly ask God if what they are doing with their children is really what God wants and do they have scripture to support sending them to the God-hater/homosexual/liberals to be taught?

God can protect our children but at the same time we don't just throw them in the lion's den, do we?  I think once my daughter is well established in the Bible and we have taught her the precepts of God (like he commands) - she will make her choice one day but she won't be able to say that we didn't teach her about God and what the Bible says!!  My hands will be clean - I made that promise to God years ago and he opened my womb and gave her to me and that is why I'm so careful as to each aspect of her life.  I want to raise Godly seed for my Lord!  I may be raising the wife of a future leader of God!  Who knows what God will use her for.  I've prayed for her since before she was born - that she would get saved early in her life and do something great for God and that the Lord will give her a wonderful, honest, faithful, Godly husband one day.  I still pray that. 

The verse God gave me when he opened my womb is a verse, in which, he was speaking unto Abraham, but through the Holy Spirit, God spoke it to me as he reversed my sterile womb and gave me a child to raise up for Him:

Gen 18:19

"For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment"

God let me know he knew me that I would teach her right and I won't let God down!!  Oh, to be a tool in the Master's hand!  I couldn't ask for a greater calling but to raise children for the Lord!  I'm almost getting into my next post on Motherhood, so I better stop here lol.

Motherhood; Mothers of the Bible

You can read the Introduction to this series on Motherhood by clicking here.  I got the three names of Mothers from John Rice, however this post is in my own words and thoughts I received from the Lord.  

We are going to look at some of the Mothers in the Bible and glean wisdom and example from them.  What is truly amazing of these Mothers is their awesome love that reveals itself from the pages of the Bible as we read about them.  Could that be said of you as a Mother for your children?  Or do you push them away and want to be rid of them so readily?  Oh, how we need to return to Godly Motherhood!

If women could only understand the influence they have on their children and their future they would not take the role of Motherhood so lightly.  Will your chidren spend years trying to erase what you taught them and showed them by your life or will they rather build upon the Godly foundation that you laid? 

Jochebed, the Mother of Moses was a woman of wisdom.  She saw that Moses was a "goodly child" it says in the scripture - so she hid him.  At that time Pharaoh had ordered the death of all male babies.  Moses' Mother hid him from harm until he could no longer be hid.  Then she put him in an ark of bulrushes and sent him down the river.  Moses' Sister watched to see where he would go and you know the rest of the story of how Pharaoh's daughter discovered Moses and in the end, Jochebed was able to be a part in Moses upbringing.  We never read of Moses' Father having any part of his saving, just his Mother.  Oh to be a tool in the Master's hand!

Hannah, the Mother of Samuel was a wonderful example and testimony of fervent prayer and desire resulting in a miracle from the Creator of Life.  The Bible teaches us that being barren is an affliction.  It isn't something a woman of God desires or seeks.  A woman of God will want her womb to be blessed we find in the scriptures.  Hannah was barren and prayed to the Lord for Him to "look on the affliction of thine handmaid...give unto thine handmaid a man child.." 1 Samuel 1:10-11  It tells us that she was in "bitterness of soul...and wept sore" for a child from the Lord. 

Hannah wanted a blessing from her Lord.  She wanted to bear a child for the Lord.  Her barrenness wasn't a status symbol in that day as it is today in this feminist/liberal society. We don't read of women in the Bible seeking after the latest and greatest way to prevent birth, but rather weeping when one was faced with the affliction of not being able to conceive.  How backwards is this society we live in today!  Women, such as Hannah, had a heart to be a tool of God to bear seed raised up in the fear of the Lord.  Oh what a blessing to be a tool in the Master's hand!

Elisabeth, the Mother of John the Baptist was also barren.  Notice how Elisabeth and her husband, Zacharias, despite being without children - the Bible tells us that "they were both righteous before God, walking in the commandments and ordinances of the Lord BLAMELESS!"  Showing that even if you are barren, it doesn't mean you are any less righteous in God!  We learn in this story that not only was Elisabeth given the miracle of conception but she was chosen to bear a child who would become the greatest prophet as Jesus said:  "For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist"  Luke 7:28 WOW!  To be chosen by the Creator to bear such a child as this!  Who knows what your child will do for God.  Oh to be a tool in the Master's hand!

Just from these three examples of Godly Mothers in the Bible we can learn so much!  We as women, need to look upon these examples that God has given us and glean what we can from them.  What role models!

The Housewife

There was a housewife I once knew
Who had so much work that she wanted to do.
She had eight loads of laundry to wash and to dry,
Five beds to make and groceries to buy.
Library books three years overdue,
She thought, "Go to the library? No, let's go to the zoo."
"Hurray!" cried her children. But, alas, they stayed home.
The eight loads of laundry had all the clothes that they owned.
She had dishes from dinner the night before
And gum to scrape off the kitchen floor.
And just as she knelt to scrape up the gum,
She thought about popcorn and she wanted some.
So she got out the popper; it was full of rice.
And she thought to herself, "It would be nice
To get out the pictures of my wedding dress,"
But she couldn't find them because of the mess
In her living room where she kept a shelf
Full of books on how to improve herself.
So she picked out a book and she sat and she read.
And she thought to herself, "I'll take a nap instead."
So she stretched and she yawned and flopped into bed.
Then she remembered something her husband had said.
So she got out the iron and she looked for his shirt
Which had fallen into a pile of dirt
She had swept in a corner a few days before
And she had stopped because someone had knocked at the door.
Then she sighed, "Oh dear!" and she moaned, "Poor me!"
And she grabbed a sack of taco chips and turned on the TV.
And she watched all the game shows.
And she watched Love of Life.
And she dreamed of becoming the perfect wife!



~From Sidetracked Home Executives

Attire of a Harlot or a Christian?

 Proverbs 7:10-11

"And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.  She is loud and stubborn;"

Jesus said you can tell what a tree is by the fruit it bears; by looking at it and seeing it for yourself.  Solomon, one of the wisest men to ever live - could tell the type of woman by her clothing/attire.  It isn't any different today.  You see so much nakedness even going to the store, you can't get away from it. It is expected from sinners but how about the women who dress like harlots and call themselves Christians? 

Do you wear the attire of a harlot?  Are you exposing your nakedness to the world in hopes some man will lust after your cleavage line?  Do you wear pants so you can show off your shape and rear end to excite lust in men or in the hopes you will get "checked out"?  You aren't a Christian........your heart is wicked and deceitful.  There is no shamefacedness about you but rather showfacedness!  You are showy, flaunty, saucy and as Solomon called the woman with the attire of the harlot - you are loud and stubborn. The outside of you; your attire; is a reflection of your heart!  As the saying goes, clean the inside of the cup and the outside will become clean also. 


Get saved and you will cover up!  You won't have to worry about the desire to show yourself off - it can't be in you with Christ living inside!  You will rather be shy towards men and wanting them to NOT lust after you.  You will not want to cause your Brother in Christ to stumble in sin by lusting after you.  Rather, you will have modesty and an attitude of shamefacedness.  You will have no desire to paint your eyelids to draw attention to them.

Proverbs 6:25
"Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids."

You will reserve yourself completely for your husband and only he will see your treasures.

What about the attire of the Christian?  It will suit your gender - feminine and distinct from a man because being like a man for a woman is an abomination to God.  The only one wanting you to not look like a woman is satan!  He wants you to look like a man because he loves to blur the lines and pervert God's creation.  The Christian woman doesn't paint her face like Jezebel or a harlot and Hollywood.  She knows she is beautifully and wonderfully made by her Creator and needs not to paint over his magnificent artwork!  She has no desire to cut off her glory or change its color to one God did not give her.  She keeps herself from vanity.

This is a scenario that has happened to me many times since becoming a Christian but NEVER happened as a sinner.  Just recently at Wal-mart, a man stopped us and said "You all look like you must be Christians".  Here was my husband in a shirt and pants - not dressed up, just casual.  The man assumed that because of my skirt and feminine modest appearance. This is only one of many times this has happened.  Growing up as a good ole' preacher's daughter in my tight jeans and tank top, I never once had someone say I looked like a Christian.

Would you dress like you do right now in the presence of Jesus?  Would you be ok with your cleavage exposed and tight pants or mini skirts and shorts in the presence of the Almighty God?  Are you like half of the people I knew back home and believe every woman should wear a dress to church but outside of church it doesn't matter?  My parents told me that is out of respect to God for a woman to wear a dress in the house of the Lord.  I always thought....."So we don't respect him the other 90% of our week?"  =0

I hope to provoke other women to start looking like your gender for crying out loud!!!  Anyone else tired of mistaking a woman for a man??  Just what is it...........it looks like a man, dresses like a man.....  My husband and I saw a man yesterday in a skirt and long hair.  Most people would think that is sick but you know what!?  He could say as one guy in my school did years ago "When the women give us our pants back, I will give them their skirt"!  I saw this quote on Candy's Blog Sidebar:

"I’m very fond of men. I Think they’re wonderful creatures. I love them dearly. But I don’t want to look like one. When women gave up their long skirts, they made a grave error." ~T. Tudor

If you don't want to be mistaken for a harlot, its time you stopped wearing her clothes!  ; )  As the preacher said in the sermon on Ladies' dress - notify others and take down your for sale sign in the window!!

If Solomon was looking out his window and saw you, who would he say you had the attire of?

United States of America Pledge of Allegiance

Since some need a refresher course on the United States code, I'm posting the pledge of allegiance and also the proper personal rendering in reverence to this great nation that is under the Almighty God!

The Pledge:
"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove any non-religious headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.

Motherhood Introduction

This is a short introduction to the new series I'm starting on Motherhood.

This isn't a popular topic in today's society for the modern woman. She could do without this role and would rather have wealth, success in worldly avenues and supposed equality with man in the workplace. She is out for numero uno and how dare a role of raising children come in the way of her wants and desires. And even if it does, she refuses to raise them herself or let them interfere with her life and her pursuits. She will go so far as to murder them before they even have the chance of being birthed, give them away, or if she does go through with the birth and keeps them, she will find some way to dump them on another while she continues with "her" life.

For the Godly woman it is a much different story! Not only does she pray for her womb to be blessed by the Creator, she will be in much sorrow if she finds she is barren. She grieves for children, a desire that God put within her. She couldn't imagine life without her blessings - children. She loves to teach them and nurture them each day. She is fulfilled by her role of Motherhood and her children praise her. She wouldn't even dream of working and leaving her precious babies to someone else's raising - if she had to because she was without a husband or he was disabled - she would grieve and long for the day she can once again be with her children.

Oh what a difference between the "modern" woman and the Godly woman.

Motherhood is the season of a woman's life where she raises her child or children. They will eventually grow to the age they will leave her care but they will always be her 'babies'. God put within women a special caring, nurturing, emotion filled persona to fulfill the role of a Mother. He made the woman's body to be most fertile in her early life and common sense would tell you that would be the time to conceive. You can have children even beyond this fertile period but complications and disabilities in the child are at an increased risk. Doth not even nature itself tell us the prime time to have our children? lol I believe God can give a woman children at any age, he can do anything! We all know of Sarah but that was in the age where man lived longer and seemed to age slower than our time.

In this series I will be using some quotes from a few authors supported by the Bible. We will be using the Bible's clear direction on what God views about Motherhood. It will be examples from the Old and New Testaments that will show us the right, positively indisputable truth about the matter.

Growing Hair Long Challenge Update #4

Growing Long Hair Challenge

It's been a while since I  updated and reason being I didn't think my hair has grown but I was wrong.  I measured it today for the first time since March and it has grown 3 inches but I also lost inches from my old (2) perms breaking off.  My new growth is now 16 inches and the rest is permed and total length is 38 inches.  If my estimates are right, I lost 4 inches to breakage and grew 3 inches.  So the growth is growing quickly but my damaged permed portion is also breaking quickly as expected.  This year I have grown 5 inches of silky healthy straight hair - at this rate by the end of December the new growth should reach around 4 more inches for a total of 20 inches of new growth since my last perm!  That's also with being very sick this year from Feb-April.  Still not back to where I was before the perms at 50 inches but we are getting there! 

I've been doing my hair differently - which I don't like doing because I'm using heat on my new growth, but is it worth it?  It only takes a few strands from my top to curl and then scrunch with hair spray to get this look making my hair look curly and match the bottom.  Then today I washed my hair with clarifying shampoo to remove all this buildup and hairspray and going to wear it sleek and straight with the ends curled tonight. 

Quotes from Francois de La Rochefoucauld

"Why is it that our memory is good enough to retain the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not good enough to recollect how often we have told it to the same person?"

"However brilliant an action, it should not be esteemed great unless the result of a great motive."

"Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy those are who already possess it."

"Few are agreeable in conversation, because each thinks more of what he intends to say than of what others are saying, and listens no more when he himself has a chance to speak."

"It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible."

"Jealousy feeds upon suspicion, and it turns into fury or it ends as soon as we pass from suspicion to certainty."

"No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong."

Monthly Energy Costs

Here are the results of the poll for Summer monthly energy costs:

$0-35
2 (9%)
$35-45
0 (0%)
$45-60
1 (4%)
$60-80
1 (4%)
$80 and above
17 (80%)

We can see that the majority spends $80 a month during the Summer months on energy costs. Of course this wasn't based on whether you live in an apartment or house or even square footage. What I was trying to get a view of was if most people spent $80 or more.

We have 1400 square foot home and our energy costs are at the most - $60 a month. It used to be higher when we lived in a smaller, 700sq foot, 2 bedroom apartment believe it or not! I have found many things to do to save electricity and also moving into a place that is very well lit, saves on having to use the lights during the day! Here some things that we do to save on energy costs:

  • Switch your light bulbs to the new energy saving bulbs. We did this a long time ago and noticed the difference in energy costs!
  • Don't use lights during the day. We have skylights and they really do light up the house! I have 2 in my kitchen and never have to use the lights during the day (except the stove light). We then have one in our bathroom and once again, we don't have to use the lights in there during the day.
  • Hang your clothes to dry. I hang my delicates/dress clothes on my shower rod. You can hang your towels, linens, and other clothes outside to dry if you wish. I do use the dryer for those because our landlord will not allow a clothes line attached to the storage buildings and I haven't bought the free standing one yet.
  • Don't run the dishwasher unless its full. I only run my dishwasher 3-4 times a week, sometimes not even that much. I wait until its full before starting a wash most of the time. You can keep one side of the sink half full of hot water and soap to wash dishes throughout the day. I find that it stays warm for several hours if you start it with very hot water. Constantly filling up your sink - washing dishes and then draining it and doing it all over again all day will use more hot water, which will use more energy for your water heater. Also, cold water can wash not too dirty dishes. If you are worried about germs from not using hot scolding water to wash your dishes, then simply add a cap full of Clorox to your dishwater in the sink. Also, run the dishwasher at night when energy is cheaper - same goes for the washer/dryer although I don't practice that I know it would save us even more if I did! ;)
  • Unplug chargers and electronics when not in use. Even if you are not charging your phone, ipod, etc - the charging unit still draws some sort of energy from the outlet.
  • This is for the winter months - we keep our thermostat set at 66. 65 is the optimal sleeping temperature, so keeping it on 66 is what we have found works for us and saves energy than when we used to keep it at 69.
  • In the Winter do your baking/oven use in the mornings to warm the house up and then in the Summer do it in the evenings.
That is all I could think of right now, my memory may remind me of more later on and I will add them.

The Blessing of Abortion

I first heard of this news story from Much More Than Rubies and then read the article here at World Mag.

Katherine Ragsdale, the soon-to-be President of the Episcopal Divinity School, a major seminary near Harvard says that abortion is a blessing.  She even goes so far and says that abortion is holy work!  Here are some more quotes from the article:

"Ragsdale, though, says abortion is a "blessing," and not only in harsh situations but good ones: "When a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion—there is not a tragedy in sight—only blessing. The ability to enjoy God's good gift of sexuality without compromising one's education, life's work, or ability to put to use God's gifts and call is simply blessing."

This is what I've been talking about folks - this PERVERTED (twisted) view of children.  Instead of accepting the BIBLICAL view where God tells us they are a blessing and happy is the man that has a lot of them and in the New Testament that women should marry, BEAR CHILDREN, and guide the house..........its all twisted to fit the flesh.  Forget marriage - just live together.  Forget children - just take pills to mimic barrenness or kill them if they somehow get through your pills because ain't no baby going to ruin your plans and then spend your life thinking a career will fulfill you.  Surely God understands you can't be burdened down with his blessings - when he gives them to you, just kill them and tell God "no thanks".  Don't worry about the house, it can take care of itself and it isn't as fulfilling as filing papers in an office.

Notice how she glorifies 'God's good gift of sexuality', yet wants to leave out the part of what sex was intended for - reproduction.  God designed us that way and that was one of his first commands - be fruitful and multiply.  satan has twisted it so well to make people think that the things of this life (material), careers and education and the almighty dollar are where its at.


We who have been born again by the Spirit of God know that the only thing that fulfills is Christ.  Christ followers don't look for loopholes to fit their lifestyles, they don't live in sin any longer and they don't constantly seek ways to fulfill the lusts of the flesh.  These are the ways of the sinner - one who has never been delivered from sin.  "Loopholes to Hell" as Pastor put it this past week.

Quotes to Ponder

Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress. ~Alfred A. Montapert

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. ~Harry Truman

A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away. ~Thomas Jefferson

The tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach. ~Benjamin Mays

Thought is useful when it motivates for action, and a hindrance when it substitutes for action. ~Bill Raeder

Some people make things happen, some people watch things happen, and some ask what happened. ~Casey Stengel

Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamppost how it feels about dogs. ~Christopher Hampton

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self. ~Cyril Connolly

If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much. ~Donald H. Rumsfeld

Whether you think you can or think you can't -- you are right. ~Henry Ford

Facial Care Introduction; Products I Use

We have yet to start talking about facial care, someone had commented last year that they thought I was 19 or around there because of my skin lol.  Believe me it was the best compliment I have ever gotten! ; )  I'm not 19, but 29 and my skin is not the greatest.  I do believe you can do things to:
  1. Protect your skin from damage (wear sunscreen all the time!)
  2. Slow down skin damage you already caused
My skin regime has changed over the years, so I will start from the beginning.  I used to use Irish Spring to wash my face when I was a teenager and didn't know anything about face care.  Then my oldest Sister got us started on Clinique's 3-step system but it actually only gave me skin problems that I had never had before.  Then she started selling Mary Kay and we used those cleansers.  I did wear makeup back then and you needed a heavy duty cleanser to get all that junk off lol.

One thing I regret that I did from a child on up was sit out in the sun and go to our grandma's pool several days a week with NO SUNSCREEN!  I got so many sunburns growing up it was just normal for me.  I was never told I needed to protect my skin and what all that sun exposure and sunburns would do later on to my skin.  So I got my first wrinkle pretty early, not to mention freckles (but my husband loves my freckles and that is part of what attracted him to me, so I learned to love them when he showed me they are cute! lol)

When I stopped wearing makeup, I simply used Dove soap to wash my face and don't remember using any moisturizer.  I then had problems with my skin and seems like it became sensitive, so I started using Cetaphil cleanser and moisturizer for years.  Then I switched to Neutregena acne soap with Aveeno moisturizer because I had breakouts and then dry skin from the acne soap.

Something I have done for years is exfoliate with baking soda.  I keep a container of it in my shower and a couple times a month, I put some in my hand and mix a bit of water and then gently scrub it on my face and lips and hands and elbows and rinse.  It makes my skin smooth and is a cheap exfoliater and one I recommend!

A few months ago, after being frustrated by acne all the time and dull looking skin, I stepped out and tried something new.  I bought Olay's foaming face wash for sensitive skin and started to use it.  I noticed that my face was not as dry as normal and then I followed it up with my Aveeno moisturizer.  It cleaned my face gently but my moisturizer didn't seem to be doing the job anymore.

I tried Olay's Anti-wrinkle daily SPF moisturizer and at first it made my skin peel/flake but after 2 weeks it was fine and I have used it now for a few months and WOW what a difference it has made in my skin!  I figured it was so good, the night cream must be good also.  I tried it out and the first morning after using it the night before, I was impressed when I looked in the mirror and saw my skin was plump and my forehead wrinkles almost invisible.  I'm going to continue to use it a few nights a week.

I noticed that my acne had lessened dramatically since using the Olay anti-wrinkle moisturizer and I didn't know why but found out that the hydroxy acids in it actually help acne as well!  I finally found something that has really lessened my breakouts to just a few a month and also makes my skin look better.  I want to venture out and try some of the other Olay lines but for now I'm happy with this one. 

Don't be fooled into thinking you need an eye cream - I have always simply used my face moisturizer around my eye area.  Paula Begoun is a woman I trust who researches products (face and hair) and lets us know what ingredients are in them and what is good and what is bad.  She also has some videos on youtube.

Anonymous vs. Face to Face

What we need to realize is that the internet, email and any type of writing without the actual person present with their tone of voice or facial expression - you can skew and interpret wrongly what the author is saying. This happens a lot and even others I have talked to say the same thing. I would be here all day explaining things, because you only read what I write without hearing my tone of voice or the manner in which I'm presenting it. It can come across a different way then I intended.

It is easy to hide behind "anonymous" and say things to someone that you would never say to them face to face. I think the internet for some that use it that way has become a "weight" that so easily besets them. They are murdering each other with their own words, of which you will be judged with before God no matter if you used anonymous or not!

The internet is a blessing in some ways and a curse in others! It is hard to understand that so many want to actually read what I write. That also puts me in a place sometimes I don't want to be in. I don't want to 'blog to please' others or let this thing become something that I blog to make everyone happy - that would be being something I'm not and make me a hypocrite and just doing it for the acclaim of men. My motives are not as such, nor have they ever been - it does rub a lot of people the wrong way because they don't want to accept the differences of opinion and still love each other. Could you be found full of longsuffering for others or do you just give them one chance and when they mess it up in your eyes you throw them to the curb? Thank God he doesn't do that to us!

What I said about birth control and bearing children has got turned so many ways that sometimes I want to delete every post on the subject lol. I'm not a quiverfull believer, in the way that the group uses it as pride (not all are of this mentality but I'm speaking of the specific sect that is). They think how many children you have determines how blessed you are in God and that isn't so. I know GODLY Brothers and Sisters that have NO children who do more for God than some with a 'quiverfull'. Since when did the number of children you have make you somehow better than others? I've been thrown into the same category with this group even though I'm not of that mentality. I can't help what others "think" of me and I tried to explain myself but I guess people want to see only what they want to see.

I always see my faults and shortcomings and am always in amazement that some people think more of me than I do myself. Although, I also on the other hand never lack for those who think less of me and that they are better than me. I don't want to hurt anyone but I also have to be who God made me to be and that is a voice for Him. I think that a lot of people don't give me room to make mistakes or have faults. I wonder if God gives them mercy if they don't even give their Brother or Sister mercy? I'm always growing in the Lord and He (in His time for me) is always weeding out the bad and increasing the good in my life. I'm ever learning in Him and what some meant for bad or to harm me - He has used that to my good and made me stronger!

1 Peter 4:8
"And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

Just wanted to try and give a view into this, hopefully explain things about writing, blogs, emails, etc - to hopefully help you realize that just because you perceive something a certain way, you can't be sure because you did not hear the tone of voice or see the author face to face. Also, let's be careful that we aren't saying things we wouldn't say to someone's face in person - I've been called every curse word in the book seems like through this blog but as someone used to say in class "that comes with the territory". As Pastor has said this week, Beware when all men speak well of you! I have to say I don't have to worry about that lol. =0

In Love,

Bev

Guest Post: Simplifying the Home

Dear readers and friends of Christian Home keeping blog,

It is a pleasure for me to be asked by Bev to write a guest post about my home keeping tips and schedule for her blog. Bev is a lady of beauty. I love that its her hearts desire to follow the Lord, and that she has a blog created to encourage us in our roles as home keepers.

I like my home to be fresh, clean, simple and pretty. I recently titled my blog "Simply Pretty" because I want to create a simple and pretty home for my family. I believe that the key to keeping our homes organized is by living simpler. To me, that means having less material things in my home. I like the saying "Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful". I find that to be such great advice because the truth is, the more things that we have, the more we have to dust and clean!

Here are some of my tips to help with simplifying our home:
  • Start with going room to room. Keep only what is useful and what you truly love. And then give away the rest. It will make you feel so good to be able to bless others. And God will bless you too!
  • Pray that God will help you to see the beauty in the simple things. There is much beauty in simplicity. Women are creative, we can make our home look exquisite and breath taking by using a simple candle or flower in a pretty thrift shop tea cup! 
  • When your at a store and your standing there wondering if you should buy that specific item but your just not sure...Try this: say to yourself "If in doubt, go without" and leave it there and walk away! Chances are if you really love it, it will be there next time. Or maybe you will be happy that you didn't clutter up your house on something you didn't really love or need, and wont have to clean! 
  • I like to think up ways to be simple in my decorating in order to save money as well as time cleaning. So I look around my home and work with the items that I have. I've been known to do some unusual things like skipping on buying a silverware organizer and instead I throw a pretty lace linen in my silverware drawer and I literally dump the silverware into the drawer from my dishwasher. Simple, useful, and I think its looks cuter than a silverware divider. Not to mention its much easier to throw the linen in the wash instead of scrubbing those silverware dividers! I also like to purchase all the same style and color of hangers for my home. And all the same color towels because it makes things tidier.

Regarding making a home schedule, I have found that I get too overwhelmed if I make my schedule too detailed so that's why a Home Keeping binder doesn't work for me. I love the idea of one, but for me, its like having too much stuff. I need simplicity. This is what I did to make my Home keeping schedule..
  • I made a list of my Daily Tasks (my morning, afternoon and evening routine).
  • I made a list of ALL of my household cleaning and general life tasks, and from this list determined what needs to be done weekly or monthly. 
  • I found that the best way for me to view it would be by creating a blog specifically for this purpose...which you can view here.