It's All About ME

I've noticed an alarming trend in many circles of women lately - the seemingly increasing levels of selfishness.  No longer do women desire to be mothers or even wives for that matter but rather they want ME time and ME to-do lists and ME care and all the other ME's out there.  They start by throwing their children off on someone else for a night and then next thing you know they can't bothered with the nuisances and always going around screaming for their ME time.

Next thing you know, they resent time with their husbands and homemaking.  They spend all day OUTside of the home and before long they are not any different than the women who works on a job.  Actually, sometimes, the women working on a job does a better job at mothering and being a wife than some homemakers do.

The more you feed the selfishness, the bigger it grows.  The more you think you deserve time to yourself, your desires, your hobbies and so forth and push your children and husbands off of the priority list - the more you get full of your self.  Usually selfish people do not even see that they are - but others notice it in how they talk about their children, husbands and duties as a homemaker.

Not only does the one doing this hurt themselves but they also injure their husbands, children and the all around spirit of their own homes.  The husband finds something else (or someone else) to engross himself in since the wife can't be bothered.  The children act out with being disobedient yearning for attention because mom is too busy with her wants and desires.  The home is forsaken and becomes a den for filth, laziness and clutter.  All the while the mother/wife is sitting idly in the corner checking her myface and glorying in her self at the expense of her God-given duties.

These behaviors don't happen overnight, rather they are gradually introduced into your life one at a time.  You get used to and start liking being without your children.  You get used to and start liking not having to tend to or serve your husband.  You get used to and start liking updating your myface 10 hours a day and letting the house go to waste.  However, there is a remedy - its called repentance!

God first, others second and ME last.  Take care of your walk with God first.  Take care of your family second and then what's left is for you.  This is the true source of personal happiness and peace within.  It is also the way you can turn your chaotic home into one of a loving environment to where your children and husband will rise up and call you blessed.  Oh yes, let's get back to FULL time roles of mothering, wifery and homemaking for the gospel's sake!

Agents of Ideological Indoctrination

Another great article from Albert Mohler about professors at colleges and universities across our nation. They have an agenda and its one of ripping morals and Christianity from your children's minds.  The quotes from these professors are startling and what's even more alarming is that they openly admit their agendas.

Here are some quotes from the article:
“We need to encourage everyone to be in college for as many years as they possibly can,” this professor wrote, “in the hope that somewhere along the line they might get some exposure to the world outside their town, and to moral ideas not exclusively derived from their parents’ religion."

"... loyal dittoheads will continue to drop off their children a the dorms. After a teary-eyed hug, Mom and Dad will drive their SUV off toward the nearest gas station, leaving their beloved progeny behind.”

Then what? He proudly claims: “And then they are all mine.”

And then they are all mine. That’s right, a significant number of professors are happy to have parents spend 18 years raising children, only to drop them off on the campus and head back home. These professors are confident that the four or so years of the college experience will be ample time to separate students from the beliefs, convictions, moral commitments, and faith of their parents.

Stop the InSTUFFity!


Our society is so bent on stuff that I say its high time that we stop the inSTUFFity!  ;-)  Even in my own life, over the past year, I reached the place of true contentment and found that it wasn't material goods that gave it.  I grew up in a family that bought stuff to feel good.  They showed love for you by buying you stuff and my dad's favorite phrase was "I bought it because I love you Bev".  Now, in part that was true - buying others things is a selfless act and according to the Bible we SHOULD want to give good things to our children, but at the same time - money can't buy love.

I grew up just like my family, feeling that we need stuff to be happy.  Even after salvation, I thought we must have stuff.  My husband is totally opposite for he grew up in a very frugal family and could wear shoes out till they are literally falling apart lol!  So God putting the 2 of us together was pure genius!  However, over the years I only became a burden and millstone to my husband by using all his hard-earned money to buy myself "happiness".  Time and time again he would let me spend, spend, spend, only to find that it never made either of us truly happy.

It took me YEARS to come to the realization that I had to stop the inSTUFFity!  This past year has been transitional for me and life changing.  God has really done a work in my life through the school of hard knocks and life's experiences teaching me.  I needed this.  I needed the hard way because it was going to take that to reprogram my brain from the way I had been raised.

It actually started back in 2007, when God stopped me dead in my tracks and I spent 13 days in the hospital.   It was then that it really all began but this past year it was finalized.  I can now say in all honesty, that I'm truly content and happy and it isn't because of stuff.  I found out what I truly value and now see through the consumeristic fix for what it truly is - an endless pursuit of happiness that is never satisfied.

Now, when I purchase things and bring them into my home - I have to find how they will be useful.  With my daughter, I let her buy what she wants with the money she earns but also try and teach her to value things but she is a kid and can't seem to grasp that yet lol.  I've also purged our home and am always continually purging what has no value, use or that I don't have a love for.  I'm still struggling to let some things go, but day by day, God is helping me.

We went to IKEA yesterday and years ago if I had gone there, I would have walked out with a house full of things on a credit card but now its just a few things with money I saved being frugal in other areas.  This time I walked out with just a few items that will serve a use in our home.

I can testify to you all right now that living simple is the way to go!  You have more time to LIVE LIFE and less time taking care of your stuff!  The more stuff you have, the more TIME you spend maintaining it.  Now, I only clean once a week and have more time to do things I love and to spend with my family.  You make time for the things that YOU think are important.  I think my husband and child are important - so I make the time to homeschool my child and to meet my husband's needs.  I don't love stuff more than them.  I don't need stuff to fulfill me.  THANK GOD, I'm not that shallow anymore!!

There are numerous stories online of people that have reached this epiphany in their life that I have.  You may remember my dear friend, Candy's story here.  Then, today I came across this story and here is a quote that is so true:

People matter, not stuff, and your house is nothing more than a closet — just a big place to store all your stuff.”

People should read that quote, frame it and put it on their shelf to remind them of this great truth!  Our society is so fixed on stuff to the abandonment of their own families that its sickening!  I was one of them but by God's grace he has lead me to a better way, and for that, I'm forever grateful.

This is only the beginning of my journey.  I got my heart and values in the right place and now its time for action.  I hope to chronicle my journey as I go and already have blogged on a few of them, such as getting rid of my desk and going without cell phones.  I still have a LONG way to go because we still have too much stuff!  More on that in another post.........

Nothing is too Hard for the Lord!

God has performed a miracle for our family!!!!  My insurance has been fighting to pay our bills lately and denied a large one that was about $18,000.  I filed an appeal and then I sent in my appeal letter.  We all gathered around and put our hands on the letter and prayed and claimed it in the name of Jesus and mailed it off.  It's been about 3 months and I have to admit, at times I was worried but reassured myself that NOTHING is too hard for the Lord!

I got home a little while ago and got the mail and I saw it.......the answer.  I opened it up outside and then saw that I had won my appeal!!!!!!!!  I shouted and jumped all around and my neighbors were outside and probably wondering what in the world was going on but I couldn't help it but to praise my Lord!!!!

God is so good and we are so thankful to have this off of us!!!  NOTHING is too hard for the Lord!!!!!!

Homekeeping Schedule

When we get back to homeschooling, my homekeeping schedule gets a bit more rigid.  I feel very disorganized, chaotic and mentally stressed out if I don't have a conscious understanding of what needs to get done and what my priorities are.  So here is my homekeeping schedule and I have been following this up until my back injury but will return to it when we return to homeschooling.


Monday - dishes, wipe counters
Tuesday - 3 hour cleaning marathon; ALL laundry
Wednesday - dishes, wipe counters
Thursday - dishes, wipe counters
Friday - dishes, wipe counters


As you can see, every day but Tuesday is just washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen counters.  I've learned, if you clean the whole house one day a week, that is sufficient.  Unless of course, you are a slob lol!  Also, I set rules for my daughter that she can't bring any toys or papers, etc into the common areas unless she asks permission and then cleans up afterwards.  That way I don't have toys, papers and the like strewn all over the house!

My Tuesday 3-hour-marathon cleaning is where it all gets done.  I've done it this way up until I injured my back and it works.  I do both bathrooms - toilets, counters, floors, mirrors; Vacuum all floors, sweep and mop all others; Dust; straighten.  While homeschooling during the day and through the evening, I do all the laundry and then fold Tuesday night.  I can tell that Tuesday night is the most rewarding feeling when its ALL done!  ;-)

For fall and spring cleaning - those things take me a week of cleaning everyday and I have yet to do my fall cleaning and hoping I will be able to but if not - honestly, the walls and under the stove, etc. can wait till spring.

My daughter cleans her room and I only go in there twice a year (every 6 months) to organize, sort and go through her clothes.  Like for instance, every fall and spring I go through her clothes and shoes and store whatever doesn't fit anymore and do an inventory of what she needs.  Next month we will be doing all that, so maybe I can share a bit more on that later.

Weekends are when I do extras I may want to do and I also take a glance at what's ahead for the homeschool that coming week.  Weekends are our families - whatever days.  We are busy with church activities and yard work.

As far as meals go - I can tell that you from April-July I only cooked 3 times!  That was thanks to my freezer/batch cooking.  I used to cook about 90 days during that time and to go from 90 to 3 - whew! Gotta love that once-a-month-cooking!  I'm planning to do my next month's meals next week and even want to try sometime this winter, doing 2 or 3 months worth of freezer meals to get ahead.  I just got 2 new OAMC cookbooks and going to try some new recipes.

Homosexual Judge Rules Gender not Essential to Marriage

Yesterday, a homosexual federal judge declared that gender is no longer an essential part of marriage.  Marriage is between 2 people, not 2 genders.

“Gender no longer forms an essential part of marriage; marriage under law is a union of equals.”

He overturned the PEOPLE'S vote on Proposition 8 and it alarms many that a federal judge could overturn a vote of the people of a state.  He himself was not elected by the people but rather appointed by former President Bush.   This man had so much power that he could rule over the public vote in such a great matter.

I recommend all to read Albert Mohler's commentary on this ruling.  Here are some alarming quotes from this homosexual federal judge's conclusions:

Religious beliefs that gay and lesbian relationships are sinful or inferior to heterosexual relationships harm gays and lesbians.”

Children do not need to be raised by a male parent and a female parent to be well-adjusted, and having both a male and a female parent does not increase the likelihood that a child will be well-adjusted.”

“The gender of a child’s parent is not a factor in the child’s adjustment. The sexual orientation of an individual does not determine whether that individual can be a good parent.”

If you think this won't affect you - YOU NEED TO WAKE UP!  This is the foundation of your children being required to be taught that marriage is genderless and that homosexuality is normal.

People have shut up for too long and its time that God's people cry out for Him to heal our land!  It's time we train our children up in the way they should go and not let others do this!  It is time we don't put them under FALSE teaching but guard their minds from such immorality!

Maybe this can serve as a great wake up call to the sleeping Christians - I sure hope it doesn't take more than this to awaken some.

Would You Still Be Called a Christian?




Would You Still Be Called a Christian?
by Barbara Cagle Ray

Would you still be called a Christian,
If others could hear every word you say?
What if they read your inner thoughts,
And saw the places you go every day?

If others saw how you treat your parents,
Would the word "honor" come to mind?
And if they looked at the books you read,
Would you be ashamed of what they'd find?

How about the movies that you attend,
Could you ask the preacher to go along?
What about the kind of tunes you sing,
Is your character echoed in the songs?

Could the world see Christ in your life,
When with misfortune it was overrun?
If others could see inside your hearts,
Would you still be called a Christian?

Physician's Prayer

My doctor, who is a DO, has this on his wall and had to share.  I'm not sure if this is the exact one but it was the closet I could find online - next time I'm there maybe I will write it down - it truly brings tears to my eyes of thankfulness that my doctor looks to God to help him!


PHYSICIAN’S PRAYER

O Lord, in Your wisdom and power and love, you heal the sick when all other help has failed and restore men to life after life itself is done.

I pray that You will light my mind with thorough knowledge and remedies for my patients ills and touch my heart with deep compassion for their sufferings.

When I stretch out my hand to minister to the sick, let me heal them with a portion of Your wisdom and Your power.

And when they are not to be healed, let me help them to a deeper faith and resignation in Your love.

Amen

What Will You Sacrifice?

I noticed this news story today and then continued to read more of the article on the dailymail from the UK.  Emma Thompson, a well-known actor, is declaring to women everywhere that you can't have it all - a career and family.  She was interviewed for an article in Good Housekeeping and she says of course you could hire someone to do things for you at home but she said she could never do that and trying to juggle it all - something has to give.

Here are some quotes:
"no woman can have the perfect career and be a faultless mother - at the same time"

"Her intervention comes at a time when the idea of 'having it all' is under attack from working mothers who find themselves run into the ground as they chase an impossible dream.

Even its most ardent cheerleaders such as novelist Fay Weldon are thinking again as they see the effects on family life."

"You can't be a great mum and work the whole time necessarily; those two things aren't ideal.

'We have an awful lot to work on and to debate about in relation to our working lives, because it isn't working for a lot of people, particularly for a lot of women."

She even inspired another actor's wife to put more into her husband and do more things for him so that he could be the breadwinner. Listen to what she had to say:

'Emma, you kind of gave me the idea that a part of my life, a part of my mind, has to be devoted to my husband. My mother's generation has been bucking against that.

'But I've just been finding so much pleasure in sacrificing sometimes for my husband - going to where he's working and tidying up his trailer because he couldn't manage to do it, and bringing him things that will make him feel better, and being a wife in a more classical way. It feels really right to me.'

It truly was an encouraging story and one we hear so often nowadays.

Related posts:
Feminist Pioneer says Traditional Family Roles Work
Joy of Time with Children
Feminist Learns Value of Life - Love, Children and Baking