Why We Do What We Do: We Eat...

“You are what you eat” is so very true. Most Americans eat what is on the shelves at the grocery store based on what they are familiar with, what is on sale, or what is the latest fad (think South Beach) without giving much thought to what is actually in the food. Why would you need to wonder what is in the food anyway, the USDA and the FDA makes sure the food is good for you, right?

It didn't take much digging around for me to decide the USDA is about the last entity I want to trust in deciding what I am willing to put into my body. With my research and learning over the years, the way I see food, and therefore the way I feed my family has changed dramatically. I no longer walk into a grocery store looking for the best deals. With effort and planning, I have figured out how to feed my large family well, with foods that nourish instead of break down. I believe that many of our health problems today are caused by a combination of misinformation, ignorance, and laziness.

I believe our bodies are a gift from the Lord, and a temple to the Holy Spirit. While I believe that all things are available to us, as in food is no longer unclean (1 Corinthians 10:2), I still believe we are held accountable for what we choose to do with that body. Let me be clear here: I do not believe you have to eat a certain way to be a “good Christian” but I do believe there are consequences for every action we take.

In the beginning were given a garden full of beautiful fruits and vegetables to eat of, and enjoy. Or bodies haven't changed, they haven't “adapted” to eat non living things created by man in chemistry labs out of convenience. If you read the labels on almost any item in the aisles of your favorite grocery store, you will find a plethora of man created non-living ingredients. We eat them with little thought of what they are doing to our guts, or what they are storing up inside for us. We eat them because they are convenient now, but will they be convenient later? I am not trying to live forever, I can't even extend my life by one day, but I can make an effort to affect the quality of it.

“But I can't afford to eat healthy” is the number one rejection I hear. It was also my biggest hindrance on my journey to grasping a more healthy lifestyle. It does take effort, but I assure you, it can be done. Proverbs 31 says: “she gets her food from afar.” I am thinking Lemuel's mother wasn't talking about Jack-in-the-Box. There are many resources from which to purchase good food. I am currently stationed in a beautiful farm country, so I have farmer's markets and local co-ops at my disposal, but I realize that isn't always the case. In Mississippi, I was convinced they had never heard the word organic. I had to get the things that were most important to me from afar, (think Amazon.com.)

When I first started to make changes, I was overwhelmed.  Before this posts turns into a book, I'll just share a few pointers that might get you going in the right direction.  Baby steps!

1. Read up, do some research. Ignorance is not bliss!  Take some time to read a couple of articles from some alternative (as in not USDA approved) sites. Borrow a book from the library about living foods. Ask the butcher at your grocer where the meat comes from. Check out the movie Food Inc. from the Redbox/Library/Blockbuster near you. It came out a few years ago, but I only  watched it for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It is very beneficial to understanding where the food at the grocery store comes from and will inspire you to make some changes.
   
   
2. Make small changes. Don't shock your family and your system by going from Stouffer's to salad and quinoa in one day.  Figure out the products you consume the most of and start purchasing differently there. Fruits and veggies are an easy choice, almost every grocery store carries organic options for comparable prices. If your family drinks a lot of milk, start there. Organic milk is more expensive, but you don't need to drink as much to get the benefits.
   
   
3. Slow down. Microwave worlds don't mix well with healthy bodies or minds. Take the time to plan out meals, and make them at home. We all have the same 24 hours in a day, how do you want to spend yours? Always rushed, stressed, and eating dead things does not make for a thriving and vibrant life. If you eat cereal in the morning, buy organic granola instead. Too expensive? Homemade granola is super easy to make (my children take turns making it for us), and cheaper than commercial “cardboard-sugar-puffs.”  If you typically eat out 3 times a week, try planning and eating out only once, work your way down.
   
   
4. Search out one item that you can buy local. Anything grown or produced locally is going to be far more fresh, and more beneficial for your economy. It is worth it to pay an extra dollar per dozen of eggs that comes from your neighbor's back yard. It is worth it to drive 45 minutes to get milk from the local cow.  A vine ripened tomato tastes amazing to that thing in the store that was picked green and trucked across the country and then sprayed with gas to make it turn red and be labeled tomato.

We noticed after awhile we no longer wanted that candy-bar, and that much needed soda suddenly make us feel sick. Just a handful of blueberries will become your new sweet treat.  You never even knew what you were missing!

Start small. Make it fun. Taste the difference.

Blessed be the LORD, my rock!

The ladies are learning Proverbs 31, beginning with verse 25 thru 31, "Strength and Dignity." They actually already have it down, so we're moving onto the rest of the 'Woman of God' section starting from verse 10.

The boys are learning the much more manly focused Psalm 144. I am spending time instructing the young gentlemen that men are to be protectors of the weak & innocent, defending truth & justice, and helping the helpless. They are learning how a man defends ladies, protects their purity, keeps their sisters safe, and treats women as sisters in Christ. It is not common in our culture to encourage boys to learn to fight, and be "trained for war," but it is biblical that men will not go picking fights, yet they will be prepared to stand up for the cause of justice when necessary. I fully expect that these young men will one day be husbands and fathers, and that they will be required to protect their wives, and children.

'But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.' 1 Tim 5:8

Of course, it is not hard to encourage boys to play guns, swords, wrestling, or any other physical activity...they were built for it!

The full text that the boys are learning

Blessed be the LORD, my rock,

who trains my hands for war,

and my fingers for battle;

he is my steadfast love and my fortress,

my stronghold and my deliverer,

my shield and he in whom I take refuge,

who subdues peoples under me.

O LORD, what is man that you regard him,

or the son of man that you think of him?

Man is like a breath;

his days are like a passing shadow.

Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down!

Touch the mountains so that they smoke!

Flash forth the lightning and scatter them;

send out your arrows and rout them!

Stretch out your hand from on high;

rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,

from the hand of foreigners,

whose mouths speak lies

and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

I will sing a new song to you, O God;

upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,

who gives victory to kings,

who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.

Rescue me and deliver me

from the hand of foreigners,

whose mouths speak lies

and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

May our sons in their youth

be like plants full grown,

our daughters like corner pillars

cut for the structure of a palace;

may our granaries be full,

providing all kinds of produce;

may our sheep bring forth thousands

and ten thousands in our fields;

may our cattle be heavy with young,

suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;

may there be no cry of distress in our streets!

Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!

Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!

(Psalm 144 ESV)

Here is Pops, showing off his memory verse skills!

Joy in the Simple

In my ongoing search for true contentment, I have begun to realize the importance of finding joy in the simple and in recognizing the Creator's handiwork all around me.

My sweet daughter brought me some simple joy the other evening.

I could have said "those are just weeds, throw them in the trash" and thrown a daughter's smile in the trash along with the weeds.  I would have also thrown away my chance for a taste of joy.

By the Grace of God, I took those beautiful weeds and put them in my precious grandmother's creamer and placed it on the windowsill.  Simple, right?

At the giving of thanks for our bread that night, Sweet Butter (4) breathed pure Joy "Father God, thank You for this day, thank You for our food, and thank You for all the beautiful flowers You planted, like the Dandelions, Amen."

And my eyes swelled with simple joy.

Search for Him, He is there. And Smile. When you feel like there are just too many weeds, make a bouquet!

Of Cheerfulness.

This is from the 1824 Blue Back Speller that was used by many of our founding fathers to educate their children and grandchildren.

Of CHEERFULNESS

Q. Is cheerfulness a virtue?

A. It doubtless is, and a moral duty to practice it.

Q. Can we be cheerful when we please?

A. In general it depends much on ourselves. We can often mold our tempers into a cheerful frame. --We can frequent company and other objects calculated to inspire us with cheerfulness. To indulge an habitual gloominess of mind is weakness and sin.

Q. What are the effects of cheerfulness on ourselves?

A. Cheerfulness is a great preservative of health, over which it is our duty to watch with care. We have no right to sacrifice our health tby the indulgence of a gloomy state of mind. Besides, a cheerful man will do more business, and do it better, than a melancholy one.

Q. What are the effects of cheerfulness on others?

A. Cheerfulness is readily communicated to others, by which means their happiness is increased. We are all influenced by sympathy, and naturally partake of the joys and sorrows of others.

Q. What effect has melancholy on the heart?

A. It hardens and benumbs it—It chills the warm affections of love and friendship, and prevents the exercise of the social passions. A melancholy person's life is all night and winter. It is as unnatural as perpetual darkness and frost.

Q. What shall one do when overwhelmed with grief?

A. The best method of expelling grief from the mind, or of quieting its pains, is to change the objects that are about us; to ride from place to place, and frequent cheerful company. It is our duty so to do, especially when grief sits heavy on the heart.

Q. Is it not right to grieve for the loss of our friends?

A. It is certainly right; but we should endeavor to moderate our grief, and not suffer it to impair our health, or to grow into a settled melancholy. The use of grief is to soften the heart and make us better. But when our friends are dead, we can render them no further service. Our duty to them ends, when we commit them to the grave; but our duty to ourselves, our families, and surviving friends, requires that we perform to them the customary offices of life. We should therefore remember our departed friends only to imitate their virtues; and not to pine away with useless sorrow.

Q. Has not religion a tendency to fill the mind with gloom?

A. True religion never has this effect. Superstition and false notions of God, often make men gloomy; but true rational piety and religion have the contrary effect. They fill the mind with joy and cheerfulness and the countenance of a truly pious man should always wear a serene smile.

Q. What has Christ said concerning gloomy Christians?

A. He has pronounced them hypocrites; and commanded his followers not to copy their sad countenances and disfigured faces; but even in their actos of humiliation to “anoint their heads and wash their feet.” Christ intended by this, that religion does not consist in, nor require a monkish sadness and gravity; on the other hand, he intimates that such appearances of sanctity are generally the marks of hypocrisy. He expressly enjoins upon this followers marks of cheerfulness. Indeed, the only true ground of perpetual cheerfulness, is, a consciousness of ever having done well, and an assurance of divine favor.

My, how far school has come. Or more precisely, how far it has degraded...

I hope you enjoyed, and be of good cheer!

Following Through, The Quiet Heart

My BFTKC friend recently pointed out that it isn't nice to start a series on your blog and not follow through... So I thought I'd let you know that I have every intention of following through on my series about contentment.  I am just doing some more field research, you know, so I can give more accurate and practical advice on how to have a quiet heart.

When I told dad my great idea to live in a travel trailer he laughed.  I couldn't possibly have been serious, right?  Well, my idea was to live in a trailer for a year.  (In the beginning I wouldn't even call it a trailer. I preferred to call it something more much more refined.  Like RV, so it sounded more like a vacation home than trailer trash, but I am so over that.  I totally live in a trailer and I have junk in my yard to prove it.)
We have had an amazing time in this trailer.  We have grown so close as a family.  Our lives have changed completely.  I know we will refer back to this time over and again for the rest of our lives.  I can already hear my children telling their children "We had the best time the year we lived in the travel trailer, we learned..."

But.
A year came.
A year went.
We aren't too far off from a year and a half.
And there is no end in sight.

I read an article some time ago about how most Americans wash the outside of their body at least once a day, sometimes even twice, but almost never wash the inside.  That was true of my family, the only time we spent in the Word was on Sunday mornings.  Not any more.  Nope.  We wash in the Word every morning and every evening and usually once or twice more during our school day.   And we no longer shower every day.  Not even every other day.  (Yes, that is what you were smelling, lol) I never knew I could be so blessed by being stinky.  HA!  I digress.

Back to the point. We hit a year in July.  It didn't make any sense to move out of the trailer at a year we were supposed to be outta here in October.  It's closing in on December.  It's cold. (Not today, today feels like I'm in the Amazon) It is wet.  My Pickles are frozen again. I have no running hot water.  The roof leaks onto my "closet/dirty laundry room/storage room" I want to take a shower and I'm not even talking every day.  Every other day would be quite nice.  I want a bed I can walk around instead of crawling over.  I would like to bake bread in an oven instead of contorting a bread pan to fit inside a crock pot and guessing how many hours it will take to bake.

Dad is set to get his selection about a day or so before he gets his Wings of Gold (as long as nothing unforeseen happens).  That is sometime during the week before Christmas (they have already changed the date a time or two) and in that we only find out where we are going.  We won't find out when we have to be there until a week before we have to be there.  We could have to be there before Christmas.  Or we could have to be there in February.  But we won't know until it's time to pack and leave.

So today we decided we are going to decorate for Christmas.  So I have to go to the storage unit and dig for the decorations box that I smartly buried in the back because we were going to be outta here in October.  I have no idea where our cold weather clothes are located.  I am thankful for our friends who have graciously blessed us with some warm dresses for my girls for the days it dropped below freezing.

I have learned more than I could ever post here. I will cherish this time forever. I am not complaining.

But I wasn't prepared to spend another cold, wet, yucky winter in this tiny little tin can humble home.

So, I am practicing Contentment.  I am trying to focus on the blessings of this home.  I am keeping very busy with school, healthy eating without an oven or stove and with a refrigerator that is actually a freezer, planning a celebration for Dad's winging, and preparing for Christmas.  Christmas that might be in Mississippi in a trailer or somewhere else in this Great Country in a trailer or house.  Do not feel sorry for me. I am not complaining.  I am growing, stretching, learning. I am being made flexible, pliable, teachable. And I am rejoicing in the growth of my children, my husband and myself.  Thankful for all we have been blessed with.  God is good.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. ~Amen.   Philippians 4:4-20

A Reformation Celebration!

We have been celebrating this weekend!  No, not Halloween.  We haven't participated in Halloween since our eldest was a baby.  Sure, we have bounced around from doing nothing at all, to going a Fall Festival at a local church, but we have always felt it was pointless. We realized early on it just wasn't good.  Here is something I received last week that seemed put it into words for us.

Our country is in the grip of a fear crisis. The tension because of this fear is almost palpable. There is fear over elections, fear over the economy, and fear over hundreds of other issues ranging from the environment to terrorism.

The one fear that America is missing is a fear of the Lord. As a people, we no longer fear God. Because we do not fear God, we no longer hate evil (Proverbs 8:13).

Instead of hating evil, Americans toy with it. We toy with holidays like Halloween that were conceived in evil and that promote the “cute-ification” of evil, whether that evil takes the form of witchcraft, sorcery, ghoulishness, or some other form of malevolent imagery paraded before our children. We laugh at the very things that the Lord describes as “abominations,” and we find ourselves obsessively fascinated by, and attracted to, all things dark.

Yet we do not fear the Lord.      

You can read this article by Doug Philips in it's entirety here.

It just so happens we have found something far better to do with the last few days of October.  We celebrate the Reformation.  I would venture to say that most Americans have little more than a faint memory of something learned in school about King Henry VIII and the Roman Church. Sadly most don't even know what the Reformation is, even those claiming to be Christians. I'll do my best to sum it up.

The Roman Catholic Church and it's beliefs and practices like purgatory, particular judgment, devotion to Mary, the intercession of the saints, most of the sacraments, and the authority of the Pope were under attack. On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed his Nintey-Five Thesis to the door of Wittenberg Castle challenging the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church on its many false practices such as selling indulgences, the scam of paying money to the church which claimed it would get dead family members out of purgatory, and the others mentioned earlier.  On November 1st, All Saints Day, flocks of people found and read this thesis, thus the birth of the Protestant Reformation.  There were many events, several of which cost many men their lives, whose purpose was to reform the medieval Roman Cathloic Church. These had great impact on the church as we know it today, as well as the world, by returning the Bible alone, not the Bible and man made traditions, as the authority in the life of the believer, as well as the Bible being made available in the language of the common person. Now people can read with their own eyes that God alone saves, not God and the Church, not God and the Pope, not God and 10 Hail Mary's, but the Scriptures alone, faith alone, God alone.

We have spent the month of October learning about great men like Martin Luther, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, Thomas Cranmer, and others, and their contributions to the Reformation as well as Pope Leo X, King Henry VIII, Bloody Mary, and others in opposition to this Reformation.  We nailed our own Ninety-Five Thesis to the bathroom door, burned our own Papal Bull and ran from Pope Leo, and many other exciting things to learn and remember these significant events.

We used  this book for our family worship and recommend it for your own study.  There are many other excellent resources out there for adults as well as children, let me know if you are interested.

To close our month long study, we attended the 18th annual Reformation Conference at Audubon Drive Bible Church in Laurel, MS.  The key note speakers, Michael Haykin and Don Whitney, were excellent.  I will post links to the incredible sermons they gave once they are made available.

The Reformation reclaimed the Scriptural teaching of the Sovereignty of God over every aspect of the believer's life. All of life is to be lived to the glory of God.  As the Westminster Shorter Catechism states, "Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." Therefore, every activity of the Christian is to be sanctified unto the glory of God. ~Pastor Jerry Marcellino, Audubon Drive Bible Church

Soli Deo Gloria!

To God Alone be the Glory!

lessons from the Travel Trailer- The Quiet Heart pt. 2 EDIT

I just wanted to clarify, since I left you all hanging... No one is sick or in danger in anyway.  The bombshell is related to Jets and moving.  That is all I'm going to say about that...

and just a bit more on Denial. I was in a bit of a rush when I threw that post out last night and I had some more I wanted to say. I am serious here.


Whatever rustles up your feathers, deny yourself.


If you are in a hurry at the grocery store and feel yourself stomping your foot at the teenager chewing her gum like a 2 year old and ringing people up in slow motion, purposely put a huge smile on your face and ask her how her day is going when it's finally your turn.  Better yet, find an even longer line and wait even longer with a huge smile on your face.


If you just have to have a new black sweater for the fall because it goes with everything, do not buy it.  Go out in the chilly weather for a few days with no sweater and be cold.  Then throw on last years brown sweater with a huge smile and forget about that black one you had to have.


So you are out of baby wipes and carrots and your husband forgets to stop at the store on his way home even though you reminded him three times.  Do not say a word. Do not run to the store.  Throw some paper towels into the wipes bucket with some water and a squirt of soap and put a huge smile on your face.  Oh, and make your chicken soup with sweet potato instead of carrots.  Or just have broth.  With a huge smile on your face. (This didn't actually happen of course, my husband had the day off yesterday. But we are out of wipes and carrots, so I practiced my huge smile.)

Tell me how you do this week, what are some of the things you need to deny yourself? And how is your huge smile coming along?

Lessons from the Travel Trailer- The Quiet Heart pt. 2

Wouldn't you know, about an hour after I posted about having a quiet heart, I got a bombshell dropped on me.  It's a test so big, I can't even tell you about it until after it passes...  Then as I was typing this the circuit popped and we lost power so I had to start all over again.  I wanted to whine about it, but that would be really tacky.

So I have spent a lot of time thinking about Contentment this week.  I must admit, much of that time was spent being discontent.  I knew once I posted about it I would get lots of chances to practice.

You asked for some practical applications for battle in the heat of the discontentment.  This week I will share the first plan of attack I have come up with.


Denial.  No, I don't mean act like you are not discontent.  I mean deny yourself of that which you are pinning for.  If you are grouchy and you suddenly realize you haven't had your coffee yet, deny yourself the coffee.  If there is a mess of books and you start trying to figure out how to skimp on your groceries for the perfect shelf system, don't buy it.  Why would I do that?  Why wouldn't I just have my coffee or buy my book self? Wouldn't that solve everything?! Sure, if you give yourself the thing that is causing your irritation, your discontentment would be gone.  


For the moment.

But you haven't taught your heart to be quiet.  You have only given the screaming child in the checkout line of the grocery store the candy bar he's throwing the fit for.  He will now throw a fit every time he is in the line.

If a wise man cannot bring his condition to his mind, he will honestly endeavor to bring his mind to his condition.  But the ambitious (fool) will not do this. He will be content with nothing gained because each elevation widens his horizon and gives him a view of something else that he greatly longs for, so he is tossed from vanity to vanity, a stranger to solid peace.  Art thou ambitious (a fool)?  Then thou art thine own tormentor.

~William S. Plumer (1802-1880)

Lessons from the Travel Trailer

So I meant to publish a post about lessons we learned during our year in the travel trailer, but we hit a year way back in July and I still haven't found time to tap something out...

In the beginning it was so exciting but I wasn't sure that once the newness wore off I'd be able to survive a year in the trailer.  It has been over a year now and everyday has been an adventure. But there is also lot of drudgery.  Pushing through it all, I would have to say the most valuable lesson I have learned is one on contentment.  Well, I can't really say I have learned it, I should say I will be learning it for the rest of my life.

It doesn't matter how big (or small) my house is, how well it is decorated, how much laundry is piled up, or if I have a dishwasher. It doesn't matter what my grocery budget is- if I am eating healthy food or not, using an oven or a skillet, or even if I have running hot water.  It doesn't matter if I am able to buy every little thing my heart desires or if I am searching the van cup holders for a dime to buy a meal.  It doesn't matter if I have a thousand dollar top rated homeschool curriculum or a library card and a pencil.  Not one bit of any of that matters if I have a crappy attitude.

My mind is full of a nagging little never ending list of wants:
"If I could just learn this, go there, or buy that" or "I really need a...(insert just about anything from a fingernail file and hair dye to a laptop and a kitchen aid.)" If I keep thinking about them, they begin to gnaw on me and before I know it I am grumbling at everyone around me because my "poor me with out my such-n-such" attitude drips out of my mouth.

Contentment in every condition is a great art, a spiritual mystery.  It is to be learned and to be learned as a mystery. And so in verse 12, [Paul] affirms, "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed."

The verse Jeremiah Burroughs (1599-1647) is referring to is Philippians 4:12 and it follows "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."  Burroughs also states that:

Contentment is a sweet, inward heart thing.  Not only must the tongue hold its peace: the soul must be silent.  It is the quiet of the heart.

Some people may be good at keeping quite on the outside, at wearing a poker face in whatever situation life throws at them, but if there is a waging war in their heart, they are no better off than the person throwing a full blown temper tantrum.

I have only a few short months left in this tiny little abode that is bursting with memories.  It is my prayer that I will learn a great deal about contentment before we move on to a "real house" and I am tempted to fill in the empty spaces with something from my little nagging list of never ending wants.  In fact, I hope to throw out my list all together!  So~ be looking for my new series of posts on Contentment as I dig deeper to find what it truly means.

The Way of Man

Let's face it.  Most of us a think we are right.  I know I often think I know the best way for everything.  We wander through our day thinking what we think with out ever considering what we think might actually be wrong.  If something or someone does challenge the way we think, we brush it off with some excuse:


"My way is logical..." 
"In my experience..." 
"I was taught..."
"I was raised..."


But who's standard am I trying to live up to?  My own??  


I hope not.  Let me tell you a bit about my own standard.




My standard is wicked.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can understand it? ~Jeremiah 17:9

My standard is not good.

None is righteous, no, not one; no one does good, not even one.  ~Romans 3:10 & 12 

My standard falls short.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God ~Romans 3:23

My standard is wrong.

There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death. ~Proverbs 14:12

Lean on your own understanding and trust the ways of the people around you?  Think that you are wise and follow the rest of society?  It only takes a moment to look around you to see where that leads...


So the answer is no, I am not trying to live up to my own standard.  Luckily, the Creator of the Universe has left me with a much higher ground to stand on and an instruction book.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.  It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. ~Proverbs 3:5-8

Foolish woman

Boy, I was grouchy last night.  I think I was having flashbacks of my days of folly- the end of pregnancy seems to push my buttons ;-)

The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down. ~Proverbs 14:1

Yup, that used to be me. Angry, irritated, and bitter about all that had "gone wrong" in my life. I was carrying all that ugly stuff on my shoulders and slinging it at anybody that pushed my buttons.
I was tearing my house down.


I wish I could say I woke up one morning and decided to change and poof, a new, pleasant and kind me stood in the grumbly cantankerous me's place. Nope. I had to see my ugliness for what it was, be pained by it, and hate it, before I could change it.

Sin comes with many names. Pride, thinking I deserve to have things they way I want them. Discontentment, getting irritated when things aren't just the way I imagined or planned. Irritation, when someone isn't doing just what I think they should be doing, when I think they should be doing it. Self pity, "why do I always have to..."
Those are all sins. Selfishness, pride, anger...


A few years ago I began to realize I wasn't a victim but rather, I was choosing to feel sorry for myself, choosing to be irritated, choosing to let it turn into bitterness and choosing to get angry and yell. I could continue to stomp my feet and let everyone know I wasn't pleased and vent my frustrations. I might feel better for the moment, but I was stealing everyone else's joy and tearing my house down in the process.


I decided that I would like to be a wise woman, a kind woman, a pleasant woman. I would like for my children to grow old and say that I was a blessing to them. I would like for my husband to cherish me.

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her ~Proverbs 31:28

If I wished to be a blessing, I needed to act like one! If I wanted my husband to cherish me, I could not be a constant dripping!!! No more making excuses for myself!

It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman. ~Proverbs 21:19

A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike ~Proverbs 27:15

It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife Proverbs 21:9

Joy and love are choices, not feelings. Patience, I think, is inversely tied to selfishness- when I let go of my selfishness I become immensely more patient. Bitterness is a poisonous gas that destroys everyone in it's path. And Pride- well, pride is at the root of all of those other things.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ~Galatians 5:22-23

I am cannot achieve those traits own own, I am depraived and desperate. I slip back into my old (well practiced) habits of nagging and complaining (especially when 9 months pregnant) if I am not grounded daily in the saving grace of God's Word. I must choose to put off the old and put on the new.

to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires ~Ephesians 4:22

How about you, will you tear your house down with your own hands? Or will you seek the wisdom of the Lord and build your house up?

be renewed in the spirit of your minds and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. ~Ephesians 4:23 & 24

Begin by asking for forgiveness and putting on a smile.  It is worth it!

Wise Words Wednsday~ on Hospitality

One of my goals for this year is for my daughters (at least the oldest) and I to learn to sew.

Well, I just made this cute little skirt for Butter.

She loves it, it was easy, and I have a new hobby!

But I didn't figure out how to do it by myself...

A few weeks ago a very nice lady invited me to bring my children over to her house for the afternoon. I had no idea what I was in for when I said yes.

What a blessed afternoon! She had set up her sewing machines on the back porch so she could teach me to sew where we could see our children playing in the yard. My children had a wonderful day riding four wheelers and horses with her children while I made a super cute skirt. She shared her delicious homemade applesauce with toasted pecans, her cooking tips for large families, her fabric, machines, and sewing expertise, her child rearing wisdom from 17+ years as mom to seven children, and her time. True Titus 2 style.

I was so blessed by this woman taking the time to show me what she knows. She did this and I don't even know her.

Hospitality is a great and wondrous thing. Imagine if we all took just a little time to pass on what we know to someone else. If you aren't already sharing what you know or what you have with someone else, today is a great day to start!

Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. ~Romans 12:13

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. ~Titus 2:3-5

Wise Words Wednesday ~ Happy Thanksgiving!

Bet you thought I forgot... I didn't.

I have family in town and I am very excited. My dad, step-mom, and youngest brother drove down from Iowa to spend Thanksgiving with us, isn't that awesome?!

So, my wise words for you today are:

Get off the computer and enjoy your family!

;-)

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Wise Words on Wednesday ~ on keeping perspective

Boy, it was one of those days. Then it turned into one of those weeks.

I can't even remember when it started. The children have had nasty runny noses for quite some time. It has been long enough that a nose wiped on my leg isn't sweet anymore. The big wash machine is broken, the quarter machine was stolen and the front office where we might get some quarters was closed for no reason in the middle of the day so we had to take the laundry to the only mat in this town. Most of the machines were broken there and the ones that were working ate our money. I won't even tell you how dirty it was. Then someone wet their bed, again.

The black water tank got clogged. That was really fun.

I thought I fixed the refrigerator, but my milk for mashed potatoes was frozen solid.

Then I flooded the kitchen sink because I got sidetracked by the milk-cicles.

Then the circuit breaker popped because it is cold outside and we are running the heater while I am trying to make dinner that requires more than just the electric skillet. It popped for the 8th time that meal.

Then I discovered that the grey water had overflown. I forgot to pull it when I was unsticking the black water. That means all the water we have been washing the dishes with is not going down the drain into the sewer system but is sitting nicely inside the travel trailer.

Luckily the first place it overflows is the bath tub. Unluckily the bath tub is where we keep the laundry. It started as dirty laundry but is now soaked and dirtier laundry.

And the big wash machine is broken. And I am out of quarters. It is late, so I decided to leave it for morning. (Didn't someone tell me never put off until tomorrow...?)

Two of my children were wide awake at 3am. They couldn't fall back asleep. That means I could not fall back asleep. Then one of them wet the bed. My bed. And the wash machine is still broken and I still have no quarters.

I could very easily be contentious. This is stressful. This is dirty. I might even want to be contentions. It means "given to angry debate or quarrelsome" and I sure know how to whine about how difficult my 8 loads of nasty laundry with broken wash machines and no quarter is. It comes naturally to me.

But, some other things happened this week. Things that are really keeping it in perspective for me. On Monday we got an email that a man from our small group in Colorado has passed away suddenly. He leaves behind a wife and 2 school-aged children.

Then at Mops one of the moms was rushed to the hospital because she was having trouble breathing during our meeting. She died that night. They don't even know why. She was a fellow Navy wife, and she leaves behind a husband and two children.

So having all this mess to deal with doesn't really matter that much anymore does it? It is so easy to get all wrapped up in the everyday mundane-ness of life. It is very easy to wallow and trap yourself in the days that pass by. Keeping a positive outlook is really important to accomplish anything. To have joy is key. Joy is a smile on your face and in your heart no matter what your house looks like or how long your to-do list is. It is being thankful that you have a to-do list to do.

We are alive, and we have work to do. Praise God!

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

...The joy of the Lord will be my strength

Nehemiah 8:10

Wise Words on Wednesday ~ on words

Is the dictionary you have on your book shelf or web browser supporting your worldview and values?

I dare you to look up the word Education in your modern dictionary.

You will most likely get a defenition something like this:

Education-the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life.

But what if your dictionary said this:

Education-The bringing up, as of a child; instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.

Whoa! That is dramatically different. You mean education isn't sitting in a desk learning how to read and write to become adults? It is more than that? It includes manners, a controlled temper, and religion? And the responsibility rests on the parents? Incredible.

As with many aspects of life, we look at society around us and wonder what happened? Why is self-indulgent, lazy, rude, selfish, and gluttonous behavior the new normal? Where are responsibility and standards? What happened to hard work and reaping the reward for it instead of taking the shortcut and getting angry when someone handed over the silver platter with a smudge on it?

We could point fingers in a million different directions, but I'm only going to talk about one. Our presuppositions- what we believe things mean, or in short, our definitions.

Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary says this about Sin:

Sin-The voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule or rectitude or duty, prescribed by God; any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or a violation of a divine command; a wicked act; iniquity. Sin is either a positive act in which a known divine law is violated, or it is the voluntary neglect to obey a positive divine command, or a rule of duty clearly implied in such command. Sin comprehends not actions only, but whatever is contrary to God's commands or law. 1 John 3; Matt. 15; James 4. (and it actually continues on for a full 2nd column)

Sadly, today we do our best to fluff sin up, even in the church. Sin is now defined as the act of breaking a religious or moral law. That is it. Oh, darn. I sinned. Oops.


We are forever watering stuff down, making it easy to swallow. Today we are so worried about offending someone, and worse, offending our own self, that we create our own definitions so much so that standards change for the entire country, even the world.


What does our society think marriage means? The legal union of two people. Not really even between a man and woman any longer is it?


What if America still believed what marriage meant to Noah Webster in 1828?

Marriage- The act of uniting a man and a woman for life; wedlock; the legal union of a man and a woman for life. Marriage is a contract both civil and religious by which the parties engage to live together in mutual affection and fidelity, till death shall separate them. Marriage was instituted by God Himself for the purpose of preventing the promiscuous intercourse of sexes, for promoting domestic felicity, and for securing the maintenance and education of children.

Till death? God Himself? To prevent promiscuity? Domestic felicity? For educating children? Well, if that were what we believe things might look a little different around here, wouldn't they?


Having a correct worldview is important, it affects our standards, creates presuppositions, and imparts a framework that will affect our attitudes and our lives.


I know the value of our bookshelf is increased by the 1828 Noah Webster American Dictionary of the English Language.

If you are so inclined to purchase the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary for your own bookshelf, you can support us by clicking the American Vision label on the right side or very bottom of my blog and making your purchase there. Thanks!

Wise Words on Wednesday ~ on being a housewife

Have you ever felt embarrassed when asked how you spend your days? Saying "I'm a homemaker" is no longer done with pride, and that to me is sad.

Of course, much of the world would agree that being a housekeeper is acceptable as long as you are not caring for your own home; treating men with attentive devotion would also be right as long as the man is the boss in the office and not your husband; caring for children would even be deemed heroic service for which presidential awards could be given as long as the children are someone else's and not your own.

by Dorothy Patterson quoted in the book Passionate Housewives by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald

But society is wrong! Being a keeper of your home, a help meet to your husband, and a loving mother to your children is a worthy, admirable, and a holy mission.

Doug Phillips from Vision Forum puts it this way:

The household is the God-ordained seat of education. It is the first place where we are to develop and communicate a distinctively Christian aesthetic for culture. The home is not to be relegated to a mere place for consumption, but transformed into a powerful tool for industry and production. In the household (not the state welfare agency) we find God's true pattern for multi-generation, covenantal care. The home, not even the temple or church meeting house, has always been the God-ordained primary locus for daily worship. Our homes not only provide us with a platform to honor God's non-optional commands for one-anothering and hospitality, but they were designed to be the most powerful forums for evangelism and discipleship in the Christian's arsenal.

That does not sound like mousy homemaking or lousy housewifing, does it?

I have worked out in the "real world," I know both sides of the story. Being at home is tough work, but it is completely worth it. It is God's work, and I am honored to be called to keep my home and teach my daughters to do the same, and I am learning to do it passionately.

Practice make perfect.

I have been waking up to see my husband off with breakfast, coffee and a packed lunch for over a year now. I really enjoy this quite time with him before a long day. As much as I enjoy getting up with him, I am not a morning person, I never have been. Since I think 4:30 is pretty early and I need to make it through the day with my eyelids open, not to mention I still have a baby that doesn't sleep trough the night, I typically head back to bed for a bit after he leaves for work.

I am trying, however, to enjoy some of the the darkness and quiet of the morning in the Word. Today I was reading about the different spirits that affect us, specifically the spirit of anger. I listened to an S.M. Davis sermon and then prayed for peace and freedom from impatience and irritation.

I once saw a cutely decorated wall plaque in a craft store that said

"God, please grant me patience. NOW!"

I thought it was funny. And sooo me.

I guess I needed lots of practice on that prayer request! Two of my children woke up with snot crusted noses and crunchy coughs. Mmm, my favorite! While cuddling one of the bugger noses I discovered wet pants. Yeah! Since my children like to sleep in random places, I sent out the search party for crime scene. Luckily it was her own bed. I got that all cleaned up, smile still intact.

Time for breakfast. Rummaging through the cupboard I discover the only thing we have left is granola. I have to run to the store later.

Uh, mom... We are out of milk.

Alright, let's scrape up and divide the rest of the yougurt.

Smash crunch. Someone knocked his newly filled bowl of granola with the last of the yogurt onto the floor.

On the carpet.

Thank goodness for dogs.

Speaking of which, feed the dog, please.

Crash. Oh no, mom. I spilled.

The entire storage bucket of dog food is empty and it's contents are now inside the cupboard and all over the floor. Nice.

It isn't quite 7 am.

I giggled.

Giggling is the Spirit of Peace, I am sure of it.

Right about then the school bus went by. Yes, it goes right through our little RV park. I yelled out excitedly with my smile beaming "hurry up, eat your breakfast, you are not even dressed, there are messes everywhere and you just missed the school bus!" Everyone laughed.

Really, it's no wonder people are half crazy. Who has time to get kids rushed out the door for school at the crack of dawn?

Thank God for homeschool. And for Peace.

Great Words!

Whew! I am exhausted. We spent all last weekend trekking back and forth from the other side of Jackson to hear Ken Ham speak. It was awesome and totally worth all of the driving it was 2 hours one way and we went a couple of times for 4 sessions. Saying my family loves science doesn't even begin to shed light on it. Answers in Genesis is a really great place for us because we don't have to sensor out "billions of years" and crazy dinosaur and evolution theories that are claimed as fact. Ken Ham does a wonderful job explaining common science questions like "Why did dinosaurs die out?" and his ministry has great materials for children and adults on apologetics and evolution vs. creation stuff. It is right up our alley, and it was a free conference. They also have a Creation Museum that we are really hoping to visit in December. They have an awesome magazine subscription that comes with a free children's science magazine too. I highly recommend that you check out their website!

Then this weekend some friends of ours from Milton came up for another awesome conference. It was the 17th annual Reformation Celebration at a church about an hour away. It also was worth all of the driving back and forth. The speakers were D.A. Carson and Joel Beeke and they were phenomenal. We were glad when we discovered some of the sermons are already online for free, The Parable of the Bags of Gold and Practical Lessons from Calvin's Life and Cherishing the Church on sermonaudio.com. I will be checking back there to see if some of the other sermons will be posted too, because they were all really great and I would love to listen again and catch the points that I missed while taking care of the littles.

What a great week filled with tons of learning.

Catechism what?

During a van ride we listened to the conversation taking place in the back:

Boy to Butter - Who made you?
Butter to Boy - Dod made me (God made me)
Boy to Butter - What else did God make?
Butter to Boy - Dod made all fings (God made all things)
Boy to Butter - Why did God make you?
Butter to Boy - For His own dory (For His own glory!)

We looked at each other and smiled.

Then the conversation continued:

Butter to Boy - Bruder, Who made you? (Brother, Who made you)
Boy to Butter - God made me.
Butter to Boy - Good job, Bruder! (Good job, Brother)

Now we chuckled a bit, this is heart warming.

Just a few months ago we had never heard the word Catechism. My friend Marty mentioned something about it but I pridefully didn't bother to ask what it was. I thought it was some weird pastor's wife thing. I mentioned it to Dad and we both agreed that we thought it sounded catholic or something, and we brushed it off.
Well, fast forward to Meridian where we are learning all sorts of things about family reformation and having a biblical worldview and we are hearing that Catechism word all over the place.
We finally checked it out, and we think it is really great. We should have checked it out a long time ago.
It is so many things, but I am trying to make this blog post short. One of the reasons we are choosing to Catechize our children is to arm them with answers when people, or life, questions their faith. Most young adults leave the faith of their parents by college age because they have a "Veggie Tales" view of cartoonish stories, rather than biblical truth, and once they outgrow cartoons, they outgrow their faith too. We aren't teaching some watered down cartoon stories here. We are teaching the foundations of life. We want to raise children who aren't afraid to stand up for what they believe in, and we are equipping them to do so.

If you are interested in Catechizing yourself or your children, we recommend using TAG as a family. We are all really enjoying it, even our 2 year old.

here's that Sufficiency word again...

Here we go! As part of God’s incredible plans for our family he has brought us the news of this amazing conference in Cincinnati, OH this December. It is called the “The Sufficiency of Scripture” conference, and we are excited because many of the speakers come from many of the different ministries that we have been influenced by and are following, including:

Voddie Baucham Ministries
Answers in Genesis
Vision Forum Ministries

The conference is set for Dec 10-12 and we are REALLY hoping that we can make it. We are working hard to see if we can trailer-it-up there (unlikely, isn't there snow?), find a campsite (also unlikely, isn't it freezing?), or get a hotel. We’re not even sure if I will be off from work, but we’re sure God will work something out for us…as long as that leave chit gets in there!

We’d love it if some of our brothers and sisters in Christ could find a way to get up there also and join us. You can check-out the info here. They have a great web-site with some updated blog articles about what’s happening in our culture and why we need to get back to The Word to get the family, the church, and the country back on track.

~Mr. Pilot