Trayvon Martin matters to our president, are you kidding me?!

Why does the death of Trayvon Martin matter at all to our president? Honestly. Why?  In 2008, approximately 1.21 million abortions took place in the U.S. So what makes him care so much about ONE person? I'm not being cold hearted. My heart aches for the families on both sides of that situation. But someone please expain to me the mind of our president.

 I read Obama's official statement on the Travvon Martin case. Anytime someone dies, it is a sad time no matter what the circumstances. HOWEVER, the fact that Kermit Gosnell MURDERED LIVE BIRTH BABIES doesn't get anything from the President except this:

“Well, I’m familiar with it. I can’t comment on it because it’s an active trial. What I can say is this: … I think President Clinton said it pretty well when he said, ‘Abortion should be safe, legal and rare. If an individual carrying out an abortion, operating a clinic or doing anything else is violating medical ethics, violating the law, then they should be prosecuted.”

And how about all the people posting on Trayvon Martin yet claim abortion is a POLITICAL ISSUE? Do you realize how many babies are dying EVERYDAY in America alone? We are just like the German citizens who claimed NO KNOWLEDGE of the Jew's being murdered during the war.  Abortion is NOT a political issue. Babies, HUMANS are dying, and most of us stand and do nothing because we don't want to "OFFEND" anyone or seem too political.

I've been reading a book on the Holocaust. It makes me sick. So many people risked their lives and families lives to hide the Jews, yet too many of us refuse to speak up on what is happening in our own country.

Hey Mr. Obama, did you know? Black Americans do not know that over 1.3 million babies are dying from abortion each year.Every three days, more African-Americans are killed by abortion than have been killed by the Ku Klux Klan in its entire history.

So where are the leaders of tomorrow? How much longer will we allow the political agenda of our ‘friends’ undermine the survival of our families and communities?

This man in the White House is one of the most shameless cowards and manipulative tyrants this country has ever produced. And we made him President.

Loving those who don't deserve it

Over the past few weeks, life has been crazy, difficult and draining. Yet at the same time, wonderful, freeing and amazing.

Several weeks ago, I found out that some people I really care about had said some hurtful things. My first reaction was defensive, as most of us can relate to. After the defense, came hurt and  anger. "How could they say that? And to think I thought we were friends." It played over and over in my mind.

I think that is the first thing that most of us think when someone wrongs us, talks about us or does something that we really just don't feel like we deserve. Most of us, if honest, when we make mistakes, we want forgiveness. Sometimes, we ran our mouths without thinking. Sometimes, we said something mean out of anger. Sometimes, we are rude to our spouses. Sometimes, we are spiteful. Sometimes, we just need people to love us, in spite of our flaws. We definitely need to hear the truth about our behavior when it is sinful and wrong, but often, in spite of that, we need people who will say "You are still worthy of grace and kindness".

The truth is that we need to learn how to treat people right. We need a spirit of humility. A humble person is quick to forgive, difficult to offend and joyfully waits on vindication from God. When we won't forgive, it is a manifestation of pride. How many times have we said "Oh, you don't know what they've done to me". Really. What have we done to God? "Yeah, but you don't know how many times...". Really? How many times have we wronged God? The humble person says "Therefore I go by the grace of God." The humble person is quick to forgive because they recognize how much God forgives them everyday. Don't let the sun go down on your anger. "But I FEEL.....". Feelings are deceptive.

Colossians 3:13 : Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has freely forgiven you, so must you also forgive one another.

If someone is mistreating you, go ahead and forgive them, treat them with kindness. If someone at work lied about you, the best thing you can do is to look for a way to serve them. Punch the devil in the face, go out of your way to serve them.

Matthew 5:9: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Philippians 2:2-4:  ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the other.

This doesn't give people a license to mistreat us, but it does give us a freedom that when they do, we do not have to let it consume us. So someone is talking bad about us, who cares. If our identity is in Christ, we can pray for that person and go on with our day. We can forgive them, because Christ forgave us. When we can learn to be humble and forgive, we don't have to let what other people think, do and say determine how our day will look. 

As for me? I started my day out with thanking God for all He has forgiven me for. I then prayed for those who have wronged me. I prayed that I might have the opportunity to love and serve them, and in that, show the true love of Christ.

Francis Chan said "Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers" I don't want my life to make sense to those who don't know Christ. I want my life to look different. I want people to want to know me better so that they can know Christ better.

A Broken Washer, Bad Alingment and a Well That Won't Pump Water

What is it about deciding to live outside your own little world that seems to make the trials of life magnified? As if a washer never broke before? As if a tire never went flat? As if life never threw you a curve ball before when you were expecting a seriously different outcome.

Nearly a year ago I began a new phase of my walk with God. I've lived the Christian life for well over a decade. I've had some set backs, fell into old habits and just made some really stupid choices. However, sometime last summer, I volunteered to give my testimony during the summer session of our Sunday School class at church. I had enjoyed hearing how God was working in the lives of others, and wanted to share the things God was doing with me. Looking back, I had no idea the way God was really working. I had such a small, inward view. Had I known what He was leading me to, I probably would have been scared beyond all belief.

The week leading up to my testimony, I went over and over in my mind what I would talk about. I had planned to share some things, but definitely, leave out a few others. I mean, after all, this was church. Even though God had delivered me, there was still a part of me that said "there are some things you just don't discuss in Sunday School". Then God intervened. He wrecked my nice little path. He showed up and I was in shock. The night before church, I began to write. I wrote for several hours. I wrote things that I didn't want to share, but felt like I needed to share. I wanted to be transparent so that God's power could be seen for what it really was.

Towards the end of my testimony, I briefly shared something particularly painful for me. A part of my past that I would do anything to take back. A part of my past, that even though I am forgiven, I still carry with me. A part of my past that I had PLANNED to take to my grave. Several years ago, I had an abortion.

Until the moment that I let those words come out, that single act followed me around 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whenever I would volunteer for something at church, I would hear the voice in my head "Oh, you'd like to help with Sunday School? That's nice, but what about the baby you killed. Murderer. Oh, you want to be a woman of integrity? Murderer. Liar. Oh, you want to give your whole life to God and let Him work through you? Murderer. Liar. Hippocrit.". 

The voices never stopped. Sometimes they were quiet and easy to get rid of. Sometimes the voice stayed in my head for days. Sometimes, I listened and agreed. Sometimes, I fought back. Most days, it was a losing battle. The truth is, that I knew I would NEVER be free of the past, if I could not learn to be open about it. Silence feeds shame. Shame keeps us from living the redeemed life. Shame tells us we have messed up too much to be of use. Shame tells us we will never be good enough. Shame is a lie. If silence feeds shame, then being open and honest defeats shame. It starves the shame. We no longer have to hide a part of us. We are free. Oh sure, the old thoughts still come, but we know they are lies and we combat them head on.

So what does this have to do with my broken washer, bad alignment and a well that won't pump. It has EVERYTHING to do with these trials of life. You see, my abortion and my own journey of healing sparked something in me. I began reading blogs, personal stories and researching the statistics for abortion. 55 million and counting. When I  stopped to think about that number, combined with the shame and guilt that more often than not follow an abortion, I realized how many women, even in our small communities, have abortion as a part of their past. Many nights of prayer and the ongoing Kermit Gosnell trial sparked a desire in my heart to jump head first into the pro-life movement. Over the next few months, what started as desire to provide a post-abortive Bible study to local women gave birth to something much bigger. I shared my desire with a few people. Those people led me to a few others and that led me to the Kansans For Life. Just a few weeks after that, I found myself standing in front of 25 or so local people who desired to learn more about the pro-life movement. Several weeks later, a planning meeting for how we could speak out for LIFE in our area. A short time later, I was invited to speak in front of a group in Emporia. This Sunday, I will be speaking at a church. You see, my plan was a Bible study. That's not a bad plan, in fact, it's a great plan. We need to study the word, grow and heal. But that's where my plan ended and God's plan began.


Anyone who has ever decided to really give God control of their life and actively seek ways to make a difference in the lives of others, knows that the trials of life often seem an overwhelming enemy. Things like a broken washer can throw your whole week off track as you are trying to prepare for a group meeting. Realizing that your brand new, less than 6 month old tires are RUINED because you need a front end alignment, can cause you to worry, instead of praying because you are scheduled to speak in another town, and thoughts of car problems flood your head.  Things like planning out a garden for months so you can feed your family healthy food and stay on budget but finding that your well needs major repair work to function, well, those can cause you to have a nice little pity party because after all, don't you deserve a break??

Today in my kitchen though,  I mentally reviewed all of the things that have gone on, I realized that God does not want me to let life's trials get me off track and forget what His purpose is for me. The reality is, that life will always be unpredictable. Washers will break. Cars and wells will need maintenance.In the bigger scheme of things, these things simply do not matter. I mean, they matter, I don't really want to wash the clothes of 8 people with soap and a scrub board, but I would if I had to. But when it comes down to it, at the end of my life, no one will stand at my funeral and talk of the day when my washer broke. No one will care about my car problems. No one will be discussing the state of my well. What I hope, what I desire, is that people will talk of my love for God and how I showed that to others. I desire people to talk of my past in a way that says "Look at the power of our God, she was so very lost, yet look what God did through her in those she knew". What I desire is that people will talk of how I raised up my children to be Godly not only in words, but through action.

Deciding to follow God doesn't stop the trials of life from coming. But when they happen, we don't have to be stuck in sorrow and confusion. We can live out what Paul talks about in Philippians 4:4-7:
           Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

In the midst of my broken appliances and old beater of a van, as I stood doing the dishes at a sink that leaks and gets the floor wet if I forget to empty the bucket, I stood there rejoicing! I thanked God for what He has done in me and what He is doing through me.  I rejoiced in who He is and what His death on the cross means to me. I rejoiced and went over these verses in my head:
          I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Phillipians 4:12-13

What a powerful things God gives us:  peace in life's storms, the feeling of contentment in all situations, and to know, that above all else, no matter what we've done, we're never disqualified from the power and healing of the cross.

The 21 rules of our home

Several years ago, our close family friend Pam gave me a copy of "The 21 rules of our home" by Gregg Harris. I was struggling with 4 kids under the age of 5. I wanted to teach my kids to pick up after themselves, but it was hard. I wanted to teach my kids how to follow the rules, but it was hard. I was kind of lost. What she gave me changed our family. The 21 rules of our home had pictures that we could copy, color, laminate and stick on our fridge or door. We picked 8-10 that we really wanted to focus on.

The great thing about this program was the pictures! Even a 2 year old can look at a picture and listen when you say "Do you see this? This is what you did, and we do not do that". When we first started, we picked one rule a week to work on. The kids colored thier own copy and put in a notebook. For the kids who could write, they would write it out as well. For the kids who could not write, they would just color while we talked about the rule.

We have continued to use these for almost 10 years.

I also have a small clipboard that I use for my grocery shopping, on that, I keep small pictures of the rules so that the younger kids can be reminded, when needed of how we act when we are not at home.

Here are a few more close ups of the rules we have hanging:

Even Emma, who is almost 3, understands these. Here is the link to Gregg Harris, where you can find a copy of the rules, in sentence form.

http://greggharrisblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/21-rules-of-this-house-by-gregg-harris.html

You can probably find the book, with pictures on Amazon for fairly cheap. For us, the 21 rules of our home are the rules to live by! They saved my sanity while my children were younger and I still use them today! (Gregg Harris, if you find this blog, THANK YOU and feel free to send me free stuff)

All pictures and rules came from the 21 rules of this home by Gregg Harris. Please do not copy them, as they are copyright protected.

Martha Stewart, Pinterest, What's a Gal to do?!

Martha Stewart kind of annoys me. She really annoys me. But it's mostly in the "I can't believe what a crafty, organized, gardening, over the top amazingly good chef she is!" I'm not Martha Stewart. But that's ok. I've got Pinterest!!!

Pinterest. Oh my. It's good and bad. It has great ideas, but it can be so time consuming! I spent the better part of last year 'pinning' ideas. I used some of them, but a higher percentage of my pins are still sitting there. Waiting. Waiting on me to find culinary and domestic design awesomeness (is that a real word?). They are also waiting for me to fail. EPIC FAIL, like those stupid rainbow cakes baked in Mason jars. I feel a twinge of anger just thinking about that......moving on.

About 8 months ago I saw a Pinterest idea of storing your spices in empty baby food jars. The idea looked great b/c honestly, I hate looking at my spice shelf. I basically buy any brand of spice. I'm not really picky, until recently, which means that my spice's were in all sizes of containers. I'm not OCD, but I am trying to be a little more organized and I'd like to atleast LOOK like I am organized. (We can all dream right?) Anyway, so here was the first step in my organizing the spices (in alphabetical order, no less):

Just getting this done took me, well, I don't know. A few hours because kids need to eat, and they make messes, and I have to work and teach them so you know, it was an off and on thing. And don't judge the masking tape labels b/c like I said, I'm not Martha Stewart. I do things like this to give the rest of the regular people hope. Anyway.......moving on......

I started buying spices in bulk this past weekend b/c it is SO much cheaper. Well, we've been buying natural peanut butter for about 18 months now so I've been using the jars to store things, mostly leftover soup, since then. I was cleaning this weekend and thought these jars would be the perfect size for my bulk spices! (Note: I am still using masking tape and a marker because I want to feel normal. All those pinners who do this and print out those cute little labels, you make me sick. Really. Stay normal. Use the tape)

Now this, I've been doing for awhile. Using old gallon size pickle jars to store different types of flour and beans. It looks so purty! (Plus, I can see when I am running out on something):

This is my newest, just started yesterday kitchen organization project:

The INSIDE of my cabinets! We don't buy much in boxes or cans anymore since we eat organic, but things like cocoa powder, nuts, oatmeal, etc can clutter up a cabinet pretty quick. I actually was lucky enought to snag about 150 old mason jars this summer from a lady who was trying to just clean out her garage. I want to have a garden this summer and then be able to can my veggies, but until then, most of the jars are just sitting in my cabinets, empty. Empty and Waiting. UNTIL NOW!! So far I've got flax seed, walnuts, sunflower seed, oatmeal, homemade cocoa mix, chick peas, black beans and shredded coconut. This looks so much better than different size boxes and bags. I can also see what I'm low on with a quick glance. (I think I pointed this out before, I'm doing it again so you will remember. This is great b/c you can see what you need to stock up on with a quick glance! Repeating myself again. You get the point)

What's the point of today's blog post? The point is this: Pinterest has some great ideas, but if you're always looking on pinterest for more, you're never going to actually USE the ideas you've already found. My kitchen project gives me hope. Hope that I might really make turn that old closet into a desk area or make old pallets into awesome patio furniture. Hope that a Mason jar cake will turn out or a *2 ingredient cake* will really turn out to only have 2 ingredients in it. Oh well, my kitchen is starting to come along so I better just be happy with that and call myself Martha, heaven knows no one else ever will!

52 Week Money Challenge

Most of you who know me realize how often the word "budget" comes up when I discuss money or any type of financial matter. I've noticed that my kids will ask me "Is this in the budget?" instead of "do we have money for that?". (This proves they listen. Sometimes.) Anyway......I came across this picture on fb and thought it was an interesting concept so I should check it out a little more.

It's so easy you wonder, what's the catch. There isn't one. Really. Except for maybe just being disciplined enough to leave the money there until the end of the year. AHHHHH!!!!!! There is the hard part. That's the part I struggle with the most. I can stay on a budget. I can say no when the kids want a game. I can say no the the hubby when he wants to eat out. I can do that. But saving, especially once it starts to add up is hard because is seems something ALWAYS comes up.



Although we are 9 days into 2013, and I do not like "New Year's Resolutions", I'm calling this my 2013 Fifty-Two Week Money Challenge. This is totally something I can do! So how exactly does it work. Well, it's pretty easy. The first week of the new year you add $1. That is it. Yep. Stay with me people. This is the second week of the year, and since I get paid on Friday's, tomorrow is my day, I'll be adding $2. Next week is the third week of the year, so $3 will go into my jar. Get it? Follow the chart people. Stick with it and you will see the result of your saving!

Who's with me? Who wants to have $1,378.00 in their pocket by this time next year. Since we missed last week, dig in the bottom of your purse, couch, van seats, jean pockets or sock drawer. Get out $1.00. Tomorrow is Friday. You'll need to dig again because tomorrow you add $2.00 to your savings jar. This is perhaps one of the easiest things you can do for yourself this whole year! Good luck and happy saving!

More Like Falling In Love

As I may have previously mentioned, until a few months ago I was NEVER a morning person. Never. Ever. Never. No way. No how. But for years, and I do mean YEARS I would go through periods of time where I desperatly wanted to be the type of woman who would get up in the early morning hours and read her Bible, pray for her friends and ask for God's help to prepare for the day. However, for years I was the type of woman who fell asleep with make-up on, which produced the ever sexy racoon eye in the morning. I was the type of woman who would wake up to voices and feet and think to myself, "it's pretty quite out there still, I think only 3 of the 6 kids are up, I've still got time to sleep". In my defense, when my oldest was 7, I also had a 5yr old, 3 yr old, 1yr old and another one on the way. However, I continued to be a night owl. Part of that was because it was quiet at night. And I could eat ice cream without sharing. And I could watch something on tv which didn't require me to "say it with me". (Hello, Dora the Explorer).

I'm not complaining, I love my life. I love my kids, at all the stages they have been in and are heading into. However, the one thing I would change is that for all those years, I did it all in my own strength. I considered myself too busy to truly have a relationship with Christ. I had one. And it flourished.....at times. But it was never consistent. Most Sundays I would tell myself "TOMORROW'S THE DAY!". Tomorrow would be the day I had planned to start my morning early with God and Coffee. Or coffee and God. Probably would need the coffee first. And every Monday morning I would wake up to the alarm and go right back to sleep. 2 hours later, the kids were climbing on me and I was beating myself up with disappointment for another failed attempt.

Fast forward to 2012. Life is busy. Our 13yr old is active in Boy Scouts, which requires a 64 mile round trip and 4 hours of our time on Monday nights. Our 11yr old is in ballet which requires 46 miles round trip and 2 hours of my evening AFTER I have worked the afternoon. The next 3 girls have ballet Wed. night. Same place. Same mileage. Same timeframe. Thursday. Whew! Home in the evening after work. Friday the kids want a friend (or two) over. Saturdays is catch up with chores, friends and shopping. Sunday we fellowship and worship with other believers. Sunday evenings is slow as can be. Movie time. Games. Hang out.And it all starts again. But it's different now. I don't start my days with my own strength anymore.

Nearly 3 months ago I began getting up at 5:45-6:00 every day. I began reading a devotion book, my Bible, praying and watching 2 of my favorite tv preachers every morning. Through this time God has showed me things about myself that are in desperate need of change. In fact, just a few days ago, he revealed a very hard thing to me. My favorite tv show. The ONLY tv show I watch was displeasing to him. It was a PERSONAL conviction. As the day went on, and I really understood that he was calling me to give this up, I knew it had to be done if I wanted to walk in complete obedience. Two days later, as I was driving, the image of a man proposing to a woman came to mind. The man makes the offer of a new life, together. The woman joyously accepts. This is like the initial acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. After the woman accepts, she eagerly sets her sights on working out, eating healthy and making herself "fit" for her bridegroom. She does not thank him for the proposal and go on about her old life. She starts to make changes. She wants to be the best on her big day and wants him to look at her with complete and total approval. Does she need to do this? No. The man has already accepted her. He loves her with all his heart. He wants her, only her, just the way she is. This is exactly how it is with God. He loves us for who we are, where we are, in the exact place and condition we are in at this very moment.

As the bride prepares herself, she does so out of love. Out of a deep, deep love for her bridegroom. She doesn't mind not eating the cake. She doesn't mind working out. She loves this man and wants nothing more than to please him. This is what my realtionship with God has become.

Over these past few months, I've realized that I am seeking to be better out of a LOVE for God, out of a deep, deep love. I know God loves me just the way I am, I know he has already accepted me and taken me into His family. But out of my love for Him, I want to rid myself of the things that keep me from Him. If anything comes between Him and I, I don't want it. If t.v. show, type of music or movie causes me to feel a separation, I don't want any part of it.  I am deeply in love with my God, and He desperatly wants each of you to be that way also. As a show of my love, I willingly gave up the tv show and willingly wake up early every morning to spend time in fellowship and communication with him. What kind of bride accepts the offer of marriage and then walks away from the man, only to call on him when she is in need of something after months of not even speaking to him?

God want each of us to be in love with Him so much that we are willing to give up ourselves to be closer to Him. He wants our relationship with Him to be more like falling in love than something to merely believe in.