Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Does Your Child Belong To The Government?

This is going to be an easy post for me today. As I was doing my research this week to present the dangers of parental rights being attacked by public schools, I came across this article. It is very well written and even includes one of the links I was going to post. So, for this week, if you are curious about why parents need to take a closer look at what is going on with our educational system, feast your eyes on this well written article:

http://www.wnd.com/2011/11/372409/


Wednesday, November 19, 2014

What Is The Governments Role In My Families Lives?

I missed posting last week on account of being crazy sick. I am finally on the mend. So, I though I might pop back over and spill some of the thoughts that have been bouncing around in my head. It might be a little messy, but here it goes! 

I have been thinking a lot lately about the government's role in my life. A few things come to mind. First, biblically, what role should I give the government in my life? Second, what purpose should the government have in social issues? Third, how do I respond to this? So, lets answer these systematically. 

The purpose of this article is to help readers, especially moms, find their political voice. The problem is that, for Christians, there is a common worldview that tells us Jesus doesn't want us to get involved. We look at verses like Luke 20:23 "And He said to them, 'Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Or Romans 13:1 "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." 

So, we think that we need to keep religion out of our voting. The problem is that Satan doesn't play fair. He plays dirty. So, if we think we are doing the right thing by keeping religion and government separate, he is going to go right in to that broken system, ran by broken people, and exploit it. 

John 10:10 says "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." You see, when we do not make room for Godly values in the system, Satan destroys everything. He wants to snatch joy from the American people by leading them down a dark path of which they cannot find their way out.  

Five years ago, I believed that American's had no right to define the meaning of the word "marriage." I thought that we were spewing a message of hate when Christian families stood up and said that, because this was a Christian nation, they would not stand for an interpretation of the word from a non-Christian worldview. What person would look at that family and think "Well, I must be wrong! I should only marry people of the opposite sex! How did I not see this before!"

It is true that people are not going to be swayed toward Christ in that manner. And that SHOULD be at the forefront of our minds at all times because our greatest purpose is to share the good news. However, I have watched something happen over the last five years that I was too naive to expect at the start of this. I have seen homosexuality take over our nation as if it is common place. I have seen it go from a conversation about tolerance in the sense that we should give every person the benefit of basic human rights no matter what they do with their genitalia, to something much different. Now, as a nation, we believe that gay people are normal. We believe that this act of sin deserves timeless recognition and is the ultimate sign of bravery. 

In this country built on strong morals, Satan has twisted our ideals and made them fit his mold. He has presented homosexual behavior as delicious and classy. It is fun and it is modern. And if you hate the sin, then you hate the person, because the person cannot separate from the sin. In fact, it isn't really even a sin. It cannot be controlled. 

You see, rather than admitting that they prefer sin over God, Satan would have them believe that there is no need to choose. By creating a lifestyle and culture around acts of homosexuality, these behaviors have become normalized in only a few short years. 

Is it wise for us to stand back in this case under the guise of separation of church and state? Or, should we meet Satan where he is at and fight him toe to toe? Make no mistake, he has seduced the liberal community into the idea that freedom from moral absolutes is the ultimate pursuit of liberty. 

Now that their eyes are glazed with the victory of freedoms for the homosexual lifestyle without the guilt-trip, they are fired up for the fights to come. They will continue to fight for genocide in the name of abortion, power to control the minds of our children in the name of free education, and attack healthy dynamics in the name of woman's rights. 

Be weary, my friends. Be as shrewd as vipers, yet as innocent as doves. Satan is on the offensive. He is seeping darkness into every crack and crevice that he chips away until no one can recognize the light any longer. We need to fight for the light. If we do not, then it will be harder for our children to recognize the difference. 

It is no longer enough to say that it is un-constitutional for our government to get involved in these social issues. An idea like that only works if there is an outside source, like the Bible, governing moral behavior. As this is no longer the case, people have naturally looked to the government to fill that void. They have made the government their God, their moral compass.

So, how do we respond? Well, for starters, we should fight those laws that would further erode the moral compass of our society. It may not be constitutional. But, if we let that be the hill we die on, Satan will use that to his advantage. So, I personally, wont stay quite about moral issues any longer.

More importantly than all of that, however, is to live a life of light. Matthew 5:16 says "...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." 

Let us show the world that there is a better way! Not in a hateful way. But, in a way that points to the glory of our God. Let the world see the joy and love that abound in a God honoring family. But, don't just model it for them. Invite them in. It is not enough to Tell the world how godly men live. It is not enough to Show the world how godly families function. If we want to affect a change in our culture, we need to INCLUDE them. 

How many people today have not been a part of a healthy family? I know I never was before I got married. That sure has made it hard to know how to do it right. And it didn't help that the people who seemed to know how to do it right wanted nothing to do with me. I was too much to deal with. I was too draining.

Yes, being around sinful attitudes can be draining. We make excuses that we need time to regroup, recharge, and reconnect. The truth is, we need to hit our knees in prayer more. We need to empty ourselves and ask God to fill us up as he promised to do in John 4:14. There he promised "...but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." 

We need to open our homes and invite people over for dinner. Maybe we need to consider foster care. Maybe we just need to have our home open for our kids to invite friends over. It might help to be more open with the people we run into throughout our day. Amidst the craziness of carpooling, grocery shopping, and letter mailing. Can we stop corralling our kids long enough to look up and strike up a conversation with the person next to us? Can we glimpse into their live and let them glimpse into the joy of ours? It just might change someones perspective! It seems worth a try to me. I know I am going to try harder this week to let my life be a light and I pray that God opens your heart to do the same.


Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Government Overreach into Parental Rights: They Have Gone Too Far

You don't have to look far to find examples of government policies that are overstepping basic parental decisions. From banning bake sales in the name of healthy eating to homeschoolers being investigated for the number of hours they spend teaching in a school year and regulating a kids lemonade stand. Below are just a few examples for you to read about. 





It really has gotten out of hand. The amount of things good parents have to think about just before heading out the door is getting preposterous! If the government hasn't deemed it appropriate behavior through public policy or media bullying, attentive parents can be in real danger of being harassed for simply living their lives based on their own worldview. Meanwhile, children go home to abuse because the laws regulating what is acceptable proof of abuse are often insurmountable! 


Beyond all that, there is simply a tread of government overreach that is troubling! Here are a few examples outside of the realm of parenting, ranging from federal mandate that citizens buy healthcare to the gun control act:




Read the articles and make up your own mind: Is the government really looking out for what is best for you and your family? 

And if that isn' t enough, what about the recent statement President Obama made about stay at home moms? 


To be clear, I am not questioning Mr. Obama's motive for saying what he said. He could have worded it better. But, I am not going to try to pretend that I don't understand what he was attempting to say. He doesn't want women who WANT to work to have to choose between work and quality childcare (presumably provided at home by stay at home parents). What I am challenging is whether this is a good idea or not. This whole situation will simply give the government more control over what goes on in our children's lives at an even younger age! That will only serve to take America that much further down the rabbit hole!


That is all for today folks. I hope that gives you something to consider as election day comes to a close! Stay tuned next week for the third installment in the series.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Top Ten Ways To Address National Issues

I went back and forth about posting this...I don't like to get into politics with people. But, I want moms to know why getting involved with politics matters for them now, more than ever. So, I am putting this one in under the wire. I hope some of you ladies get a chance to dig into these issues with me and uncover the power we have collectively. Here are my thoughts on the matter:

With mid-term elections right around the corner, I thought I might take a minute to encourage my fellow mom's to participate in the political decisions of our beloved country. You may be feeling like the future for you're children's freedom is hopeless. Or, you may not think it matters either way. I want to assure you that there IS hope and it DOES matter. There are some very real issues affecting the potential freedoms of mothers and their children that only mothers have the power to address. I believe that, if we mamas band together, that could be the start of the next meaningful political revolution. The problem is, most moms don't care about political revolution. We care about precious moments and raising well adjusted members of society. But, if we don't focus on the future of politics, it won't matter how well adjusted our kids grow to be. So, today, I want to look at 10 things to think about before this year's elections. This list is a combination of issues to focus on and a look at the current political climate. Today, I will provide you with the list. Over the remainder of the week, I will given an overview of each topic. My hope is to take these political terms and discuss them in real language. This is not meant to be a an exhaustive study on each topic. But, it should give you some insight as to why these topics affect moms in a very real way. Food for thought, so to speak.




10. Government over-reach


9. Worldview/Moral Erosion


8. Education


7. Medical Decisions


6. Religious Freedom


5. GMO's and Pesticides


4. Feminism


3. Sex Trafficking


2. Congress Grid-Lock


1. Government Spending

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a new thing I am trying out. Let me know what you think. Today, I am going to share my top ten favorite Bible verses that God has been using to convect me these days. They are doing good work in my life and I hope they will do the same for you. As these are Bible verses, one is clearly not more important than the other. The order is merely based on how strongly I personally need each verse at this given time in my life.
 

So, without further ado:

10. "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him." Matt. 12: 34b-35

We are really taking a deeper look at the entertainment we allow in our house these days. It seems that the more worldly influences we cut out, the more peaceful and Christ-like we become. In turn, we are better able to shine a light on God and His glory for others in our lives. This verse also serves as a reminder when our children sin that they ought to spend more time with God and his Word. After a big violation, we like to make more room for God by letting his Word soothe our souls.

9. "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe."  Phil. 2:14-15

Really trying to cut out negativity in my life so that Christ can shine through. The girls love the idea of shining like stars!

8. "A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly." Proverbs 12:23

Learning to keep my smart comments to myself!

7. "A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control." Proverbs 29:11

I have always struggled with anger. I take things too personally. I let everything offend me. Now, I see this habit forming in my little MissMoo. That makes my heart hurt. Mostly because I know how alienating and lonely being angry can be. I want her to enjoy the peace, joy, and freedom that comes from simply giving God control. The more I learn to control my anger, the less power it has over my life. I am learning to choose joy! It makes for a much better day.

6.  "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" Phil. 2:5

Lots to work on here! Verse 7 describes Him as a servant and 8 reminds us of His deepest obedience.

5. "Love never fails..." 1 Cor. 13:8

Of course, no one can have a Christ-like attitude without love. It was His love for the Father and His love for us that motivated Him to live and die the way He did. The more I meditate on His love for me, the more easily I am motivated put the needs of others before my own.

4. "...my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor 12:9

I am learning that my weakness is just God's way of showing His powerful grace. Rather than hide my faults, I am trying to give glory to God for loving a sinner like me. Not only is my life an awesome example to others of how far his grace reaches; but, it also is an example to my kids especially of His transformational power. They see my ugly. But, they also see the healing that comes from giving it over to God! Now, they know that He can heal them too!

3. "He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never become rich." Proverbs 21:17

I really like good food. But, I want to leave a legacy for my kids. So, I am learning to tell myself "no," so that I have more to show for my money.

2. "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

I use this to remind myself and the girls to draw our sword of the spirit whenever satan tempts us to sin.

1. "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Prov 16:24

It is so true! Our words affect our own attitudes and the attitudes of those around us. When I hear a lot of complaining, I try to change the atmosphere by giving up a praise to God. Nothing brings more joy than the soothing peace of God.

So, there you have it! Those are a few of the things God is working on in my life. I hope it encourages you in your faith this week,




Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Well it has been a long while. Thought I might pop back on here and post something because I am still alive! We are no longer houseparents. I am a stay at home mom! I love it. Hopefully I will be on here more often now.