...How Sweet the Sound...

The Homeschool Kids Who Don't Do Anything

2012-01-18T15:54:00.000-05:00

Why Ron Paul?

2012-01-17T17:09:00.000-05:00

Please take time to read this awesome blog post by Pastor Voddie Baucham.

Here's how he begins:

"Let me say ahead of time that I do not believe that politics will save America. Nor do I believe there are any perfect candidates. There never have been, and there never will be. Moreover, it is not my goal to answer every objection to the Paul candidacy as I know that there are those who, for various reasons, will not be persuaded, and more importantly, that’s not my job. My goal here is to offer insight in to my own reasoning as I wade through another political season and make a personal choice."

Read entire post here: Blog: Why Ron Paul? | Grace Family Baptist Church

The Modernist Preacher Entering Hell

2012-01-07T22:36:00.003-05:00

The Modernist Preacher Entering Hell

http://www.vcyamerica.org/modernistpreacher

He was an ordained minister, but modern in his views.
He preached his twisted doctrines to people in the pews.
He would not hurt their feelings, whate'er the cost would be,
But for their smiles and friendship and compliments sought he.
His church was filled with wicked souls that should be saved from sin,
But never once he showed the way or tried a soul to win.
He preached about the lovely birds that twitter in the trees,
The babl'ing of the running brooks, the murm'ring of the seas.

He quoted fancy poetry that tickled list'ning ears
When sorrow came to some, he tried to laugh away their tears.
His smooth and slipp'ry sermons made the people slide to hell.
The harm he did by preaching goes beyond what we can tell.
He took our Holy Bible, and preached it full of holes,
The Virgin Birth, said he can't be believed by honest souls,
The miracles of Jesus and the resurrection tale
For educated ones like us, today, cannot avail.
We're living in an age, said he, when wisdom rules and reigns,
When man's intelligence is great and superstition wanes.

He said, we're all God's children who live upon this earth,
No message of salvation, no need of second birth.
His coat was bought with money that he had wrongly gained,
For through his twisted sermons his wealth he had obtained.
He was just like the Roman soldiers that watched at Jesus' grave,
For money in abundance, to them, the people gave;
It all was theirs by telling what was a sinful lie -
A resurrected Savior, they, too, were to deny.

The day at last had come for the minister to die,
When to his congregation, he had to say good-bye.
His form lay cold and lifeless, his ministry was past,
His tongue with all its poison was hushed and stilled at last.
His funeral was grand; he was lauded to the skies-
They preached him into heaven where there are no good-byes.
Upon the lonely hill, underneath the shady trees,
His form was laid to rest in the whisp'ring of the breeze.

A tombstone was erected with words: "He is at rest,
He's gone to heaven's glories to live among the blest."
His body now is lifeless, but Ah! His soul lives on,
He failed to enter in where they thought that he had gone.
The letters on the tombstone or that sermon some had heard,
Could not decide his destiny, 'twas not the final word.
He still had God to deal with, the one who knows the heart;
While others entered heaven, he heard the word, "Depart."

He pauses for a moment upon the brink of hell;
He stares into a depth where he evermore will dwell.
He hears the cries and groanings of souls he had misled,
He recognizes faces among the screaming dead.
He sees departed deacons which he had highly praised.
Their fingers pointing at him as they their voices raised:
"You stood behind the pulpit, and lived in awful sin,
We took you for a saint, but a liar you have been."
Accusing cries! He hears them, "Ah! You have been to blame,
You led us into darkness when you were seeking fame."

"You preached your deadly doctrine, we thought you knew the way.
We fed you and we clothed you, we even raised your pay.
You've robbed us of a home where no tear-drops ever flow,
Where days are always fair and the heav'nly breezes blow.
Where living streams are flowing, and saints and Angels sing,
Where every one is happy, and Hallelujahs ring.
We're in this place of torment, from which no soul returns;
We hear the cry of lost ones, we feel the sizzling burns;
Give us a drop of water, we're tortured in this flame;
You failed to preach salvation to us through Jesus' Name."

The preacher turns in horror, he tries to leave the scene,
He knows the awful future for every soul unclean,
But there he meets the devil, whom he has served so well,
He feels the demon powers as they drag him into hell.
Throughout eternal ages, his groans, too, must be heard-
He, too, must suffer torment-he failed to heed God's Word.
He feels God's wrath upon him, he hears the hot flames roar,
His doctrine now is different, he ridicules no more.

-Oscar C. Eliason

No Comment. This speaks for itself.

2011-12-28T14:37:00.001-05:00

This is so amazing!

2011-12-20T11:33:00.002-05:00

This is one of the best "flash mobs" I have seen. You must wait until the end and see the nativity! I avoid shopping (at least during peak hours) during this time of year, but I've heard how awful and rude the crowds have been during this season. Perhaps if more shoppers could be reminded in this wonderful way of the humility of our Lord, they would be inclined to show a little more Christmas spirit. Merry Christmas to everyone!

Santa Pause:A Biblical Perspective by Rev. Justin Peters

2011-12-16T01:04:00.002-05:00

read the entire article here:

Santa Pause: A Biblical Perspective by Rev. Justin Peters

here is an excerpt:

The truth of Santa's history is hard to know for certain, but there certainly seems to be enough evidence to make plausible the theory that his origins are not quite as genteel as popularly imagined. Though Santa's origins may be of interest to some, for the vast majority of people, Santa is about as far from ominous as one could get. He is a gentle, roly-poly, grandfatherly figure who gives good gifts to children once a year. What could possibly be the harm? Right?

Characteristics and Attributes

We now get to the meat of the matter. This is where I must ask you as much as possible to put aside personal preferences, majority opinion, tradition and preconceived notions in general dealing with Santa Claus. Here is where I ask that you consider the following information from a purely biblical point of view. In this section we will examine who Santa is and Who God is. We will look at his characteristics and attributes and compare them to God's characteristics and attributes. Until this past year I had never given this much thought at all. In fact, just a little over a year ago I was in much more need of reading an article such as this, not writing it. I invite you now, though, to join me as we "take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5) and consider if there is biblical warrant for us to give Santa, pause.

Eternal – Santa is often portrayed as having a wife, but never a mother or father. He seems to have no real beginning and certainly no end. He's just always been around and always will be. Eternality is one of God's attributes. As with all of His attributes, eternality is uniquely His. He is the great I AM. He has always been and always will be (Ex. 3:15; Is. 41:4; 43:13; Ps. 90:1-2; Col. 1:16-17; Rev. 1:8).

Immutable – Closely related to his eternality, Santa is also, apparently, immutable. In other words, he does not change. Year after year after year on December 24^th he boards his sleigh and makes his appointed rounds with just as much energy, enthusiasm and strength as he has in years past. Time seems to stand still for Santa. Unlike all of the other created plants, animals and we humans who grow old and undergo decay, Santa appears immune from the passage of time and the curse of the Fall. He never gets sick, never tires, and never seems to age. God is also immutable (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 6:17; 13:8; James 1:17).

Omnipresent – Santa is, in effect, everywhere at the same time. True, he does go from one house to another to another but he visits every child's house in the world all in one night. In my research I came across a rather humorous engineering analysis of Santa's feat of flying. Assuming that Santa does not visit Buddhist, Hindu, or Islamic children, etc. he still manages to visit some 91.8 million homes in one night. Just to be generous, this author[5] allowed Santa a full 24 hours with an additional 6 provided by different time zones with the assumption of east to west travel. According to this author, Santa must visit 822.6 homes per second so, for all intents and purposes, we can say that he is omnipresent. Humor aside, omnipresence is one of God's attributes. He is limited neither by space nor time and is everywhere present in His fullness (Deut. 4:39; 1 Kgs. 8:27; Ps. 139:8; Jer. 23:23-24; Eph. 1:23).

Omniscient – This is one of Santa's creepier attributes. He seemingly knows everything. Consider the words of John Coots and Haven Gillespie's 1934 song "Santa Clause is Coming to Town:" He knows if you've been sleeping, he knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good so be good for goodness sake. From his home at the North Pole Santa possesses the ability to know when each and every child (and presumably adult) on earth is sleeping and awake. Compare Santa's power with that of God: Proverbs 15:3, "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good." Eerily similar, is it not? Santa knows our behavior and is apparently qualified to make judgments as to its meritorious value. He sees all and knows all. Omniscience is also one of God's unique attributes (Job 21:22; Ps. 33:13-15; 139:1-4; Mat. 6:4).

Goodness – Santa is portrayed as kind, gentle, jovial and good via his authority to determine which children have been "bad or good." "Good" is a word that we often use to describe everything from people to some desired outcome or to fried chicken. Some will undoubtedly think I am stretching here, but describing Santa as "good" is problematic when coupled with all of the other divine attributes ascribed to him. God's standard of goodness is moral perfection and complete obedience as measured by the Ten Commandments. None of us measure up to that standard. We have all sinned (Rom. 3:23) and all of us have hearts that are "deceitful above all things and desperately wicked" (Jer. 17:9). The Apostle Paul knew that "nothing good dwells" in us (Rom. 7:18) and that there are "none good, no not one" (Rom 3:10-11). Except Santa. Santa is good by his nature. This, too, is in direct opposition to Scripture. In a statement affirming His own deity, Jesus told the rich young ruler plainly, "No one is good except God alone" (Mark 10:18). God's goodness (His omnibenevolence) is original to Him and is not possessed by any of the fallen created order (Ps. 52:1; 107:8; 119:68; 1 Jn. 1:5). Santa's "goodness" separates him from every other created thing and puts him in the class of God.

Gift Giver – That Santa gives gifts to good children and leaves lumps of coal for the bad is inextricably tied to his goodness. Only One who is intrinsically good by character and nature is truly qualified to make judgments about good and bad behavior and render the appropriate rewards and punishments. Aside from this, though, Santa's activity all year is for him and his elves (ponder that Santa has elves and God has angels) to create toys for worldwide distribution. He is a gift giver and gives with no expectation of anything in return (save for the milk and cookies dutifully left by children). In this aspect, too, Santa looks just like God. God is the only true gift giver because only He gives with truly pure motives. He gives light (Gen 1:3), He gives man the fruit of his labor (Ecc. 3:13), He gives individual personal abilities (1 Cor. 7:7), He gives love (2 Tim. 1:6-7), He gives spiritual gifts (Rom. 11:29), He gives faith and repentance (Heb. 12:2 and Acts 5:30,31; 11:17; 2 Tim. 2:24-26 respectively) for the gift of salvation (Eph. 2:8-9) in the Gift of His Son, Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:16). God is not only the ultimate gift giver, but it also the only true gift giver for "every good thing and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17).

WHO AM I?

2011-12-14T13:00:00.003-05:00

Got this in an email a few days ago and thought it was pretty eye-opening.

"I was born in one country, raised in another. My father was born in another
country. I was not his only child. He fathered several children with
numerous women. I became very close to my mother, as my father showed no
interest in me.

My mother died at an early age from cancer. Although my father deserted me
and my mother raised me, I later wrote a book idolizing my father, not my
mother.

Later in life, questions arose over my real name. My birth records were
sketchy. No one was able to produce a legitimate, reliable birth
certificate.

I grew up practicing one faith but converted to Christianity, as it was
widely accepted in my new country, but I practiced non-traditional beliefs
and didn't follow Christianity, except in the public eye under scrutiny.

I worked and lived among lower-class people as a young adult, disguising
myself as someone who really cared about them.

That was before I decided it was time to get serious about my life and
embarked on a new career. I wrote a book about my struggles growing up. It
was clear to those who read my memoirs, that I had difficulties accepting
that my father abandoned me as a child.

I became active in local politics in my 30's then, with help behind the
scenes, I literally burst onto the scene as a candidate for national office
in my 40's. They said I had a golden tongue and could talk anyone into
anything.

I had a virtually non-existent resume, little work history, and no
experience in leading a single organization. Yet I was a powerful speaker
and citizens were drawn to me, as though I were a magnet and they were small
roofing tacks. I drew incredibly large crowds during my public appearances.
This bolstered my ego.

At first, my political campaign focused on my country's foreign policy...I
was very critical of my country in the last war, and seized every
opportunity to bash my country. But what launched my rise to national
prominence was my views on the country's economy. I pretended to have a
really good plan on how we could do better, and every poor person would be
fed and housed for free.

I knew which group was responsible for getting us into this mess. It was the
free market, banks and corporations. I decided to start making citizens hate
them and, if they became envious of others who did well, the plan was
clinched tight. I called mine "A People's Campaign". That sounded good to
all people. I was the surprise candidate because I emerged from outside the
traditional path of politics and was able to gain widespread popular
support.

I knew that, if I merely offered the people 'hope', together we could change
our country and the world. So, I started to make my speeches sound like they
were on behalf of the downtrodden, poor, ignorant to include "persecuted
minorities".

My true views were not widely known and I kept them unknown, until after I
became my nation's leader. I had to carefully guard reality, as anybody
could have easily found out what I really believed, if they had simply read
my writings and examined those people I associated with. I'm glad they
didn't.

Then I became the most powerful man in the world. And then the world learned
the truth."

"Who am I?"

ADOLPH HITLER : If you were thinking of SOMEONE ELSE, you should be scared,
very scared!

The Colossal, Monstrous, Gluttonous, Ineffective, Worthless Machine Called Government Bureaucracy

2011-12-14T10:39:00.003-05:00

When government steps beyond its bounds of protecting the life, liberty, and property of its citizens, it is always, I repeat....ALWAYS....an expensive boondoggle of a disaster.

Take, for example, education. It's no secret that I homeschool, and I believe that homeschooling is the safest and most effective way to educate children, especially Christian children. That does NOT mean that I am critical or skeptical of other Christian parents who make different choices. Not only that, I truly believe that there was a time when "public education" was a good thing for the children and the community. That was back when it was truly "public" education and not "government" education. Back in the old days, the town chose the teacher, the textbooks, the schedule, and the graduation requirements for their own children. They had a vested interest in the decisions they made because they loved the children whom these decisions affected.

Enter "Clown in Chief" President Jimmy Carter. [The reason Carter loves Obama so much is because now Carter is no longer labeled the absolute worst President in history] In 1979, he created an illegal, unconstitutional Cabinet department called the Department of Education (along with the illegal Department of Energy). This federal bureaucracy has about 5,000 employees. Parents have no say-so in who is hired. The President is free to pack this department with pedophiles, abortionists, homosexuals, and educated idiots who could probably tell you more about Lady Gaga than George Washington. (I so wish I was making this stuff up, but if you don't believe me, read it for yourself.) Half of them probably don't even have children, much less have any interest whatsoever in YOUR children. Their goal is the "common good". So when they tell you that your child is reading "below level", that may or may not mean that your child has difficulty reading. It may mean that he is perfectly capable of reading classic literature, worthwhile publications, and quite able to function in society and interpret information for himself. Oh, horror of horrors.....A CHILD WHO CAN THINK FOR HIMSELF! This could not benefit the greater good of society!

We need tests. Standardized tests. So that everyone is on the same level. Equal. United. For the common good. Instead of reading books written by individual, passionate authors, we'll give them pre-digested, abridged excerpts determined by a hired committee, and then see if we can train the kids to answer "comprehension" questions. Then we'll rate the kids, and we'll also rate the teachers on how well the kids do on the tests. So, Mrs. Smith has to lay aside her passion for imparting knowledge and teach kids how to pass government tests, and Johnny has to put down his awesome book and stop learning in order to be trained. What a disaster!

Someone shared this article on FB the other day, and I thought it was just awesome.

When an Adult Took Standardized Tests Forced on Kids

It's about a highly educated and successful businessman, member of a School Board, who decided to take the same tests required by local 10th graders. His brave and honest assessment of the process has changed the way he views this whole standardized test racket. Be sure and also read the linked update that is at the top of the article. I think this incident proves everything that homeschoolers and conservatives have been saying for years: Government makes poor parents! The idea that a massive bureaucracy, located hundreds of miles away from the target, spending other people's money, with no vested interest in the little souls they direct, could ever be effective is just ludicrous thinking!

ELECT RON PAUL 2012!

1 iPod, 2 Silly Boys

2011-12-14T09:50:00.002-05:00

I love it when my boys get creative. They'll close themselves up for hours and all you hear is giggling, banging, bouncing, slamming, screaming, etc. You never know what they'll emerge with: a show, something they've built or drawn, a story they've written, or now..... a video.

I thought this one was pretty hilarious from a couple of homeschoolers who don't have a clue what "homework" is. (That's the "Arthur" soundtrack playing)

THINK before you speak!

2011-12-07T16:49:00.003-05:00

Here's something the kids and I have been working on lately. I saw this acronym (T.H.I.N.K.) a while back and thought it was a great way to remember to choose our words carefully. One day, we were discussing it, and I started to bring in a few Bible verses. I was amazed at the conviction that began to show on everyone's faces (including my own). So, we got out our Bibles and began looking up verses to go with each letter/idea. So often, I fail miserably as a parent and fall into the "wrath of mom to bring the righteousness of God" routine. How simple and productive it is to just open up the Word of God and let It speak directly to our hearts!

I typed up and printed this little poster. I can't believe how many times I've heard the phrase, "Think before you speak!" in the past few days. I know it has certainly made me be much more mindful of what passes the door of my lips!

A Day Which Will Live In Infamy

2011-12-07T16:17:00.002-05:00

I'm posting this video today in honor and in memory of all the Pearl Harbor veterans. 2,390 Americans (including many civilians) died on that Sunday morning attack 70 years ago.

This video has an interesting perspective from one of the survivors (who also served later in the Korean War), about the U.S. "minding our own business". I'm not a pacifist, but I am a non-interventionist, just like our first President George Washington. When Pearl Harbor was attacked, America rightfully retaliated and joined World War II to directly defend its territorial borders, ending 4 years later with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

10 years after 9/11, our soldiers are being sent here and yonder, with no clear strategy and not even a clearly defined enemy. It's past time to bring them home. There will never be a successful democratic government set up in Iraq. They've fought for 4,000 years and like it that way. Our troops should be here, defending our borders against illegal immigrants!

God bless our troops, and I pray that 2012 will bring a President who understands the dangers of trying to police the world.

So Much Fun!

2011-11-09T08:56:00.002-05:00

My mother-in-law and I took the big kids to 2 assisted living centers yesterday to play piano. One of the centers was an Alzheimer's center. They were scheduled to play for 30 minute sessions, which is the first time they had played for such a long period of time without stopping. We had so much fun, and it was a really good experience in so many ways for the kids. Here are a few clips:

Caleb, Musette in D Major by Bach

Madelyn, Morning Has Broken (they really loved this piano!)

Caleb, Good Morning Blues. The residents really liked this one. They were dancing at the Alzheimer's place, but the piano was so out of tune that the video sounds bad, so I'll post this one instead.

Madelyn, Habanera from Carmen

At the Alzheimer's center, one of them asked if Madelyn could play "God Bless America", and she said she couldn't, but he started singing it anyway while she played something else. They all sang to all of the hymns. I was really proud of how they stayed focused on their playing and still enjoyed the residents as well.

Seth & KK, Heart and Soul

Seth has his first recital this Sunday. He's only been taking lessons for 2 months and is obviously not ready for performing yet, but I love his zeal. He would have been crushed if I'd told him he couldn't go, now that he has joined the ranks of "piano players" in our family. He has raced through his first book already and practices all the time, so KK worked with him to play this little duet. I'm so glad we took him! It was good for him, but also the residents fell in love with his dimples and big brown eyes. One lady walked him around and introduced him to everyone there! He loved every second of it.

Also, there were 2 piano teachers there, 1 retired and 1 still giving lessons at 90 years old! They were very encouraging to the kids.

For Sunday's recital, KK and Sis are playing (separately), 2 of my favorite pieces of music. It's been a joy to hear them practice for the past few months. For my FB friends, I've already posted these on Facebook, but I thought I'd put them here again for those who aren't. I'm so thankful for the hard work and dedication my children have put into piano. It's really paying off now.

Moonlight Sonata, Beethoven

Canon in D, Pachelbel

I love my kids!

2011-11-03T17:20:00.002-04:00

(even if they can't spell)

Their latest rivalry has been a rubber band war. I love watching them have fun together! I found this laying on the couch.

- Posted using my iPhone

Your Best Life Later!

2011-10-30T17:20:00.001-04:00

(KJV) 1 Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

I'm so thankful that the best is yet to come!

- Posted using my iPhone

Growing in Wisdom AND Stature

2011-10-28T15:18:00.001-04:00

Looks just like his Daddy!

- Posted using my iPhone

Just a little experiment

2011-10-19T22:01:00.003-04:00

Here's a little something I made on my iPhone:

Happy Birthday, Audrey!

2011-10-19T15:56:00.001-04:00

I made this cake for my cute little niece, Audrey.

Here she is a few weeks ago sitting with my sister in the hospital bed after her new little sister arrived. She's a spitting image of my sister, Jada. I experience déjà vu every time I look at her!

I was out of piping gel, so I couldn't do my normal little trick of tracing onto waxed paper, then transferring the picture. Therefore, this is a free hand job which is NOT my speciality. Of course, Audrey was happy so I am too!

- Posted using my iPhone

Mmmmmm!

2011-10-19T14:31:00.001-04:00

This coffee, "Monkey Coffee," as Bub calls it, is so delicious on this cold, rainy fall afternoon! He calls it monkey coffee because the smell reminds him of monkey bread. Get some soon because it's seasonal.

This blog is really to myself in case it makes me sick. (Tara, you really did enjoy that pumpkin spiced coffee, and you had a sweet time sharing a cup with Bubbie while snuggling on the couch. It was worth it.)

Coffee and Bible reading used to be my favorite combination for early mornings. These days, it's coffee and prayer (prayer that I don't get sick!). I guess coffee and prayer isn't a bad combo, right?

- Posted using my iPhone

This is dedicated to my husband...

2011-10-17T17:01:00.003-04:00

who absolutely cannot read lips to save his life!

This website takes public speeches and songs and "lip reads" them. It's hilarious, because it really does look like they're saying the nonsense that you hear. I chose the Rick Perry one, since I'd rather hear hilarious nonsense than his globalist, soft-immigration, Mulism-loving, parental-rights-hating hot air.

But I have to admit, this one is funnier:

Birth order, anyone?

2011-10-15T12:39:00.004-04:00

I'm definitely not into psychology, but years ago I read Kevin Leman's birth order book, and I was amazed at how true his descriptions of family dynamics were. I am the firstborn. Maybe just a teenie, weenie bit controlling and bossy. (only a little!)

What do you think? (also from 1982, 7 years old)

About the smoking, no...none of my friends smoked, although some of them obviously had sinus and fidgeting problems; but smoking would have been my worst nightmare. My daddy smoked (thankfully, he has quit! Yay, Daddy!), but I hated every second of it growing up. Obviously LOL.

"7" Was a Rough Year

2011-10-15T12:31:00.005-04:00

My parents cleaned out their attic and gave me a box of things from years gone by. I thought this was pretty funny. It's dated 1982, when I was 7 years old. Incidentally, this was about a month before I got saved. :-)

And just for the record, I had a wonderful childhood and I dearly love my sister, Jada.

!!

2011-10-12T08:28:00.003-04:00

Wow! You really should look at this. Seriously. Click on the link:

U.S. Debt Clock

Granted, "No Child Left Behind" was a spending boondoggle of a disaster, but it looks like thrift compared to ObamaCare.

Little Sister Boot Camp

2011-10-10T10:19:00.002-04:00

This is how the soldier gets his baby sister in shape.

YouTube Video

- Posted using my iPhone

Surprise!

2011-10-09T22:23:00.001-04:00

I about had a heart attack when I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth tonight. I saw Mr. Freeze's house sitting on the countertop (Batman), but then I saw moving antennas!

Can you see the poor unfortunate grasshopper that Seth brought in for the night?

BOYS!

- Posted using my iPhone

On the Death of Steve Jobs

2011-10-08T14:32:00.003-04:00

I thought this was an excellent perspective by Doug Phillips from Vision Forum on the life and death of Steve Jobs.

"On the Death of Steve Jobs" by Doug Phillips

The fifty-six-year life of Steve Jobs has ended. What is the message?

First, this was the full life of one of the greatest innovators and marketing giants since Edison. He was a man who understood that the computer revolution provided an unprecedented opportunity in history to shape culture. Over the last thirty years, American culture has been shaped by Hollywood, by music videos, by Madison Avenue, by the government schools, and by Steve Jobs. It is time for Christians to take inventory of these influences and consider our response.

...continue reading the article here.

Only one life, ‘twill soon be past;

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Just a Little Something to Brighten Your Day

2011-09-23T08:27:00.001-04:00

YouTube Video

- Posted using my iPhone

Dedicated to Gran and Nanna

2011-09-14T15:19:00.001-04:00

An elderly couple's accidental video has gone viral after their granddaughter (who tried to teach them how to use their new laptop camera) discovered the video and posted it on YouTube. This is so cute!

The Donkey Whisperer

2011-09-14T10:13:00.000-04:00

This has got to be the best campaign ad ever!

Requiem for a Cow

2011-09-13T22:26:00.000-04:00

I obviously have not been in a blogging mood lately. I really am trying to come to terms with my new way of life. This past year has been filled with a lot of misery for me, physically. I've lived with chronic asthma, migraines, fatigue, severe stomach cramps, vomiting, and hives. I guess I'm at least thankful I know what's been causing my problems: food allergies! I've spent my married life immersing myself into homemaking, natural living, cooking from scratch, tweaking recipes to perfection, and cake decorating. Now, I'm having to forget everything I've learned (and it's killing me!). My new life will be without milk, butter, cheese, whey, casein, rice, fish, shellfish, and eggs. I just hope and pray I don't have to add coffee to this list, as I am definitely allergic to coffee. So far, I've been able to tolerate it (with hives) in small amounts. That means.....

no half and half in my coffee
no pizza, tacos, lasagna, baked ziti, or homemade macaroni and cheese
no Chinese food or rice casserole dishes
no white chocolate cheesecake or strawberries and cream pie or dirt cake
no ice cream or fruit dips and spreads
no Ranch or Thousand Island salad dressings
no pumpkin spice lattes or white chocolate mochas
no mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, or whipping cream
no fast food or restaurants, and very little food not cooked by myself
no gravy or creamy soups or bouillon
no baked fish or grilled shrimp or shrimp boil
no milk chocolate or white chocolate or crock pot candy at Christmas
no alfredo or chowder

I could go on. It's depressing. And there's no cure. Instead of browsing recipes to cook for my family, I am now keeping up with an epi-pen, reading labels, exchanging my iPhone recipe apps for allergy apps, and living in fear of when the pain will strike again.

After 2 terrible episodes last week, I'd had just about all I could take Saturday evening. I just went to bed in tears. I'm so thankful to say that I woke up Sunday morning actually feeling good for the first time in weeks. Pain free and with energy! The Lord knew I needed that, and I'm so thankful. I'm thankful it is something I can live with and still enjoy all the blessings the Lord has given me. Living in a land where we eat 3 meals a day, it has affected me greatly, and yet, it could be much worse.

I spent this past week listening to Brahm's Requiem as I meditated and remembered all the victims and lives devastated on September 11. I found that the Requiem quite fit my overall mood for this past year. Some parts of my homemaking (and thus, my identity) are just going to have to be laid to rest. I have finally resigned myself to stop obsessing over "substitutes" for everything, and just focus on what I can eat. I guess I can stop asking Jason for that milk cow I've always wanted for fresh milk, cream, and butter. I'm not going to volunteer to cook (as I usually do), and maybe I'll finally reach that Weight Watchers goal sooner rather than later.

So, farewell, dear cow and all your dairy delights. Hopefully, I can lay a little cellulite to rest with you. (I haven't lost my sense of humor ;-))

Strawberries and Cream Pie

2011-09-13T09:22:00.000-04:00

This is a recipe I came up with myself years ago for a strawberries recipe contest. I missed the deadline before I got it just right, but this has turned out to be one of my favorite recipes. Hope you enjoy it too!

Strawberries and Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1 qt strawberries, chopped and stems removed
3/4 c. sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 c. cold water
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 shortbread pie crust (Keebler makes these)

Directions:
1. Place mixing bowl and beaters in freezer to chill.
2. Combine strawberries and sugar. Let them sit for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.3. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water. Let stand 1 minute, then stir over medium heat until gelatin is dissolved. (doesn't take long, don't get mixture too hot)
4. Stir gelatin mixture into strawberries.
5. Whip cream in cold bowl on high speed for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
6. Add strawberries to whipping cream and mix on low until thoroughly combined
7. Pour into pie crust and chill 4-6 hours.

Entertained to Death

2011-08-30T16:00:00.004-04:00

Caryl Matrisciana was born to British parents in Calcutta, India, where she was raised surrounded by Eastern Mysticism and Hinduism. As a young woman, she became heavily involved in the occult, until she was gloriously saved. With her firsthand knowledge and background, she has become somewhat of a missionary to the lukewarm Christian church in America. Each of these articles below addresses some of the pathetically misguided, if not heretical, attempts at mainstream Christianity to justify watching Twilight and Harry Potter.

"The Twilight Phenomena" by Caryl Matrisciana

"Harry Potter: Can It Have a Christian Perspective?" by Caryl Matrisciana

Below is an excerpt from a documentary that she produced called "Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged"

One of the main ideas that I discussed this summer with my Christian Worldview Class was how the church is blending with the occult to form a new kind of religion, one in which paganism and Christianity can happily co-exist, a new "pagan spirituality". I truly believe that Satan has used these 2 movie/book sagas to "break" otherwise Christian parents.

I heard one Christian parent on the radio this week, desperately defending allowing her teens to watch Harry Potter. She said there's no bad language or illicit scenes (I don't know; I've not seen them), and that she discussed witchcraft with her kids and felt like they could handle it. What struck me most was the desperate tone in her voice. No parent who truly knew she was making a wise and Godly decision on behalf of her children would feel the need to pick up a phone and dial long distance to a radio program and almost cry as she defended her decision. She admitted that her initial answer to her kids was "No." However, they pressured her relentlessly, and she finally caved in. I suspect this is the case with most Christian parents today.

I love children. I always have. I'm the kind of person that cries and loses sleep when I hear of a missing child all the way across the country that I've never met before. It grieves my heart to think of the innocent and trusting being violated. They deserve to be protected. I feel the same kind of grief when our children are assaulted with occultism. They deserve to have parents and pastors and teachers who will shield them from this satanic assault. They can't handle it themselves! It's bad enough when the lost world presents it to them with awesome special effects and cool storylines, but how tragic when the "Christian" world now defends satanism. Woe unto us! Jesus said:

"But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Matthew 18:6

Having Fun

2011-08-29T13:04:00.002-04:00

YouTube Video

- Posted using my iPhone

"When You Read the Bible Through"

2011-08-29T06:39:00.001-04:00

"When You Read the Bible Through"

I supposed I knew my Bible,
Reading piecemeal, hit or miss,
Now a bit of John or Matthew,
Now a snatch of Genesis,
Certain chapters of Isaiah,
Certain psalms (the twenty-third),
Twelfth of Romans, First of Proverbs,
Yes, I thought I knew the Word!
But I found that thorough reading
Was a different thing to do,
And the way was unfamiliar
When I read the Bible through.
You who like to play at Bible,
Dip and dabble, here and there,
Just before you kneel, aweary,
And yawn through a hurried prayer;
You who treat the Crown of Writings
As you treat no other book–
Just a paragraph disjointed,
Just a crude impatient look–
Try a worthier procedure,
Try a broad and steady view;
You will kneel in very rapture
When you read the Bible through!
–Amos R. Wells

My Little Angel

2011-08-08T15:18:00.003-04:00

I know that the Bible never says that angels sing, and I believe that singing is a privilege reserved only for the redeemed. However, there's just something so "heavenly" about my little Seth's voice when he sings. He was born with a song in his heart, and has always loved to let it out. His little voice is so unrehearsed and innocent. I just adore it. I hope he never sings like a professional, and I pray that he will always delight in lifting up his voice to glorify the Lord!

(P.S. I'm a big fan of that piano player too!)

Divided - free until September

2011-08-05T13:15:00.004-04:00

Don't miss the chance to view this film while it is generously being offered for free throughout the month of August.

Official Divided the Movie (HD Version) from NCFIC on Vimeo.

My husband (pastor) has taken more heat on this issue than almost any other, but I appreciate his dedication to truth over popularity. We have lost friends and he has lost preaching appointments, but we have put legs and action behind our firm convictions that children belong with their parents. I can personally testify of the "Christian" teens who come into LMO, with no commitment whatsoever to the gospel and yet no problem identifying themselves as "Christians", and almost all of them are victims of youth ministry.

Just as a side note, the last time I posted something along these lines, I was flooded with hate mail. I have 2 things to say, first of all, this is my blog (hence, the blog address). I have not dedicated my life to shutting down youth ministries and people who don't agree with me, so don't try to shut me up on my own personal blog. Secondly, consider earnestly what this video is saying. The statistics don't lie, and souls are hanging in the balance. It's worth at least an honest look. Not only could it possibly save the eternal destiny of your children, you might discover something much richer and more blessed that God has in store for families and churches.

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. " Matthew 7:13, 14

Score for the Cat Lover

2011-08-05T13:14:00.002-04:00

KK got caught with his iPod during school time and had it "repossessed" for a while. Bad mistake when you are playing pranks on your sister! He was shocked to find what Sis posted on his FB when he finally got his iPod back!

No Kitties Were Harmed During the Making of This Blog Post

2011-08-02T23:37:00.002-04:00

There is a constant rivalry in our household as to which is the better pet: cat or dog.

In the left corner we have Madelyn, devoted cat lover. She's ready with a shovel in a split second to scrape that dead rat off the carport before her Dad sees it.

In the right corner, we have Caleb, dedicated coon dog breeder. He's been known to trek the woods until dawn, faithfully pursuing the coon dog that got sidetracked by an armadillo.

And now, the devoted cat lover and the dedicated coon dog breeder have reached adolescence. And they are about to drive their longsuffering mother crazy.

Below you will see the latest chapter in the Cat vs. Dog soap opera. (I can already hear it..."Mama, what's a soap opera?")

Caleb and Seth slipped outside today while Madelyn was busy with chores and staged this picture. (disclaimer: it was just for show! below kitty is alive and well!)

KK just tiptoed down the hallway and set this photo as Sis's iPod wallpaper. She'll have a nice little surprise waiting in the morning.

I am absolutely certain that there will be payback. Stay tuned for more Cat vs. Dog!

- Posted using my iPhone

The Whirlwind

2011-07-31T16:56:00.007-04:00

"For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind" Hosea 8:7

From what I hear, this is the last Harry Potter movie to be released, and for that I am truly thankful. Now, I look forward to the end of the Twilight saga, and maybe I can get a little peace of mind. I'm NOT one of these people who sits around and picks everyone around me for a little sin here and another there. Believe me, I have enough in my own life to keep myself busy. I also truly do believe that there is liberty in Christ. There are some issues of conduct that the Bible doesn't speak directly to, or is not clear on, and I do not try to force my conviction on these issues onto others around me. If you turn to Romans 14 in my Bible, you will see where I have jotted down a quote from Augustine: "On essentials, unity. On non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity."

I understand that different families have set different standards as far as media goes. Some shun it altogether, others allow closely monitored movies and books, others won't allow any movies that portray any kind of fantasy whatsoever, etc. I can respect any of those decisions (and others still) and ask God for the wisdom to do what is right for my family in our home and in our circumstances with our own unique children, and I don't part fellowship with others who see it differently than I do.

However, I am truly shocked and deeply saddened at the majority of my Christian friends on Facebook who see nothing wrong with witchcraft (Ex. 22:18), the occult (Lev. 20:27, a capital crime), vampires (and soul damnation), and the drinking of blood (Lev. 17:14). IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN AND DON'T KNOW THESE THINGS ARE ABOMINATIONS, STOP READING THIS BLOG RIGHT THIS SECOND. TURN OFF THE COMPUTER AND START READING YOUR BIBLE. J.K. Rowlings' books are longer than the New Testament. Instead of Harry Potter, you could read about how the blood of our precious Lord and Saviour atones for sins and gives us a home in heaven, and as you're rejoicing in these timeless truths penned under inspiration of God, you won't have a taste for the evil, dark arts of your greatest enemy, Satan.

I am horrified at the Christian moms and even preachers' wives who are taking their daughters and sons to see these movies and even list the movies and books in their own profiles. I can't help but think of the Scripture in Luke 18:8 "when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" I expect my lost family and friends to be fascinated by the dark arts, but Christians should be repulsed by anything that leads souls to hell.

My heart is especially heavy for the young people who have not been saved. Their hearts are vacant, and demons just love to find a swept and garnished residence in which to take up living. Is it worth gambling with such delicate little souls, all for the thrill of a few cool special effects and a clever story? I think eternity will tell us that there will be many parents who will wish a thousand midnights that they had summoned the courage to say "No".

Children are given only one command directly in the entire Bible, and that's to obey their parents. All the other commandments apply to children, but it's the parents' responsibility to instill them and enforce them in the lives of these immature little humans. I am reminded of the law of sowing and reaping (Gal. 6:7-8),one of the immutable laws of nature. You ALWAYS reap WHAT you sow, only MORE of it. It is impossible to sow occultism and reap salvation. That would be against the law.

A child of God should not have the same hobbies and appetites as sinners. When Christ is preached and men get saved, the occult is no longer popular. Think of what happened in that wicked city of Ephesus when Paul began to preach there:

"Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed."
Acts 19:19-20

Many Christian homes need to have a good, old-fashioned book (and DVD) burning!

Garden Harvest

2011-07-16T16:28:00.001-04:00

I canned 9 pints of salsa from our garden harvest this week.

It's Through the Blood

2011-07-16T16:24:00.001-04:00

I've had this song on my heart all day. So thankful for Jesus!

They Make Me So Proud

2011-07-12T09:22:00.010-04:00

I know what the Bible says about being puffed up with pride, but seriously....just look at these little geniuses.....YOU'D BE PROUD TOO!

This little angel is 11 years old. I'm hoping the self-respect thing kicks in real soon.

The dentist suggested I help Seth brush a little more along the gumlines at night. Maybe I should consider this.

Bub came running in from swimming at Gran's house and yells, "Mama, look! Gran put jell-o on our hair!" (translation: gel)

And Seth has managed to accomplish what I've failed to do in 3 years....get Summer to obey, without challenge, the first time she's told. I think I'm going to make me a list of commands like his and try that!

Whole Grain GOODness!

2011-07-12T09:21:00.002-04:00

This delicious chocolate chip muffin recipe is made with all whole wheat flour. I use my favorite brand, King Arthur WHITE whole wheat flour. If you have never tried different whole wheat flours, I encourage you to look into King Arthur White Whole Wheat. Most whole wheat flours you buy or grind yourself are made from red whole wheat berries. There is no difference in quality or nutrition, the difference lies in the time of the year that the wheat is harvested. I have found the white whole wheat to be much more palatable for my family, and I can still feel good about the health benefits of cooking with whole wheat.

This recipe is a favorite not only because of its healthy ingredients, but also because it's a quick, one-bowl recipe that I can whip up in no time. Our favorite version is this chocolate chip recipe, but I also use this as my "base" recipe for all muffins. Be creative! Try white chocolate chips (always a winner!) or diced apples or blueberries with 1/2 tsp. cinammon added. The possibilities are endless!

CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

3/4 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 c. milk
3 cups King Arthur white whole wheat flour
12 oz. bag milk chocolate chips
coarse sugar for sprinkling, if desired (I use Demerara sugar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 24 standard sized muffin cups (or line with baking cups, my preferred method).

Beat together the butter, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, then stir in the milk. Mix in the flour, then add the chocolate chips.

Spoon about 1/4 c. batter into each muffin cup. (Remember whole wheat flour doesn't rise quite as much, so the cups will be a little fuller than a muffin mix.) Sprinkle lightly with sugar if desired. Bake for 20 minutes*.

*20 minutes is for light colored tins (the best kind for not burning the bottoms of your muffins!). If using a dark, non-stick type pan, check after 16 minutes.

These muffins are very filling, so be sure and freeze leftovers for a quick, healthy snack later!

When the Bough Breaks

2011-07-05T16:08:00.003-04:00

"When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour." Isaiah 27:11

My heart is so heavy with the grave injustice that was served to little Caylee Anthony. I've shed many tears through the years on behalf of the innocent little children who've suffered at the hands of perverts and murderers. It's horrible enough when trusting little children are snatched from fit and loving parents, but when the assailants turn out to be the parents, it's a testimony to the complete degeneration of our society. As if that weren't bad enough, our "justice" system is now on the side of evil, and too often allows murderers to go unpunished.

It reminds me of the nation Israel in the Scripture referenced above. I truly believe God raised up our nation, as He did Israel, for the purpose of shining the light of the gospel to the world. And sadly, just as Israel was overcome with pride and became a nation of "people of no understanding", so has the United States. The boughs are withered and broken, and we are in danger of crumbling.

So this afternoon, I called off afternoon lessons and let my children see me shed some tears of righteous anger and sorrow for the little girl whose own mother threw her out like a bag of garbage. I've not been able to get this Scripture off my mind:

"

Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children..." Lamentations 2:19

And as for Casey Anthony, the 12 jurors who shirked their duties, the lawyers who gained fame and wealth defending her, and the parents and family who lied on her behalf....your prospects are not good. In fact, the Bible says it would be better for you to have a millstone tied around your neck and drowned in the depths of the sea (Matthew 18:6). At least we can take comfort in knowing that after her short, miserable life here on earth, Caylee is in the presence of the Savior now.

My Rosebud Turned 3!

2011-06-27T17:47:00.005-04:00

She's growing up so fast...

She's driving now!

And I learned that I can still jog 5 MPH when I have to. Yay me!

And then we topped the day off with Little Bear. She loved it!

Marxism vs. Christianity

2011-06-22T13:06:00.002-04:00

I would like to share some of the notes from the Christian Worldview Class I'm teaching right now. Francis Schaeffer called Marxism a Christian heresy because it takes Biblical ideals like equality, peace, sharing, and giving to the poor, and twists these ideals to form a tyrannical government that is actually the complete opposite of Biblical Christianity. It's never been more relevant to freedom-loving Americans!

You can call me "southern", and you can call me "baptist",

2011-06-22T12:44:00.004-04:00

but don't you dare call me "Southern Baptist".

Thanks to the efforts of Richard Land (whose office receives millions of dollars from their annual budget), the Southern Baptists now officially hold the same position on illegal (as in "NOT" legal, lawbreakers) aliens as does the Communist Party USA and our Marxist President. This is shameful!

From the APB:

Southern Baptists support path to legal status in immigration reform
By Bob Allen
Wednesday, June 15, 2011

PHOENIX (ABP) – The Southern Baptist Convention adopted a debated resolution June 15 calling for “a just and compassionate path to legal status” for undocumented immigrants.

President Obama supports immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people who are living in the country illegally. Opponents say amnesty encourages others to enter the United States illegally and compete for American jobs.

“This will be known as Southern Baptist amnesty,” said Wiley Drake, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park, Calif.

“That is exactly what this is,” said Drake, a former convention vice president. “This is amnesty any way you phrase it.”

Messengers voted 766-723 against a motion by Richard Huff, pastor of Corona de Tucson Baptist Church in Tucson, Ariz., to delete a paragraph that asks the government “to implement, with borders secured, a just and compassionate path to legal status, with appropriate restitutionary measures, for those undocumented immigrants already living in our country.”

Huff said he agreed with other parts of the resolution that opposed “nativism” and any bigotry or harassment against undocumented workers, but giving them amnesty rewards them for breaking the law and puts them in line ahead of those seeking citizenship through legal means.

“They came here illegally and now we say: ‘We are going to reward you. You are already here?’” Huff asked. “The right of citizenship is too precious to reward those who are here illegally.”

Read the full article here.

Say Cheez!

2011-06-21T08:18:00.015-04:00

Last week, I took the kids to Berry College for pictures. The photographer was LeAnne Acrey, and I think she did a great job. Here's a link to her FB: L.A. Front Porch Photos. I really like how she gave me the edited photos as well as the unedited. Everyone has their individual styles and tastes, not to mention it's nice to be able to rotate and crop for your specific needs like blogging, scrapbooking, printing, etc. I thought the pictures turned out great!

I Miss President Reagan

2011-06-21T07:41:00.003-04:00

The following transcript is one of Ronald Reagan's famous radio addresses. In this address (which aired September 6, 1977), Ronald Reagan, the great orator, eloquently gives his thoughts on the "Good News Bible" (also called the Good News for Modern Man and Today's English Version) in comparison to the Authorized Version or the King James Bible.

"What would you say if someone decided Shakespeare's plays, Charles Dicken's novels, or the music of Beethoven could be rewritten & improved?

Writing in the journal "The Alternative", Richard Hanser, author of The Law & the Prophets and Jesus: What Manner of Man Is This?, has called attention to something that is more than a little mind boggling. It is my understanding that the Bible (both the Old & New Testaments) has been the best selling book in the entire history of printing. Now another attempt has been made to improve it. I say another because there have been several fairly recent efforts to quote "make the Bible more readable & understandable" unquote. But as Mr. Hanser so eloquently says, "For more than 3 1/2centuries, its language and its images, have penetrated more deeply into the general culture of the English speaking world, and been more dearly treasured, than anything else ever put on paper." He then quotes the irreverent H. L. Mencken, who spoke of it as purely a literary work and said it was, "probably the most beautiful piece of writing in any language." They were, of course, speaking of The Authorized Version, the one that came into being when the England of King James was scoured for translators & scholars. It was a time when the English language had reached it's peak of richness & beauty.

Now we are to have The Good News Bible which will be in, "the natural English of everyday adult conversation." I'm sure the scholars and clergymen supervised by the American Bible Society were sincerely imbued with the thought that they were taking religion to the people with their Good News Bible, but I can't help feeling we should instead be taking the people to religion and lifting them with the beauty of language that has outlived the centuries. Mr. Hanser has quoted from both the St. James Version & the Good News Bible some well known passages for us to compare.

A few thousand years ago Job said "How forcible are right words!" [Job 6:25] The new translators have him saying "Honest words are convincing." That's only for openers. There is the passage [Eccl. 1:18], "For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow". Is it really an improvement to say instead, "The wiser you are, the more worries you have; the more you know the more it hurts." In the New Testament, in Mathew, we read "The voice of the one crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way." [Matthew 3:3] The Good News version translates that, "Someone is shouting in the desert. Get the road ready." It sounds like a straw boss announcing lunch hour is over.

The hauntingly beautiful 23rd Psalm is the same in both versions, for a few words, "The Lord is my shepherd" but instead of continuing "I shall not want" we are supposed to say "I have everything I need." The Christmas story has undergone some modernizing but one can hardly call it improved. The wondrous words "Fear not: for; behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy" has become, "Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you." The sponsors of the Good News version boast that their Bible is as readable as the daily paper -- and so it is. But do readers of the daily news find themselves moved to wonder, "at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth"? Mr. Hanser suggests that sadly the "tinkering & general horsing around with the sacred texts will no doubt continue" as pious drudges try to get it right. "It will not dawn on them that it has already been gotten right."

This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening."

Source: AV1611.ORG

A Father's Prayer

2011-06-19T17:27:00.000-04:00

The following prayer was written by General Douglas MacArthur -

Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.

Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a son who will know Thee….Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.

Build me a son whose heart will be clean, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.

Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, “I have not lived in vain.”

Soapbox

2011-06-15T14:15:00.004-04:00

Bear with me. I must get this off my chest. Apparently, I am one of only a handful of sane people left in my little Georgia hometown. If one more nice little old Christian lady tells me how excited she is that the heathens have moved in and asks me am I going to watch, I think I might just explode.

You see, Billy Bob Thornton has moved his film crew in to film "Jayne Mansfield's Car". The film also stars Dwight Yoakam, Robert Duvall, Dennis Quaid, and Kevin Bacon. Now, I admit that I am not familiar with his work, and I do not know the content of the script as far as language and lewd scenes go; however, here is a list of Billy Bob Thornton movies and their MPAA ratings:

Billy Bob Thornton Filmography One thing you'll notice about his movie list is that they're almost all Rated R.

There is a good reason that I am not familiar with his work. I am a Christian. I do not watch movies that are full of adultery and fornication and pornography and drinking and immorality and heathen reprobates who take the name of my Savior and use It for a curse word. Since we do not go to movie theaters and we do not have cable television, and we do not let our children spend the night at friends' homes or go to public school where these are available, I thank the Lord that our children don't even know curse words and have never even seen a lewd scene and wouldn't know what it was if they did. We are not forest dwellers who hitch up the wagon once a year and head to the city for supplies; we are just redeemed souls, saved by God's grace, trying to live for Him, and very selective about what we allow into our home. We do have a television, iPods, a Wii, and we even have Netflix. I love Netflix because it always leaves a complete trail (no deleting) of everything watched. That keeps the whole family accountable because it flashes up "recently watched" every time you turn it on. I have made my children a "que" of family friendly selections, and they are not starving for screen time. Even so, by diligently staying on top of all their influences, I've been able to shield them from harmful influences. It isn't easy monitoring the movies, the internet filters, and even the iPod internet filters and restrictions......but, Mamas and Daddys, who said that nurturing a tender soul to adulthood would be easy? It's worth every minute!

The plot of this movie is something about a woman who leaves her family and moves to England. 20 years later she dies and her "new" family brings her body back to bury her in her small town. In the process, the new family and the old family meet up. "The movie is about relationships," they say. I don't really know what that means, but I imagine there will be very little of redeeming value since the script was written by Thornton himself, who is covered in tatoos (a heathen practice, by the way), has been married 5 times and currently lives in adultery with his girlfriend and 2 year old child.

I'm not ignorant. I realize that Hollywood is big business and that most people, even those who name the name of Christ, go to the movie theaters just about every weekend. I expected the heathens to be jumping up and down happy, but I really wasn't prepared for all my Christian friends to be this happy. People are taking off work and going to watch the filming. Will they even cringe when God's name is cursed? People are renting out their cars, businesses, and equipment all to help the effort. Everyone is fighting for a chance to be an extra in the film!

Having said all that, now I am forced to close down my crisis pregnancy center for 2 days because the streets will be completely blocked off! This will be during a week when we normally have a high volume of people coming in due to a yearly fundraising project we do. And then, as if I wasn't disgusted enough, some of the film crew came into the center today to get permission to have Life Matters Outreach in the background of some of the shots! To the complete surprise and amazement of many, I said "no thank you" and gave my office manager (my mother) permission to sign for me declining the invite and allowing them to cover up our signs or else take them down for filming.

I could live with all this inconvenience if all the Christians around me weren't posting pictures of themselves and Billy Bob on Facebook and just so bubbly that he is making yet another film to corrupt the hearts and minds of morally bankrupt America. Does Christian America not have an ounce of discernment or principle left?

"Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord." Jeremiah 8:12

Proof

2011-06-13T09:49:00.002-04:00

This is funny; however, I would contend that there's little hope in the common sense area for anyone who would vote for any color Marxist for any principled reason.

The Curly Headed Cowgirl Conks Out

2011-06-10T20:11:00.001-04:00

- Posted using my iPhone

Gone Fishing! and Other Fun Stuff

2011-06-09T08:56:00.006-04:00

We found this awesome cecropia moth caterpillar on our apple tree. We actually have found 2 of them. I don't like apple tree pests, but I'm willing to share a few leaves with a beautiful creature like this. The caterpillars are huge, about 4 1/2 inches long and about an inch thick. They could grow up to 6 inches before they cocoon. What's really cool, is that they only produce one generation each year. That means that when and if we can get it to cocoon, it won't emerge until next June! According to our research, they will cocoon and spin a soft brown silky cocoon. Then a few weeks later it will transform into a dark brown, hard shelled cocoon. In the fall, we should store the cocoon in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator and take it out in the spring. Isn't that just amazing?

Wife's Diary, Husband's Diary

2011-06-09T06:19:00.002-04:00

This has been circulating on the internet, so I can't be sure of who wrote it, but I thought this was pretty funny.

Wife’s Diary:

Tonight, I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to

meet at a nice restaurant for dinner. I was shopping with my friends

all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit

late, but he made no comment on it. Conversation wasn't flowing, so I

suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed, but

he didn't say much.

I asked him what was wrong; He said, 'Nothing.' I asked him if it was

my fault that he was upset. He said he wasn't upset, that it had

nothing to do with me, and not to worry about it. On the way home, I

told him that I loved him. He smiled slightly, and kept driving.

I can't explain his behavior I don't know why he didn't say, 'I love

you, too.' When we got home, I felt as if I had lost him completely,

as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there

quietly, and watched TV. He continued to seem distant and absent.

Finally, with silence all around us, I decided to go to bed. About 15

minutes later, he came to bed. But I still felt that he was

distracted, and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep - I

cried. I don't know what to do. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are

with someone else. My life is a disaster.

Husband's Diary:

Boat wouldn't start, can't figure it out.

D-Day

2011-06-06T12:19:00.002-04:00

My little Bubbie loves the military. As I type right now, he is dressed in full camoflauge, braving the heat, lurking out behind our house with a backpack, canteen, helmet, and gun...keeping watch in case any Nazis might show up. When I look at him, I see everything that has been wonderful and true and right about the United States military. Some of the most noble, brave, and unselfish men have called themselves American soldiers, and they have my highest respect. That's why it just makes my blood boil to think of the moral predicament Commandant Obama has put our soldiers in, by forcing them to share rank and quarters with a bunch of sissified, morally degenerate perverts. I don't have the heart to break this news to my Bub, not that he has a clue was a homosexual is since we homeschool and don't have cable television.

Today, however, I'm thinking of the men who braved Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944. I was only 9 years old when President Reagan traveled to France to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the successful liberation of France, yet I remember watching the speech and being filled with thankful pride for my country, my president, and our military. Since I know the imposter will not do anything meaningful to remember the men who gave their lives fighting against dictators and communists like himself, I want to post this wonderful speech by American born President Ronald Wilson Reagan.

A heartfelt, personal thank you to the American soldier, and especially to those WWII veterans on this special D-Day.

Piano Recital

2011-05-23T15:37:00.003-04:00

I probably won't be posting very much in the next few weeks. I've got a class coming up that I'm teaching (www.whiterosegeneration.com), and I'm determined not to get behind in our homeschool while I prepare for this. Hopefully the devil doesn't read my blog and he won't throw any kinks in my plan, but even so I'm sure that won't leave much computer time for me!

The Stringers have been very busy lately with school and church, and Caleb and Madelyn also had a piano recital yesterday. I'm so proud of their hard work and dedication. Way to go, guys!

Happy Birthday to my Awesome Husband!

2011-05-23T15:25:00.002-04:00

I'm so thankful that I let the Lord write my love story. He sent me the most wonderful man to be the leader of my home and the father of my children. It's been a true joy to walk along beside him as we have built such a wonderful life together with the help of our Lord. How blessed it is to have a husband who is also my brother in Christ. Happy Birthday, Jason!

"Just a minute!"

2011-05-09T10:11:00.002-04:00

Just for future reference, whenever you call your 2-year-old and she says, "Just a minute!" at the very same time your 6-year-old says, "Mama, I smell something
funny," you should take off running. What was really funny was when I walked into the bathroom, she said, "Mama, take a picture of my pink piggies." (All the bloggers' children know that know matter how big the mess, a picture will be taken!)

:-)

2011-05-09T10:08:00.002-04:00

I couldn't resist sharing this from one of my Facebook friends:

LITTLE JOHNNY SOLD TOOTHBRUSHES

The kids filed back into class Monday morning. They were very excited. Their weekend assignment was to sell something, then give a talk on productive salesmanship.

Little Sally led off: "I sold girl scout cookies and I made $30," she said proudly, "My sales approach was to appeal to the customer's civil spirit and I credit that approach for my obvious success."

"Very good," said the teacher.

Little Jenny was next: "I sold magazines," she said, "I made $45 and I explained to everyone that magazines would keep them up on current events."

"Very good, Jenny," said the teacher..

Eventually, it was Little Johnny's turn. The teacher held her breath ..... Little Johnny walked to the front of the classroom and dumped a box full of cash on the teacher's desk. "$2,467," he said.

"$2,467!" cried the teacher, "What in the world were you selling" ? Toothbrushes," said Little Johnny.

"Toothbrushes," echoed the teacher, "How could you possibly sell enough tooth brushes to make that much money?"

"I found the busiest corner in town," said Little Johnny, "I set up a Dip & Chip stand, I gave everybody who walked by a free sample."

They all said the same thing, "Hey, this tastes like dog poop!"

Then I would say, "It is dog poop. Wanna buy a toothbrush? I used the President Obama method of giving you something crappy, but looks good, for free, and then making you pay to get the bad taste out of your mouth."

The teacher was speechless.

This just made my day!

2011-05-05T16:23:00.002-04:00

THIS is why I think it's well worth my time to invest in the next generation!

LMO Newsletter

2011-05-04T15:23:00.001-04:00

Here's the newsletter for the crisis pregnancy center that I direct.

Happy Birthday to My Precious Old Bible!

2011-05-02T14:57:00.003-04:00

I love my Bible. My perfect, preserved copy of God's Holy Word for the English speaking people, the Authorized 1611 King James Bible. The New Age Bible versions that have infiltrated the churches in the last 100 years have lead to the absolute chaos and crisis of doctrine we have today. It's paved the way for the heretical Emergent Church movement, led by universalists like Rob Bell and others. While this is true, the saddest thing to me on a personal level that has come from everyone owning their own personalized, preferred Bible translation, is the obvious difficulty it presents in memorizing and familiarizing ourselves with Scripture. Before, the preacher read and preached the KJB, the people read along in their KJ Bibles, the children studied from the KJB in Sunday School, greeting cards and Bible literature all quoted from the Authorized text, and even those who did not make a concerted effort to memorize Scripture had it written on their hearts just by sheer repetition. Satan would have none of this! So, he pulled out his oldest trick (literally) and began to question once again, as he did in the garden, "Hath God said....?"

And so, the heretical compromised texts that had been altered by the gnostics of Alexandria, which had made their way into the Latin Vulgate and other corrupt translations, began to weave their way into the English language, the language spoken by the most definitively Christian nation in history, the U.S.

I have never read from anything other than the King James Bible, other than when I had to purchase required texts for college (The Jerusalem Bible and the New Revised Standard Bible). However, I used to hold to the position that this was my preference, and that if one was going to read from another version, he should choose a scholarly "objective" version (like the NRSV) and not an interpretive "subjective" version like the NIV. After much study on this subject, however, I realized that the "objective vs. subjective" issue has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Bible version debate. The truth is, you could have a very scholarly, completely unbiased translation, but IF IT'S FROM THE WRONG SOURCE, it's HERESY!

The issue is not about the translation, it's about the manuscripts! The King James Bible was carefully translated from the original received texts, the Textus Receptus, or the Majority texts. These were carefully preserved and copied by the early church. Some manuscripts were taken to Alexandria and changed by the gnostics. These, through a series of events, have now become known as the Westcott-Hort Greek text, from which almost all modern Bible translations are taken. The King James Bible tells us that Satan was "subtil" in his deception, hard to recognize, and it's no wonder that many sincere Christians aren't aware of this deception.

The Lord is jealous of His Word. In closing the Holy Book, He left us a warning, "...If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life..." Rev. 22:18, 19

Here is a link to ENTIRE VERSES that are deleted from the NIV Bible. This list doesn't include deleted or changed words here and there, such as references to Christ's divinity and Hell, etc.

Here's a link to one of my favorite "watchers on the wall" for modern times, John McTernan. He is a defender of life, a defender of Israel, a defender of Biblical prophecy, a defender of family and marrige, and a defender of the King James Bible. He isn't a stuffy academic, but a very humble and knowledgeable child of God who knows how to get his point across. There are several useful links on the page below, including his personal testimony about the King James Bible.

John McTernan, 400 Years of the KJB

If you'll look on the right sidebar of my blog, you'll find a link to a position paper by my all-time favorite Bible scholar, Dr. Henry Morris, on the King James Bible.

If you aren't sure about this issue, I urge you to study up on it yourself! David Cloud from Way of Life Ministries (http://www.wayoflife.org/) is another great resource, as well as Dr. Samuel Gipp ("The Answer Book" among others).

Praise God for His kind provision for us, in giving us a Book from which we can know that we have eternal life! Happy 400 Years, King James Bible!

I Obviously Have Too Many Children

2011-05-01T21:27:00.003-04:00

To all the naysayers out there who've said rude things to my face and behind my back about "all those kids" that Jason and I have so irresponsibly brought into the world...well, okay, I guess you might have a point. I'll at least concede that maybe we have too many children for the amount of toilets we have in our house. You see, a deep dark secret is that....my boys end up using the bathroom outside almost every morning. The routine goes like this: everyone gets up at the same time, the big kids take their showers first thing, and if the boys drag around, they miss their opportunities to use the restroom. Inevitably, they have to go bad and end up yelling, "Mom, I'm going to pee outside!"

So this evening when I told Summer to go pee pee, she found both restrooms full, then runs to the kitchen door yelling, "Mom, I'm going to pee outside!". When I tried to stop her, she burst into tears and then I had to video!

So the bottom line is this. STRINGER KIDS, you all better walk the line this week! Somebody's going on eBay before the week is out! Our kid:toilet ratio is out of balance!

- Posted using my iPhone

:-)

2011-04-26T14:37:00.006-04:00

My pretty girl got braces!

Poor Summer has had a very hazardous week with the scars to prove it! (That awful bruise on her chin came from falling off the toilet, poor baby!) I tried so hard to picnik these boo-boos out, but I couldn't. I guess it's appropriate that the little stinker is recorded "as is" for history's sake.

Let Brotherly Love Continue

2011-04-26T14:18:00.006-04:00

I try really hard not to interfere in my children's disagreements (unless I see splatters of blood). I've tried to teach them to take the Matthew 18 approach to resolving arguments and not be "tattle tales" as we say here in the south. Therefore, I'm not really sure what's going on between Bubbie and Sis, but this is what Bubbie has taped on his wall right now. It's a picture of Madelyn, complete with earrings and braces, and he obviously remembers how to spell her name now. Those homeschool art lessons and phonics are really starting to pay off now!

Supposing God Became a Man

2011-04-24T07:20:00.001-04:00

"But supposing God became a man - suppose our human nature which can suffer and die was amalgamated with God's nature in one person - then that person could help us. He could surrender His will, and suffer and die, because He was man; and He could do it perfectly because He was God. You and I can go through this process only if God does it in us; but God can only do it if He becomes man. Our attempts at this dying will succeed only if we men share in God's dying, just as our thinking can succeed only because it is a drop out of the ocean of His intelligence: but we cannot share God's dying unless God dies; and He cannot die except by being a man. That is the sense in which He pays our debt, and suffers for us what He Himself need not suffer at all."
— C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)

Happy Resurrection Day!

- Posted using my iPhone

Little Gardener

2011-04-23T13:13:00.007-04:00

Rosebud loves being outside and "helping". Whatever she sees Daddy doing, that's what she wants to do.

Time for a break! I normally don't let my children eat high fructose corn syrup and dye, but those little Kool-aid type frozen popsicles in the plastic are sort of a right of passage of childhood I guess. :-)

Summer has the Pippi Longstocking movie on her iPod and loves it. Therefore, she loves to have her hair braided like Pippi. I just love the little curly tip. It's actually quite a challenge to braid her hair, fighting the curls with every strand. So pretty!

New Things

2011-04-23T12:26:00.013-04:00

New Friends (Summer has finally decided she likes Junior, the coon dog)

New Garden (Yes, it's big. Jason always thinks BIG, that's just one reason I love him!)

Brocolli already!

New experiences

New pond (hopefully!)

New Life. This is a moth that emerged from a huge cocoon that Bubbie found on an oak tree outside. The cocoon was about 2 inches long and about an inch wide with leaf prints carved into the side (I wish I had taken a picture!). The cocoon itself was beautiful, and the moth has amazed us all. It's about 6 inches wide and absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately, it does NOT like having its picture taken, so here are a few lousy shots I was able to get. It's flying free in our house right now.

This is outside the kids' tree house. If you'll look closely on the dog's neck, you can see a cocoon!

I just love spring!

My Sweet Happy Girl

2011-04-13T15:02:00.001-04:00

Okay, maybe she's a little more mean than sweet, but she's definitely happy!

Science in the School Room (literally!)

2011-04-11T15:17:00.003-04:00

Well, if you've been a longtime reader of my blog, one thing you know is that my children love caterpillars! It hasn't just been a phase; every year they look forward to this (even Caleb at 13!). Check out this post from 3 years ago (look how little everyone was!). They like to capture them and build houses for them, decorate them (see below), and do other things I won't list on here in case there are any earth-worshipping, pantheistic pagans browsing by. I've lost count of how many butterflies and moths we have seen "born" in our house, right before our very eyes, ones that the kids have captured outside and brought in. It really is a fascinating testimony to the glory of God how a worm-like creature can wrap itself in tissue-like substance and emerge as a beautiful, winged, 6-legged flying insect! When you come to my house, you come to expect the chirping of crickets in the background (frog food), and don't be surprised if the carpet appears to be moving, as those little crickets are sneaky and can escape from almost any container! If you come at the right time, you might hear hatching chicks chirping from the back closet (it's a long story....). Obviously, there is always Frogger, our tree frog to see, and it's rare that there isn't some captured creature like a toad or turtle that Seth has been stalking. As of right now, there are 6 bullfrog tadpoles sitting on my hearth, splashing like kids playing in a pool. You will occasionally find a few sea monkeys too (my kids love those....okay, I love them maybe a little too much for my age...). A huge cocoon with an amazing leaf pattern design on it which Bubbie found on an oak tree outside, sits in a "bug tent" on top of my cabinet waiting to emerge. And as I type, I'm listening to the squeaking of 7 new little kittens on our carport. I said all that to say this. We've been through a lot of nature projects, but THIS is a first!

This is a desk in our school area. One of the boys' caterpillars escaped and cocooned right underneath the desk! Sis found it when we were cleaning up after cutting out our history timeline figures. We can't wait to see what happens next!

Randy Alcorn

2011-04-11T05:03:00.001-04:00

Here's a quote from one of my favorite authors, Randy Alcorn:

"I thank God that today I don't just love Jesus as much as I used to,

I love Him more. That is to His credit, and I'm deeply grateful.

He's what makes it so exciting and so worthwhile, and He's the One Who empowers me to walk a long obedience in the same direction."

Fly on the Wall

2011-04-09T09:59:00.001-04:00

Here are some cute sayings from my precious boys:

BUB: "Mom, I'm going to marry you 10 times when I grow up. You're my best wife!"

BUB: "Mama, this pencil's out of lettuce."

BUB: "Mom, did people get baptized in the Old Testament?"
ME: "No, it was pretty different back then. They didn't have churches the way we have now, but there were other ways to show faith in God."
SETH: (obviously not satisfied with my simple answer) "Bub, the main difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament is that they didn't have chairs in Old Testament days and they all had to stand up to listen to the preacher."

BUB: (getting ready for phonics lesson). "Mom, remember I had a hard time with this yesterday.....(thoughtful pause)....Boy, it's a good thing it's not yesterday anymore!"

SETH: (just learning a new objective in his Singapore Math): "This is quite possibly the easiest thing I've ever done in my entire life!". (I, Tara Stringer, have a kid who loves Math!)

My boys are growing up so quickly! I know these hilarious moments will become less and less frequent, and I'm enjoying every minute of them being "little boys"!

- Posted using my iPhone

Spring!

2011-04-07T21:10:00.001-04:00

My little scientist is so glad spring is finally here. Now he can collect critters galore! Here he is this evening sitting patiently while Sis took her piano lesson. Check out what's in his hand.

If you look closely, you'll see where he colored them with Sharpies to make them more colorful. He's such a sensitive soul! Love my Sunshine!

- Posted using my iPhone

Jesus Loves Me, This I Know

2011-04-07T20:30:00.001-04:00

YouTube Video

- Posted using my iPhone

I Know Him. Do you?

2011-03-31T17:25:00.001-04:00

I've had this song on my mind all day long.

I KNOW A MAN WHO CAN

I can't take a heart that's broken, Make it over again,
But I know a Man Who can.
I can't take a soul that's sin sick and wash it white as the snow,
But I know a Man Who can.

Chorus:
Some call Him Savior,
The Redeemer of all men.
I call him Jesus for He's my Dearest Friend.
If you feel no one can help you, and your life is out of hand,
Well, I know a Man Who can.

I can't walk upon the water or calm the troubled sea,
But I know a Man who can.
I can't cause blind eyes to open,
Or make the lame to walk again,
But I know a Man who can.

Chorus:
Some call Him Savior,
The Redeemer of all men.
I call him Jesus for He's my Dearest Friend.
If you feel no one can help you, and your life is out of hand,
Well, I know a Man Who can.

- Posted using my iPhone

Graveyard Good!

2011-03-26T20:59:00.001-04:00

We had breakfast for supper tonight, one of our favorite meals! KK is normally in charge of the scrambling of the eggs; however, tonight he requested his favorite version of eggs, oven baked scrambled eggs. So, he did his next best specialty, which is gravy!

I never make gravy that I don't think of my favorite old-time preacher, Bro. Lester Roloff. He preached on just about everything you can possibly think of, including gluttony and making your bodies unfit for the Lord's service. He believed in living naturally, and eating fresh, raw foods that you took time to grow yourself.
Once when he was preaching about lazy, fat Christians (as only he could get away with), he said, "Gravy comes from the word GRAVEYARD!". I thought that was so funny!

Since most southern style grease gravy will send you to the graveyard early, I'll post my recipe for milk gravy. It's still high in fat, but at least it's all real and wholesome ingredients. Also, I'll post my oven baked eggs recipe. It may sound odd if you've never had it, but they are the fluffiest and lightest eggs you'll ever eat! Plus, it frees up your hands while you cook the rest of the meal. Bro. Roloff would at least be pleased to know that the eggs came from our own backyard chickens.

Enjoy!

MILK GRAVY
6 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp flour (salt and pepper)
3 c. milk

Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour and form a paste. Slowly whisk in milk while stirring over medium heat.

OVEN BAKED EGGS
18 eggs
6 Tbsp butter
1 3/4 c. milk
2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in 9x13 casserole dish. Whisk eggs in bowl, slowly work in milk then salt. Pour into dish and place in oven (carefully! this is easy to spill). Bake for 12 minutes. Carefully remove and quickly stir eggs with spatula, scraping bottom of pan. Return to oven and bake for 12-15 more minutes, removing just before eggs start to brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.*

*This is also how I make eggs for breakfast burritos. Just add a little meat to the eggs at midpoint when you remove them from the oven. Then top burrito with cheese and salsa.

- Posted using my iPhone

God IS Great

2011-03-26T12:27:00.003-04:00

This is Summer Rose saying the blessing. The very first part got cut off, but it's still precious. (Yes, I'm working on teaching her to wait until AFTER the prayer to start eating!)

- Posted using my iPhone

In the jungle, the mighty jungle...

2011-03-25T16:15:00.001-04:00

the lion sleeps tonight

YouTube Video

- Posted using my iPhone

Fun With My Little Soldier Boy

2011-03-23T17:16:00.001-04:00

Look closely....battle can age you very quickly ;-)

Forward One Month...

2011-03-23T16:50:00.005-04:00

Okay, for all you 2 people out there who actually read my blog, I'm back! Seriously, I just needed a little time off. It's true that my kids do Math on the computer, and that I've been spring cleaning, as well as doing some extra school work getting ready for year-end recitals and such....but stuff like that doesn't usually prevent me from blogging at least a little here and there. To be honest, I've just been going through the Refiner's Fire lately about a lot of things, and I've been listening instead of talking and typing. I've learned a lot, much of which I didn't really want to learn, but I'm thankful for God's patience and longsuffering with me. "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Job 23:10

Meanwhile, here are some recent pictures of my little brown-eyed girl and some of her friends:

Homeschooling Advantages

2011-02-14T09:54:00.001-05:00

There are definitely rewards for teaching your children to read, write, and spell! (This is from 7-year-old Seth)

- Posted using my iPhone

Boys!

2011-02-10T11:05:00.003-05:00

BUBBIE: "Mom, can I have this circle box?"

ME: "Bub, what in the world do YOU want with a girlie little trinket box like that?"

BUBBIE: "My soldiers need a toilet."

- Posted using my iPhone

Lipstick Mischief

2011-02-09T15:54:00.001-05:00

Here's a video I took of Summer last night. I just love this stage of childhood!
Highlights:
- You'll notice her new "fake laugh"
- She loves to look in the mirror and make faces, and you can see she's already got the best of one side of that mirror
-She's saying, "couch" when her lips are all puckered
-Right at the end when she's running back toward the camera, she's doing her "granny walk" as we call it (meaning, she's got to go to the bathroom)

Memorial for the Unborn

2011-02-09T09:48:00.004-05:00

Normally, I would never share a video of myself speaking. (I guess it's years of phone calls that go like this: Me "Hello?" Other person "Is your Mommy home?" LOL)

However, I was so excited about some recent information we discovered about abortion statistics in Polk county, that I just had to share! Life Matters Outreach is the crisis pregnancy center that I started in 2001. It's been a labor of love on my part, and a huge teaching opportunity between me and the Lord, as He has taught me to trust Him and put my family FIRST, and not let my ambitions get the best of me. Our center is small, but we've always tried to glorify God in the little things. No child has ever been taken to a daycare center while his mother came to LMO to council, we've stuck to the King James Bible, and we've patiently waited on the Lord to send volunteers to us rather than aggressively "recruiting" them.

It's been hard on me in recent years with my growing family and the responsibility of homeschooling. I've given up going to LMO on a weekly basis, however, I do a lot of work from home (usually in the wee hours of the night). This isn't quite as rewarding as seeing firsthand results while counciling regularly, and yet I was so excited to see the decline in abortion rate in our county. I just had to take a moment on my personal blog journal here and give God the glory for what He's done through LMO.

This is part of an annual Memorial for the Unborn that the Polk County Christian Coalition organizes every year. They always ask for me to come and give a report for our center.

(Note about quality of video: My amateur camera girl, 11 years old, takes great pictures but hasn't quite mastered video. You might want to take a swig of Emetrol before watching this if you're prone to motion sickness. She also cut off about the first 30 seconds. In all fairness, the wind was blowing WILDLY that day, as you can see from the hair in my mouth LOL. I wasn't about to let go of my paper to remove that hair, because I knew my paper would be across the road in no time! FYI, this is on the court house steps downtown.)

"Summer ROSE!"

2011-02-08T23:42:00.008-05:00

This seems to be the phrase of the day, as we are constantly in anticipation of what mischief our little girl will find next, like......

deleting everyone's apps off their iPods (you need not think you can hide it from her; she has a built in "find my iPhone" feature)

waking up with gum in her mouth, which she did NOT go to bed with (she MUST be part owl or bat or cat or something, because the real fun begins when the sun goes down)

well, how can I say this politely? ummm, "passing gas" loudly in church....NOT once, mind you, but TWICE in the same service! definitely no more chocolate milk in Sunday School!

putting food in empty boots for a little surprise later on

pretending like she's eating while really putting the food in her shirt, under the table, in the window sill, in a laundry basket of freshly cleaned clothes, etc.

dumping the crickets (frog food)

and tonight's surprise: Mama's lipstick!

We love our mean, rotten, precious girl!

Please Pray for the Persecuted Homeschooling Families

2011-02-08T16:14:00.003-05:00

Military Hero Loses All 5 Children to State

01/07/2011
Major John Jackson like most other soldiers has missed many Christmases, birthdays and Holidays with his family. But, he never thought he would be forced to endure Christmas without his children while his wife sat alone at home and his children were separated into 3 different homes. A nightmare that a seasoned war veteran never envisioned that not only threatens his family, but has put into motion the permanent destruction of his family.Major Jackson is a passionate husband and family man who is a devout Christian and a patriotic American. Still on active duty, he understands the risks and the sacrifices that he has committed to each day when he dons his uniform to uphold the US Constitution. As a decorated Major in the US Army, he has acknowledged his willingness to give up his life in defense of all Americans. He is stunned and in complete disbelief that a system exists in the United States of America that he claims has “stripped him of both Constitutional and Civil Rights”. Read the rest of this article here.

World Net Daily has also been following this story; see: Father: My Children Are Being Held Hostage

A few weeks ago, I heard Michael Farris from HSLDA giving a radio interview about a speech he recently made (which was also developed into an article for the HSLDA Court Report) about what he calls the third wave of homeschool persecution. Farris was describing how the 1st two waves of persecution were based on false premises that have sense been proven untrue (that homeschooling couldn't compete, and that children suffered from lack of socialization). However, this 3rd wave is based on a true assertion, that homeschooling parents are teaching their children a set of values that conflict with mainstream society. Education elitists assert that parents who teach their children that a man should lead his family, that homosexuality and abortion are sins, and that there's only one way to heaven, are a threat to society and harming their children. It shook me to the core to hear Michael Farris, with a quivering voice, say that homeschoolers better get on their knees in prayer and prepare for the battle ahead.

We should certainly pray for our brothers and sisters who are living this nightmare. Christian parents everywhere (homeschooling or no) are in danger of being in the same position!

"Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body." Hebrews 13:3

A Statesman for a President

2011-02-07T09:13:00.005-05:00

statesman: (noun) a person who exhibits great wisdom and ability in directing the affairs of a government or in dealing with important public issues

How we need a statesman now, as the Usurper in Chief turns his back on our long-time allies (Egypt and Israel) and embraces violent jihad for the world!

Happy 100th!

2011-02-06T09:02:00.000-05:00

Blessings

2011-02-01T10:09:00.013-05:00

"And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Acts 16:31

It was a glorious weekend on the 23rd when Jason had the privilege of baptizing our oldest child. Thank God for His faithfulness in answering our prayers, and thanks to our church for being the kind of place where our children can get saved.

Thanks to Bro. Tony for sharing some of his pictures with me!

Prayer

2011-02-01T09:21:00.002-05:00

"The angel fetched Peter out of prison,

but it was prayer that fetched the angel."

-Thomas Watson

7 Myths About the Challenger Shuttle Disaster

2011-01-28T16:55:00.002-05:00

Here's a link to a very interesting article about the Challenger Shuttle. It also has some great pictures.

7 Myths About the Challenger Shuttle Disaster

I Miss President Reagan

2011-01-28T14:49:00.010-05:00

In memory of the "Challenger 7", who tragically lost their lives 25 years ago today, I'm going to post this speech made by President Ronald Reagan. It's funny how well I remember this speech. I was barely 11 years old, but I was truly shaken up by this tragedy, and I remember what a comfort it was to have our leader speak so sincerely, and to truly believe that he was as upset as we all were.

You Tube - Reagan Challenger Speech

Now, compare this to the Usurper in Chief giving a "shout out" to Dr. Joe Medicine Crow in his first public address after the Fort Hood Massacre. We just had a huge military slaughter by a Muslim jihadist on our own soil, and he waits a full two minutes before he even gets around to mentioning it.

You Tube - Obama Gives Shout Out

There is a comparison here that begs to be made! Since some people apparently have the nerve to "liken" the two, I'd like to point out 1 (of hundreds) major difference that has a direct bearing on the events of this past week. Ronald Reagan was a man who respected life. Please take a moment to read his Personhood Proclamation made on Sanctity of Human Life Day in 1988:

Personhood Declaration by President Ronald Reagan

partial quote:

"NOW, THEREFORE, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim and declare the unalienable personhood of every American, from the moment of conception until natural death, and I do proclaim, ordain, and declare that I will take care that the Constitution and laws of the United States are faithfully executed for the protection of America's unborn children. Upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind and the gracious favor of Almighty God. I also proclaim Sunday, January 17, 1988, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon the citizens of this blessed land to gather on that day in their homes and places of worship to give thanks for the gift of life they enjoy and to reaffirm their commitment to the dignity of every human being and the sanctity of every human life."

Now, for the sake of comparison, here is Obama's Declaration given, NOT in honor of Sanctity of Human Life day, but in honor of the murderous and un-Constitutional Roe vs. Wade decision:

Obama Releases Statement Backing Abortion

partial quote:

"And on this anniversary, I hope that we will recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights, the same freedoms, and the same opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams."

Too bad for his grandchildren, I guess.

Should a pro-life stand be a "litmus" for you personally as you consider for whom you should cast your vote? Absolutely!! Your respect, or lack of respect, for life affects every decision you make! If you read the full text of President Reagan's proclamation, he goes on to mention the sick, elderly, and infirmed. It's hard to believe that in just 20 years, our nation went from Sanctity of Life Proclamations to death panels. History has proven President Reagan's words to be true:

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.

Have you told your next generation about the sacredness of human life?

Herman Cain!

2011-01-26T12:33:00.001-05:00

From American Thinker (www.americanthinker.com)

Top Ten Reasons to Support Herman Cain for President
by C. Edmund Wright
January 26, 2011

Even those conservatives who will not vote for Herman Cain to win the Republican nomination should hope that he does run -- and that his candidacy lasts a long time during the nomination process, perhaps even succeeding.

Not the least of reasons is that a Cain candidacy would be a hoot. And I do not mean that in a derisive or condescending way at all. I mean that it would be the kind of doggone honest and refreshing campaign the country needs. It would be the opposite of the stale McCain run. Cain does not speak Washington drivel, and he's not afraid to take a strong position. Dare I say it? He'll call a spade a spade, and he'll reach across the aisle only to smack someone down. He will admit what McCain would not: that we do have a lot to fear from an Obama presidency.

Herman Cain is peerless among the long list of potential candidates -- and his impact on the field and the direction of the party will be in the direction of free enterprise, less government, and speaking with boldness -- you know, pretty much the opposite of what the GOP has done since Newt's Congress lost steam in the mid- to late '90s.

To codify, here are the top reasons to support Cain based on my observation of the man over a period of years:

10. The "race card": A Cain candidacy not only takes the race card off the table -- it might in fact put it in the Republicans' camp. Frankly, Cain is "blacker" than Obama in every way imaginable. He does not have a white parent. He has a slight black dialect and does not "turn it off" to impress Harry Reid or Joe Biden, nor does he "amp it up" to impress Jeremiah Wright.

As Obama's presidency has shown, America did not need a black president. What America needs is to just get over the race thing, period. Cain is over it, and I bet he would flat-out tell Obama to get over it, too.

9. Been there, done that: Cain brings a lot of "been there, done that" to the office, and that is in stark contrast not only to Obama, but to almost anyone else running. Cain is not shy about making fun of politicians' lack of understanding of the reality of the free-enterprise system, and certainly no group embodies that ignorance more than Obama and his administration. Making a payroll; dealing with employees, the IRS, the INS, insurance companies; dealing with rents, lawsuits, unemployment commissions, etc. -- Cain has been there, done that. Obama has not.

8. Not forgettable: One Herman Cain soundbite is worth ten from Tim...um, what's his name? Oh, yeah, Pawlenty. Cain's boldness and confidence and accent and voice will cut through the noise out there, and this makes his candidacy dangerous even if he faces some financial handicaps versus other folks running. He is a talk radio host now by trade and knows how to hold folks' attention.

7. Will break every rule set for him by "strategists": This one might be my favorite. Cain has never counted on political strategists to get him where he is now, and this alone separates him from all other candidates. Lord help the first "strategist" from the RNC who advises Cain to "tone it down" or "soften his position."

6. Will really get under the skin of the Washingtonian class: A Cain candidacy would drive David Brooks to apoplexy. Charles Krauthammer -- doing his best to run off legions of his longtime fans -- would no doubt find some Palinesque reasons to object to Cain. And those are the conservative ruling-class folks. Imagine what the liberals will say about this non-Ivy league, non-elected Southern black guy running for president. I can't wait to hear it.

5. Will not get in way of the 2010 Congress' momentum: This might be the most important reason to support a Cain candidacy. He has gained momentum as part of the Tea Party movement that was the defining factor in the 2010 congressional elections. A Cain candidacy would be in lockstep with what the country told Congress it wanted in November 2010. It will be an extension of the 2010 campaign, and that's preferable to a presidential election that will distract from the 2010 results.

4. Never held office before: While Cain's opponents -- on both sides of the aisle -- are licking their chops over this one, they should rethink this. Mr. Cain already has a lethal (can we still say that?) response to this one: "Everyone in Washington has held public office before. How's that working out for you?" Case closed.

3. Ann Coulter's second-favorite pick: So Ann's first choice is Chris Christie, and Cain comes in second. With some 25 names floating around out there, being number 2 on anyone's list is pretty good at this point in the game. Besides, I predict that Cain will overtake Christie on Ann's list. Cain is more conservative and even less afraid to speak his mind. While I love Christie's boldness on the issues where he is conservative, he will wobble off to the Jersey left a bit on some issues. Cain will not.

2. Will not be cowed by the new speech police: The attempt by the left to silence conservatives in light of the Tucson shootings will not be the last. And you can bet that when they do, some on the right will recoil and fall prey, regardless of how mindless the attempts are. If you have followed Herman Cain, you know that this will not be an issue for him.

And the number one reason to support a Cain candidacy? It opens the door to a ticket of Cain and Haley Barbour in some order. OK, maybe this is not earthshaking, but imagine the "racist Republican Party" putting forth a national ticket including a drawlin' Mississippi good ol' boy and a black businessman who still speaks a smidgen of Ebonics.

This would be the hope and change America thought they were getting in 2008. This would be ticket not so much of "racial healing" as it would be the ticket of "just get over the race thing." Because liberalism is joined at the hip with the race pimp industry, a liberal African-American cannot by definition do for the country what a black conservative can. A black liberal winning reinforces counterproductive stereotypes. A conservative black winning crushes them. Period.

Yes, I know that reasons number one and ten seem a lot alike. They are. We have just about destroyed our country trying to put this issue to bed, and the result is that tensions are higher than they were before Obama was elected. Which we predicted.

A Cain presidency would actually go a long way towards solving this. And besides, Mr. Cain has some great ideas for getting government out of our way and letting America be America again. And we all need that.

- Posted using my iPhone

Sanctity of Life Memorial

2011-01-21T10:44:00.000-05:00

Dear Ben,

2011-01-17T18:29:00.004-05:00

I know how insulting it must be for you on your birthday, that no one has even remembered that this is your special day. You see, our country, for which you can largely be credited with establishing, is too busy honoring aother man. This other man, of course, has never held down a real job, run a business, or done anything innovative to improve the nation, although he was a wonderful speaker. He was extremely critical of the United States and its culture and economic system (though he lived pretty high on the hog thanks to this nation of greedy capitalists), and he taught that everyone (that is, everyone ELSE) should be forced to voluntarily (?go figure!?) share their wealth. No, Ben, I'm not talking about Obama, I'm talking about Michael King, Jr., aka Martin Luther King, Jr.

So, on this day, I would like to take a moment to wish you a Happy Birthday, and thank you for all your dedication to our great Republic. Thank you also for your contributions to the fields of Science, Literature, Mathematics, and Music, as well as your many innovative inventions that improved society, such as the first public library and fire station.

Happy Birthday, Benjamin Franklin!

Bringing Down the Sacred Cow

2011-01-17T12:55:00.007-05:00

MLK Day: Why I Won't Be Celebrating by Frank of Queens from The Right Perspective Radio:

"King has taken on deity status. No one dares to look critically at his politics or life. Instead, many believe that he is the most perfect being that ever existed. Yes, it’s true! Why, you can smear the Founding Fathers, you can even put Our Lord Jesus Christ in a vat of urine upside down and call it “art”. But heaven forbid that you should say a bad word about MLK. "

To read the rest of this article, click here

And here is another link to an excellent article, "The Dark Side of MLK", which goes into great detail concerning King's plagiarism and his unapologetic ties to communists.

On a funnier note, here's one local woman (who happens to be black) who thinks it would have been perfectly okay for the public schools to make up some much needed snow days on this sacred federal holiday. (Fast forward to 2:50)

Progress

2011-01-05T15:52:00.002-05:00

The Freedom To Be Offended

2011-01-05T15:20:00.004-05:00

We Americans have taken our brilliantly unique gift from the Founding Fathers, that being our Freedom of Speech, for granted. It is such a part of America and Americans, that we just assumed that, like the blood flowing through our bodies, freedom of speech would always flow through the U.S.A. I can't help but believe that the reason it is being so easily stolen away, is that we are largely a nation of immigrants now; people who were not raised in America and have no sense of the liberty we cherish...and, amazingly, there is no greater example of that than our own Obama (whether you accept his citizenship or not, there is no debate that he was raised abroad).

The criminilization of Christianity (through hate crimes legislation, outlawing Christmas and crosses, etc.) and social Marxism (which some call "political correctness") are two glaring examples of the loss of our Freedom of Speech. However, today, it's censorship that's on my mind. In an age where, in the name of free speech, libraries are forced to give free access to pornography, and our government funds pornographic art for public display, you would think censorship was a thing of the past.

Nope. After decades of ignorant, rambling protest, a new version of Mark Twain's classics Huck Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is being published, one which eliminates the "n-word". This news comes at a pertinent time for me because I bought Caleb The Adventures of Tom Sawyer for Christmas, and he is nearly through with reading it after only a few days. Having read the books and loved them in my childhood, I knew he would enjoy them as well. We had an intelligent discussion (yes, 13 year olds are capable of that) before he read it. I explained to him that the use of the n-word and the issue of slavery were prevalent in Tom Sawyer, but would actually be the themes in the next book on his list, Huckleberry Finn. For anyone who has actually read Huck Finn, it is obviously one of the most anti-slavery, anti-racist books that has ever been written. It isn't some boring, academic thesis about the evils of white men. Instead, it is a moving, personal story of one boy who recognizes the human dignity of his beloved friend, Jim, a slave. The climax of the novel is when Huck chooses to let Jim go free (instead of turning him in). He does so even though he has been convinced by society that this will damn his soul to hell.

Michelle Malkin wrote a great article about this in 2001 called "The Book Burners Against Mark Twain". Here is a quote from her article, click on the link to read it in its entirety:

Two gifted black writers, Booker T. Washington and Ralph Ellison, understood Twain's medium and message. Washington wrote that Twain "succeeded in making his readers feel a genuine respect for Jim." In creating Jim's character, the moral center of the book, Washington asserted that Twain had "exhibited his sympathy and interest in the masses of the negro people." Ellison noted similarly that "Huckleberry Finn knew, as did Mark Twain, that Jim was not only a slave but a human being (and) a symbol of humanity ... and in freeing Jim, Huck makes a bid to free himself of the conventionalized evil taken for civilization by the town."

Twain opposed racial inequality in many of his works of fiction and non-fiction, and came to reject slavery after moving East, marrying into an abolitionist family, and meeting Frederick Douglass. Twain used the vernacular of the antebellum South in "Huck Finn" not to denigrate black people, but to keep it real. Whitewashing the word "nigger" out of the book's dialogue would have played into the hands of those who prefer to sanitize history than confront it.

It's true that the freedom of speech carries with it the freedom to be offended. But even for those who don't like the "n-word" (MYSELF INCLUDED), reading Mark Twain's novel will only help your cause and concrete your beliefs, not offend you. I can't imagine any white supremacist who would appreciate a story about a Southern white boy who goes on a journey of self-discovery and finds that the runaway slave he encounters is not only a human being, but an honorable soul that teaches him some of the most important lessons of his life. What a pity that future generations will have to read the "whitewashed" version! Perhaps Huck said it best,

"H’aint we got all the fools in town on our side? And ain’t that a big enough majority in any town?" Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 26.

Me and My Guy

2010-12-29T18:15:00.003-05:00

Jason and Me

Jason has lotion on his face (right in front of his ear)...which, if you know Jason, he is SO NOT the lotion type, which is what makes this so cute and funny. He's been working outside in this freezing weather and caved in to my advice and finally had to use some lotion (which he would deny)....and then it gets photographed. I tried to "picnik" it out, but it just didn't work. Sorry, Babe, it's forever recorded in cyber history that YOU used LOTION.

We actually had a White Christmas!

2010-12-29T17:24:00.019-05:00

We had a very blessed Christmas surrounded by our family, and as a special treat, at least for us here in the South, it began snowing on Christmas morning just like the movies!

I know this fake smile makes terrible pictures, but I could just eat it up!

Here are the kids with Jason's parents

The princess wore tennis shoes...

These are my precious nieces, Maggie and Audrey

And Baby Jacob (my nephew) finally got PawPaw rocked to sleep!