My comment to what is going on with some of the Christian leaders and accusations being thrown their way.
"This is sad and pathetic. I don't even pretend to know what really went on with those two men. I'm just wondering when in the world Christians are going to stop attacking other Christians and make a stand against the world? Christianity is growing weaker by the day because we're too busy fighting amongst ourselves. Christianity is the only religion in the world with soooooo many factions! It's unbelievable! Why aren't we putting forth as much effort and condemnation against the evil of this world? Why aren't we taking our fight to the streets to turn this world to righteousness and away from sin? When are we going to stand together and fight for the cause of Christ? Instead we spend our time throwing stones at the leaders because someone decided to make allegations of things that happened 20 plus years ago. Instead we decide to persecute the leaders that go forth to make a difference in other people's lives. We stand back and hide behind our own self-righteousness and pretend that our sin is whiter than theirs. We condemn, ridicule, and judge when we have no leg to stand on. We demand things we have no right demanding. We blog and write and gossip, but do we lift them up in prayer? Do we stop to think that maybe, just maybe they are not guilty of the crimes they are being accused of? No, instead like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, we cry out "Crucify him, crucify him". We take the word of someone we know nothing about. Someone who would have gone unheard of in this lifetime except they accused a well-known leader of a heinous crime. A well-known Christian leader. Why are not the Muslim leaders accused of this? Why not a Hindu priest? Why not an atheist? Because it is Christian persecution and we are too blind to see it for what it really is. Until we can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that what is being said is truth, I think we need to keep our mouths shut and pray."
I don't even know if she will allow this comment to be posted on her blog since it wasn't very supportive of what she said, and her comments are moderated. Here is the blog post http://heidistjohn.com/homeschooling/dont-turn-away-trouble-in-the-homeschool-movement#comment-61953.
However, I'm just sick and tired of all the attacks and allegations that go on against Christians in leadership. Sure they're not perfect, but neither are the ones throwing things out at them.
Until next time...
JenT
Showing posts with label serious discussions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label serious discussions. Show all posts
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Monday, January 13, 2014
confession is good for the soul...and it may help someone
I am writing this post because it came to mind the other day to share our past shame. Our embarrassment. I have no idea if this will help anyone or not. If someone is out there going through the same thing we did and is too embarrassed to speak up. If someone is just as frustrated and fed up as we were and nothing they do seems to help. Take heart; there is a solution.
Do you know what this is? This little critter above? A bedbug. That's right. I bet some of you didn't even think that little nursery rhyme said at bedtime had even a hint of reality. I didn't.
I found out 3 years ago that these things really do exist. In fact, the last few years there has been pretty much an epidemic (don't believe me? Google it). Here in Pigeon Forge almost every hotel/motel had problems. One even closed down an entire floor during the busiest part of the tourist season. It's a serious problem.
(disgusting, I know)
These little bugs are an annoyance. Thankfully, so far, I haven't read anything about them carrying diseases. But they are bothersome, gross, and downright embarrassing. Yes, that's right. When you hear of someone being infested (because that's about the only way to describe it - infestation), you tend to want to stay away from them. There is a stereotype associated with bedbugs, with vermin, with anything even remotely connected to that. You're unclean. Well, I'm here to tell you that it isn't true.
Sometimes these things happen for a reason. Don't ask me what, I'm still trying to figure that one out. When we moved into our current residence we had no idea we would spend the next 2 years fighting these unwanted, unwelcome house guests tooth and nail.
We moved in March. It was still fairly cold as the winter before had been pretty cold. By the way, these things are not very active in the cold. But when the weather warmed up they invaded. Oh how they invaded. In a matter of a couple of weeks every one of us had been bitten at night. We got rid of all of our furniture. Beds, couches, chairs...we had dining room furniture, a rocking chair that I refused to let go of, and our blankets. Anything a bug could hid in we disposed of. We slept on the floor on pallets (blankets made into a padded sleeping area if you don't know what that is). We washed and dried every thing. We would run clothes through the dryer before we went anywhere so as not to contaminate anyone else. We cleaned. We scrubbed down the walls (they loved our log walls and could hide like a special forces team). We had an exterminator in twice; he lamented with us over the walls also and described how they could basically hide and wait out the poison. We tried every device and gimmick known to man. Every marketable item that claimed to get rid of bedbugs - we tried it. You know what happened? It didn't work. That's right. It actually seemed to enrage them. They would come back full force, seemingly with revenge on their tiny little minds.
It was driving us crazy. Finally, FINALLY we found out what would work. No it's not a gimmick, it's not on an infomercial, and it's certainly not cheap! But it worked!! Praise God it worked!!! No more bites, no more itching, no more killing the little blood-sucking creatures bent on making our lives miserable!
(dead! yay!)
We have been bedbug free for several months now and it is so nice to sleep in a real bed for a change (my kids will vouch for that). It's a relief not to have to wake up in the middle of the night to scratch from the dozens of bites on your extremities. It's wonderful not to have to dry everything before leaving the house. It's a relief to realize that we can practice hospitality again.
So what was the wonderful miracle cure? Something so dangerous that only a handful of people in the whole United States are qualified and licensed to work with the substance. It's worse than tear gas used in the military. When they treat a house, the person has to wear protective gear, including a breathing apparatus. They house is sealed up and a notice placed on the door. The place is uninhabitable for 24 hours or longer. We had to leave everything. We even left purses and wallets and only took our necessary I.D. We treated the clothes we were wearing and the ones we would change into. We even left our vehicles and borrowed a van for the day. They treated every building on our property that there was the remotest chance a bedbug could hide in. (By the way, those things can live for a year without eating. Pretty scary. They can last longer than a cockroach. *Shudder*) Oh yeah, what was used? Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. Commonly known as DDT. Wait, they outlawed that didn't they? Hmmmm...wonder if there is a connection? Outlawing DDT and bedbug epidemic. Yeah, I think so.
So if you have this problem or know someone that does. Don't wait. Find the nearest qualified exterminator; and it probably won't be the local Terminix or Orkin guy, and schedule an appointment today!! I say schedule an appointment because the guy we used was so busy that's the only way he would treat anyone. That was all he did and he worked 12-15 hours a day 7 days a week. Pretty sad, huh? He covered all of east TN and some of the surrounding states as well. Don't hesitate. Make the call.
The pictures on here were not taken in my home. I tried to avoid all proof that such a situation existed. I copied them from this website. http://www.bedbugs-pictures.org/ They have plenty more if you are curious or want to see what a bedbug infestation looks like. As for me? I've lived it thank-you-very-much. I'll pass.
Until next time...
JenT
Do you know what this is? This little critter above? A bedbug. That's right. I bet some of you didn't even think that little nursery rhyme said at bedtime had even a hint of reality. I didn't.
I found out 3 years ago that these things really do exist. In fact, the last few years there has been pretty much an epidemic (don't believe me? Google it). Here in Pigeon Forge almost every hotel/motel had problems. One even closed down an entire floor during the busiest part of the tourist season. It's a serious problem.
(disgusting, I know)
These little bugs are an annoyance. Thankfully, so far, I haven't read anything about them carrying diseases. But they are bothersome, gross, and downright embarrassing. Yes, that's right. When you hear of someone being infested (because that's about the only way to describe it - infestation), you tend to want to stay away from them. There is a stereotype associated with bedbugs, with vermin, with anything even remotely connected to that. You're unclean. Well, I'm here to tell you that it isn't true.
Sometimes these things happen for a reason. Don't ask me what, I'm still trying to figure that one out. When we moved into our current residence we had no idea we would spend the next 2 years fighting these unwanted, unwelcome house guests tooth and nail.
We moved in March. It was still fairly cold as the winter before had been pretty cold. By the way, these things are not very active in the cold. But when the weather warmed up they invaded. Oh how they invaded. In a matter of a couple of weeks every one of us had been bitten at night. We got rid of all of our furniture. Beds, couches, chairs...we had dining room furniture, a rocking chair that I refused to let go of, and our blankets. Anything a bug could hid in we disposed of. We slept on the floor on pallets (blankets made into a padded sleeping area if you don't know what that is). We washed and dried every thing. We would run clothes through the dryer before we went anywhere so as not to contaminate anyone else. We cleaned. We scrubbed down the walls (they loved our log walls and could hide like a special forces team). We had an exterminator in twice; he lamented with us over the walls also and described how they could basically hide and wait out the poison. We tried every device and gimmick known to man. Every marketable item that claimed to get rid of bedbugs - we tried it. You know what happened? It didn't work. That's right. It actually seemed to enrage them. They would come back full force, seemingly with revenge on their tiny little minds.
It was driving us crazy. Finally, FINALLY we found out what would work. No it's not a gimmick, it's not on an infomercial, and it's certainly not cheap! But it worked!! Praise God it worked!!! No more bites, no more itching, no more killing the little blood-sucking creatures bent on making our lives miserable!
(dead! yay!)
We have been bedbug free for several months now and it is so nice to sleep in a real bed for a change (my kids will vouch for that). It's a relief not to have to wake up in the middle of the night to scratch from the dozens of bites on your extremities. It's wonderful not to have to dry everything before leaving the house. It's a relief to realize that we can practice hospitality again.
So what was the wonderful miracle cure? Something so dangerous that only a handful of people in the whole United States are qualified and licensed to work with the substance. It's worse than tear gas used in the military. When they treat a house, the person has to wear protective gear, including a breathing apparatus. They house is sealed up and a notice placed on the door. The place is uninhabitable for 24 hours or longer. We had to leave everything. We even left purses and wallets and only took our necessary I.D. We treated the clothes we were wearing and the ones we would change into. We even left our vehicles and borrowed a van for the day. They treated every building on our property that there was the remotest chance a bedbug could hide in. (By the way, those things can live for a year without eating. Pretty scary. They can last longer than a cockroach. *Shudder*) Oh yeah, what was used? Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. Commonly known as DDT. Wait, they outlawed that didn't they? Hmmmm...wonder if there is a connection? Outlawing DDT and bedbug epidemic. Yeah, I think so.
So if you have this problem or know someone that does. Don't wait. Find the nearest qualified exterminator; and it probably won't be the local Terminix or Orkin guy, and schedule an appointment today!! I say schedule an appointment because the guy we used was so busy that's the only way he would treat anyone. That was all he did and he worked 12-15 hours a day 7 days a week. Pretty sad, huh? He covered all of east TN and some of the surrounding states as well. Don't hesitate. Make the call.
The pictures on here were not taken in my home. I tried to avoid all proof that such a situation existed. I copied them from this website. http://www.bedbugs-pictures.org/ They have plenty more if you are curious or want to see what a bedbug infestation looks like. As for me? I've lived it thank-you-very-much. I'll pass.
Until next time...
JenT
Thursday, December 5, 2013
change...it happens
Times change.
People change.
I've changed.
Have you?
Do you ever sit back and think about your life? What were you doing ten years ago that you wouldn't dream of doing today? Five years? One?
How has your thinking changed? How has your view of this world changed? Of people? Of events? Of policies? Of anything?
Most people want to improve themself. Do you think you've improved?
Have you changed any habits or a way of thinking about a certain topic?
I have.
It's called growth.
You grow and change. Hopefully it's to become more like Christ.
If not, what is stopping you? What is holding you back from making those choices that will grow you?
Until next time...
JenT
People change.
I've changed.
Have you?
Do you ever sit back and think about your life? What were you doing ten years ago that you wouldn't dream of doing today? Five years? One?
How has your thinking changed? How has your view of this world changed? Of people? Of events? Of policies? Of anything?
Most people want to improve themself. Do you think you've improved?
Have you changed any habits or a way of thinking about a certain topic?
I have.
It's called growth.
You grow and change. Hopefully it's to become more like Christ.
If not, what is stopping you? What is holding you back from making those choices that will grow you?
Until next time...
JenT
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
are you a pancreas or kidney?
You hear church members talk about the glorious parts of the body (the body of Christ; the church). Ever been in a debate on what body part you are?
"I think I'm the feet. I'm always going out telling others of Christ."
"I must be the hands. I give a lot."
"I'm the eyes. I see the needs of others."
All well and good. But ever notice how it's always the parts that we see? The "pretty" parts?
Also have you noticed that it's always parts that we can live without? It would be difficult to be deaf, blind, crippled, without hands. But you can actually LIVE without those things.
What about your kidneys? (Both of them).
Your liver?
Your pancreas?
When was the last time you heard someone say. "Well, I'm the liver."
Who claims these parts? The unsightly, "ugly" parts. You can't live without them. You can have a transplant, sure. But if you are in a wreck and one of those is damaged, it's a life-threatening situation.
Just how important are those parts?
So...what are you in the body of Christ?
Until next time...
JenT
"I think I'm the feet. I'm always going out telling others of Christ."
"I must be the hands. I give a lot."
"I'm the eyes. I see the needs of others."
All well and good. But ever notice how it's always the parts that we see? The "pretty" parts?
Also have you noticed that it's always parts that we can live without? It would be difficult to be deaf, blind, crippled, without hands. But you can actually LIVE without those things.
What about your kidneys? (Both of them).
Your liver?
Your pancreas?
When was the last time you heard someone say. "Well, I'm the liver."
Who claims these parts? The unsightly, "ugly" parts. You can't live without them. You can have a transplant, sure. But if you are in a wreck and one of those is damaged, it's a life-threatening situation.
Just how important are those parts?
So...what are you in the body of Christ?
Until next time...
JenT
Saturday, June 8, 2013
cover up!
Dear Young Woman in the Kroger parking lot who changed her shirt next to our van - please don't.
My young impressionable boys were in that van. I have a 12 year old who is becoming an adolescent. Must you make it more difficult for him? I am trying my best to shield them from things they are too young to handle and shouldn't be exposed to. I realize that they will be bombarded with immodesty in public. But really? Changing your shirt in your vehicle? In the Kroger parking lot? Next time, leave the pjs at home and go out in public properly clothed.
That's all.
- concerned mom
In this world we live in, I see that modesty has flown out the window. Men, women, boys, and girls alike are going out in public in such a state of undress. Almost every time I go into the store I see someone in their pajamas. Is it that much of an effort to change your clothes? I make sure that my 1 year old is dressed every day for just hanging around the house - and a 20 year old is in the grocery store in the clothes she slept in?
It's a sad, sad society.
And that's not even half of it. Not only does this young lady feel that it is ok to change her shirt in public, most feel it is all right to dress in clothing that doesn't cover much more than underwear. Or that it is cool to let their underwear show. When I was young, we told our friends when their bra strap was showing. Now you don't even have to wonder what color a young girl's bra is. I guess it's even the fashion to wear clothes that show it off. Or the guys that let their boxers show. Tsk, tsk. Some of us know where that came from and it's not a good thing. Or the short shorts, mini skirts, peek-a-boo blouses...you get the idea. It's no wonder that there is so much promiscuity in teenagers today. There is no waiting, no mystery, no modesty, no purity. Sexually transmitted diseases, abortions, and heartache abound. Where will it all end?
Well, I highly doubt that the girl at Kroger today will ever see or read this, but I feel better getting it off my chest.
Until next time...
JenT
Sunday, March 6, 2011
overprotected, isolated, non-socializing children
Ever wondered what those kind of children look like? I'll show you:
These pictures have been taken over the last few years. They have been socializing with children and adults alike, from all parts of the country. We have taken trips (more than I took as a child), met new friends, and seen a lot of things. They have friends from Texas to Maryland and several points in between. They have seen several zoos (we love them :) ), a few museums, and some historical sites. And we would like to see many more.
So when people say that homeschooled children are overprotected, isolated, or non-socialized, they don't know what they are talking about.
Until next time...
JenT
These pictures have been taken over the last few years. They have been socializing with children and adults alike, from all parts of the country. We have taken trips (more than I took as a child), met new friends, and seen a lot of things. They have friends from Texas to Maryland and several points in between. They have seen several zoos (we love them :) ), a few museums, and some historical sites. And we would like to see many more.
So when people say that homeschooled children are overprotected, isolated, or non-socialized, they don't know what they are talking about.
Until next time...
JenT
Monday, February 28, 2011
practicing divorce
Is dating practicing for divorce? I think it is. How is it not?
How can you give pieces of your heart away to many of the opposite gender and expect to come to a marriage whole-hearted?
I read a story of a girl that had a dream right before she got married. She was standing at the front of the church with her groom. They were waiting to take their vows when from the audience another woman stood up and walked down the aisle to stand next to the groom on the other side. Suddenly another woman stood up, then another, and another. The filed up the aisle until 10 girls were standing with her groom. He turned to her apologetically and said, "I know I promised you my whole-heart, but I had to give these girls a piece of my heart, too. They each have a little. But you can have all the rest." Boy, did she feel cheated.
You may think that sounds silly, but in essence that's what happens. A person gives each boyfriend/girlfriend a little piece of their heart until the one they fall in love with, the one who is expected to share the rest of their life, is left with the scraps.
What message does that send our young people? That's it's ok to break up with someone when "things just aren't working out". The practice carries over into marriage. It seems that everything is disposable these days. Even relationships. Divorce is just as common in the Christian circles as it is in the non-Christian crowd. How is dating any different? They are "trying out" different people. Trying to "find" the one they are meant to marry.
I believe that if the Lord wants you married, He will send you the mate He wants for you. Instead of wasting your time trying to find him/her, spend those years in service for God.
Now that doesn't mean that you isolate yourself or your children from everyone. Meet new people and develop friendships with other families who are like-minded. Give your children the opportunity to meet plenty of people. You don't know how the Lord will bring a spouse to your child. They need lots of friends; a potential spouse may be among them. Then, let God guide them to "the one". But caution them to not play the dating game. And who knows, maybe they aren't even meant to be married. The apostle Paul wasn't married and look what he did for God. He even recommends that a person stay single so that he/she may concentrate solely on the things of God.
Dating is very harmful to the marital relationship. So many people carry baggage into their marriage from earlier relationships. Sometimes, they may not even realize it. It can cause hurt feelings and misunderstandings. It can stir up feelings of jealousy. It can bring divorce.
Yes, I believe dating is practicing divorce.
And people wonder why we don't want our children to date.
Until next time...
JenT
How can you give pieces of your heart away to many of the opposite gender and expect to come to a marriage whole-hearted?
I read a story of a girl that had a dream right before she got married. She was standing at the front of the church with her groom. They were waiting to take their vows when from the audience another woman stood up and walked down the aisle to stand next to the groom on the other side. Suddenly another woman stood up, then another, and another. The filed up the aisle until 10 girls were standing with her groom. He turned to her apologetically and said, "I know I promised you my whole-heart, but I had to give these girls a piece of my heart, too. They each have a little. But you can have all the rest." Boy, did she feel cheated.
You may think that sounds silly, but in essence that's what happens. A person gives each boyfriend/girlfriend a little piece of their heart until the one they fall in love with, the one who is expected to share the rest of their life, is left with the scraps.
What message does that send our young people? That's it's ok to break up with someone when "things just aren't working out". The practice carries over into marriage. It seems that everything is disposable these days. Even relationships. Divorce is just as common in the Christian circles as it is in the non-Christian crowd. How is dating any different? They are "trying out" different people. Trying to "find" the one they are meant to marry.
I believe that if the Lord wants you married, He will send you the mate He wants for you. Instead of wasting your time trying to find him/her, spend those years in service for God.
Now that doesn't mean that you isolate yourself or your children from everyone. Meet new people and develop friendships with other families who are like-minded. Give your children the opportunity to meet plenty of people. You don't know how the Lord will bring a spouse to your child. They need lots of friends; a potential spouse may be among them. Then, let God guide them to "the one". But caution them to not play the dating game. And who knows, maybe they aren't even meant to be married. The apostle Paul wasn't married and look what he did for God. He even recommends that a person stay single so that he/she may concentrate solely on the things of God.
Dating is very harmful to the marital relationship. So many people carry baggage into their marriage from earlier relationships. Sometimes, they may not even realize it. It can cause hurt feelings and misunderstandings. It can stir up feelings of jealousy. It can bring divorce.
Yes, I believe dating is practicing divorce.
And people wonder why we don't want our children to date.
Until next time...
JenT
Sunday, February 27, 2011
God's school
Are you passing your grade? Or is God going to put you back in to repeat the year?
I sure hope I pass the grade I'm in. I really don't want to go through all of this again. I know I'm learning a lot, and I hope I learn all I'm supposed to learn.
If you've never heard The Pineapple Story, I urge you to listen to it. The whole thing. I tried to find it online so that you could listen maybe download it, but I couldn't find it. Maybe some of you can. Just search The Pineapple Story by Otto Koning. I did find three of them though, here. Just scroll down until you find his name on the left.
If you can't download and/or listen for free, you can order it through IBLP. You may be able to find it on amazon.com or ebay.com also.
Anyway, it's a series of very good missionary stories to listen to. Our whole family loves them. We've heard the whole series at least 2 or 3 times and some stories more than that.
Just thought I'd share.
Until next time...
JenT
I sure hope I pass the grade I'm in. I really don't want to go through all of this again. I know I'm learning a lot, and I hope I learn all I'm supposed to learn.
If you've never heard The Pineapple Story, I urge you to listen to it. The whole thing. I tried to find it online so that you could listen maybe download it, but I couldn't find it. Maybe some of you can. Just search The Pineapple Story by Otto Koning. I did find three of them though, here. Just scroll down until you find his name on the left.
If you can't download and/or listen for free, you can order it through IBLP. You may be able to find it on amazon.com or ebay.com also.
Anyway, it's a series of very good missionary stories to listen to. Our whole family loves them. We've heard the whole series at least 2 or 3 times and some stories more than that.
Just thought I'd share.
Until next time...
JenT
run your own race
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses... let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1
We are here to run our own race, not anyone else's race. And no one is to run our race. Don't spend your time or energy trying to get someone to live the way you think they should. Be busy about your own life.
And who do we follow?
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith..." Hebrews 12:2
Our purpose on this earth is to glorify Him. How can we do that if we are running in our neighbor's lane? Our eyes are on them and not the One they should be on.
Just some thoughts that came up after listening to today's sermon.
Until next time...
JenT
We are here to run our own race, not anyone else's race. And no one is to run our race. Don't spend your time or energy trying to get someone to live the way you think they should. Be busy about your own life.
And who do we follow?
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith..." Hebrews 12:2
Our purpose on this earth is to glorify Him. How can we do that if we are running in our neighbor's lane? Our eyes are on them and not the One they should be on.
Just some thoughts that came up after listening to today's sermon.
Until next time...
JenT
Saturday, February 26, 2011
alternative lifestyle
Had you going there for a minute, didn't I?
No, this is just the alternative to the post I did yesterday; way of the world. If you haven't read that one yet, do so. This will make more sense if you do.
Homebirth, homeschool, quiver-full minded (meaning letting God decided when and how many children we have which also means no use of birth control), courtship, debt-free, simple, clutter-free lifestyle; these define what an atypical American life looks like. There are probably other areas, but these are just what I can think of right now.
Now let me clear something up before I get step on some toes unintentionally. I am not against those things I listed in my first post. That is to say, I'm not going to go around castigating those people who choose to do those things in their life. What I am saying is that we, as a family, have chosen to NOT do those particular things. And for that decision we have been talked about, made fun of, treated as though we are idiots, and just generally not liked.
Now frankly, I really don't care what other people think. But it really bugs me when people say things to my children about how they think we are not doing something right. These children were not given to them to raise. God gave them to my husband and me. We are their parents and they have no right to talk bad about us to them.
Ok, back to our regularly scheduled program...
Some people may be interested in one, some, or all of those things listed above. Some people are even doing more to get out of mainstream America. And that's their choice. Get it? We have a choice. I'm not just talking about as Americans. I'm talking about how God gave us all a free will to choose how we would live. Of course we also have to live with the consequences of those choices. But the thing is that we are the ones making that choice.
Now some may argue and say that we are not giving our children any choice at all. They are, after all, being "forced" to live the way we choose. Well, as I mentioned above, they were entrusted into our care and we are doing what we feel the Lord wants us to do. We will answer for our choices. And actually, they will answer for their choices, too. They are also making decisions every day; will they obey mom and dad, or not? And that is really the only commandment in the Bible given directly to children. Lest some think that we are forcing our children to do certain things, just know that we also show them the other side of the story.
For example: evolution vs creation. We have explained to them about both ideas. We have let them watch videos and had them read the Creation account in the Bible. They have come to their own conclusion; that evolution is a myth and that God created everything in six literal days.
For the most part we let them choose what they wear. We do require that they dress modestly and we have explained from the Bible how we came to our conclusion of how modesty is defined. They have chosen to agree with us and in some instances are even more conservative than we are. (Of course we do have times when the boys will run around in just their underwear pretending to be Indians - we're not perfect :P ).
Dating vs courtship - well, we haven't gotten to that stage yet, so I'll keep that for another time.
Debt-free - it is pretty self-explanatory. It is so freeing to not be in debt. We are still working on that one.
Quiverfull minded - I think I'll leave that one alone too. I mean, if you haven't figured it out yet after 10 children, well...
We do homebirths unless an emergency came up like it did with my 9th baby. We love it! And we love our midwife! If you are in the east TN area and need a midwife, I can recommend one. :) If you are considering a homebirth and are not sure, I suggest you research it out. Talk to a midwife (I know one :) ).
Homeschool - that's another post entirely.
A simple, clutter-free lifestyle - we try to keep things simple. We shop at thrift stores and Goodwill for clothes and shoes. If we absolutely can't find something necessary like a coat, we will buy one new at the store. Or shoes. But so far, that has been very seldom. We also have people give us clothes and shoes pretty often; along with several other things. We try to eat simple foods. In fact, when we experiment with rich, processed foods we sometimes get sick. We would love to have a little land with some chickens, goats, ducks, geese, and the like, but it seems that that's not what God wants us to do right now. We had that last year and had to move quickly. So we had to get rid of everything. Someday...maybe. We try to keep toys simple; bikes, balls, cars, dolls, toy animals, board games, building blocks and other materials, books. We don't have video games. We have movies, but they are family friendly, conservative, mostly Christian movies. No tv. We have watched it and let them watch it before. But we prefer to not have it. Good grief, the commercials alone...
So there you have it folks. The odd lifestyle we choose to follow. :) I hope you enjoyed this little peak into our life. A few things I mentioned above really need their own post so maybe sometime in the future I'll expand on those things.
I hope you have a blessed Sunday. I need to finish getting ready for church and get my kids up to do the same.
Until next time...
JenT
No, this is just the alternative to the post I did yesterday; way of the world. If you haven't read that one yet, do so. This will make more sense if you do.
Homebirth, homeschool, quiver-full minded (meaning letting God decided when and how many children we have which also means no use of birth control), courtship, debt-free, simple, clutter-free lifestyle; these define what an atypical American life looks like. There are probably other areas, but these are just what I can think of right now.
Now let me clear something up before I get step on some toes unintentionally. I am not against those things I listed in my first post. That is to say, I'm not going to go around castigating those people who choose to do those things in their life. What I am saying is that we, as a family, have chosen to NOT do those particular things. And for that decision we have been talked about, made fun of, treated as though we are idiots, and just generally not liked.
Now frankly, I really don't care what other people think. But it really bugs me when people say things to my children about how they think we are not doing something right. These children were not given to them to raise. God gave them to my husband and me. We are their parents and they have no right to talk bad about us to them.
Ok, back to our regularly scheduled program...
Some people may be interested in one, some, or all of those things listed above. Some people are even doing more to get out of mainstream America. And that's their choice. Get it? We have a choice. I'm not just talking about as Americans. I'm talking about how God gave us all a free will to choose how we would live. Of course we also have to live with the consequences of those choices. But the thing is that we are the ones making that choice.
Now some may argue and say that we are not giving our children any choice at all. They are, after all, being "forced" to live the way we choose. Well, as I mentioned above, they were entrusted into our care and we are doing what we feel the Lord wants us to do. We will answer for our choices. And actually, they will answer for their choices, too. They are also making decisions every day; will they obey mom and dad, or not? And that is really the only commandment in the Bible given directly to children. Lest some think that we are forcing our children to do certain things, just know that we also show them the other side of the story.
For example: evolution vs creation. We have explained to them about both ideas. We have let them watch videos and had them read the Creation account in the Bible. They have come to their own conclusion; that evolution is a myth and that God created everything in six literal days.
For the most part we let them choose what they wear. We do require that they dress modestly and we have explained from the Bible how we came to our conclusion of how modesty is defined. They have chosen to agree with us and in some instances are even more conservative than we are. (Of course we do have times when the boys will run around in just their underwear pretending to be Indians - we're not perfect :P ).
Dating vs courtship - well, we haven't gotten to that stage yet, so I'll keep that for another time.
Debt-free - it is pretty self-explanatory. It is so freeing to not be in debt. We are still working on that one.
Quiverfull minded - I think I'll leave that one alone too. I mean, if you haven't figured it out yet after 10 children, well...
We do homebirths unless an emergency came up like it did with my 9th baby. We love it! And we love our midwife! If you are in the east TN area and need a midwife, I can recommend one. :) If you are considering a homebirth and are not sure, I suggest you research it out. Talk to a midwife (I know one :) ).
Homeschool - that's another post entirely.
A simple, clutter-free lifestyle - we try to keep things simple. We shop at thrift stores and Goodwill for clothes and shoes. If we absolutely can't find something necessary like a coat, we will buy one new at the store. Or shoes. But so far, that has been very seldom. We also have people give us clothes and shoes pretty often; along with several other things. We try to eat simple foods. In fact, when we experiment with rich, processed foods we sometimes get sick. We would love to have a little land with some chickens, goats, ducks, geese, and the like, but it seems that that's not what God wants us to do right now. We had that last year and had to move quickly. So we had to get rid of everything. Someday...maybe. We try to keep toys simple; bikes, balls, cars, dolls, toy animals, board games, building blocks and other materials, books. We don't have video games. We have movies, but they are family friendly, conservative, mostly Christian movies. No tv. We have watched it and let them watch it before. But we prefer to not have it. Good grief, the commercials alone...
So there you have it folks. The odd lifestyle we choose to follow. :) I hope you enjoyed this little peak into our life. A few things I mentioned above really need their own post so maybe sometime in the future I'll expand on those things.
I hope you have a blessed Sunday. I need to finish getting ready for church and get my kids up to do the same.
Until next time...
JenT
way of the world
If you march to the beat of your own drummer, sometimes you get kicked out of the band.
You can live your life the way the world thinks you should or you can live your life the way you feel God leading you to. Sometimes when you follow God, people think you are stupid. They may even tell you that; or just treat you like you are.
What does the typical, American life look like these days anyway?
First: Hospital birth; sometimes even a c-section. Not that I am totally against those; after all, I had to have one with my 9th child. But they have their place. It was an emergency situation. Many people just plan them for the convenience or because their doctor recommends it. I say, get a second opinion and do the research yourself. So many c-sections can be avoided by taking precautions beforehand or by just knowing your facts. Research, research, research!!!
Next comes the typical childhood: public school, sleepovers, dates, prom, not to mention all the extra-curricular activities that fill up a child's evenings and weekends. So what happens when you don't do that with/for your children? You're labeled over-protective, isolating, or non-socializing. I'll suggest the alternatives in a later post.
After graduation comes college, which means debt. (Oh, unless you can get a free ride from the government). Then possibly marriage, with the expected 2.5 kids. Usually for over 89% of the population a divorce is scheduled in there somewhere. And for some more than one divorce takes place in their life.
A mortgage, car payments, vacations, brand-name clothes, toys (big and small), junk to fill up their overpriced house, entertainment to dull the mind; these all line up and take their place in life. (And I've probably forgotten a few). On top of that a few credit cards attach themselves to the tail of the line.
You're not happy, you're stressed out because the pay check doesn't begin to cover your living expenses. What do you do? Just struggle along and dream of "someday" getting ahead in life. Why does it have to be "someday"? Why do people follow the way of the world? And why is it that when other people choose to live their lives differently those that are in the band get angry? Is it because they're miserable and they can't stand to see someone else happy? Misery loves company. "If I'm not happy, you can't be happy." That seems to be their motto. Or "you're going against what I believe you should be doing and I don't like that". Well, that's fine, but I'm not living to make you happy.
Ultimately we will all answer to the Judge someday and we won't be judged according to what the world thought we should do with our lives. We will by judged according to the Bible and what it says. We will answer to what the Lord told us to do and not what society dictates.
This is just some stuff I've been thinking about lately. I've thought about it before, but now I'm putting it into words.
And for another look at life, stay tuned for the next post.
Until next time...
JenT
You can live your life the way the world thinks you should or you can live your life the way you feel God leading you to. Sometimes when you follow God, people think you are stupid. They may even tell you that; or just treat you like you are.
What does the typical, American life look like these days anyway?
First: Hospital birth; sometimes even a c-section. Not that I am totally against those; after all, I had to have one with my 9th child. But they have their place. It was an emergency situation. Many people just plan them for the convenience or because their doctor recommends it. I say, get a second opinion and do the research yourself. So many c-sections can be avoided by taking precautions beforehand or by just knowing your facts. Research, research, research!!!
Next comes the typical childhood: public school, sleepovers, dates, prom, not to mention all the extra-curricular activities that fill up a child's evenings and weekends. So what happens when you don't do that with/for your children? You're labeled over-protective, isolating, or non-socializing. I'll suggest the alternatives in a later post.
After graduation comes college, which means debt. (Oh, unless you can get a free ride from the government). Then possibly marriage, with the expected 2.5 kids. Usually for over 89% of the population a divorce is scheduled in there somewhere. And for some more than one divorce takes place in their life.
A mortgage, car payments, vacations, brand-name clothes, toys (big and small), junk to fill up their overpriced house, entertainment to dull the mind; these all line up and take their place in life. (And I've probably forgotten a few). On top of that a few credit cards attach themselves to the tail of the line.
You're not happy, you're stressed out because the pay check doesn't begin to cover your living expenses. What do you do? Just struggle along and dream of "someday" getting ahead in life. Why does it have to be "someday"? Why do people follow the way of the world? And why is it that when other people choose to live their lives differently those that are in the band get angry? Is it because they're miserable and they can't stand to see someone else happy? Misery loves company. "If I'm not happy, you can't be happy." That seems to be their motto. Or "you're going against what I believe you should be doing and I don't like that". Well, that's fine, but I'm not living to make you happy.
Ultimately we will all answer to the Judge someday and we won't be judged according to what the world thought we should do with our lives. We will by judged according to the Bible and what it says. We will answer to what the Lord told us to do and not what society dictates.
This is just some stuff I've been thinking about lately. I've thought about it before, but now I'm putting it into words.
And for another look at life, stay tuned for the next post.
Until next time...
JenT
Thursday, February 10, 2011
new place?
Well, we may have a house soon. For those of you who have followed our little adventure the past few months, we are currently staying with my mom until we can get our own place. Which may be soon. Waiting on the man to let us know if it's available. I'll post later with more updates. And hopefully some pictures.
Until next time...
JenT
Until next time...
JenT
Saturday, February 6, 2010
where are the sample people?
We ran errands yesterday.
One of the errands was a grocery run to Sam's Club. (Yes, we shop at Sam's Club - an identification mark of being a large family...lol).
Silly though it may seem, the highlight for us in shopping at Sam's, was the samples. In particular, the people that hand out the samples. Yesterday no one, no one was handing out samples! There was not a sample to be found. Which was very odd, we thought, since Friday through Sunday are the busiest days for samples.
After a while we actually saw a couple of the ladies who usually hand out the samples. They were shopping, too. Um...shopping?
Wait, why aren't you doing samples today? Where is everyone? Those were the questions we posed to them. Well, come to find out, they were laid off! What?! Laid off?!
Yes, apparently, Sam's Club's profits were down and they have decided to lay off their typically elderly, friendly sample people and replace them with "trained" professionals. Whatever.
They think profits are down now? Wait until they lose additional sales and even customers. Did you know that you can go to the Sam's Club website, place an order, and then just go pick it up? It's called Click 'n' Pull. I think that's our next option.
Yes, I know they may not notice our drop in spending. We loved to go into Sam's Club and walk around to all the samples. Not that they were so great or anything (but they were usually good). But, the people handing them out were so friendly. They are our friends. We would spend more time talking to them than actually eating the samples. They knew us and we knew them. (Well, most people did recognize us when they saw us coming. :) )
Dot always did their pizza that you can eat there (we always did) or take it home. Vince was a favorite; we always looked for her, even if she wasn't doing a food sample. My husband could talk to John for an hour if we let him. Shirley and Barbara always had a kind word to say. One of the ladies passed away last year, and we still miss her. I could list so many more.
We would more often than not eat lunch at the cafe after whetting our appetites with the samples. We sometimes bought the item that was being given out as a sample. I would guess that 90% of the time we bought something that was not on our list.
Now? Probably not. Yesterday was just missing something. No friendly sample people (except the two we ran into shopping). No samples. No extra food. We did eat there, but it just wasn't the same.
Click 'n' Pull, here we come!
Until next time...
Saturday, December 19, 2009
I don't know how you do it...
I've heard that one before...more than once.
What exactly is it that people are surprised that I do with "so many" children?
Do they think I run around crazy all day? They look at me like I'm crazy sometimes. lol
Or I'm the personal slave that does all the cooking and cleaning by myself. Or maybe I don't and the house is a mess and the clothes are never clean. Whatever.
The truth is...I don't do it. We do it. We work together as a family.
Some folks, I'm guessing, have the mistaken idea that the parents (in particular, the mom) are the only ones who do anything in the family.
"Let children be children." "They're only a child once; let them enjoy it." True.
But. But. If they are not taught how to be an adult, by adults, they will be children all of their lives. And we all know someone who fits that description.
I read something recently that said don't get involved with your children - get your children involved with you. It sounds the same but there is a difference.
Get them involved in what you are doing. And that doesn't mean to never play with your children. You should play with them. But get them to work with you. And as they grow older their play should decrease as their responsibility increases.
The big mistake I made was in not realizing that a lot sooner. My younger ones love to help me with the laundry. As I take the wet clothes out of the washer, they are standing in front of the dryer helping to push them in. They think they are doing a big job...and they are. They are learning the responsibility of doing laundry.
Don't get me wrong. I don't use my children as slaves. In fact, I have to force myself to let them help me. I would much rather do it myself. I can get it done quicker and easier if I do it myself. But what does that teach them? That they don't have to do anything but play. They get used to that and then when we need them to do something, they moan and complain about it. Because they are not used to doing anything. Does that make any sense?
I'm not even sure why I'm writing this post. I feel like I'm in no position to give advice to anyone. We're still working on a lot of things and I'm still a relatively young mom. But maybe someone out there needs this post. Maybe it will encourage someone; let them know that - hey it can be done!
Until next time...
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Is America being destoyed from within?
To everyone who reads this post:
I urge you to watch this video on youtube and share it with your friends and family. Link back to this post if you want, or post about it yourself. Get it out to the public. America as we know and love it is in danger and it's up to US to stand up and stop what is going on.
Watch Fall of the Republic now!
Until next time...
I urge you to watch this video on youtube and share it with your friends and family. Link back to this post if you want, or post about it yourself. Get it out to the public. America as we know and love it is in danger and it's up to US to stand up and stop what is going on.
Watch Fall of the Republic now!
Until next time...
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
"...blessed be the name of the Lord."
"Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
~ Job 1: 20-21
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18
~ Job 1: 20-21
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18
I wrote about my miscarriage in a previous post. Well, it wasn't over. The hospital told me to come back if I had more problems like I had that brought me in. I did. Sunday afternoon we went again; this time by van because I knew as soon as it started what I needed to do. We got there around 4:30 or so. Later that night they decided I needed a D&C. Thankfully, the OB doc that was on call was one I would have picked if given the choice. (The same one was the one on call Thursday night and I already had a follow-up appointment scheduled with him). The D&C took place around 1 a.m. Monday morning (long night) and I was discharged by 3 a.m. A first for me; I've never had a surgery where I had to be put to sleep before. It was definitely a different experience. But all went well and I have a different follow-up appointment in two weeks.
So, why the verses, you ask? Some people may find it odd that I'm not totally tore up about this loss. Yes, we wanted this baby. But God gives peace in the midst of pain. I know where this child is. At least I'm pretty sure. Remember David? If you're not familiar with the story I'm referring to, read 2 Samuel 12, especially verses 15-23.
I'm to give thanks in everything. It is the will of God.
Yes, it may be hard at first. I felt guilty thinking if I had done this or this, nothing would have happened. But you see, I'm not the one in control. God is.
I cried. I mourned. But I didn't fall apart. Because God is in control and I'm to give thanks.
I'm thankful for the short amount of time the Lord loaned this baby to us. I'm thankful for the EMT guys that came. I'm thankful for the ER docs and nurses. I'm thankful for a Christian OB that is not afraid to ask if he can pray over me before surgery. That was such a blessing.
I'm thankful for everything that happened, because that was the will of God.
Thank you all for praying for me and for your comments. I do appreciate them.
And I promise, the next post will be a bit more lighthearted. :)
Until next time...
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Have you given your children away yet?
If not, then you need to.
What!? What on earth am I talking about?
Ultimately, who does our children belong to? The One who loaned them to us, of course.
To understand what I'm talking about, go here, scroll down to Otto Koning, Tales from the Jungle #1, 2, and 3 and listen to him. He is a very funny speaker with a very serious message.
And then give your children away. You'll be glad you did. :)
As an added bonus, there are some more good speakers on that list; Ray Comfort, Bruce Frye (a good singer), Kent Hovind, and others.
Until next time...
What!? What on earth am I talking about?
Ultimately, who does our children belong to? The One who loaned them to us, of course.
To understand what I'm talking about, go here, scroll down to Otto Koning, Tales from the Jungle #1, 2, and 3 and listen to him. He is a very funny speaker with a very serious message.
And then give your children away. You'll be glad you did. :)
As an added bonus, there are some more good speakers on that list; Ray Comfort, Bruce Frye (a good singer), Kent Hovind, and others.
Until next time...
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Important - watch this!
This is long. I'd advise you to wait and watch this when you have enough time. It's very important to the future of our country so please do watch this. Pass it on to friends and family.
Until next time...
Until next time...
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
More Controversial Subjects
Some interesting questions came up when I posted my view on Easter.
We also don't do Santa or the toothfairy (I totally forgot about that little tradition). We spent a few Christmases by ourselves or with other families that don't "do" Christmas, but since some of my family moved close by, we spent Christmas with them a couple of times. By not "doing" Christmas I mean we don't do the tree or stockings or decorate or anything really. We used to in the beginning of our marriage, but studying things out made us quit. I don't want to make this a long post, so if you want to research it the internet has a plethora of information on the subject. A good place to start is here. A good short article on the history of Christmas can be found here. Here and here are a couple of links that compares Jesus Christ to Santa Claus. Scary? I also know the story of St. Nicholas who was actually a real person. I wonder what he thinks about the figure known as Santa Claus? And that some people believe it to be modeled after him?
Another good comment mentioned the fact that we worship on Sunday instead of the Sabbath (Saturday). Well, technically, our family can't be accused of that since we don't go to a traditional church. :) We meet with other believers whenever we can, and sometimes that is in the middle of the week. I believe that was the way the 1st century Christians did it. They were being persecuted, so they didn't exactly advertise where they would be meeting next.
I could get into a really long discussion on holidays vs holy days, but I'll leave that to others.
Just so you know, we don't go around telling everyone that they are wrong to celebrate these days. In this country, we have the freedom to "esteem one day above another". One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. (Rom 14:5 ) We visit family when they are celebrating and don't go around preaching at them with a sour face, being holier-than-thou. By the same token, we would like to have the freedom to NOT celebrate certain days. If anyone asked us, we simply state that we don't do those things and leave it at that. We don't use that as an opening to blast them with our beliefs and say that they are less of a Christian than us because they do those things. (If I came across that way in my original post, I certainly apologize). If they honestly want to know why we don't celebrate, I would give them the information we've found, and let them decide for themselves.
And if someone argues that I put this on a public forum, well, it's my personal website and I said that I would be writing down some of my thoughts. These are my thoughts. Thank you very much. :)
Everyone is growing and learning new things throughout their life. My question is: Does what you do glorify Christ? I myself fall short so many times. It is a lesson I learn daily, moment by moment. If you think I'm wrong the best thing you can do is pray for me.
I must ask, please don't make this a flaming, YELLING discussion. I welcome comments, but keep it nice and clean. Please.
Until next time...
We also don't do Santa or the toothfairy (I totally forgot about that little tradition). We spent a few Christmases by ourselves or with other families that don't "do" Christmas, but since some of my family moved close by, we spent Christmas with them a couple of times. By not "doing" Christmas I mean we don't do the tree or stockings or decorate or anything really. We used to in the beginning of our marriage, but studying things out made us quit. I don't want to make this a long post, so if you want to research it the internet has a plethora of information on the subject. A good place to start is here. A good short article on the history of Christmas can be found here. Here and here are a couple of links that compares Jesus Christ to Santa Claus. Scary? I also know the story of St. Nicholas who was actually a real person. I wonder what he thinks about the figure known as Santa Claus? And that some people believe it to be modeled after him?
Another good comment mentioned the fact that we worship on Sunday instead of the Sabbath (Saturday). Well, technically, our family can't be accused of that since we don't go to a traditional church. :) We meet with other believers whenever we can, and sometimes that is in the middle of the week. I believe that was the way the 1st century Christians did it. They were being persecuted, so they didn't exactly advertise where they would be meeting next.
I could get into a really long discussion on holidays vs holy days, but I'll leave that to others.
Just so you know, we don't go around telling everyone that they are wrong to celebrate these days. In this country, we have the freedom to "esteem one day above another". One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. (Rom 14:5 ) We visit family when they are celebrating and don't go around preaching at them with a sour face, being holier-than-thou. By the same token, we would like to have the freedom to NOT celebrate certain days. If anyone asked us, we simply state that we don't do those things and leave it at that. We don't use that as an opening to blast them with our beliefs and say that they are less of a Christian than us because they do those things. (If I came across that way in my original post, I certainly apologize). If they honestly want to know why we don't celebrate, I would give them the information we've found, and let them decide for themselves.
And if someone argues that I put this on a public forum, well, it's my personal website and I said that I would be writing down some of my thoughts. These are my thoughts. Thank you very much. :)
Everyone is growing and learning new things throughout their life. My question is: Does what you do glorify Christ? I myself fall short so many times. It is a lesson I learn daily, moment by moment. If you think I'm wrong the best thing you can do is pray for me.
I must ask, please don't make this a flaming, YELLING discussion. I welcome comments, but keep it nice and clean. Please.
Until next time...
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Is Easter Biblical?
At the risk of losing my readers I am posting this. Click on these links to find out where I'm coming from. I don't belong to this church, nor am I a Jehovah's Witness. I am simply a follower of Jesus Christ and it concerns me when I see other people say the same thing and then celebrate pagan holidays. I am certainly no expert on the matter and our family is still learning as we search for answers. But I ask you, what does the Easter Bunny, rabbits, and colored eggs have to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
Does It Matter to God? I do not agree with everything written by this organization, but they do have some very good stuff. If you think they are wrong then research it for yourself and find the truth. Here are some other things on the history of Easter. Fertility Symbols: Beneath the Dignity of God, The Chronology of Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection, The Resurrection Connection, Easter: Masking a Biblical Truth.
We are led to believe so many things by people we think are to be trusted, or we blindly follow traditions we have had in our lives for so long. I am troubled that Christians excuse the things they do by saying things like "I'm not celebrating a pagan holiday, I'm celebrating the birth/resurrection of Jesus. We can do it any time we want and I choose to do it now." I ask, "Why?" So we don't look odd in the eyes of our family and friends? Let them mock. Jesus suffered far worse for us. So our children won't "miss out" on fun and presents? Let them be deprived. They will learn a far more important lesson when they see their parents standing for what they believe in. The children of the first century Christians were "deprived" in that sense. I wonder what they think now?
Some people say that Easter is in the Bible. Yes, but it is a pagan holiday in the Bible. It is not wrongfully translated. It is not really Passover. Why would Herod observe a Jewish holiday? He wanted to have his fun and then afterward get back to the work of persecution. (This is one point in which I disagree with the article in the links above).
I hope I don't come across as prideful or critical. I am asking you to search out the reason you do certain things. My children have never hunted Easter eggs and don't believe in Santa Claus. We teach them the truth. And they don't feel deprived. We don't substitute Resurrection Sunday for Easter. We don't do a birthday cake for Jesus at Christmas. At the risk of flames I'm asking, "Why do Christians do these things?" I will also say that the Bible says if you observe one day as special you have the freedom to do so. So please don't get upset with me if you are offended. Ask yourself why you are offended? "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." Psalm 119:165
Now to sound really far out there; I am currently researching the history of birthday celebrations. Currently we have a special meal for the child on their actual birthday, then we have a big party in the summer. A birthday bash we call it (we copied that from the Jeub family). The only difference being that we specifically say don't bring gifts. We give out little goody bags to the kids and fix a big meal for everyone, have fun and games, and pinatas. If you think there is anything wrong with this please let me know. Seriously, I'm not being sarcastic. I want to know if I am doing anything that would cause my brother to stumble. (1 Cor 8)
When we stand before Jesus Christ, will He say, "Why didn't you celebrate Easter and/or Christmas?". No, we will be judged for our works, whether they will stand the test of the fire or not. (1 Cor 3). I am purposely not putting these verses in so that you will look them up for yourself.
Please understand that I am writing this out of concern for fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. If I did not care, I would not say anything. If you disagree; well, isn't it wonderful that we have that liberty?
And my reference to Easter in an earlier post? We are having a ham dinner, but we are not celebrating Easter. Remember, no egg hunt? :)
Until next time...(if anyone comes back)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
