A Few Snow Pictures

a long time

It has been a long time since I have posted anything. So much has happened in my life and I have not had time. I am going to make time soon to share more of my journey.

Mandatory 'gay' day for K-5 students

This is just one more reason that we will be homeschooling!!

(about the book on the right: 'And Tango Makes Three' book about homosexual male penguins who name their chick Tango because 'It takes two to make a Tango.)

A California school district has approved a mandatory homosexual curriculum for children as young as 5 – and parents will not be allowed to remove their children from the lessons.

The mandatory program, officially titled "LGBT Lesson #9," was approved May 26 by the Alameda County Board of Education by a vote of 3-2. Students from kindergarten through fifth grade will learn about "tolerance" for the homosexual lifestyle beginning next year.

The curriculum is in addition to the school's current anti-bullying program and is estimated to cost $8,000 for curriculum and training. ...

Click HERE to read the rest of the article.

Wii and iPod giveaway!

CPF is giving away a Wii and an iPod to celebrate 2 years of blogging. You can go here to see how to enter.

Home: No place for Bible study

Read this! Maybe we are not as free as we think we are. Click on the link below.
Home: No place for Bible study

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Gluten Free

I usually am not overly-personal on this blog, I have a private blog for friends and family, but I need to get some thoughts out there and hopefully people who read this can help me!

I recently tested positive for Celiac Disease. So I am now embarking on the journey of trying to be gluten free. I was completely overwhelmed yesterday. I was overly emotional and felt like I was grieving- sounds silly, but I am losing a huge part of my life (so to say)! I love bread products ( or things made with wheat and there are many)- pasta, pizza, bread, cereal, rolls, biscuits... you name it and I love it! So it was sad to think about not enjoying these wonderful things that God has given us to eat.

I have been doing research and trying to find things that I can eat. It is also hard having a family that I am to cook for. I do not want to deprive them of these yummy things- but it is very hard to see them, to smell the food, and not get any!!! Enough of the pity-party! I am continuing to pray that God helps me.

I am just curious if there are others out there who can help me. Any readers who have this or know someone who does?? Any resources, thoughts, ideas????

God So Loved the World, Part 2

Abigail has a double ear infection, so we listened to John Piper instead of going to church on Sunday. I would encourage you to listen to (or Read) his sermon- Here.
It was so encouraging to be reminded of the love that God has for me. Something he said that stuck out in my mind is this:

...the relationship between being a sheep of Christ and believing on Christ is not that we believe in order to become sheep, but that God makes sheep in order that we may believe.

Go to the site and listen to the sermons.
Part 1
Part 2

She liked it!

The cake was a success! Happy Birthday baby girl!

Happy Birthday!

It is so hard to believe that my baby girl is now One! How fast this year has gone. We have been so blessed by this little girl and we thank the Lord for her daily!

Here is her Butterfly cake that I made for her birthday. You can go here to see how to make this cake- or a different pattern.

Miss California Sparks Furor With Gay Marriage Comments on Miss USA Telecast

Many of you have probably already heard about this, but for those who have not, you can go here , here, and here to read some articles.

Here is her question and answer:
When asked by judge Perez Hilton, an openly gay gossip blogger, whether she believed in gay marriage, Miss California, Carrie Prejean, said "We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite. And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

My Thoughts

Something I am relearning is that I am in control of nothing! No matter what I do or how hard I try... I am never the one who is ultimately in control. To some that may sound like a bad thing. But to me, it gives me great comfort and peace.
I know that God is sovereign over all things and that He is working it all for my good and His own glory. ( Rom. 8:28)
This past Sunday I taught on Isaiah 45:1-13. God kept reminding the people that He is God and there is no other God besides Him. He formed everything. He made the heavens and the earth. He made us and He can do what He pleases with what He has created.
I am so thankful to know the the God of the universe care that much about me. He orchestrates all the events in my life from the small to the great.
May I keep learning this and stop trying to control things!

Free Ice Cream!!

I just got back from enjoying a free cone from Ben & Jerry's with my family. Find a store near you and go enjoy a cone! It lasts today from 12- 8:00P.M.

Susan Boyle - Singer - Britains Got Talent 2009

It goes to show you that you cannot judge a book by its cover.

Go here to watch and be amazed!

Girl Talk

I asked for the book Girl Talk for Christmas and my wonderful husband got it for me. I have been reading it and wanted to recommend it for mothers and daughters alike. It has been a good book for me in dealing with my relationship with my our mother and I can see where I will need to come back to it in the future when relating to my own daughter.

I think that this book is for mothers and daughters of all ages to read and discuss together.

You can get your own copy Here.

Fireproof

The other night we finally rented the movie Fireproof. I admit I was skeptical about watching it. Usually movies that are made through Christian organizations are cheesy, poor acting, or the story line is not that great. I had head reviews about this movie and wanted to see it, so we did.

I admit, I was surprised. It was a good movie. I will confess that some parts were cheesy, and some acting could have been better, there could have been more to the story- but it was a wholesome movie. I would recommend it to others to watch. You can read what others have said here, here, and here.

I do wish that the Gospel was more of a focus in the movie- in fact it should have been the focus. They depended a lot on love- but without the Gospel it is impossible to love that selfless love. We went to a wedding the other day and I was confronted with this problem there as well. The people getting married were believers, but there was no mention of the Gospel at their wedding. We are in such a "me" driven culture/sinful nature. We cannot find the strength or even the desire to love apart from Jesus through the Gospel.

The New Inductive Study Bible Give Away

Precept Ministries International is giving away Bibles and other Bible Studies this month.

Here is some info they sent me:

With all of the struggles and tension in the world today, is it any wonder that people become discouraged and depressed? Where do you turn for help? Who can you trust and believe? What is the truth?

Precept Ministries' mission is to establish people in God's Word. We help people discover God's Truth for themselves — real, enduring Truth. And we'd like to do that for you. That's why we're giving away 10 Bonded Leather New Inductive Study Bibles and 122 of our award-winning Bible Studies during the month of April.

The New Inductive Study Bible is different. Other study Bibles tell you what the commentators think the text means. The New Inductive Study Bible helps you discover for yourself what the text truly says and means. Learn the Inductive Bible Study Method with the New Inductive Study Bible’s instructions for studying the Bible inductively, including help with marking symbols and making lists. Each book of the Bible has individualized instructions to guide you on your journey and includes thought-provoking application questions. Charts, maps, timelines, and illustrations throughout the text also help you with each book of the Bible. Plus it includes a concordance, a harmony of the Gospels, Bible reading plans, a concise history of Israel and much more to enrich your Bible study.

Precept Ministries’ award-winning Inductive Bible Studies have helped millions of people around the world discover the truth of God’s Word for themselves. The studies cover the full breadth of the Books of the Bible as well as specific topics that meet each person’s particular need and application. Whether you are looking for a Bible Study to help you Discover God’s Truth for yourself or if you’re ready to go deeper into the Word of God with a group of friends or church members, Precept Ministries has what you’re looking for.

Click here for more info, rules, and ways to enter the drawing!

I am Still Alive!

It seems like forever since I have been posting on any of my blogs! Life has been very busy and lots of things have been on my mind. I am going to try and post more regularly, but no promises!

12-year-old speaks out on the issue of abortion

12-year-old "Lia" of Toronto has become a star at her school and on Youtube with her five-minute pro-life speech, crafted for a school competition. Despite discouragement and outright opposition, Lia's presentation was so well done that she reportedly won the contest she was told she would be disqualified from, due to the "controversial" message of her speech.

Colossians 3:12-15

Colossians 3:12-15 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

These verses have been going through my mind this week. I know I fall short, but it is my prayer that I would have more of a compassionate heart, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and LOVE. To love as Christ has and is continuing to love me. Help me Lord! As God's children, we have been shown great forgiveness and love and are called to show that to others. I am thankful that He helps me and is conforming me more and more into His image (Romans 8).

The Darkness of Abortion and the Light of Truth

I listened to a sermon by John Piper called:The Darkness of Abortion and the Light of Truth. I would encourage you to listen or read it here. The topic of abortion has been burdening my heart for the past few months, since Obama was elected as president. I am not for abortion in any way, but if you read this blog and are, I just want to encourage you to listen to this sermon and others he has preached on this topic and may the Lord change your hearts!
Piper preached through Ephesians 5:1-16.

Ephesians 5:1-16 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

New Book on Sale

Westminster Book Store has already sold 1000 copies of Get Outta My Face and they now have 500 more copies that they can offer at 65% off list. Hurry while they still have some. Click here to order your book.

Here is more info about the book:
This is a new book just released from Shepherd Press, the folks that brought us When Sinners Say "I Do" and Shepherding a Child's Heart.

Get Outta My Face: How to Reach Angry, Unmotivated Teens with Biblical Counsel is the most exciting and helpful book on that topic we've seen since Paul Tripp's Age of Opportunity. Author Rick Horne has years of experience turning around the lives of troubled teens with the gospel.

White House outlines Obama's pro-homosexual agenda

While I am proud that our country is making progress and has elected an African American as our new President. I have several issues that I do not agree with him on. His "pro-homosexual agenda" is one of those issues. The article I read states:

Just hours after becoming president, the Whitehouse.gov website has laid out Barack Obama's agenda. Under a section of that agenda titled Civil Rights is a very detailed outline of what Obama plans to do for the homosexual community.
First on the list is the expansion of "hate crimes" statutes to include extra punishment for crimes committed because of sexual orientation and gender identity. Highlighted is the president's political history of support for hate crimes legislation.
Obama also supports full civil unions and federal rights for homosexual couples, and calls for repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). According to the agenda explanation, the president also is opposed to a constitutional amendment to protect marriage as only between a man and a woman.

You can read the rest of the article HERE. I will be praying for President Obama.

John Piper - Don't Be Anxious

A good reminder!

5x5x5 Reading Plan

Last year I shared about the Bible Reading Plan I was using here. So I thought I would share what my plans for this year are. I have chosen the 5x5x5 plan.

5 minutes per day, 5 days per week, 5 ways to dig deeper. Takes you through one chapter each day. Read the New Testament in one year.

You can go here and download a copy or look and see if there is another plan you would like to try. It is never to late to start! I will be using my new ESV Study Bible that I got for Christmas!!

2009

So far 2009 has been filled with sickness! First my kids, then me, then my kids- hopefully we will be over it soon. I wanted to share some books that I got for Christmas that I am excited about reading. I will post some more over the next few days.

100 Cupboards by: N.D. Wilson
Leepike Ridge by: N.D. Willson