Graduation Tips!!
May 3rd
After-Graduation Tips:
1) Take a few weeks off- once your adult life starts, IT DOES NOT STOP. Neither do the responsibilities and although you are eager to undertake these new challenges, don’t be- they get boring or stressful (or both) and all-around annoying really fast.
2) If you haven’t already, save up to pay for a car- and PAY CASH for it (just don’t pick a car that needs too much work).
3) Don’t fall too in love with your first car, chances are she won’t be with you through most of life’s journey- especially if you paid cash. 
4) If you have college plans, know WHY you are going to college and WHAT for. Otherwise you will very likely waste time and money changing your majors and such repeatedly.
5) If you have college plans, make MORE college plans. Plans such as strict rules that go like this: a) I will NOT fall into partying. b) I WILL continue to put God first in my life and be a light unto the darkness of the world. c) I will call my loving parents frequently and tell them every (even boring) detail of my life because they will be DYING to know.
6) Go home for every holiday and as frequently as possible besides. You never truly know how much you’ll miss your parents AND SIBLINGS until you can’t live with them anymore.
7) Study for yourself effective witnessing- as an adult people will listen to you more. (I highly recommend Way of the Master by Ray Comfort).
Research a pet before you get one. I do NOT recommend dogs with mental problems or cats who use the bathroom at all.9) Don’t go into debt- this is easiest if you avoid credit cards as much as possible. Make it a goal to only ever go into debt on a house or property.
10) Don’t play the lottery and if you ever find yourself caught up in it, just make a profit and loss chart and see how you feel then.
11) Vote responsibly- meaning don’t vote democratically or for progressives and be FULLY informed of who you do vote for. And always vote.
12) Be fearless in the challenges you face, God is with you and if He is for you, who can be against you?
13) Make sure you check with God before you marry someone!! Make sure they are the person HE intended for you!
14) Learn from your parent’s and other’s mistakes.
15) Look at your parents VERY CLOSELY, chances are you will become more like them every day that you age.
- I know all this sounds like the mushy mumbo jumbo you’re getting from absolutely EVERYONE right now (Why can’t those annoying people just pipe down and can it?) but really, its sound advise- the advise that all of us who are telling you these things right now wish we’d listened to when people told us.
My Amazing Husband
Mar 23rd
<3 This is how loving my husband is: He wrote this on his facebook wall last night:
“Top 5 Reasons why I love my awesome wife:
1. She has a heart and passion for Jesus Christ.
2. She is always serving and thinking of others.
3. She is a great mother focused on raising godly children.
4. She is beautiful, kind, smart, loving, amazing, awesome, super-awesome, … awesomely-awesome
5. She changed my world, she is my rock.
I love you,
Your undeserving husband”
I just have to add a correction, though. First of all, IF I was that great, you still would NOT be undeserving. You are the most deserving man I know. The great spiritual leader you are to our family is what has helped me desire to try to do and be a better Christian, wife, and mother. You’re fire burns so bright it lights up mine. And for the record, I love you most.
The Occult and Music Research Project
Mar 21st
(Picture Citation: Done by Duchesssa and can be found on stock.xchng)
I mentioned several blogs ago that I had spent HOURS writing a report on how the occult sneaks into our entertainment. This is a serious and dangerous issue that most people don’t even realize exists. This is critical for anyone to understand, and if you have a family that you are responsible for, it is even more so. I finally am putting this report on here, download-able, for people to read. It is more focused on one genre of music- rock. Do not misunderstand me, I have always and will always maintain that there is NO BAD STYLE of music, as instrumental noises cannot possibly be evil. What makes an individual song good or bad is mostly the lyrics. Before you read it, please understand that it was written in a personal format, as I had intended the report for people close to me. Please also understand that there is sometimes a thin line when it comes to getting rid of/staying away from things that are not so clearly bad or good. I am trying to find this line, its rather hard in some areas, so please bear that understanding in mind when you read the report for yourself. I would also recommend having your children read it, too. I ended up learning from my research myself- I wasn’t expecting that. Below is the introduction (which will also be download-able with the whole report).
Intro to Project
“I understand that you may not listen to some of these artists or some of these songs that I will talk about, but I felt that I should talk to you about bad messages in music and how allowing those messages into your mind and life can affect you. Obviously, some secular music is fine. Not all secular music has bad messages. And yes, what is a sin for some is not for others, but putting bad messages into your head- especially antichristian messages- is not okay for anyone. Just because you may not go out and do what the song says, or maybe don’t even listen to the lyrics, doesn’t mean that listening to those songs don’t affect you in some way. The Bible says that any sin you let into your life can give the devil a foothold in your life. Maybe a large foothold, maybe a small foothold regardless of the “size” of the sin. The old saying goes, “Garbage in, garbage out,” and the Bible backs that up and commands that we do not dwell on unholy things or let them fill our minds. And sometimes, it doesn’t affect just you. For example, you might listen to Alice Cooper, but that doesn’t mean you are going to eat a bat’s head. However, to a non-believer, music like that CAN BE A STUMBLING block and the Bible says (1 Corinthians 10:32) not to stumble any one. So how does it look if you call yourself a Christian, but listen to antichristian music or bands? Maybe you only listen to some of the clean songs by an antichristian band. But still, what picture does it paint when a Christian listens to/supports antichristian bands? And by buying/wearing their material, you promote and support them- why would you support your enemy? That can confuse someone or make them think that’s ok for them when its not. The question you have to ask yourself is, “Is the entertainment I get from listening to this music worth the risk of stumbling another Christian or confusing a non-believer? Is the entertainment worth the damage I could be doing to my own walk with God?” Our very Christian walk should be about loving others and bringing them to the feet of Jesus. Only you can answer this, but I did some research on some of your style music to help you understand what I mean. In my research, I have song lyrics and some interpretations, Bible verses, information on the occult and occult groups, and anti-christian symbols and names to watch out for. Please know, I’m not accusing you of anything, but trying to help you watch out for anything dangerous to you or detrimental to your walk with God and your witness. So please, go through your music, read and interpret the lyrics, look up what any symbols mean, and get rid of anything that goes against anything in the Bible. I love you, and believe me if I didn’t, I would never have done this pain-in-the-butt-research.
Some one’s opinion that I happen to agree with:
THE CHRISTIAN AND ROCK MUSIC- The Problem with Secular Rock
Much of rock music’s problems — particularly, secular rock — lies in its lyrics, which are predominantly destructive and anti-Christian. The solution, however, is not to reject rock music altogether, but to replace the rock of the ungodly world with the rock of godly musicians. When listening to a song, ask whether the song or the group militates against God; whether it promotes anti-Christian attitudes; whether it causes spiritual bondage; and whether it is a stumbling block to others. Most importantly, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading to discerning God’s will concerning the music that feeds your ears…and your mind. As someone who has taught memory seminars around the world, I can tell you firsthand about the destructive influence of programming like MTV and others which infiltrate the mind through the two most powerful inroads to your memory — your eyes and your ears. So please, guard your heart and guard your mind.
Throughout the Bible, God/Jesus calls Himself the promoter of life and refers to Himself frequently as life and calls the Devil the promoter of death and says HE IS DEATH.”
The 180 Movie
Mar 20th
So, recently my Hubby and I discovered the “180″ movie. I can’t express how watching that movie made me feel. Thirty-three minutes of… WOW. I’d like to tell you EVERYTHING about it, but at the same time, I’d almost rather you just watch it. I mean, would you believe me if I said that people exist who don’t know who Hitler is??? I will be brief, because I really just want you to watch this video. In short, its sort of a documentary tied in with modern day events. There are interviews with people that help you understand how the historical and modern events relate. Its ABSOLUTELY NOTHING SHORT OF CAPTIVATING. And anyone who has seen it, agreeing or disagreeing, cannot argue that point. And if they disagreed, I’d say there is no valid argument for that, either. Check it out on youtube for free- the link is below!
Love and Respect
Mar 18th
So, Hubby and I finished a Love and Respect class this week that we’d been attending. I honestly tried to get out of it (we were invited by my father-in-law), but he wouldn’t let me wriggle out of it. I didn’t think that Tim and I needed it much and I was under the incorrect impression that it was marital counseling with an open group (in this case consisting of my in-laws). Well needless to say, if that were the case it would have been disastrous and have caused problems rather than solved them. Thankfully, the first session went so well that we actually WANTED to go back. And so we did, for four or five sessions (my pregnancy-enhanced abilities that have cursed my nose and blessed my taste have not extended to my brain… I’m rather fuzzy-brained… I think mold is growing up there right now).
In this class we watched video sessions (like I said, can’t remember if there was four or five) once a week. The DVD’s were based off Emerson Eggerichs’ book, “Love and Respect” (captioned, “The Respect He So Desperately Needs and the Love She So Desperately Desires”). In a short summary, Emerson helps couples “crack the communication code” by helping us understand the opposite sex. He uses helpful and easy mental images to help you grasp the concepts. For example, women see through pink glasses, hear through pink hearing aids, and talk through pink microphones. Men do the same things through blue. In other words, we each SEE, HEAR, and COMMUNICATE things differently from the other sex. And while neither party is wrong for that interpretation, our interpretations are still different- hence the need to crack the communication code. We have to learn to see, hear, and speak in ways that the other person will interpret the way we intended them to interpret it. Emerson also talks about how to break ‘the crazy cycle’ couples sometimes get on in life, and how to stay off of it. I would HIGHLY recommend reading the book, or taking the class if its an option for you. I do warn, Emerson is funny, but weird. However, this should not effect how you hear what he’s saying.
I for one, had thought that I was quite well informed of how the male mind functions, more so than other women. And, while that may be true, at the end of the sessions I still felt quite enlightened in understanding not only my husband, but my son, and all male members of my family. I was really happy I went, and not just for the classes. Tim and I have come to love the couple that hosted this class and we hope to attend other classes they hold. They have a ministry website if you’d like to see the classes they teach. Below is the link!
Edible Play Dough and Edible Finger Paint
Mar 15th
The weather has taken a wonderful (and hopefully NOT temporary) turn for the better! But since it wasn’t so the last couple weeks before (and I had no where fun to take Levi), I decided we needed some new activities. I googled homemade edible play dough and homemade edible finger paint, and the recipes below where what I found! I wanted edible versions just in case DS decided to munch on some… and he didn’t try the paint but he did lick the play dough! He liked the finger paint, but it didn’t seem to hold his interest way too long. That turned out to be ok, because the paint was sort of jelly-like and was not good to keep long. Easy clean up, though. The play dough, on the other hand, was a BIG hit and is keeping VERY well. I do have to add a tip to the recipe, though. If you have cuts and scrapes on your hand, wear gloves to roll the warm dough and mix the food coloring/koolaide in! Otherwise, that salt STINGS BADLY. Here are the recipes, have fun!
Edible Play Dough
Ingredients:
1) 1 cup flour
2) 1 cup water
3) 1/2 cup salt
4) 3 tsp cream of tartar
5) Kool-Aid or Jello Mix (as many packets, colors, flavors, varieties as you wish)
6) 1 TBSP cooking oil
Directions:
1) Mix dry ingredients (minus kool-aid or jello) in a large sauce pan.
2) Mix water and oil separately and slowly add to sauce pan.
3) Stir over medium heat until mix thickens to dough.
4) Separate evenly into different bowls (one bowl for each color play dough). Pour 1/4-1/2 packet of kool-aid or jello mix over dough in bowl. Mix and kneed until dough is evenly colored, a smooth consistency, and cool enough for kids to use. Be careful- the dough will be hot, the salt will sting cuts, and the kool-aid will stain your hands as you mix it! I found the kool-aid didn’t stain my sons hands after I handled it, though. Just don’t let the kids pour water over it.
Edible Finger Paint
Ingredients:
1) 1/3 cup flour
2) salt
3) 2 TBSP sugar
4) 2 cups water
5) food coloring
6) plastic cups
Directions:
1) Mix dry ingredients in a sauce pan.
2) Whisk in water until smooth.
3) Turn heat on low, stir continually until mixture thickens.
4) Pour evenly into cups, add food coloring to make individual colors.
Funny Farm Petting Zoo and Spam!!
Feb 26th
So I can’t express how EXCITED I was to hear that there is a petting zoo within driving distance of my house!! The closest zoo to us is 3 hours away… yuck. With a toddler you almost have to make that a weekend trip. That being said, I have not had an opportunity to take Levi to a zoo yet and I thought he was seriously missing out. So I begged City Hall for a zoo. I outlined in an email how the whole community and tourism would benefit greatly from a zoo. My mother-in-law, who works at the City Hall, was entertained when her co-worker showed her. The email I received in response said that they’d looked into it and tried to have it done before, but it didn’t go through at that time for whatever reason and they would try again soon. So, I sadly waited a year, and nothing… BUT then my husband called me from work the other day and announced he’d found a private petting zoo about 30 minutes away!! I checked them out on facebook, and finding them legit, I went! Levi and I enjoyed ourselves so much that we went back this weekend when Hubby was able to come with. They had all of your typical farm animals (minus bunnies) and then some! We all got to bottle feed two CUTE CUTE CUTE little lambs. They were so soft and sweet! There were also three or four animals expecting to deliver their babies at any time- a llama, a HUGE pig, and one or two of the goats. The emus were laying their big green eggs (we got to hold one), but they put those in an incubator. They also had several types of free-range chickens, pea cocks, several cuddly cats and dogs wandering around, three iguanas (one that loved to be pet!), friendly pygmy goats, a pony, three donkeys, a miniature horse, two Clydesdale horses (my hubby got to ride one but I passed since I am pregnant), and other animals. My husband and I were very impressed at how CLEAN the animals all were (you know how sometimes you leave a petting zoo smelling like you belonged there- this one you don’t!), and the owners can tell you the name, age, and story of every animal there. They were very friendly and really cared about their animals. So we had a great time! I will be a frequenter if I can- I love zoos and animals! And Levi, who was sweetly shy the first time, came out of his shell a bit more this time and actually pet some of the animals with out prompt!
On a completely unrelated note, I get spammers (auto and otherwise) who try to post spam on my site in the comments all the time. In one spam message I got called a dude… Well the below message is the most ridiculous spam message I’ve ever received and and I just wanted to share it because it made me laugh.
“Good study, I merely handed this on a pal who was simply performing some study with in which. And the man simply just obtained everyone lunch time because i thought it was with regard to your pet giggle As a result let me rephrase that: Many thanks lunch!”
The Good Person Test
Feb 15th
So, this is a continuation of my last post, in response to the life lesson number five: Many churches today are filled with false converts- because people aren’t hearing and realizing what they need to. First of all, about 80% of America claims Christianity- and many people will use this in a message of hope. But how can that be true? I believe that the vast majority may CLAIM Christianity, but if we were truly a majority then how could abortion be legalized? How could we elect crooked politicians? How could gay marriage be made legal? I don’t want anyone to take this the wrong way- God loves all of those people, but they are living in sin. How can a true Christian support these things when God clearly says that is sin? As a Christian, we should love everyone enough that we would want them to come to Christ and repent of those sins- repent meaning to TURN from them. The reason that these things are going on, and that supposed 80% does nothing about it and sometimes even supports it, is because many people who claim Christianity are not. Some of them think they are, some are false converts, and some just pretend to be. Here is what does not make a Christian: Going to church, getting baptized (The Bible clearly states that baptism is a SHOW of faith- an announcement of it), simply saying a prayer, having a pastor/church leader declare you are, being raised in a Christian home, or being a good or moral person. I want to help people come to God and help people realize what becoming a Christian really is. I have recently found the Ten Commandments is the most effective tool for this (It is what Jesus Himself used in the Bible to witness). Most Christians (the ‘claimed’ and the real) have not memorized the Ten Commandments- my husband and I had not until very recently. Please memorize them. They are a mirror to see yourself in, and to see why you really need God. (If I have offended you badly at this point, and you are about to quit reading- please don’t- I won’t tell anyone you read the whole thing). So, lets go through the good person test:
1) Have you ever lied? A white lie is a lie.
2) Have you ever committed adultery? To look at someone with lust is to commit adultery in your heart.
3) Have you ever taken God’s name in vain (used it as a means of swearing)?
4) Have you ever murdered? To hate someone is to murder in your heart.
5) Have you ever stolen anything?
Now, if you said yes to all these things- you would be: a liar, an adulterer, a blasphemer, a murderer, and a thief. Wow, that hurts, right? If you said yes to just one of these things (and if you didn’t, you should have answered “yes” to question number one), then you have broken the law. These questions are based off of 5 of the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are God’s law. If He is a good, fair judge he will have justice and judge you according to the law. He says to break one of these laws is to be guilty of breaking them all. And the penalty for breaking the law, is an eternal sentence in Hell. That should concern anyone. But Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, which means he legally paid our fine. This is a FREE bail-out. You don’t have to pay anything, He already paid it. All you have to do is accept him into your heart and repent of your sins. So on Judgement Day, when your case comes up and God tells you that you deserved hell for your crimes, Jesus can step in and say that you accepted him and your case can be dismissed. If you haven’t done this, please do. If you want to use this as a witnessing tool, please do. It has helped me quite a lot lately. Think about it.
Ten Life Lessons I’ve Learned Lately
Feb 13th
So it’s been a while… over a year, actually. I have to apologize- I have been busy and have several great excuses as to why I stopped blogging for so long. But I will spare you those. To fill in the absent year, here are some major things that happened: My husband and I bought our first house! My husband and I got the best neighbors in the world! My husband and I bought our first dog! My husband and I realized we couldn’t handle that dog! My husband and I celebrated our son’s first birthday! My husband and I realized we were ready to add to our family again (and I do not mean pets)! My husband and I got pregnant again! Well that is about up to speed on the major events. We are currently 5 months pregnant with our second son!! And in line with my blogging past, it is possible that after this little guy is born, I may have to put a hold on blogging again- family first. Really, a wild toddler and a newborn at the same time might be all I can handle in addition to my usual duties! And let me tell you- my boys (both of them) are active! Its amazing to me how my nearly-two-year-old is more energetic than I am by far and its amazing to me how well I can feel this little 10 oz baby move and kick and roll over. It is so incredible to feel that life inside me growing.
Besides those main events, I have been growing myself. In many ways. I have learned some hard life lessons about families, marriage, and friends. In fact, I would say the last half of 2011 (and January of this year) may have been some of the hardest times of my life, not that I showed it much to those around me. But through it, I’ve learned so much, matured even more than I thought possible, and in general am a much better person for it. Some of the things I learned (generalized) are:
1) The statement that you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped simply isn’t true. There is one thing- AND ONLY ONE THING- you can do for them- stronger and more helpful than anything else you could ever do for them yourself- PRAY.
2) Don’t expect non-Christians to act like Christians. Its frustrating and stressful and wastes your energy. I myself have had to learn this repeatedly.
3) Pastors, church members, and elders are not perfect. Don’t expect them to be or look up to them as though they are; they are human just like us and you will be disappointed when you are let down.
4) If you see someone throwing a stone at somebody, and you don’t participate in the stoning, you are not innocent. You are guilty of standing by and doing nothing to help that person.
5) Many churches today are filled with false converts- because people aren’t hearing and realizing what they need to. (See my next post for details).
6) If you are truly a Christian then your life should be about loving others and leading others to the feet of Christ. And when that is what your life is about you will live for others. And when you live for others, you will be more easily able to give up worldly things (and certain entertainment things such as inappropriate music, books bearing content of the occult, and questionable movies). You will be able to do this because when you realize you aren’t living for yourself but for somebody else, you realize that the worldly entertainment you were enjoying was only for yourself, and because it could be damaging to some one- even unknowingly yourself- you can no longer feel comfortable making compromises. Because it isn’t about you.
7) In reference to number 6, I’ve learned and studied some on the occult and ways it infiltrates our music and lives. I did a report on it, that I intend to post on here soon. I did the report, intending it for someone else, and came to the realization that I had things in my own home of questionable nature.
Also in reference to number 6, I’ve learned that the line between being overly extreme and crazy about what you allow in your household and getting rid of everything you shouldn’t have in your household, is a very fine line. I’ve been praying so hard to find it- and I hope my study on the occult may help other people find it.
9) I’ve been going to some Love and Respect classes with my husband and in-laws. The videos we are watching in this class are very funny and very cliche in many ways-but they do apply to all couples in one way or another. In a brief summary, this video series is about the differences in men and women. The differences in their needs, in their way of speaking, in their way of interpreting what they hear, in their differences in interpreting their different forms of body languages, ect. Learning the differences, and why the opposite sex is the way it is, is extremely insightful and helpful to understanding and “decoding” your spouse.
10) I wasn’t sure it would ever happen, but I’ve always wanted it to- I’m writing a book. FINALLY!!! It is going to be a long time finishing it, with the two boys, but it will get done. Generally speaking, God gives us talent in certain areas. Where we are talented is where we generally find a field of work we are happy in. And we are happiest when we use that talent and work to do God’s will. And God’s will in your life often has something to do with the talent he gave you. Use it right. When I had the idea for the book, it was like suddenly God just gave me the know-how to write a real big book. All of the sudden I could see what needed to be done to make the book work and what I had done to make all my books in the past fail. Since getting pregnant again, I have been unable to work on my book now (and I am just now regaining energy) but in the time I have not been writing, I have been drawing closer to God and learning so much I never knew (even being raised with a Christian background). And with all that I’ve learned about my relationship with God and my responsibilities as a Christian, I have gotten so many great ideas and learned so many ways in which I can, and will, give this book back to God. I want him to work through me, and I want to use the talent he gave me to serve him.
Surprise Camping Trip!!! Ug, and Teething…
Oct 15th
So, I’d been planning a surprise camping trip for Tim for a month and a half, and spent all week preparing and packing behind his back. When Tim got home from work Friday, I sneaked into his car and grabbed his fishing poles and threw them in the van. I had already loaded the van, and unloaded it at the campsite earlier that day when I dropped Levi off with Mom for the weekend. After I was ready, I blind-folded Tim (who really couldn’t see but knew what road we were on based on turns). He asked me what was up. I told him it was a surprise for him, and Levi was with mom for the night. So I’m driving and he keeps asking questions (this is one of those situations, ask me no questions I tell you no lies). Still, it was easy to throw him off w/o omitting truths because he no more than asks a few questions before he forgets the answers to his previous questions. He did figure out we were on the road to the campsite though, Cross Creek RV and Camp Ground, and he said, “Wait, I know whats down here- you wouldn’t?!! Nah, you wouldn’t.” Lol, I’m glad he was blind-folded because I smiled so big. I replied, “No, but thats a good idea. We should go soon!” He was super surprised when we pulled in.
Not only was he surprised that we were camping for the weekend, but he also was shocked (as was I) that I managed to book the private Island! We had a great weekend of fishing, boating, smore-making, and the camping usualls. The duckies at this lake practically live on the island and were far from shy about eating out of our hands (we got bit a bit). They even have a nest under the out-house! Its an electric outhouse, so no, the ducky eggs are not getting pooped on. Glad you asked. I’m glad Tim got some down time, he said he almost had forgotten what he so enjoyed. People, be careful that you don’t work so much that you forget to enjoy life. That is VERY important, and is good for your mental health as well.
As fun as camping was, we were excited to get back to our little baby! Unfortunately, he’s not been in the greatest mood since we came back from camping. His teething has been VERY bad the last couple of days, and the poor kid is only 5.5 months! He has been spitting up a lot (and it bothers him), he’s been very fussy, refusing to eat his baby food (mostly just at dinner time), and has all around just been a little difficult. One of the hardest things is that I can’t really hold him to comfort him because when he gets really upset he thrashes his arms and legs about and if I’m holding him at that time, he literally rips my hair out. He doesn’t realize he’s doing it, his hands just get caught in my long curly hair while he’s flailing them. Poor baby (and poor me). I would like to call the doctor and see what I can do for him (apart from teether toys and Orajel) but I no longer trust his doctor and plan to change. The reason I’m after a new pediatrician is because I found out mine is an Evolutionist. And Evolutionists are crazy, so NO, I am not going to put my son’s health care in one’s hands. Wish me luck in finding a GOOD new one. Seems I always end up with bad doctors initially, and the good doctors later…