Category: Potpourri

Unpacking The ATI / IBLP Baggage

teacuppamelaWhat I’m writing about these days isn’t sensational and isn’t unique to me.  It’s not isolated and it’s not rare — at least not in homeschool and/or conservative Christian circles.  It’s probably going on all over the place to one degree or another.  Most everyone who’s been caught up in a particular group/movement/method comes to a day of reckoning and has to unpack the baggage they’ve intentionally or unwittingly picked up and carried as their own along the way.  And it’s in the unpacking that some things — some ideas or ideals — are seen for what they are: good or bad — valuable or harmful, truth or lies.It’s my hope that the unpacking of some of the ATI / IBLP baggage will be a freeing experience — that it will be an encouragement to other women to be done with wondering if you’re doing the Christian walk right enough  or — if you’re in, or formerly in, ATI: whether you’re good enough, charitable enough, hard-working enough, orderly enough, diligent enough, attentive enough, thorough enough, bright eyed enough, smiling enough, industrious enough,  virtuous enough, resourceful enough, wise enough… or any other enough of the 49 character qualities.   I’m not mocking character qualities — seriously, I’m not — but if the source of character is anything or anyone  but the Lord Jesus, then it’s just flesh.  It is walking/operating in the flesh.  It’s just like what Eve did… it’s wanting to make self wise and using personal resources and personally determined logic or reason to attain a desire — and in the case of most   lots of ATI families, usually the desire is meet the ideals set by the Institute… superior appearance, accomplishments/achievements, the appearance of goodness and righteousness, honour and purity, etc., etc., all the while personally battling (unbeknownst to others) inferiority, lack of accomplishment, lack of measurable achievement, failure, incompetence and depression.Giving the World a New Approach to Life?  No need to try and do that any more.  One man — one man alone did that and that man was/is Jesus.  He alone is the only “new approach” we need for life.  ATI and IBLP boasted of “giving the world a new approach to life” over and over again.  A group of people following the standards of a man will not succeed in giving the world anything but *another* approach of behaving/believing and that other approach will likely lead them away from, or will inoculate the ‘followers’ against, the Truth of the gospel.

If this sounds like a critical, bitter rant, believe me, it’s not.  And I’m continually stopping to assess what I’m saying so that this does not become something of a mudslinging session.  I desire, above all, to be faithful to the Word,  to sound the alarm, as it were, to a parallel society that uses much scripture, pat answers and formulas to enforce and require adherence to particular behaviours and beliefs and one that fosters a false sense of spiritual ‘security’ that is based on works, appearance and surperior ideals instead of shedding light on the Scriptures and exhorting the simplicity of walking day by day in the faith of the Lord Jesus, in light of the Scriptures by grace, because of the finished work of the Cross: our salvation, redemption, sanctification and continued daily guidance of the Holy Spirit because of that finished work and our relationship with Jesus, our Lord.I want to be very careful in this series of articles to encourage a faithful and sincere walk with the Lord—-and not to encourage throwing away *everything* you’ve believed to be true.  Sift it out, examine it, weigh it before the Lord, but don’t walk away—leaving *everything* of faith behind you.  Take the hand of the Lord and seek Him to guide you into all Truth and be willing to lay down the burdens you were never meant to carry.
The different components, unscriptural teachings, formulas, programs, diagrams and charts in the ATI / IBLP baggage may take years to unpack, examine, sift and discard.    Seriously.  Years.  I’m only going to touch on a couple of pieces of that baggage today.
ATI baggage…
One of the heaviest pieces to unpack is the gravest burden of all — the weight of works.  Works look very different in different people, situations or in practice or expression.  But it’s a heavy one, I tell ya!  Unpack and leave that one!
quoteFor by grace are you saved by faith; and that, not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2.8-9
And surely not to be overlooked is this other heavy piece of baggage—probably the most egregious, really and this is the baggage of misunderstanding the doctrine of grace.  You really gotta take this one out, examine it, and throw it away if you’re carrying this one.   You get the definition/understanding of grace wrong and you enter into a quagmire of misinterpretation and application of what is anything but grace!
ATI Grace defined: the power and desire to do God’s will.  But that’s not grace at all — that’s not what God’s grace is.  That grace is like self-created pixie-dust, a lightsaber or whatever other imagined or self-willed tool, action or reaction is — but whatever it is, it isn’t the grace the Bible refers to — it isn’t the Grace of God which has appeared to all men.  Get that wrong and you miss the precious gift of the Lord Jesus… His grace manifest in your life through redemption in Him — not by works of righteousness which we have done, but by His grace, He saved us; when we deserve(d) wrath, it was/is His merciful grace that saves us, it is His sovereign work in us, through us, round about us, carrying us, working all things together for good for us… His favour, His particular presence, that we can know Him — this is the grace of God in Christ Jesus.  This is what Jesus gives us, works in us, does for us.Other erroneous teachings… the chain of command.  You gotta dump this baggage and study what God really says about authority.   And who our authority is/authorities are.  Those images in the booklets and on the screens from the overhead projector are still indelibly imprinted on my mind—-and I keep having to unpack them, take them out and look and them through the lens of Scripture to see what God really says, what He really intends for me and how dangerous it is to swallow error laced truth.  Makes a real mess of things.  But, by the grace of God and His mercy we can sift through all this and walk with Him.

More later.

the comforting hedge

teacuppamelaFour months ago I began the THM journey and what amazes me is how simple it’s been to stay the course with no intention or temptation to quit or get it over with.   I’ve never stayed with a plan in my life—but that’s not to say I’ve not tried a whole bunch of plans, diet-shakes, crash diets — only sticking with them for a few days or even a few weeks but always going back to the whatever, whenever way of eating.  The THM plan is so simple… the freedom is incredible.  There is so much freedom — but that freedom is totally NOT a whatever-whenever way of eating.  If it were, it would be the “fat, sick mama” diet… that’s pretty much where many of us, to one degree or another, have come from—and isn’t that what we never want to be again?!?!

This is the freedom I mean: freedom from sugar and food addiction! It’s staggering.   Freedom from a mocha or two every single day… freedom from tea with milk & honey every morning and every evening… freedom from snacking and snacking and snacking… and never feeling satisfied.  Freedom from cookies, candy, cakes and bread.  And yet… and yet!  I do have alternatives to these favourites—delicious alternatives to these favourites!  And I never feel like I don’t “get to have” this or that… bcz I do get to have so many delicious foods.  All the foods I get to have are delicious foods!  Freedom to control eating food instead of being controlled by eating food is unbelievably freeing.

We never know how comforting hedges are
until we stop kicking against them
and start seeing them as protection.

THMbookshelf

I can agree with the Psalmist, the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places… (Psalm 16)  Somehow, the Lord is helping this girl — this carb addict to press on and to have freedom from the things that weigh me down.

For me, the journey to health has been a spiritual journey—I truly was not sure I could do it.  So, you see, it truly has been a spiritual matter for me.  Food’s had me in bondage and so I’ve had to pray for freedom from bondage to food.   Interestingly, it’s not that it’s the THM but what God’s doing in me using this method.   I shared this with a friend of mine the other day.  The whole book’s been a training ground for me—it’s forcing me to face and SLAY these giants in my life.  Every day I am attempting to follow the plan as best I’m able with the ingredients I have — it may seem feebly or haphazardly done sometimes. But I do it every day and I press on every day and I will keep on pressing on every day. And God is with me, strengthening me and helping me to say yes to what I ought to do and to say NO to what is not best for me. Sincerely, it’s amazing to me—bcz I am not given to regimens—it’s a battle for me for every regimen I’ve ever followed.  And this? Yes, this one… I was *SURE* I was going to fail — SURE of it!  But I have not failed–even following it very clumsily — very blindly — I have pressed on — every day I have pressed on and it’s astonishing to me to look back now on four months of this way of living & eating… pressing on each day.

And isn’t that our walk?  To press on? To press on even if we have feeble knees?  To press on even if others aren’t with us?  To press on even if we don’t have all the whatever it is we think we need?  To press on even if the way isn’t as smooth as buttah??? To press on even if others mock what we’re doing?  To press on even if we ‘feel’ like we’re alone?

We press on in faith bcz this is the day the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it—-and if He uses a method to retrain and renew me such as the THM plan, then I’m thankful for His provision to help me do what I could not do on my own. ♥

Remember:  Gwen’s got a terrific Trim and Healthy Quick Start page that will show you how to get started and basically give you four weeks of basics — a page I wish I’d known about in the beginning of my journey.  Go take a look = print it!!

so many THM resources

teacuppamelaThere are so many Trim Healthy Mama resources to give you all the tools you need to succeed in changing your eating lifestyle and find “your trim” or you level of healthy weight and energy.  Along with all that, you’ll see that all these resources will give you ample instruction, inspiration to press on each day as you explore all the many meal and snack options along with daily doses of encouragement and a push now and then to run the race… or to get back up and keep running the race if/when you fall off course.  Joining the Facebook THM group will give you fantastic resources and inspiration — so will the Trim Healthy Mama author’s page.

Gwen has written such an invaluable book review — her synopsis, observations and beautiful photos and descriptions will ‘flesh out’ the book for you—-her investment and numerous resources she’s made available in the last year will become invaluable to you.  I could not more highly recommend you get the THM book—read it—and use Gwen’s site and resources. ♥

ALSO————See a whole bunch of Pinterest pages… here’s ♥ mine and then here are some others for you — just to get you started, the following links are “S” meals and snacks!
♥ S Snacks
♥ S Beverages
♥ S Breakfasts
♥ S Main Dishes – Hot

So, what’s an “S” meal or snack? An S meal is a Satisfying meal or snack — S meals have a foundation of protein and the fuel source is fat… fats like coconut oil or butter or nuts and seeds and some dairy products like cheese and eggs.  These meals have very limited carbs–but that’s not going to be a problem when you see the beauty of the plan and how you’ll have those options when you enjoy an “E” meal or snack.   Many nay-sayers think eating fat makes you fat–or fatter.  Not so.  You’ll soon see that food in the wrong combination and out of balance is what’s made you fat in the past and will make you fat in the future if you continue to eat that way.  I’m truly no expert in this, but I am really beginning to grasp the whole proper intake and combining of fuels for meals and snacks.  I’m finally getting the whole fat and sugar connection–the whole high carb connection to poor health and weight that’s not in balance.  I’m finally seeing it, living it, understanding it—and you will, too, once you read the book and start implementing the plan.

Here’s my hot tip for you———-do yourself a favour: Work at eliminating or just stop eating sugar.  Seriously—sugar will sabotage health and any sincere desire will be squashed and weightloss will fail when sugar’s in the mix!  Right next to heredity issues, it’s probably the biggest culprit behind the big behind, the big belly, the bad heart, the sluggish metabolism, sluggish bowel and the sluggish mind.  It’s probably the primary culprit behind a lot of infertility problems and insulin resistance.  Yep, I just said all that.  And yep, I’m not a doctor and not a clinician.  And, nope, nothing I write should take the place of your own studies, doc’s opinions, advice and recommendations.  Well, maybe I don’t exactly believe those last three (the opinions, advice & recommendations part).  But, they usually don’t agree with home-birth and/or home-educating children, either.  But, in the interest of total transparency, I had to add all that.  Nothing here should be construed as professional or medical advice, counsel or diagnosis.  That, too.

Want another hot-hot tip?   Work at spacing all eating to 3 hours apart.  Seriously.   You’ll be surprised  — if you’re not the skinny-mini type who forgets to eat or gets so busy she doesn’t know if she’s had anything to eat since yesterday or whatever — how often you eat.  Stop it.  I’m telling you, I had to/have to say this to myself *so* many times—pamela, stop it… you’re not going to die… you’ll eat again in an hour or two.  ♥ So, clean your house, study your Bible, teach your children, go for a walk with them,  finish one of your bazillion craft projects, clean & organize your pantry, bathroom, closet, school supplies, photographs, garage, fridge, dresser drawers… whatever… the point is that an idle mind with idle hands thinks of food, snacks on it and doesn’t even realize how much and how often it’s happening.

How about an “E” meal?
“E” meals are Energizing meals… meals that have a base of protein and moderate carbs.  E meals have very little fat (one to two teaspoons at most!).  The possibilities for E meals and snacks as endless as your imagination and supply of vegetables!  There is a catch here, however, and that is the high starch potato.  So no. Not that one.  You will never miss it once you find out all the benefits you’ll reap by not eating it and by discovering all sorts of other foods you’ve been neglecting bcz you’ve opted for potatoes out of habit.  You’ll be able to break the potato habit, trust me.  If I can eliminate sugar and honey and potatoes and chocolate syrup, you can do it, too.  Seriously.

You can give these E Breakfasts a go! Or, these E Dinners, or these E Snacks.
Or, again, remember:  you can go to Gwen’s Nest and find just about anything you’ll need for the THM journey… she’s careful to explain S meals, E meals, FP meals, S Helpers and Crossover meals.   Click here for her excellent Quick Start Guide to THM — and her more in-depth pdf/printable Trim and Healthy Quick Start page that will show you how to get started and basically give you four weeks of basics — a page I wish I’d known about in the beginning of my journey.  Go take a look = and print it!!

I share all this to tell you, you’re not alone, you can do this, you can be trim and healthy and you can access loads of resources so that you can be done with excuses for why you can’t lose weight.  Or why you can’t lose weight and keep it off.  I know, right?!?!? I sound like a reformed__________ who thinks they know it all and everyone else should, too.  Yep, it sounds like that… but I don’t know it all — but I feel like the blind man who received sight… and said (paraphrasing), this I don’t know and that I don’t know… but I know that whereas I was blind, now I see.  The Lord has helped me to grasp something I previously could not grasp, He has helped me to do and keep doing something I’ve never been able to do.

If I can do this, you can do this. Truly. ♥

Valentines ♥ Day

teacuppamela

Have you been making plans for Valentines Day?  Are you looking for some ideas?  Well, for the last couple of years I’ve occasionally pinned some ideas on my Pinterest – Valentines Day – page and have been reviewing some of them this morning — so many great ideas, so little time to do them all!!  Maybe there’ll be some baking or craft ideas to spark your imagination or give you some inspiration to try something new.  Before Pinterest, I posted things to my old website on the Valentines page.  Now, the things there are many, many years old, but I pretty much never seem to tire of the oldies but goodies in life. ♥

http://thewelcomehome.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/1cor13-e1392063086460.jpg

THM… so much hope

teacuppamelaAs I press on, on the THM (Trim Healthy Mama) journey, I have so much hope.   I have so much hope bcz I’m so not alone and I’m so not seeing this as a diet but a different way of approaching health and nutrition.  I say this bcz I’ve experienced so many diets in the past.  And the difference, for me, with Trim Healthy Mama (after this, THM), is that it’s not a limited time diet.  By this I mean, it’s not the lemonade-type diet or the military-type diet or the mama with a wayward child/depression diet or the zone-type diet or name another type of diet that’s generally undertaken for a limited period of time and eventually the old way of eating returns.  And so do the pounds.

Now, why did I say I’m so not alone in this?  Easy… thousands of other women are implementing the THM plan in their own lives and homes and numerous websites, Facebook groups and Pinterest pins are dedicated to THM.   Women all over are sharing their successes, before and after’s, struggles, plans, recipes, suggestions and enthusiastic encouragement with relative strangers–but not strangers really,  who’re traveling the same journey.  Shared experiences give hope… shared understanding gives hope… all this gives women the motivation to press on.  All this, and more,  keeps me pressing on.

I’d hazard to guess that for a lot of women who seriously undertake the THM plan, there comes some sort of a day of reckoning, a day or time where they recognize that food and excess weight and out of control eating is symptomatic of deeper issues—things the Lord intends bring to the light and to help deal with—and what originally interested them in doing a new thing to lose weight, a different diet or whatever is not what keeps them on plan.  What keeps them (and now, me) on plan is the daily journey to health and yielding to the Lord the area of food and its stronghold–or previous stronghold.

I’m finding incredible freedom in not eating everything I want — freedom in recognizing that food had a stronghold on me and day by day I’m seeing this stronghold’s grip diminishing.   The Lord’s addressing some areas that don’t seem to have anything to do with food–but yet food’s been the outward stronghold.  See, here’s an example… I so often don’t didn’t want to “diet” bcz I love, love, love café mochas.  Love em.  Drink drank ’em every morning.  Yes, plural.  Yes, every morning. Hot milk, two pumps of chocolate and a long shot of coffee.  Drink, rinse, repeat.  Didn’t want to give ’em up—–couldn’t give ’em up—-wouldn’t give ’em up.  But I began to recognize that my delights were harming me–too much sugar was causing  problems and I knew I needed to make some changes.  I was loving the sugar but it wasn’t loving me back.  And isn’t that how sin is?  We give in and it mockingly smacks us on the backside.

Looking back, I really think I thought I’d make some changes and get on track and then be able to go back to the same ol’ same ol’ ways (especially since I’ve done this soooo many times).  That was foolishness–and I know it.  I really know it now.  Greater than all that, I now also know that the Lord was putting His finger on some deeper matters, using all of this to help me be willing to deal with other non-food related issues.  It is His mercy and lovingkindness to bring us to these places of correction and brokenness in our walk with Him.  It is for freedom He set us free.  I’d lost sight of that somewhere along the way.

Interestingly, what eventually brought me to THM began with that search for health remedies.  Still struggling with some ongoing health issues, still searching for solutions, I began to see frequent connections with the Trim Healthy Mama book.  Some of my Google searches  for low/no sugar or low glycemic index recipes took me to a few blogs/sites I thoroughly enjoy today — I didn’t initially see the THM connection!  Sadly, over the last year because of family busyness and other things, I hadn’t been tracking along with the Above Rubies site nor the progress of the writing of the THM book—though I’d seen copies of it here and there, recently.  Additionally, I regret I hadn’t been  in close touch with local friends who where already working the THM plan, else I might’ve had some questions answered earlier and I might’ve had some health issues addressed earlier, too.  But I have to continually affirm: I’m pressing on; no worries, I’m simply glad for the opportunity to have this book in hand now and I’m pressing on (with thousands of other women! ~smile~). I have so much hope… and I’m pressing on.

Discipline… THM

teacuppamelaIt seems to me that nothing spotlights the will or the flesh quite like discipline.  I’ve found (yet again) that I surely relate well to the Biblical passage regarding the willing spirit and weak flesh.  Though that passage doesn’t necessarily relate to undisciplined eating, it does relate to the flesh and its incredible weakness under temptation.

  quoteWatch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation:
the spirit indeed is willing,  but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26.41

As I sojourn on the THM path (Trim Healthy Mama), each day I find new things over which I seem to have no strength or no ability.  And then a day or two passes and I see the Lord has made a way for me to accomplish specific goals or to embrace this discipline. And another Truth comes to mind – again, understood that the Lord may truly be pruning and/or addressing a different matter here.  But I find great comfort in knowing He is with me, is for me, helps me, guides me, protects me, provides for  me:  as I look to Him – as I yield to Him.  He is providing me with strength and resources to press on toward the goal of better health and other benefits.

quoteThere hath no temptation taken you but such as is
common to man:  but God is faithful, who will not
suffer you to be  tempted above that ye are able;
but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it.”
1Corinthians 10.13

Each day as I read and reread this book and other THM related articles and blogs (Gwen’s), I find new things I either do or should implement.   Interestingly, I discover that other women are struggling with the very similar things from time to time.  It may seem trivial, but one such struggle is the struggle to space meals and snacks in three hour intervals.  Now, I recognize that for many people, this is a snap – maybe even a natural way of life!  But for others –me– this is not so.   I, like most mamas, am in the kitchen for one reason or another most all day long – every day.  And it’s like I’m a food magnet – unintentional as I’ve been about food and aimlessly snacking through the day… until now.  Thus, the hidden blessing or hidden truth of the THM lifestyle: Intentional eating.

Maybe you’ve heard someone recite a vow and the wording includes: “…is it your intention to fulfill___?” Well, that’s the sort of what I consider when I think of the word intention and the THM eating plan.   When beginning this plan, there’s got to be a determination to be intentional about it.  It’s not a plan to be taken lightly or unadvisedly – by this I mean, it’s not going to be of any value if undertaken haphazardly.  In fact, I’m fairly certain, new as I am to the journey, that there could be some real negative health repercussions should the plan not be understood and practiced or undertaken as outlined.  I can see how one might experience exactly the opposite of health should the plan not be followed correctly or should it be carried out without discipline or intention.

Like many things in life, the THM plan is soooo easy!  It is so easy.  So easy.   But that’s the peculiar dilemma to things, isn’t it?  How could something so easy be so hard?   I see that (for me) it’s sheer determination, sheer discipline — the discipline of doing what I know I ought to do – not doing what I want to do. For sometimes, my ought’s and my wants are my greatest enemies (sort of the Romans 7 conundrum).  Through the years many times you’ve heard me say, Truly, good things are the enemy of best things.   And while there may be many good things to eat in my kitchen, I’m determining to stop and think: is this the best thing for me right now?  Do I really want to go backwards?  Am I content to give up or pass by some good things in order that I might have (or look forward to) better things?

All this to say that  spacing meals and snacks, snacks and meals into three hour intervals is a discipline I’m willing to work to achieve… knowing I’m doing this for better things.

Beginning the THM Journey

teacuppamelaAs I’ve begun the THM (Trim Healthy Mama) journey, I’m surprised how easy it has been to change my eating *lifestyle* bcz, seriously, food is a lifestyle with me — and I know it is very much so for many other mamas.  Food speaks volumes for most mamas… it says, I love you… I care about you… I’m thinking of you… I’m celebrating with you… I am making memories memories with and for you… setting traditions you’ll carry on in your own homes some day.  Food says: welcome home.

Events of most days are food related.  Talk about food, think about food, make food, eat food, clean up food, snack on the cleanup foods, think about the next meal, share awesome recipes, talk about awesome dishes, plan awesome meals, look at pinteresting recipes and pinteresting photos of f.o.o.d.

So now, the THM journey.  Most THM’ers will understand this intro.  And that’s bcz they, like me, finally got to a point where all this food talk/prep/thought/intake and more intake was causing a physical and mental train-wreck.  I say, most THM’ers, bcz there seem to be other mamas reading and “doing” the Trim Healthy Mama plan who are seasoned veterans of diet and exercise.  They’re the ones who’ve had the fortitude and resolve to stick with plans, stay disciplined and have come to see the THM plan can really work in a family setting with simple modifications for family members who need more calories, etc., etc.  But, I dare say, it seems that most of the mamas who’ve embraced the THM plan were not previously so disciplined to stay with a healthful, appropriate calorie/nutrition intake, daily regimen — year after year. 

I’m finding that the initial enthusiasm I had for the THM lifestyle fluctuates a bit and here’s why.  While I had many of the food items in my fridge and pantry, there were/are many items I did not/do not have on hand.  So I had to improvise and muddle along with a smaller variety of acceptable or ‘plan’ ingredients.  Then, some of the sweeteners I did acquire tasted awful to me.  Some of the reworked favy recipes were not S meals to me at all.  “S” meals = satisfying.  And they sure weren’t.  But… what to do? what to do?  I had to press on.  I’d invested in the book, invested in the ingredients and had already predetermined to stick with this journey.  So I have.  And you know what I’ve come to experience?  I’m learning to appreciate this new way of eating. 

You know I love sugar.  I love honey even more.  And chocolate… chocolate almost as much as butter & sugar anything.  But I’ve sort of gotten past that sugar-sugar-sugar addiction in the last two weeks.  Example… I made frosting for birthday cupcakes yesterday.  Ordinarily, I’d have tasted and adjusted–tasted and adjusted the Vanilla-Bean buttercream—and I mean a teaspoon size “taste” for adjusting the vanilla/sugar/butter/salt/cream ratio.  Yesterday I was able to tell if the ratio was correct with less than a 1/8 teaspoon t.a.s.t.e.  And I didn’t have any inclination to taste more.  This morning I’m amazed at that.  And the chocolate ganache-mousse frosting for the chocolate chip/chocolate cupcakes?  Same thing… and no inclination to dip a tablesp0on into the Kitchenaid mixing bowl.   If nothing else, this is amazing.

So the journey has surely begun… and I’ll tell you more about it.

 

 

Treading where…

I wanted to go back and grab a couple of entries….  I’m linking back to these to show just how far society has gone in just a very short time.  In light of one of Voddie Baucham’s keynotes at the Christian Heritage Homeschool Conference this past weekend: ‘ Gay is NOT the new Black ,’ I’ve decided to repost a couple of things I originally posted in my blog in 2006. My desire is not to be sensational, alarmist or divisive, but to encourage very wise and careful thought and examination regarding the avalanche of lies, myths and social/societal manipulation.  And, truly, it is going on.  And, further, the church is being duped into following right along swallowing and promoting lies regarding this volatile issue.  Let us be in the Word and on our knees.

 Another slicing of a lie        February 10, 2006

Remember: repeat a lie often enough, and people will begin to permit it to be common and then begin to accept it as truth.  Such is the case with the so-called “homosexual movement.”  This, from Worldnet Daily: “A leading homosexual activist group is blaming a deranged teenager’s violent rampage through a “gay” bar in Massachusetts on “hatred and loathing” fueled by Christian groups and leaders such as James Dobson.”  And then, the article went on to describe the individual responsible for the attack.  In addition to the mean-spirited and unfounded attack on Christian individuals and groups, there was a description of items found in the home of the attacker.  There was no mention finding a Bible, or a Focus on the Family Magazine or anything else remotely “Christian.” So, why the slander against Christians for the atrocious behaviour of that individual?  I’ll tell you why… contrary to the claim by Matt Foreman of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, that  “The hatred and loathing fueling this… vicious attack on gay men in New Bedford is not innate, it is learned… And who is teaching it? Leaders of the so-called Christian right, that’s who. Individuals like James Dobson of Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins, the Rev. Pat Robertson and their ilk are obsessed with homosexuality.” Do you see the conditioning?  Do you see the dialectic praxis?  The rant that “their ilk are obsessed with homosexuality.” 

What a lie and that lie is gaining momentum day by day.  The truth is not that Christians are obsessed with homosexuality, but rather that people who commit homosexual acts are obsessed with homosexuality! Christians simply present a dilemma to those who promote homosexuality and the dilemma is that there is a war in the conscience of those who choose acts that are in conflict with God’s moral laws.  And to combat the conflict or to deaden it, they must necessarily lash out at those who reflect God’s design—they have to hate Christians because Christians represent the very One they cannot deny—but they must deny God in order to continue on the immoral path they travel.  Bullies always throw stones, they always attempt to discredit those they seek to intimidate so that they can continue garnering support even through intimidation in an attempt to validate themselves and their plan and then to saturate it with victimization or the emotionally laced oppression intensifies the effect of the protest and the charge .   That young man with his swastika tattoo and with the “Neo-Nazi” and white supremacist materials in his home is no representative of Christians.   And they know it.  Clever and sly—they know it.  That was just a bit of harassment aimed at further demonizing and marginalizing Christians and ultimately attacking the Creator—the One they must face

Suspending adulterers February 8, 2006

In the news…

Seems that in Florida, according to this article, because of the number of incidents and the resulting problems, Sheriff’s deputies who get caught cheating on their spouses or sleeping with another person’s spouse in Pinellas County, Fla., will be suspended from work for the behavior.”  I couldn’t agree more that there ought to be consequences.  In fact, I’m wondering if there’d be a dramatic decrease in the number of cases of adultery if they were suspended…   from freeway overpasses. [note: just imagine… adulterers suspended from overpasses would serve as a deterrent.  This was not intended to be mean-spirited]

 

I’ve had lots of time to read magazines in waiting rooms lately and decided I’ve been there too often when the same issues of magazines are still on the tables or in the magazine racks.  So, yesterday I was glad to have David Kupelian’s book The Marketing of Evil with me.  I wish I could properly convey the absolutely incredible value of this book as it is truly a “must read” book.  Really!  Order it and read the book!!   Even reading the first pages of the book will refute the lies and expose the gross manipulation that permeates society.  The book is well written, well documented and will, no doubt, forever change the way things are perceived.  The exposing of lies, the uncovering of a cleverly orchestrated agenda, and the explanations for countless atrocities, trends and beliefs will leave readers contemplating for hours the incredible influence of media to perpetrate evil.  But the trickiest part is that the evil is accepted as light and truth; the lies are cleverly designed to appeal to your mind and emotions and convince you of truth—but it’s not truth at all.  What I am saying probably sounds like some unfounded, garbled conspiracy theory, but as I stated a moment ago, this book is no conspiracy—but it certainly does expose the agenda of those who hate God, those who hate good and Truth, those who seek to cover their own consciences by assaulting those who expose them. Taking a stand against things that are accepted by many people is a sometimes risky thing to do—risky if one is concerned about personal status or if one is concerned about offending critics.  I’m not concerned about them.  I *am* concerned if I offend a brother (or sister) in the LORD—for I know first hand that “A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.” (Proverbs 18.19)

 

Chore sticks…

teacuppamela

A clean home is a happy home.  I know, I know, if ever there was a guilt inducing statement, that is it!  But, seriously, think with me for a moment… consider some of the very best homemaker feelings/accomplishments.  Doesn’t a ship-shape-top-to-bottom tidy give you a great feeling?  How about a thoroughly cleaned out garage, a freshly cleaned and ordered pantry, fridge or bedroom closet?  If you stop and think about these sorts of things, you’ll probably quickly remember how great it felt and how smoothly things seemed to run in your home.  Remember? 

With the advent of our son getting married a couple of weeks ago, a bit of space was freed up in our home.  And, well, as you can imagine (especially if you’ve got a lot of children still home), the ideas and possibilities seemed to explode and the enthusiasm to clean out, paint, rearrange and clean up bedrooms was at an all time high.  And at the end of a few days, when the bulk of the work was completed, the bedrooms were nearly all set up. Fresh and clean… and happy.

I have an idea for you… something that might add a little fun to your cleaning schedule — and maybe even to help you set up a cleaning schedule and give you some time saving ideas, to give you some inspiration and to make it fun.

You’re going to need a few supplies, first.  I’d suggest that you get a binder or a piece of paper that you’ll add to your kitchen binder / log / whatever.  Make a list of all the different chores you know must be done.  Then, go back an prioritize the list into groupings of least to most important (or vice versa).  The reason I’m suggesting that you write this down in a binder is that you’ll then have a written record that you can consult every time you’re going to do seasonal chores or monthly chores.  If you don’t have a kitchen binder or a home/time management binder, then, most sincerely, I’d suggest that you get one, and begin to load it up with your family/home information, plans, important lists, etc.  And, yes, I do mean paper, pens and a plastic/metal 3-ring binder.  You’ll keep this with your cookbooks, etc.

After you’ve written your necessary chores list and arranged them in some order of importance, then you’ll need to get some wide craft sticks or tongue depressors and two jars.  Then, write the chores – individually – on the sticks.  I have written with Sharpie pens so that the ink won’t run if the sticks get wet – and I can reuse them many times this way.   I may give an estimated time to complete the chore – or an asterisk on the stick to indicate importance or priority.

It really doesn’t matter what you do, it’s just a matter of doing what you know you must do and determine to get those things done. This stick method is but one method you might use.

This isn’t meant to put you in some sort of chore bondage, or to dictate that you must do it this way — and, believe me, this method is not the key you’ve been searching for to get your house in order once and for all.  The order — once and for all — deal doesn’t exist.  But you can learn ways to bring about a semblance of order that makes for a more smoothly run home and a more orderly way of keeping and caring for the things we all need to have/use in our homes.

So, maybe you’ve got the idea of making the lists in the binder and you’ve even imagined that you could write out the chores on the sticks… now what?  Simple put the sticks — as many as your chore load dictates — in a jar.  And then, establish a cleaning segment of every day and pick sticks each time, do the task on the stick, move on to another and another as time allows.  STOP working when your allotted cleaning time is up.  Plan to work the next day and the next — starting and stopping at the planned time, and so on, until the jobs you need to complete have all been completed.    Put the completed chore stick into the empty jar and see how quickly you can get the sticks transferred from the first jar to the next.  After a few days, you’ll be amazed at how much you can do AND how much you’ve gotten done.  Save the sticks in your cabinet for the next overall house deep-cleaning and a couple of months (you can also make chore sticks for daily work or weekly/monthly work).

This will go much faster if you’ll mobilize your troops!  Seriously!  Teach your children to love to work and to work hard at it!  Your attitude and zeal will be very motivating for them.  And the daily allotted time deal?  It’s a real loving incentive and doesn’t break morale —if— you’ll but stick to it.  God bless you and your clean, happy home.