The Guardians of the Galaxy letter….a rebuttal…from an ex-fan and angry momma bear.

Having read over this letter a few times…I have a rebuttal for Chris Pratt and His fellow galaxy co stars. You will NOT shame us into backing down. If you agree…please share.

I know a bunch of Christians were all giddy when Mr. Pratt stood in front of his fellow hollywood people and…..seemingly….professed Christ. (BTW I am a Chris Pratt fan…or was) I could do a post in itself of what I felt was wrong with some of the things he said but I will just leave it at this ….he never once said the name of Jesus Christ or that faith in Him is the only way to Heaven. I also found it…..at the least……extremely disrespectful to proclaim the magnificence of The One True God and the power of prayer sandwiched in between poop jokes. Now if you are talking about the god of this world then I take it back….the god of this world and poop go together well.
I am also very hesitant when Hollywood stands and applauds any speech….it makes me go over the words spoken with some serious discernment. (I have not always been this way.)
In my opinion…it is kind of like the professing Christian who uses Jesus Christ’s name like a dirty diaper every chance they get. It either shows an extreme lack of spiritual growth or the Spirit is not in them.
Now let me say…I am so not perfect….and have done and said things….especially in my past that….if brought up…..would make me ashamed. However, I can confidently say I have never spoken things even close to what James Gunn has….regarding children….AND….just the fact that he says he was at a NAMBLA meeting is enough to tell me that he has strong, sexual feelings for little boys. Now onto this letter…..
#1. “To our fans and friends….we fully support James Gunn.” (you fully support a man who has admitted to having a sexual preference for little boys. Good for you all but I will not be watching or promoting anymore of his or your work.)
#2. “….As well as discouraged by those so easily duped into believing the outlandish conspiracy theories surrounding him.”
(EXCUSE ME…..MR. PRATT AND YOUR FELLOW CAST MEMBERS. I AM A MOTHER FIRST AND FOREMOST AND THE SAFETY OF MY CHILDREN…WHETHER MENTALLY, SPIRITUALLY, OR PHYSICALLY IS MY BIGGEST PRIORITY……SO I DON’T GIVE A FLYING RATS ASS IF YOU THINK I’M A CONSPIRACY THEORIST FOR READING SOMEONE’S DISGUSTING AND EVIL TWEETS AND ACTUALLY BELIEVING THE WORDS THAT COME OUT OF HIS NASTY MOUTH, MIND, AND HEART.
#3. “We are not here to defend his jokes of many years ago…” and then goes on to get your attention off the subject and praise their movie. Hollywood is nothing if not incredibly predictable. Look over here at the beauty, money, and pretty things while over here we are raping and killing. There is nothing to see here and if you try to expose we will call you looney, crazy, conspiracy theorist, or a bigot.
Poor, poor James Gunn😑
#4. Supposedly he apologized before and now….I haven’t heard or seen these apologies…..not that it would change my mind about him……but if anyone has them please link them in the comments.
#5. They all look forward to working with him again. Well good for you all! I am sure there is another Guardians of the Galaxy movie in the works so we wouldn’t want to hurt those future profits. I wonder if any of them actually had proof of Gunn following through with his words….. if they would speak the truth and expose him…..knowing what the truth would do to their paycheck. How many celebrities need to be outed before we start taking this seriously?
#6. The rest of the letter shames those of us who don’t think it’s very funny to “joke” about pedophilia and attacks those trying to expose it as being “divisive”, “having a mob mentality” and again…they call James Gunn a “good person”. Can I just say that there is a reason convicted pedophiles and child murderers get killed in prison. I mean….even the other “bad people” (drug dealers, murderers, rapists, etc) can smell that demon spirit from a cell block away.
I am going to stop at 6…because I believe that is Hollywood’s number and then I am going to wrap this up….YES! ….Jesus did die for everyone and anyone who accepts Jesus Christ…(that is….what He did on the cross and that He conquered death and hell and was raised from the dead on the 3rd day and that He now sits at the right hand side of the One True God and will be coming back to pour out
Judgement on those who HAVE NOT ACCEPTED HIM AS THE SON OF GOD. YES! Even the nastiest pedophile can also be forgiven and covered by grace if they truly have a repentant heart and fall at the feet of Jesus, repent and believe. I am not anyone’s judge nor can I see anyone else’s motives or heart.

However….and this is directly to Mr. Pratt and His co-stars…..I as a Momma Bear…will not let you…..NOT FOR ONE FREAKING SECOND….make me feel bad for thinking these tweets are nothing less than disgusting and vile and not what a normal person would ever joke about! Your not fooling anyone….and lines are definitely being drawn. You are either an actor/actress who accepts, promotes, and makes excuses for pedophilia or your not. We will hit you where it hurts you the most…..no not your heart…as many of you are lacking…but the box office!

When I came back to my relationship with Jesus Christ…..having been a prodigal daughter…my eyes were opened to several things. One huge thing was all of the filth I had been putting in my mind over the years in the form of horror, slasher, and demonic movies and shows. I still fall back into this at times (as I mentioned I am not perfect) but the Holy Spirit convicts me hard on this. What I believe is happening with all of this “outing” of actors, actresses, and the Hollywood elite is….in part….an awakening for Christians to see Hollywood for what it really is. A satanic run cult that preys on our minds and our children’s minds. I am finding it almost impossible these days to sit through any show or movie without seeing what it is they are trying to sell. Satan will stop at nothing to keep you from knowing the God of the Bible and His Son Jesus Christ and if you don’t think Satan uses Hollywood and all its shiny and beautiful people…..or the music industry for that matter and every single actor, actress, and musician who blatantly throw out satanic symbols, laughingly talk about “selling their soul’s to satan”, joke about raping and killing children, or attempt to bury the truth or shame those who are upset with ALL of the above then you have been blinded by the golden calf of the entertainment industry.
I am adding the tweets from James Gunn to the comments of this post. If you have not read them…PLEASE…be warned. Normal people do not joke about this stuff…..even if you are not a Christian…..these words come from an evil filled heart.

Matthew 15:11-20 King James Version (KJV)
11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness,…..

Tuesday Triumph

Passion is what drives me. I love Jesus. Knowing He loved me first and He is the only reason I am here. I love my family and want to make them proud. I want to provide for them. They make me want to be better…..every single day. My other interests come from a place of wanting to take more control of my health…..to learn natural ways of dealing with life’s little hiccups. To be able to share this with people so that they too can benefit and help those around them. 

It is never too late to learn better ways of taking care of the people you love. It’s never too late to change bad habits. Today is the day to look at the way you have been “treating” yourself and what you have been treating yourself with and say, “YOU KNOW WHAT!?! MAYBE THERE IS ANOTHER WAY! A BETTER WAY! A MORE HEALTHY WAY!” I use the phrase “baby steps” quite often because it takes time  to change 30+ years of bad habits. For every unhealthy thing you stop putting in your body, on your body, or in your mind you are taking the right steps and  being an example for those around you. Especially those little eyes that are always, always watching you. How will they know to do any different if we don’t show them? 

Solitude

In response to a blog prompt titled “Solitude” my mind immediately went to my time at a women’s retreat at Pine Lake Camp in Eldora, Iowa. While I wasn’t alone the whole time I had many moments of Sweet Solitude. Which just happens to be exactly what I needed at that point in time.  

An early morning walk around the lake was just what this busy mom and daycare provider was longing for. Rarely do I have complete quiet or total aloneness:)

Ahhhhh! Only in Iowa can corn, grass, blue sky, and clouds look so beautiful! Of course I’m partial because this is my home. 

Total silence……just me and a kayak….I go back here over and over in my mind when life gets too loud and claustrophobic. 

I did meet these two. They did not want to be friends and were quite happy when I turned about and headed the other direction.  

Thankfully even when I’m utterly alone…..I know I’m not. 

The Daycare Life~Top 5

While my days consist of the beautiful faces of children and the lovely sound of laughter and I love you’s there is another side of the daycare life that isn’t bragged about. We (daycare providers) don’t go around announcing these things or wearing them like a badge of honor. Why you ask? Well just keep reading….. For your enjoyment and to maybe make you feel better about your own “dirty” job I have compiled a list of the top 5 most disgusting/disturbing things when it comes to doing daycare.  

#1. Snot Surprise~

I am really not sure why I buy tissues. These lovely little snot producers don’t master the art of nose blowing until 3ish (depending on the child of course). Shoot my 8 year old still has tissue issues! So where does the snot all go you ask? Why it flows down from their cute little noses…they lick it or do the arm wipe which then smears it all across their face.  This is usually at the exact moment you are jumping up and running frantically to the tissue box; while dodging other kids and trying not to trip over or stub your toe on the toy land mines that cover the floor;  just to reach the tissues, pull a few out (you always need more than one), turn around and…..ALAS!  Too Late! Now you need a wet wash cloth because the snot has already made its way to their hair and in really bad cases…..they have shared it with someone else. 

AWWWWW! Look at that little toddle coming over, arms outstretched, ready for a big ole bear hug! NOPE! As that tiny tot gets to the point of “no way can you back away” you notice it! That gigantic goo monster that has collected just above the upper lip. It’s too late….your soft cotton shirt has become the best place to bury their sweet, little face.

Ok Ok this isn’t all the time so let’s talk about when the snot isn’t flowing and they have just reached that booger picking stage. You will witness every spectrum of booger grossness as the years pass.  So hear is a short run through of what to expect. Boogers…..wiped on walls, wiped on you, handed to you like a precious gift, flicked on the floor, flicked at you, flicked at a friend, and YES….EATEN! Don’t worry this stage does pass and I wish I could give advice on how to handle it but what works for one child doesn’t work for all.  

#2~The Mysteries of Poop~

By now you may decide to come back and read this when you aren’t enjoying a snack! If I still have your attention then great because we have arrived at my favorite subject….POOP! Why on earth you ask. Let me explain how much of my day is consumed with poop. On average I take care of 5 children ages between 1 and 3…..all in diapers….all eating regular food. During a normal 9 hour day I ask .”Ok, Who pooped?” at least once an hour. So if you are doing the math that means that on average all of my kids at least poop once a day. Do you smell poop every hour where you work? Unless you are a nurse, work in plumbing, or for a port a potty company I think probably not. So back to the Mystery Poop and this one is so good we need subheadings….

A. You smell the poop. You know that there is poop….somewhere. However you have checked all children and rechecked and there is no poop to be found. We are not talking about a gas smell. It is indeed a mystery. 

B.  It is an ordinary day when you turn around and see….GASP! a turd on the floor. (no you do NOT have a pet). You make the rounds. Check and recheck after you have cleaned and sanitized the area…..but nothing. No evidence. You think about consulting a private detective and most definitely go to your daycare providers’ facebook group to tell the mystery. You end up wondering and speculating about “ghost” poop for the next couple of days. 

C.  Just a few more Poop Mysterious~

1. How on earth can that much come out of something so little!

2. It gets everywhere except for in the diaper! (yes I mean everywhere and now you need a shower)

3. No poop smell whatsoever so you prepare for the “quick change”. Low and behold you  take that diaper off and…..SURPRISE! That’s not chocolate pudding! On these occasions you better believe you left the wipes at least 20 feet away.

4. All 5 of your kids have pooped at least twice in one day. AT LEAST! This is usually on a Monday and they have been with Grandma or Grandpa for the weekend. This isn’t so much a mystery as a……”What on earth did I do to deserve this!!” The top 3 questions          that run through your head on days like these…..”What on earth did you eat all      weekend?! Perhaps EVERYTHING!” and “Do you ever poop at home?!” and “Maybe I should start charging by the poop?”

I could go on about poop experiences all day since there is never a shortage of it at my house. So at this time I will give props to my garbage man! Sir or Ma’am thank you for your service and I do apologize for the smell of my can….especially on the 90 degree days with 100% humidity when the breeze is just right and your truck is at the perfect down wind angle. You are an unsung hero!!! 

 

3. ~ Barf’s Away!~

There will come a time in your daycare career that you will be covered in barf. Vomit, Spew, Upchuck, or throw up….whichever you prefer. You may say, “but wait a minute! you’re a mom with your own kids. A little spit up can’t be that bad.” First let me say that, just like poop, it is just different when it is your own child. I don’t know why….IT JUST IS. It doesn’t really make it better when it’s your own kids,  but dealing with others vomit is just all around unpleasant in every sense of the word. Thankfully this doesn’t happen a bunch but when it does you are never quite ready….nor are you ever quite the same. Case in point….It has only been twice in my 5 years of doing this that I had the pleasure of dealing with……hmmmm…..let’s call it a puke plague. Child #1 starts vomiting……they are little….they tend to freak out…..I am big….I tend to freak out as well. (1st lesson learned….don’t try to carry a vomiting child to the bathroom in the hopes of getting some in the toilet.( NOT GOING TO HAPPEN) What did happen was a lovely spew trail and both of us covered.

15-20 minutes later….Child #2 begins barfing….you have just finished cleaning up child #1, yourself, the spew trail, texted parents about situation, while also finding imaginative and fun things for the other children to do so they stay out of said spew trail and away from the quarantined child. (Ok I turned on cartoons….don’t judge!) 

Yes! There was a third and then the next day another. If memory serves me correct I think it was a good week before it went through all of us and life could go back to normal…..both times. In the end you have a great story to tell and I do feel like I am a puke pro which will look great on a resume someday.

4. ~Don’t Put That There~

 So this one isn’t really gross compared to the other three but it is one of those things that leaves you scratching your head. If there has ever been a phrase that has been said over and over and over and over again in my house this might be the one. At least a runner up to, “close the door” and “wash your hands”. There is just something about putting something in something to a toddler. I know, I know they are curious and learning. Keep in mind I have hundreds of toys to be played all within reach of said little toddlers……but the outlets (with the safety covers) or that little hole in the wall or vent is just way better than any toy. On the flip side of this you have them putting whatever random toy they find in their mouth, up their nose, in their ear, down their diaper (just pray this isn’t one of those “no smell” poop diapers today), or in their friends nose,  ears, mouths, etc. Just when you think they understand that “you don’t put that there” you turn your back and let your guard down and some one has a lego stuck up their nose. A fun example……they come to you with a cute little stuffed toy and say in the most angelic way “kiss baby” as they hold up that cute little stuffie……as soon as you “kiss baby” you realize you have been had, duped, set up……can they be this smart and devious….I just don’t know. What you didn’t realize is that this child has been over in the corner lubing up “stuffie” with a ton of saliva….getting it all nice and wet with their own “baby kiss”. You swear you won’t make that mistake again  but then you forget and they are so cute when they ask you to do something. Especially if it comes along with a “pwease”. 

 

5. ~Murphy’s Law of Daycare~

A short list- 

If one poops…someone else will be pooping soon.

 If one throws up…..someone else will be throwing up soon.

 If one has snot…..just tie the tissue box around your waste but don’t ever             leave it where they can get it. There is nothing funner than pulling out ALL         300 tissues from the box and watching someone else clean them up!

If something fits in a hole…..then something is going in that hole!

If they can pick it…….they will!

Everything gets licked at one time or another! 

Yes you will repeat yourself 5,492 times but at some point they will get it and         then you can bask in the glory that you taught them that!

 

Let me just wrap this up by saying some days this is indeed the grossest job ever….some days you are just not sure if you can make another meal that will most likely end up on the floor and some days you can’t believe that a 3 year old just lured you into an argument about if you really have a “real” job or not but most days you realize that you have the best and most rewarding job in the world and that all this grossness just gives you great stories to tell! Now go enjoy your little ones!!

          The grass is always greener……

Everyday is a good day to dress up!

               

 Exhibit 4A….the blocks fit on her toes so the blocks must go on her toes;) 

 

 

Pursue Those Dreams

​”If you’re comfortable you’re not growing.”

This is the quote that keeps popping up over and over the last week or so. Not sure who first said it but as I am thinking about where I was, where I am now, and where I dream to be…..and with a New Year quickly approaching I have decided to use it as a reminder and motivation when I start to feel lazy or apathetic about those things I was once driven to pursue. I have heard this saying both in speaking on growth in your personal walk with Jesus and when trying to grow your business or move forward in your career, education, or whatever your passion is.  It also got me thinking about continuing to take  those baby steps even if it feels as though you are moving at a snails pace. Don’t give up! If you trip and fall on your face…Hey guess what?!?! Your still moving! It’s too easy to stay in “pause” mode. Always waiting for the right time. Counting on things to line up before you take that leap of faith. Embrace that uncomfortable feeling of the unknown and step out and in 2017 just do that thing that you have been wanting to do. Pursue that dream that has been tucked away waiting patiently for you to kick your fear to the curb. Take that trip…..write that book…..shed that weight….quit that job…..start that new business venture……forgive that person…..mend that relationship. Give it your all. Put your whole heart into it and you don’t have to worry about failure! If it doesn’t turn out how you expected you have still grown. You went for it instead of waiting another year and being at exactly the same place. The beauty of pursuing a dream and having it not work out is that you get to pick a new dream!

 

Chapter 1- I’m just as stubborn as you and I’m not giving up!

I am 100% sure that by the time Noah is graduated I will be able to write a book on homeschooling your stubborn, argumentative, strong willed, and wonderful child! The good days are so good and the bad days are so bad but some days start good and end bad and vice versa. If anything this is teaching me extreme patience and how to let up on needing to be in control of every aspect of our school time. Here is some encouragement to you homeschool mommas…….don’t give up on that stubborn, strong willed child!!! God called you to this and He will see you through. Take a step back and look at how far you have come with your child and how much he/she has learned. What I have learned in our 2nd grade year this far………

1. I can not change anything that I may or may not have done wrong up to this point so quit thinking about it, dwelling on it, worrying or letting anyone else put those doubts in your mind. One day at a time, one subject at a time, and just keep.moving forward. The public school system has failed many children…..there is no way you are doing that badly. (That was supposed to be funny:)

2. Before I start our “school time” or what I like to call it now “learning time” I make sure he (my strong willed, stubborn, hates changes to schedules and will vent about such changes for a fair amount of time….child:) has done those few things he likes to do in the morning. This usually means eating something, listening to his favorite song, maybe even giving him a set amount of time to play in his room. However I have stuck to my guns that there is no “TV time” or “gaming” until all learning is done for the day. easypeasyallinonehomeschool.com has been a tremendous help this year. He can see what subjects have to be done for the day and can navigate the website easily.

3. This is OUR year! Emphasis on OUR because it’s nobody else’s! That’s right! I will not freak out because my 2 year old daycare child knows her alphabet better than my preschooler. I will not feel defeated because other 2nd graders are reading on a higher level than mine and in turn I will not make him feel defeated! We have all the tools we need to be successful and it’s OK if the way we do it doesn’t look like anyone elses.

4. If this was the easiest way to parent and educate your children then everyone would be doing it! That’s right…remember that mom or dad when your independent, smart, and a bit conniving child is in the throes of a major fit because he hates reading (poems, a certains story about a puppy, song lyrics, Bible verse) whatever he is supposed to be reading that day. The smarter the strong willed child the more ways they will use to make you feel like this will never work when in fact their main goal is to get you to give up for the day so they can go back to playing! No they wouldn’t do this with a teacher in a school setting…….WHY?…..the same reason they act better for others than they do for you. They are kids and they know what they can get away with and with whom. Don’t let them get in your head. A simple….”this is what we have to do today and when you are ready to do this and do it with the right attitude you let me know.”……has worked well for me this year. I step away from the area we are learning at and let him call me back when he is ready. I am steady seeing less of these moments this year and when we do have them they are short lived.

4. It will not be like Mary Poppins and I don’t not recommend a spoon full of sugar! Don’t belive the hype……or all those blogs you read that don’t speak of the negatives or hard times of homeschooling. You WILL have moments when you want to curl up in the fetal position and hide under the table and there will be moments when you feel like the best teacher in the world AND there will be moments when your child grasps a concept and you both celebrate. None of these moments would be experienced the way they are if your child was in “school”.  Search out those blogs or groups with “real” people that aren’t afraid to share all the moments….not just the glossy, pretty ones.

5.I no longer feel like a failure if we skip a day or don’t finish. Another reason I love easypeasyallinonehomeschool.com! I am one who loves to make a strict schedule and then beat myself up when I don’t follow it. This curriculum has Day 1-Day (whatever the end day is:). In the past I have written out Monday – Friday schedule and then when the inevitable happens I have to reschedule. The beauty of homeschooling is that it doesn’t matter!!! It really doesn’t…..catch up on the weekends……..keep a list of things you skipped over and incorporate them into your summer learning….or in our case we skipped over a couple of chapters in our pilgrim story so we are watching Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Guess what? It is telling the exact same story but he is much more attentive to this than if I am reading it to him.

So in short I just want to say you are doing great and don’t give up! That strong willed child inherited that stubbornness from somewhere…..right?!?! Dig your heels in momma(or daddy) and don’t give up!!! The holidays are right around the corner so plan a little break in your learning or let them pick some topics to learn about over Thanksgiving and  Christmas break. Bake cookies and pumpkin pie and let them lick the bowl!!

Love Your Imperfect Church

You will never find the perfect church full of perfect people. We are easy to forgive our family and close friends whom we love. Why? Oh why then do we seem to expect perfection and give less grace to our church family? I know it was rainbows and sunshine when you first walked through those doors. I know you felt as if you had found the one church in the whole world that was full of people who felt the same way you did about everything. Never would your opinions clash or feathers ruffle each other’s. Much like falling in love even the little annoyances seemed cute.

*It’s so obvious to me, now at this point in my life, how our humanness gets in the way of God’s work for us.
Maybe it’s because of the bad taste I had in my mouth for years after I left my childhood church. I held a grudge so strong that the mere mention of its name would send me into a rant of all the wrongs they had done me. How they made me feel inadequate or judged. How it was there fault I had fallen away from my faith. I wrote off all church. I said things like “you don’t have to go to a building on Sundays to worship God” and the all popular “I am not going to join a church full of hypocrites.” Ahhhhh the devil smiles at that one. Using the truth of what church is to keep people away. That is what he does though. A little truth and a little twist to cover the big fat lie that he sells to make you feel better about you neglecting fellowship with other believers. What does he whisper to you……
*The music isn’t upbeat enough.
*The music is too upbeat.
*The pastor doesn’t preach enough of this that or the other or preaches too much of this that or the other.
*Too much attention to this or not enough attention on that.
*Not enough young people or too many young people or too many old people.
Have I hit one yet?
*How about too missional…not missional enough.
I could go on and on. Why? Because I’m human too and so incredibly flawed that I can even understand these excuses. I may have used them…..I have heard them and I just want to go on record to say that there is no perfect church, perfect pastor, perfect congregation of people who are all on fire and ready to serve 100% at the same time. You say “duh stupid lady that’s obvious.” Well is it? Really? If you claim to be a christian then get your backside into a church. Not because I say but because God does. (Hebrews 10:25, Matthew 18:20,Colossians 3:16, Acts 2:42,etc) No its not about just being in the building on Sundays. I highly doubt, however, that if you are not there on Sundays you are there any other day of the week……and if you aren’t accountable to anyone about how your faith walk is going….or growing then are you really spending daily time with Jesus? I’m guilty! For sure and it’s so easy and yet I fail again and again. The farther away I get from my church (like missing Sundays) the more I forget to pray……the more I forget to open my Bible…..the more the world consumes me and the more the devil uses these excuses to try to get me to stay away. I know what his plan is ultimately…..to keep me from walking in the Holy Spirit and off the path God has set for me. Hey I’m saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and that can’t be taken from me. What can be taken from me are the blessings and beautiful experiences of living a life totally sold out and on fire for Jesus. What shall we say then…….stay away from the church because we may have to serve….we may have to deal with differing views of how things should be done, spent, handled, etc.? Don’t blame people for the lack of warm fuzzies you feel when you have only warmed a pew for a few Sundays here and there. In many cases it all starts with that church building……that leader or Sunday school teacher…..that sermon that stabbed you right in the heart! I spent too many years out of fellowship and I know for a fact that without it I quickly slide down a slippery slope. The church to a believer is like AA to the alcoholic. You don’t always want to go but you NEED to. Skip the excuses and find your church family and once you have found them don’t give up on them when the “honeymoon” phase fades away. All wonderful relationships take work, honesty, love and forgiveness. ❤

Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man. –Dwight L. Moody

When it’s all out of focus.

Wow do I get caught up in nothing. The day to day yuck that literally fills my mind and grabs my attention away from where it should be. I love my social media but much like all those things I enjoy I tend to let it engulf me. I give it power over my thoughts and actions. Where should my focus really be? What should I be pursuing and mentally exhausting myself over? More importantly if all of a sudden I found myself face to face with my Redeemer would I be embarrassed and sorrowful over the things of this world that I let take most of my time? Thinking about that moment makes me uncomfortable to say the least. It’s like sitting in church under a Holy Spirit filled sermon and every fiber of your being wants to disappear……It’s those moments when you feel your sin has exposed itself like a scarlet letter. Blazing red on your forehead for all to see. We hear it over and over……you cant straddle the fence….you can’t be in communication with God while wallowing in the mud of this world and at some point in our christian walk it becomes crystal clear. We have only one job, one subject matter that should consume our day in and day out, one God to please. Everything else will fall into place if we just live the way He has told us to live,  flee the things He tells us to flee, love those He tells us to love and seek after Him with our whole heart, mind and soul continually in study and prayer.  These verses filled me with a realization this morning that truly nothing matters except for doing the will of my Heavenly Father. My joys should be His joys, my desires, His desires, and my hope only in Him. Where I am at any given moment should be exactly where He has placed me……and how would I know if I am in the right place unless I have spoken with Him, opened my heart to Him and only Him and ridden myself of all the other empty and pointless things that war for my attention and do this every single day. 

Revelation22:12-17 (NKJV)

Jesus Testifies to the Churches

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.
“Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.”
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.
And the Spirit and the bride say “Come!”. And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Questions I am asking myself and praying about….

Are you a thirsty christian? When you think of Christ’s coming do you exclaim “Come!” Or would you rather have more time here? What are your desires and do they seem like desires God would have for you? Are you working for worldly reward or heavenly reward? 

From My Heart I Beg You!

​The most important decision you will ever make in your life is what you will do with Jesus. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans3:23)None of us can stand blameless. For the wages (consequences) of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23) You cannot be “good” enough to get to heaven. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, NOT OF WORKS,  lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8&9) 

You do not get a second chance after your last breath in this world and you do not want to be left on this earth to face the tribulation.  You were created by a God that loves you so much He sent His only Son to die in Your place(John3:16) and yes you have a choice to make. By ignoring God and/or refusing to search for answers in His word you have made your decision. There is no saying “but God I didn’t know!”  There are many who believe they are “ok” and think they will be accepted into heaven. If you have never met Jesus I’m sorry to tell you that your faith is empty. All works and religion with no substance….no truth. It is all in God’s word. You only need to open it. Begin your journey by reading the gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Ask God to show you the truth. Out of love I am asking everyone that reads this to take a few minutes out of your life and read these scriptures with an open heart to let God speak to you. It doesn’t matter if you have never stepped foot in a church or if you have never uttered a prayer. “Ask, and it will be given to you; see, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For EVERYONE who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:7&8) 

 Truly you have Everything to lose or Everything to gain. 

“Not everyone who says to me , ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. MANY will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And I will declare to them, ‘ I NEVER KNEW YOU; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS!’ (Matthew 7:22-23) 

Don’t go another day having made the choice to do nothing with Jesus. Put aside what denomination you were raised under…..put aside anyone who called themselves a Christian but then did something horrible to you. Forget about what any human has told you and read God’s word. 

Simple.  Pure.  Truth. 

Top 10 reasons why I love homeschooling my children

My boys are still young 7 and 4 so while I feel I am still very much an amateur at this homeschooling life there are still so many reasons why I love it and how I know it is going to work for us all the way through. When people ask if I will be homeschooling the “whole” time I always wonder a bit where this question comes from. Am I all of a sudden going to not want to be with my children? In a moment decide I am not capable or do they think at a certain age my children are going to beg to be woken up at the crack of dawn to be ushered to a bus stop and then sent to a building where they have to spend 8 hours before they can come home and resume their own interests? I usually reply with something like, ” well we will see how it goes” or “for now that is the plan”. Maybe sounds a little wishywashy to you but since God led me to homeschool and indeed answered my pray with a very real “YES”, if in turn down the road He tells me to throw in the towel then I would absolutely do just that. So here are my top 10 reason why I homeschool, why I am 100% sold on it and why I know it’s best for our family.

#1-I run a daycare out of my home. Some days this makes the doing school work a bit harder but most of the time it just works. Our days don’t look like a regular “what you would see down the street at the school” day. We get done what we can during the day and use our evenings as well. Our emphasis is on learning to read. I feel once they grasp that the skies the limit and all knowledge is at their finger tips.

Reading is important, because if you can read, you can learn anything about everything and everything about anything. —Tomie dePaola

Which then brings me to the 2nd reason…

 

#2-My children are learning Life Skills. Lately I have made the goal that my kids will be self sufficient by the time they are in the double digits…..around 10 years of age.  What do I mean by that? In my mind they should be able to do their own laundry (mainly folding and putting away properly) but I have no doubt they can also learn to separate it and use the washer and dryer. (not that I will make them do this or be able to give up control of the laundry entirely:) I watch my 7 year old navigate through an app on the tablet or play video games, build lego creations so  sweeping, vacuuming, dusting, etc should be a piece of cake.  They should be able to make small meals for themselves. Both of my boys love helping especially when it comes to cooking and admittedly I don’t ask them to help enough. Am I going to put them in charge of the house? Goodness No! However I have seen them light up when they feel they have contributed to the family and the household in this way. I love taking care of my family but all of us that run a household know the more help the better.  Having my boys home during the day gives us time to teach and learn these skills. I mean let’s admit it right here….kids aren’t learning to fold laundry, make beds, or even make a grocery budget at  a traditional school. My other secret prayer is that when they find that special girl someday and get married they will already know the work it takes to keep a home and raise children so they will never undermine it and will be more likely to jump in and help without being asked because they already do! So to your future wives….”your welcome and don’t you dare let them tell you they don’t know how!” 😉

#3-They are learning how to care for and teach each other and the younger kids. This is another plus of having other kids in the home of different ages. It isn’t all sunshine and roses because there will always be personalities that clash. Like two “little big dogs” under the same roof. I have watched both of the boys grow in this area. They try their best to be gentle with the toddlers and they love it when we have a little baby in the house. They want to teach them the do’s and the don’ts. They want to make it better when a baby is crying or a toddler is upset. They know that this is what mom does for a “job” but we treat the children and parents like family and that is what the boys call it…”our daycare family”. They are sad when a child moves on from our home but also excited when we have someone new join us.

#4-I know where my kids are and what is influencing them. OK Call me a helicopter parent or a smothering mother or whatever negative phrase makes you feel better. Guess what? I don’t care…why? because for all of history, before there was such a thing as government run schools, kids were either in the home working and learning from their parents or in a one room school house, with all different ages, learning together. Of course I let them out of my sight  and I am not hovering over them 24/7 and of course they have activities outside of the home….which includes…..gasp….other kids their age! So as they grow up they will flee the nest to pursue their interests and I will have to let go but there is no evidence that suggests children need to be away from the home or parents at a certain age or a specific amount of time to thrive and grow into well adjusted and happy young adults. I don’t have to wonder if they are getting the attention they need, falling behind, or bored because they are ahead of the rest of the class. I don’t have to worry about bullies. This goes both ways. I don’t want to be on either side of that call from the school.

#5-Absolute flexibility and control of our schedule.- YES I love having the illusion that I am in control of my days. When are you starting school this year? Oh sometime in August….or September was an answer I recently gave. Can we take that little trip in the fall? YES! Can we take a day to go to the pool or can we have late nights without affecting school the next day? YES ……this probably should have been the #1 reason because it doesn’t just sound awesome….it is. Much like when you become your own boss, you just don’t have anyone telling you what you HAVE to do. I also live in a great homeschooling state so I truly don’t have to answer to anyone. The rebel in me just smiles:)

#6-Stress free mornings:) Ok that is a lie but now that the boys are sleeping in later it really is great to let them have their rest and not have to rush around.

#7-The world really is a classroom. Kids learn from doing. All those  worksheets, lectures, apps, and videos are great but ask your child what their favorite thing is that they have done this summer. My oldest would say “when daddy and I took apart that cabinet in the garage!” to which he would add, “I got to wear safety goggles because you know….safety first!” My youngest might say something totally off the wall or made up (he is at that stage) or he may something like “when we went to the campground and swam.”  There is a reason kids long for summertime and a reason they dread going back to school. Summer means exploring, hands on play, running, swimming, and being with the people they love most….their parents! It’s what sticks in their minds. So wouldn’t it go without saying if you can teach in this kind of environment the information they learn would stay with them all the better?

#8-I am learning or re-learning right along with them. This really doesn’t need explanation but it is neat to learn together.

#9-It really does bring the family closer. My husband works outside of the home so he doesn’t get to see a lot of the teaching that goes on. The other night he heard Noah reading to me in the bedroom and afterward said how cool that was to hear. I think he forgets just how much he teaches the boys in their day to day interactions. He is their teacher too. We are a team.

#10-God will never be kicked out of this school! This year I am committed to include prayer and Bible study into our daily routine. Let me just add this as well……. because my kids do not attend a public school  I will not have to explain to my boys why a “girl” is using the boys bathroom or vice versa or why so and so has 2 mommies or 2 daddies nor do I have to worry about them learning a liberal version of sex education at way to young of an age. Yes I know these things will come up and No I will not teach them to hate someone who is different but I absolutely will teach them what God’s Word says about male and female relationships and that we need to treat others the way we want to be treated.

This is not to bring down parents who send their kids to school. These are just the reasons I am loving this homeschool choice so much. It seems that our society today has made it next to impossible for families to survive on one income but let me just say that if you feel led to teach your own children and to teach them your way it is definitely doable and your homeschool does not have to look like a traditional school at all.  Make it your own. As long as your kids are learning, happy, and healthy what could be better. If you put God at the forefront of this adventure everything will work out just fine.

                   Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)

                                                 ⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go,
                                        And when he is old he will not depart from it.