A Gracious Heart

Beware Online Purchases

2012-01-26T22:20:00.001-05:00

Ever Ask for a Sign?

2012-01-25T20:40:00.003-05:00

Here's a double-sided one that Jeramy and I made for our church. Adjacent to the Sanctuary is a room with two-way glass and a monitor that is set up to be a Nursery with a changing table, rocking chairs and safe toys. But a visitor would not know this room is available, so we put some feet, blades, sandpaper, pencils and acrylic paint together to create this unique sign. The only material I bought for this specific project was the lettering stencils. The wood was a scrap piece that had been planed and sanded. The acrylic paint & brushes were a gift that still hadn't been used and the hanging ribbon I already had also. I hope the church will like it.

Here's Looking at You, Kid

2012-01-24T20:57:00.000-05:00

Markers on Monday

2012-01-23T20:36:00.002-05:00

Nutrititious Meals Abound

2012-01-22T22:44:00.000-05:00

This is why my girls place in the lower 50% percentile for weight when they have check-ups at the doctor's office . . .

because we eat healthy meals at home.

On today's plate: p.b. & j sandwiches, carrots with a dot of ranch dressing, and an apple. Shiphrah has a shredded cheddar cheese sandwich and applesauce.

Providing healthy meals is a parent's responsibility.

Definitely NOT Barbie!

2012-01-19T22:31:00.000-05:00

For Christmas gifts, Moriah, Lily and Shiphrah each received a doll, specifically a Disney Toddler Princess Doll. Look how adorable they are! They are chubby and are built just like a toddler. They have chubby faces, arms, legs and even a little belly with modestly appropriate permanently affixed undergarments. And they each have lots of hair that little girls love to comb! I saw these on sale before Thanksgiving and decided to pick them up.

Some girls grow up playing with Barbies and as they begin to develop into young womanhood they wonder why they're not beautiful. Somewhere in their sub-conscience they think that all those traits that signify their humanity somehow mark them as ugly. I thought those same things too, "Why is my nose so wide? Why isn't my skin all the same color? Why aren't my hips more pronounced? Why isn't my waist smaller and my ta-tas ginormous?" I thought I was ugly. But I was average, just like everyone else. I don't want my daughters playing with Barbie dolls and then come to think that they are ugly because they don't look like her when they get bigger. These Toddler dolls don't give them some false standard to live up to. They are just like my girls are now. I hope that this, in some way, will not hinder the wonder and beauty of design in which God created them in His image, but rather help them to understand that their unique appearance is a magnification of the glory of God.

Frah Frah the Clown

2012-01-18T22:29:00.000-05:00

Our Home Education 2012

2012-01-17T21:39:00.000-05:00

This year's focus is on reading, writing and arithmetic. Here they are practicing writing the alphabet.

Last week Moriah read through 3 books by Margaret Hillert using the Dolch words we've been teaching her over the past year and a half. We've added the New England Puritan Primer to our curricula to help her learn the phonetics of the English language. Here is one of the Hillert books based on the story of Goldilocks & the Three Bears we borrowed from the library.

Lily has also been learning the Dolch sight words and has started the Primer also. We pick out new books every three weeks from the library and I'm trying to get her to recognize the words written on the pages.

The girls can easily add when there are pictures of objects. Moriah can also recognize compound numbers like, 35 or 57. I've backed off of this for the past few weeks while focusing on reading and writing. We've continued with the Children's Catechism and, for safety, I'm helping them to memorize their names, address, parent's names, and parent's phone numbers.

When we're not working on reading and writing, they work with puzzles, color in various mediums and do contributory household chores. It has been very exciting to see them as they've grown into this stage and I eagerly look forward to their success as this year progresses.

Spin In A Basket

2012-01-16T21:26:00.000-05:00

Here's another reason why we don't buy them toys.

They took turns sitting and spinning each other in this laundry basket for about 15 minutes. They always seem to have so much fun with laundry baskets.

Best Books & Doc of 2011

2012-01-15T22:34:00.002-05:00

This past year I was able to read several books and the following were the best:

Books:
Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp
This parenting book really delves into the motives and goals of parenting as it explains how all behavior is an overflow of the condition of the heart. In all of the parent's dealings with the child, the goal is to cause the child to see his or her inability to do a Christ as commanded, his need for forgiveness and atonement, and a changed heart that seeks to do God's will. Every disciplinary session is geared toward correcting the sinful behavior by targeting the heart. This book is highly recommended by David Powlison, John MacArthur, Elisabeth Elliot, and David Welch.

The Heart of Anger by Lou Priolo
This parenting book is subtitled, "Practical Help for the Prevention and Cure of Anger in Children." It exposes all the ways that parents provoke their children to anger and gives practical applications as to training up the child in the way he should go. It doesn't only correct wrong behavior and motives in the child, but teaches them to think and do what is right. As I read it, I began to understand not only the ways I provoke my children to anger, but it's even greater source, how my parents provoked me to anger. This is an excellent resource that should be read several times during a parenting journey, in the same way as Shepherding a Child's Heart. I would say that it is a very necessary companion to Tedd Tripp's book.

Marriage to a Difficult Man: The Uncommon Union of Jonathan & Sarah Edwards by Elisabeth Dodds
This has been one of the best books on marriage Jeramy and I have ever read. It is not a how-to book for marriage dummies, but a real example of a couple seeking to live for Christ and how they make their marriage glorify Him in the midst of early 1700's difficulties and trials. During this time most families were very self-sufficient. The Edwards owned animals and sheared their own sheep, made their own fabric and thread to sew their own clothes. They chopped their own wood, built their own house, hand washed all their clothes, traveled by walking or horse, cooked daily, cultivated a garden, canned their own garden foods, and home-birthed 11 children of which none died before reaching adulthood. They also endured many pressures from being a family in the spot light of ministry in a small, rural town. Jeramy and I learned a lot from this couple's interaction with each other and their children and how they made all this work together towards an incredible legacy. It is endorsed highly by John & Noel Piper.

Documentary:
IndoctriNation: Public Schools and the Decline of Christianity in America by The Gunn Brothers Productions
This documentary came out last year but I didn't get to view it until recently. It is incredible. It seeks to answer several very important questions, but the two prominent ones are: what is the history and progression of the public, government school system? (In other words, what are they really teaching these kids?) And can Christians be salt & light in this environment? Colin Gunn drives his family of 9 across country in a retired yellow school bus answering these questions by as he interviews several Christian teachers, administrators, parents and students who have been in the government school system for years.
If you remember Voddie Baucham's DVD sermon lectures entitled, Children of Caesar, you will recall that he addresses the issues of origin and whether Christians can truly be salt & light in this government school context. Gunn is able to spend 100 minutes delving into these questions that leave the born-again Christian parent with no other alternative but to forsake the government schooling and take responsibility for their child's education. Here is a memorable quote by RC Sproul, Jr., "If we're sending evangelists into the mission field and they return as atheists, then we need to consider that something is terribly wrong." (Something to that effect.)

I highly commend these to you. I've written some content and fresh reviews on this blog previously, simply do a search and those entries will arrive at your fingertips.

Currently I'm reading Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl and The Underground History of American Education by John Taylor Gatto. Gatto's book is particularly enraging as I learn about the goals and purpose of the government school system and how much of my time and vitality it wasted. Debi Pearl's book has a good content, but is a little too gimmicky for my taste. Many women have read it and told me to take it with a grain of salt.

Opening Gifts at G'Wanda's

2012-01-12T22:22:00.000-05:00

I know it's late, but here are a few pix of gift openings at G'Wanda's on Christmas Eve.

After eating a wonderful baked pork stew lunch, we opened gifts. Later we went together to G'Wanda's church for a Christmas Eve service. Then we headed home and opened our immediate family gifts. Then we got in the bed for a big day following.

Christmas Day we went to church, where I played prelude, "Sweet Little Jesus Boy", then afterwards we drove down to Statesboro for the McDonald Christmas gathering (Grandma Jane's family). We had a great time seeing everyone. Then we stayed the night and Jeramy, Shiphrah and I headed home, leaving Moriah and Lily for 4 days with Grandma Jane. Everyone had a great time and we were glad to be reunited the day before New Year's Eve. Shiphrah was so excited to see her sisters again, they had a slumber party in their bedroom for almost 2 hours before finally getting to sleep! We don't need a bigger house! Kids would rather share a room with siblings, at least in our case.

Is College REALLY Necessary?!

2012-01-11T21:44:00.004-05:00

My entire life it was always assumed that I would go to college. The only matter was, "Which one?"

I decided to get a degree in music on violin and considered a double major in biology to pursue a career in the medical field. After I completed my freshman year, while taking several hard science classes and my required music classes (to fulfill my music scholarship obligations) I nearly pulled my hair out. My grades were good, but it was stressful and my Christian fellowship dwindled. So, I decided to focus on my music degree with a biology minor, then see what happens.

During the last two years of my Bachelor's I considered that I could make music my profession. However after 4 years in a secular university I was unprepared to take a major orchestra audition. I knew I needed more training, but I had no money. Providentially, after $40K spent, I had no debt either.

I took a year off to work and save money while I decided where I would go to further my education. I got info from every music school and conservatory in the US (except Julliard) and then my music minister plugged Southern Seminary into the mix. After visiting two prospective schools with their respective auditions, I prayerfully considered where God was leading me: Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA or The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.

I received my Master's in Music, Solo Performance in the Church, on Violin from Southern and finished my program without debt, but very scarily almost living on the street. It cost me about another $20K total. (I didn't know anything about credit or loans at this time.) However after my post-graduate degree, I still felt somewhat unprepared to take an audition for any orchestra, although I was definitely more prepared than before.

After marrying Jeramy and being exposed to the true history about the government (public) school system and how liberal most secular and religious colleges and universities have become, it dawned on me what a waste of time it is while a person is in the prime of their life.

Think about it. The average school student spends a lot of time in history classes learning about all the great leaders of the past who never attended formal schooling and somehow accomplished so much - but we never stop to think that they were home educated then apprenticed into their profession and achieved their goals much quicker, by 20 or 25 years old or while still teenagers. Why don't we do that today?

If I could go back, I would change my entire learning experience. I would not have wasted 4 years going to a secular university and then another 2 years getting a Master's degree. A grand total of $60,000 and 7 of the peak years of my life (18 - 25) were gone and I was still unprepared to take a major orchestra audition.

Instead, if I were 18, I would take 90 minute private lessons twice a week with a very high caliber teacher in a major orchestra, perform in community and other local orchestras while building a network at the same time in the musical field. All the other musical training: sight-singing, music history, music theory, violin pedagogy, piano keyboarding, etc. I would have just read the books and taught myself. I estimate that the cost would have been only half as much money rather than going away to school. If I had pursued this apprenticeship pathway, then at the end of 4 solid years taking the lessons and playing in orchestras - I feel like I would have been adequately prepared to take a major audition at 22 or earlier.

Pursuing an apprenticeship would have saved a lot of money because the only expenses would be the private lessons, any audition fees, and gas. Most local community orchestras are free to participate in. Some college orchestras may let you play without paying for the credit hours too. You'll save money on college admission, room & board, $X per credit hour multiplied by all the courses that don't advance you toward your goal. For example, two years of General Education classes (high school repeated = waste of time), piano keyboarding classes (= waste of time), and elective courses (= waste of time). In addition to all these, there is so much ideology that you will be forced to tolerate that you may completely abhor if you're a believer in Christ (a repeat of all the convoluted worldviews in the government education system = a minefield for Christians = imminent death).

Government schools, colleges and universities are cultivating in their student body a particular worldview not a set of career/professional skills.

However, I must say that given my limited knowledge at every turning point, I felt like I made the best decisions possible. In the providence of God, had I not taken that pathway, I never would have met my husband and had my children. In that sense, God used my poor educational choices to bring about a better circumstance for the present. Sure, if I could go back and change those things, I would - but look at what I would be sacrificing. I'm thankful for my family and I'm content to use my experience to encourage others to choose a less expensive, more direct route to their life's pursuits.

Somewhat Aloof

2012-01-09T22:07:00.004-05:00

A few months ago I could honestly say that I had taken a little break from regular blogging because I was so nauseous. I'm so thankful to say that it has officially subsided and I am experiencing more liberty with my food choices now. Tomorrow I will be 17 weeks gestation! I can't believe that I'm almost half-way already! It amazes me how fast it has past. One minute you find out your pregnant, the next you realize that you're half-way through! This is a definite sign that I'm getting older.

Well, since I cannot honestly say that my blogging absence the past 2 weeks is due to nausea, I can say that time on the computer has become more competitive. Jeramy has been working on launching a new website - one that he is building himself. He has no previous knowledge of web development or search engine optimization, but with some books, determined study and practice, he has now become a web developer in his spare time at home. If you click on his picture to the left it will take you to his site where he is religiously posting daily blogs.

In other events: I'm very excited to start a new sewing project - DIY cloth diapers! I spent almost an hour in JoAnn Fabrics finding everything I need to make 15 - 20 cloth diapers, including a DIY how-to book! The first All-in-One diapers (Osocozy) I purchased 2.5 years ago are looking really ratty. The velcro tugs at the cotton lining and it really looks bad. I bought more Osocozy AIO in a larger size for Moriah and Lily for their sleep times and in less than a year, they are looking pretty ratty too! The best AIO diapers I've bought have been the bumGenius AIO pocket diapers. These are awesome! They dry quickly. They have some absorbency already sewn in and the pocket allows you to add more for nighttime. The lining is super soft and doesn't fray, pill or catch on the velcro! This is the diaper I'm attempting to duplicate.

For Christmas I made an apron for my sister-friend Sherri. I know the picture isn't that great- the apron and the model look a lot better in person. :-D The neck strap is adjustable. I'm very pleased with how this project turned out. I'm considering making a few more in purple.

All that being said, I'm hoping to return to a regular blogging routine. Please accept my apologies.

Happy Birthday Lily!

2012-01-04T20:47:00.002-05:00

Today is Lily's 3rd Birthday!

When Lily was born I was so overjoyed! I was so elated because I knew that Moriah would not be alone, that she would always have a sister, a best friend, around. To me it was significant because I'm an only child. She is Moriah's best friend and she is very much involved in playing with Shiphrah too.

I love her easy-going personality. She usually takes my requests and commands with a very easy attitude, "Okay Mommy!" She has a great laugh and smile. Her Sideshow Bob hair makes me smile too. :-)

"Honey, Which Drawer Do You Keep the Girls In?"

2011-12-30T22:14:00.000-05:00

In a Basket

2011-12-29T22:10:00.000-05:00

The Rod

2011-12-27T02:30:00.000-05:00

"He who withholds his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him diligently."
Prov 13:24

"Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The rod of discipline will remove it far from him."
Prov 22:15

"Do not hold back discipline from the child,
Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
You shall strike him with the rod
And rescue his soul from Sheol."
Prov 23:13-14

"The rod and reproof give wisdom,
But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother."
Prov 29:15

We receive a lot of criticism for our use of the rod. But Scripture has made it clear that this is the instrument used to "rescue his soul from Sheol," to impart wisdom and to drive foolishness far from our children. We do not use the rod with anger and malice, but out of love. The more consistent I am to use it, the more infrequent my anger interferes with our discipline sessions.

When Jeramy answered phones for the police department, he would often get calls from the same parents wanting the police to come and discipline their misbehaving children. One child in particular was around 8 or 10 years old! What will happen when that child becomes older? Those parents will live with the shame of a lawless, disrespectful, insubordinate adult child who may end up dead or in prison. What a disservice Christian parents show their children when they don't discipline as the Scripture mandates, as often as needed. I love my children. I spank my children.

Eight-Point Deer!

2011-12-23T21:27:00.002-05:00

We always see the does in our yard at all kinds of morning hours eating our shrubbery. This is the first time Jeramy and I have seen a buck in our yard. He appeared very late in the morning - about 10 a.m. I was shocked to see him greet me when I returned home from my 13 week ultrasound!

Holiday Pictures

2011-12-22T21:24:00.000-05:00

Ultrasound in My Pocket

2011-12-21T21:19:00.005-05:00

Last week I went in for an ultrasound to check on the baby after a little spotting over the weekend. There were only 2 days of spotting and I haven't had any since then. The baby was moving a lot and gave me a lot of relief from worry. I was 13 weeks at the time. I'm 14 weeks now and I've delayed on posting this. I can tell that by the shape of the baby's head, he or she will look more like Jeramy, like Lily does.

Why We Don't Buy Toys . . .

2011-12-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

They did this for 45 minutes!

All the toys they have are given by grandparents and aunts. We can count on one finger the number of toys we've purchased for them. Often I go through their toy baskets and pick out those things that don't work anymore and what they're not playing with. They either get chucked or donated. This helps eliminate clutter too.

Pack 'Em Up

2011-12-17T14:30:00.001-05:00

Fuzzy Pink Hat

2011-12-14T15:52:00.002-05:00

My Baby Is Four!

2011-11-25T20:20:00.003-05:00

Moriah turns 4 years old today!

Happy Birthday!!

She is 4 going on 14! The things she says sometimes sound so adult it's unbelievable!

Here are some reasons why I love my baby!

She helps sanctify me by exposing my sin through direct confrontation or by her mimicking my sin.

She sees a need and takes the initiative to help out.

She is industrious and can do so many things well all by herself.

She is so smart and bright. She can read between 50 and 75 words; she knows at least 45 of the 50 United States including the Oceans; she's on question 32 in the Children's Catechism; she can count to 100 and by 100s to 1,000; and she knows that there's a place for everything and everything has a place.

She's affectionate and loves to give hugs and kisses. I love how she loves her Daddy. At night she always asks to "kiss, hug and snuggle" before falling asleep.

She's a great big sister and is always willing to help them out. She usually helps Lily with her clothing on and off. And she doesn't usually complain when I ask her to help her sisters.

She's usually happy and smiling. I love to hear her squeal in laughter and delight to play well with her sisters. She even reads books to them.

I love you Moriah! Happy Birthday!

We celebrated her birthday on Thursday after the turkey. Pictures to follow.

"Are You Crazy?!"

2011-11-21T21:00:00.004-05:00

"You've got your hands full!"
"Are they twins?"
"Are they triplets?"
"You must be joking!"
"Don't you need a break?!"
"I don't know how you do it!"
"Better you than me!"
"You know, they make a pill for that."
"Are you part of some cult?!"
"You must be Catholic."

And other negative, presumptuous, pithy feminist comments.

I'm not going to lie. When Moriah was born, I had NEVER taken care of a newborn baby before. I didn't have any idea what I was doing and I struggled in my new role of mother just 9 months after committing to my new role as wife.

During Lily's pregnancy I was stressed out the whole time because our insurance company pinned us with the possibility of paying for all the prenatal, labor and delivery care out of pocket when we had no money. But the Lord answered our prayers and Lily came at the right time.

When Shiphrah was born, I was stressed and overwhelmed. I had two toddlers running around and a newborn that was obstinate against nursing and very gassy (colic). Quite literally I was about to lose my mind and thought often about doing just that. I prayed every time I fought Shiphrah to nurse that I wouldn't get pregnant again before she was 18 months old. I needed a break and I despaired at least 8 times a day. I cried all the time. Jeramy and I talked about taking a little break, but still in my conscience I considered that it was contrary to the decision I made before our wedding day - to give God control of our fertility - but for the sake of sanity, I would put that on hold.

As the months passed, I continued to pray in this way while struggling to decide whether or not to use contraception or let God answer in the way He wills. Month after month continued to go by and I became convinced that God was not going to answer this prayer and I had to be content getting pregnant again before Shiphrah turned 18 months. Then suddenly, one day Jeramy came home and changed his mind about contraception. It was like an answer to prayer.

However every time we came together, I felt the gnawing of the Holy Spirit that what we were doing was wrong. "This isn't what we decided to do 5 years ago. God says, "Children are a blessing . . . " not a burden. They are my life now. They are my vocation now. I pour myself into them, eternal souls, the next generation." Feminism teaches that children are burdens; they're too expensive; they impose on your freedoms and lots of other nonsense antithetical to the Gospel.

Also during this time, God did a significant work in sanctifying me more toward contentment. My role as wife and mother is difficult, but it is what God has called me to do and, by golly, I'll do it with all my might unto His glory. If I could spend hours in the practice room daily and on stage for the pursuit of some wooden box, then I could certainly use the last 10 years of my reproductive life to nurture the next generation of humanity.

What, specifically, lead to my decision? I considered that there are friends of mine who have not been blessed with children naturally. How selfish it was for me to prevent this blessing. Also I considered the many friends I have that prevented children from coming that now regret the children they didn't have. I also consider that the next 10 years of my reproductive life is brief compared to the 60 or 70 years total I might live. I further considered that I never know which pregnancy will be my last and menopause might come to me earlier than the average woman.

So now, I embrace however many children God will bless us with. Yes, it is hard. Yes, I pray for God's grace daily. Yes, I make mistakes. Yes, I get stressed out. No, my children are not a burden. No, I wouldn't trade them for anything. Yes, I know they're beautiful. No, you can't have any - not one. And when I'm old and dying in my bed, I'll look back over my life without regret in this area, knowing that I allowed God to do as He pleased with me, and I'll be satisfied.

Provocative Parents

2011-11-19T13:00:00.000-05:00

Currently I'm reading a book by Lou Priolo entitled, "The Heart of Anger: Practical Help for the Prevention and Cure of Anger in Children." This work is endorsed by John MacArthur and Jay E. Adams, it's really very good and easily applies to every family. This is one of the best parenting works I've ever read. I highly recommend it to every parent.

Based on Ephesians 6:4, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord," Priolo gives parents practical ways that they wittingly and unwittingly provoke their children to anger. After reading this I see how most every parent provokes their children to wrath, how I provoke my children and how my parents and grandparents provoked me. Now I understand better the phrase, " . . . visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and on the third and fourth generations . . . " (Ex 20:5, 34:7, Num 14:18, and Deu 5:9).

Lack of Marital Harmony. (Gen 2:24 and Heb 12:15) Children can be angered when parents do not live in Biblical harmony.
Establishing and Maintaining a Child-Centered Home. (Prov 29:15) "The child perceives that the entire family exists essentially to please and make him or her happy. Mother, Father and siblings exist only to serve and meet the child's needs and desires." (28)
Modeling Sinful Anger. (Prov 22:24-25)
Habitually Disciplining While Angry. (Ps 38:1, Eph 4:26-27 and Jas 1:19-20) When parents are angry, it is tempting to over-discipline. Your child might perceive this as a vindictive personal attack.
Scolding. (Eph 4:29 and Mark 14:3-5) "To snort with anger" or it "is always an expression of a bad spirit and of a loss of temper . . . the essence of the scolding is in the multiplication of hot words in expression of strong feelings that, while eminently natural, ought to be held in better control." (34)
Being Inconsistent with Discipline. (2 Cor 1:17-18 and Ecc 8:11) Either by differing parental standards or vacillating from day to day on what is punishable and/or how severe the punishment should be.
Having Double Standards. (Phil 4:9) Hypocritical parents who do not practice what they preach.
Being Legalistic. (Matt 15:8-9) Failure to discern for the child the difference between God's Rules and Parent's house/family rules.
Not Admitting You're Wrong and Not Asking for Forgiveness. (Matt 5:23-24 and Jas 5:16) It's difficult for parents to admit when we're wrong, but we must swallow that humble pie and point our children to Christ as the perfect example.
Constantly Finding Fault. (Job 32:2-3 and Prov 19:11) This is a "critical, condemning, accusing, judgmental attitude" where the child ends up believing that there is nothing he or she can do to win the parents approval.
Parents Reversing God-Given Roles. (Eph 5:22-24) "Wives tend to become embittered over husbands not managing their homes as the Bible directs. Husbands tend to become embittered and lose respect for wives who are not fulfilling their God-given roles." In other words, male headship and wifely submission.
Not Listening to Your Child's Opinion or Taking His or Her "Side of the Story" Seriously. (Prov 18:3 and 17) Parent and child may not agree but in order for the parent to correct the child, you need to understand his perspective to guide him to the truth.
Comparing Them to Others. (2 Cor 10:12) Don't compare them to other children. You may compare them to Biblical standards of maturity in Christ or to their former manner of living to demonstrate 'how far they've come'.
Not Making Time "Just to Talk". (Jas 1:19 and Ecc 3:7) Build your relationship with honest and open communication.
Not Praising or Encouraging Your Child. (Rev 2:2-4)
Failing to Keep Your Promises. (Matt 5:37, Ps 15:4-5 and Col 3:9)
Chastening in Front of Others. (Matt 18:15) Some parents think humiliation helps modify their child's behavior, but over time, it will provoke them.
Not Allowing Enough Freedom. (Jas 3:17 and Luke 12:48) Children need to demonstrate responsibility, faithfulness and trust.
Allowing Too Much Freedom. (Prov 29:15, Gal 4:1-2, and Heb 12:6-9) Problems develop if children habitually practice sin, don't demonstrate appropriate levels of responsibility and maturity or live an undisciplined life.
Mocking Your Child. (Job 17:1-2 and Ex 4:11) Teasing about "inadequacies about which the child can do nothing" and joking about sinful behavior are both unbiblical.
Abusing Them Physically. (1 Tim 3:3 and Num 22:27-29) Children are not to be treated like animals and parents must control their anger.
Ridiculing or Name Calling. (Eph 4:29)
Unrealistic Expectations. (1 Cor 13:11) Children are not adults and need time to develop.
Practicing Favoritism. (Luke 15:25-30)
Child Training with Worldly Methodologies Inconsistent with God's Word. (Eph 6:4) This refers to man-made pop psychology, behavior modification and cognitive therapy techniques which replace Christ with human wisdom.

Presenting . . .

2011-11-17T13:18:00.002-05:00

Baby #4!
Here are my first ultrasound pictures!
It's so awesome to see a fully formed baby that is only 1 inch long!
It's amazing!

Sorry For the Lag

2011-11-14T15:21:00.004-05:00

I'm very sorry to all you who eagerly look to my blog for something new. Lately my fatigue and nausea have increased and getting the essential daily things done is more of a challenge.

I pray God's mercy that I will not endure fatigue and nausea the entire length of my pregnancy but that it will be over soon. I have many things to share, but I'll just have to eat some humble pie and learn some patience before I can do that.

Check back on occasion, I promise to return with more regular, predictable posts soon.

-Meggan

Shiphrah Walking!

2011-11-09T14:54:00.003-05:00

Shiphrah started taking some serious official steps, 5 and 6 at a time, on Monday October 17th when we had some friends over for dinner. Since then she has gained a lot of momentum, with the absence of a Birthday Walker, and is now walking like a professional! She bends down to pick things up without sitting to do so. She gets to a standing position without first crawling to a wall. I'm so excited that she is finally walking! She's so cute waddling around the house - the sound of little feet pitter pattering on our hardwood floors! I love it.

Horseback Riding!

2011-11-05T19:55:00.000-04:00

G'Wanda took the girls to her choir retreat/fellowship and the owners also had two horses: Penny & Fancy. After they got some necessary energy out, they were calm enough to stroll with Moriah & Lily. Here is Lily petting the long face, getting acquainted.

High ho silver, away!

Look! All by herself!

Making the loop.

There's a good little equestrian!

Moriah, doesn't look so confident at first, but after a good petting, she's raring to go.

Look at her now!

All by herself!

Get along little doggies, get along, get along!

And don't forget the horse tire swing by the catfish pond!

My turn!

They had a blast!

The Freedom to Choose What Is Right

2011-11-04T23:14:00.003-04:00

Now the Lord is the Spirit,

and where the Spirit of the Lord is,

there is liberty.

2 Corinthians 3:17

Reflection by Fr. Frank Pavone

Norma McCorvey (the former Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade)
used to work at an abortion mill named "A Choice for
Women." She now realizes what a cruel irony that
title was.

She saw first hand, just as pregnancy resource center
counselors see, that women don't get abortions
because of freedom of choice, but rather because they
feel they have no freedom and no choice.

They feel trapped, abandoned, desperate and afraid,
and have been led to believe that abortion is their
only option.

As Frederica Mathewes-Green has written, no woman
wants an abortion like she wants a Porsche or an ice
cream; rather, she wants it like an animal caught in
a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg.

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
That doesn't mean that the Spirit allows us to do
whatever we want or to decide for ourselves what's
right and wrong.

Rather, it means that the Spirit gives us the freedom
to do what is right, the power to choose what is
good, when we see it before us and yet feel pulled in
the opposite direction. Liberty means that we no
longer have to feel doomed to do what we know is
wrong.

We are the people of the Spirit of the Lord, and when
we take action on behalf of life, especially by being
present at abortion mills, we are acting on behalf of
true freedom, and imparting to those who are in
bondage the power to do what is right.

Gone Fishing

2011-11-01T19:48:00.000-04:00

G'Wanda took Moriah and Lily to a choir retreat fellowship hosted by her choir director at her church. They had a potluck lunch, horseback riding, fishing and plenty of toys and some new friends too. Rods, reels, hooks, bait, etc were all provided. They had a great time!

Moriah with one of her catches, but not so keen on touching it.

Now she's a little more proud.

Lily caught a big catfish like this one, but it was too big to reel in and got away. Maybe next time.

I'm Late

2011-10-27T21:14:00.002-04:00

Two and a half weeks late, that is.

Baby #4 is at 6.5 weeks gestation and already has eyes, nose, fingers, toes and a beating heart! Completely human from start to finish! It's amazing!

For You formed my inward parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb.

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works,

And my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:13-14

Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.

Ecclesiastes 11:5

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb,
"I, the LORD, and the maker of all things,
Stretching out the heavens by Myself
And spreading out the earth all alone . . .
Isaiah 44:24

I'm Not Really Black

2011-10-26T23:24:00.002-04:00

Because I don't smoke crack, nor do I think and act like a victim of the oppressive white man, nor do I wear chains.

"Black is a skin color, not a disposition."

Forgive Because You've Been Forgiven

2011-10-25T01:47:00.005-04:00

There is no better way to harbor bitterness than to nurse an attitude of unforgiveness.

There is no clearer demonstration of an unrepentant person

than that he or she always bears a grudge.

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other,

just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:30-32

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you,

so also should you.

Colossians 3:12-13

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ So his fellow slave fell to the ground andbegan to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

Matthew 18:21-35

Fast Frugal Fixes

2011-10-24T22:26:00.000-04:00

The economy is bad and prices for goods and services are rising, especially for food. Here are some fast ways to cut your budget:

1. Buy in bulk.

Become a member at a wholesale club, like Costco, Sam's, or BJ's. Generally those items will be cheaper, per item, than if you bought the same quantity in the regular grocery or retail store. Meat and cheese are especially cheaper at wholesale retailers.

2. Frequent Shopper cards.

Many stores have free frequent shopper cards that help to save money here and there, like Sally's Beauty Supply, Food Lion, Ingles, etc.

3. Always be on the lookout for deals.

Many stores will have circular flyers at the store entrance, post them online or even sent in weekly mailings and newspapers. Take advantage of this information and shop accordingly.

4. One car.

If you have more than one vehicle, it can consume a lot of money: car payment, maintenance, gas, and insurance. If you're able, sell it to a private seller and pocket that money in your savings account.

5. Efficient planning for your errands.

Make a list, check it twice or even three times. Go through your entire house to make sure that there is nothing your forgetting to pick up before your next errand trip. This saves gas and time.

6. Rice & beans

These and potatoes, carrots, celery, pasta and bananas are always very cheap items. Ten pounds of potatoes at Sam's Club are just $5. Ten pounds of carrots are about $2.50 or $3. Whole grain pasta is only about $1.20 per 13 oz. dry box and bananas usually run about $0.50 per pound at Walmart.

7. Couponing.

It's a verb now. And if you work it just right, you can get tons of free stuff and even store credit! I've heard it done, but haven't practiced myself. This takes a lot of time and organization. I'm always tempted to buy products I don't need or use just because I have a coupon or it's on sale, so coupon wisely.

8. Patience is a frugal virtue.

Wait for clearance sales when purchasing new items. Wait for Black Friday and the After Christmas clearance sales. In Georgia there is a tax-free weekend before public school begins where many school supply items are sold at cheap prices without sales tax applied.

9. Goodwill & second-hand stores, including yard sales.

This is essential when buying clothing. Often you can buy name brand materials (Ralph Lauren, Chico's, Ann Taylor, Express, Land's End, etc.) for unbelievable prices! And oftentimes these items may still have the original store tags still attached!

10. Cook more, eat out less.

If your dying to eat something different, try a new recipe or something you can buy at the grocery store and take home to prepare. It will ALWAYS be cheaper than going to a restaurant, paying a babysitter, buying the meal and tipping your server!

11. Do-it-yourself projects.

We saved a boat load on new, needed, carpet for our home when Jeramy bought it at a wholesale price and installed it himself! We saved thousands of dollars when he professionally painted a faux-finish on many of our walls! You don't always have to hire a professional to do EVERYTHING in your home. There are many resource materials available online, YouTube videos, etc. that guide you in your home projects.

12. Research pays off.

When buying things online, I always try to find retailers that charge minimum to no shipping costs. Sometimes though you have to be careful: they hike up the price and don't charge shipping whereas other sites may charge less for the item and give you shipping options or free shipping with minimum $ purchase (like Amazon). I just bought a cloth diaper cover at Cotton Babies without paying any shipping or being overcharged for my item!

13. Pay with cash.

It's crazy, I know. But when the cash is gone, you will stop buying things! This past grocery shopping trip, Jeramy gave me cash. I wrote this dollar amount at the top of my list. Then as I picked up and crossed off each item I put in my cart I wrote down its price. Then when I got to the register I knew exactly how much I was going to spend. (I rounded the prices of course.) And the outcome? I ended up having $75 left over to rollover into next month's budget, help to pay the principle on our mortgage or use toward Christmas gifts!

The Zero, Zero, Zero Plan

2011-10-23T23:19:00.001-04:00

The Zero, Zero, Zero Plan

Click on the link to a funny political cartoon!

Unplanned Pregnancy or Hurting After Abortion?

2011-10-22T22:10:00.000-04:00

You can find local, confidential help by calling 1.800.395.HELP

24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Pregnancy Resource Center of Gwinnett

is for women who are facing a crisis pregnancy, or suffering in the aftermath of an abortion. It is a non-profit, licensed medical clinic and pregnancy counseling center offering free pregnancy, STD and ultrasound tests. The professional staff at PRCG will assist you in getting the information you need to think through all of your options. The website is prcg.org and the telephone number is 770.338.1680.

Other Pregnancy Resource Centers & Pregnancy Care Centers

A Beacon of Hope

678.893.5290

2750 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek

Athens Pregnancy Center

678.753.3180

767 Oglethorpe Avenue, Athens

Atlanta Care Center

404.262.2273

1720 Peachtree Street #496, Atlanta

Birthright of Atlanta

404.451.2273

3424 Hardee Avenue, Atlanta

Gainesville Care Center

770.535.1245

434 Green Street Place, Gainesville

Pregnancy Resource Center of Gwinnett

770.338.1680

501 Crown Pointe Way, Lawrenceville

Gwinnett Right to Life

www.abortionfactsstoriespictures.com

The Gwinnett County Chapter of Georgia Right to Life works to restore respect and effective legal protection for all persons from earliest biological beginning to natural death. Our purpose is to educate Gwinnett County residents on right-to-life issues, including abortion, euthanasia, infanticide and embryonic stem cell research. We train citizens to effectively articulate their pro-life beliefs.

Email us at gwinnettrighttolife@gmail.com, or call 770.339.6880, for our schedule of monthly chapter meetings, pro-life apologetics training, and events.

Please support the work of Gwinnett Right to Life by volunteering your time or contributing financially at www.abortionfactsstoriespictures.com or by mail c/o GRTL, 783 Holcomb Bridge Road, Norcross GA 30071.

Georgia Right to Life is a state affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee. GRTL has been organized for legal and peaceful activities in the areas of education, legislation and political action since 1971.

Witchcraft & Abortion

2011-10-21T21:58:00.000-04:00

"Whenever pagan sexual immorality is accepted, abortion and child sacrifice become a necessity in covering up the fruit of sin."

Remember reading the Old Testament and Israel is about to cross over the Jordan to dispossess and annihilate the pagan nations in order to inhabit the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac & Jacob? They were to completely obliterate them because of their wicked practices and not show any pity on certain nations because they sacrificed their children, making them pass through the fire, etc. I had always thought of that being infanticide, or child sacrifice (between toddler and teen age). This brief documentary was very enlightening to connect ancient abortion practices with pagan witchcraft and idol worship. Watch both part 1 and 2 for the full account.

Does functionality define our value as persons?

2011-10-20T22:14:00.000-04:00

No!

We have inherent human value, whether we are highly functioning or whether we are small, different, or dependent on others. Just because someone is of small size, at an immature level of development, located in a certain environment or dependent on others for life sustenance does not disqualify a human being from being valuable, nor place limitations on our 'unalienable' right to life in the US Constitution. The 'unalienable right to life comes from God by virtue of the fact that we have been created in His image and are thus imbued with a unique worth and dignity not found in the rest of creation.

A 5 Minute Speech

2011-10-19T22:17:00.002-04:00

I posted this a while ago, but it's still just as relevant and powerful!

Rolls! Rolls! Everywhere!

2011-10-18T21:50:00.000-04:00

The bowl that made it possible: Thatsamegabowl by Tupperware.

Rolls, rolls everywhere! Rising here . . .

and here . . .

and there!

Ooh, buttery, smelly, yummy goodness!

My Grandma Cora Jackson made the most awesome rolls EVER! My Mom took down the unwritten recipe and I have tried to master this for several years, off and on. But recently I have gained a lot of confidence in my bread baking abilities after making all our regular sandwich bread and, in anticipation of the Holiday Season, I decided to attempt it again.

This recipe calls for 5 lbs. of flour. My Grandma usually made it with 10 lbs. of flour! It also uses 1 lb. of Crisco, 3 eggs, 2 tbs of sugar and 1 yeast cake (4 tbs of yeast), milk and water. It makes 4 to 5 dozen rolls, but I must have made them smaller because I got more than 6 dozen out of it!

After reading The Bread Beckers article, "Do not eat the bread of idleness" and having picked up this recipe again, I feel somewhat more connected with the generation of women for whom bread baking was a normal part of their routine. Imagine back then, all the women you know baked their own bread! And they all do it, pretty much, the same way! Amazing! These skills have fast become a lost art (just in one generation) with the advancement of the feminist movement.

As I'm mixing and kneading the dough by hand I start working up a sweat, my back quickly gets tired and achy and I'm feeling muscles I don't even use in the gym! There's nothing idle about baking your own bread! I understand why the recipe was so large, because their families were so large! My Grandma was born into a large family and she had 7 children of her own, 6 of them were boys! And they had many social gatherings for which she cooked. So there was a lot to prepare. I wish I could have learned more from her. Cherish the older generation, they have much wisdom and experience to impart!

Lessons in Logic

2011-10-17T21:25:00.000-04:00

The "Moral Relativism" Fallacy

"If you don't like abortion, don't have one."
This argument employs the "moral relativism" fallacy, which twists a moral belief into a personal preference. The moral relativist says it is wrong for anyone to "force" their moral absolutes on others. They take our moral statement, "abortion is wrong" and make it into just our personal preference. There are two flaws with this argument. First, the moral relativist is himself trying to impose his views on us; and secondly, civilized society is structured around basic moral beliefs, one of which is that killing innocent human beings is wrong. We are not saying we don't like abortion, we are saying it is wrong.

"Personally, I'm against abortion, but I don't think I should impose my views on others so I think it should be legal."
If you believe this, let me ask you a question. Why do you oppose abortion? If your answer is that you oppose abortion because it kills a human baby, are you really sure that you believe that baby killing should be legal? Do you oppose slavery, kidnapping, and genocide? Would you say that you oppose them, but that they should be legal? We hope not! Abortion is in the same category. Abortion ends the life of an innocent human person, and it should be illegal - not a "choice" to be made at the personal discretion of individuals.

The "Ad Hominem" Fallacy

"Men should not have anything to say about abortion . . . it's a woman's issue."
"You don't care that unwanted children will be abused. We believe every child should be a wanted child."
"It is hypocritical for pro-lifers to be against abortion unless they are willing to adopt all the unwanted babies that would be born."
These are examples of rhetorical personal attacks against the pro-life advocate designed to sidetrack the discussion from the central question, "Does abortion kill an innocent human person?" The pro-abortion advocate claims they are against child abuse, but since when is it logical to kill a person in order to prevent the possibility that they might someday be abused?

The "Begging the Question" Fallacy

"Making abortion illegal forces women into dangerous back-alley abortions."
This logical fallacy begs the question by pre-supposing that the unborn baby is not a human person. Before a woman goes to a "back-alley" she first needs to determine if she is committing murder by aborting her baby. Their argument also assumes that abortion is the only option for women in a crisis pregnancy. She could choose parenting or adoption for her baby. Contrary to popular belief, it is now well known that the number of deaths due to "back-alley" abortions was greatly exaggerated during the period prior to Roe v. Wade.

"A woman has the right to choose to do whatever she wants with her own body."
This statements begs the question by assuming there is only one body involved in an abortion - the mother's. But what about the baby's body? The unborn baby's body - although connected to and sustained by the mother - is at the same time unique, with its own brain and central nervous system. The baby's gender and blood type may be different than the mother, and he or she has a unique DNA fingerprint. Historically, civilized societies have rejected the idea that men and women can do whatever they want with their own bodies, especially if their actions will harm them or another person.

"Women shouldn't have to carry a child conceived through rape."
Rape is a terrible crime and its victims deserve our deepest sympathy. But, would it be right to abort a child conceived in rape simply because the child may remind the mother of the painful event? Does the mother, as a victim of a violent crime, have the right to victimize an innocent person - the child in her womb? It is wrong to kill a baby based on the circumstances of the baby's conception.

First, I want to add to the latter that no person has any control over the circumstances of their own conception, are not culpable for it, and it is therefore unjust to make them accountable for that sin. In other words: two wrongs don't make a right. Don't punish the baby because of the sin of the father!

Secondly, although the baby was conceived by a sinful, horrible act, that baby is still half of the mother genetically speaking! It is like killing part of yourself!

Taken from a pamphlet of The Gwinnett County Chapter of GA Right to Life

Dresses Everyday!

2011-10-16T21:23:00.001-04:00

Sittin' Pretty

2011-10-15T21:20:00.001-04:00

Photogenic Lily

2011-10-14T21:17:00.000-04:00

When the camera comes out and she is happy, the smiles are all on!

Not Walking Yet . . .

2011-10-13T21:14:00.003-04:00

Two Mondays ago, Shiphrah took two steps unassisted! However when we tried to get her to do it again, she refused and has not attempted another solo since. I can't wait for her to walk. It's so cute when they first walk and it's a real waddle. :-D

Ectopic Pregnancy? Don't panic!

2011-10-12T22:41:00.004-04:00

I just recently read an interesting, informative blog post on ectopic pregnancy. Apparently it's more common than people think and it's not a death sentence to both baby and mom in every case! Oftentimes, when trying to balance a biblical worldview on the sanctity of life on this issue we opt to save the mom's life because the baby will die regardless. But that is not always true.

Head on over to Life in a Shoe and read Ectopic Pregnancy & the Sanctity of Life and her follow-up post, Ectopic Pregnancy Clarifications.

Evolution & Abortion

2011-10-07T21:16:00.000-04:00

From the answers update magazine, volume 18, issue 10.

Did you know there's a connection between evolution and abortion? The growing influence of evolutionary ideas and an increasing acceptance of abortion have gone hand in hand. Now, some people have unfortunately misunderstood our beliefs as we link evolution with abortion, suggesting that Answers in Genesis is arguing that evolution is the cause of abortion. Not at all. (In an ultimate sense, sin is the cause.)

At the same time, there is a connection between evolution and abortion. If people believe the Bible isn't the absolute authority in all matters--and if they think they're just animals in evolutionary history and are not made in God's image, and are accountable to no one but themselves-- the more they will justify anything they want. That includes killing a baby in its mother's womb.

If a person believes he is just an animal in an evolutionary struggle for survival, then in that person's mind a developing baby is also an animal. Just as some people get rid of stray animals by killing them, people might also say: why not also get rid of spare children through abortion?

While evolution isn't the cause of abortion, the more we see people reject the teaching of God's Word and accept evolution, the more they can justify abortion.

Adapted from the October 10, 2011 broadcast of the Answers . . . with Ken Ham radio program.

Great Video Documentary

2011-10-06T15:27:00.000-04:00

The REAL Victimization of Women

2011-10-05T16:18:00.000-04:00

Feminism has made women feel like they are victims of a male dominated patriarchal society and cultivated in her heart a sense of discontentment toward her role as the homemaker. Unless she is using her talents and skills outside of the home and making wages of her own, her value is less than that of, a man.

But in order for women to be free from the protection and security of the home, they must first gain a skill set to be used in the marketplace by going away to college. There they learn to gain the glory of man in a worldly definition of success. In college women must be taught to adopt a sense of autonomy apart from God, apart from Biblical submission to their parents & husbands and become their own person, ruling themselves as they see fit. After that, they must have some way of restricting the normative fruit of children through birth control.

Feminists must teach women to become bitter. They become bitter at God for creating them as women, the "weaker sex." Women get bitter at their husbands for caging them in, suppressing their talents and skills by confining them to the four walls of their home. And not only that, but become bitter also for the burden of children. Feminism must also provide a means to "fix" the problem of unplanned, unwanted pregnancy when it is inconvenient for the career goals that feminism thrusts at these women.

Feminism has also made women feel that their husbands and fathers no longer value their interests at the voting booths and pushed women to separate from their family unit to oppose, in the secret of the ballot box, the views of her husband. Women have separated themselves from the order of Creation by leaving her created role of helpmeet & mother in order to share Adam's curse. They have separated themselves physically from the protection of her family under her father and husband by going away to college or away to work. Women have separated themselves emotionally by becoming embittered at their husbands. Women have separated themselves from the future generation by not having many or any children and by not rearing them, i.e. leaving them in the hands of daycare or nannies. And women have separated themselves politically at the voting booths.

While feminism has truly set out to victimize the housewife, making her the target of their attacks. It's really the feminists that themselves have become the victims of attacks by the devil. When these women get old (and some men are feminists too) they are bitter as they look back over their lives and realize that their collection of dolls, stamps, 401K, IRA, etc. does not compare to the joy of grandchildren and children caring for you in your old age, their worldview comes to a head and they die bitter, lonely people. What a tragic existence - your whole life you chase after the glory of man and the idol of autonomy to see that after 50 years, there is nothing of lasting value to show for it. I pity the feminists. But not too much, they brought it upon themselves. Their worldview, for many, will die with them.

Personhood & Life

2011-10-04T16:11:00.000-04:00

What Is Personhood?

In the US, the term 'person' refers to an individual who has certain inherent rights, such as the right to life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness. These rights are protected by the US Constitution and are bestowed by God. The intrinsic humanity of unborn children, by definition, means theya re persons and their right to life should therefore be protected under the law. Since 1973, however, this has not been the case.

In America, this group of living human persons possesses personhood, but has no protection under the law. God has bestowed this precious gift of life, yet unborn children are being killed en masse every day.

When Does Human Life Begin?

Embryologists teach that life begins at conception. The unborn is alive, and growing from the moment of conception. Logically, if it must be killed to stop its growth, then it must be alive.

Is an unborn baby a human being? Pasteur's Law of Biogenesis states that two human parents can only produce human offspring. The unborn is a human being with a unique human genetic structure and is the offspring of human parents.

Even though a person begins life at the level of a developing zygote, it is still a complete human being. A zygote will become a fetus, who will become an infant, who will become a teenager, who will become an adult. The form will change, but it will always be a human being.

Taken from a pamphlet of The Gwinnett County Chapter of GA Right to Life

40 Days for Life

2011-10-03T15:42:00.001-04:00

Last Tuesday, we attended the kick off rally for the 40 Days for Life Campaign hosted by GA Right to Life, Silent No More Awareness and other pro-life organizations in Gwinnett County & Lawrenceville. This is a time to pray for the closing of abortion clinics in Lawrenceville & Gwinnett County and to pray that this holocaust would come to an end in the United States. The rally began at 6:30 p.m. with prayer, singing hymns, a testimony and a talk/speech/sermon about the evil of abortion. Then it concluded with another hymn and prayer. The woman who gave her testimony had aborted two of her children and spoke of how she could only find hope, forgiveness and peace through Christ. Many of the women who abort their children are crushed under intense guilt, depression & despair. They start taking drugs, begin drinking heavily or attempt suicide.

This issue of abortion, pro-choice vs. pro-life, is not just a political debate, it is a moral injustice in our nation. In the Constitution our fore fathers recognized that people are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights: the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Since 1973 in the US, the right to life for unborn babies has been unprotected and ruled by the liberal mob. Some parents and the legal system have become bullies, throwing around their larger size, physical strength, and medical technology to deny this right to children who are fully persons, created by God in His image for His glory.

Let us pray for the end of this evil, wicked, horrific and bloody massacre of the next generation of human beings. And don't just pray, do what you can to fight it.

Fight by:

having children
loving & disciplining your children
teaching them the doctrines of God
teaching them that we are created in God's image
teaching them that babies are just as much human as the rest of us
teaching them that babies are fully formed in the womb by 7 weeks gestation
showing them ultrasound pictures
teaching them the truth about Creation and the deception of evolution
giving money to pro-life organizations and crisis pregnancy centers
voting pro-life
volunteering time to counsel
going door-to-door with pamphlets
standing outside clinics with signs
articulating an educated pro-life position with those who oppose
write about it on your blog, facebook or twitter

God will not bless the United States if we forsake His laws. I'm not endorsing that we become a theocracy - we should not. But if we don't acknowledge our Creator in repenting of our sin and seeking His will in every area of our lives (I'm specifically speaking to the Church) then we cannot expect this nation to recover economically, morally, civilly, spiritually, etc.

Sister Squeeze

2011-10-02T15:38:00.001-04:00

The BIG Day!

2011-09-28T22:12:00.000-04:00

Are you getting ready for an extra special event?

Make sure you have all the bases covered:

a regal venue,

an experienced, tasty caterer,

perhaps a florist

maybe an event coordinator,

and an experienced professional musician!

One who can provide a high level of quality music at a competitive price,

who regards customer service and satisfaction as a high priority,

who can help you choose the right music for your special occasion,

who can impress your guests,

who reflects your excellent judgment in choosing entertainment,

who can add class to your event, large or small,

who is flexible in terms of schedule,

and can give live music samples!

Meggan Anderson can provide what you need.

Contact me by submitting a comment on this post

or email me at

andersonmusicstudio@ymail.com

New Violin!

2011-09-27T21:35:00.000-04:00

After saving up for months Jeramy and I bought a new violin! We traded in the old Doetsch that I've been playing for 15 years(!) toward the cash purchase of this new one. When I say "new" it really isn't new, it's new to me - an upgrade. The previous instrument was difficult to play well. The sound was scratchy and muddled. With extraordinary effort I would do my best to make a nice sound. It's like a professional painter painting a home with only a paint brush, whereas a paint sprayer, roller & extra large drop cloths would make it easier for him to produce a fine product with the level of skill & craftsmanship he already possesses.

I purchased this instrument from Atlanta Violins, with a new Bobelock case made of heavy plywood. It is strung with green label Eva Perazzi strings (about $80-90/set). This unlabeled, likely German, 1880-1920, violin produces a great sound, audibly legible and is very playable. Notice the detailing on the pegs, tail piece and the unique Egyptian carving on the back. The craftsmanship, especially in the scroll carving, allows for the educated guess of the time in which it was built.

The transition was very easy as my old Doetsch was German also (i.e. the length is identical). French made instruments tend to run on the short side, making it easier to play in the upper register, fingered octaves, etc. Overall, I'm very pleased with this intermediate step up to the instrument my skill level might dictate. And I'm more enthused to play now that I have an easier time producing a high quality sound. I'm very thankful for all the hours Jeramy and I put into obtaining this instrument. In the future, we may trade it in for another upgrade at Atlanta Violins. It's a great shop and I highly recommend it to anyone in the market.

Bubble Breakers

2011-09-26T23:30:00.000-04:00

Snake in the Den!

2011-09-25T21:25:00.005-04:00

Late Friday night, after putting Shiphrah down to sleep, I saw what I thought was a broken shoe string on the floor. When I got closer I saw what it really was! Click on the picture to see it larger. It was probably about 8 inches long.

Jeramy killing said snake with a 10 ft. pole, no shotgun.

Yep, it's dead now. But anxiety still looms. I'm sure there are others out there, ready to enter our home. And how did it get in? We only have best guesses.

The LORD God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

Cursed are you more than all cattle,

And more than every beast of the field;

On your belly you will go,

And dust you will eat

All the days of your life;

^{And I will put enmity}

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her seed;

^{He shall bruise you on the head,}

And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

Genesis 3:14-15

A Little Sugar for Daddy

2011-09-24T23:37:00.000-04:00

Sweet Sisters

2011-09-23T23:34:00.000-04:00

Don't sit TOO close! :-)

She's Standing!

2011-09-22T23:41:00.000-04:00

The past three days Shiphrah has been standing for longer periods unsupported! I can tell that she's getting more frustrated by the inconvenience of not walking because she crawls with one foot flat on the floor while holding an object in one of her hands -- sort of like a half-way crawl. Then she will push our little chairs or her walker around all over the hardwood floor just to get from one place to another. When I've been walking with her I'm only holding one of her hands as I previously held both. She turned 13 months old last week and I'm hoping that she will be walking before she reaches 14 months. Moriah and Lily were both walking by their first birthday so I'm a little anxious for Shiphrah to get on board. I don't have to worry about chasing her around when she starts walking because she'll be the one chasing her sisters. :-D

got peppers?!

2011-09-21T23:25:00.002-04:00

The deer cleverly avoid eating these. It's too bad because we would love to see their reaction to a mouthful of cayenne pepper! They have completely decimated the foliage of our green garden. It literally looks like a pile of standing bamboo sticks. Next year we intend on building a chicken wire fence about 6 feet high and keep all our vegetation for ourselves. :-D

Murder She Threw

2011-09-20T22:08:00.004-04:00

This is unbelievable! Highlights from a post by R. Albert Mohler on the case of Katrina Efferts and her "fourth trimester" abortion! Read the two original articles HERE and HERE. Now there is nothing to stop parents from brutally murdering their own children at any age. We cannot look to legislation to determine what is morally sound - only the Bible can provide the foundation for truth and teach us how to view God and treat each other. We must also look to God for retributive justice, because we will not find it in this physical realm.

Mark Steyn hit the nail on the head when he accused a Canadian appeals court of allowing for a “fourth-trimester abortion” — that’s right, the killing of a baby that is already born!
The case emerged from the Court of Queen’s Bench in Alberta, where a judge faced the fact that a woman had been convicted of strangling her newborn son and then throwing the baby’s body over the fence into her neighbor’s yard.
A CBC News reported, the woman was given a three-year suspended sentence and will spend no time in jail for the killing of her baby. Katrina Efferts “will have to abide by conditions for the next three years but she won’t spend time behind bars for strangling her own son.”
The moral dishonesty of the entire tragedy comes down to the fact that, in legalizing abortion, liberal societies claimed to be making a bargain. We will not protect unborn life, but we will defend all those who make it to birth. Of course, the dividing line was always dishonest. Are we seriously to believe that human personhood is a matter of mere location, inside or outside the womb?
Now, this judge [Justice Joanne Veit] has simply extended the logic of abortion, and catastrophically so. If the “onerous demands” of parenthood justify killing one’s own child, there is no logical reason to confine permissive infanticide to newborns, or even to younger children.

Hell in Leviticus

2011-09-19T15:52:00.006-04:00

I've been reading through Leviticus and it has been more exciting and convicting than one might think. This book is filled with the Judaic laws in reference to worshiping God in the Tabernacle. Last night I was reading chapter 6 and was hit with the picture of hell and God's wrath demonstrated there and in the animal sacrifices. The sacrificial system was set up as a precursor that pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross. It is impossible for the blood of animals to take away sins. The people needed to see the effects of their sin and understand the requisites for God's justice for forgiveness and removal of guilt.

In verses 8-13 of chapter 6 there is such a strong emphasis for the fire on the altar to be kept burning continually because of it's repetition.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁹ “Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law for the burnt offering: the burnt offering itself shall remain on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning, and the fire on the altar is to be kept burning on it. ¹⁰ The priest is to put on his linen robe, and he shall put on undergarments next to his flesh; and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire reduces the burnt offering on the altar and place them beside the altar. ¹¹ Then he shall take off his garments and put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.¹² The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it. It shall not go out, but the priest shall burn wood on it every morning; and he shall lay out the burnt offering on it, and offer up in smoke the fat portions of the peace offerings on it. ¹³ Fire shall be kept burning continually on the altar; it is not to go out.

In the Hebrew, Jeramy told me that the negative (NOT) is the intensive form of the negation as opposed to the passive form. It called to remembrance what Christ teaches about Hell in the New Testament. He repeats Isaiah 66:24 for emphasis also.

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, ⁴⁴ where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] ⁴⁵ If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, ⁴⁶ where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] ⁴⁷If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, ⁴⁸where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED. (Mark 9:43-48)

Imagine worshiping in the Tabernacle and meditating on God's holy justice that requires death as a consequence of sin since the Fall. I considered that this picture of the altar is an image of hell in the Tabernacle, that a perpetual atonement was needed because of God's eternal, infinite nature. Imagine your body continually burning in fire on the altar! And being reminded of that every time you sin! But how is it possible to atone for one's own sin and receive God's forgiveness at the same time? That's why Christ came - to be the substitutionary atoning sacrifice in our place that we might receive forgiveness and live as God intended: free from the bondage of sin.

HUGE Getty Sale!

2011-09-17T00:03:00.002-04:00

Keith & Kristyn Getty, the modern hymn writers are having a mega huge clearance sale for their USA customers. You get 10 products for $20 total! That's $2.00 a piece for a CD or a songbook or any combination thereof!

This is HUGE!

Hurry the sale won't last! Stock up now for Christmas and save a boat load!

Click HERE

C/S Trip Day 6: Sweet Reunions & Grace in a Screw

2011-09-15T23:07:00.000-04:00

Monday morning we left Mt. Vernon, Illinois after our complimentary continental breakfast for our final day of driving. We chose not to fly (I was adamant I was not going to fly) because of the ridiculous TSA security procedures. I will not willingly submit to being personally violated through expensive X-ray photos or aggressive physical searches. Nor would I allow the gamble of purchasing expensive tickets with the hopes of avoiding these measures. Driving is just fine, thank you.

We crossed into Kentucky and then Tennessee. We met our friend Channing outside Chattanooga for a late lunch at Cracker Barrel. We love Channing. We all met in Louisville while mutually attending the Southern Seminary and have remained friends since. Channing is ministering in a Baptist church in Whitwell preaching, teaching & counseling. Being fully systematized in His theology, he addresses the serious implications of dangerous worldview philosophy from a Biblical framework, just as easily as he wins people over with his redneck charm & humor. He plays guitar, enjoys hang gliding and ballroom dancing. He is searching for the right woman.

Finally we arrived back across the Georgia state line. As we got closer to Atlanta the sky grew more and more threatening with dark grey/black clouds and rain. The wind began to pick up acceleration also and motorists reduced their speed significantly. As we continued to drive I noticed that those same black clouds appeared to be dipping down toward the earth in the distance on either side of the highway. I've never seen real tornadoes before and I was growing more and more concerned that I might be seeing them now! Then we crossed a point on the highway where a tornado had certainly passed through because the trees on both the right and left sides bore an obvious path of destruction and we had just missed it by about 5 or 10 minutes! That's less than 3 miles at the speed we were driving. Scary.

We finally arrived back to G'Wanda's house to pick up the girls. I was so thrilled to see them! After reading about the Edwards' and having a significant time of refreshment, I felt eager and energized to return back to my role of motherhood. The girls were somewhat distracted when we entered (Dora the Explorer). Moriah was the most exited of them all. "Hey Mommy!" She said quickly with a smile then her attention turned back to the TV.

Shiphrah was on the kitchen floor amused with the plastic storage containers and looked up at me as though I were a faint memory from somewhere that she just couldn't put her finger on. Either that or she was really thinking, "Oh, Momma! Where have you been?" Her expression was just an open-mouthed worry. I did my best to comfort her, though she did not cry or refuse for me to hold her. It took about 30 minutes for me to get her to laugh and smile again! Note to self: Don't ever leave my babies for six days again!

Lily was so preoccupied by Dora, she wouldn't even look my direction! When Dora was over, she finally acknowledged our return and after a little coaxing came over to give me a hug and kiss and sit in my lap. I guess some people just can't compete with a cute little Latino cartoon. :-)

We ate dinner and Jeramy replaced the car seats and loaded up the girls stuff only to notice that we had a flat tire! A screw had become lodged in our rear passenger tire at some point along our journey! I had not noticed it before, neither was I looking! We drove through our fare share of road construction, but we had no idea when or where we picked it up. We drove along in complete ignorance as to the condition of it. And we had just as much uncertainty as to whether we would make it home without an immediate repair (at 8:30 p.m.). We pumped it back up and prayed the whole way home and arrived without any problems. Can you imagine that tire blowing out in the middle of a storm or some other state far from home? God certainly showed us a great deal of grace on our journey!

C/S Trip Day 5: Heading Back

2011-09-13T16:44:00.000-04:00

Sunday morning we began our long drive back home. We left Colorado, then Kansas, then Missouri and after a long day, we settled in a hotel in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

So, what did you do on the long drive?

We passed the time talking about almost everything. We spent a little time listening to music. It may have been more time, however our CD player is broken and batteries for a boom box are expensive. There was plenty of passenger doze off. Jeramy did some Hebrew/Greek flashcards. And while Jeramy drove, I would read aloud.

A few weeks ago Jeramy bought a book for me at my request, Marriage to a Difficult Man, by Elizabeth Dodds. This is somewhat of a double biography of Jonathan & Sarah Edwards in relation to normal married & family life. It is endorsed by many influential evangelical leaders of our day: John Piper, Doug Phillips, Don Whitney and R.C. Sproul just to name a few. This is an excellent marriage book because you can see how two sinners saved by grace covenanted together in marriage with 11 children made it work 300 years ago. This is a powerfully encouraging book because the reader sees their daily example. It's not just a typical marriage book that outlines 7 keys to marital bliss, but here you see their struggles, pressures, concerns, trials, triumphs and short comings. This is a very real couple. We were blessed to read and discuss almost half the book together on our trip. I highly recommend it for every married couple.

C/S Trip Day 4: Forest & Garden

2011-09-12T15:48:00.000-04:00

Saturday morning Jeramy took me to Pike National Forest for a 2 mile hike down to the reservoir. The forest was very much secluded from the city, driving up into the mountains away from all the busy-ness. It was beautiful! No paved roads or constructed buildings here. The pale green grass was long and wispy. The tall and thin aspen trees abound here. There were plenty of inviting spots like this where sunlight peeps through the forest canopy with partial sun, partial shade.

Notice the steep grade!

I must be truthful and say that there are no restrooms here. (Duh!) And so I was a little concerned about meeting a bear while finding a spot to relieve myself. There are also elk, birds & squirrels. Snakes are not as abundant, but they have been spotted.

Along the beaten trail.

Pretty fuzzy purple flowers

After 2 miles of hiking downhill we come to the reservoir. Currently the level is low, but that will change when the snow comes and melts later in the season. I counted about 5 other small groups of people out here fishing & hiking, which is very busy for any one time.

Then we hiked 2 miles back, up hill.

This picture doesn't do the view justice.

(Nor do any of the ones I've taken.)

Finally, one together.

The sign, marred by bullets.

The following pictures are on the descent from the Forest. Notice how it looks so desolate. It is so peaceful there. You feel like you're alone, in the middle of nowhere. At first you're overwhelmed at the vast expanse, the splendor of it all. It's very humbling. God, the Lord, who created all of these things just out of the word from His mouth and it all came to be. And it's as if this great work were of no effort for Him. And how is it that God, who made all this marvelous wonder, would bother to create humans, as small as we are in comparison to all this?!

O LORD, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth,

Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!

^{From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength}

Because of Your adversaries,

To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;

^{What is man that You take thought of him,}

And the son of man that You care for him?

^{Yet You have made him a little lower than God,}

And You crown him with glory and majesty!

^{You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;}

You have put all things under his feet,

^{All sheep and oxen,}

And also the beasts of the field,

^{The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,}

Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

Psalm 8:1-9

THESE are mountains.

After leaving Pike's Forest we set out again for The Garden of the Gods. I'm told that the name, "Garden of the Gods," comes from the old Indian name (Cheyenne?). It is kind of peculiar when you see these natural rock formations. The relative landscape around it is somewhat normal hilly, then suddenly giant, bare, red rocks jut out of the ground like sky scrapers. (Remnants of the worldwide flood.) This is one of the more tourist type sites.

Here is a view of The Garden from the highway.

The Balanced Rock.

The Garden has a Trading Post where we grabbed lunch, two Bison burgers made to order, and good souvenirs. I found this cedar plank very appealing.

After the Trading Post we visited the American Neumismatic Headquarters & Museum where they are currently displaying many Civil War relics and old coins. Jeramy found it especially interesting. We saw the old mint printing machines and balances. It's hard to believe that something so massive is needed to make such a small coin.

We ate a kingly dinner with the Bishops, including 1" thick grilled steaks, parmesan-crusted baked potatoes, sweet corn on the cob, and crunchy broccoli salad (with bacon, raisins & sweet onions). Jeramy and Paul enjoyed a cigar outside with peach cobbler a la mode while Jenny and I played Wii bowling & Mario Kart and watching Hello Dolly! the musical. We all had a lot of fun.

C/S Trip Day 3: USAFA

2011-09-11T14:57:00.010-04:00

Friday morning Jeramy took me to the Air Force Academy. The Academy sits on several thousand acres at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado Springs. Labor Day weekend has historically been "Parent's Weekend" where families come and visit after Basic Training is completed. There is a beautiful view of the campus and a beautiful view of the Rockies from the campus. The high elevation of this training facility makes physical activity especially difficult which is advantageous at lower altitudes when the body can produce better results with the same effort levels. One morning I went to run (on a straight away) and I found it more difficult than usual. The weather was gorgeous, moderate 70's, windy with wonderfully clear blue skies and scattered clouds.

This first picture is overlooking the Academy.

The dormitories were restricted to Cadet families, however the public was free to view the new Chapel. Here is looking from the rear to the stage/pulpit area.

This is the ceiling looking straight up. Stained glass shines like neon lights through spiked steel surfaces.

This is the vertical walls.

From the front of the Chapel, looking back, this is a picture of the grand pipe organ.

On the large platform in front of the Chapel.

We walked a long distance on and around the Academy and I couldn't help but notice all these beautiful wild mountain flowers. Daisies also grow wild and abundant.

After visiting the Academy we drove through The Garden of the Gods and ate at a comfortable local restaurant, The Mason Jar. They had a wonderful Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup which, after praising to our server, she gladly offered me the recipe! Whooo doggies! (Imagine my excitement!)

We left the restaurant right at about 3 p.m. when it rained. Jeramy says that you could time your clock by the afternoon rain. We walked around the eclectic souvenir shops in Old Colorado City before heading back to the Bishop's home for dinner. Jenny prepared a succulent Chicken Piccata - a lightly breaded chicken breast pounded thin, smothered in a light lemon butter & caper sauce, served with rice and garden peas. Yummy! After dinner we went to Culver's for ice cream.

C/S Trip Day 2: We're Not in Kansas Anymore

2011-09-07T21:36:00.001-04:00

Jeramy and I enjoyed a wonderful baked oatmeal breakfast with the Zeiglers complete with cream and sliced peaches - Yum! Then we set out from St. Louis headed for our final destination: Colorado Springs!

Along the way we enjoyed minimal traffic exiting St. Louis, watching congestion pass in the opposite direction, only to be met with several 10-mile passes of road construction/maintenance in Kansas. *Fun.* However, we did notice many things about this greatly broad State, including blow drying hot winds about 110 degrees Fahrenheit, somewhat rolling hills against the wind, and miles upon miles of growing fields of corn, sunflowers, soy beans and sorghum. We couldn't see the end of the huge field from the beginning - they were so large and many of them had central pivot irrigation systems. Wow!

Then we saw hundreds of the "green" windmills. They are so large we could see them from almost 25 miles away. We found out that these windmills are most effective at producing useable energy if the power they create is directly pumped into the mainframe cells of the power plants during peak energy hours as a supplement rather than stored on batteries. If the peak wind hours are different or opposite peak energy consumption hours, then these mills are very cost ineffective considering that it takes more man-power to produce these mills than energy these mills can create. It's almost like a "shovel-ready job." But they are really cool to look at. Is there value in nostalgia? (Just so you get an idea of how large these pinions are, one of them is as long as the bed of a tractor trailer!)

We also saw several oil pumps, just like the ones in Texas except smaller. We found more of these than we expected in the broad State of Kansas.

We had a great brush with the grace of God after exiting Topeka. Our usual practice when driving long distances and encountering a major city is to press on to and through the city, then stop on the opposite side for gas, restrooms and/or food. I was driving and assumed that this would be the case after passing through Topeka. Jeramy didn't tell me anything different and neither of us knew quite how close we got to huffin' it in the blow dryer to get gas.

After getting out of the city I noticed we had a little more than 1/4 tank. The highway exits were getting farther apart and more infrequent quicker than anticipated. I prayed for gas at the next exit - the sign would come and said, "No services." Three or four exits like this we approached and passed with no signs of getting gas. We were 'getting' something else: nervous! Then the fuel light came on and we continued to pray more fervently, while sweating, that God would provide some gas.

Finally, an exit came, just in time that we could get gas. As we approached that exit Jeramy and I continued to get nervous about passing it. "Did we miss the ramp? Is it this ramp or the next ramp? DON'T miss the ramp! It's right over there! Don't pass it!" We only had about 10 or 15 miles left on the 1/2 gallon remaining in our tank! We were so thankful. We would have gladly paid $5/gallon for that gas!

We arrived in Colorado Springs about 5:30 p.m. and grabbed a Quizno's before reaching the Bishop's home. Here Jeramy and Paul, close old roommates, reunited and we got the privilege of meeting Paul's new wife Jenny. They will celebrate their first anniversary in October. Jenny is involved in Environmental Law & Paul in Financial Planning. It is from Jenny that we learned about the over-estimated efficiency of solar panels and windmills. We enjoyed their hospitality for the rest of our time visiting Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs Trip Day 1: St. Louis

2011-09-06T21:21:00.008-04:00

Early Wednesday morning we left G'Wanda's house with all three girls still snug in bed. It was hard for me to leave my babies, but this trip would provide a much needed respite and a chance for a real honeymoon/vacation. We fought average traffic from Suwanee to I-285 via PIB. From there forward it was pretty smooth sailing. We stopped once for gas before reaching St. Louis.

The Zeigler family awaited our arrival in their apartment on the beautiful campus of Concordia Seminary. Jeramy trained Michael as a Fourth Class (Freshman) Cadet at the Air Force Academy and they became fast friends after the initial training period. Michael is attending the Seminary while serving in the Reserves. We were delighted to be invited to dine and lodge with them, gleaning encouragement during our fellowship together. It was truly a blessing for Jeramy and Michael to reconnect and for me to be able to meet them.

On The Road Again . . .

2011-09-05T22:10:00.003-04:00

Tonight Jeramy and I safely returned home to joyfully reunite with our babies from a much needed honeymoon/vacation to Colorado Springs! Many pictures were taken and there are a good many stories to tell in these next couple of days as I begin to post the record of our happenings. Some of the highlights are reuniting visits with old friends; almost hiking for gas in No Where, Kansas; breath-taking views over vast distances; skirting tornadoes; and grace shown in a screw.

Stay tuned.

Bubble Wrap!

2011-09-01T06:46:00.000-04:00

Beware: Predators Are EVERYWHERE!

2011-08-28T10:54:00.005-04:00

You go about your day the same old usual way: your commute, your chores, your exercise, your errands and everything else in between. All the people you meet from day to day that cross your path - you would have no reason to suspect them of anything. Usually when you meet someone new, you give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe they aren't a serial killer and are genuinely a nice person, right?!

That's all well and good but BEWARE: sexual predators are everywhere! When you first meet them, they will probably seem pretty normal, just like everyone else. As you get to know them, they begin to win your trust. After that, they begin to slowly, methodically cross certain boundaries to see how you will react. Then they will strike and leave you wondering, "How did this happen?" School teachers, clergy, boy scout leaders, and family members and others comprise this group of heinous criminals! Most of the time the offender is someone you know and trust, not a stranger!

It happened to me. And it happens to hundreds of thousands and even millions of people everywhere. These predators may live in your town, neighborhood and even next door! If you live in Gwinnett County go to the Sheriff's Sex Offender website, click to "Search for Offenders in Your Area," type in your address and see how many registered offenders there are in your neighborhood. There are 11 within a 1 mile radius of my home and two of those are in my same subdivision! Stay alert to protect yourself and your precious children!

Also, you must be aware that not every abuser has a criminal record. Not every abuser has ever been reported or prosecuted. The current statistics are this: 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be assaulted by their 18th birthday! AND only 1 in 10 actually report it! So I can deduce that of those 11 registered offenders living in close proximity to my home that 1) they are repeat offenders and/or 2) there are actually MORE than 11 living in close proximity to my home! This raises very unsettling questions . . .

1. How can I possibly know who to watch out for?

2. How can I protect my family?

3. How can I possibly trust anyone?

4. How do I teach and train my children in case something horrible happens?

5. What resources are available for awareness and preparedness?

6. If the worst should happen, where can I go for healing and encouragement?

A1. In many ways, we always watch out for everyone! You give them the benefit of the doubt in Christian love until they begin to "groom" you by testing personal physical boundaries - then you better watch out!

A2. Protect your family by always being aware of where they are, who they are with, how to contact them, locking doors, security systems, etc.

A3. Everyone can earn a healthy level of your trust, but that doesn't mean you must trust them with everything you hold dear to you! I trust my neighbor to pick up their dog doodie in my yard, but I will never trust them to watch my children with me absent, even for 10 minutes!

A4. Teach your children, even while very young, about physical boundaries. Teach them what is appropriate behavior, physical touch and language and teach them what is NOT appropriate! Teach them to say, "NO!" Teach them where they can go that is safe. Teach them what they need to know in an emergency. If you drill this information (phone numbers, addresses, etc.) or put it in song, they will remember and not easily forget.

A5. www.VoiceToday.org

Voice Today is a non-profit, Christian based, organization for victims, survivors and victors of childhood sexual abuse. They provide resources for all of these things. Voice was started locally, in Marietta, and has been reaching many with it's message of "Breaking the Silence" in order to equip families for prevention.

A6. Report it to the authorities in your jurisdiction immediately! If a sex crime has occurred, do what you can to get an accurate identification of the perpetrator with thorough visual description, DNA and any other information you can give. Some of this info may be on your physical person after an attack so don't bathe and lose valuable evidence before it can be collected. Voice Today was begun to free victims from the shame and guilt of past crimes committed against them. Victims can find healing and victory over these experiences through Christ who is able to heal every infirmity. His blood will never lose its power.

Protect yourselves and your young ones.

Spread the word.

Check out the web links.

If anyone gives you ANY reason to be suspicious, don't trust them!

Shiphrah's Birthday!

2011-08-27T16:45:00.000-04:00

We had a blast for Shiphrah's birthday! I made two kinds of cupcakes: Yellow Butter and Triple Chocolate with two different kinds of frosting: cool cream cheese and chocolate. Everything turned out really great. We opened presents, then ate lunch and afterwards had cupcakes and ice cream! Grandma Jane and G'Wanda joined us for a small celebration that Shiphrah fully enjoyed! Moriah and Lily were a little upset that it wasn't THEIR birthday, but they got to drink sweet tea, help open gifts, play with new toys and both grandmas, and they got cake and ice cream. (I think the big sisters survived. :-D)

Moriah: What Is Sin?

2011-08-20T09:37:00.002-04:00

Moriah, The Big Sister

2011-08-19T09:34:00.000-04:00

Like a Fish Out of Water, Entertaining

2011-08-18T05:48:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Shiphrah!

2011-08-17T06:24:00.001-04:00

Shiphrah turns One Year Old TODAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

FRA FRA!!

It's so amazing to me how quickly these little babies go from completely helpless,

only able to suckle, cry and poo

to crawling, walking, talking, self-feeding and mischief

in only 12 months time!

Burden or Blessing? Bitterness or Joy?

2011-08-16T07:48:00.001-04:00

It's really easy to overlook the blessing in our daily work if there is bitterness rooted deep in the heart. All burdens are responsibilities, some are lighter and some might be significantly more stressful, but how we view those "burdens" can result in joy or bitterness.

Read Matthew 25:14-30 where Jesus gives the Parable of the Talents as a way to describe what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.

(Did you read it or skip it?) The master entrusted three of his slaves with his possessions. Two of whom did some leg work, acted with wisdom, counted the risk and made a profit for their master. Hear what the master says to each of these two trustworthy, hardworking slaves upon the report of their success, "Well done, good and faithful slave."

Do you labor hard to please our God in heaven for His glory?

Don't you want to hear Him look you in the eye, with His arms wrapped around you, and say these words to YOU?!

Of course!

Then you know that all these hard days here on earth in the presence of sin,

striving day after day in the war between our born-again spirit & sinful flesh,

losing sleep,

being a good steward,

submitting to your husband,

constantly disciplining disobedience,

faithfully raising your children to fear God,

worshiping Him in your home and with the Church,

ministering to the sick & poor,

showing hospitality to our neighbors,

and tithing from our abundance & our need,

that after all this and our short lives are over

and FINALLY we see our Savior, Jesus Christ, meet us on the other side of the dark chasm of death to embrace us in the light of His glory and tell us that it was all worth it and He is satisfied with the offering of our lives!

Oh, what a moment!

(Relish in that glorious thought for a minute!)

Now notice something else the master says, "You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master." As a result of managing the small things well, He puts us in charge of much more. We are given more responsibilities. If we consider those additional responsibilities as a stressful inconvenience, then it is likely for our hearts to become bitter as a reflection of selfishness.

But before this might have a chance to embitter your heart, read the last phrase again. "Enter into the joy of your master." As the master gives you more responsibilities you become closer to the master. It's like a business corporation. The lowest guy on the totem pole doesn't speak much with the big wigs. But as he proves himself in the most menial of jobs and earns a promotion, his position is now closer to the big wigs.

You will make known to me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Psalm 16:11

For You make him most blessed forever;

You make him joyful with gladness in Your presence.

Psalm 21:6

Many of us have a lot on our plates and I can probably guess that most of us could always use a vacation or dream of retirement. But as I remind myself and encourage y'all not to view our stewardship as an inconvenience, but as a blessing. God will give us more than we can handle so that we are constantly looking to Him for His grace all-sufficient. If we've got everything under control we would have no need to look to God for anything. We could manage on our own. The more we look to Him, the more we pray in the presence of God's glorious throne room, the more fullness of joy we can experience. Let us not be lazy and wicked, but let us labor hard to seek after God and His grace by which we may glorify Him in all that is on our plate.

Fab Foods

2011-08-15T07:37:00.000-04:00

Traditional Southern Apple Crisp!

Green Granny Smith apples and dried cranberries tossed in butter, white and brown sugars with a wonderful buttery, brown sugar oatmeal crisp baked on top served hot with a generous helping of cool whipped topping!

Yum to the MAX!

Recipe from Food & Wine Magazine

Homemade Chicken Parmesan

Leg quarters breaded with homemade whole wheat bread crumbs smothered in homemade spaghetti sauce sprinkled with shredded mozzarella cheese and a touch of parsley to garnish.

Recipe from Menus 4 Moms

Like to Get Floury?

2011-08-14T18:05:00.003-04:00

Then a cute apron is the best remedy!

I love to bake! Cooking is okay, but baking is the best! When I die, I want to be known as a baker.

I don't mind getting into a floury mess, because I know the results will be delicious.

And a floury mess on a cute apron, keeps your dress with less mess stress.

So, enter Leah's apron giveaway.

And bake (or cook) away!

Who Is President Obama?

2011-08-14T16:06:00.003-04:00

See pix from July in the right sidebar.

The Harp Guitar!

2011-08-12T22:34:00.000-04:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mr. Don Alder

Norcross Welcome Center: Vicki Johnson Art Opening

2011-08-09T09:16:00.000-04:00

August 3rd, 2011 Vicki Johnson sat outside under a tent in the hot and humid Georgia heat to paint a portrait of the Welcome Center in the City of Norcross on Lawrenceville Street. She did a beautiful job. Inside were displayed just a few samples of her gallery of paintings. Most are acrylics or oils on canvas or wood mediums in the impressionist and romantic styles and all are lovely. There were hors d'oeuvres from The Blue House Cafe just around the corner on North Cemetery Street accompanied by solo violin music in the background provided by Meggan Anderson.

The following are written comments the guests graciously provided.

"Thank you Meggan. Great." - M. Sudderth

"Thank you Meggan for the beautiful music." - Grace

"Meggan,

The music is very beautiful and enchanting!

Keep up the good work.

Golden strings!" - Aleem & Chantez

"The music was DIVINE

. . . a rare treat . . .

your talent is amazing.

Thank you for sharing your 'gift'!" -Beth Gayle

"Meggan,

Your violin speaks to the heart.

Your talent is amazing." - Richard Gayle

"Music was really beautifully done! Thanks! :-D" - Anonymous

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If you are interested in providing your guests with solo violin music for your next event, large or small, comment on this post below or email me at andersonmusicstudio@ymail.com and I'll be glad to speak with you on the services I can offer.

4th of July Cupcakes With Grandma Jane

2011-08-05T22:40:00.000-04:00

Leah's Picture Perfect Photography

2011-08-04T22:19:00.000-04:00

Miss Leah always does a wonderful job taking photos. See these beautiful shots she did for my business: The Anderson Music Studio. Which one do you like best?

Moriah the Homemaker

2011-08-03T22:05:00.002-04:00

Moriah pays attention to how we make the plates. We always give her and Lily the exact same thing. It's so funny how she did this all by herself! Teach them early! :-D

Little Book Worm

2011-07-22T16:06:00.000-04:00

'Round the Garden

2011-07-21T16:12:00.001-04:00

'Round and 'round the garden goes the teddy bear.

One step. Two step. And then he goes in there! :-D

Ready, Set . . .

2011-07-20T16:08:00.000-04:00

She'll be walking soon!

Homemade Whole Wheat Crackers

2011-07-19T16:14:00.002-04:00

1 and 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp iodized salt

3/4 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

6 tbs oil

1/2 cup + 1 tbs water

salt for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl place all ingredients in order, then mix with a fork until a soft dough forms, about 30 seconds. Place dough directly on ungreased pizza stone or metal cookie sheet. Using a rolling pin, roll very thin to 1/4" thickness or less. Use a pizza cutter to make cracker shapes. Dust salt on top of crackers and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until medium brown in color. Crackers should lift easily from baking surface. Cool completely uncovered, then cover to store. Crackers will be chewy immediately but will become hard and crunchy, a hearty, strong cracker, once cooled. These crackers stand up to my thick, dense chicken cheeseball without breaking.

The edges will cook more quickly than the center. After 10 to 12 minutes, remove browned crackers and replace stone in oven. Keep a close eye on it and remove the inner crackers after the remaining 2 to 3 minutes. When in doubt on the color change, remove the stone from the oven and allow the crackers to remain on stone.

I developed this recipe by altering an unleavened bread recipe I got from my friend P. Truelove.

Crackers are so expensive in the store and these are easy and really cheap to make. From start to finish it only takes about 15 minutes! Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Grandma Jane!

2011-07-18T16:04:00.001-04:00

Grandma Jane celebrated her birthday in June, but we didn't get to gift her until the 4th of July and we were so blessed, as always, to have her come visit us! We love you Grandma Jane!

Gypsy Symphony Orchestra

2011-07-08T20:54:00.000-04:00

Getting Married?

2011-07-07T20:30:00.001-04:00

Or perhaps you know of a couple who will be? And maybe this couple would prefer some elegant music for their wedding ceremony.

A solo violin would work wonders for a quaint outdoor ceremony by the river.

A solo violinist would add just the right touch of reverence for a small church wedding.

A solo violinist won't detract from the all the other fine touches made with care on your special day, but place that hint of finishing dignified grace that will impress your guests.

Comment on this post or email me at andersonmusicstudio@ymail.com for a quote and to book a solo violin for your magic moment!

Wedding coordinators and brides alike will find me easily accommodating for your big day!

Did You See That Baby's Hair?

2011-07-06T20:17:00.000-04:00

The Black Hole of Public Education

2011-07-05T19:47:00.001-04:00

It's hard to avoid noticing the typical unruly behavior of public school kids. Most of them don't take their education seriously. They don't "apply" themselves. They don't respect authority. They believe they are entitled to every possible privilege. And the worst thing is that by the time they have completed 12 to 13 years in public, government education, many of them can't read their diplomas or make change at McDonald's because they've been pushed through the system without showing the proper aptitude. They are unprepared to live responsible independent lives in the workforce contributing to their local communities. And you know it's especially bad when the teachers are even the ones caught cheating! Are these the upstanding moral leaders we want to disciple our children?

Public school education is a prime example of a system lacking discipline, preaching a secular humanist, communist/socialist, evolutionist worldview, rampant in negative peer pressure, below substandard education, and overwhelmingly poses daily dangers of drugs, sexual content/assault, gangs, and violence. There is no reason on earth why I would EVER send my precious children there!

And the worst part is that a lot of politicians (and voting people) believe that in order to solve all the problems in the public education system we need to dump more tax payer money into it -- billions of dollars worth! But we've already seen what this system produces: more adult adolescents who are burned out on wasting time in education they deem irrelevant and have no clue how to apply.

It's a failing system and money won't fix it. It's a black hole people! Money goes in and rubbish comes out. And it will continue to produce rubbish for as long as they continue to "socialize" negatively the masses who submit to a godless government education system.

And for those students who did aspire to something greater, they have wasted a lot of time in classes with disrespectful students while they, themselves could have excelled and already begun a career by the time they're 18 or 20. It's a lose-lose scenario for all.

Did you know that those school buses get 6 miles per gallon! And there's about 1,000 school buses just for Gwinnett County!

A Visit From Friends

2011-07-04T19:40:00.001-04:00

Don and Linda Hardester came down to visit us and see our new home. This is a wonderful couple who Mom, Jeramy and I have been blessed to know. I was fortunate to play violin in their wedding nine years ago. Linda volunteered to coordinate our wedding and they gifted us with the wedding cake! We really enjoyed their fellowship last week and feel very privileged that they made a point to come see us. The girls loved for Linda to read to them and she and Don really enjoyed meeting Shiphrah for the first time. Visits like this make me wish we lived closer to home.

Daddy's Little Helpers

2011-07-01T19:25:00.002-04:00

Trade the Calories, Not the Taste

2011-06-28T12:16:00.001-04:00

Call me crazy but, I like celery.

I like the crunchy texture and I like that I can use it to substitute for bread or chips. I also like that it has very few calories and helps keep the intestinal tract moving. And it's very inexpensive.

It can be used in place of onion in recipes.

Use it instead of high-calorie tortilla chips when dipping salsa. It's packed with veggies. You can eat as much of this as you like and still not pack on the calories. Yum!

Use it instead of bread with the same sweet salty flavor to make the always fun Ants on a Log snack with peanut butter and raisins. It's high in protein, get a fruit serving and lots of flavor.

Make a sweet sweet snack with PB-free Ants on a Snowy Log using cream cheese and raisins. You'll get a serving of calcium-rich diary, protein, and a serving of fruit too. Who said you can't have your cake and eat it too?!

I like to use it to dip my chicken cheeseball with instead of high-calorie crackers. Use it to dip tuna fish too. Oh, the possibilities!

Does anyone else like celery?