Free paintball

http://thefreebieblogger.com/free-paintball-game-at-empire-paintball/

follow this link to another blog - click the links on that blog and you will be rerouted to the paintball site

Click the pic that says "Free Paintball"  enter your email and hit enter.  Then select "text" as your email format -they will email a coupon to play 1 session for free.

Video of the cutest puppies ever - You know you want one for Christmas!

Here is a video of all the puppies - some are already claimed, but we still have several left and we will keep them until Christmas if you want to give one as a gift =)  We will also provide 6 week shots for them on the week of December 19th

For Drason's friend Marshall at FM - here is a video of Mel and our youngest son Mason =)

My Favorite Blog

I LOVE The Freebie Blogger you can get to her site by clicking this link  http://thefreebieblogger.com/

Why do I LOVE Freebie Blogger - um, well, because every thing she blogs about is FREE! 

So of the best Freebies I have received in the past year are:

Free subscription to Car and Driver - which I gave to Drason for Christmas last year - every month he gets the latest issue - no catch.

Free CSPAN "American Presidents Timeline" poster - seriously has every president, and all major US events and World events from 1775 - 2008.  It has been a GREAT tool for teaching history!

Harley Davidson Motorcycle Poster - 3'x4' poster was a great gift for Macguines

A&E Monthly educational magazine AND "The Story of US" complete DVD set - WOW - these sold for $12.00 an episode - I got them FREE =)

Finally, weekly coupon deals - NO THINKING REQUIRED - it really does say "clip this coupon in this insert, take it to one of these stores and get your free stuff"  I have received HUNDREDS of dollars in FREE and very cheap Groceries this year thanks to this!

So THANK YOU Freebie blogger!  And to all of my friends in blog world - I would definitely check this one out!

Movie Event "THE CHILD"

YIPEE!

Spring Hills Baptist Church will be showing "The Child" on Sunday November 28th at 6pm.  Childcare will be provided for kids age birth- 5!
Come and join us for this event!  Watch the trailer (right) and let your friends know!


Spring Hills Baptist Church
1820 Newark Granville Rd
Granville, OH

A documentary exploring the rights of parents in America - what they are, what they mean, and what should happen if they disappear. We are convinced that those who see this film will be compelled to respond to the desperate need to protect children by preserving parental rights through an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  Please join us for an eye opening evening for every parent.

♥ PUPPIES ♥

Our Dog Midnight tricked us!! We did not think she would have her puppies so soon.  The good news is they are healthy and happy, and will be looking for new homes the week of Christmas!

Girl-  Sock or Sophie

Boy - Blue

Girl - I think we are keeping this little cutie - BlueBelle

Puppie Dog Pile

Girl - Arrow or Rogue

Girl - Midnight (the second) or Eclipse

Boy - Mel

Girl - Princess or Dot (she has a dot right on the crown of her head)

Mel is soooo sleepy

Girl- Maggie

They are soooooo cute.  Born on November 7th, please contact us if you would like one.  We will be providing 6 week shots and wormer. 

Man's (or Woman's ) Best Friend

We have some puppies coming – surprise! If you would like one they will be ready (12 weeks old) in February, maybe late January. If you are interested in a dog at all, please read – we will be providing 12-week shots for the puppies (given in our home) you should still take the puppy to the vet. After reading, if you are interested or know someone who might be – please post a comment.


Thanks,
Amanda

We are very careful about our dog, she is not fixed but we always keep her in the house when she is in heat – which is about 2x per year. She has had all of her shots; she is in good health and is 4 years old. She is a beautiful “Lab/Boston Dane” mix – she is not a big dog, about 35lbs – dainty like a Dane in her features, but much shorter, she is all black with a few white accents (nose, paws, star on chest) She is very loving and very smart. There is a pic in my scrolling pictures on the side of this blog, of Midnight with our oldest son, last year.
 We have never formally trained her – but did all obedience at home. She is house broken; crate trained, sits, stays, stays off furniture (with reminders), comes when called (most of the time), fetches, and does not bark or howl. She is very loyal to our family –but friendly with strangers. She never bites or growls at people but she does not like us to be around other dogs. She loves and mothers/herds the 3 cats and the children at times, not overly bossy, but protective. She likes to keep herself clean and is not a smelly dog, except when she has been in water. She thinks it is funny to dump over her water bucket by carefully stepping her paw on the upper lip of the bucket until it dumps over. (She did this once in the house and was scolded and never did it again – now she only does it outside)

Many of you have heard about how she acted when the house burned down. She was tethered in the back yard (PRAISE THE LORD!) and was quite distraught; our neighbors came and took her into their home. When she saw us she was a very happy girl! Our neighbors kept her, in their home, for 3 weeks while we looked for a rental. (If that isn’t a testimony to a good dog, I don’t know what is!)

She came out to the rental on moving day and was watching us move everything in – we were EXAUSTED! Who buys a whole house full of furniture in a week? It was overwhelming! We finally sat down upstairs and she started barking downstairs (She never barks) I looked at Drason and said “something is wrong!” He tells her to be quiet, and she is for about 5 minutes, until she starts barking again. So we go downstairs to investigate – we were so tired we had left the basement door wide open. She was patiently standing guard until we came to shut it. Another time the boys left the garage door open, and the door from the garage into the house open. She stood guard overnight, did not go to her bed and her food and water was untouched. She had stayed up all night making sure we were safe.

Her baby daddy is a Rough Collie. We do not know the owners, as he got loose and was visiting here one day last month. He was friendly with the boys, but was not very clean. We don’t know for sure his breeding, but he looked like “Lassie”. Lassie was a Rough Collie. Below is an excerpt taken from a dog personality website:

“As a whole, the Rough Collie is a hardy, healthy breed. There traits are some of the most desired in the world among dog owners - they’re beautiful, intelligent, sensitive and easy to train, loyal, friendly, and very loving. They consider every one their friend and love all members of the family. Due to their sincere desire to please their master, they are one of the easiest breeds to housebreak and obedience train, making them great candidates for obedience competitions, working sports, and agility. They are very clean dogs, and, if given regular brushing, do not smell.

Under proper conditions, this breed is the ideal family pet. Train a collie, treat him with respect, and love him, and you will have a wonderful dog on your hands.”

Here is some info about Dane and Lab personalities as well.

“The Labrador Retriever is affectionate, loyal, and good natured. An excellent family pet, the Labrador is great with children and easy to train. Friendly and intelligent, this breed should never be aggressive. However, as a devoted family member, the Labrador is not happy when left alone for long periods or if kept confined. He needs daily contact with his people.

This dog is extremely active and has a high energy level. He needs lots of exercise and is, of course, particularly fond of water. A Lab will retrieve sticks from the water all day long!” (Our dog loves water!)

Danes

“Grooming requirements are minimal.
Strong, elegant, and well-muscled, this is nevertheless an affectionate, loyal, and gentle breed. He prefers to live with people and is not really happy living in a kennel. The Great Dane is lively and alert, yet patient with children. However, due to his great size, he should always be supervised with children.
The Great Dane is highly intelligent and trainable. As he is a sensitive breed, harsh training methods are inappropriate.” (This explains so much!)

Trailer for "The Child"

You may notice a YouTube Video on the right - please click over and watch it.  It is a trailer for the upcoming documentary "The Child".  This explains why some parents see the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child as such a threat to the soverign right of a parent to raise their children.  

There are people who believe that they are righteous in their beliefs about child rearing, and that all children should be raised by their standard.  If we cooperate with them, we will have willing enslaved our children and all future generations to the indoctrination of whomever is in power.

It is up to parents to fight for the right to raise their own children, if you do not fight for their hearts and minds, your enemy will.

Sex -ed for your kindergartener or Jail - your choice!

In 2006, parent David Parker insisted he would not leave his son’s elementary school until someone spoke to him about opting his kindergarten son out of offensive sexual material. Parker was arrested for trespassing and spent the night in jail. Further, the school refused to excuse his son from the class. The case of Parker v. Hurley ensued.


The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts in that case held that “Parents do have a fundamental right to raise their children. They are not required to abandon that responsibility to the state. [They] may send their children to a private school…. They may also educate their children at home.” In other words, the court outlined three options for parents: send your child to private school, teach them at home, or “abandon [your] responsibility to the state.”

The court further held that allowing students to opt out of offensive materials “might also undermine the [school’s] efforts to educate the remaining other students to understand” the subject being taught.

In 2008, the Supreme Court refused to grant review to this case, leaving the District Court’s decision to stand as precedent nationwide. Parents who believe they have a right to opt a child out of offensive material in the public school, therefore, should think again; the courts have already decided otherwise. (Read more on this case here.)

The proposed Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution will restore the responsibility of all government institutions (including public schools) to treat parental rights as a fundamental right. As a result, these rights will have to be respected even inside the school, and not evaporate at the front door.

Take action now to restore this and other reasonable rights of parents by signing the petition to support the Parental Rights Amendment.

Then, please pass this message along. You can forward this message, post this message to your Facebook account, or visit the message online here and use the "share" button to add it to virtually any social media site.

You've been tagged

There is a blog I love to read called "Things and Stuff"  it is written by a missionary who is currently in South America and occasionally she will have contests, give aways, and general blogging fun things to do - today she had this.  You've been tagged - answer the questions below and then comment on her blog so that she knows who you are. 
Btw - this is our last week before school starts - so I guess I will play =)

Name a book you could read over and over and why.
I could read, and have read, the Wheel of Time books repeatedly - they are interesting, adventurous, heroic, and complete fantasy - my kind of book =)


What is your favorite part of the day?
My favorite time of day is late afternoon, the kids are done with school work and playing, my husband is on his way home, the sun is shining in our front window and the world is just peaceful and perfect.


What was your favorite subject in school?
My favorite subject in school was always History- I still enjoy teaching this to my own children.

What is a Bible verse that has meant a lot to you recently?
Hosea 6:6:

 I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

What advise would you give a new mom?
It's ok to ask for help!

What was the last album you purchased?
HAHAHA - album,  - I haven't bought anything lately - I would like the new Mercy Me Cd =)

What is one website that you like that others may not know about?
I LOVE theFreebieBlogger.com

Ok - Now it is your turn - can you answer all of these questions?  Or even a few?  If you want you can leave answers in the comments.

Not Just NewYork or California - this is happening in middle America!

In April, 2002, Minnesota parents concerned about curriculum content in a freshman class at Big Lake High School were invited to sit in on the class and see the content for themselves. That is, until principal Darrel Easterly found out. Suddenly, the morning of their scheduled visits, several moms learned that they had been banned from the school due to “privacy laws.” Mary Stultz, one of the moms, was stunned. “I was in total shock and spent the morning talking to a lawyer,” Stultz told writer Laura Adelmann at the time.  See Article Here

Another mom called Big Lake Superintendent Bob Lageson, who assured her it “should never happen again.” Yet, within weeks, the local school board was meeting to discuss adopting a policy requiring parents to make an appointment three days in advance of a visit, and granting to the principal wide discretion to prevent parents from entering the building even then.

After an unprecedented public outcry, the school board softened the three day requirement for parents of students to merely “as much advance notice as possible” – but they passed the new restriction. They even granted to the principal authority to detain unauthorized visitors until law enforcement arrives, citing criminal trespass laws.

Today, the current student handbook (pp.7-8) declares that “Big Lake High School does not allow students to bring guests or visitors to classes,” which includes parents. Even more importantly, the events that unfolded in Big Lake have played out numerous other times as well, throughout the country. And the courts have consistently upheld such decisions.

The proposed Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution can halt the erosion of parental rights nation-wide, and restore to parents the right to visit their child and see what is being taught. This will not allow individual parents to shape curriculum for an entire school, but it will allow any parent to remain informed of classroom content, and hopefully to opt their child out of material they find offensive.

Parental Rights isn't just a Homeschool issue - it is the heart of every Mom and Dad!

Please act to protect the right of concerned parents to monitor their child’s education. Sign the petition and get more information at ParentalRights.org.

"The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion." Edmond Burke - Patriot 1784

I sign up for lots of teacher freebies online - one is a publication called "The Idea Book".  It is put out by A&E, Lifetime, History Channel, and the Biography Channel.  A- Why are television, for profit centers, putting out magazines for free - but only to teachers?  Well, that answer is simple - to make money.   B- What do these people think is worth being taught?  I mean, I like A&E so - it is probably ok, Right?

The Fall 2010 issue - called "The History of Halloween" has some very interesting articles

Page 7 - The History Channel - appropriate for 6th graders and above  - offers:
 a spelling list - (deities, divination, Druid, effigy, pagan, pantheon, secular)
The history of the Celts and a "Druid" religion  - Samhain
How the bad Christians spread God's word through Europe all but ending this pagan celebration
How some people still celebrate Samhain (true, they call themselves wiccans, amoung other things)

Page 17 - History International - appropriate for 8th graders and above - offers:
Clash of the "Gods"
Every mythical god, Greek, Roman or other legend is mentioned. 
I was suprised last spring talking to my sister - just graduated from public school - about how much she knew about all of these myths - seems it is taught in high school these days.
Nothing about GOD. 

History in Spanish -The Occult City
Um - the article is in Spanish - I think you can get the picture from the title.

Combine this with my previous post about sexuality and I think you begin to get the picture - but wait, there's more....


The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found in Fields v. Palmdale School District “that the Meyer-Pierce right [of parents to direct the upbringing of their children] does not exist beyond the threshold of the school door.”

You read that right. Parental Rights “[do] not exist beyond the threshold of the school door.”

“We conclude that the parents are possessed of no constitutional right to prevent the public schools from providing information on the subject [of sexuality] to their students in any forum or manner they select”

Of course, most parents contend they don’t have a choice in where their children are schooled. Either economic constraints or personal circumstances leave them with no practical alternative to the local public school. And that leaves no parental rights at all.

I hear parents all the time say, my school is not like that, they are good and wholesome and apple pie and smiles.  All I have to say to that is "Sure they are, but how do you know?"  Quite frankly, they don't even have to tell you what they teach, and if they are nice now - how great for you.  What if they decide to be not nice?  How much warning do you think they will give you?  Do you think they will send home a flyer that says "We plan on teaching your kids something, but we aren't going to tell you about it"?!?!?

I understand that homeschooling doesn't work for everyone, but how long will you be silent about these things? How long can we expect any dignity from our government if you won't stand up for your rights to parent your children?  Parental Rights isn't a homeschool issue - it is an issue for every Mom and Dad out there.
 
Sign the petition here  Learn more at http://www.parentalrights.org/

Shocking U.N. Efforts to Undermine Youth Morals

During the last week, a well-respected leader in the pro-family movement, Terrence McKeegan, Vice President and Senior Counsel for C-FAM, shared with me his research about the UN’s latest efforts to attack the moral foundation of families and children. In the last week a major youth conference was held in Mexico which was aimed at creating a new declaration for youth to be enacted by the UN General Assembly in connection with the “International Year for Youth.”
One of the things called for in the proposed resolution is full access for all youth to “universal access to reproductive health.” These words are loaded with hidden meanings. However, McKeegan has unmasked these hidden meanings by gathering copies of UN brochures that it distributed at its youth conference in March, 2010. Actual sections from these brochures are at the bottom of the page **WARNING** THESE ARE EXPLICIT. The content of this material is shocking. It is not pornographic, but the behavior that it is encouraging is lewdness and immorality personified. I would strongly suggest that only parents look at this material. Here are just a few examples:

· Young people living with HIV have the right to sexual pleasure
· Some people have sex when they have been drinking alcohol or using drugs. This is your choice.
· There is no right or wrong way to have sex. Just have fun, explore and be yourself.
· Sexual and reproductive rights are recognized around the world as human rights.

Now you know the kinds of ideas that are offered when the UN calls for “safe sex education and awareness-raising activities among adolescents” (UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, 2006, Concluding Observations, Lebanon).

There is already a political movement in the United States to offer these egregious forms of sex education without parental knowledge or review. But, if the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is adopted in the US, then the debate is over—we would be required to implement the kind of adolescent “health” education dictated by the UN.

We must preserve our families. We must preserve common sense and morality. We must preserve American self-government.

If you have already joined our efforts to stop the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child thanks so much. Would you continue to share this information with your friends as we build toward the next session of Congress? If you have not joined with us, Click here and do so today.

Thanks so much.
Michael Farris, J.D. Share This Email
President
Parentalrights.org

Parentalrights.org - Protecting Children by Empowering Parents --

Parentalrights.org - Protecting Children by Empowering Parents --

Government intrusion has gotten bolder in recent years. You may recall that a father in Tennessee last year took his 13-year-old son to the doctor, and granted permission for the doctor to test his son for drug use. Yet, when the tests came back, the doctor refused to give the father the results, insisting he must have the son's permission to disclose that information. He cited federal HIPPA regulations as his reason for ignoring the parent's rights.


And the intrusion is likely to get worse. Several articles and a brand new book written by 20 American law professors urge the banning of all private and home schools in the U.S. in order to protect children from religious indoctrination by their parents. "Perhaps the more appropriate suggestion for our current educational dilemma is that public education should be mandatory and universal...." (Martha Albertson Fineman, What Is Right for Children?, page 237) “If the core principle in a parent's belief system is that there is only one immutable truth...many educational topics will be off limits. Such 'private truths' have no place in the public arena, including the public schools.” (Catherine J. Ross, “Fundamentalist Challenges to Core Democratic Values: Exit and Homeschooling”, page 8)

But we are not without hope. In fact, we are encouraged that we can halt this invasion of our families.

Over the last two years, we have gained 140 cosponsors of the Parental Rights Amendment in the U.S. House of Representatives, and 7 in the U.S. Senate, plus 31 senators opposing the UN's Convention on the Rights of the Child through S.R. 519. We have made this tremendous progress with a relatively small list of petition signers for two reasons: first, we have some amazing allied organizations partnering with us to get this done. Second, you didn't just sign a petition and leave it alone. You signed up to call or write your lawmakers, and you have remained faithful to take action when my staff and I have asked it of you.

Together, we have done an amazing amount for such a small organization, but there is still a lot we need to do. We will have to ramp up our efforts if we are to succeed.

Please click the link above for the full story - and consider making a donation to this worthy cause.  In my estimation, this organization is advancing the cause of Christ, by continuing to legally fight against religious persecution - right here in the USA.

Thanks,
Amanda

OHIO CCW CLASSES - GREAT FALL DEALS

OHIO CCW CLASSES - GREAT FALL DEALS

August - coming up FAST

Get Ready For August


My great-grandparents hailed from Maine, where they said there are two seasons – winter and August. (I’ve since been told about Mud Season, too.) The fact is, August is a special time of year for Parental Rights and the U.S. Congress, as well.

First, August is the time when parties prepare for general elections by deciding through primary elections which candidate they will back in November. They are looking for a winner – and so are we. We have put together a Parental Rights pledge which we are sending out to candidates to gauge their support for your parental rights. As we receive responses for a given race, we will begin to post these on the appropriate page of our States Watch section, ParentalRights.org/States. As an example, the congressional race for Kansas’ 3rd district will be posted today. If you can help us get pledges to the candidates in your area, please contact the Regional Coordinator listed on your state’s page (available by clicking on your state here).
Second, August is a quiet month in Washington – because your senators and congressman will be coming home to work in your state for the month. That makes it the ideal opportunity for you to meet with them face-to-face and encourage their support for what matters to you. This year, we would encourage congressmen to support HJ Res 42, the Parental Rights Amendment in the House. We ask you to encourage senators to support SJ Res. 16, the Parental Rights Amendment in the Senate, and to quickly cosponsor SR 519, a resolution that opposes U.S. ratification of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). (Talking points here and here.)

Third, August 2 will be the launch date for ads in our Declaration Campaign. We want to take out a newspaper ad in the state of any senator who will not cosponsor SR 519 to halt ratification of the CRC. This will require generous funding from our supporters, as ads can be expensive. Our hope, though, is to drive those who are undecided to make up their minds to defend US sovereignty and American parental rights.

Action Items

1. Contact you regional coordinator to get involved in sharing the PRA Pledge with candidates in your state. Visit ParentalRights.Org/States and click on your state to find that coordinator’s email address.

2. Contact your congressman’s and senators’ local offices for an appointment to speak with them during their August in-state period. Then, gather friends and family to support you, gather your facts, and urge your lawmakers to support parental rights legislation. You may want to contact your regional coordinator for support on this as well – and please let us know if you get an appointment.

3. Give generously to bring an SR 519 ad to your state on August 2.

August is almost here – let’s start now to make the most of it!

The left is beginning to push to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

 

The CRC leadership had a meeting with the White House.

 

They claim to have 60 willing votes and 13 undecided Senators.

 

A recent New York Times front page article inaccurately claimed that the US has not banned child soldiers, with the tag line: “we could accomplish this by ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.”

 

In the meantime, our effort to gain 34 votes against the treaty is making progress, but we have a long way to go.

 

Thanks to your calls, we currently have 22 co-sponsors of SR 519 which urges the rejection of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

 

Our friends in the Senate tell us that they believe that a greater number of Senators would get on board if there were a deadline accompanied by public pressure.

 

We have created such a deadline. In early August, we intend to run ads in local papers in the states of every Senator who is not a co-sponsor of SR 519. These ads will:

 

• Alert the public to the meaning of the CRC and the dangers it poses to our families and our nation;
• Let the public know that their Senator is “undecided” on the CRC;
• Ask the public to call their Senators to oppose the CRC.

These are large display ads and can cost between $2000 and $6000 depending on the circulation of the paper.

 If you are willing to help us fund one or more ads in your state, will you please help us with the most generous donation possible right now so that we can order these ads in time?


If you live in a state where both Senators are already co-sponsors of SR 519, would you still help us place ads in other states by making a general donation to this effort?


    

 

 

We want to run these ads in as many newspapers as we can, depending on the funding we receive from this appeal.

 

 

 

Micah 6:3-9

v3 - Oh my people, What have I done?  What have I done to make you tired of Me?

I almost skipped doing a quiet time today, why?  I thought "(insert idol here) is more important, I'll get to my quiet time in a minute" Some days that minute turns into an hours, and hours turn into a day - until at the end of the day when I lay down to sleep and I am finally quiet, I realize that I did not spend time with God.   Other days I do a quiet time out of obligation - and I don't even realize that I did not spend time with God, until much later.
I pray "Lord forgive me for resenting the requests that you place on my time" only to correct it and pray "Lord forgive my foolish, resentful, prideful heart - I never should have thought of it as 'my' time in the first place"

"4 For I brought you out of Egypt

and redeemed you from slavery.
I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you.

5 Don’t you remember, my people,
how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed
and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead?
And remember your journey from Acacia Grove[a] to Gilgal,
when I, the Lord, did everything I could
to teach you about my faithfulness.”

6 What can we bring to the Lord?
What kind of offerings should we give him?
Should we bow before God
with offerings of yearling calves?

7 Should we offer him thousands of rams
and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Should we sacrifice our firstborn children
to pay for our sins?

8 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.

WHY NOT???

Thanks to the fine people at ParentalRights.org, here is the list of GOP Senators who have not signed on to Sen. DeMint’s resolution stating that it is the sense of the Senate for President Obama NOT to even submit the UN Treaty on the Rights of the Child.


AL Sen. Richard Shelby (334) 223-7303

AK Sen. Lisa Murkowski (907)-271-3735

FL Sen. George LeMieux (904)-398-8586

ID Sen. Mike Crapo (208)-334-1776

IN Sen. Richard Lugar (317) 226-5555

KS Sen. Sam Brownback (316) 264-8066

KS Sen. Pat Roberts (785) 295-2745

KY Sen. Mitch McConnell (502)-582-6304

LA Sen. David Vitter (225)-383-0331

ME Sen. Susan Collins (207) 622-8414

ME Sen. Olympia Snowe (207) 622-8292

MA Sen. Scott Brown (617) 565-3170

MS Sen. Thad Cochran (601)-965-4459

MO Sen. Chris Bond (573) 634-2488

NE Sen. Mike Johanns (402) 476-1400

NH Sen. Judd Gregg (603) 225-7115

OH Sen. George Voinovich (216) 522-7095

TN Sen. Lamar Alexander (615) 736-5129

TN Sen. Bob Corker (615)-279-8125

TX Sen. John Cornyn (713)-572-3337

UT Sen. Robert Bennett (801) 524-5933

UT Sen. Orrin Hatch (801) 524-4380

WY Sen. John Barrasso (307)-772-2451

WY Sen. Michael Enzi (307) 772-2477

What I want to know is: Why not? Many of those men and women are strong conservatives. So I place this as a public service and exhort readers in those states to call their offices. We do not need UN bureaucrats telling us what to do and we do not need kids suing their parents for making them go to church or because they searched their room. Our law is fine as it is. Call your senator today.

Here’s the text of the resolution. Here is the website for Parental Rights (founded by Michael Farris).

ELCC

I am so excited about tonight!

I know, I know - it is just a teacher's meeting - but still.....

God has just blessed us and blessed us through this group and I am really looking forward to this again next year.

Smiles,
Amanda

Parental Rights Push - PASS THE WORD

The last week or two have held some surprises and a lot of action in the struggle between international law and traditional American rights, including parental rights and even self-government. Because of your support beforehand and your cooperation since, we were able to act quickly to launch SR 519 and get 9 cosponsors on board in the first week. We cannot stop until we reach 34, so I urge you to call again this week, but I also salute you for your success thus far. We are also thrilled to report our second Democrat cosponsor of HJR 42, the Parental Rights Amendment - Rep. Brad Ellsworth of Indiana!


Some have asked if there is any use in calling if you (and we) know your senator will never sign on. The answer is, “Yes.” I know it is frustrating. But they are receiving a few calls from those special interest groups who support the CRC, so it is important that they hear from you as well. Your calls may cool their support of the treaty and cause them to question the wisdom of charging full-speed ahead in support of it. That may prove just what we need - to slow them down long enough to reach 34 cosponsors of SR 519 and halt the treaty.

Some of you have also been calling media hosts, trying to draw their attention to this vital conflict. If you haven’t yet, you can find a few suggested targets to call here.

But there is one more place to push the advantage that last week’s developments provides. All over America, people are fed up with the idea that international law will tell us how to run our country. Those who hear about the import of the Graham case get angry about it. This includes people near you, wherever you are. The Graham case, as terrible as it is for our constitutional republic, can be a powerful tool in convincing your friends and neighbors that we need to halt international law and support the Parental Rights Amendment. The claim that the PRA is “a solution in search of a problem” has never rung more hollow than it does right now. So tell people about it, then ask them to visit ParentalRights.org and sign the petition to stop the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Campaign 519 Update

Our quest for 519 donors to give $5.19 or more to halt the CRC is moving forward, thanks to you. But we still need more help. To date, we have had 215 donors. Can you make a small donation to push us to our goal? If you can afford to give a little more, special offers apply, including a Membership Kit for donors of $35 or more, and (this month only) a copy of Grover Norquist’s latest book along with an advanced Membership Kit for donors of $100 or more.

Support the Constitution Through Art

The deadline to enter Constituting America’s 9*17 arts contest is July 4. To find out more about this student competition, click here.

Join the Network

Click here to sign up for this weekly news-letter or action alerts if this email was for-warded to you.

Final Sermon in the Series

So - here is the fianl sermon in the series I blogged about a couple of weeks ago - enjoy = )

http://www.springhillschurch.org/resources/sermons/have-you-forgiven----completely/

BEST SERMON SERIES EVER

Ok, so that is a big claim - but I think that if you listen to the whole series you will agree. 

In the past 2 years I have personally dealt with more problems than I ever thought possible. 

The house fire was just the beginning catalyst of some AMAZING things that God had and still has planned.  God didn't just allow our house to burn down - He burned down every area of our lives to rejuvenate and re-cultivate our hearts.  Sometimes the farmer burns off a field to get rid of the weeds and enrich the soil - I really believe that is what God has done in our lives.

I have shared this journey with some of my closest friends - they know by the changes they have seen in us - just how God has worked in our lives.  I do not have the words to express the things that we have learned, or the space on this blog to write about every circumstance, every deliverance, and every blessing.  BUT - the roots of what I can not articulate are in this sermon series.  I am posting links below.  I pray that you will listen with an open and receptive heart and mind and allow the Holy Spirit to have His way with you.

God bless the willing.
Amanda

http://www.northpoint.org/messages/free

Restoration

I have been doing an online Bible Study  this past month and I am really enjoying it.  It has not replaced my quiet time, but it has been helping me to focus more on some specifics in my own life and walk with Christ. 
Here is an excerpt from today. 

"All New Testament churches had one thing in common: they had problems! In 1 Corinthians 1-4, Paul deals with divisions in the church. Now he focuses on serious moral problems in Corinth. Sexual immorality and drunkenness (chapter 5) during communion are not something we hope to find in church. But growing churches are not usually filled with mature Christians—they're a collection of sinners being saved.


Paul warns against deception because we're so easily deceived about this. After all, salvation is by grace, not by works, and Jesus came to save sinners. What does it matter if sinners keep on sinning? But such thinking overlooks the fact that a new life in Christ results in a new lifestyle (verse 11). Genuine salvation results in actually being saved from ongoing, habitual sin.

The sins listed referred to continuous lifestyles and practices, not to one-time mistakes. Paul's list is similar to the list of "works of the flesh" in Galatians 5:19-21 (and see also Ephesians 5:5). Both passages imply a persistence in fleshly living.

Today's teaching is that Christians are no longer who they used to be. Consider how the following passages confirm this truth:

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. — Galatians 2:20

How does this passage confirm the truth that Christians are no longer who they used to be?
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. — Colossians 3:3-4
How does this passage confirm the truth that Christians are no longer who they used to be?

Amanda, let's look at the practical application of this teaching. We behave according to our nature. If we're sinners who are trying to be good, we will inevitably fall. But if we are saints who occasionally stumble and sin, then our nature is such that we hate sin, and our habitual pattern of life will be to walk in righteousness. Do you see the distinction?

Here are a few writings to help illustrate and solidify this truth. Please provide your comments about each:

The previous character of those who seem to have been converted was various. I could name many who have been turned from the paths of open sin and profligacy, and have found pardon and purity in the blood of the Lamb, and by the Spirit of our God; so that we can say to them, as Paul said to the Corinthians, "Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified." I often think, when conversing with some of these, that the change they have undergone might be enough to convince an atheist that there is a God, or an infidel that there is a Savior. — memoirs of McCheyne

What are your thoughts about this quote?

He puts them in mind what a change the gospel and grace of God had made in them: Such were some of you (verse 11), such notorious sinners as he had been reckoning up. The Greek word is tauta—such things were some of you, very monsters rather than men. Note, some that are eminently good after their conversion have been as remarkably wicked before. How glorious a change does grace make! It changes the vilest of men into saints and children of God. Such were some of you, but you are not what you were. You are washed, you are sanctified; you are justified in the name of Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Note, the wickedness of men before conversion is no bar to their regeneration and reconciliation to God. The blood of Christ, and the washing of regeneration, can purge away all guilt and defilement. Note, none are cleansed from the guilt of sin, and reconciled to God through Christ, but those who are also sanctified by His Spirit. All who are made righteous in the sight of God are made holy by the grace of God.

— Matthew Henry commentary

What are your thoughts about this quote?

Here are some scripture passages to consider

For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." And they praised God because of me. — Galatians 1:13-24

I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 6:19-23"

What is restoration of the believer - well, in Sunday School 101 we learned that this means Christ regenerates Christians into new Creations - yep - that is part of it.

But what about a Christian who sins - what about a really big, ugly sin like adultery, homosexuality, abuse, lust, idolatry - does this passage also apply to these people?  or are they forever the fallen, the exiled, the "sinners" among us?  Can a Christian commit these sins?  As a new creation is it possible that they could fall into this?
In a word - Yes, even a Christian can be deluded, misled and fooled by the devil and fall into some pretty bad sin.  What is the difference?  They won't be happy in it, it will tear them up inside - they will either learn to break free of this sin or they will live miserably - and that is where other Christians come into the picture. 

Just as Christ restores us - and we ALL have our share of sins - We are to help to restore other believers, believers can have sin in their lives - in fact a believer who says they don't is a liar and suffering from the sin of pride ( so be sure to help them out by knocking them down a few pegs  - he he he he - just kidding.)
My job, my mission in Christ's kingdom is to win souls to Christ - but then to work together with other believers to help them (and help me) to be restored. 

I have rarely heard this taught in churches - more often I have been confronted with perfect facade believers - you never know anything is wrong until their kid runs away from home, they file for divorce, they drink/drug/gamble/lust/eat away everything good in their lives,  - and then their lives are scarred - forever?  They might think so because their false way of life is accepted and even condoned in many churches.
But no- not forever - because the same God who purchased them, refuses to let them go - and refuses to let them stay in misery - they are changed - many times it is the very tragedy they think will never pass that leads to a deeper understanding and relationship with Christ - and in the end "your joy will overflow."  Does God remove the consequences of sin?  No - but he removes the sting and stigma of rejection, and he molds even the worst of us into a beautiful new creature.

Watch this video

Do the Homeschool Hustle

Do you do the "Homeschool Hustle"? 

You know - that end of the official school year, we've got to figure out curriculum, "we homeschool year round", go to homeschool fairs, meetings and practicums, test, portfolio review, submit paper work - review paper work and then submit it, round up the kids for 4-H - baseball - recitals - end of year projects and make one final push towards the "finish line."

Well let me invite you to stop it. - That's right - I said it!  Get off the crazy train and come on over here for a minute, you can always go back to pulling you hair out if you like.

Do you remember those old tv's?  The ones that were had a tube and a tuner?  Sometimes, usually gradually over several days, they would become staticy.  You wouldn't notice it at first - just a little fuzz once in a while, usually blamed on the weather.  But over the course of several days the picture would just get worse and worse - until it looked like a snowstorm and all you could hear was that annoying white out buzz.  
How did you fix it? Re-adjust your focus.  Tune it back into the signal. 

How do we cure, or prevent, this same white out buzz in our own lives?  Tune back in to the signal. 
Here are some verses for your tuning pleasure

Philippians 4:6-7


Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 
2 Peter 1:3

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

 

Matthew 11:28-30

"Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light."
 
John 14:27


"I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid."
 
Maybe it is just me, but when I get stressed out - it is usually because I have stopped relying on the Lord to work things out - and have started trying to work them out for myself.  - So my favorite homeschool verses of all.
 
Deuteronomy 11:18-2118 “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 19 Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 20 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors.
 
Happy Homeschooling,
Amanda
 
 

 

 

AWESOME AUCTION - Don't Miss out!

I know many of you are either in favor of the parental rights amendment, or would enjoy the items that are being auctions - there are several gift certificates and quality books and items for sale.


"Dear Champion of Parental Rights,
While many of you will not be able to attend our dinner tomorrow night, you can still take part in our fundraising efforts - and maybe find a bargain for yourself in the process!

Donors have made all kinds of items available for our Silent Auction, with proceeds going to support our efforts to secure the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. These items will be available at http://www.32auctions.com/ and open for bid from 6:00 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, April 20) through 10 p.m. Sunday, April 25. The online auction i.d. is ParentalRights and the password is amendment.

In addition, a few items are being reserved for our dinner guests tomorrow night - but any of these that are not sold will be added to the online site on Wednesday, so be sure to check back for these additional items. Auction winners will be notified Monday, April 26.

A pdf catalog of the auction items - including those not yet available online - is available from our website http://www.parentalrights.org/

Or, you can find the current items listed on the auction site when you're ready to place your bids.

Remember, all proceeds move us closer to securing the Parental Rights Amendment, and all of these items are available with opening bids at a small fraction of their market value. Books, art items, photography and other services, lodging - a wide variety of items and services are available.

Happy bidding, and thank you for supporting the Parental Rights Amendment!

Take your Parents to Court

On April 1, the Islamic nation of Maldives proudly announced a breakthrough in long-stalled negotiations to create an international tribunal to receive complaints from individual children. For twenty years, internationalist efforts to create a new world tribunal for children to challenge the actions of their own governments have been thwarted by political division. But, after a month of negotiations led by Maldives a unanimous agreement was reached on the components for a new optional protocol to be added to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.


Maldives is a curious choice to lead negotiations on a human rights treaty. When Maldives signed and ratified the CRC in 1990-91, it boldly rejected any semblance of religious freedom—a central “right” in the CRC. The Maldivian reservation proclaims: “The Government of the Republic of Maldives expresses its reservation to paragraph 1 of article 14 of the said Convention on the Rights of the Child, since the Constitution and the Laws of the Republic of Maldives stipulate that all Maldivians should be Muslims.”

What will this new protocol accomplish? According to Miadhu, a Maldivian news agency, the “protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), will create a procedure whereby children who are being abused or their representatives (such as national child protection NGOS, lawyers, and doctors) could seek assistance from international human rights protection mechanisms when domestic institutions are failing to offer protection.” [Read the rest of the article.]

Action Item

This week, we urge you to get two postcards, address one to each of your senators, and send them a brief message along these lines:

Senator {Smith},

I oppose the UN's Convention on the Rights of the Child because it will intrude on the sovereignty of my nation, my state, and my family. The proposed 3rd Optional Protocol now being written will only make matters worse. Please oppose this convention, and support the constitutional amendment (SJ Res.16) that will permanently end this threat.

Respectfully yours,
{signature, address, zip code}

To find your senators' contact information, visit parentalrights.org/States, click on your state, then click on your senators' names to visit their web pages. It will take these cards a few weeks to reach the Senate, but we are hopeful their arrival will coincide with the next stage in our efforts to defeat the CRC. (More details to come!)

Easter

Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

David asks for a lot of stuff here:
teach me
cleanse me
wash me
let me hear joy and gladness
hide your face from my sins, blot out my iniquity
create a new heart in me
renew a steadfast spirit in me
restore to me the joy of salvation
grant me a willing spirit
save me from bloodguilt
open my lips

David know his only hope is God's complete mercy and transformation.  David also knows that the only way this will happen is with a broken heartedness towards sin.

"True repentance has a distinct and constant reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. If you repent of sin without looking to Christ, away with your repentance. If you are so lamenting your sin as to forget the Savior, you have a need to begin all this work over again. Whenever we repent of sin, we must have one eye upon sin and another upon the cross; or, better still, let us have both eyes upon Christ, seeing our sin punished in him, and by no means let us look at sin except as we look at Jesus. A man may hate sin just as a murder hates the gallows but this does not prove repentance. If I hate sin because of the punishment, I have not repented of sin; I merely regret that God is just.
But if I can see sin as an offense against Jesus Christ, and loathe myself because I have wounded him, then I have a true brokenness of heart. If I see the Savior and believe that those thorns upon his head were put there by my sinful words; if I believe that those wounds in his heart were made by my heart-sins; if I believe that those wounds in his feet were made by my wandering steps, and that the wounds in his hands were made by my sinful deeds, then I repent after a right fashion. Only under the cross can you repent. Repentance elsewhere is remorse, which clings to the sin and only dreads the punishment. Let us then seek, under God, to have a hatred of sin caused by a sight of Christ's love.
When I sat on this platform on Monday night, and marked your sobs, in tears, and heard the suppressed sighs and groans of the great multitude then assembled, I could not but say. Behold! And yet it ought not to be a wonder, it ought not to be a strange thing for God’s people to be in earnest, or for sinners to feel brokenness of heart.
Psalm 51 is the photograph of a contrite spirit. Oh, let us seek after the like brokenness of heart, for however excellent our words may be, yet if the heart is not conscious of the blackness and hell-deservingness of sin, we cannot expect to find mercy with the Judge of all the earth. If the Lord will break your heart, consent to have it broken; asking that he may sanctify that brokenness of spirit to bring you in earnest to a savior, that you may yet be numbered with the righteous ones."
Charles Spurgeon

I never looked at a broken heart as a blessing - but I think that it must be, because if God will speak to me in this way it is only because He loves me and wants to restore me.

For this is what the high and lofty One says he who lives forever, whose name is holy: I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. — Isaiah 57:15

Happy Easter,
Amanda

Come near

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. — James 4:8-10


God has always pursued me. I have never begun by pursuing Him. We love Him, because He first loved us. Repentance is much the same, I do not see, or chose not to see, my sin, until He reveals it to me. When He does, I am once again humbled and overawed at His immense mercy and grace and love towards me. I seek - He shows, I put forth the effort - He does all the work. It has always been this way, it will always be this way. My very best efforts on my own have been wasted years, it is only when I came to God and surrendered, that I have ever succeeded.

Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. — Isaiah 55:6-7

Praise God!  I can't wait for tomorrow =]
Amanda

Life without Credit

I recently read that life without credit is much more expensive than life with credit - I beg to differ.   The article sited several reasons why having "good credit" is ultimately so important. 

I'd like to start with what the creditors don't want you to know.

About 11% of people pay cash for cars - all kind of cars - it speads pretty evenly from clunkers to sweet rides.  Drason and I paid cash for BOTH of our cars - we will never do it any other way.  We have financed cars in the past - I regretted most of those deals - I never regretted paying cash.

About 40% of people buying second homes pay cash - I have often heard the argument that investing can earn more with that money than the mortgage payment - but if people who have the money to buy a second home are largely paying cash - I think that is a pretty clear testament to the truth.

According to the Fair Issac Corp about 1 in 5 adult Americans do not have or do not use credit.  
As one of the 1 in 5 - I can safely say we get along just fine.

Now the Bible is pretty clear on credit - to read more click here http://www.gotquestions.org/money-debt.html

What most Christians say is - the Bible does discourage debt, but does not explicitly forbid it.
To look at that question I think you have to look at what your debt involves- for example

I go to the dealership to look at a car 
I can not afford to pay cash for the car, so I have three choices -
A - get a loan and make monthly payments
B - Save up my money until I can get the car
C - buy a cheaper car that I can afford right now

Lets look at option A - this would require going to a bank, credit union or dealer and signing a contract to pay them X amount of dollars for X amount of time.
ALL CREDIT WORKS LIKE THIS - YOU HAVE TO SIGN ON THE LINE

So what does the Bible say about signing these contracts?  Well the Bible does not say "contract"   in fact signing contracts is something fairly recent (last 500 years or so)  but it does talk about covenants.  The Hebrew term for covenant is berit, meaning “to bond or fetter.” It is translated into the Greek as syntheke, “binding together”  (ever heard of legally binding) or diatheke, “will, testament.” In the Bible, then, a covenant is based upon mutual commitments. It typically involves promises, obligations, and rituals.

The Bible talks pretty plainly about making hasty oaths/vows/covenants.


http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Judges%2011.29-40 the story of Jephthah

Perhaps this is why Jesus gave a new commandment concerning vows.
"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No ,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one" (Matthew 5:33-37)."

and in James

James 5:12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your "Yes," be "Yes," and your "No," "No," lest you fall into judgment.

James 4:14 says we do not even know what will happen tomorrow

Jesus is being pretty clear - so I guess I am interpretting this to say that if you have to sign on the dotted line - it is probably a big no no.

Now that encompasses many more things than just credit. 
For example - my cell phone - for which I signed a 1 year contract
my driver's liscence - I have to sign that I would obey all traffic laws and carry insurace
my insurance - contracted to pay every 6 months
my direct tv - 2 year agreement

Food for thought - I am totally off subject - Is it cheaper to live with or without credit?

A $10,000.00 car loan at 6%  interest for 5 years costs the original 10k plus about $1600.00 plus origination fees, and any late fees, over the life of the loan
A $200,000.00 home loan at 6% interest for 30 years costs the original 200k plus $231,640.00 plus fees over the life of the loan
Most families carry between 2000.00 and 8000.00 in credit card debt - for most families this would take about 2 years to pay off - making minimum payments, and would cost about 30% more than the current balance.
Lets say you buy in store deals - 1 year same as cash.  If you pay it off in the 1 year - good for you, but 80% of people do not pay anything in this time.  After the time is up they are assessed intrest rates from 15-30%.

I guess the point is that if I really need something I need to save up to get it - not go into debt.

How long did it take to save for a car?  About a year

Goodnight,
Amanda

Awesome Song

Heard this song the other day - it is by Brandon Heath - I really like it - you can listen to it on his myspace page
He will be at Spirit Song this summer on July 10th at Kings Island ☺ (Hint Hint Drason ♥ )

http://www.myspace.com/brandonheath


Love is not proud

Love does not boast

Love after all

Matters the most



Love does not run

Love does not hide

Love does not keep

Locked inside



Love is the river that flows through

Love never fails you



Love will sustain

Love will provide

Love will not cease

At the end of time



Love will protect

Love always hopes

Love still believes

When you don’t



Love is the arms that are holding you

Love never fails you



When my heart won’t make a sound

When I can’t turn back around

When the sky is falling down

Nothing is greater than this

Greater than this



Love is right here

Love is alive

Love is the way

The truth the life



Love is the river than flows through

Love is the arms that are holding you

Love is the place you will fly to

Love never fails you

Are all Churches cults?

One of my friends told me she believes all churches are like cults. In a way I agree that some churches are like cults. Church leaders who are dishonest with their congregations, who focus on creating a political hierarchy in a church, and who claim their version of the Bible is the truth, not what the Bible actually says - these are like cults.


But as I told her - there are cultish groups everywhere - heck the PTA at most middle schools meet half of the "cult criteria" - however I must agree there are some things that a church should not do.

“Characteristics Associated with Cultic Groups
Janja Lalich, Ph.D. & Michael D. Langone, Ph.D.

Concerted efforts at influence and control lie at the core of cultic groups, programs, and relationships. Many members, former members, and supporters of cults are not fully aware of the extent to which members may have been manipulated, exploited, even abused. The following list of social-structural, social-psychological, and interpersonal behavioral patterns commonly found in cultic environments may be helpful in assessing a particular group or relationship.

Compare these patterns to the situation you were in (or in which you, a family member, or friend is currently involved). This list may help you determine if there is cause for concern. Bear in mind that this list is not meant to be a “cult scale” or a definitive checklist to determine if a specific group is a cult. This is not so much a diagnostic instrument as it is an analytical tool.”

‪ Cult - The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.

Church - Churches should not place hope for the future in a person, place or thing. Our hope is in Jesus Christ alone. (read 1 Peter 1)

Cult -‪ Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.

Church - Churches should not ridicule people for asking questions - "why are we doing this in this way? where is that found in scripture? How is this illustrated?" All are valid questions and all are good for growth, both of the asker and the askee. Jesus even encouraged questions. (read Mark 8)

Cult - The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel.

Church - Churches are not set up to tell people how to "think, act and feel" Churches have 2 purposes - A- evangelize B- Preach the Bible to the Believer. The teaching is up to the work of the Holy Spirit, not the pastor or even the lay leaders. Preach the word, explain the word - let God handle the rest. Most church people I know would disagree with this statement - however, by correcting how people think, act and feel - you treat the symptoms of the problem - the problem still remains that they are lost and dying and going to spend an eternity in Hell - even if they can make themselves "act" good when others can see. The bottom line – anyone can be pressured to conform to a group – God changes people. (read Matthew 7)

Cult‪ -The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members.

Church - Churches should not be elitists - Church members should have the attitude that they are no better than the worst sinner in the world, and no worse than Christ himself. (Read Ephesians 2)

Cult‪ -The leader is not accountable to any authorities, or removes themselves from accountability.

Church -Leaders should be held accountable to God's standards as outlined in the Bible. These standards are both moral and ethical, and widely accepted outside of the Church. (Titus 1)

Cult‪ -The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members' participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).

Church - Jesus never taught that the ends justify the means – ever – (read Luke)

Cult‪ -The leadership induces feelings of shame in order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.

Church - Shame, not repentance, is a tool of the enemy (read Revelation 12) Shaming should not be used to illicit a conversion or response. The Holy Spirit is our guide, and our intercessor. Repentance from sin is the personal resolution to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in bringing about positive personal change.

Cult‪ -The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.

Church - Membership means little, I once went to a church where the pastor said they had 4000 people on the rolls - only about 400 actually attended any Sunday - and only 200 regularly. The point -concern for attendance and membership is a sign that the hearts of the leaders are filled with pride and greed. A church leader's focus should be on winning souls to Christ and people experiencing a life changing conversion- that is the real measure of a Church.
Cult‪ -The group is preoccupied with getting money.

Church –Be wary of a church that always has another iron in the fire, another campaign for funds, another unpaid expense, or debt - this is a sure sign something is WAY WRONG! - Good Churches manage their money well, and don't constantly beg for bigger and bigger emergency or special donations, especially for donations relating to covering known expenses like keeping the electric paid, or covering salaries. Good churches also keep member’s giving a secret - meaning the leader doesn't announce that he is giving a certain amount of money, or that certain other members are giving certain amounts. (read Matthew 6)

Cult‪ -Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.

Church - Devoting time to God - Good. Devoting time to group - not necessarily good. If anyone tells you they are one and the same – BAD. Good Churches encourage their membership to be out in the community and have a normal life – outside – of church. This is overall better for the body of Christ – to be seen doing good things in the community, not just tied to what is often seen as a civil organization. Cults encourage dependence and use guilt, fear, and exclusion from the group as a means of controlling behavior.

Cult‪ -Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.

Church - A closed or even extremely cliquish group is never taught as a virtue in the Bible, it is, however; taught as what not to do. (read Luke 19)

Cult‪ -The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group.

Church - There is always life outside of the Church - in fact that is where the focus should be - not focused in on group think projects, “how can we make this better”, but focused out on how can we make this world better - how can we bring as many souls to Christ as possible, how can we show God's love to everyone we meet. (read Acts)

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So for all the Jessica's in the world - not all Churches are cults - not all Church people are crazy, hateful, cliquish, mean, judgmental, or stupid.

Love you and still praying for you!

Goodnight
Amanda

A Look Back

I have a private blog where I write out my quiet times.  This has been a great help to me both to make time to do a quiet time, and to remind me of the things God has done in our lives. 
Below is from 1 year ago today:

Saturday, March 7, 2009


A study of David



at 7:47 AM

After reading a few chapters in Ezekiel I just wasn't finding anything that spoke to me yesterday - so I started a bible study that I purchased last fall - Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed. It is by Prisilla Shirer, Kay Aurther, and Beth Moore. I'm not a big Beth Moore fan, but maybe this one will be Beth light.



Anyways,

Yesterday was about David's calling. I often need reminded of our calling as Christians - here are some highlights.



 John 15:16 You did not chose me, but I chose you. - Very cool that this book would start off with that verse. God spoke to me through this verse very clearly when things were at their darkest and it kept me going, kept me wanting to try. With very few exceptions everyone I have ever known has betrayed my trust, and after counseling people you learn how evil people really can be, but God has never betrayed me- ever, He has always been faithful even when I was not, and He has never given up on me. "God chooses us so our confidence rests not in our faithfulness, but in His." *

Not only were we chosen, but we were chosen for a purpose - just as David was. David, chosen at age 15, looks back at his life with accomplishment in 1Chronicles 14:2 - at age 37. It was 22 years later.

Some of the character that God was trying to cultivate in David is revealed in 1 Samuel 24. David, a man after God's own heart shows he is not easily swayed by men, he is respectful of the authority placed over him, he speaks passionately and respectfully, he trusts he has God's protection, he is merciful, and he seeks a restored relationship with his fellow man. These are things God wants to cultivate in most every one's life. What can I do?

Trust God, Prioritize Quiet times, Pursue God's plan, and be Grateful.

Amanda

Greeting Cards

Hello all homeschoolers,
If you are anything like me your day is always full -
A few weeks ago I was invited to a birthday party - totally last minute. 
We had no card, no gift - quick solution was make a card and enclose money =]
Well here is a great site for kids cards.  Fisher Price has print and color cards for all occations (even Easter!)  So if you are in a jam, or just want to have a cute card for grandma click or copy and paste the link below

http://www.fisher-price.com/en_US/GamesandActivities/ColoringPages/index.html#cat=Print_Color_Cards

Happy coloring,
Amanda

"The Hand That Rocks the Cradle"

"The Hand That Rocks the Cradle"


The following is a letter to the Editor which appeared in the Cape May County (NJ) Herald Feb. 17. It is reprinted here with the permission of its author, Cathy Driscoll of Villas, NJ.

"To The Editor: “The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world” wrote William Ross Wallace back in 1865. When committed, loving parents rock the cradle, freedom flourishes. When the state is allowed to rock that cradle, evil follows. Tyrants need thugs and wimps. This “ideal” population is produced by controlling the rearing of children. George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” illustrates the brutal way the sheep dog is robbed of her puppies. Once confiscated, the puppies become trained bullies and useful enforcers.

Hitler saw children as “clean slates” on which barbarism could be written, but only if they are removed from the influences of their parents. Kitty Werthmann, a living witness to life under the Nazi boot, describes how pre-Hitler Austria abounded with compassionate and respectful youth. Post Hitler brought hideous changes. Public school teachers encouraged the children to disregard their parents' “fuddy-duddy” ways. Mandatory Youth Day was designated on Sundays at the time of Catholic Mass. Parents who took their children to church instead of youth day faced capital punishment. By firmly holding the children in their hands, Nazis successfully paved the road to the Holocaust.

What has happened here in the last several decades? Parents are afraid to discipline their children in public.  Records are withheld from parents because of “privacy rights.” My husband was at the doctor recently and he was not allowed to be in the examination room with our own child without a doctor or nurse present. We were at a swim meet back in November and parents were actually barred from going to the changing rooms with their own children. My husband and I questioned those in charge of the meet on this policy. These officials reasoned that children needed to learn to be on their own. These adults took it upon themselves to disregard the authority of the parents.

Step by step our government has morphed from respecting parents’ rights to dismantling them. Do you want this to continue turning from a snowball into an avalanche?

Let’s say that you think that you won’t be affected by this trend; you don’t plan to ever have children or you have raised your children and are done with this job. First of all, are you so bereft of compassion that you can stand by and allow your fellow citizens to face the forced loss of their children? Secondly, if society is full of parentless thugs, who do we think will come to our rescue when we are old and helpless?

The Parental Rights Amendment, if ratified, will seal protections for parents. It states the following: Section 1: The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children is a fundamental right. Section 2: Neither the United States nor any state shall infringe upon this right without demonstrating that its governmental interest as applied to the person is of the highest order and not otherwise served. Section 3: No treaty may be adopted nor shall any source of international law be employed to supersede, modify, interpret, or apply to the rights guaranteed by this article."

If you are no following this developing piece of legislation you can do so by clicking HERE