Saturday, October 29, 2011

'Tis the season

No, I'm not talking about Thanksgiving and Christmas (although, it is that time of year too).  But I am talking politics.  I usually don't do that here.  I follow other blogs who are political.  I follow people on facebook that are politically driven.   Almost everyone I follow on twitter are politicals.  I try to keep twitter to politics.  And on facebook, I tend to vent frustrations over all the failed policies and slimy individuals who are either in office or wanting to be in office.
You know, I just want to vote for someone who is genuine.  Who knows what they believe, will stand by it.  Don't waver.  If you truly have undergone a fundamental change in your beliefs ~ AWESOME.  But don't try to "change" and then be devious about it.  For crying out loud ~ stop redacting things from books so you won't have a "trail".  That just makes you look slimy, and to me, like you have a bigger agenda than you want us to think.
I know I will not agree 100% with any candidate.  BUT, what I do expect from a candidate is transparency, honesty, and realness.  There are some things in my candidate that I have to see ~ Strong prolife stance.  And when I say prolife, I mean it.  No qualifying statements "Unless, xyz, then it's okay."  Either you oppose abortion, or you don't.  That is wavering.  A child is a child, a life is a life, no matter how it was conceived.
Another issue that I look closely at, is what their stand on the constitution?  And are they going to uphold the entire constitution?  Or are they going to just "flip it off" once they get the office?  Are they going to listen to "We the People" or are they going to institute their own agenda, regardless of how we feel about it?  Are they going to remember that they do work for "We the People" and do it with humility, or are they going to try to make us their subjects?  That is why our founding fathers signed away their lives and fortunes, to free us from such tyranny.
And the last issue that I consider when saying 'I could vote for this person' is their stance on Israel.  If they don't consider Israel worth dying for, then I don't consider this person qualified or good enough for my vote.
This country in the last several years has taken a turn with which I don't like.  Our elected officials have forgotten they are civil servants, they work for us, not their agenda.  They have forgotten that what they do needs to be for the good of the country, not their agenda's.  They need to consider sacrificing some of their pride, step down and maybe vote themselves a pay cut.  Some of the richest people in America work in the House and Senate.  And to me, that is just wrong.  We need to get America back to it's roots.  I like the quote by Alexis de Tocqueville:  "America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great."

We need to get back to being a great nation.  No, not by executive orders, not by "health care initiatives".  Not by teleprompters.  No.  We need to get back to the greatness of America by again becoming good.  

Friday, October 28, 2011

Today.......

Today, is just a half day of school for us.  We are ahead ~ which is a new feeling for us!  And it feels so nice!  Xavier has one more test to do for the quarter.  So, he is doing that today, and then writing a book report.   Tucker is working on reading (what's new?!) and writing his spelling words.

But it's the weekend!  I LOVE THE WEEKEND.  But, then again, who doesn't!  I'm feeling kinda froggy too, so, I am hoping to get quite a bit done.  But, I decided to sit down and just blog for a few minutes!

You know, I just love my guys.  I know I haven't always been the best mom.  But, I love that my kids love me, even though I make some MASSIVE blunders in my mothering!  We have such fun together.  Like just this morning, they begged me to turn on some Christmas music.  I balked at the idea ~ I mean, sheesh, it's not even halloween yet.  But, Xavier started singing one and I absently started singing with him.  I kinda messed up the words though.  We were singing "Christmas Christmas time is near, time for joy and time for......."  Now, the word that came next is supposed to be cheer, but I was doing a couple things along with singing, so I said FEAR.  Which made Xavier stop completely and said "FEAR?!  What's to fear about Christmas?!  Mom, oh my word"  Which launched all three of us into peals of laughter and our best immitation of Smegel on Lord of the Rings "my precious"  Kiddies, it's Christmas time, be afraid, be very afraid, my precious!  Oh, my guys are so wonderful!

This weekend, is Jesse's weekend off.  And for the first time in what seems like forever {in actuality, it's only been a few weeks}, we haven't had anything 'planned'.  The only plans are to stay home, clean, and organize!  Jesse has to work on his car to get it ready for inspection.  But otherwise, it's just gonna be us doing not much!

Halloween is Monday, but Jesse works.  So, because I hate doing things like that without him, I talked to the guys and asked if they minded not trick or treating this year.  They were a little disappointed, until I said in lieu of that I would make some brownies, I would buy a load of candy and we would play games all night.  That made them scream with joy.  Costumes are stinkin' expensive, and we usually wind up tossing half the candy they get because no one likes it.  So, this year, taking some of the $$ we would use on costumes, I just bought the candy we all like, and that is that.  I didn't realize how much candy I bought until I brought it home and tried to put it away in our candy jar.  OMG ~ I think I spent like $3000 on candy.  Not really, but you get the jist :D

So, here I sit occasionally saying, do your work, listening to Christmas music, and thinking of all the projects I want to get done today.  What are your plans for halloween?  Do you trick or treat, or do you do harvest festivals?  Or do you just shut the shades and have family time?  What are your kids going to be for halloween if you are into that sort of thing?  Gunner wanted to be Buzz lightyear, Tucker wanted to be a Transformer, and Xavier was going to go as a baseball player!  But, now we are just planning on wearing orange and black and playing Star Wars monopoly.  Fun Fun!

Saturday, October 22, 2011

It's a rant ~ SO WHAT?!

You know, for so many years I have heard this mentality and I am so sick of it.  I think this is why I didn't take kindly to the whole "Frumps to Pumps" challenge.  It's a demeaning and very damaging mentality (not the frumps to pumps).  I bet you are dying to know what I'm talking about, huh?!  Well, I'll tell ya.  It's not taken to very kindly by alot of people.  but I'm sick of it.

It's the whole "Women, be careful of what you wear ~ don't let it be too tight, too low, too short or too much of a slit.  Because, you are just causing a man to sin in his heart."  WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY IS THAT?

Now, mind you, I don't think a woman should dress with very little clothes.  I think something should and alot of times COULD be left to the imagination.  I really personally don't want to see butt cheek in the summer time.  I really don't want to see nipple slippage.  I believe in modesty.   But, I believe that it's okay to wear pants and shorts.  I wear swimming suits, I go to the beach, I wear tank tops.  And while I know ALOT of people (mostly family ~ but there ain't nothing you can do about that other than do it to annoy them, just to entertain yourself, but I would NEVER do that ;) who either get offended or just ashamed or butt hurt by how I dress.  I DON'T CARE.  It's who I am, take me or leave me, but I will NOT change to appease other people.

Now, my husband doesn't "approve" my wardrobe either.  Don't get me wrong.  I LOVE it when he tells me something I'm wearing looks hot, or how nice I look in something.  But I also have things in my wardrobe that I am comfortable in that my husband doesn't like.  But I still wear it.

You know, my husband thinks other women are hot.  And there are some pretty fine lookin' guys out in the world too!  But, we can see other people of the opposite sex, think that they are cute, hot, or good lookin' without "committing adultery in our hearts" with them.  As a matter of fact, we just had some new neighbors move in.  A young couple who spend lots of time at the gym.  And we have the ongoing joke in our house "Oh, honey, your eye candy just got home".  LOL!  We are secure in our love and marriage and know that yep, hot people outside of the 2 of us exists.  And we are okay with it :D

Now, to get me back on track.  I get so annoyed at the notion that a woman has to wear the "Baptist Burqa" to be as unrevealing as possible.  Oh, and don't you DARE wear an anklet.  Or pants ~ cause that is clothing that pertains to a man, don't ya know?!  Never mind the fact that back in Bible times, men and women all wore dress like robes.  Hmmmm.  Pants did not exist until more recent history, so I HIGHLY doubt that God was telling Moses to tell the women of Israel "Don't you DARE dress in a pair of those man pants."    Sorry, that was another rabbit trail ~ I am a pastor's daughter, so I tend to do that.  ;)

No, what makes me angry is that man's lusting heart is ALWAYS blamed at some point on woman.  Preachers scream that you women need to make sure your dresses are long enough not to stir up a mans desires ~ cause if he sees that knee, he will be so hot for you.  And it will be your fault.  Don't wear open toed shoes, cause men like feet ~ REALLY?!?!?!  I have yet to meet a guy who says they fell for their wives toes ~ and you are just asking for them to lust after you.  Better wear them nylons ~ NEVER have figured out the why and wherefores of this, but if the "man in the pulpit" says so, then you better be obedient.  But the basic jest of it is that the woman is at fault for a man's sin because of how she dresses.  If a man lusts after a woman, it MUST be because she was not modest enough.

My question for all this is Where is the man's responsibility?  Why isn't his LUST not preached about more?  In these sermons where the "idiots in the pulpit" (and definitely not saying that all pastor's are idiots) rant and rave about a woman's dress, usually man's lusting after her is brought up, and yes called a sin, but then is followed by MANY MANY minutes of outrage against woman for wearing tank tops and pants and skirts above the knee.  Woman is blamed.

I'm just tired of men not being called out from the pulpit and that being dwelt upon.  MEN, control your thoughts.  Men, stop blaming someone else, Men, take care of your own sin.  Men, if toes turn you on, don't look down.  if your mind wanders to unclean thoughts, quote scripture.
But, by all means, STOP BLAMING THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD.  Adam did that.  God didn't like that.
Through the years,  I have had more idiots in church check me out than those in the world.  And let me tell you that is disturbing.  AND WRONG.  We are each responsible for our own selves.  I cannot handle having to deal with the sins of all men in the world.  And that isn't my job.  Jesus did that for all of us.  And let me tell you, as a woman ~ IT'S EXHAUSTING having to worry not only about my sin, but of having to make sure that I don't "cause others to sin".  A wicked heart will always find some way to sin, if it isn't brought to the foot of the cross.  I am NOT to blame for someone's husband lusting after me (not saying that anyone has, I hope you get what I meant).  And let me tell you (not saying he does) but a woman is not responsible for my husband lusting after her ~ again, not saying he does, just an example ~ that would be my husbands fault.
So, please ~ the way you dress is between you and God.  HE is the one we all have to answer to.  And HE is the one to whom I ask, does HE get offended by what I wear?  Because I can't control anyone else  ~ for anything.  Nor do I answer for anyone else, for anything.

So, let me just say ~ I know I may have come off as a very angry individual.  And that is not my desire.  I can't seem to find the proper way to express how I'm feeling . I'm not angry per se ~ it's just something I have heard, and recently stumbled on again, and I'm just tired of men not taking the responsibility for their own sins.  It hurts to see so many women bearing the brunt of sins that aren't ours.  It's exhausting!
Now, hopefully since I got it off my chest I can move on.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

pIcTuRe TiMe

The Guys right before we went into the pumpkin patch ~ 
they were so excited, can't you tell!




On a hill ~ don't you just love those guys?!  I surely do!  

 
He kept picking up pumpkins saying, "It's my size"!



And Tucker found his.



And they SO wanted about $500 worth of them.  
Xavier settled for one this ONE.


And those are the ones we settled on!  
There's my guy pulling the wagon!


You know, I just can't get enough of these fellers!
Gunner wouldn't let his pumpkin go!


Me and my 3 guys!  Xavier is trying to be Mr. GQ


And my 4 favorite guys in the whole wide world!
And the results of our pumpkin patch visit!  
Phineas and Ferb with Perry the Platypus o'lanterns!
Jesse did Perry the Platypus 
Tucker and I did Ferb
and Xavier did most of the Phineas 
one by himself!

I'll post more pictures tomorrow!



Weekend Recap

I have so many thoughts jumbled up in my head ~ things I need to do, things I want to blog about, house chores ~ all that kind of stuff!

I'm working on  a post that goes along with my last one, but Jesse said I needed to wait and make sure I didn't sound angry when I wrote it.  Hmmm, ME?! sound angry?!?!?!  NEVER.  ;)  Hahaha, yeah right!

Anywho, so I'm working on my non-angry post but this one isn't it.  No, it isn't an angry post :D  It's about our weekend!

I love the job that Jesse has.  He works every other weekend.  So we get to spend 3 full days with our favorite person in the whole wide world!
This weekend, we had a ton of fun!  On Friday, we went to a local pumpkin farm/apple orchard.  We walked through the almost muddy pumpkin patch and picked out our own pumpkins.  I have never done that before!  It was fun.  I called that our field trip.  The boys only did half a day of school work for the day ~ which they were excited about!
Anywho ~ while in the patch, the boys kept picking up pumpkins and putting them in our wagon.  If we would've been charged with what we put in the wagon we would've owed them somewhere's around $300!  They enjoyed picking out their pumpkins!

Later that night, I talked the guys into taking me to the Carousel mall!  That is a fete in and of itself!  But they went willingly.  Of course it helped knowing the mall would only be opened for a couple hours at most.  :D

On Saturday, we had a lazy day.  Then later that night, we carved our pumpkins!  In our house, the favorite cartoon is Phineas and Ferb.  Gunner's favorite character is Perry the Platypus.  So we carved those 3 ~ Phineas, Ferb, and Perry!  Xavier did Phineas all by himself, well, with a little help from dad when he cut something that wasn't suppose to be cut, but it all worked out.  Gunner and I painted 2 little pumpkins.  Tucker and I did the Phineas, and Jesse did Perry for Gunner.

Then on Sunday, we went to church like normal, then after lunch I napped ~ can you hear the angels singing :D ~ and then we went to church again, which is not normal for us.  Our church doesn't really have a "sunday night service".  But Sunday they were doing a Worship concert ~ and it was TOTALLY awesome!  It is so nice to be going to a church what I can lift my hands while worshipping my Saviour.  And I can wear pants and dance if I want to!   It was AWESOME!  I cannot tell you how awesome it was.  We have some AWESOME worship leaders in our church.  I'm blessed to have found this!

Anywho ~ I will try to post pictures later tomorrow ~ If I'm still alive.  I have a horrible cold/congestion/sore throat.  UGH.  It's awful, but somehow, I think I will probably survive!


Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Warning: Rant ahead :D

You know, I have seen this a few places (blogs and fb) lately ~ this last one really set me off.  It's called a frumps to pumps challenge.   She said, our last get dressed challenge and our hubby's and kids loved it so lets do it again. 
WHAT. IN. THE. WORLD?! 
Let me tell ya.  I'm dressed every day.  Some days, and this happens ALOT in the winter, I just don't happen to get out of my pj's.  But, I'm dressed. 
Some days, I don't get my shower in.  I'm up, feeding my guys, cleaning the kitchen, educating those children, researching education stuff, cooking, making menus, or a plethora of other housewifey things.  So sorry if I don't pull out my silk tea lengthy dress, put on my pearls and heels, lace apron, with my perfectly coiffed hair.  SORRY. 
Most days my wardrobe consists of sweats, t-shirts (maybe the one I woke up in) and socks and slippers.  Makeup doesn't touch my face, unless I'm going out.  It's more of a 'why waste it'.  I DO put deoderant and perfume on.  And I do brush my teeth.  And maybe brush my hair. 
But the nice thing about it is.  My guys ~ all 4 of them ~ don't care that I don't do the June Cleaver look.  Usually if I get dressed in something more than sweats, questions like "Where you going mom?" comes up!  They like me for who I am.  I'm glad I don't have to be fancy schmancy all the time.  I'm glad I can wear grubby clothes.  My family is happy, healthy, and well fed. 
But I just get sick and tired of women trying to make women feel that they have to pull a June Cleaver.  They need to remember that June Cleaver wasn't real.  She had people doing her hair, and her makeup.  I bet when June Cleaver walked off the set, and went home, I bet her family had pb&j sandwiches and bowls of cereal for dinner (or the equivalent back then) or had a personal chef. 
Let me just tell you, in case you have a crisis of all these voices calling for women to be June Cleavers ~ as long as your hubby and kids are happy with pj's, slippers and fresh faces ~ then THAT'S OKAY! 
Be you ~ and if that means, in the morning you change from your jammies you slept in to your "daytime jammies" THEN GO FOR IT!  BE YOU!  Because you were made by an AWESOME God.  HE made you to be who you are.  And remember,  Eve wore a sheepskin jacket ~ probably the same one ~ many days before she washed it.  So, if you get to change your shirt every now and then, then you’re good to go!
Anywho ~ That’s all :D

Sunday, October 2, 2011

challenge

I'm taking this challenge.  I can't wait.  I like doing these things.  It is so nice for Godly women to encourage each other.  You should join me on this challenge!  Who doesn't need not just a home, but a haven for our families hearts?!  I know I do!  Here is this weeks challenge:



Go buy an extra large candle and light a candle everyday in your home. I will be starting mine in the morning! But you can start yours at dinner time. Do what makes sense for your family. I will be placing mine in the kitchen – the main hub of my home. Each time the candle catches your eye, say a prayer for peace in your home.
 
What makes a home a haven? Is it having a home that looks like it popped out of Better Homes and Gardens with unbelievable decorating? Is it a home that has massive amounts of toys, food to feast on, video games stacked high and every movie imaginable to view? Is it a certain number of square feet, a separate bedroom for each child, or the neighborhood you live in?
No. It is not the things we have or the things we do not have that make our homes a haven. It’s you – my dear reader – you are the key to making the home a haven.
Let’s compare two women and see which home you live in.
Home #1
1. The woman of the home is distant. She is pulled into her computer, television, books, or text messages and it’s hard for the family to connect with her. She wonders why no one seems to listen to her? The children don’t obey her and her husband is insensitive.
2. The woman of the home is distracted. Her calendar is very full and her daily demands are so high it’s hard for her to focus and live in the moment with her husband and children. She is often late and rushing everyone and feeling guilty about being distracted but stuck in this rut of feeling overwhelmed and too busy.
3. The woman of the home is crabby. She is short on sleep, she hasn’t had a minute alone since the 1990′s and she really can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel to get a break. She is hopeless.
4. The woman of the home is discontent. She doesn’t like her home. She doesn’t like her husband. She doesn’t like one or all of her kids. She doesn’t like her church. She doesn’t like her neighbors. Truthfully, she doesn’t even like herself.
5. The woman of the home doesn’t pray. It’s counter cultural. She’s never lived in a home with a mom who prays. She doesn’t know other moms who pray. She wants to try praying but doesn’t know where to begin so she never begins.
Home #2
1. The woman of the home is engaged. She is aware of what everyone is doing right in that moment. If a child needs help or correction – she is right there to give it. If her husband needs a hug, an encouraging word or a helping hand she is right there to care. She is playful and makes time to tickle, dance, play checkers or Wii with her family. This is a woman whose family praises her (Prov. 31:28).
2. The woman of the home is wise with her time management. She guards her family from getting so busy that they lose their connection with each other. She dissects her calendar and eliminates things that are unnecessary. She is prepared when it is time to go somewhere to alleviate the stress that comes from late minute rushing. She and her family enjoy the slow paced life she has created in her home.
3. The woman of the home has a pleasant demeanor. She does not stay up late watching television, reading, surfing the web or working. She goes to sleep at a reasonable hour so she can wake cheerfully for her family. She knows that some seasons of life are harder than others so she is patient with her season of life and is confident that she will reap what she has sown. She works diligently trusting God with the results of her labor.
4. The woman of the home is content. She knows that no home, husband, child, church or neighborhood is perfect. So she chooses to be content with what God has given her for today.
5. The woman of the home prays. She knows that she is weak but God is strong and that she cannot fulfil the role of wife, mother, homemaker and sometimes employee, on her own strength. She is completely dependent on God and practices this dependence by daily praying for all of these things.

This morning at church ~ we sang this song and I thought it was perfect with my previous post!  Hope it blesses your heart like it did mine!


Saturday, October 1, 2011

A Time for Everything

Ecclesiastes 3.1-8
A Time for Everything
1There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
2a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace. 

Seasons.  They change.  Just a few days ago, the first day of fall and it was 78*.  It was toasty warm out.  Our air conditioner was on.  And until yesterday, it had been on and off for nearly a month.  Today, I'm tempted to turn the heater on.  Right now it is 48*.  All the windows in my house are closed and we are all in long sleeves sweats and socks to keep our tootsies warm.  For dinner tonight, I am making loaded baked potato soup.  It's a first for us, so i can't wait to try it.  It's a recipe from my childhood best friend!  I miss her.  We hadn't seen each other in years {as in at least 15}, but we reconnected on facebook and I MISS HER!  But, so is life.  I can't wait to try this recipe though!  

Life.  It changes.  Yesterday was such a happy day for some people.  And a terribly tragic day for others.  Yesterday, I had another nephew born (don't know when we will get to meet him, when I will get to smoosh him and pinch his cheeks, but we will eventually).  He's such a cutie.  Then yesterday evening, another friend I have from my childhood (that I reconnected with via facebook), her precious 2 month old daughter left this earth to sit in Jesus lap.  I cannot fathom what this sweet family is going through.  Amy (my friend) wrote a post last night about sweet little Kyndall's passing ~ and her faith and trust in our loving Saviour just blew me away.  She and her husband are marvelous testimonies of God's goodness and grace.   If you think of it ~ please pray for this sweet family ~ Josh and Amy Covertt and their 2 other little ones Caroline and Josiah.

Me.  I'm changing.  So much about me is not the same as I was just last year, not to consider what I was a few years ago.  I like to think that I am changing for the better.  I still have my things I struggle with ~ family conflicts and things such as that.   But the Bible does say that there is a time for everything.  And for me this is my autumn season in my personal life.  A time to die to some things.  A time to heal from others.  A time to give up somethings, a time to refrain from others.  A time to be silent.  And a time to throw away.  A time to cast off, and a time to keep to myself.   A time to reevaluate some things.  And I am doing just that.  I'm refraining from relationships to keep the door open for hopefully a better relationship at a later point with some people.  And this is because my emotions are so raw about them, so hurt, that I have a hard time refraining from speaking hurtful things to them.  So, it is now my time to be silent to them to try to preserve a chance to at some point have a time that I can laugh, and embrace them later.  This is a time for me to leave things in God's hands and let HIM heal my wounded heart because I haven't been doing such a great job of it.  Bandaids don't really help when what is really needed is stitches.  There's a time for war ~ and a time for peace.  I'm praying for peace while warring within myself and I'm glad that God tells us that that is okay. 

And it is also that time of year for me that I need desperately to get my house in order.  This unorganized chaos is starting to drive me insane.  I need to give up some things ~ such as clothes I canNot fit into.  It just clogs my closet up.  And makes my husband think I have plenty of clothes ~ therefore, don't need to buy any.  And THAT my friends is unacceptable.  I need to accept that my fall decorating is done, so I can put away those boxes in the basement and do away with that clutter.  I need to clear my scrapbook desk off so I can start that again.  I need to pull out the next size up of clothes for my little guy.  His pants are looking a little like the flood is coming ;).  Why does he have to grow up?  But now is my season to accept that he is no longer my baby.  And there probably won't be anymore.  And I have to cast off those "mama wants a baby to snuggle" feelings cause they just grow up into little critters who eat you out of house and home :D and no longer let you snuggle :(  And need those pesky things like educating and such.  And this mama can only handle so much!
And now is the season I start thinking about how rich {or poor rather} Santa Claus is this year.  And I'm determined that Santa is going to go for more quality than quantity this year.  At least, I hope he does.   I hope he can :D. 

And I am needing to make our schooling go a little more smoothly.  Mama needs to start rolling her lazy butt out of bed earlier than I have been so we can get a jump start on this education thing!  They are starting to get the hang of their seatwork and homework and things!  I'm enjoying these days with my little guys who are quickly becoming young men!  And I love it! 

So what does this time of year mean for you?  For me, it's about change.  Good and bad, but all working into the plan that God has laid out for me!  And I am ever so grateful HE is willing to change me!