Actions have consequences...


All actions...even seemingly insignificant ones!

Something I'm still trying to teach my children, that we have apparently forgotten as a nation (descent into anarchy anyone?!) and that I don't always like either...

Today this was the verse on a card that I have :

As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field
the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children--
with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
Psalm 103:16-18


Encouraging yet challenging at the same time! To know that we, that I, have influence on generations yet to come.

Yet I have seen this borne out in my own life - my Grandparents and their parents before them were Christians, giving me and my children a Godly heritage. Now, don't think I'm talking about perfection here rather the bedrock principles. And yet...

even in my extended family I see where my relatives are falling away, not necessarily entirely mind you, just little ways or believing lies and living as though they are truth. I don't want anyone to feel judged or labeled or condemned by me of all people, yet you can literally see the consequences in the families that have chosen not to hold firm, to let God and the worship of Him become something mundane or secondary. How in one generation, just as in Israel, we can walk away from the Lord, with or without meaning to.

Again a challenge to consider -- how am I influencing my children, for my grand children and even further generations for God?

A given...

it used be a given that public prayers in this country would end with "in Jesus name"... seems like a no brainer right? And yet there is controversy brewing over whether or not Rick Warren will use that phrase when our next PRESIDENT is sworn in!

It greives my heart greatly to see where our country is and where it is seemingly headed. Our founding fathers would not be happy, and what must the Lord think?

Miracles at Christmas ... addition

Someone paid for our battery! I was given the receipt in a Christmas card tonight at the candlelight service.

Thank you Lord.

Not to many...

Is the name of one of my friends blogs (she has 9 children) and probably what Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar are telling people after the birth of Jordyan-Grace who's number 18!

Sometimes I wrestle with the thought perhaps we should have/of had more children -- 4 seems like at lot at times and yet when I see other large families I don't think so.

What's amazing is how many people who are pro-choice show their true colors over this and the fact that they are really only pro-choice if the choice is not to have more than 1 or 2! Children are a heritage from the Lord and I am convinced that He is quietly raising up a mighty army through homeschoolers and those who have large families. Godly offspring is something He desires (see Malachi).

Blessings.

14 days of homeschool...

Too funny! If you home school you will definitely see the humor...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN4o3OxFzqA

Blessings!

Miracles at Christmas...

Ok so it may not seem big to you but here it is....

Our van's battery has been slowly dying and we've had to jump it several times. Well yesterday our neighbor kindly used his trickle charger to try and charge it for me so I could wait til payday. Once it was charged and would start I went to AutoZone to have it tested and it said bad battery. Now bear in mind at this point we've got freezing drizzle and I've just been arguing with Ross. I said ok, thinking I will have to limp along til payday and then do what I need so I said, thanks I'll have to wait til payday

"when's payday?"- autozone guy
"the first"
"let's go talk to the boss"
????
"He must be in a good mood cause he said it's fine you can wait til the first to pay. Just put your info on the receipt. You'll still get your military discount too."

So now I have a brand new, $100.00 8yr warranted battary in my van and I can go in on the 1st and pay for it!!!! Gotta love small town America....

Thank you Lord.

Decriminalize homosexuality?

Since when was it a crime in this country? A crime against God and nature perhaps, and there are laws out there but overall it's tolerated more than it should be in my book and hmmm, the Bible?!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081219/ap_on_re_us/un_gay_rights

And isn't it intersting the language used by the far left to make things seem what they aren't. Take the word homophobia for example, implies fear rather than disagreement.

I'm glad the US didn't cave on this this time. Prayerfully it will stay that way a while!

Winter White...

4in of snow this morning.... I knew I wanted to stay in bed with my flannel sheets! But had to take Ross to school. Chapman called school but not Abilene, sigh. Hmmm.... homeschooling him looks better again?! ;)

Hot cocoa and popcorn on the menu today!

and check out my friend Mandy's blog http://ponderingsofasimpleheart.blogspot.com/ they got 5 inches at Ft Irwin!!!

Still snowing here...

Chewy...

but good! That's what I like my Bible studies and devotionals to be! Check out Nicolle's post on Saints and Sinners for a little meat with your milk today....

http://womanonthevine.blogspot.com/


Thanks Nicolle!

Authority...

Has been coming up a lot in our home of late! With a certain teenage boy of course but also in an interesting note from a friend.

In trying to explain her stance against alternative or complimentary medicine (which I had suggested because of her sons severe allergy issues) she seemed to include me as being under her/her husband's authority by virtue of rank.

Now first let me tell you that rank has always rankled me (sorry couldn't resist) as I know it's a necessary evil for the military to function but it is certainly not a means to tell who's smart or well educated or a good person! (definition of well educated in my book is not how many degrees you do or don't have but how well read you are, whether you have a love of learning, and a good dose of common sense). Especially among wives there is no place for this -- we are all dealing with the same crap. (Mal 2:9; Rom 2:11-12;James 2:1-9)

I am not now, nor have I ever been, under her authority; in fact if she were here and attending PWOC she would actually be under mine (President and all). Tim is not now nor will he most likely ever be under her or her husband's authority (she's in the reserves just fyi) as while they outrank him the reality is the chances of them actually working together are slim to none; and even if they were the reality is that there would prob be some infantry or field artillery guy around who's in charge. Plus ordanance normally takes precedence over meddac unless you are in a medical situation or in the hospital, doing training, etc.... this isn't a put down or saying one branch is better but just the way it is in the real Army.

So what's my point?! There seems to be a unbiblical way of thinking that any type of degree/rank or holding an authority position anywhere means you have authority anywhere. This is bunk... that's like saying because I'm PWOC President I have authority to make decisions in the commisary! Uh no... sometimes I wish I did, but I digress. Nor does the fact ones hubby has rank above my hubby mean he has authority over me. Now this can get tricky but it's still true .... I am under TIM's authority and no one elses (Even in Church I have put myself under our pastor's authority but in reality he still has to go through Tim and I am to go to Tim first), now them having authority over him can mean that they tell him to talk to me and he has to but it does not mean if they tell me something I have to do it! Except for when I was the FRG leader and actually was under the commander's authority directly, or the Chaplain advisor who can tell me at this point. Make sense? The old idea that commander's could directly tell wives what's what is no longer true and actually wasn't in the first place it just was done. This is why it's ok for wives to jump the chain of command -- within reason (meaning not willy nilly and respectfully, and YES I have. and boy was it a jump too but it was justified and ok'd by my husband). And Tim being deployed doesn't change the fact I am to ask him first; now that's not always possible but I try to keep him in the loop at least!

Does this mean I'm disrespectful of them and the rank they have earned? No because I understand that it was earned (hopefully) and they have worked hard for it. However a smart LT or CPT listens to the NCO's under him/her as he/she understands that they have worked hard and been around the block/understand the real way things work better than they do! No degree can replace experience.

Also having a degree or several, doesn't make you smart or even learned in the true sense of the word. Rather that you do have knowledge but worldly knowledge without wisdom is dangerous. (Pro 1:7). What do I mean by worldly knowledge? Well the idea that everything must be able to be proved is one... based on scientific fact.... NO I am not saying I don't beleive in science or that things are provable. Just that not everything is (takes faith to beleive) and if we say that we have faith and yet beleive everything must be based in science we are double minded and talking out of both sides of our mouth.

Back to authority... of course God gives it and He is the supreme authority but just as in other areas of our life we must be careful to make sure our views on it line up with His. Whether that's in childrearing or other areas of life. And we must be careful not to say that our way is God's way unless we can prove it irrefuteably with scripture.

May the Lord give wisdom and knowledge to His people and may we be willing to continue to learn of Him and His ways until we go to be with Him.