To be Feminine, or Not to be Feminine? That is the Question!

Here is Emily in one of her "feminine" outfits

I am so encouraged by the Feelin' Feminine Challenge my daughter, Emily, is doing. She and I follow a blog called Feminine Farmgirl. Jenna, the writer of that blog, is facilitating this challenge. You wear a skirt or dress everyday for one week, and do your hair in pretty styles each day. The challenge is to live like you usually do, and to do everything in your skirt or dress. Emily has been officially taking the challenge, and posting pictures on her blog every day, of her different outfits. I have been doing it unofficially, with her. It has been quite fun, seeing what new outfits we can put together. It has also been fun, going to the blogs of the other girls taking the challenge, and seeing what they are doing and wearing.

God has made women to be different from men. We are to be feminine. We don't have to be dumpy or dowdy to do this, either. We can make ourselves pretty, without being overly done up. I think this can be accomplished with pants, but not so easily. We should always remain modest, that is why I don't wear skirts higher than my knees, or low-cut shirts. I am trying to dress like a lady - pretty and simple - not too showy - modest. I must admit though, I still like my comfy, loose fitting jeans! :-) God is not done with me yet!

Tomorrow we go to the zoo. Em already has several choices sitting out. Let's see what I can find to wear for that!

Family

I just have to say, I love my family! I love to hear my sweet, little wunkle, Emily, singing her worship songs throughout the day. I crave to see my son Daniel's eyes twinkle as he laughs and giggles over his jokes. I live to feel my son, Nicholas, put his arms around me and give me hugs... and then lift me up almost over his head...! I adore to laugh with my oldest son, Silas, as he sees things the same way I do, and we both end up crying from laughing so hard. I so look forward to hearing the keys in the door, and running to give Monty a hug when he comes home from work.

I have the best family in the world!

http://www.visionforumministries.org/rescuehaiti/

http://www.visionforumministries.org/rescuehaiti/

BARABBAS

I guess I never really thought about it before - the fact that Jesus took Barabbas’ place on the cross. Not in this way, anyway. In church on Sunday, our pastor spoke a little about this. It made me think about it as if it were I in Barabbas’ place.

Barabbas was in jail because he was a terrible criminal. He was a robber. He deserved the punishment he was about to receive. Now Pilate didn’t believe Jesus was a criminal, but he was afraid of the people. He decided to let them choose which man should go free. Of course, he assumed, it would be Jesus! He didn’t DO anything bad!

Imagine Barabbas sitting in his jail cell, hearing what was going on outside. He hears his name, and Jesus’ name. He hears that, according to custom, someone will be set free. He also assumes it will be Jesus. He knows what he did and that he deserves to die. He hears them yelling, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” and knows they are asking for his own blood.

Then the guard comes into his cell, and he figures his time is up. He is going to be crucified. But instead, the guard tells him he is free to go. Jesus is dying in his place.

Can you imagine his shock? Can you imagine his relief? Can you imagine his feeling of thankfulness mixed with confusion? Well, that Barabbas is me. Jesus died in my place, when I should be the one to die! I GET TO LIVE!

I am incredibly thankful and dumbfounded! What an amazing God!

A beautiful song on abortion by a great group called Take No Glory - listen here -

1950's Reagan Commerical on Socialized Medicine - from Vision Forum

Reagan on Socialized Medicine from Douglas Phillips on Vimeo.

No More Sorrow in Heaven

No More Sorrow in Heaven

My Family in Christ

"For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ." 1 Cor. 12:12

I love it that Christians are called "one body" in Christ. I LOVE it that I can meet a fellow believer somewhere else in the country, a total stranger, and feel like such a part of their family! We ARE family! I love the fact that we have this one goal, this one calling.

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Eph. 4:4-6

I was just traveling in Texas this past week, and visited a beautiful little area there. The lakes were gorgeous, the trees were fantastic, the fields were incredible! But what was even better were the people there! They were so welcoming. So loving. So familiar! We all had the same love of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We all had the same calling on our lives to train up our children in biblical doctrine and in the love of the Lord. I just adore meeting other Christians, who are like-minded, and who share in the grace of God with me.

Praise God for His amazing grace, and for the people He puts in my life to share that with!

J.C. Ryle on Affliction

Affliction is one of God’s medicines. By it He often teaches lessons which would be learned in no other way. By it He often draws souls away from sin and the world, which would otherwise have perished everlastingly. Health is a great blessing, but sanctified disease is a greater. Prosperity and worldly comfort, are what all naturally desire; but losses and crosses are far better for us, if they lead us to Christ. Thousands at the last day, will testify with David, and the nobleman before us, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted.” (Psalm. 119:71.)

~ J.C. Ryle

The Good Samaritan movie

Click here to see the video portraying Daniel's modern-day version of, "The Good Samaritan".

Thoughts...

What if…? A Challenge.

What if everyone who was able, would take care of five neighbors? What if they gave meals when their neighbors were sick, baby-sat when they had appointments, brought cards on their birthdays, shopped for them when they were incapacitated, shoveled their driveways when it snowed? What if we taught our children to be a little less selfish? To settle for those $12 sneakers at the discount store and use the rest of that money you just saved from not buying those expensive name brand shoes, to buy some groceries for the neighbor who just lost his job? What would it look like if we gave our nice clothes that hang in the closet but we don’t wear any more as we wait for those inches to drop off, to our neighbor who has very little?

No, the government should not mandate or organize our giving. They should not tell us we HAVE to be generous. We should WANT to! It would cause bitterness and resentment if we were forced to give. Plus, it is a simple fact that it is not the role of the government to do that, according to our Constitution. That would be stealing. The government would be putting their hands in our pockets and taking what they want. The government is not Robin Hood. We are each responsible for our own actions. Not only that, but it would rob people of the JOY of giving. Sure, there will always be that stingy person who won’t give up a cent for another. But I think the Haiti tragedy has shown us that there are plenty of people who would love to give.

If each family decided to get to know the people on their block and try to bless just five of them regularly, what would our world look like?

What if…? I challenge you.

Goat Kidding

This is so neat. I have never seen a goat kid before. Check out this blog with a video of the birth! http://femininefarmgirl.blogspot.com/2010/03/triumph-kidded.html