Lessons From Mom (Part 1): They're Gonna Remember This

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live.  Teach them to your children and to their children after them. (Deuteronomy 4:9)

Introduction
Trace Adkins's hit song, You're Gonna Miss This, has touched the hearts of multitudes. The lyrics, written by Stefanae, remind us to treasure each moment we are given, even the hard times, because one day, we will look back on those moments and wish we could have them back.  The inspiring music video can be viewed here.

The song includes a verse that matches the stage of life I am in right now.

Five years later
There's a plumber
Working on the water heater
Dogs barking, phones ringing
One kid's crying, one kid's screaming
She keeps apologizing
He says "They don't bother me.
I've got two babies of my own.
One's 36, one's 23.

We had a plumber here twice last week, and we'll need him again soon because our dishwasher pump just broke.  Instead of listening to barking dogs, we find ourselves chasing after the neighbor's 3-legged cat who keeps sneaking inside our house!  Our kids are often crying, and I do a lot of apologizing.  I am in the season of parenting young children.

Background

This past Friday, my precious mother celebrated her 70th birthday.  Dad cooked up a clever plan to surprise her with a huge party in her honor on her birthday.  That surprise was no easy task considering that Dad had just undergone hand surgery, and Mom was always by his side tending to his every need.  Whenever I would call to discuss details for the party, she would inevitably be right there beside him nurturing him as she does anyone with a need.  When any big event takes place at our church, my mother is almost always actively involved, employing her gift of service (1 Corinthians 12) to the extreme.  Planning a party without her help is very difficult, and she couldn't believe we actually pulled it off!  I will eventually do a separate blog post including pictures and videos from that party, but in this post, I want to share a profound yet simple truth the Lord laid on my heart through the words of my mother following that party.

Mom on her 70th Birthday

The Gift
In addition to the gift of service, my mother also has the spiritual gift of giving.  She never comes to visit us without her arms (or the trunk of her vehicle) full of gifts for all of us.  She has served as my underpaid personal shopper for many years.  If anyone needs something unique, she can find it.  She also manages to find everything she wants or needs for herself on sale somewhere.  I would guess that her #1 love language is giving and receiving gifts, but unfortunately, gifts is the hardest of all the love languages for me to express.  For her 70th birthday, I wanted to give her something meaningful and from the heart, but what do you give someone who already has everything and who can out shop you any day even while blindfolded?  I decided to simply gave back to her what she's been giving me my entire life. I gave her the gift of fond memories by printing an embossed book that was filled with 70 fond memories I had of her.  

The Lesson:  The Significance of Mundane Tasks
Her response to my gift (the memory book) and to the words shared by my brother at her party has been on my mind all weekend. She said,  "As we go through life doing all the necessary things for our children, we never realize the impact of our actions.  Some people never know how their children feel".   She was grateful to have been told how we feel about her and what memories we hold most dear.

As I looked through the book I had made for her, I was struck by how some of my favorite memories with her are the little things, like the way she held and comforted me. This morning as we rushed off to church, I can remember feeling frustrated when our daughter wanted me to style her hair in a way that took more of my time. I was irritated when I realized that our son's shoes didn't match his pants because I had not taken the time to help him get ready for church. Yet, when I look at one of the first pages in the book I made for Mom, I realize that her seemingly mundane efforts to curl my hair and tend to my clothing, even saving some of my special dresses for my daughter to wear, were memories that stuck with me all these years.

Do I find joy in these daily chores with my children?  Do I treasure these moments with the knowledge that some day, I'm going to miss these moments?  Taking that thought one step further, do I ever consider that these mundane activities will become memories that my children will remember and possibly even cherish some day?  Will they remember me as a mom who served them joyfully in all things or as a mom who seemed perpetually annoyed by the monotony of it all?

Finding Balance and Providing Support
I have read a number of parenting books that recommend limiting the number of extracurricular activities we allow our children to participate in to help prevent home life from becoming harried, busy, and stressed-out.  The books do not say that extracurricular activities, in and of themselves, are bad, but they do caution against involving kids in too many extracurricular activities or putting too much pressure on our kids to perform in these activities.  Stress is like a slow cancer.  

My parents did a great job maintaining a healthy balance in our family.  They helped me be selective in my extracurricular activities, and those activities I ended up pursuing were largely a function of the values my family held most dear.  Church involvement was always a top priority.  Activities that strengthened relationships, built character, and taught discipline (Y Princess, Scouts, piano) were also important.   Some of my fondest childhood memories are rooted in my parents' steadfast support through all my activities.  I can't remember ever being pressured to perform even after they had invested so much time and money into 12 years of piano lessons.  Without that added pressure, I found I could excel even more.

I have never been one to cry over sad or sappy movies or at funerals, but I have shed tears at every single game, performance, or recital in which our kids have participated.  As I watch them give their best effort in these outside activities, I remember how much my parents supported me when I attempted new activities as a child.  Serving as our kids' taxi cab driver and cheerleader for their extracurricular activities doesn't seem like a very glamorous job, but they will remember our efforts to support and encourage them in all they do. 

Hospitality
Another fond memory of Mom is the way she offered hospitality.   She let me have a big birthday party every single year I lived at home.  She hosted other parties throughout the year as well.  I cherish all those slumber parties on the glassed-in porch.  She always came up with creative games, activities, and food for those parties.  Now, I find myself trying to continue the tradition with our children.  Mom never hosted these parties to impress others or to spoil me.  She simply enjoyed being hospitable and wanted her guests and her children to feel extra special.  I hope our children will look back on their birthday parties and remember feeling loved and treasured.  I hope our guests will feel cared for while they are here.

Mom hosted strangers in our home as well.  One weekend, she hosted 2 girls who were on tour with a Christian music group giving performances.  During the mid 1980s, she hosted Tommy Amaker (current head coach for Harvard's men's basketball team) and Jay Bilas (basketball analyst for ESPN and CBS Sports) at our home when they were starters for Duke's national championship winning basketball team.  Her willingness to host USNA Glee Club midshipmen in 1992 resulted in one of those midshipmen becoming her son-in-law. (Read that story here.)  I enjoyed meeting all these people who came to our home.  Mom taught me that hospitality is an important virtue.

Hebrews 13:2
Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

Encouragement for Mothers of Little Ones
Young children are experts at making demands and taking from us, but they are initially too immature and untrained to feel and express their appreciation.  Parenting can be an exhausting and thankless job, but our children will remember the little things we do for them.  Our daily mundane tasks as parents are more significant than we might think.  Trace Adkins reminded us that we're "gonna miss this", but even more importantly, our children will remember.  Our children are our legacy.  I pray that the imprint I leave on them will look a little more like Jesus every day.

Ephesians 6:4
...do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Click here to continue to part 2.

Sometimes Mom just needs a punching bag

Preface:
This post is NOT for the perfect mothers out there who always exude patience and fun-loving attitudes toward their children.  If you parent like Mrs. Cleaver and keep house like Martha Stewart, please navigate away from this blog post. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

First, let me say thank you to Truthful Mommy for showing me that there is at least one other person who recognizes the challenges of mothering young children, acknowledges her own neediness, and pleads daily with the Lord for strength and patience so that He may be glorified through us somehow.

I feel tired, weary, and burned out.  We have one more week until spring break, and this upcoming week is the busiest one we've had in eons. When I look at the calendar and gasp, I try to remember Elisabeth Elliot's words, "Just do the next thing."  Yet, I suspect my calendar isn't really any busier than those of many moms out there.  The burn-out I feel may be more a result of internal spiritual warfare than of too many external commitments.

This parenting job is so different from all the others I have  known.  As a student, every step before me was clear with rewards all along the way.  If I made good grades in school, excelled in athletics, and showed leadership involvement through extracurricular activities and community service, I could attend the university of my choice with a full paid scholarship.  So I studied diligently throughout school.  I devoted myself to my church and community, and gave my very best effort in cross country and track.   As a result, I was rewarded with acceptance letters and scholarships from my top 3 school choices.  In college, if I made good grades and continued serving in all the ways I had before, then I could get any job I wanted. Once again, I followed the rules, graduated at the top of my class and received job offers from some of the world's top corporations.   In my career, I enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing projects completed.  Regular performance appraisals gave me feedback on my work and helped me improve on areas of weakness.  Raises and promotions were rewards for diligent efforts at work.  If I trained consistently and rigorously in my running, I received medals or ribbons while helping my team win as well.  Life was scripted for me.  If I did A and B, then I would receive C.  It seemed so simple.

Mothering isn't like that, however, not at ALL.  Despite a mother's most diligent efforts, tangible earthly rewards are rare. Instead of striving to complete a project and having the satisfaction of a job well done, projects either go uncompleted or need to be redone the next day.  Many of the same chores must be done every single day.  Teaching and training are on-going.  Almost every day a mom will serve as taxi-cab driver, teacher, nurse, counselor, cook, dishwasher, maid, handyman, and coach.

Keeping house with young children living in it is like being commissioned by God to build Him a great cathedral for His glory on the edge of the seashore only to have it washed away by the next incoming tide.  No matter how quickly you labor, the cathedral is never completed.  Every section or wall that does get finished only lasts until the next high tide.  The work is monotonous and seems to never end. 

About now the perfect parent would say something like, "Well...your problem is that you have not trained your children to do all your chores for you. Our children do have weekly chores.  Some they do automatically.  Others they fail to remember even after being nagged reminded innumerable times.  It seems ironic to me that my kids recently memorized the 1st 12 elements in the period table (name, number, symbol, AND mass) after hearing it recited to them only a few times, YET they cannot remember to clear their own dishes off the table after being reminded 6 times a day for the past few years!  There is only so much that can be and should be delegated to our young charges.

Instead of tangible rewards, mothers often receive incessant demands and complaints from their children.  They may also receive criticism from outsiders. Yes, mothers have the great privilege of  receiving hugs, smiles, and memorable quality moments with their adorable darlings, but sometimes, when a mom gets especially tired, it seems like a thankless job indeed.

There is no set script to follow with motherhood.  The Bible gives wonderful guidelines for raising children, but there is no guarantee that if parents follows all the guidance in Scripture then their children will turn out exactly as they had hoped.  Following Biblical precepts absolutely increases the likelihood that children will grow up to choose Christ as their Savior and to live according to wise, Biblical principals.  Christian precepts make parenting a whole lot easier, but each child is a unique individual with his or her own free will.  Despite a parent's best efforts, a child may make choices or display behaviors that displease the parents.

When parents become exhausted by all the physical labor of raising kids, frustrated by the monotonous daily grind, emotionally spent by the effort to nurture prickly, emotionally needy children, and run down by sheer lack of sleep, then Satan makes them his chief target.  Satan's strategy is to shoot God's people when they're tired and run-down.  He also attacks when they feel over-confident because at that point they are spiritually their weakest.  (Proverbs 16:19)

1 Peter 5:8
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

So how can a parent resist Satan's attacks and learn to enjoy the ups and downs of parenting more fully?  

1 Peter 5:9-10 (NIV1984)

⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.  ¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Please help me brainstorm by adding suggestions in the comments section.

• Gain perspective.  Consider the sufferings and trials Jesus and His apostles faced and that modern missionaries are facing today.  Our little trials here on earth are nothing compared to the eternal rewards we will receive from God when this present life is over.  Right now, God is more interested in refining us through the daily grind than in seeing the finished project.  We may be in a hurry to have the satisfaction of a job well done, but when the real task God has a given us in life is completed, our time on earth will also be completed.  Paul wrote in Acts 20: 23-24 when compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem even after fellow believers begged him not to go where trouble awaits him, "I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace."

•  Die to self.  As we grow in Christ, we must decrease, and He must increase. (John 3:30)  We must stop seeking rewards for ourselves here one earth and recognize that true joy is only found when we give our lives away in service to others.  

Philippians 1:21
  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

 Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; and 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 up for me.

• See its value.  Recognize that the daily minutia has far more value than we may initially realize.  All these daily tasks are necessary for a child's development even if they must be repeated day after day.  Children will eventually appreciate the little things their parents did for them.  Our children will remember how we went about doing the monotonous tasks of serving them faithfully all day, every day.  This idea is explained more fully here.

• Treasure the moments.  The days are long, but the years are short.  There are hard days that seem to drag on forever, but in retrospect, the time that our children are at home with us goes by so quickly.  When I get frustrated, it helps me to look back at the kids' scrapbooks and reflect on all the wonderful moments we have shared together.  Just a brief glimpse at the past reminds me how precious this time with the children is and how much I'll miss it when it's gone.  Commit to savor each day instead of wishing it away.  Once the day is gone, we can't get it back.  Once a harsh word spoken in frustration is uttered, we can't take it back.  Each day is a gift from God.  Use it for His glory.

• Come to Him. To survive succeed at parenting without becoming completely unglued at times, we must regularly and frequently come to the Lord, knowing our need and seeking His strength, comfort, and wisdom. We must wear out our knees in prayer and let our calloused knees serve as our most prized parenting trophy.  Motherhood, more than anything else, has taught me how much more I need Jesus.  When I start the day without seeking Him and without putting on the armor of God, Satan locks his target on me.  But when I seek Christ first, I can resist the devil, and he will flee.

Matthew 11:27-29 (NASB)

²⁸ “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.

On a lighter note:

• Find a safe outlet for frustration.  Some prefer long walks or soaking in a hot bubble bath.  Running has long been my outlet for releasing frustration.  Since I'm STILL on running restriction, however, my husband just installed a new safe release mechanism for me.

 

This punching bag, which has gashes all over it, was a free gift to us from a neighbor (unfortunately, the parts to install it were over $50, so it isn't free anymore).  It makes me laugh, and I suspect it might be fun to watch the stuffing fly out of the gashes as I use to it workout physically and emotionally.  Do not stuff frustration and let it grow inside.  Find a helpful way to release it.

Ephesians 4:26 (NASB)

²⁶ BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

1000 Gifts (Part 17): God's word applied to a scandalous generation

So continues my recounting of God's gifts..

The scandal-palooza taking place in Washington right now is mind boggling.  Just two weeks after the POTUS tried to convince graduates during a commencement speech in Ohio that they should not listen to the voices whispering warnings of government tyranny, numerous scandals by the Obama administration have been exposed to the extent that EVEN the outrageous liberal, Piers Morgan, admitted that why yes, this administration has indeed been acting like tyrants.  The list of "known" abuses is extensive and outrageous, but I will not detail a record of wrongs here (although I hope those in the position to prosecute and bring justice are keeping track).  Instead, I will rejoice in the truth. (1 Corinthians 13:6)

⁴ "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

The federal government may lie under oath, cover up scandals, and even lie to themselves, but...

265.  God is truth, and His word never fails or changes.  His truth always applies.

Government leaders may deceive and make false promises to win votes (just like Satan himself), but...

267.  God has never ever broken a promise, and He never, ever will!

Joshua 21:45

"Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled."

The world seeks advanced degrees from reputable universities, wealth, and positions of power as the primary means to influence the next generation for good or for bad.  Those who obtain such earthly treasures are considered wise in this world, but how comforting it is to know that...

268.  God uses the weak to shame the wise. 

1 Corinthians 1:27

"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."

269.  And He works all things together for good. (Romans 8:28)

While driving the kids home from school last week, I was listening to the news summary on the radio.  The kids' must have overheard some of the reporting regarding the Benghazi cover-up, the IRS scandals, and the AP scandals  because my 6-year-old asked:

 "Is the government trying to punish those who don't believe like they want them to in the same way that Darius punished Daniel? When he prayed to God instead of to the king, Darius threw him into the lions' den."

I was so overwhelmed by the utter profundity of his question that I asked him to repeat it three times to make sure I heard him correctly. 

Metaphorically speaking, that is exactly what is happening.  Those who do not support the administration's political objectives are being bullied Chicago style and illegally mistreated with the intent of shutting them down or changing their allegiance.

During elections, my more moderate or left leaning friends assured me that my concerns over what might happen under another four years with Obama at the helm were grossly exaggerated and nothing more than conspiracy theory.  I consoled myself with the assumption that the reality is probably somewhere between his false promises and my worst expectations and the knowledge that...

270.  No matter our circumstances, God is sovereign and holds me in His hands.

As long as I fix my eyes on him (like an ice-skater fixes her eyes on set point when spinning to keep her balance), horrific events may spin all around me, but I will not lose my balance because He holds me steady.

So, the wildest conspiracy theories are now being confirmed through brave testimony by whistle blowers, and the truth of what we know already is actually worse than anything I ever imagined, but the gift is that the truth is finally coming out (granted...after the elections...when these truths would have dramatically altered those elections).

271. The truth will set you free!

Those who should be accountable and responsible for these crimes are not actually voicing the truth yet, choosing instead to spin, distract, distort, or ask, "What difference does it make?" (Hillary Clinton), but how refreshing it is to see the main stream media beginning to seek truth instead of political correctness.  I know this is only a season, and come election time, I fully expect the mainstream media to revert to political posturing, but for now, it is very refreshing to see the media acting like real journalists in search of truth.

272.  The truth will come to light eventually. 

"He reveals the deep things of darkness, and brings utter darkness into the light." (Job 12:22)

As I watch officials back pedaling, changing their story, and refusing to answer questions, I am reminded of King David.  He gave way to his sin struggles with lust and committed adultery.  Sin has consequences, and one consequence of his adulterous act was impregnating Bathsheba who was married to Uriah.   Instead of admitting the truth, he tried to cover up his misdeed with deceitful tricks.  He called Uriah back from battle to meet with him and sent him home with the assumption that Uriah would sleep with his wife and thereby assume the child was his own.  But Uriah was too honorable for such a plot, refusing to sleep at home when the rest of "God's men" and the ark of the covenant were camped out under tents in the open country.  So instead of confessing his sin at that point, David's misdeeds increased resulting in the premeditated killing of Uriah.

Oh how I wish our government officials could learn from David's mistakes and finally tell the truth instead of continuing this avalanche of lies, corruption, and bribery.  When David finally confessed, the pattern of sin ended and the agony of his soul abated.  Judgment was administered, but David finally found peace and ruled justly again.

273.  Confession brings mercy. 

"Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy." (Proverbs 28:13)

Confession requires humility, and our current administration is puffed up with so much pride that many of them believe they are above the law - both the laws of the land and the laws of God.  Oh, but what hope there is when they humbly confess and repent.

274.   Humble repentance brings healing and restoration.

2 Chronicles 7:14

"if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

As Americans watch these events unfold in DC, our hearts long for justice. We have evidence proving that Hillary lied during Watergate and throughout her political career.  We know that our POTUS cheated in the Senate races by digging up dirt on his opponents so they would drop out leaving an uncontested race.  We've seen him lie and break promises throughout his career.  So, it's no surprise that his administration is filled with so much corruption, and that the State Dept. under Hillary is committing so many crimes.  Unchecked sin will increase.  He who is faithful in little will be faithful with much, and he who is unfaithful with lower levels of authority will be even more corrupt when given much power.  So, the people of America want to see justice served to turn back the tides of corruption.

Yet, this generation has shown more cowardice in prosecuting wrong doings than any other.  As moral relativism takes over current world views and as corruption, bribery, and Chicago style politics run rampant, prosecuting offenders is something few are bold enough to do.  Instead of standing for justice, our generation tends to only be self-serving.  So I'm not overly hopeful that justice will be ever be served to perpetrators by human hands, but know with confidence that....

275.  God will set all things right and exact justice in due time.

“...'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." (Romans 12:19b)

276.  Eventually, the prideful will be brought down.  We see it throughout all of history. 

Proverbs 16:18

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Matthew 20:25-28

²⁵ "Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'" 

The kids recently offered some interesting suggestions for getting government officials to tell the truth during all these congressional hearings. They first suggested using lie detectors but wondered if the these officials would figure out a way to cheat on those tests. Then they recommended a tracking gadget similar to the one Jon Arbuckle put on Garfield's collar to monitor what he ate. So I tried to explain that such a device would be illegal, and besides, the government is already familiar with this type of spy bug since they are using it on AP reporters.

277. Deep conversations with my children

Many of our kids' closest friends are not white, and like most kids, they don't really see skin color as anything that makes a person more or less valuable than anyone else. They know that God created all mankind in His image so all are of infinite worth to God. We celebrate diversity as a family. So after hearing the word "racist" on the news, they asked me what that word meant. I tried to explain the term and gave examples such as Margaret Sanger and Hitler who tried to wipe out certain races b/c they believed one race was superior to others. I also noted that sometimes people may share the same skin color as those same races they mistreat (Gosnell, for example) or they may support causes that oppress races they resemble, so we must never judge someone based upon their outward appearance. Our value comes from God, and the actions which characterize us indicate the motives of our hearts. So my daughter asked, "When people vote for someone simply because of his skin color without considering his actions, are they being racist?"


278.  Watching my children grow in discernment

279.  My daughter's determination to avoid government dependence

In an effort to correct her inappropriate table manners one evening, I asked her, "What would happen if your father acted like that during an important business luncheon?"

After rolling on the floor in hysterical laughter over such a ludicrous thought (he always exudes utmost professionalism), she admitted that he might lose his job and then find it difficult to support the family.

So I continued trying to get her to consider the day when she will be supporting herself and possibly a family, "When you are grown, who will support you?"

She replied, "I guess I will because I sure don't want to be dependent upon the government!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Speaking of table manners,  I recently commanded the kids, "Please stop playing with your food! There is never a time for that!"

And the 6-year-old replied, "Mom, didn't Solomon say that there is a time for everything?" (Ecclesiastes 3)

280.  Kids learning Bible verses (albeit not always in context)

281.  Courageous women who are not afraid to speak the truth and call people out in order to preserve the American Republic as its fibers seem to be all unraveling at once despite the high risk of IRS bullying, slander to ruin their reputations, and even threats to their own lives or those of their families

Scandalous Hat Trick
"Mr. President, when it rains it pours, but most Americans hold their own umbrellas. Today in the Rose Garden you dismissed the idea of a Special Counsel to investigate the IRS scandal. With that, your galling political hubris shined bright in the midst of today’s dark clouds.

Mr. President, how can we trust your Justice Department to conduct an independent investigation when there is a systemic violation of the Hatch Act throughout your administration?

Surely you are aware that the Hatch Act prevents certain federal employees from engaging in political activity. Specifically, it’s illegal for these federal employees to engage in action in support of or in opposition to a political party, a candidate for partisan political office, or a partisan political group.

Yet that is exactly what’s happened within the IRS, the Justice Department, and in the Benghazi cover-up. This scandalous hat trick is on your watch. It is not believable that you knew nothing about Obama administration actions in dealing with these scandals. And in regards to Benghazi, when you should have taken appropriate action to save American lives – for instance by calling in the Marines – you were AWOL. Just weeks before the election your team scrubbed the Benghazi talking points in 12 different versions, lied to the American people about some YouTube video being to blame for the deaths of brave Americans who put our country first, and you prove Michael Barone right when he writes, “What actually happened in Benghazi was out of sync with the Obama campaign line.” That’s why you all did what you did. Pure raw politics were at play during a horrific time of loss.

For more evidence of Hatch Act violations right under your nose, simply consider DOJ’s “massive and unprecedented intrusion” into the free press. Do you think they picked up some political talk when tapping the phones in the House press gallery?

Your team is out of control. Those who cannot remember the past and learn from it are doomed to repeat it, and that is exactly what is happening. Look back exactly 40 years ago this week and apply that disheartening chapter of American history to the team you’ve chosen and lead today.

Some of us warned America; we cautioned voters in 2008 that a community organizer with no executive experience and no sense of accountability would be a very poor choice for the nation’s top management position.

Mr. President, you said today that you have “complete confidence” in the Attorney General. America doesn’t. Eric Holder needs to appoint an unbiased Special Counsel to investigate the illegal political action of this administration. And then Eric Holder needs to resign.

Most Americans see ominous dark clouds looming beyond the White House Rose Garden, Mr. President. They’ll roll away only when light is shined on the Obama administration’s antics, and America will only recover when you cease avoiding responsibility in this mission of yours to fundamentally transform America. For that to happen, the press had better learn from their experiences of being duped and provide a deserving public fairer, more intelligent coverage.

Speaking of coverage, glad you finally called in the Marines... shame it was just to hold your umbrella."

- Sarah Palin

Must see video featuring Judge Jeanine Pirro here.

282.  A private blog where I can vent about political issues* without offending the masses...at least until the government bugs my computer or steals files from Blogger

*I have a hard time calling my concerns "political" since losing the American Republic and any semblance of a moral code in our country is far more that merely a political concern.  Freedom is so much more than politics but is the core of how God made us.  It seems as though the entire future of the world is at stake here.

283.  The greatest blessing through all of this for me personally is that God is sovereign and my children, husband, and other loved ones belong to Him where we are forever safe and secure in Him!

When Daddy and/or the Kids Were Away...

While Dad Was Away

After being away from their dad during our trip to Bald Head Island while he worked, and then after having him gone until late Saturday evening on a business trip, the kids flew out on Monday for almost two weeks with their grandparents.  We drove to Nashville this past Saturday and met up with them late Saturday and then drove all the way back on Sunday.  My husband was on the phone most of the day with work.  Then he was gone again by 4:30am on Monday morning.  By the time he returns, the kids will have been away from him for 25 out of the last 28 days.  It's taking a toll, for every child needs quality and quantity time with both his/her mother and father.

Unexpected and urgent business trips make them sad.
Such is life when the industry's hero is your dad.

Out of 28 consecutive days,
Twenty-five without Dad is quite the malaise.

 

While the Kids Were Away
The house was quiet and lonely with the kids gone and my husband at work most of the time.  I had hoped to get lots of projects done around the house, but his shoulder and bicep were still out of commission, so all the work fell on me.  I did at least purge my office, the mudroom, the pantry, the play room, five closets, and the kids' rooms.  I should have taken before/after pics, but I feared a before pic of the kids' rooms could get us in trouble with HAZMAT for our daughter is a going through a hoarder phase I hope she will soon outgrow.  

Desk makeover for our girl

We had my old desk from when I was a little girl refinished and replaced all the hardware on all the pieces we had already refinished previously.  I'm still waiting on my husband to drill holes in the desk for one more handle replacement, and then it will be done.  I stayed up past 3 am several nights reorganizing her room and still did not get it all done.  She was not happy with me when she got home, but my son thanked me profusely for making his room so much neater and more organized.  Those two are so completely different.

Look what I found together while purging the kids' rooms. At least now I will be prepared for their April Fools pranks, and I am glad they want to make a positive difference in the world when they are not pranking their parents.

Orwell kept me company during all these cleaning sprees. Here he is enjoying one of my bins.  Note how the markings on his back look like an elephant.  When we first got him, he sat such that the markings formed a heart as if to say, "Please let me into your heart."  This time, I think he's expressing his preference for small government and conservative Republican ideals.

I barely noticed him sleeping on the chair one day with all our daughter's stuffed animals all around him.

The school room was one of his favorite purging spots.

In addition to keeping me company, Orwell did a lot of growing while the kids were gone.  He's over three pounds now (vs. one pound when we got him a month ago), and he is now approximately the same size of Muffin.

I also gave the house a deep cleaning while the kiddos were gone and updated some of the decor.  My son noticed and thanked me for making the house look so nice (I'm sure his allergies thank me too), but my daughter complained saying she physically needs clutter around her to function properly.

I took the old rocking chair my mom rocked my brother and me in to my refinishing pro for an update during their absence.  I kept this chair in the nursery for rocking my babes.  It was outdated then too, but the colors blended.  Now we have the rocking chair in the guest room where the new furniture is dark walnut with expresso accents.  So, our refinishing pro updated the chair to black with dark walnut distressing for an inverse match. I now love the chair I once loathed!

I wasted a lot of time simply observing Orwell while the kids were gone. As a new cat owner, I am fascinated by everything that cat does and especially enjoy watching him play (except when he's tearing up my flower arrangements, scratching my furniture, or shredding my expensive area rugs).  Ugh!  I watched him sleep in a wide variety of odd sleeping positions.

I gazed amused as he would play furiously, run wildly, poke or hop over Muffin to get her to play with him.  Once he seemed to mope about as if missing the kids.

 

Sometimes I merely watched him sit while wondering what color his eyes will be when is fully grown.

I had a hard time finding him when he slept hidden among my giveaway piles.  I made lots of trips to Goodwill and the garbage can while those kids were gone.

One simple to-do item on my list was to get the side view mirror on our van replaced. It seemed such a simple task, but when the dealership quoted me well over $600 to do the job, we searched for a better price.  We got a slightly lower quote at a large collision center closer to our house, but they could not see us for another four weeks.  It's dangerous to drive without a side view mirror, but I kept rubber necking to see and tried to be careful during that time. We figured they must be really good to be so busy. 

We took it the same morning our kids flew to St. Louis, but they had not ordered the part during those 4 weeks of waiting and told us to call mid-week to check on the progress. After looking at the shock on our faces, the guy said, "Bring it back tomorrow at 10am. I'll order the part express right now." So, I brought it back the next day at 11:30 to be safe. Still no part. I told him to call me when they are ready for me next time. On FRIDAY they claimed they were finally ready so I brought it in and RAN HOME crossing very busy streets because they had no shuttle and then having to shower and launder my clothes because I was dripping wet from the run in the hot & humid weather.  

I got it that afternoon and paid the money they quoted us initially. While driving home, I noticed that the camera on it wasn't working, so I took it back again on Monday.On Tuesday,  they called and said they can't fix it, and have to take it to Honda to fix it, and I would have to pay the extra $122 they charge to fix it for approximately 10 minutes of labor . They took it to Honda and then brought it back to the shop with no gas. But guess what? Honda took the money but didn't fix it either. It still doesn't work. 

But since it was completely out of gas and the voice mail from our customer rep suggested that he wanted us to come put gas in it so he could take it back to Honda the next day, my husband drove over there at 10pm that night to take it for a fill up. But then he discovered that NO gas stations were open after within the few miles left before it ran out of gas.  So my hubby rolled it into our driveway thinking we at least have some gas in the mower can. It had been on 0 mile range for the past mile and a half. It is a miracle he made it home. But our gas can was empty too. So, then my guy who is still recovering from shoulder surgery jogged back to the repair shop to get his car, drove back home to get the gas can and then drove further out to finally find a gas station that was still open.  He poured it back into the van that still isn't fixed.

So the saga continued until I called the collision center manager who finally agreed to cover the Honda dealership fees.  By the end of week two, we finally got the van back.  Had the kids been here, they would have missed several hundred dollars worth of weekly activities since I had such limited van access during that time.

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Another goal for our time without the kids was to go on dates.  Out of 11 evenings without them, we only found time to go out three times, but that's two times more than we normally go out together over a period of six months. We used gift cards to treat ourselves to fancy dinners.  I dusted off some of my favorite cocktail dresses and enjoyed the peace, quiet, and professionally prepared gourmet meals which reminded us of our honeymoon dinners and special anniversary trips.  We treated friends one evening for a double date, which is something we should do more often.

We also got to catch up with friends we haven't seen in almost 10 years since they moved to Florida.  Most of the families we were so close to back then have left our church or moved, so it was a sweet reunion indeed, and we all got to meet lots of new kids who had been added to these families which mostly consist of at least three children.  My husband had to use his zoom lens to capture us all, and he still missed a passel of kids in the back right corner.

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Unfortunately, while the kids were gone, our POTUS, who has worked tirelessly over the past 6.5 years to tear apart our country according to his global citizen mindset, made the worst deal ever with Iran.  I'm still in complete disbelief that we could let something that idiotic happen. This deal bans U.S. inspectors from Iran nuclear facilities.  It lifts economic sanctions that could boost Iran's economy with $150 billion in revenue which will most likely be used to arm terrorists and build their nuclear arms program.  It also allows Russia and China to sell arms to Iran, and considering China's economic woes, they should be glad for the new revenue stream.  This treaty slaps Israel upside the head with the worst stench of betrayal.  Anyone who has read Biblical prophecy pities the fool who rejects Israel. So this deal has basically set the course for WW3 which prophecy describes as a nuclear war.  Iran's hatred extends beyond Israel, for iranians have repeatedly attacked Americans and regularly chant, "Death to America!"  "Get right with Jesus, people!" is all I can say for our days are numbered.

It's ironic to watch America repeating so many mistakes of the past and trying to emulate failing nations.  I seriously thought that the reason we study history is to learn from past mistakes and to form a broader, richer, wiser understanding of the nature of humanity and of the world. How silly of me, for "progress" apparently means rewriting, denying, or hiding history and repeating the same mistakes from the past but in a more epic disaster kind of way.  Our leaders won't even let themselves remember Clinton's treaty with North Korea only 21 years ago.  I don't think our POTUS is dumb enough to trust the world's nastiest enemy.  Surely his goal all along was to weaken America because he sees the U.S. as a great evil.  Bush made some serious mistakes, but at least he loved America with great zeal and honored the office of President.  Now it is politically correct to hate both God and America, apparently, as evidenced by the lewd parades in which near naked activists wipe their rear ends with the U.S. flag and the pages of Scripture.  So just as I told a friend with a completely opposite worldview from mine a week after the SCOTUS ruling, calamity will keep coming in every aspect of life at a quicker pace and at a greater intensity than ever before as God sends more harbingers of the judgment to come so that more people will come to their knees in repentance and receive His gift of salvation.

Here are just a few that come to mind since I issued that warning to her:
 

Technology Attack all on the Same Day

• NYSE closed
• Wall Street Journal webpage died
• United Airlines had to ground flights

Internation/Domestic Relations 

• Iran Nuclear Arms Deal that essentially allows them to set up a nuclear arms system which they will use on Israel first and then us & betrays our great ally
•  Four marines and one sailor were killed when a domestic terrorist went on planned shooting spree at a recruitment center where they were sitting ducks without arms.  (FYI:  "Gun Free Zone" = "Welcome mass shooters")  Yet, instead of allowing our armed forces to bear arms, the POTUS has advised they close the blinds and stop wearing uniforms. Give me a break!
• Several black veterans have been killed by Black Panthers for standing up those in the south who are being persecuted by the north

Financial

• Greece financial collapse – buy out with Europe
• Chinese stock market dropped 30% (trillions in value)

Natural Disasters

• Top scientists warning of a pending earthquake in Seattle area that could destroy the city and kill at least 30,000

Christian Persecution

• Bakery owners fined for not baking cake for a gay wedding followed by multiple threats on their lives
• Christian hostages in Iran not even brought up during negotiations which was the one time we could have seriously gotten them out of there
•  Bible publishers are being sued by radical groups because they think the Bible (God's love letter to mankind) is filled with "hate speech.
• Hate groups have been parading in streets on an social media as they wipe their butts with the American flag and with pages of Scripture as a way of offending and blaspheming God and liberty loving patriots 
• Threats to take away churches’ non profit tax status are intensifying.

Even though the Bible warned of such calamities and we know it will only get worse until Jesus comes again, it's still so hard not to get angry over the state of the word and particularly over the moral depravity in America. Even G.K. Chesterson predicted these types of events almost a century ago when he said the following:

“For under the smooth legal surface of our society there are already moving very lawless things. We are always near the breaking-point when we care only for what is legal and nothing for what is lawful. Unless we have a moral principle about such delicate matters as marriage and murder, the whole world will become a welter of exceptions with no rules. There will be so many hard cases that everything will go soft.” - G.K. Chesterson (1874 – 1936)

But as I keep learning the hard way, we can't win people for the kingdom of God or rescue them from the drowning floods of postmodernism with mere rhetoric and especially not with angry rhetoric. So I turned to Scriptures and wrote the following in my journal.
Our country is surely more divided than it has been in my lifetime. We are all so angry and rightfully so. The media is so biased no one knows what to believe anymore, but whatever is published seeks to inspire anger, hatred, bitterness, and division.

Government accountability is missing and the system of checks and balances is defunct. Sanctuary cities and all branches of power seem to be picking and choosing which laws they will and will not obey which begets widespread lawlessness.

Unarmed military personnel have been slaughtered by domestic terrorists as predicted by authorities, so now armed citizens are giving their time to stand guard over unarmed "armed forces" who were employed to protect citizens in the first place!

Women and children are still trafficked like slaves and at an increasing rate as the pornography industry continues to trespass into hearts and homes taking captive unsuspecting and vulnerable internet users with the result of wrecking families while increasing the lust for more perverse and more frequent abuses of women and minors.

Babies are butchered and then sold in parts on the black market by an organization established by a racist eugenicist and funded by taxpayer dollars against the wishes of the majority of taxpayers.

Some extreme groups are parading virtually naked in public while wiping their rear ends with the American flag or with the pages of Scripture, for it is now politically correct in America to hate both God and America.

The dignity of human life is disregarded as postmodernism & moral relativism have become pervasive. So unstable, hurting, young people feel justified in shooting praying saints in church or innocent children in gun free schools.

America has abandoned her allies and shacked up with the world's worst enemies and put the entire world at greater risk of nuclear war.

The story of my life right now

Many of us want to cry from the mountaintops, "STOP IT!" But if all we do is cast insults at one another out of our own personal hurts or speak the truth with stinging words, forgetting there is a soul behind that electronic screen, then we only make the situation worse. We cry ourselves to sleep over the oppressive evil all over the world and want so much to make a difference, but words are silenced and positive actions don't seem to get far in a broken democratic republic. So where do we turn? How do we stand upright in a world that has turned upside down?

King David turned to God, pouring out his heart with shocking honesty. He did not mince his words, either. He begged for God's judgment to fall on his enemies, for he was desperate, weary, surrounded and outnumbered, despairing and afraid. These emotional rants are recorded in the psalms, but they almost always end with praise because prayer leads us to acknowledge God for who He is. Prayer helps us see His power, goodness and love. It reminds us that He is still sovereign over all these things. So instead of slaying one another with our words (speaking to myself here), let us cry out to God, look to Him, confess, intercede, and worship.

4 "For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.
11But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover him with favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5)

*Note: This psalm was written before Christ's righteousness was imputed on those who believe & trust through HIS work (not ours) on the cross.

I'll close with some quotes and links that have been most helpful for me during this cultural slide off the moral precipice:

From my all time favorite teacher and apologeticist:

 "The Church must not be a fortress guarded by a constabulary but a home where the Father ever awaits the return of each of us who is in the far country." Ravi Zacharias

How Wide the Divide: Sexuality at the Forefront, Culture at the Crossroads

Liberals and conservatives both cite ignorance of levitical law as evidence that the other side is biblically illiterate. They are both right. - By Tim Keller

Preaching the truth boldly:   Will the Real Christian Pastors Please Stand Up?

Wise and wonderful people have come out of Oklahoma, y'all, including my husband.  Must see video below:

Powerful floor speech from Senator James Lankford on the horrifying practices of the abortion industry. This is a must-watch!
Posted by National Right to Life on Saturday, July 18, 2015