tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30867783472001567482024-02-06T19:34:08.037-08:00For the Beauty of the EarthSara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.comBlogger243125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-36324507005902996332013-05-03T11:47:00.000-07:002013-05-03T11:47:01.329-07:00Five Minute Friday: Brave<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://lisajobaker.com/2013/05/five-minute-friday-brave-2/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7C6Km4ksKWOHIeTKEnj9JS7j3ookCpr2pMfq4jjxEr7UXpb0d_nWRceseKGgduAthT7O2Qg2zgSqiVvC4dM0RbZ5wgyCIgRJ2p5zLms6OEiEGTeqs5OuF2OYdzYSKIHWCR1Vh2qo-HkY/s1600/5-minute-friday-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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(click above for today's other FMF entries)</div>
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<span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">"I've never prized safety, Erich, either for myself or my children. I prized courage." Line from an <b><i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032811/?ref_=ttqt_qt_tt" target="_blank">obscure Jimmy Stewart movie</a></i></b>.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fbfbfb;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Being brave is not something I ever really wanted for my kids. Oh, sure, I paid it lip-service. What kind of mom openly hopes her children will be cowards. But isn't this what I wanted? Children who lived lives of middle class comfort. Dressing primly and properly to attend church on Sunday, tithing the requisite 10%, then going on their happy way until next Sunday rolled around. Then, God set in my midst Mr. Great-heart, whom, upon hearing that there were countries where Christians were persecuted and didn't have access to bibles thought that he should just do something about that. He was 4 or 5. I verbally encouraged him, and, yes, I was proud that he'd do such a thing, but inwardly I was probably happy he was the only one of the five who did.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fbfbfb; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Lately, not so much. Lately I feel this desire to pray that all my boys will be that brave. That they will look at the injustice that the world perpetrates and feel called to do something, regardless the risk. If they do, I must do the thing I really don't want to do...be brave myself. Coz that's what it comes down to for a mom. If her kids are brave, she has to be twice as brave. She has to support them in their battle, and wage her own in her heart and mind. I didn't really want to be brave. I wanted a life of comfort and ease, like everyone around me in our middle class America. I wanted to call what I was living brave, when it really wasn't.</span><br />
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-21191350879899807292013-05-01T14:14:00.001-07:002013-05-01T14:15:14.324-07:00May Reading List<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.books.5minutesformom.com/89/whats-on-your-nightstand"><img alt="What's On Your Nightstand" src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c328/jenndon/Nightstand.jpg" title="What's On Your Nightstand" /></a></div>
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(Click to go to What's on Your Nightstand for the link up)</div>
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What?!? You're kidding. It's May? Not possible. Well, I did spend most of April prepping for Braniac's big birthday party so the month went by very quickly. Let's take a look at how I did (I really haven't even had time to look at it yet. lol)<br />
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I finished <b><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7528819-smooth-and-easy-days-with-charlotte-mason" target="_blank">Smooth & Easy Days</a></u></i></b> & downloaded <b><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6503604-masterly-inactivity" target="_blank">Masterly Inactivity</a></u></i></b> but didn't start it. Maybe I'm getting smarter.<br />
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Still working on <b><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/70203.Smart_Moves" target="_blank">Smart Moves</a></u></i></b>.<br />
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I am going to consider myself "done" with <b><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8776591-the-power-of-a-whisper" target="_blank">The Power of a Whisper</a></u></i></b>. I don't think I'm "ready to give a thorough review" done, but it's good enough. I do recommend it though. Especially for people who wonder what other Christians are talking about when they say they "heard God." And maybe especially for Christians who think they can't. Hybels does a good job explaining what it is and isn't to hear God's "whisper" as he calls it. And if you don't like the way he's always talking about his church stop talking to me about sports all the time. I'd rather hear about a guy's church than all the ridiculous sports analogies men normally use. (And I like sports. :))<br />
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The Fitting Room. You know, every time I think I've made great progress with this book, I look down at the bottom and it doesn't even say 50% done. I think the format confuses me. I'll get use to e-books some day. It is going faster now that I've finished the difficult part. It's a long story, probably best for therapy. Suffice to say legalism wasn't my problem so I had to work through her words when I'd been beat over the head with similar words in defense of what I would consider antinomianism.<br />
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Somewhere in April I went from, "I'm going to read <b><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17125742-to-walk-or-stay" target="_blank">To Walk or Stay</a></u></i></b> by Lara G Williams some day," to, "I'm going to read it now with the online book group." So now I've added that. Much more accountability as we post to the group weekly. It's really a very good book. I had put it in my "too read" list originally because my situation doesn't really mirror hers, then I read a quote I guess it was, wish I could remember exactly what the words were, and I realized it would be very beneficial to read it now. I like that it doesn't dwell on the specifics and thereby alienate readers who haven't been through her same experience. In short, we all need to grow in our faith. We all need to stop relying on ourselves and worshiping an ideal...oh, that was it. She said something about believing Hollywood's lie about what love was and I thought, well, it wasn't Hollywood's lie I fell for (it was a bizarre religious upbringing that basically stated that a woman could not be whole if she was un-wed and without children) but I had a feeling that her book was going to be extremely helpful...and it has been.<br />
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I did finish some other books not on my list. One was <b><i><u><a href="http://quenchbible.com/bible-studies/hope/" target="_blank">Abounding Hope</a></u></i></b> (also by Lara G Williams), which I wrote about yesterday. I really recommend this study. I look forward to the next one as well. Really like the NON-running commentary. :D Often it's good to be forced to dig for the truth yourself, makes it stick better. I've noticed, and I'm sure most people have, that I can read a few pages and get to the end and think "What the heck did I read?" When we are simply prompted to by specific Scripture & questions, I have found it sticks in my head better. I hope this one is seared. :)<br />
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I think I'll stick with those for now. When the new <b><i><u><a href="http://www.hellomornings.org/register/" target="_blank">Hello Mornings session</a></u></i></b> starts this month (Gads! Is it May already? Yes, I know I asked that earlier.) there will be a new study to start and I will want to give time to that daily. Now that my Sunday's are free again (post-AWANA quiz) and I don't have another birthday party until June, I'll have a bit more time to read...oh, yeah, and AWANA will be over which, while I'm sad, will free up more time since I won't have to help the kids with verses until I start a summer plan with them in June. :)<br />
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Well, that's my reading life. I know, you're jealous. That's OK. ;)</div>
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-32642026999446557652013-04-30T12:43:00.000-07:002013-04-30T12:43:08.509-07:00Abounding Hope<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This last term of Hello Mornings we used a study on Job
& Joseph created by Lara G.
Williams, called Abounding Hope. The study is simple enough: A collection of
different verses to read each day with questions to prompt specific Scriptural
thoughts about God, His Promises, Hope, etc. There is no running commentary,
but the user is guided to glean truths from God's Word, not the author's mind.</div>
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I can't tell you how I felt about studying
Job...again...when I saw the topic. I may have rolled my eyes and thought something negative. I don't really remember,
but that sounds like something I would have done way back in January. I hope
the thought of studying Job...again...does not deter anyone, though. I found
this particular study to be valuable. Lara doesn't get into the debate I grew
up with about how Job was probably actually being punished by God for future
sins (seriously, I've heard that one so many times it's rote memory now), she
doesn't get sidetracked trying to figure out if the Laviathon is a whale or a
dinosaur. The entire study seems stayed on one ever important, but, I've
learned as I've grown & as I've watched others, difficult topic...You *can*
trust God. He *is* faithful, always. He will *never* leave you, even if your
outward circumstances look as if He has. He *always* loves you. He isn't a God
out to punish you for some secret sin you might not even know about, He is a
God out to serve His Great Eternal Purpose in your life for His Glory, which often requires difficulties that incur growth.</div>
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Looking back through my notes on this study I can see that
it became apparent by the end of week one what God was trying to say: I can
trust Him. This may seem like a no-brainer to some people. A lot of Christians
sometimes think this sort of thing just comes natural. It doesn't. I won't get
into the specifics of why I have spent a lifetime in the church without being
able to trust God. It makes most people uncomfortable to hear about my
childhood of growing up in the church but having an entirely un-biblical
upbringing at home. Suffice to say that I was taught from an early age that God
hated His people, that He was "out to get them," to use the
vernacular & that the better Christian you were the more he was. That He was just waiting for you to mess up one bit, then He'd jump
on the occasion to attack you with some sort of cruel punishment. </div>
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Two December's ago, when Christ lifted me out of the
darkness of sin and unbelief, I began to see things differently. I made my
first few timid steps in trusting God, but, honestly, I believe that in the
back of my mind, those thoughts were still there. This study dragged them all
out into the open where God & I could deal with them once and for all.</div>
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It was a long session this round of the Hello Mornings
Challenge. One thing after another came to the members of our group. As most
people around the country know, it was a winter filled with illness after
illness, on top of that there were so many other things going on that I
couldn't enumerate them all in this entry. In my own life things were pretty
bad. So many things going on personally that threatened to drag me down into a
deep depression. In fact, in the old days they would have. I won't say that I
didn't get depressed, some of the stuff was so overwhelming that it was bound
to make me sad. But through these terrible times, as I wrestled with God in my
study, I was finally able to see that these things as they were, temporal
problems (OK, most of them are very long, temporal problems) that God will use
for His Glory...and I can be a part of bringing that Glory to Him IF I trust
Him. Of course, it's all gonna bring Him Glory whether I do or not, but do I
want it to bring Him Glory *in spite of* my faith, or as a result of it?</div>
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As I look back over the past few months, I don't really see
that a single one of the problems has changed. Some of them have actually
become worse. What *has* changed is my perspective. I no longer look up and
wonder "why?" the moment something bad happens. I look ahead, to the
end, whenever that end may be...even if it won't be until I'm long gone from
this earth...to the Glory that God will bring Himself as a result of this
trial.</div>
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Here is a thought from my notes way back in Week 5 of the
study: Trust God. He is all powerful and all knowing. He is in control of your
circumstances.</div>
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And, of course, if you know me at all, you know that this makes me think of a song. Unfortunately Blogger cannot communicate with YouTube while using Chrome (yes, that is an indictment of Google who owns all three) so here's the link: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9DTwLOxzhE" target="_blank">While I'm Waiting by John Waller</a>.</div>
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And with that phobia overcome, I will now attempt to work on
my other biggie...fear of all pastors and other Christian leaders. Anybody have
a good study on that one? :)</div>
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-7262904048200006432013-04-03T23:25:00.000-07:002013-04-03T23:25:44.356-07:00What Is a Gift?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">James 1:2-4 The Message <i>Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I was raised to think of hardship as a bad thing, or even more, as a punishment from a god who had it in for us, who was just waiting for us to cross that line, then he would strike us down. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I use that as an example sometimes when talking to my kids on the importance of knowledge of Scripture. Pure Scripture, not just someone's interpretation of Scripture.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As we enter into possibly another trial, this one centered around Babycakes and whatever it is that is causing his delays and possibly even seizures, I have been comforted by these verses. I was led to them yesterday in my study on Joseph in <b><i><u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Abounding-Quench-Bible-Series-ebook/dp/B00B1AYDN8" target="_blank">Abounding Hope</a></u></i></b>. I've been trying to read them in different translations. They all come out saying what it basically says here in The Message. God does not give us these things because he is out to knock us around for our sins. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. As a recent convert to true & living faith (I attended church my whole life) I find all these truths of Scripture to be a beacon to lead me to trust in God. Between His Word and His Spirit I have been able to realize that God really does love His children. That just because this is happening again (and I can say again coz all my kids have had something) it is not because of some vendetta God has against me. He doesn't hate me and have a terrible plan for my life. Unless that's what He had for Joseph.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">These verses are major "stop whining" verses. It's hard to complain when you read that these trials are to help show your "true colors." I've been thinking about that a lot. What are my true colors? How strong is my faith, really? I know it's been getting stronger, but I still seem to trip over the simplest things.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And, of course, I want out of this. I don't want this. In fact, when we go to the specialist I think I will tell him or her, "I don't want you to find anything wrong with my "baby." I want you to tell me he's perfectly normal and I am over-reacting." :) But we are not to try to get out of anything prematurely. We are to allow these trials to work in us so we become mature and well-developed. As I read through Scripture this certainly seems to be a big theme: You can't gain maturity without trials. The bigger the trials, the more mature you become.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">These things cause us to change. I know, my life has been one trial after another. Becoming a Christian hasn't changed that at all. But since coming to Christ I can see that the trials really do what these verses say. It's really been amazing. I can't see why it just isn't more popular. ;) Seriously, though, when you face trials with Christ, you don't have to be a complainer or a hater. You also don't have to be a stoic or a, well, whatever that type of person is that says, "que sera' sera'." With Christ you know that each of these trials holds a purpose and though you don't really want them, especially when they affect your children (come on, God, can't it just be something with me? why my little kids? please?), you can know that through it all something beautiful will come from it.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I don't know what's going on with BC. I don't know what the medical outcome will be. I don't know what any of this will mean for the long term, but I know that God has given it to me because He loves me enough to want me to grow in Him and closer to Him. And because He wants me to be His witness in this world. Who knows how many people I will meet as a result of this trial? How many of them might never have heard the Gospel? How many of them might be as miserable as I was before God saved me?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">There is a reason for everything. God is working to bring all things together for the good of those who love Him. And I pray that through all this I will be faithful, like Joseph, and that I will bring Him glory and honor.</span></div>
Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-77578454637296957972013-03-31T19:59:00.000-07:002013-04-01T07:32:27.559-07:00April Reading List<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.books.5minutesformom.com/89/whats-on-your-nightstand"><img alt="What's On Your Nightstand" src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c328/jenndon/Nightstand.jpg" title="What's On Your Nightstand" /></a></div>
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(It's April so I thought pink was appropriate. :))<br />
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So, I learned a lot about my reading habits last month as a result of writing down <b><i><u><a href="http://joyouslyredeemed.blogspot.com/2013/02/march-reading-list.html" target="_blank">the books I meant to read</a></u></i></b>.<br />
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1) I am far more scattered these days than I thought. I'm more focused than I have been in the past, but I still need to work on it.<br />
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2) I should probably write down the books I'm reading on a piece of paper or some place I will be reminded. Unlike the old days when you could put a stack of books next to your bed, e-books are far more easily forgotten. I was almost through the month before I remembered that I was reading one or two of the books. :/<br />
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I finished <b style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6503571-education-is" style="color: #aa0033; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Education Is...</a></u></i></b><span style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">by Sonya Shafer. It was a nice, brief encouragement that encouraged creating an environment of learning for your child. So far </span><b style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7528819-smooth-and-easy-days-with-charlotte-mason" style="color: #aa0033;" target="_blank">Smooth and Easy Days</a></u></i></b><span style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> has been similar, but with more specific information on forming habits.</span><br />
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So the list will stay essentially the same. But there were some add-ons so I'm going to list it in order I would like to finish...<br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/70203.Smart_Moves" target="_blank">Smart Moves</a> </i></b>by Carla Hannaford. The violin teacher loaned this (and a few others) to me so I would like to finish and return it at least. This book has a lot of good things to say about child development that I think will be helpful for BC, and is making me reconsider some things I thought I'd do regarding his education.<br />
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<b><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8776591-the-power-of-a-whisper" target="_blank">The Power of a Whisper</a></u></i></b> by Bill Hybels. This book came along after I made my list and did cut into my list quite a bit. But our church was doing a series on it so I started. Now I find that I really do want to finish it. Been very eye opening, maybe even therapeutic.<br />
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<b><i><u><a href="http://simplycharlottemason.com/store/smooth-easy-days-with-charlotte-mason/" target="_blank">Smooth and Easy Days</a></u></i></b> by Sonya Shafer. I'm almost done so it will be a boost to my mood to have one (hopefully) finished so soon. :)<br />
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<b style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10955160-the-fitting-room" style="color: #aa0033; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Fitting Room</a></u></i></b><span style="background-color: #ffffe5; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> by Kelly Minter. I'm struggling through this. It's a good book but the part I'm in now really dredges up some negative , to put it lightly, feelings about something that I can't really explain here both because I'm not ready to discuss it in public and because I just don't know how to write it down in a way that will make sense. Anyway, I will attempt to push through this slough of reader's despond. ;)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">I'm going to put the Sanger book "on the shelf" for this month. That will probably encourage me to read it more. :D Yes, I rebel against myself.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">The other three are the same studies/devotionals.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Well, here's to actually finishing two this month. :)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">PS Does it bug you that I cut off the top of the book in this picture? Coz it's annoying the heck out of me. :)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">PPS Linking up with <a href="http://books.5minutesformom.com/30539/whats-on-your-nightstand-march-26/" target="_blank">What's on Your Nightstand?</a> at 5minutesforbooks.com.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">PPPS I forgot to say that I *did* finish a few more books, but they were not on this list. I really do have a hard time staying on task. :D</span></span></div>
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-15555226135998868362013-03-30T13:53:00.001-07:002013-03-30T13:53:55.085-07:00Five Minute Friday--Broken<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I wasn't going to do the <b><i><u><a href="http://lisajobaker.com/2013/03/five-minute-friday-broken/" target="_blank">FMF</a></u></i></b> today, or yesterday either. ;D Each prompt since "Rest" has prompted me to think of something that I felt deserved more time than 5 min. But when I turned over the calendar this morning to March 30, the verse was too right. The following is a bit of what I've been thinking about writing more about.<br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before Him.</i></span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Psalm 18:20 The Message</i></span></span></div>
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Broken could certainly be used to describe how I felt by that fateful night in December of 2011. Maybe crushed, smashed, ground up and turned to dust would even be better because that is exactly how my soul felt. After a lifetime of abusive relationships, afflicted and afflicting, I had come to the end. There was nothing left. I lived in constant fear, though I couldn't have told you of what. I dreaded every single day, and every single night. I was in shambles. After 42 years, 3 mos, and 8 days (give or take a day) my entire world was about to come crashing down and shatter the lives of everyone around me as well. My children, my friends. And then, in one instant, it was over. In one instant I was made whole. In one instant the death in me was gone and I breathed for the very first time. It's hard to describe to people who have lived their lives as Christians or who are not Christians what conversion is like. I don't know if people can understand who have never gone from utter darkness into complete light. How can you explain what it's like to have every part of you fixed in one instantaneous moment. Oh, sure, there are still issues, but I am no longer broken. I am no longer in pieces. I placed all the pieces, the powder as it were, before Him, and He INSTANTANEOUSLY made me complete.</div>
Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-17079132238470361012013-03-09T06:34:00.000-08:002013-03-09T06:34:26.675-08:00Five Minute Friday: Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Home. I want to go there. The older I get the more I feel this desire to return. I left with the best of intentions, but without knowledge. I was young and full of my own ideas. I had no idea that one day I'd miss it even more than I did then. I want to breathe in the sweet mountain air. I want to wave at each of my neighbors, and strangers, as we drive past each other on the road. I want to feel the friendliness of the people in town. I want to leave the pettiness of the city behind. Each day brings more longing. And with it a struggle to remain content with where God has placed me at this time.<br />
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I can't help but wonder if this is just a precursor to how I will feel in another 40 years...even if I do make it home. A longing that will grow day by day as my body grows older and older. A desire to go to the Place I will forever call Home.<br />
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Both require a waiting on the Lord. The one, I do not know His plans. Will I ever return to my earthly home? The other I do know and have full trust that one day, when the work He has for me on this earth is finished, I *will* go Home.<br />
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-91420634617124685222013-03-02T17:17:00.002-08:002013-03-02T17:17:28.397-08:00March 2, 2013, The Day upon Which nothing Went quite As planned<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So, when my alarm went off at 4:30 I wondered a couple things. 1) Why on earth did I leave it on? 2) How can a person have a cold on only one half of their face.<div>
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But, life goes on. Today, life should have included Braniac participating in the city's once a year Track & Field program, and Spock and Mr. Great-heart attending ballet class. At some point, if we had a minute or two, we'd stop into the farm and see how the berry bushes and pomegranate trees were coming along.</div>
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Got to the park with Braniac and, as we walked to the area where the Track & Field events should be, I saw a large soccer game. Not that I have anything against the sport (no, that's a lie, I hate it :D) but this was a bit disconcerting. My immediate thought was that I had, yet again, misread information. But I swore I'd read that flier 20 times because it was just such a weird park to have the meet at. There's just not enough parking. So I had dh call over to the CC there and find out what was happening while I drove to the park where I thought it might be. He got a hold of me while I was on the freeway and told me that it had been cancelled at the last minute. Um, great. Thanks a lot City of Ontario. *sigh* So I told Braniac (who probably does not understand that by "cancelled" I mean he will never get to do it again...this was his last year) and I said, "Let's go to the farm."</div>
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In the midst of planting blackberry bushes I get a call from dh saying that the ballet bags, with the slippers in them, are apparently in the trunk of the car I was driving. *double-sigh* So he could take Mr. Great-heart if he came and and picked them up, but there was no way he could get Spock there in time. They drove down and came over to the blackberry planting, and that's when MG decided he'd rather plant bushes & trees than dance today thank-you-very-much.</div>
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So, Spock, MG, and I ended up spending the whole day at the farm (with a break for lunch) because one of the other volunteers brought her step-son who is Spock's age and the three of them played whole-heartedly together all morning and afternoon, with a brief break for MG to plant a tree.</div>
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Well, no matter, I still got a sunburn and a bit of dehydration. :)</div>
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-88279726890893226582013-03-01T20:45:00.000-08:002013-03-01T20:46:09.060-08:00Five Minute Friday: Ordinary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Ordinary. I don't think it exists. I think it's a word used by people trying to sell us their products. You are ordinary but if you buy our shampoo you'll be extraordinary. You are ordinary, but if you drive our car you'll be exceptional. Conversely, if you don't, you're a loser. The world wishes to relegate all things except the most extreme to ordinary. Death. Birth. Unless something exciting happens, they are ordinary. But nothing is really ordinary. Everything really is extraordinary. People are all really exceptional. If we believe everything and everyone was intricately created by a God who essentially runs the entire universe, we can't believe in ordinary. That we are here, that we have been given 24 hrs a day, that we live where we live, etc., it's all extraordinary. There is nothing mundane in God's creation. If we really believe He is the Creator, we cannot believe that mundane exists. Each moment we breathe, each new dawn, brings new opportunities to draw closer to Him by serving Him in whatever He has called us to do. And there is nothing ordinary about that.<br />
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-20329742372001096152013-02-27T22:04:00.003-08:002013-03-01T21:21:55.725-08:00March Reading List<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
OK, I was inspired by<b><i><u><a href="http://starrweavings.blogspot.com/2013/02/whats-on-your-nightstand-february.html" target="_blank"> this post</a></u></i></b> recommended to me by my friend at <b><i><u><a href="http://raisingstickyhands.com/" target="_blank">Raising Sticky Hands to Heaven</a></u></i></b> (arguably the coolest mom-blog title ever). I can't guarantee I'll get the regular books done this month, but I plan to make a dent. Most of these books I've already started so this is just a push for me to get them finished.<br />
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Regular<br />
<b><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6503571-education-is" target="_blank">Education Is...</a></u></i></b>by Sonya Shafer. This book is free at <i><u><a href="http://simplycharlottemason.com/" target="_blank">Simply Charlotte Mason</a></u></i>.<br />
<b><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7528819-smooth-and-easy-days-with-charlotte-mason" target="_blank">Smooth and Easy Days</a></u></i></b> by Sonya Shafer (also free at SCM)<br />
<b><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10955160-the-fitting-room" target="_blank">The Fitting Room</a></u></i></b> by Kelly Minter No, this isn't my normal type of book. I mean, I hate any discussion about clothes, but she has me hooked by acknowledgement that some of us raised in the church weren't really raised by Deacon material, iykwim. :D<br />
<b><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2382310.The_Pivot_of_Civilization" target="_blank">The Pivot of Civilization</a></u></i></b> by Margaret Sanger From the horses mouth. This has taken me a while to get through. She has such hatred and works hard to mask it in compassion. She was a really awesome politician. BTW, this is free at Amazon.<br />
<b><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13228935-multiply" target="_blank">Multiply</a></u></i></b> by Francis Chan<br />
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Bible Study & Devotional<br />
<b><i><u><a href="http://quenchbible.com/bible-studies/hope/" target="_blank">Abounding Hope</a></u></i></b> by Lara Williams & Katie Orr This is the quasi-official study for Hello Mornings this term. This "simple" study (only simple in that there are not a lot of words) has been so incredibly helpful. I have blogged on it a few times. I plan to next week as well. So I'll just leave it at that. :)<br />
<b><i><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/381421.Jesus_Calling" target="_blank">Jesus Calling</a></u></i></b> by Sarah Young Oh. My. Goodness. I picked this up today at the Scholastic Book Fair at the Middles school, not on a whim as several friends have recommended it, and tonight Spock stayed home from AWANA due to stress so I told him we could read our new books. I opened mine to today's devotional and was pretty much blown away at how it described both our situations so perfectly. I might pick him up a copy tomorrow. :)<br />
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Well, come back in a month and see how I did. :D</div>
Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-73274015746739066402013-02-22T09:29:00.000-08:002013-02-22T09:30:41.167-08:00Five Minute Friday: What Momma Did...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Preface: OK, I will be honest, I wasn't going to write this one today. The prompt prompted me to groan and sag my head. I wanted to write about something beautiful. Something that would make people feel good. Writing about this subject is just depressing. Then, I thought, maybe not, and maybe I wasn't the only one who clicked over to the FMF page this morning and felt exactly the same way, coz, even though abuse is more often than not left unspoken of in Christian circles, I can't be the only one.<br />
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Go:<br />
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What who did?!? You don't want to know. I've talked about it a little but I'm done. It's too depressing to think about. In fact, I've noticed the more I think about it, the more it impedes my spiritual growth. So I'm done.<br />
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Well, there is one thing I'd like to say, especially to all the moms out there who had moms like mine. It's not the end. You don't have to be like that. I used to think I was eternally doomed to repeat all of my mother's failures and sins. The more I tried not to be like her, the more I became like her. Then, last year, something changed. If you're not a Christian, you won't get this. But Christ came in, shook out the old, and began to rebuild the new. The imitation of Him, not the desperate plea not to be her. His Spirit, not the anger of the past always present in my mind. Him, the God who sent His one and only Son to die for my sins, the sin of trying to not be her instead of turning from the past and walking toward God.<br />
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We are not bound by our past. Christ comes and sets us free. He is greater than anything we have to overcome. And when we stumble and take a step or two back HE IS THERE to pick us up, brush us off, and bring us back to where He wants us. When He chooses us, He is not content to leave us where He found us. He will move us to where we ought to be. We do not have to stay slaves to what we were raised to be, Christ has a better plan.<br />
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-61046078466637069952013-02-19T20:28:00.001-08:002013-02-19T20:34:01.556-08:00Job Study Week 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I finished my study (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Abounding-Quench-Bible-Series-ebook/dp/B00B1AYDN8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1361330719&sr=1-1&keywords=abounding+hope" target="_blank">Abounding Hope</a>) this morning I turned on the radio to K-LOVE (OK, it was the online radio) and the first song they played was <b><i><u><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUEy8nZvpdM&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Worn</a></u></i></b>, by Tenth Avenue North. I thought of Job, and all his sufferings. I thought of knowing what to say and when. His friends got a big FAIL in that department. Good ole Bildad even went so far to say, in Ch 8, that Job's kids basically got what they deserved (vs.4). Wow! I was pretty blown away when I read it. Now there's a guy who could have used a lesson in when to keep your mouth shut.<br />
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As always, my mind went to people I know who believe that every bad thing that happens to us is because of some sin, secret or otherwise, in our lives. That God is always looking for ways to punish us. I try hard not to think about these people, coz it just depresses me, but this time it was useful. I thought, you know, when bad stuff happens, I already know that I should never, ever tell those people. I then realized that when we are talking with people by the way, just in general conversation, nothing serious, we lay out for them whether or not they can trust us with the big stuff. By our reaction to others problems, to certain news reports, etc., people get a general idea of how we will react to them in their hour of need. If we verbalize condemnation of people at every turn, even for little things, others will know that, even if not openly to their face, somewhere we will condemn them.<br />
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I had never really thought of it that way before. When I was younger (like 41 or less) I trusted almost every I knew, carte blanche. But in the middle of my 41st year I learned a very hard lesson, namely, that not everyone, and especially not everyone bearing the name Christian, can be trusted. As what I thought was my world was pulled out from under me like a rug, I learned that there are people who care for those in pain, and people who hate you, even if you are in pain.<br />
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In hindsight, I probably already knew that. There were huge things in my life that I shared with no one, because I knew no one who could be trusted with them. I had apparently been listening to others enough that I just knew I could not tell them what was going on. Eventually there were a few I did trust, but not like I trusted with other things.<br />
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I guess what I'm trying to say is, how many friends we have is no judge of how godly we are, or even how nice we are, but how many friends we have whose first thought when their world crashes is "I can call <insert your name here>. She'll pray/help/not judge" says more about us than anything else in our lives.<br />
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Are we that kind of person? Are we watching our conversation with our friends? Do they think we can be there for them? Will they be comfortable sharing even their darkest moments with us? When they are "worn," and when they think, "I know I need to lift my eyes up, but I'm too weak..." will they know they can turn to us? That they can count on us to strengthen their faith and point them to Christ? Maybe that's what the lesson is in these past two years, (Or at least, it might be one of them.) to learn the importance of knowing what to say & when to say it *before* the hard times.<br />
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On Sunday the preacher was talking about something that I probably could remember if I thought hard enough, but he had these three steps: Pray, Prepare, Practice. I think I'll <strike>steal</strike> borrow it for my purposes. When we are regularly in prayer so we are in open communication with God; when we prepare by reading God's Word so we know what is good and what is bad, and how God wants us to treat others; when we practice by using the kinds of speech God has commanded (Col 4:6; 1 Tim 4:12 eg) in our everyday conversations, then we will let people know that we are ready to truly be their friend.<br />
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Ironically, my day ended Worn as well...</div>
Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-63363022226119534582013-02-06T08:30:00.001-08:002013-02-06T12:41:05.568-08:00Thoughts on Job 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
(Studying Job with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Abounding-Quench-Bible-Series-ebook/dp/B00B1AYDN8/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top" target="_blank">Abounding Hope</a> for this term's <a href="http://www.hellomornings.org/" target="_blank">HelloMornings Challenge</a>).<br />
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Why?</div>
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This used to be my first response to anything bad that came
along, from a red light when I was late to Spock's birth defect. But I cannot
honestly now think of a more dangerous question to ask God, and this for
several reasons. The first reason should be enough to keep us from asking it:
namely, we might get an answer. I don't know about you, but the older I get,
the less I really want to know about the inner workings of God's plan. I am
perfectly happy to never be a prophet, to remain in truly blissful ignorance.
Of course, there are several things I could ask and have asked "why"
about over the years, but what if the answer is that it is merely preparation
for something more difficult? Do I really want to know? No thanks. Sufficient
for today is the evil thereof. (Matt 25:34)</div>
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The second reason is that when we start asking "why"
we start coming to our own extra-biblical conclusions. Take Job's "friends."
Please, he'd really like you to. :/ Entire false teachings have been built up
around this idea that simply because something bad happened to someone, they
are being punished. In Acts 28:4, Paul is bit by a snake and the Maltans
immediately assume he is a murderer, because that is the conclusion they have
drawn from asking "why." We Christians become a nasty bunch when we
start judging others who are suffering, especially our brothers and sisters in
Christ. How cruel is it for a woman to lose a child and have people tell her
that it is because of some secret sin in her life? Really? I'm fairly certain
that, if this were true, Christians would all be the poorest of the poor, we'd
all be eating out of garbage tins, that is if we lived longer than a few years
after our conversion. The bible seems pretty plain that if we say we are
without sin we are liars and <i>the truth</i>
is not in us. (1 John 1:8) (emph mine)</div>
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Thirdly, and this is the lesson I've been learning only
lately, is "why" our first response? If so, maybe we need to
reexamine our faith. I was struck by what is written of Job, after he has, in
only a matter of minutes, lost every single possession AND all ten of his
children (take a moment and really try to fathom that)...Then Job arose and
tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshipped. (Job
1:20) I have five sons, a couple of cars, a house, a nice chunk of property (by
SoCal standards), a job I love, etc. I think I could stand to lose all the
possessions. Shoot, in mid-life you start thinking of just chucking them and
starting over. :D But my kids? If they all died, and all at the same time...I
really don't know if I could even function, ever again. And, honestly, the idea
of worshipping God at that moment, well, I just can't see myself doing it. :/</div>
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But Job was ready for it. He had prepared himself his entire
life. Job 1:1 says Job was blameless & upright, one who feared God and
turned away from evil. His daily life was one of honoring God, of prayer, of
self-discipline...trust me, it takes a lot of self-discipline to turn away from
evil, especially these days when we are intentionally blurring the lines so
much. He was one who prayed, even that God would forgive the sins of his
children. "Thus Job did <i>continually</i>."
(Job 1:5b) (emph mine) </div>
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I was recently
listening to a Francis Chan sermon where
he started by talking about a funeral for his wife's grandmother, then talked
about her life. He said he'd never known anyone more in love with Jesus than
her. One thing that struck me was a story he told about how she went with them
to a play. It was a nice play, no bad things, nothing offensive. At intermission he asked her how she liked it
and she told him she didn't want to be there. She was thinking that she would
rather be doing something like serving others if Christ came back right then.
He said he spent the second act in prayer for everyone he knew, just in case
Grandma had the inside scoop on something. :) Grandma was like Job. She was
ready, and she was always desiring to be ready. </div>
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In my life, the question "why" to God has never
gotten me anywhere, except bitter and angry. The people I know who are
constantly asking "why" are all bitter and angry. "Why" just simply doesn't prepare
us for the evil of today, or tomorrow. We do not know when it will come. AW
Pink, pretty much my fave author (just in case you're looking for something to
get me), said that if the only growth a Christian knows occurs during trials, he
should probably question his Christianity. I was confused the first time I read
that, but now I see that we need to grow before the trials, then we will be
strong during them Yes, we will grow in the trials also, but if we use all our
so-called "down-time" in <i>nothing</i> but frivolity and worldliness, we should definitely question where our loyalties lay.</div>
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Judging from what I've seen growing up in the church, this
isn't the popular way to live, but it looks far less painful to have that peace
that passes all understanding when the trials come suddenly, like they did for
Job.</div>
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-50389441603438776552013-02-03T04:39:00.000-08:002013-02-03T04:39:10.419-08:00Trust<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Been thinking a lot about this issue since writing on my fear Friday. I don't know if I've written about trust before, or just thought about it a lot. It seems that it is an issue at the forefront of my mind this year. Maybe it's the shock that coming out of last year, the one thing I was surprised to lose was my trust. I really used to be pretty trusting. That probably has a lot to do with being a positive person, always trying to find the best in everything and everyone, and some to do with probably not being the brightest bulb in the box. :D<br />
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Now, I don't ask "why" really anymore. It is a pointless question, and I plan to write about that on Monday. But maybe there is an answer to the "why" of the past two years, as we come on to that anniversary next week. Maybe, no, definitely, my trust was always in man. Not intentionally, but naturally, I trusted people, I believed them. But they are just fallen creatures like me. They are going to mess up. Of course, if they are abusive I don't believe that we need to subject ourselves and our children to that continuous abuse (that is just my way of assuring those reading that I have no intention of returning to that from whence I have come ;)). Maybe that is where the saying "hold onto this world loosely" comes in handy. It's OK to like people, but our trust cannot really be in them coz they are going to mess up...sometimes they are going to do perfectly evil things. If our trust is in them, if their "goodness" is what we base our faith in God on, then we will fall far when they fail us, when they turn on us.<br />
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Our trust is to be in Christ only. I know, you're thinking, I've got this down, you're not telling me anything I don't know, but I think that this problem of putting our trust in things apart from Christ is more pernicious than we realize. It's kind of like pride. It's there, but we just can't see it coz it is too much a part of us. As I finished up The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment last week I was surprised to realize just how much even now my trust is in others, not necessarily in the same way, but still dependent on them for my feelings of peace or happiness. It's not an easy thing to break. And, like pride, the moment we think we have, we really haven't at all. It seems to be an ongoing process, slowly peeling the world off our skin so that we can fully and confidently, completely rest in Christ.<br />
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Somewhere there is a balance. There is a spot where we can trust people, but not "in" them. I'll let you know if I find it. ;)</div>
Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-55742209017556205952013-02-01T10:33:00.000-08:002013-02-01T10:33:05.837-08:00Five Minute Friday: Afraid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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(It's Five Minute Friday time again.<b><i><u> <a href="http://lisajobaker.com/2013/02/five-minute-friday-afraid/" target="_blank">Click here for more</a></u></i></b>.)</div>
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I am afraid of God. It's an irrational fear, or maybe not, if you consider how purposefully the enemy has worked to create this fear. The years of being told that God delighted in being cruel to "good" people. That He was forever making life difficult. That He was unkind, mean, uncaring. I learned all these early in life from the mouths of people whom others don't like me to speak poorly of so they will both go unnamed. But the damage is done. It was further done as I grew, still believing this, and fell into a situation where the Christian leadership was cruel as well. Where I was taught that it didn't matter how the pastor treated you, you stayed in the church as long as it espoused certain beliefs, even if it only paid lip-service to those beliefs. Ultimately, that cruelty would lead me to fear pastors, elders, etc. But lately, God has been working on me. Slowly healing old wounds both done to me and by me. Lately, as I've been deliberately studying His Word, one theme seems to be recurring...God can be trusted. He is faithful. He will never leave nor forsake. Though all around me fail, pastors, relatives friends, God will never fail, He will be the same as His word promises, and His word promises great things. Maybe life here won't be perfect, there will be trials, that is also a promise, but He is with us through each one. He lifts us up. He alone truly cares for us and meets each of our needs.<br />
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Visual Aid: OK, so this doesn't exactly do it justice but making God's love for us contingent on how "perfect" our lives are is just unrealistic. (And it's the 40th anniversary year of this song...or so someone said in the comments. :D)<br />
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-68953501691352570472013-01-23T14:04:00.002-08:002013-01-23T14:21:01.480-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong>The Basics:</strong></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">What is your Name? </span><b><i><span style="color: magenta;">Sara</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">What is the Name of your blog? </span><b><i><span style="color: magenta;">Which one? :D This one's For the Beauty of the Earth. My photo blogs are in links on the side and I also have a <u><a href="http://ourcityhomestead.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Homestead blog</a></u>...I like to compartmentalize my life.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">What is your blog’s web address?</span><b><i><span style="color: magenta;"> http://joyouslyredeemed.blogspot.com/</span></i></b></div>
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<strong>The Survey:</strong></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">1. What state do you currently reside? </span><span style="color: magenta;">California</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">2. What color is your natural hair? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Same color it is now, brown with small wisps of grey (I earned that grey so I don't plan on covering it up).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">3. How tall are you? </span><span style="color: magenta;">5'4"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">4. What is your favorite food?</span><span style="color: magenta;"> Seafood</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">5. What color shirt are you wearing right now? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Purple.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">6. What are three cosmetic items that you wear every single day? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Um, deodorant, um, toothpaste?, um, uh, glasses? :D I'm a tomboy. Never wear makeup except on rare occasions. My boys dance classical ballet so I joke that they own more make-up than I do.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">7. What is your denomination? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Gee, that's kinda complicated. In fact, it's almost soap opera-esque. Let's just say that I'm a Calvinist taking refuge in a former American Baptist Church...and very, very happy about it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">8. Describe your testimony? </span><span style="color: magenta;">That's even more complicated. In short...I was a 42 year old pew warmer who finally "found" a church that proclaimed the gospel every single Sunday and found it hard to remain a false professor in light of the Truth of God's Word.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">9. How did you meet your husband? </span><span style="color: magenta;">At a church college group.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">10. What is your favorite beverage? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Coffee</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">11. How many kids do you have? </span><span style="color: magenta;">5...to quote Bill Cosby, "[We] have five children because we do. not. want. six." :D Took me five kids to finally get that joke.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">12. Have you ever experienced an earthquake? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Note my current residence.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">13. What is your favorite TV show? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Scarecrow & Mrs. King. Seriously, I do not watch TV anymore.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">14. What was the last movie you saw? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Battleship. And the last time I saw it as a movie, as opposed to a DVD, was ON the USS Midway aircraft carrier in San Diego. Yeah, it was pretty awesome.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">15. Who is your favorite Bible character? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Hmm, another complicated question...or answer, rather. Should I answer in a way that will make people comfortable, or should I tell the painfully honest truth? Leah, wife of Jacob. One day I'll write a book about it. (You can guess for yourself if this is comfortable or truthful.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">16. What color are your eyes? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Brown--they were more hazel when I was a kid.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">17. Are you a working mother, stay at home wife, or stay at home mom? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Well, I'm kind of a SAHM with a volunteer job at a farm, so I feel more like a working mom, but I get paid in carrots and onions and such. :D</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">18. Do you homeschool? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Gosh, why all these complicated questions? :D I sort of homeschool my oldest son, though we are calling it unschooling right now. I did homeschool my middle kids until this last fall. And I part time homeschool my youngest.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">19. Did/do you attend University? If so, where. </span><span style="color: magenta;">University of Montana</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">20. If you could change one thing in your life what would it be?</span><span style="color: magenta;"> That I would be more faithful each day to Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">21. Who is your favorite Christian singer or band? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Casting Crowns</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">22. What is your absolute favorite color? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Purple.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">23. Think about something from the ocean and write it down: (yes, random…I know) </span><span style="color: magenta;">Well, since I live in SoCal, when I think of the ocean I think of stinky air and sticky sand that takes three weeks to wash off your body.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">24. Where is your favorite place to dine out? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Well, in the old days, before we had kids, it was a restaurant at the top of the Bonaventure in Downtown LA. It revolves. It's pretty cool.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">25. Did you attend church camp? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Just once. You can bet I'm making sure my kids get to it more than once now that we attend a church that doesn't have a hang-up about such things. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">26. Name a blog friend who’s name starts with the same letter as your name:</span><span style="color: purple;"> <a href="http://sowingseedsofgrace.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><b><i>Sherrey</i></b></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">27. Do you have a Facebook Account for your blog? </span><span style="color: magenta;">No. Just personal.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">28. Do you have a Twitter Account for your blog? </span><span style="color: magenta;">No. Just personal.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">29. Name someone you miss right now: </span><span style="color: magenta;">My grandparents who raised me.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">30. What is your happiest childhood memory? </span><span style="color: magenta;">My grandparents raising me. :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">31. Name one thing you can cook better than your husband’s mother: (if you’re not married, then your own mother.)</span><span style="color: magenta;"> Hmmm, is this safe to post in such a public space? ;)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">32. Would you consider yourself stubborn? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Yep. And don't even bother to argue with me on this. I will win or die trying. :D</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">33. Do you feel like you are a good writer? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Only when I'm delusional. Then I will post something interesting or write something interesting and all the grammarians will come out of the the woodwork and point out that there should have been a comma there. Is there a question as to whether I am opposed to grammarians? :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">34. Do you pin? If so, list your Pinterest screen name. </span><span style="color: magenta;">Yes,</span><span style="color: purple;"><b><i> <a href="http://pinterest.com/homesteadstuff/" target="_blank">homesteadstuff</a>.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">35. How many hours do you spend on Pinterest per day? </span><span style="color: magenta;"><1</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">36. Do you use WordPress, Blogger, Drupal, or Typepad? (or another?) </span><span style="color: magenta;">WordPress, Blogger, and Tumblr.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">37. Where do you stand on wearing socks with sandals? </span><span style="color: magenta;">My feet wherever I am. :P If your toes are cold, but you want to wear sandals, knock yourself out. Nobody questions when women where stockings with their sandals. :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">38. Did you design your own blog, or hire a graphic designer? </span><span style="color: magenta;">A what? WYSIWYG is my way of designing. (That's point-and-click, if I remember correctly.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">39. What is your favorite widget/gadget? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Anything that enables people to see pictures of my kids.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">40. If you had to choose only one, would you have a clean bathroom or a clean kitchen? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Kitchen. I spend more time in there.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">41. Where did you honeymoon? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Tahoe</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">42. Did you elope? </span><span style="color: magenta;">No</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">43. Do you have a favorite sports team? </span><span style="color: magenta;">I used to but I don't have time for that anymore. Now my fave sports team is whatever T-Ball team Braniac is playing on this coming spring. :D</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">44. What is your favorite praise & worship song? </span><b><i><span style="color: purple;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyPBtExE4W0" target="_blank">Beautiful Things.</a> </span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">45. Were you raised in church?</span><span style="color: magenta;"> Yes. What's that old saying, "Going to church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than going into a garage makes you a car." Weak analogy, scary truth. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">46. When did you start blogging? </span><span style="color: magenta;">A long time ago, in a galaxy...oh, wait, wrong movie.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">47. What are your favorite blogs?</span><span style="color: magenta;"> I'm sort of in flux right now. Traditionally I read a lot of homeschool blogs and while I still read them, I obviously don't get the same thing out of them anymore. I like a few organization blogs like I Heart Organizing and I've been reading mostly homestead blogs lately, like The Walden Effect.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">48. Have you ever lived in another country? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Nope.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">49. Have you done missions? If so, where & when. </span><span style="color: magenta;">Short-term. Guatemala. In the previous century.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">50. What version of the Bible do you prefer? </span><span style="color: magenta;">I'm old. Still like the KJV. Sings better. ;)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">51. What’s the story behind your blog name? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Hmm, I should write on that one. It's part of my testimony. In short, after giving birth to Babycakes, God began a work in my heart to bring me to Salvation. It started with a new attitude toward Him and others. Basically, I was a happier person. I wasn't nearly as angry. And I was beginning to see the good things God gives to me on a daily basis. The song fit my feelings.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">52. Describe the ultimate hands down best date on a $20 budget. </span><span style="color: magenta;">I guess Panda Express. We don't date much and that's usually the only place I can get my dh to go to.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">53. Will you tell one blogger about this survey? If so, then who? (optional: include their web address) </span><span style="color: magenta;">Well, I'll Tweet about it. Does that count?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">54. What is your favorite scripture? </span><span style="color: magenta;">2 Cor 3: 16,18</span></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: inherit;"><span class="text 2Cor-3-16" id="en-ESV-28841" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>But when <span style="font-size: 0.65em;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28841Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)"></sup></span>one turns to the Lord, <span style="font-size: 0.65em;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28841AA" title="See cross-reference AA">AA</a>)"></sup></span>the veil is removed...</span><span class="text 2Cor-3-18" id="en-ESV-28843" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;">And we all, with unveiled face, <span style="font-size: 0.65em;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28843AD" title="See cross-reference AD">AD</a>)"></sup></span>beholding <span style="font-size: 0.65em;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28843AE" title="See cross-reference AE">AE</a>)"></sup></span>the glory of the Lord, <span style="font-size: 0.65em;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28843AF" title="See cross-reference AF">AF</a>)"></sup></span>are being transformed into the same image <span style="font-size: 0.65em;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28843AG" title="See cross-reference AG">AG</a>)"></sup></span>from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.</span></span></div>
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-90704815941925321732013-01-20T17:21:00.001-08:002013-01-20T17:21:46.761-08:00The Face of Abortion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yep, it's Sanctity of Human Life Sunday and you're thinking, "Gosh, didn't she just write about this last year?" OK, maybe that's not what you're thinking but I have to say that there does seem to be an extreme passivity about abortion in Christian circles these days. Not quite as bad as our view of prayer, but getting there. Maybe it's because we're not in the news anymore. Maybe we're just like all the other people in the country who are looking for our 10 second sound-byte on the nightly and now that we can't have it we'll move on to other things.<br />
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Or maybe it's coz we don't think we've made a difference. We look at the numbers and they are terribly staggering. 56,000,000 children murdered in the US since Roe v Wade 40 years ago. It seems strange to us to consider the saving of 26 lives during one prayer campaign a victory. And, I guess it is, unless you're one of the 26.<br />
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Anyway, if you are offended by what I've just written prepare to be more so. I was too ethereal last year and apparently people don't get it so I'm gonna be frank. The following pictures are of the type of children murdered by abortion every. single. day. in the so-called "land of the free."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAwZmdodAG9aq9kqeKMgF4oeS-XIjP5NgQPdPQTCtzBaXzEFBfZWFRkjeRxdwtTPQVfgZv7g9OSYt9mgDbfzN_8kMbTYwtamfNlbyGyRdlWz8fbLvaaiJCWvJTYY0A5r3jYmuzbhBj4I/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAwZmdodAG9aq9kqeKMgF4oeS-XIjP5NgQPdPQTCtzBaXzEFBfZWFRkjeRxdwtTPQVfgZv7g9OSYt9mgDbfzN_8kMbTYwtamfNlbyGyRdlWz8fbLvaaiJCWvJTYY0A5r3jYmuzbhBj4I/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So, in case you don't know, that top pic is of my 3.5yo, known online as Babycakes, and that bottom pic is my 11yo, known as Spock. Each day women walk into clinics and "doctors" take (no, that's not the word I want to use, but I'm trying to be nice) their children like BC and Spock and throw them in a garbage bag. Now, I understand that there are many different reasons that women allow this to be done to them.</div>
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1) They've been taught that we are all nothing more than a mass of cells worth all of, what was the last estimate, $36?</div>
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2) They are pressured by their husbands, boyfriends, parents, friends, to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy (you know, I thought feminism was opposed to that but except <a href="http://www.feministsforlife.org/index.htm" target="_blank">FFL</a> & <a href="http://www.newwavefeminists.com/" target="_blank">NWF</a>, I can't find a lot of feminist's who are concerned).</div>
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3) They are pressured by their doctors and medical experts to terminate their less-than-perfect unborn child coz it's really "what's best for everyone involved."</div>
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Now, of course, you'll say my decisions were easy. Of course, you really don't know me at all so you can say that. You can judge me and stick me into a box of your own making. But, if you knew me you'd know that I had just as much right to end the lives of my children as those who do. As do all the other women out there, religious or not, who choose not to kill their unborn children even though society accepts this act as perfectly normal.</div>
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I think the real problem is not what I've stated in the first three reasons, I think the real problem is that we've bought a bill of goods stating that we have a right to a "perfect" life. The idea of perfection being our ever fluctuating wants. I don't "want" the stress of a less than perfect baby. I don't want to have to go through all that time in the NICU and all that time taking a child to therapy just so he can learn to walk and eat. I don't want to have to spend my life possibly taking care of a less than perfect child, one who might need his diaper changed not just for two years, but forever. One who might never say, "I love you," or, "Thank you" for all our hard work and sacrifices.</div>
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I don't "want" a baby at my age. It wasn't like I planned to get pregnant. I already have enough kids. The cost of raising another child will put too much strain on us. It's a less than ideal time in our lives to have a baby. There are too many other things we have to deal with right now, a baby will only add to our problems. I have PPD really bad and don't want to go through that again.</div>
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I keep trying to figure out where we get the idea that we have this sort of "right." Why do we think this way? I know I grew up being told that I had a right to be happy and that I should do anything that made me happy. It was surely modeled by my parents and, unfortunately, even my grandparents. Society around me encouraged this thought. Why be miserable in a relationship when you can chuck it and try again? Why be miserable with a less than perfect or unwanted child when you can chuck it and try again (or not, as the case may be)?</div>
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In a nation obsessed with outward appearances and keeping up with the Joneses, imperfect, unwanted children are an easily disposed of inconvenience with neither the baby nor the mother of the child cared for because both are an inconvenience to our lives of ease.</div>
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So, tomorrow, just like today, about 3,000 more children like BC </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNoYs-VvMm9DiM_ovPp8DpGUJE38_i0nUz17x_3Dpp6A0g5VU7Le2KOBTC_W1IDRsMv2oES2BZLMA9xvnEOZiQxj5lAidd5FJ9SDqhDvhzhyCOJh2OiDww4iSygsnp-6qvLQUfJFBrRmQ/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNoYs-VvMm9DiM_ovPp8DpGUJE38_i0nUz17x_3Dpp6A0g5VU7Le2KOBTC_W1IDRsMv2oES2BZLMA9xvnEOZiQxj5lAidd5FJ9SDqhDvhzhyCOJh2OiDww4iSygsnp-6qvLQUfJFBrRmQ/s320/2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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and Spock </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujplL86wnFGr8MdYrEbimnSCMvecdvAQFLbyQPUUM-tk2BnoCUNmkBVGysSySJbc_IzNAx4QqZ0SmCiNL2mWSvFOGroTeOzQhvNDWgX_Guj3dPSmbefXj-v8vdaBd7N6rxc6UQhiJQ88/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujplL86wnFGr8MdYrEbimnSCMvecdvAQFLbyQPUUM-tk2BnoCUNmkBVGysSySJbc_IzNAx4QqZ0SmCiNL2mWSvFOGroTeOzQhvNDWgX_Guj3dPSmbefXj-v8vdaBd7N6rxc6UQhiJQ88/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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will be removed from our society violently and permanently.</div>
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And that's all I have to say about it today. You may now return to your life of ease.</div>
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-59340454210786371152013-01-16T15:46:00.000-08:002013-01-16T15:46:24.832-08:00Wordless Wednesday--Baptismal Remembrance Day (2002/2013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://wordlesswednesday.blogspot.com/2013/01/january-16.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuINhPciYPUZG7b6YpREgopieUsXag9sxAo5pEgTf8WB98qCDGcBk8pcNB8gUrUNx8JEoqRgEeMTFbooYW9KGQWXIzdvYqxlfcuRBoE9qBBfv1KuMm1dxF5qAiadPcV-K7TUQ76zDbxs/s1600/wordless2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWxaZBZn9BwHxQt97q35RqgFebMj9-kud_xyqQAapfIzdTPhcHbWDe25EYvaeCOaPZEsBd39f7Qj6KRWFKj-Ff0JGSivaTLFBd3voV9wzgxeQznELFI19epfETYU6VqR6QVEKiPrAIdk/s1600/2262_1098545348642_8959_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWxaZBZn9BwHxQt97q35RqgFebMj9-kud_xyqQAapfIzdTPhcHbWDe25EYvaeCOaPZEsBd39f7Qj6KRWFKj-Ff0JGSivaTLFBd3voV9wzgxeQznELFI19epfETYU6VqR6QVEKiPrAIdk/s320/2262_1098545348642_8959_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXXiXZV-aiqF0RYeSPs0WepvXD1r5Oh5beNG9mwHIt92eUl8YKvoC0weydcOtYfNNzvVfmAw7SjIj0gTau76GX1ZBtV0pzR0hFI9oqOWD3KsY3044d9SGrJTCQslGTPiB5vlRZ25AraM/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXXiXZV-aiqF0RYeSPs0WepvXD1r5Oh5beNG9mwHIt92eUl8YKvoC0weydcOtYfNNzvVfmAw7SjIj0gTau76GX1ZBtV0pzR0hFI9oqOWD3KsY3044d9SGrJTCQslGTPiB5vlRZ25AraM/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-69632983029882309042013-01-07T18:15:00.001-08:002013-01-07T18:15:18.435-08:00Christmas Break in Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The kids are going back to school today. *sniff* Four months into this new way of life and I haven't yet figured out why parents complain about school holidays. I enjoyed ours and look forward to the next...in less than two weeks. Though that will only be a four day weekend.<br />
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At any rate, here's some pics from our break.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1G3wDnmPpt3_9qLJYDmdOGyWPmM2Yc5u4un3jXpe-GOXROSvYfCIhIknt0rXjQH-nd7O4bZb6rpEvByJyXAaJg02257LlzbbzUGL1hmdYiTYfKgdFETI0MEOcjI713C1E_FibvsM23Og/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1G3wDnmPpt3_9qLJYDmdOGyWPmM2Yc5u4un3jXpe-GOXROSvYfCIhIknt0rXjQH-nd7O4bZb6rpEvByJyXAaJg02257LlzbbzUGL1hmdYiTYfKgdFETI0MEOcjI713C1E_FibvsM23Og/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The last day of school was free dress, and a half-day. The kids love free dress...well, except Spock. He finds free dress days, um, illogical. He ended up wearing most of his uniform, he just had a different shirt on...which you can't see coz it's under his school jacket here. :D<br />
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So, after just a few hours, we were off for the holidays...almost. We had a few things to take care of first. Like Santa.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7wmS9AD-_iAMn1WerDSzlaCIeoBypVWdFUKzVqDmLkMbp47sF0V-iZvOcuBDnDlwU7IdX2JPOHhYhyphenhyphenTNb0_nMzWtN35YcxFZZBUOzmVdc3vDwA-2zRRUkbRTPeCPCjz00l2DjKeuNb8/s1600/h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7wmS9AD-_iAMn1WerDSzlaCIeoBypVWdFUKzVqDmLkMbp47sF0V-iZvOcuBDnDlwU7IdX2JPOHhYhyphenhyphenTNb0_nMzWtN35YcxFZZBUOzmVdc3vDwA-2zRRUkbRTPeCPCjz00l2DjKeuNb8/s320/h.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yeah, I let it go down to the wire this year. Never again. Though it worked just fine, I still don't want to be standing in line outside BassPro on Saturday morning before Christmas.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPPYbVnLRmyaJuRROQwomkj_v1o-BlcSFC6OiCoQVCwIdoBV1sI0CjXBr5-hPWAk0LnyfiEbkb2Qv-jGWhbxGiK9QgZx6r44O50l38TqmdFZs4_Zyaf8CQq6RbogbVbr2tiQ1cznYlCc/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPPYbVnLRmyaJuRROQwomkj_v1o-BlcSFC6OiCoQVCwIdoBV1sI0CjXBr5-hPWAk0LnyfiEbkb2Qv-jGWhbxGiK9QgZx6r44O50l38TqmdFZs4_Zyaf8CQq6RbogbVbr2tiQ1cznYlCc/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After Santa, and lunch, we were off to the theater for three more shows of Nutcracker.</div>
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In between,<a href="https://vimeo.com/56295589#" target="_blank"><b><i> Braniac got to sing at church</i></b></a>, which always makes him happy. He's looking forward to first grade when he can be in the children's choir. B is on the front row, right, second one in, red sweater vest, yawning, puts the blanket over his head...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-se294MPzx5F2eL8hp57Ja6WhCWngeqBTVEMvnKEzvTMznzVNHZuV9R6UW4qQF6BAb2UiWOjenvl0HeWsm7WcTDstYIHCKX7__RMrPgt7VN965kcuMswe3-EX2PyRFF1TTlScgzJ_i4/s1600/a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-se294MPzx5F2eL8hp57Ja6WhCWngeqBTVEMvnKEzvTMznzVNHZuV9R6UW4qQF6BAb2UiWOjenvl0HeWsm7WcTDstYIHCKX7__RMrPgt7VN965kcuMswe3-EX2PyRFF1TTlScgzJ_i4/s320/a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And then it was time to get ready for Christmas. Made pie this year. We've never found a gluten-free pre-made crust that we all like so I made mine from scratch. Turned out pretty good. Now Braniac wants me to make him a chocolate pie. :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L312xTLZ3Sv2-HcxUwaUfkr5qEdQ-8WrzybAgt7QZw6UH9uN8rrXca6Rq9hjMQFZJIpx6XtBMiRMJFKLdQ2alF7sZichePP0tLqBlwI2qovxirxN_c1Gqg9QazjOYsOpYW0ng9ALHlI/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L312xTLZ3Sv2-HcxUwaUfkr5qEdQ-8WrzybAgt7QZw6UH9uN8rrXca6Rq9hjMQFZJIpx6XtBMiRMJFKLdQ2alF7sZichePP0tLqBlwI2qovxirxN_c1Gqg9QazjOYsOpYW0ng9ALHlI/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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6am, Christmas Eve morning, where were you? I was at Toys R Us, in the rain, with Mr. Great-heart who was spending his birthday and Christmas money on his brothers. Yeah, he's that awesome. He also always buys people gifts with his AWANA bucks and his Space Rewards (Sunday School) money. You wish you had a kid this awesome. ;)</div>
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Christmas Eve also happens to be Mr. Great-heart's birthday. He wanted to ride a train so we loaded our cupcakes and were off to the train station to wait...and boy did we wait.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK71Ska-dsv9meQgteDBYP-t7ybkZCturvUno2ly3_fxCVAEM_Rhwjpc9ZhlMmllSpvBDenz0E-KamJisNy5eK-RukrjNSXetzoYxFM1hPe2GJOLPXpurF-yc04vJRp27UQ79lbpC0RZ0/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK71Ska-dsv9meQgteDBYP-t7ybkZCturvUno2ly3_fxCVAEM_Rhwjpc9ZhlMmllSpvBDenz0E-KamJisNy5eK-RukrjNSXetzoYxFM1hPe2GJOLPXpurF-yc04vJRp27UQ79lbpC0RZ0/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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When people ask why public transportation isn't more popular, unreliability is probably a great answer. Almost 45 minutes late. We missed our return connection. But it all worked out for the best...no, actually, it didn't. Due to us having to take a later train, Babycakes didn't vomit on the carpet at home, he vomited all over me in the train. I think Metrolink should give me a free pass for making sure he only puked on me instead of their seats. :D</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCUhg1hY5f6wZmoY1yAp_amxGct5fPF4CyZrE2nK7T5IWbHska5D7riPu-9Sp7YOK-1qSoSvCZ3DT4UcNilcFSoYyg6Xkal3ginbfn7EQ8IeyeNtlcJXurmVuvFji-OX7tsqC4olufew/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCUhg1hY5f6wZmoY1yAp_amxGct5fPF4CyZrE2nK7T5IWbHska5D7riPu-9Sp7YOK-1qSoSvCZ3DT4UcNilcFSoYyg6Xkal3ginbfn7EQ8IeyeNtlcJXurmVuvFji-OX7tsqC4olufew/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Christmas Eve.</div>
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Writing our thank you to Santa.</div>
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5am Christmas morning. Well, at least they don't come in and jump all over the bed. :)</div>
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Last year of going overboard. Next year we have a limit. </div>
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But at least they know what's important. :)</div>
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We took it easy most of the time. Recovering from Nutcracker and our first four months of going to school. I took the kids to the farm a few times. Here's Braniac's first day. (I didn't tell him what those nice cattle we fed the weeds to were for...he'd probably never go back.)</div>
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On NYD we went out to San Pedro to see the USS Iowa. Very impressive. We'll have to go back in about five years to see how far along they've come in making their museum.</div>
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The Teenager turned 16. No pics, he's allergic to the camera. But here's the food we ate.<br />
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For the closing ceremonies we had a nice rainstorm. This had been a double rainbow but by the time I found my camera and got out front this was all that was left.</div>
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-78103650617224286442013-01-05T04:59:00.000-08:002013-01-05T04:59:31.249-08:00...but sometimes I'm just obnoxious.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We conservatives are nothing if not obsessed with the 1950's. I don't really know why except that somewhere in our minds we have it locked in there that after the 1950's everything went to, well, you know. I started thinking about this as Spock and I were conversing about the plight of the inner city. He wanted to know how it got to be so bad. I stated the usual "soft-on-crime" stats, government corruption, etc., then I suddenly remembered something I don't think about a lot...white flight. I had to explain to him that when people who weren't white were allowed to move into white neighborhoods, the whites sold off their properties at below market value just to get away from them driving down the value of the neighborhoods and opening it up to abuse. He looked at me kinda funny. I told him that in the "good old days" at least a third of the people in his school, would not have been allowed to go to his school. In the "good old days" one of his best friends couldn't have been his friend. I didn't go further and explain that he would have been taught to hate the boy as well based solely on the boys skin color.<br />
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Ah, yes, the fabulous '50s. Life was so much better then. Everything was neat and clean. We all knew our place and stayed there. There was no messy-ness to life. As my grandmother says, "Phooey."<br />
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This reminds me of my view of my childhood with my grandparents. But, in this case, instead of the suppression of the bad memories being a good thing, it's a white-wash. Have these people been watching too much classic TV? The '50s were lousy. Sure there were some good things, there are always good things in each generation, but the fact that non-whites were treated and viewed as less than human because of their skin color should make anyone with sense take what they can from the era, and leave it in the past. Who really wants to go back to the "good old days?" Was life really better when the only people who could get anywhere in life were rich white men? The '50s did bring about a more middle class lifestyle...mostly for whites, but the problems were huge and to ignore them and hearken back to those days as the days we wish were still here, well, I just think it's kind of foolish coz we always have to qualify it with "but not the racial stuff." What else was there? Was there something bigger going on?<br />
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I've stated before, somewhere but I can't remember which post, that we have to have something to hate. It is human nature. In the 50s we hated people who were a different skin color. Now we hate people who dress differently than we do. Seriously, we do. Yesterday I was at Trader Joe's and there were five boys in the parking lot. they had their stupid pants hanging down around their hips and the whole world could see their undies. I just rolled my eyes and shook my head and wondered when this ridiculous fashion would end. But this morning I wonder something different. I wonder, if it hadn't been the grocery store parking lot, but instead the church parking lot, or better, the church lobby, what would I have thought? If the five boys were to walk into your church tomorrow morning, what would happen? I have been to churches where the unthinkable would happen. They would be told, maybe in not so many words, that they were simply not welcome here unless they would hike up their pants, change their hair, cover their tats, and remove their piercings.<br />
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While we've come a far way from the racism that plagued human history up to this day, are we not just transferring our hate to another group...any group that is different from us?<br />
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Jesus sat and ate with the dirty people. The clean religious people looked down on Him. They still do. Every time we judge someone based on their appearance, every time we forget, or in some cases absolutely refuse, to see people as in need of our Savior instead of in need of a hair cut or 1950s style clothing we step into Pharisee-ism.<br />
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Jesus did not say faith, hope and fashion, the greatest of these is fashion.<br />
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It's not an easy change to make. Obviously, I still slip back into it easily enough. But when we do, I hope we can remind ourselves just how easy it is to hate. Anyone can hate. We need to love to be considered different from the world around us. To do this we need encouragement from our pastors and Sunday School teachers. If we are listening to sermons that seem to be sound in doctrine but inevitably must include some sort of jibe or sarcastic remark about people we disagree with, can we really say the pastor is encouraging us to love? If our Sunday School teachers can't have a conversation without dragging the name of someone who disagrees with them on any issue through the mud, can we say that we will not go and do likewise? When we place ourselves under the influence of leaders who hate (I know, they never call it that) we put ourselves at risk. Always remember, we are the monkeys in "monkey see, monkey do."<br />
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I'll close, finally ;), with the words of Christ from the passage that still scares me to death...though not now because I fear that I am one of the latter, but because of how close I came to being one of the latter (there but for the Grace of God...). "<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." Are we too busy keeping ourselves safe from the "riff-raff" to do what Christ has commanded us?</span></span><br />
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-50058636292875771962013-01-04T08:50:00.002-08:002013-01-04T08:50:59.089-08:00Five Minute Friday: Opportunity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://lisajobaker.com/2013/01/five-minute-friday-opportunity-2/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7C6Km4ksKWOHIeTKEnj9JS7j3ookCpr2pMfq4jjxEr7UXpb0d_nWRceseKGgduAthT7O2Qg2zgSqiVvC4dM0RbZ5wgyCIgRJ2p5zLms6OEiEGTeqs5OuF2OYdzYSKIHWCR1Vh2qo-HkY/s1600/5-minute-friday-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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"We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situation." Charles Swindoll<br />
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If Pastor Swindoll is right, and I believe he is, my life could best be described as one long, continuous missed opportunity. Because when opportunity came, I sat around and complained about it. To grant myself grace, and to give it to those reading, we weren't raised to do much different. Complaining is, in all honesty, the world-wide pastime To get political, if we really want to identify what the problem is with our nation, our world, it's that when the going gets tough, most of us get to whining. Most of us were raised to believe that when bad things happen, we should spend a lot of time complaining about it. Some of us can even bring up memories from decades ago and complain with the same ferocity as we did then. I've come to see that my view on this is not just erroneous, it is what keeps me from living the life God has planned for me. As I look back, how much better would it have been if I'd tried to find the good in the bad. Now, I know, this is easy for me. <a href="http://joyouslyredeemed.blogspot.com/2012/11/no-business-for-pessimist.html" target="_blank">I'm naturally a positive person</a> who was raised by negative people so it's easy for me to convert to my nature. But if what Scripture says is true, that God causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust, then if we sit around complaining when it does, how different are we from the world? We are called to be salt and light, and the best times to do that is when the people around us are keeping tabs on our behavior, namely, when our rains come.</div>
Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-13424890017643284272013-01-03T05:41:00.000-08:002013-01-03T05:43:26.990-08:002012 in Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's difficult to write a review of the year without certain people drawing the conclusion that I am being vindictive or snarky. I am being neither, just jotting down some thoughts on the past year and how far we've come from where we were.<br />
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It's been a year since we returned from <a href="http://joyouslyredeemed.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-year-at-hume-lake-christian-camp.html" target="_blank">Hume Lake</a> and, by unspoken agreement, made Pomona First Baptist our church home. It wasn't even something that had to be discussed. We'd been to the dark side and found that, indeed, they'd lied about the cookies, so we had no intention of ever returning to it. PFB was more than the logical conclusion, it had become painfully obvious that it was where God wanted us. To disobey Him in this again was sure to bring us even more pain.<br />
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Though we know this is where God has placed us, it has not been a seamless transition. There have been some very rocky roads. There have been some severely dark times. But this time, none of these could be attributed to the church or its leadership. It was (and is) our stuff that we need to work out in light of the Truth of the Gospel. It's rocky because this is foreign to us. Viewing things in light of Scripture. Learning to be obedient to His word, not just when we feel like it. Learning that God is a God of Love, and trying to change our mindset to become more like Him, to offer people compassion and understanding instead of judgement.<br />
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It hasn't hurt, though, that we do not walk around in constant defeat, with the feeling that God didn't really care what happened to us coz all He cares about is us getting our theology perfect. There was a time when I couldn't see that this was the type of church we were in. There was a time when I'd have said that having perfect theology wasn't a false gospel of works. Knowing that God does indeed care about His children, loves us more than we can imagine, and, important to this understanding, being in a church that lives that out, has been tremendously helpful.<br />
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When I was a girl I lived on my grandparents' farm in Montana. Every day was a day of perfect bliss. Nothing ever went wrong like it had in the home of my abusive parents....um, not exactly. There were problems, even with my grandparents who loved me. I had all my baggage from my childhood *and* I was a teenager. I can't really remember a lot of it any more, though. I remember being loved. That's all I know. I went from living in fear to knowing I was safe. The only demons around me were the ones I carried.<br />
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It is the same today when I look back at 2012. There were so many things that were terrible. Most of which will never make the public record. It was a year of struggles and pain and suffering by everyone in this house. But I don't remember it like that. I was saved. My life began to be changed. When I look back at the year I feel only a sense of peace and God's presence with me, an anticipation and excitement of what He will do this year. The pain is something I have to force myself to remember, not live in denial of, or spend most of my time trying to forget.<br />
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As I write this out a song comes to mind...surprise. :D Jeremy Camp's "Let it Fade" seems an appropriate description...<br />
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Because of the nature of the life we have left I feel compelled to remind those certain people that just because I know I have rest in my Savior doesn't mean I am blind to the fact that life is difficult. It just makes those difficulties a thousand times more easy to deal with. When you give your life to Christ, when God gets a hold of you, He changes everything about you. The end result is not that you have less problems, but that He helps you through them. Which is better, continue to go it alone? Or rest in the knowledge that He will bring you through?</div>
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The Lord has given us new life, a hope and a future. 2013 promises to bring more trials and problems, it is the nature of living in this fallen world, but now I know God is on my side, He will be with me through it all. I may not always be happy, in fact, shouldn't always be happy, I will sometimes doubt and question, I am probably never going to react to things perfectly, but I will always find rest, forgiveness, hope, and peace in Him regardless what happens.</div>
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-31348527158801875862013-01-01T18:55:00.004-08:002013-01-01T18:55:46.965-08:00I Resolve...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wow, am I behind in my posting. It's a long, emotional story, involving the loss of hundreds of vacation photos right after our trip to San Diego at Thanksgiving. *sigh* Anyway, suffice to say, I've not felt like posting pictures, though I do have a few (thank goodness I have a camera as well as a phone).<br />
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But here we are at a new year and, well, I don't really know, except that I wanted to post about resolutions and all that. I have a few. <a href="http://ourcityhomestead.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/homestead-resolutions/" target="_blank">They are at one of my other blogs</a> (what can I say, I need to compartmentalize my life), this one I started when The Teenager decided he wanted to learn to homestead. (As an aside, I am officially calling this "unschooling" to take away the stigma of "drop-out." :/)<br />
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At any rate, I have a few resolutions. Other than those listed on the other blog, I also want to read entirely through the bible. Will be using <a href="http://hippocampusextensions.com/mcheyneplan/" target="_blank">M'Cheyne's plan</a>. I've got it all printed out and put into my resolution binder. I was pretty set, as you can see, until I went to church last night. As we sang this hymn I became convicted that, while all these are "good" things, they leave out something more important.<br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;</span></i></div>
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<i><i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art</span></i></i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">High King of Heaven, my victory won,</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,</i></div>
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<i style="background-color: transparent;">Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Words: Dallan Forgail (8th Century)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Lord is to be my everything. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the sermon the pastor mentioned an </span>adage<span style="font-family: inherit;"> I'd heard before about the good getting in the way of the great. What I want to do is good. But I had forgotten what was great. To spend a year working and praying to change my mindset will be a great thing.</span></div>
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-8494079949166363782012-11-14T17:29:00.000-08:002012-11-14T17:30:31.852-08:00Wordless Wednesday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3086778347200156748.post-32179894999447360272012-11-12T08:00:00.000-08:002012-11-12T08:00:02.355-08:00School Week 10<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Monday</i></span></div>
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Off to another week of school.</div>
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Took Babycakes to Panda Express. Since he can't eat anything there we took a Panda bar for him. :)</div>
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BC started Monday class this month. He'll now be going to Miss Traccee's three days a week and will stay in Mrs. Johnson's Friday class hopefully through next summer.</div>
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Found his favorite food in the toy-box. Brought it right to me to play with him. :)</div>
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Not quite into his schoolwork though.</div>
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Violin lessons after school.</div>
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Later I took Mr. Great-heart to his very first Cub Scout meeting. He's very excited.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwurPYnzCxF5nXCcTb-FDGUlc54xfxfEd-E8Ux4zk9hAQqOUE9tDebgj31CNAthQEc6AKjZluaYwtm2b1BkRFZod8u3a5JWrfxC5EeVoda__IXbEHPgIp4VU6Fb1YNtjpG5twxpvk0-g/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwurPYnzCxF5nXCcTb-FDGUlc54xfxfEd-E8Ux4zk9hAQqOUE9tDebgj31CNAthQEc6AKjZluaYwtm2b1BkRFZod8u3a5JWrfxC5EeVoda__IXbEHPgIp4VU6Fb1YNtjpG5twxpvk0-g/s320/6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Got to make something out of leather. It was pretty cool.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Tuesday</i></span></div>
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A little better at school on Tuesday.</div>
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View the following in a row. See if you can tell how excited BC gets about Share-and-Tell.</div>
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Later we went to vote at the convenient polling location at the kids' school.</div>
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And even later we went to ballet...surprise.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Wednesday</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLz-LGn5jk4BIsspmuM-RA0bZb2aB1u6o1sx__-5NYYWjTGK_Oev_OgYHF9i_DvhyOMSazN5DUkmXx8aJwMOenPk0fYqkIyopK2Tv5XBj0dp4h37-sO_X4RQTeLM1sT8cf_meyvZaXp-M/s1600/17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLz-LGn5jk4BIsspmuM-RA0bZb2aB1u6o1sx__-5NYYWjTGK_Oev_OgYHF9i_DvhyOMSazN5DUkmXx8aJwMOenPk0fYqkIyopK2Tv5XBj0dp4h37-sO_X4RQTeLM1sT8cf_meyvZaXp-M/s320/17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Went to get some hairs cut after school. Everything was fine until Braniac sat in his "chair" and declared he wanted a hair cut just like Spock's. Then I cried. :(</div>
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But his comeuppance was that he had to get his hair cut close to his ears with either the clippers or the scissors, neither of which he likes at all. :D<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Thursday</i></span></div>
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Got a surprise on Thursday morning. Rain.</div>
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Tut, tut. It looks like rain.</div>
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Got The Teenager a nice Alexander treatment from the violin teacher. "Funny" how these things work out, eh? ;)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY65AaPjlB_oVyJMV9ccwolF2Imiy3cbPVQlTgEtERMwKpyhmuR_hFVZeTaEarzUlXrVhroFHUWpjHcYmMsm3yJVjJ519ESioUwjAYuDIwWa95UBRz5LkUiJFL6EAlQGMfvRNbGjAFPbk/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY65AaPjlB_oVyJMV9ccwolF2Imiy3cbPVQlTgEtERMwKpyhmuR_hFVZeTaEarzUlXrVhroFHUWpjHcYmMsm3yJVjJ519ESioUwjAYuDIwWa95UBRz5LkUiJFL6EAlQGMfvRNbGjAFPbk/s320/11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Braniac's class had a field-trip to Riley's Farms in Oak Glen. </div>
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Here you can see why I cried about the haircut. :(</div>
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Friday was parent-teacher conferences so the kids had no school. Spock and I took advantage of the lack of urgency regarding homework to take a trip to CBTL where we discovered $1 drinks. Actually, for $2 you could get a large. :)</div>
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Did I mention it rained?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisV_7T_OjTaAYNfBGhGrWaAQU-3EYVVAUDrDBE8fRtGxE0_GLNRX5cTydL8H60qu7mqO5fyRdm_MTqoamIeIkWTpMAQAVx-8XfdHQGdsVOi3pMa1hJmpfT1zn49QHFUslnmVtSOxhKwQ/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisV_7T_OjTaAYNfBGhGrWaAQU-3EYVVAUDrDBE8fRtGxE0_GLNRX5cTydL8H60qu7mqO5fyRdm_MTqoamIeIkWTpMAQAVx-8XfdHQGdsVOi3pMa1hJmpfT1zn49QHFUslnmVtSOxhKwQ/s320/9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Had some cardboard at McDonald's with Mr. Great-heart. Later we discovered the fries have beef in them so we won't be eating there as much. Braniac is a vegetarian and that was the only thing he liked there. I'm not going to cry about this. :)</div>
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<a href="http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=80322&item_code=WW&netp_id=379467&event=ESRCP&view=details" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOXK3oSUfdIJijca8oTIZyqhy8z2LlHHFc9GpLNaHFyo4MoZrhO7lK6ZTIMlhOFawORVDaAg9VBRKhkqA6qkryLBBGDBtvImUMWkcJ6KkogZm2eGljcvCm7tM2fLrg431Sus4mIXZPdo/s320/8.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Next book on my list of things to read.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Friday</i></span></div>
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Our new decoration.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvuUbr65__S3j4yU_DWBwWolWi_W9PBqDTEc0N6GTmpDpTcviiMX5FtuLwvW1s8GOaa4RPRG0fgU_Hoxoi9KEcKRkH4wBwVmzANq9x6xCRJ3CBSWSFyCmyRju-x2MlOnSKaZWBE6j9vs/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvuUbr65__S3j4yU_DWBwWolWi_W9PBqDTEc0N6GTmpDpTcviiMX5FtuLwvW1s8GOaa4RPRG0fgU_Hoxoi9KEcKRkH4wBwVmzANq9x6xCRJ3CBSWSFyCmyRju-x2MlOnSKaZWBE6j9vs/s320/11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The kids didn't have school, but BC did. He had a great day. For the first time he said his name (with prompting) and mine too (also with prompting).</div>
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Then we were off to P-T conferences where parents get to talk about their favorite subject...how awesome their kids are. ;D</div>
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Yeah, mine are pretty awesome. It's kind of a form of positive feedback for me. Homeschooling them hasn't turned them into complete failures. ;)</div>
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Braniac is really into doing his stretches right now. Unfortunately, his choice of music leaves much to be desired. ;)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Saturday</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGoex5bWYEeLxsgL6gK-_YpXqp-c8G-W_AX98I9y6xASexnioWByCtM6RACFb7HN4LC354L9p4SOKfbdhnsLFBQDKaRZfwQXYOqKEJ_CguhePoUa_weDYPckiErk6MU5SsMCmhY6FvgE/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGoex5bWYEeLxsgL6gK-_YpXqp-c8G-W_AX98I9y6xASexnioWByCtM6RACFb7HN4LC354L9p4SOKfbdhnsLFBQDKaRZfwQXYOqKEJ_CguhePoUa_weDYPckiErk6MU5SsMCmhY6FvgE/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's a glimpse of the snow on Baldy. It will probably be gone by Wednesday, then come back. Then go away...etc.</div>
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Braniac picked out a "bow-tie" from the ballet store. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZ_0hvYK5G72PPxk1VieNNGf1wznY32P0J6EXEsu98ukPZ-8lr-bJEm1EbWSItog849kGB9gzly6a6X-x7oFpSc5Irao5amkA7fWWPrXYSNWdYNAtDbIo7gv-RlctmHIP1tJvc5lJZjM/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZ_0hvYK5G72PPxk1VieNNGf1wznY32P0J6EXEsu98ukPZ-8lr-bJEm1EbWSItog849kGB9gzly6a6X-x7oFpSc5Irao5amkA7fWWPrXYSNWdYNAtDbIo7gv-RlctmHIP1tJvc5lJZjM/s320/6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And I finally got around to putting our Air1 sticker that we picked up at Harvest Crusade on the back of the car after cleaning it on Saturday. Hopefully I'll remember I've got it on there before I try to cut somebody off on the freeway. ;)</div>
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Sara Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511018248700719034noreply@blogger.com1