You Can't Have It All

I've been pondering life's direction a lot lately.
     Maybe it's because I just gave birth to my seventh child.
          Maybe it's because my second child just left our nest, maybe for a year, maybe forever.
               Maybe it's because of the uncertainty of the economy and The Builder's job.
                    Maybe it's because I spend a large part of my day nursing Silas and thinking about life.

I remember a writing assignment in a college class I took long ago. The assignment was "Your View of Life's Choices - Is There Only One Right Way". Or something like that. I don't remember all the details, but I do remember comparing life to water flowing. You see water flowing in a brook, and that water can flow along many different paths of the brook, or it might come to a "dead end" and go under ground for a while, but it will resurface. The brook might only flow as a trickle, barely visible unless you're looking for it. Or it might join with a larger stream and then a river and flow along in a fast current. No matter which path the water takes, it still all ends up in the ocean. (Work with me here.) Is the fast current on a better path than the slow trickling brook?


Is there only One Right Way? God's One Perfect Plan for our lives and anything else is second best? I don't think so. I think He teaches us what we need to know wherever we are. Oh, sure, we can definitely make choices that are plainly wrong, but if there are two or more paths to choose that appear equally right, does it really matter which one we pick? I think we can apply that to the big things (career choices) and to the little things (where to spend Saturday afternoon).  We need to realize that saying yes to one path means saying no to others. You simply can't have it all.  The important thing is to live your life with joy, faith, love, kindness, honesty, integrity, patience and humility. That's the hard part.

Mother's Day Blessings

Reminiscing. Thinking of all the mothers in my family. My great-grandmothers, most of whom I never met, but still are such a big part of who I am. The one who had to leave one of her children in another country for years because they didn't have the money to bring her home. The ones who left home for new lands and new opportunities. The one who lost a son in WWII. Strong women, all of them.

My Great-Grandmother, Amelia, is the second on the left. My grandfather is the handsome blond sailor in the back on the right.

My grandmothers. I love them dearly. One who told me on her 83rd (or 84th?) birthday that her biggest regret in life was not having more children. One who never talked about children until after my third child was born and just mentioned that she always wanted more but had many miscarriages. No one ever knew. One leaving home and family to marry the man of her dreams, the other marrying after a brief 6-week courtship and then sending her husband off to war, not seeing him again for 2-3 years. Strong women, both of them.

My still beautiful grandmother.

My mother. Raising two children as a single mom. Warm and creative. Working to provide the best she could. A strong woman.

My grandmother, my mom, my oldest daughter, and me.

I'm next on the family mother tree. I am a blessed woman. Abundantly blessed. I think about each child of mine. Each one so precious.

The oldest, Kate, a mama herself now and living too far away, preparing to move to an even greater distance in a week. Born when I was so young, and didn't know the first thing about being a good mother, but wanting to giver her the best of me that I possibly could. She is the fierce protector of her baby I always knew she'd be. Graceful, passionate, beautiful.

The next one, Josh, now a man preparing to leave our nest. He spends less and less time here. I miss him already, but I'm so honored to be his mother and I look forward to watching the next few years. Gifted, humble, a quiet and strong leader.

And then my quirky, particular, and oh-so-funny Zach, the boy who is quickly growing out of boyhood, loving books and dragons and legos and swords, still giving me swift hugs when he passes me in the kitchen. 

Sweet Maddie, so tender hearted and kind. Probably the one most like me in likes, but so much like her Papa in personality. Dress wearing, tractor driving, loving to knit and bake and sew and run barefoot and splash in the creek and care for the animals.

Little Emma, a princess. Blond-haired beauty with a quick smile. Dumping toys from boxes so she can stand taller next to me to play with my hair - her habit when she's tired. So wanting to be in charge, but just barely 3 years old and the 5th child makes it hard to be the boss.

Sophia Rosebud, the current littlest, but not for much longer. Dark, curly hair and a deep belly laugh. Such a petite little body, but such a big personality, a fearless monkey imitating everyone around. Curious, climbing, busy.

And the soon to come littlest. A boy? A girl? Blond or dark? Serious or fun-loving?

Each one is such a gift, a treasure. I did nothing to deserve them. So much love in this little cottage of a home. Oh, yes. I am a very blessed woman. And I'm so grateful to be the descendant of so many strong women. I hope I am able to honor them in the way I live my life.

Adjustments

I'm home from church again. My two littles are with me. Between Sophie's still runny nose (though she is getting better and is fever free. Thank you, Jesus!) and Emma's German Shepherd barking cough, and my too tight to really breathe well without coughing and coughing even if I try to take little breaths, we decided it was best for the three of us to stay home. I'll tell you, it has been a Very Long Time since the whole family has been able to worship together. But what a blessing to be home today - the sun is shining beautifully outside (melt that snow!), the little girls are playing nicely together, I'm enjoying another cup of coffee, and I'm spending some much needed time with God. 

I have a confession to make:  I've been a grump lately. Not just a little. I've turned into the type of person I don't like to be around. Grumpy, negative, persnickety, crabby, bad-tempered, testy... Well, you get the picture. In short, I've been focusing entirely too much on me. But this morning I've had a chance to count my blessings.

Yes, it has been a Very Long Winter with A Lot of Sickness. 

BUT, our sickness is temporary. We'll get over it. It isn't terminal, so what am I complaining about? 

Yes, I've been pretty tired and still nauseous from this pregnancy.
BUT, I'm carrying a treasure. What a gift! And every time I feel this little one move I'm reminded of how blessed I am to be given this gift.

 

My oldest son will be leaving in a few months to grow his musical gift. We need to come up with money for tuition, housing, food, etc.  I don't know where the money will come from. 

BUT, my God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He gave Josh this gift, He will provide. 

 

My husband has been working A Lot, and told me this week that he has two business trips coming up soon that will take him away for a few nights. 

BUT, my husband has a job, and he gets paid on a regular basis. And he provides very well for us.

My list can go on and on. We have a home. We have food. We have children. We have a sweet granddaughter. We have Jesus. See? I just needed to look beyond me. (And I think the sunshine helped just a little.)

So now that my attitude has been adjusted, please forgive me for my very whiny last post.

And now that I'm feeling much more like myself, I think I'll go clean something, bake something, organize something and sew something. Oh yes, that's more like it.

Fighting the Battle

Thought I'd share a few interesting things I've been learning lately.

• The cold and flu viruses die at about 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
• These viruses survive best and are transmitted fastest in low humidity and cool or cold temperatures.
• A cough or sneeze can spread germs up to 8 feet.
• People with a cold are contagious for the first 3 days and up to 10 days after the start of cold symptoms - for most cold viruses. There are exceptions. People with the flu are contagious for even longer. 
• Most colds go away 7 - 10 days after the start of symptoms, but the symptoms may last longer.
• There are over 200 different viruses that cause colds. That's why the same person can catch a different cold frequently.
• Once sick, you can do things to relieve symptoms, you can do things to help rebuild your immune system, but the cold still needs to run its course.
• Cold and flu germs can live on some surfaces up to 48 hours. 

Why have I done all this research you ask? Because our family has, once again, been stricken with yet another version of the wonderful cold. This is round 5 for us this winter. That's the most we've ever been sick.  I'm tired. Really tired. Adding joy to the wonderful cold, is the very unpleasant and lingering morning (well, mostly evening these days) sickness that I'm still battling. Every time I cough, by stomach does flip flops. I won't tell you any more than that. It isn't very pretty and doesn't need to be blogged about, but it's the worst weight-loss plan I've ever been on. We missed church (again) on Sunday. We're missing our homeschool co-op day (again) tomorrow. We're staying in and containing our germs. You're welcome.

So here's my advice for everyone else. If you or your child are coughing, stay home. If you or your child are sneezing, stay home. If you or your child has a fever, stay home. (And by the way, reducing the fever with medication does NOT mean "fever-free". The fever needs to be gone on its own for 24 hours.) A low grade fever does not need to be medicated. It is your body's nature way of killing germs. 

Why is it so important that you stay home? Because your germs spread. A cough or sneeze (see above) spreads germs up to 8 feet. The germs can live (see above) for up to 48 hours. So think about it. If you go anywhere when you're sick, you just gave anyone who, for the next 2 days, touches anything within 8 feet of where you or your child coughed your wonderful cold. This may not mean much to you. But to a family of 7, it can mean a very long time of feeling very unwell. To my 9 year old, it means several doses on the nebulizer, and frequently a trip to the emergency room because she's struggling to breathe. To a 91-year-old great, great grandfather, it can mean hospitalization (my grandpa's in the hospital because someone didn't stay home). To a person, like my granddaughter, who has a suppressed immune system, it can mean hospitalization, or rejection of her heart, or worse.

So really, is that trip out of the house worth it? Do you really need milk that badly? Can a neighbor or a friend pick it up for you? Do you really need to send your children to school or church or to co-op?  It may not seem like it, but to some people a cold really is a life or death battle.

So much to learn, so little time

There's a phrase that is not allowed to be used in our home. (Okay, there are quite a few of them - swearing is not allowed either). It's one of my pet peeves - I can't stand it when someone uses it:

"I'm bored."

You must be joking! There is an entire world waiting to be discovered. You obviously have free time. Go explore! Discover! Learn something new!  

I started thinking about all the things I'd love to be able to do in my "free" time. I thought about making a list, but it would be pretty long. Here's a start:

Learn to play the violin

Learn to play the piano

Learn to play the guitar

Read a book (I have about 500 that I know of that I'd like to read someday)

Sew

Make a quilt

Make clothes for my children

Design a pattern

Write a book

Cook

Bake

Make a difference for someone

Learn to draw (oh, how I wish I could draw, or paint, or sketch!)

Take better pictures

Sleep (seriously!)

Learn ballroom dancing

Start a business (or 8)

Learn about History

Learn about my ancestry

Be active in politics

Design a curriculum

Learn about herbs and herbal healing

Organize my house

Sell the extra stuff

Learn about the plants on our land

Have tea with my children

Learn to weave

Learn to make soap

Learn to make candles

Organize my recipes

Learn French

Learn Latin

Learn Greek

Learn Hebrew

Learn almost anything!

My aunt (who was a teacher) used to tell her students and her children "You're boring" whenever they would dare complain of boredom to her. I think she's right. If someone is "bored" they either think they've accomplished all there is to accomplish in this life (I can't even imagine that), or they have no ambition whatsoever to learn something new.  I think it's the same as watching television. If you have time to sit in front of a box for hours a week (or hours a day! How can you do that?), then you must have LOTS of free time and no ambition to DO something. Don't get me wrong, I love a great movie as much as anyone, but sitting for hours on end being entertained seems like a huge waste of time, not to mention the personality drain that occurs.

So I'm curious, what's on your list of things to do when you have so much free time that you might even consider saying "I'm bored"? Or is it okay to be bored?

Where is the Me I want to Be?

I think I'm schizophrenic. (No offense meant to those who truly are.)  You see, there are two Me's. There's the Me I am. And there's the Me I want to be. The Me I am: short tempered, impatient, flustered, clumsy, average intelligence, not very creative... well, you get the picture. Then there's the Me I want to be. I dream of being graceful, wise, mild mannered, creative.

I want to have dinner on the table when my husband comes home from work. Not just any table, but a beautifully set table. With candles, a tablecloth, flowers, cloth napkins.(These days I can barely pull a meal together.) Dressed in something beautiful and soft (instead of denim capri's and a comfy shirt I can nurse in modestly.) Maybe with my hair done and makeup on (instead of a headband and hairclip). I want to be able to comfort him after a hard day at work (instead of comparing his bad day to mine). I want the house to be cleaned up whenever he comes home. I want to be organized so everything has a place (instead of moving from one organizing project to another in the hope that somehow I'll find more space for less stuff).

I want to be patient with my children. Able to soothe the little ones with music and singing (instead if sighs of frustration). Baker of fabulous comfort foods when they don't feel well. And when they do. Block stacker and castle builder extraordinaire. Game player. Sewer of amazing dress up clothes and regular clothes. Designer of my own patterns (and maybe my own fabric).Creator of wonderful memories of home that will be with them always.

I want my home to be a place of comfort for my family and for others. I want people to want to be here. To enjoy visiting. Stopping by just to see what delectable creation we made. I want to be able to share earthly comforts and spiritual comforts with them. The "wise one" who can say just the right thing at just the right time.

The Me of my dreams confidently faces every day and every hardship with grace, dignity, and faith.

But the Me that I am keeps getting in the way. I stumble through my life, making more mistakes than I care to admit. But then God whispers that He loves me. The real Me. And the Me that I dream of becoming? Well, He is a worker of miracles. Maybe I can slowly become her, one step, one day, at a time.

Legal Discrimination

This is one of those posts that portrays me as a really opinionated person. That's OK. Because I'm a really opinionated person.

I've noticed lately that there are so many efforts to desegregate and stop discrimination that we've become a segregated, discriminated people. And now it's legal.

Case in point: The National Black Homeschooling Convention recently took place. Pardon me, but why is it alright to have a Black convention, but not a White convention, or an Asian Convention, or an Indian Convention. How about a National Redhead Homeschooling Convention? If we're going to divide people based on something as superficial as skin color, then why not divide based on hair color, or eye color, or height or weight. (Oh, sorry, I mentioned weight. I didn't mean to offend.)  One woman defended the Black Homeschooling Convention by saying that black people need to teach their children about culture, where some other parents don't need to do that, and that a convention uniting them in this cause strengthens people.  Please excuse my ignorance, but do all black people share the same culture? And why is it more important for black people to teach culture to their children? I'm just asking. And since when does any kind of division result in strength? A house that is divided against itself cannot stand. (Matthew 12:25) So let's stop dividing the house.

Here's another example: a company nearby has a Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender support group that is openly supported by the company. Anyone who wants to find out when and where they meet need only ask. Anyone. Yet the Christian Bible study group is "allowed" to meet, but you have to know someone in the group to find out when they meet. It isn't allowed to be openly advertised because it might "offend" someone. Another person I know works at what she referred to as the "gayest company in (her city)". Her company allowed an employee to decorate his/her workspace with gay pride related items. I wonder though if a Christian working at the same company would be allowed to have a Bible out, or bible verses on a whiteboard. 

Just this week a woman was fired from her job because of a video that showed her telling a story of how she didn't help a white farmer as much as she could have, just because he was white. The video didn't show the rest of her speech, only the part where she didn't do as much as she might have if he was a black farmer. So her bosses jumped to conclusions and "forced her resignation".  They were so sensitive about discrimination they forgot to be sensitive about the context of what the video showed.

Our country has fallen so far from our founding fathers ideals that the name of the country is almost all we have left. The standards have been lowered over and over again and now the standard is based on each person's own reality and opinion of right and wrong. And we've allowed it. There are so many laws that attempt to force people to accept all other people that we're not allowed to have an opinion anymore. It's called "Hate Speech" if we say that we disagree with a lifestyle. We aren't supposed to divide people based on skin color, unless your skin is dark, then it's OK to set yourselves apart from others.  Prayer is allowed in public schools as long the prayer is addressed to Allah or Buddha or goddess, but don't address Jesus or God.

So where do we go from here? I'm not sure.  Maybe we need to stop passing laws that try to force people to approve of things they don't approve of.  Maybe we need to show everyone Christ's love to others regardless of who they are and what they look like. Maybe we all need to understand that love and like and approval are all different things and none of them can be forced upon us by laws.

Dancing in the Minefields

This Friday, a sweet young couple we know is getting married. Yesterday they were baptized together. They were each baptized before, but wanted to be baptized as adults to show their commitment to each other and to God as they begin their lives together. What a beautiful illustration of love. I can't tell you how blessed us "old married folks" have been by them. Every time we see the soon-to-be-husband he tells us how many more days until they are married. I'll say that again. Every time we see the soon-to-be-HUSBAND he tells us how many more days until they are married. Usually we see the bride counting down the days, and she is, but it is so beautiful to see a man who is anxious to claim his bride.

I saw this video, what a beautiful song. We are dancing in the minefields. It made me think of my own wedding day so many years ago.  No, it's not easy, but the promise is there for us to claim.



Just a few minutes ago I called my husband to see how he's doing at work and let him know I'm thinking of him (it will be a rough week for him this week).  He told me of a friend whose wife left him yesterday. She took his children and left. She called him this morning and told him she wanted to talk to him.  As far as I know, they are not believers, but please pray for them. They are truly in the minefields. I hope and pray they'll dance again.

Theological Thinking

Yesterday's discussion at home was interesting. Here's the question: Can you back up all your decisions with scripture? The topic came up because the author of a blog I read posted the statement that "I think it is wrong for Christians in America to have their children in government controlled schools". I'll let you read the most recent post, the original posts, and the comments on your own. There were several things I read that prompted the discussion we had. It was even more interesting because my oldest son told us of a big decision made by someone we know. This person said she "felt called" to do something. So on top of the scripture-backing-up-your-decisions-discussion, we had the you're-not-supposed-to-make-decisions-based-on-feelings-so-how-can-you-tell-if-you're-called discussion. Whoa! Deep stuff! Needless to say, it was a very late night. But a good night.

So I'm curious. What do you think? Can you (or should you be able to) back up all your decisions with scripture? How do you know when God has called you to do something?

We Are Home Makers

Being a Home Maker is by far the hardest job I've ever had. Even when I was working 16 hour days, living on double cappuccino's with a shot of vanilla because I couldn't get sleep, my job was easier than it is now. But my "job" now is absolutely, by far, the most fulfilling one I've ever had. What I do makes a difference in the world. I make a difference in the lives of my husband and my children. I forget that sometimes. Kelly, from Generation Cedar wrote something that reminded me. I think I'll print it out and hang it on a wall so I can see it often and be reminded of who I am, what I do, and Who I serve.

We are a culture of real women, with real families and problems, but also a real understanding of the importance of our work in and among our homes and communities. We see a desperate need to return to a more simplistic way of living–for the health and good of all.
We are sharp; we are thinking women; we read; we have voracious appetites for learning, and for teaching our children those things.
We value education, and also sitting in the quiet of a day.
We believe that “the greatest among you is the servant of all”.
We utilize our computers to assist us with diagnosing an illness, and when we’re done, we hang our laundry on the clothesline to save money.
We learn to cook from scratch because it’s cheaper, healthier and wiser.
We make homemade laundry detergent (sometimes ).
We are on a never-ending quest to save money because “a dollar saved is more than a dollar earned”, and our husbands treasure that quality in us.
We believe motherhood is a vocation that comes with responsibilities, and we do what is necessary to fulfill them.
We delight in serving our husbands a cold glass of tea; not because he demands it or because we are subservient, but because we love him and cherish the smallest opportunity to communicate it. After all, he spends all day “speaking love to us” working hard, making sure the oil is changed, unstopping the clogged pipes, and all sorts of other ways. We don’t feel we’re in competition, but rather, we are “heirs together in the grace of life”.
We understand the very real fact that humans need serenity, and we make it one of our jobs to create that for as many as we can around us.
We try to look around us and see if we can meet the practical needs of others.
We think generationally….beyond today…into our great-grand-children’s lives. We journal about things we want our granddaughters to remember.
We teach our girls about strength and dignity, and our boys about honor and protection. We also believe in equality, and in a beautiful array of differences.
We care deeply about politics and what happens to our world; and that is why we are home MAKERS.

I am proud to be one of them. Read the rest here.

He said what?

I know my husband. One of the things I know about him is that he doesn't say much. I'll ramble on about almost anything, talk thoughts out as they pop into my head, express my oh-so-many opinions at any time. Not my husband. He talks, but he's more careful about what he says. So I know when he says something that seems to be "out of the blue", it isn't just a thought that just popped into his head. He's been thinking about it. So the other day when he said something, I knew I needed to pay attention. What did he say? He said, "Maybe we should look for land closer to town." He said it two days in a row. I guess that means he's really thinking about it.

Just for kicks and giggles, I thought I'd figure out how much it would cost or save us in gas - closer to work and church, but farther from where Josh goes to school. Enter google maps. Guess what! It is the exact same distance to school as it is from here (think of a triangle). But it's a LOT closer to work and church. Just in gas alone we'd be saving about $300 a month. And that doesn't include oil changes, tires, and other wear and tear on the cars. Of course, property taxes are much higher in that part of our state than in this part of our state, so our savings will probably go to a higher tax bill. But my husband would get about an hour a day back.

We don't feel like God is calling us to move right now. Which is good, because I LOVE our land and our home. But we do think that God is telling us to get things in order, because you never know. So I have some unfinished projects to take care of around here. Just in case I didn't hear God correctly, I looked online at the current listings. There really isn't anything for us right now. And we're not putting our house on the market. We're just exploring options.

You know, it's almost funny. Every time I've felt settled and content, God gives us big changes. Maybe I should try to feel discontented for a while. Then we can stay put. Maybe?

Do The Next Thing

I read this some time ago on Elisabeth Elliot's newsletter. It's such a help. When it seems like there is too many things and not enough time. When I'm tempted to worry about the future. When I wonder what God's will is. When I don't feel like doing anything at all.

As far as I know, the author is unknown. This is a slightly modernized version.

From an old English parsonage down by the sea
There came in the twilight a message to me;
Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven,
Hath, it seems to me, teaching from Heaven.
And on through the doors the quiet words ring
Like a low inspiration: “DO THE NEXT THING.”

Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity, and guidance are given.
Fear not tomorrows, child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus, do the next thing

Do it immediately, do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing,
Leave all results, do the next thing

Looking for Jesus, ever serener,
Working or suffering, be thy demeanor;
In His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance be thy psalm,
Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing.
Then, as He beckons thee, do the next thing.

There's a New Man in My Life

There's a new man in my life. (No, we didn't get another dog.) He's pretty interesting. He has gorgeous blue eyes. A smile that lights up his face. He loves my children. And my dog. (OK, maybe that's pushing it a little.) And my chickens. (OK, that's pushing it a lot.) He works full time, but he loves to build things. He's a pretty talented woodworker. Sound a lot like my husband? That's because it is! My husband, the Builder, is taking a class in blacksmithing. So maybe he isn't a "new" man. But he's a different man. He has something new to talk to me about. A new interest to research, learn and share. So in that way, he's different.

I think any time we find ourselves stuck in a rut, whether it's a job-rut, marriage-rut (don't worry, our marriage is just fine), a financial-rut, or any kind of stuck-in-the-same-place-and-don't-know-how-to-change-it rut, we need to shake things up a bit. Take a new class. Shop at a different store, drive to work/school/church on a different road. SOMETHING. My husband is taking a class. He needs it. Now instead of beating his head against the wall in frustration, he's "beating the snot out of metal". His words. He's happier. So am I.

Writer's block

Apologies again for my lack of posting. I think I need a new blog name. I'm not so sure that I like the fact that my name is the blog address, because even though I currently have the blog settings to make it not searchable by google, I'm getting hits from parts of the country where I don't know anyone. So my thoughts are to change the name of the blog and the blog address to something a little more anonymous. So I'm thinking. Still thinking. Nope, nothing's coming to me yet. I'll keep you posted.

Yes, They Did.

I really don't want my blog to become something that is all about our Government, but right now there is way too much happening to NOT comment on it.

1) Obama's inaugural address. It sounded like he quoted the Declaration of Independence. Sounded really good. Unless of course, you are familiar with the Declaration and saw what he said by not saying it. There's a good article that explains it pretty well here.
2) Obama signed an executive order re-establishing the use of federal funds (that would be taxpayer money) for organizations that provide or support abortions. So what does a Pro-life taxpayer do? Knowing that our tax dollars are being used to murder children creates a bit of a dilemma. We are bound by law to pay taxes, and bound by the Bible to obey the law, but the law is being used for something that is WRONG! Read more here.
3) Here's a video about the economic stimulus plans and who should receive any jobs created by the package and who should receive money. It pretty much speaks for itself. View it here.

Don't worry, the Government is in control

I just found something out. I mean it. Just now, like 3 minutes ago. And I HAVE to share it with anyone (all 2 of you) who actually read my blog. Remember all the toys coming out of China that had higher than allowable levels of lead? Remember all the recalls? Well, our government was concerned. Concerned for our children. Concerned for our families. So they decided to do something about it. They decided to pass the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. According to the vote Roll Call, 25 members did not vote, the other 407 members of Congress agreed unanimously that this was a good law and passed it. Only 3 of our U.S. Senators thought it was a bad idea.

What does the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 do? Well, have you heard of National Bankruptcy Day? No? Its February 10, 2009. Coming right up. You see, the effective date of this is February 10, 2009. You know, this act that will protect our children. What happens on February 10, 2009? On that day, all products sold to be used by children under 12 must be tested for lead and phthalates to make sure the product is safe for our kids. Sounds like a good idea, right? The burden of testing is not on the supplier. The burden is on the manufacturer and the seller of these goods. So if you are a stay at home mom and you make some dresses for little girls, you need to test the material for EACH dress you make to be sure it doesn't contain anything bad. Nope, you can't test just once and be done. You have to test each batch you produce. So if a batch is one dress, you have to test the material for that one dress. Children's books? Yep, they have to be tested. DVD's? Those too. So you see, pretty much every single thing that is sold for children must be tested. And the cost to test? Well from what I can see, it's pretty expensive. I've seen numbers online ranging from $300 to $5000. Per test. That's for each product. Pretty much puts every small business out of business. Oh, and this applies to thrift stores as well - resellers must take responsibility for testing unless the "product" is donated along with a certificate stating that the product has been tested. Theories abound that not only will many businesses file bankruptcy, but the cost of products will skyrocket to cover the new cost of doing business. There's a good article that explains things a little better here.

Boy, I'm so glad our government is on top of things and they're protecting our kids. We won't have to worry about our kids having any toys with lead in them, but then it doesn't matter. After this law goes into effect, no one will be able to buy anything anyway. Our economy will be in further turmoil, but our kids will be "safe".

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve, the day before the second most celebrated holiday for Christians. The stockings are hung, the tree is strung with lights and decorated, there are presents wrapped under the tree, whispers and secret comings and goings, closed doors and smiles of anticipation all around. Katie and I are finally baking Christmas cookies - yes, its late, but its better than nothing. Josh will be heading to church early to practice one last time for tonight's Christmas worship service.

We all still seem to be searching for that elusive peace that Christmas time is supposed to bring. Instead we've found the busy-ness that so many of us discover during this season. We've been shopping and wrapping and cooking and driving and preparing and unpacking and settling in to our new home. We've been so busy that the day has sneaked up on us. I guess we weren't looking.

It makes me think about what's really important.

The day we celebrate Christ's birth on doesn't matter, but HOW we celebrate it does. It's not about the presents, or the cookies, or the lights. It's about realizing that God sent us His Son. He sent him to earth as the most helpless creature we humans can be. Its also the least intimidating form we can ever be. Who could ever reject a precious baby? And yet, that baby grew to be a man who died for us all and that's when He is rejected. How sad. So many celebrate Christmas and yet reject the One its about. It doesn't make sense to me. Its like celebrating someone's birthday whom dislike, or care nothing about. Who does that? All He asks of us is that we give Him our lives in return. We don't need to just believe in Him, but we need to live for Him. So simple, and yet so hard for so many.

I'm so grateful for my husband and my children, and my new son-in-law. What precious gifts they all are. Each one unique, each one loved. I'm even grateful for being busy. The inner peace is there, the outer peace will come in January.

May the joy of Christmas be with you all, and if you don't have peace yet, stop searching so hard - He's right there, just waiting for you to chose. God's grace (grace - a gift we don't deserve) is there for the taking. Once you take it, open it. And may Grace and Peace be with you.

What is the UNCRC?

Please know that I'm still learning about this treaty, so some of my information may not be 100% correct.

The UNCRC is a treaty that has been signed by all member nations of the U.N. except two - the U.S. and Somalia. I don't know why Somalia hasn't signed it, but from what I understand, any international treaty signed by the U.S. bears just as much legality as laws passed within our country, so signing this would drastically change our laws. Some of the changes. One of the good things - that every child has the inherent right to life. Most absolutely! But it also says that every child shall be registered immediately after birth (how immediately? Will someone need to attend every birth to phone, fax, or otherwise document the new child?)

Also says (in Article 9):

States Parties shall ensure that a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will, except when competent authorities subject to judicial review determine, in accordance with applicable law and procedures, that such separation is necessary for the best interests of the child. Such determination may be necessary in a particular case such as one involving abuse or neglect of the child by the parents, or one where the parents are living separately and a decision must be made as to the child's place of residence.

Please note - it said except when competent authorities determine separation is in the best interests of the child. I don't know about you, but I have seen many cases where the authorities aren't very competent, and who gets to determine what is in the best interests of the child? Not the parents. This opens up way too many possibilities for our children to be removed from our homes because of what some stranger who may or may not be competent deems to be in the "best interests" of our children.

Now lets look at Article 13:

1. The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the child's choice.

So does that mean that my children can draw on my walls, call it "art" and not be disciplined? Does it mean that if my child wants to learn about and become a Satanist I have to allow it? Sounds a little scary to me.

Article 15:

1. States Parties recognize the rights of the child to freedom of association and to freedom of peaceful assembly.

So now my kids can be friends with whomever they want to be friends. We can't tell them not to associate with someone we don't approve of because it would be illegal. And if they want to spend countless hours "hanging out", we need to allow it, no matter where, no matter when, no matter with whom.

Article 16:

1. No child shall be subject to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honour and reputation.

So, for all parents of young children who need, um, assistance in the bathroom - that would be illegal as it would subject the child to interference with his or her privacy. Also, parents of teens - no snooping through snail mail, email, or my space comments - it is an invasion of privacy.

There are several other Articles in the treaty. Feel free to educate yourself on it.
The good news is that the U.S. hasn't signed it. Yet. The bad news is that if the U.S. signs it, parents will no longer have the right to decide how to raise our children. Not unless the Constitution is amended to protect parental rights. Check out Parental Rights.org

I realize some of my interpretations are a little silly, but the reality is that this treaty could allow the state to have access to our children and our homes any time they want. This treaty could allow the state to decide that it doesn't like homeschoolers, and remove children from their families. This treaty could allow the state to decide how we teach our faith to our children, or worse, decide that we can't teach our faith to our children. This treaty opens up too many possibilities for the government to take our children away from us.

What the World Eats

Here's a link to a great photo article. What a big difference between industrialized countries and non-industrialized.
What the World Eats

Here's what this tells me. We American's are fat and spoiled. We eat a ton of processed and prepared foods. We eat lots of white flour products, lots of sugar, and very little fruits and vegetables, then we complain that we're overweight and have no energy. I don't know much about most of the countries listed, but you can really tell which ones are prospering and which aren't. We also spend a HUGE amount of money on food. I personally don't really know how to spend less than I currently do and still eat relatively healthy. I can spend less and eat lots of carbs, but fruit and vegies seem to be our personal budget killers, and meat is even more expensive! I think I'm going to start looking for cookbooks published in the 30's and 40's. The people who lived during the depression knew how to stretch their food dollar.

Our Next Home

My son found this amazing website. A low impact home built by the owners and "help from passers by".

Imagine - No mortgage. No utility bills. No traffic. Just living. I think you have to have an amazing garden if you live there. Its a requirement. You also have to bake bread every day. I'd have to have power to run my sewing machine, but then again, when you live in a house like this you stitch everything by hand. Or you cut out the patterns, and at night while you're sleeping, little fairies come into your home and stitch everything together for you.....

Now to find the land to build it on.

Check out the website here.