Staying Focused

I was listening to the local Christian radio station the other day. It's a pretty good station, I really wish we had KLOVE in the area but this one will do for now. Anyhow, I was listening and they were talking about living in the end times and how it's coming and being prepared. This seems to be a large topic with them, I haven't noticed it as much on KLOVE, I don't know maybe I didn't pay attention. I had a couple thoughts about it.

1. I think it is very important in the Christian walk and Faith to know that Jesus, in fact, will one day come back.
2. This radio station seemed to be pointing out and trying to prove that we are living in the end times. This kind of bothered me. Not because I am scared of "the end times" but because the Bible actually says no one will know when the end times are. Even in the Bible the disciples thought they were in the worst of worst times, I am sure people thought Hitler was the anti-christ....but all of that has come to pass. Are things really that awful out there that people are so sure we are in the end times? Maybe they are bad...and I just don't see it...but I can definitely think of worse times.
3. Are we, as Christians, to focused on the end result? Are we so focused on the evil approaching our time that we are forgetting to reach people and love them. I am not saying it is bad to be aware of the end times and maybe even study up on them, but I feel as though this radio station was trying to scare it's listeners into believing and being prepared.I would rather live a life out of Faith than fear. I DO think it is important to be prepared in our hearts...but I think it is equally as important to be loving those around us and reaching the broken hearted and lost. The Bible also says not to worry about tomorrow...focus on today instead. What do you think about it? Do you think Christians dwell way too much on apocalyptic events than on the here and now?

I am not a poet

Autumn Reflection

The wind was soft
The breeze was sweet
Took me to a different time

When you and I
Would retreat
From the world and it's stressful design

I could recall
So very clear
The way you made me feel

Your hand in mine
And mine in yours
Your words so surreal

One look from you
And your eyes green
No reason to be scared

As if nothing could
Or ever would
Shake the love we shared

And as I stand here
And reflect
In the gentle breeze of today

I see we have grown
And come so far
In all life's unbalanced ways

I feel I know you
In and out
know you, yourself, true

Being said
You should know
I am still desperate for you

Home schooled?

Jamie and I hope that we are able to home school are kids. Now those plans could change, we are open to changes when it comes to education. BUT I would absolutely love it if I had the chance to teach them for a couple of years. SO every now and then I think of an idea and I think I am going to share them, if nothing else, to have them written somewhere so I don't forget.

I want to challenge my kids to take up a cause. It can be anything...cure for cancer, saving a rain forest, feeding the homeless...I want to challenge them to find what they are passionate about and I want to help them make a difference with it.

I also want to teach them to question things (I know...scary right?!) but I think it is important to know both sides of something and why. The other day this kid came up to me and asked me to buy apples for a fund raiser (he was in 8th grade) when I asked what it was for he said he didn't know but his teacher told him to do it. Wow...now this 8th grader could be kind of lazy, but how much of that came from not being challenged to find out why things are the way they are!

I also have ideas for essays such as "My Favorite Thing about Myself" we could even make it a two parter, one having to do with physical looks and one on personality.

unrelated to schooling I would also like to challenge my children during the holidays to really focus on the reasons we have them. I LOVE Christmas, for the giving of it...and I hope my children can find that also. Maybe have them donate lightly used toys of theirs and have them pick it out.

Just ideas that I want to remember

Hair Care?

I was just thinkin'....is it greener to have short hair? You don't use as much shampoo and you can throw the extra hair outside and give it to the birds. Also you would use less hair products (if you use them...I know when my hubby grows his hair a lil longer he feels the need to be a greaser...LOL). What do you think? Is it more eco friendly to have short hair? technically? (This is all just speculation I am not trying to prove a point...technically it is greener to adopt kids than have kids and we all know where I am on that one LOL)

"Green"sleeves

I tend to wear things on my sleeves. My emotions, my health, bad circumstances, good circumstances...Im not really too hesitant to talk about it because I know that life is life and things are how they are. Don't get me wrong I dont go to the store, find the first person I see and tell her "hey, I just smoked a bowl" ( I actually had a lady recently tell me this exact statement....and I just want to clarify that when I say I wear things on my sleeves...its not this kind of stuff. And now I need to clarify I don't smoke pot. I really don't. Maybe this was a bad example.) SO ANYWAY

The same can be said when it comes to finances. I think most of my friends know we are not very established when it comes to money. Something that God has been working in my heart for a number of years now. At first it was a pride thing....and now I just find myself becoming more humbled. Sometimes I find myself wondering if I should conceal this fact a little more. I don't want people to feel sorry for us or think we are a constant "hand out". BUT it is hard to conceal something like this when we have people who want us to travel to see them and we can't because we are already late on rent. OR people come over to stay and I tell them to help themselves to anything they want, and next thing I know they want to make a run to the local store to get soda or something. I feel awful with that kind of thing....how do you tell someone "Im really sorry I can't provide you with a better meal or beverage during your stay." It is so hard. Not a place I love being.

SO I was thinking about all of this last night because I see some financial "hardships" coming our way and I was just wishing for the day we will be financially solid. And then this thought came to my mind. Maybe we won't ever be financially sound. Maybe we are in this for a while. God may still have some tugging on my heart, or Jamie's, or our kids, or even someone we don't even know about. God says He will provide for our needs....and ours have been met through several people and through government help. Maybe thats how He will continue to do so.

Which brings me to my last thought. Should I be trying to conceal where God has put me? After all Jesus had a pair of sandals and that was about all.....and who says our circumstances are shameful. We do the best with what God has given us and He has provided beyond our needs.

Today

Im thinkin'....

Pancakes was the perfect breakfast for today's gloomy day

Wish Jamie was home

I hope Justice sleeps tonight so we can go to church tomorrow

I wish there were more open minded people in the world, people who think outside of the box...and don't feel the need to put God inside of one

I have way to much laundry to do today! How did that happen???

I wanna tackle problems that I haven't even come to crossroads with....Jean, focus on today

I miss both of our brothers

I need a haircut

I love peach yogurt....love it

This blog is so random

Jubilee is so stinkin' smart

I realllllly wish I had another vehicle so I could just get grocery shopping done

I think I am going to nap when the girls sleep today instead of clean

After thoughts

SO... I was thinking about Mary...Jesus' mother...and I was really really really thinking about everything she went through. Being 8 months pregnant is NOT fun...can you imagine riding on a donkey? I cant because I cant even sit in the car that long without freaking out...or even the couch for that matter. AND THEN when she gets to the place she needs to be there is no stay in the inn...and they offer her a BARN! Even if the barn had been cleaned out of all the nasty animal dung...it would still smell! Then her water breaks and she is thinking "You have got to be kidding me!" I would NOT want to deliver my child in the nasty dirty stench of an unsanitized BARN! (let alone the Savior of the world!) and then to top it all off they stick him in a feeding troth because they dont have anything else. I wonder how grumpy she must have been...I know I would have been throwing a fit! Just crazy how much humiliation went into something so glorious. I dont ever think about those details enough because I have heard them so many times...but Jesus humiliated Himself right from the start of His earthly stay.