Wow!!!

Hello Everybody!!!

It is the day after Christmas and WOW! I love Christmas with all of it's trappings and all of it's anticipation but I'm also glad when the day after comes and all of the secrets are revealed, the leftovers are snug in their containers, just waiting for lunch, yum!

This year, as in the last few years, has been bittersweet. Along with the anticipation also comes the knowledge that my life has changed so dramatically since leaving all that I knew in Florida to move to North Carolina. And while North Carolina is beautiful and the weather is much more appealing, this time of year always commands the memories of Christmas' past.

Christmas' in shorts, gathered at Mom's house on the lake. Christmas' throwing Frisbees in the park. Christmas' spent with hubby and kids fishing the day away. Christmas' spent celebrating together at our home and then loading everyone up to go to Mom's and celebrating totally relaxed around everyone you feel most comfortable with. Christmas' knowing that Mom has gone all out, as she always does, to make each item, each gift, each bite special in every possible way.

The bittersweet also is revealed that even at Mom's house things have changed. We are not there to fill every corner of her house with a little squealing person who can't wait to tear into their package. We are not there to watch each child open a gift from grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. We are not there to watch relationships flourish. We are not there to meet new friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands and wives. And we are not there for them to meet us.

It is also bittersweet because those at Mom's who have continued to abide and attend have also changed in our absence. Relationships have been hurt and hindered because of life's circumstances. Physical maladies have caused limited participation. This year most especially so many emotions have suffered damage. I wonder if I were there would I be able to help the emotions or would I likely add to the hurts?

I have recalled in years past, people talking about not enjoying this time of year and thinking, "How very odd." But also, "How very sad." How sad it must be for people to have strained relationships with other members of their family. So strained sometimes they refuse to speak to their kin. I've never known such relationships. That's not to say I've always gotten along with every member of my family and the extensions. That is certainly not the case. However, our family has always been very blessed to have the ability to overcome those differences and move beyond the hurt to experience the love.

Love is a very strange emotion. Love creates such marvelous, wonderful feelings. We often think of those feelings as defining love and if they are not present 100% of the time then love must be gone. But there is also another aspect of love that the media and the world-at-large doesn't want to face. That aspect that love isn't all warm fussy's.

Sometimes "love" is a forced emotion for the sake of preserving meaningful relationships. We may not always love the activities of another but love goes beyond activities, love goes beyond appearances, love accepts the relationship for what it is-a relationship. Many times we aren't the author of our relationships. I remember my mother telling me I could pick my friends but I couldn't pick my neighbors. This stands true in relationships as well. We can't always pick our relatives. A brother marries his choice of spouses, not our's. A sister chooses a husband because she loves him, not necessarily because the rest of the family does. A cousin, son, daughter, etc. they all get to make choices with little or no regard for what the rest of the family may think or feel.

And so begins the relationship process. Family relationships especially are born and it is up to the members to love the other members, not based on their activities, but instead based on who they are--family! I don't know any two people who ever agree 100% of the time so "love" must be something more than agreement.

When I've questioned people about why they don't get along with their family they always have a long list of hurts caused by one person or another, and for one reason or another. All seem very valid reasons to the offended. Yet all have the same core error. The love professed is based on performance instead of position.

I did not choose my sister's husband but I love him because he is her husband and a person to be respected and honored because I have been given the privilege of having a relationship with him. He may not do everything I think he ought to do. He may make unwise financial decisions, he may spend more time than I think he should doing things he likes, he may not care for their children properly, etc. But those are decisions that are his to make and not mine to make for him. I am only charged with loving him simply because he has entered our family circle and that is reason enough to extend love.

(Please understand the above examples are hypothetical scenarios-this is not the case in my personal family experience. Just to make sure I don't start any kind of relationship deterioration of my own!!!:-])

Since moving so far away from my family I have experienced the sadness of the season. I can't quite reach the same zenith of excitement because I know I will not be loading up the kids and making that trip to enjoy the extended family. So I too have come to know the sadness of Christmas. Even a snowy Christmas morning couldn't replace the special moments of celebration at Mom's house. I am thankful, however, for relationships that the miles have not broken, and that disagreements have not shattered.

Christmas was designed to be the celebration of love. God sent His son to the earth as a baby because He loves us and wants a relationship with us so much. He looked beyond our performance and instead made a way for us to have a position in His family so His love could be extended to us for all eternity. The marvelous thing is that He doesn't take back that love when our performance is less than desirable because we hold a position in His family and that supersedes our performance.

I would encourage ALL who have less than desirable relationships with family members to use this time of year to reach out and overcome the hurts. Don't let performance dictate position within your family!

Determine to spend 2008 developing, nurturing, and caring for with special, loving hands those who are positioned within your family for your love.

Bella-The Movie

Mike and I went to the movies last night. We had to go a little out of our way to find a theatre that was playing this movie but I wanted to make sure I found some way to support it. And I also wanted to check it out to see if it was something I could really support. Mike calls it a Chic Flick. If you go, take a NEW box of tissues-everyone should have their own!



The YouTube video I've included is the actor explaining why he has sought to go beyond Hollywood to produce films that have meaning. It is refreshing! I can't imagine how this guy isn't married!

It was pretty amazing that it took the theatre about 25 minutes to actually get the movie going past the time it was scheduled to start. I wonder if they were wanting us to get frustrated and leave so they wouldn't have to play it-or if Satan was at work trying to sabotage God's message. I don't know but it was worth the wait.

I recommend this movie to everyone (even guys!). They want to call it a Chic Flick because they find themselves in tears too. The message is great! I knew this would be a pro-life film and it proved excessively so. The story line is a little difficult to follow until you get out of the film and do the replay. Every scene is important. Remember the opening scene, it is important.

I wondered if this would be something our youth group would like to see. After viewing the movie, I advise youth workers to view the movie first. Each youth group has it's certain level of spirituality and the youth workers would know if it is appropriate for their group. If youth go I would recommend separated viewings for boys and girls. If they can't go at different times then I would recommend they be seated in different areas. Just simply so they have the freedom to express their emotions without worrying what the other's think.

If you know someone who is pregnant with less than ideal circumstances, drag them to this movie! It's worth it!

The only people group I would caution about this movie are those who have had an abortion. Depending on how they feel about the abortion would depend if this movie would be good for them. It is not at all condemning, just deals with the issue in a head-on manner.

You can find more information at www.bellathemovie.com.

Well, that's my recommendation. Comment and let me know if you have seen the movie, or will go see the movie, and what you think!

Camille-Big Momma America

Pick A Winner!!!

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Leave a Comment with which number picture you like the best! I'll let you know how it goes. The contest will be held February 15th.

China has now barred 4 US ships from entering it's harbor. One was a scheduled visit so our soldiers could have furlough for Thanksgiving. Many of their family members had traveled to China to be with them. They instead had to make port in Japan. Two of the other ships were trying to find safety from a storm and for refueling purposes. This incident violates international rules of the sea for the safety of those on the vessels. The other incident deals with permission for an upcoming visit to Hong Kong's port on New Year's.

Let's think this through. China makes it their policy to kill babies on purpose. They are responsible for purposefully trying their best to poison our children. They refuse large amounts of imports from the US and demand we accept large amounts of exports from them (some tainted with lead, mind you) and now they are refusing our soldiers' passage.

I am thinking of a story in the Bible when the children of Israel were trying to get from one place to the next. They asked nicely. The heads of the territory refused to let them. Israel fought them and prevailed and took their land. (Numbers 21:21 +).

It just seems to me that we have given way too much leaveway to this nation who is so totally against our values. I was recently talking with a person of whom I know that does missionary work all over the world. This person was telling me they had recently visited Cuba (our arch enemy, right?) who encouraged their visits and welcomed their teaching the Bible and telling their citizens about Jesus.

This person contrasted the visit with Cuba with a visit they had had in China where they were only there as teachers and couldn't openly share about Jesus. Yet we give China favored nation status, let them contribute all they can sneak into the coffers of Hill's campaign and accept their tainted products to let our children chew on.

It just seems there is something remarkedly wrong with this picture! Someone with some history here-tell me, what gives? Why are we so beholden to China? I understood some of the Clinton administration and the background and why they were so favorable to China. However, at present, we are not under that rule. I'm very curious of what they have holding over our heads.

If you have any insight PLEASE share!

It's Thursday

Well hello world!
My scripture today is Proverbs 29:2.

I am thinking about the debates last night and this is the 29th day of the month.

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."

We have a choice next year to rejoice or mourn. Let's make sure we seek God and find the candidate that will cause rejoicing! We went through 8 years of mourning some 7 years ago, I sure want to avoid that again! The world may have forgotten what the Clinton White House was like. The media may have done all they can to cause amnesia, hide the facts about what it was like, or just simply ignore what really went on. However, the American people remember. We are NOT so forgetful, blinded or ignorant.

I'm thinking I like Mike Huckabee at this point. I haven't made an absolute final determination but Guilani is definitely out. I've not liked him since he came across so shiny on 9/11. I've often wondered where they found him to tell him his city of was in chaos that fateful morning. I haven't forgotten about his background either. He was in the middle of an extra martial affair scandal. While the media, who has great experience in those things to the point they think it's just everyday life and doesn't make it news because they don't consider it news, refuses to make that an issue, I consider it a very big issue. They are far removed from the actual values I hold dear and feel are important. It is important that he was involved then and who knows what temptations he would fall prey to if ever in the White House. He might spend more time in that back office than Clinton did. Would we be rejoicing if our president was in the midst of a divorce scandal? Not to mention, the thing I most dislike about him is the abortion issue.

Fred Thompson may be a possibility. I really liked Sam Brownback, too bad he's out.

What is really erking me lately are the blurps here and there about Clinton II. I've watched her down the Republican party as if she has forgotten that one, we are people-we are not all George W. Bush; and two, in a very short few months she is going to change her stripes again and want to come across as caring and interested in the Republican party voters and our values. She sure isn't interested in them now.

She has made several references to "Republican mud slinging". I suppose in a few months it will be "Name Republican Candidate Here" mud slinging. She will suddenly want the Republican mud slinging votes and won't care how muddy she gets as long as we go to the polls in her favor.

“I drive the Republicans crazy because they've spent hundreds of millions of dollars attacking and defaming me..." Chicago Tribute, Nov. 25th. I wonder if she has given any thought to the hundreds of millions of dollars she has spent attacking and defaming the Republicans-every last single one of us. Then in a few months she'll become all friendly and "know your pain". Bull hocky! I remember what we called girls who acted like that when I was growing up-maybe we should paint a picture. Which face should we use? I believe that Republicans and Americans in general are far more intelligent than to fall for her rhetoric! We didn't fall for it on the schoolyard, all those years ago and I'm not about to fall for it today.

I will keep you posted about my likes and dislikes. How about letting me know your's?

Hump Day

Good morning America!

I hope everything I do honors God so I want to make it traditional that I leave a scripture on this world wide web each day.

Years ago, my grandmother told me how she read 1 Proverb and 5 Psalms every day. This way she read the Psalms and the Proverbs through each month, 12 times a year. Can you imagine?

After she told me that I began to mark my Bible with days of the month in the Psalms. The Proverbs just coincides with each day of the month. I don't always only do 5 Pslams a day because Psalm 119 is so long I divided up the rest of them. The 28th day marked in my Bible consists of Psalm 138-140.

Psalm 139 is probably one of my favorite passages in all of the Bible. I especially love verses 14-24, with 14 being my favorite. "I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works: and that my soul knoweth right well."

This tells me that I am made by God's own hand. My parents had so little to do with it. I believe with all of my heart not a soul, not a conception, not a birth comes about without God's purposefulness knitting every cell with the next to bring it about. Man may be able to poke a sperm into an egg and a percentage of the time it works to bring about new life. That percentage is ordained by God's own hand every single time.

This also tells me that He doesn't make garbage, mistakes, oops or anything else. A pregnancy is never a surprise to Him, not even in the worst circumstances. What He makes is marvellous in every aspect and just the way He intended.

We think of children with disabilities. I believe God uses chromozones, genes, DNA, etc. for His purposes. We may have named these parts of the human body but God actually spoke them into existence. He uses them for His purposes. It is such a wonderful thing to know I have eye color, hair color, a pointy nose just the way God molded me.

Verse 16 goes on to say, "Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." God knew His plan and purpose for me before I was, "a twinkle in my daddy's eye" (quote-my dad used to say).

He knows his purpose for every one of his creations. Of all the plants, planets, stars, animals, etc. that God fashioned and spoke into being we are His most prized possession. He gave special care to the humans, planned their existence from the foundation of the world, because His plan includes having a relationship with them.

Moriah recently got a doll for her birthday. It is a very nice doll, it was very expensive. Someone very special gave it to her. She purposes to get done with school and take Felicity for a walk. Or get Felicity and dress her in different clothes and pretend with her. She seeks her out to have a relationship with her. She desires to spend time with the doll. She loves that doll. We say things like that but what exactly does that mean? Can we love something that doesn't breathe, walk, talk, have a brain, etc? We all know the answer is, "Yes!"

God loves us. We are not the same kind of being as He is. We are not fully spirit. We do not have the same capacities as God. But that does not stop Him from desiring to have a relationship with us. I guess, the thing that is different is that He most wants us to want to have a relationship with Him as well. Moriah's doll doesn't have the opportunity to make a choice. God wants us to choose Him but doesn't demand that. He didn't make dolls, or robots. He made humans with the capacity to choose. We can seek Him to develop a relationship with Him or we can choose to refuse. He doesn't want inanimate objects. That is not what He created. His works are marvellous and part of the marvel is our ability to choose.

Have you chosen today? Have you sought after God. Have you decided it is important for you to have a relationship with God?

God is holy. Being holy means He cannot embrace, hold, love outside of holiness. He desires to have a relationship with us but our sin, the sin passed to every generation from Adam, prevents that 100% holy relationship. That's why God's plan included Jesus Christ. He is the bridge, pathway, covering (so to speak). Because Jesus became sin for us and that sin was sacrificed on the cross, that sin (and all of the sins of the world) is now covered, paid for. So the path to a holy, complete relationship with God almighty has been established. All we have to do is ask for the relationship.

Luke 11:13 says, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" It's the asking. God didn't create dolls, to be picked up at will and played with and then put back when He has other things to do. He created us with a will-we can choose to develop a relationship with Him or refuse.

He is WOW! Everyday, something new is WOW about God! Have you had you WOW! today?

Christmas Shopping At Sears

I know this has been around before and most probably know. However, it is always a good idea to support organizations who also support you. I believe Sears' actions show their support for the betterment of this country. They are doing it by supporting each individual soldier/employee. That is special and deserves to be rewarded!

So I encourage all to shop at Sears this Christmas season.

Sears - Christmas shopping has already started I know I needed this reminder since Sears isn't always my first choice. Amazing when you think of how long the war has lasted and they haven't withdrawn from their commitment. Could we each buy at least one thing at Sears this year?

How does Sears treat its employees who are called up for military duty? By law, they are required to hold their jobs open and available, but nothing more. Usually, people take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being called up.

Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called up reservist employees for up to two years. I submit that Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen and should be recognized for its contribution. I suggest we all shop at Sears, and be sure to find a manager to tell them why we are there so the company gets the positive reinforcement it well deserves.

First Blog

This is my first attempt at making a blog. I'm hoping to speak about my children's future in mighty and powerful ways and hopefully affect change. There is one thing the democrats have right about this upcoming election. It is about change. It is about changing the downward spiral this country is engulfed in. It is about stopping the push to push religious respect out of the values of the country. Religion has a place and always has had a place in the governing of this country and we should forever preserve those religious values. Otherwise, our future is bleak at best.