Stuff

Wow, I sure am creative with my titles. "Stuff" - how's that for a title, LOL.

Yesterday evening we had supper earlier than usual, and then we all went out hiking. As it was starting to get dark, we spotted a HUGE owl. An owl has been carrying off small kitties. I wonder if that was the owl we saw. He sure was a beauty, though.

After hiking, we headed home to clean up, then went to church. I love church. It's my other home.

I have a lot going on for today, so I have to get offline now and get back to work. Have a blessed day! :-)

Candy TV

Okay, I upheld my end of the bargain.

Now it's YOUR turn. :-P

In the Kitchen with Christian Homemakers

There have been some GREAT videos going up as of late, from many Christian homemakers. Two of my favorite ones are the bread video by Tiffany, and the prepping supper video with DeNiece.

With all of the lovely kitchen videos from ladies on the internet, I got an idea. You see, people are often drawn to reality TV, because then they can peek into other people's lives. How do they run their kitchens? How do they take care of their children? What do they do for fun? We can sometimes get ideas from these people, to better our own lives. The problem with reality TV, is that it's usually not of Christian homemakers. I personally would like to watch a bit of reality TV of fellow Christian homemakers with similar beliefs and values to my own. This is why I feel very blessed when ladies such as Tiffany and DeNiece make videos.

So here's my idea... Set up your digital camera (I bought mine from Wal-Mart for 30ish dollars, by the way) and then just do 5 or 10 minutes of your usual kitchen work - whatever kitchen work you're doing at the time. Forget the camera is there, and just be you, and do what you do. Then, upload the video and share it with us.

A wild idea, I know, but somehow I think it will fill in that what do other Christian homemakers do question that many of us consider. It's kind of like we are visiting one another, even though many of us are on the other side of the country, or even on the other side of the world from one another.

Frankly, I don't know how much longer we'll have freedom on the internet, before Obama and his buddies gets a hold of it, so let's enjoy it while we can.

Alright, let's turn on those cameras and get to work. :-)

Meanwhile, there were a few new home tours yesterday - thank you ladies, what a blessing! If you haven't participated yet, then DO - it's great! :-D I mentioned PhotoBucket yesterday, but forgot about OneTrueMedia. You can also make free slideshows and upload videos for free to OneTrueMedia.com. It's pretty easy, so why not give it a shot?

The Purpose of Videos

I like the idea of more and more Christian homemakers stepping out and making videos. It shows we are out there, and we are real people. It bonds us closer with our fellow sisters in Christ, and it motivates and inspires us, because we see that there are others out there, doing the same things we are. What a modern and fascinating way to fellowship.

Weather, this and that, etc.

I have just been loving the weather. On most days it's still short-sleeve weather outside. We still have the ice cream truck going by. I've been enjoying opening the windows and letting the nice fall breeze blow through the house.

Next year, much of our harvesting will be at home, as we will be planting. No animals yet. That has to wait until we move into the bigger house.

Speaking of houses, I recently looked at two new online house tours, and I'd like to share them with you:

Brandy updated her tour, and has some awesome pictures. You can see her updated house tour here.

I was also recently blessed to see a tour of I Am His Helpmeet's new house. It's a very cute house. She posted her tour here.

And for those who missed it, my house tour is here.

I would like to urge you, dear reader, to put up a tour of your house. You can make a video, or just take pictures. If you don't have a blog or website, you can host your video, slide show, or pictures for free at PhotoBucket.

...And don't forget to leave me a comment with a link to your house tour. :-)

PS - Check out Pastor Andrew's blog. It's a great read. You can view his blog here.

Harvesting

A great way for a family to bond is to work together. This is one of the reasons I give my children chores. Certainly they need the life skills and discipline to cook and clean, but it also bonds them closer to each other, and to their parents.

We are also to train up our children in the ways of the Lord. May our children be a bountiful harvest for the Lord.

All six of us, as a family, have been harvesting a certain crop that is in a good demand. This is a crop that grows in the wild, but sells on the market for 10-40 dollars per pound. A good farmer friend of ours taught us about this, and is teaching us how to sell the harvest.

We've been going out in the prairie and harvesting this wonderful wild crop. We plan to use the money from this to spend for the family, since we all are doing this together. We will use some of the money to save back for our next vacation, some of it for Christmas, and some of it we'll go out and have fun with right away. Each of the children will also be allowed to make a purchase for themselves as well.

My children are learning a good work ethic, and they are learning to do it with smiles. We run, play, take pictures, and sweat and work hard.

I love all the doors that Lord has been opening for us. The years 2007-2008 have held some hard times, but 2009 has been a year of blessing for us, and I know 2010 will as well. The Lord is good. We just need to trust in Him, and He will direct our paths. I can't wait to see what He has in store for us next year.

Picture post (kind of)

Yesterday:

This is the dress I wore yesterday:



Here are some new containers I picked up from Wal-Mart. 15 containers for 5 dollars - made in Israel:



Lasagna and banana bread baking in the oven. We had the banana bread as part of Saturday breakfast, and had the lasagna as part of Friday supper:



Today:

We spent much of the day outside.

Dinner Menu

Here is my dinner menu, which starts on Monday:

Monday - Chicken breasts; Green beans; Mashed potatoes

Tuesday - Spaghetti squash spaghetti (using spaghetti squash instead of noodles - YUM!); Homemade whole wheat bread sticks; salad with homemade dressing

Wednesday - Baked salmon (from frozen salmon, will add seasonings); Baked potatoes; Broccoli

Thursday - Chicken and brown rice casserole; Mashed avocados

Friday - Lentils and rice with Rotel and beef; Mashed sweet potatoes, Peas

Saturday - Homemade whole wheat macaroni and cheese with beef; Broccoli

Sunday - Crock pot slow roasted chicken (will make stock out of the bones that night); Homemade whole wheat biscuits; Peas and carrots

Quiverfull, Sex, Procreation

I want to wrap up the conversation about quiverfull, because I still don't think some of you understand where I'm coming from, and I got a big "duh" moment this morning when I was thinking about it. This may help explain my take on "it takes three to make a baby in the godly fashion..."

Let's take a look at the famous Psalm 127, but let's look at the whole Psalm, to see what it's really talking about:

Psalm 127
1Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
2It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
3Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
5Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Verse one sets the tone for the whole Psalm - "Except the LORD build..." We have people today with big, beautiful houses, but the Lord was not with them in building their homes. Their homes are not blessed. Cities and areas where the LORD is not allowed to reign lose blessings. (Thank God Christ will soon come back and reign.) It is not good to stay up late, and get up early, else you are not taking the sleep and rest that God desires for you. Children are "an heritage of the LORD" if "the LORD build the house." Certainly there are pagan families who have very large families; I've met some. Was the Lord in that? There are also very large Christian families, where the parents are like baby-making factories, yet there is no joy, no rest, and utter turmoil in their family life. Did THEY decide to have child after child after child after child without the Lord's being in it?

Certainly baby-making is not 100% up to God, else what are non-Christians doing having babies, with some of those poor babies being abused? God gave us free will in all aspects in our lives, and that includes procreation. Let's get something straight - there are not these eternal, disembodied spririts floating around hoping that you have a baby so that that spirit can have a life. That's not how it works. NOT having children is NOT a sin! We are not 'preventing a life that could have been' by deciding to not have children.

However when one has children when they hear the still, small voice of the Lord, then when they produce seed after their own kind, they know 'the LORD built the house.' All four of my children are here, because my husband and I both felt that God wanted us to have each child. Every conception was God-led.

With my oldest, I knew it was time to start having children, and I felt strongly the Lord leading me. My husband was scared to have kids - hee hee, typical young man, right? ;-) Well, it was the Lord's will that we have a child, and I knew it and wanted it. Therefore, the Lord caused my body to ovulate THREE times in one month, and I became pregnant. My husband knew it was God's will, and he rejoiced with me.

Our second child came along when we both looked at each other, and said, "Wow, we're supposed to have another child." A month later, we conceived. The next two children were the same way - we knew it was time for us to conceive, and we did.

I am open and ready for as many children as the Lord will give me, and my husband knows that. When/if we get the leading to have another child, we will faithfully obey. We're not interested in having baby after baby, if the Lord is not in it. "Except the LORD build the house..."

Some people have many more children, such as the Duggars. I believe that the Duggars are listening to the Lord, and that with each Duggar child 'the LORD built the house.'

Someone commented on one of my quiverfull posts, and said that she knew the Lord wanted her to have three children. She had her three, and when she and her husband tried to have more, it was miscarriage after miscarriage. I believe this woman and her husband were hearing from the Lord as well. They have three beautiful children.

I'm an only child, and I can guarantee you that all by myself I filled my parents' quiver! :-P

So let's get something straight here. I am not being "selfish" in not having more children, nor am I being "selfish" in already having four children. I truly seek out the Lord's will for that, and so does my husband. We honestly don't know if we are supposed to have more children or not. If we are, we know the Lord will let us know, and we will cheerfully comply.

Sex is NOT purely for procreation. The Bible is clear that it is there to be a beautiful thing between husband and wife. It is the physical union of two becoming one. It is not supposed to be a dirty act. Fornication is a VERY different animal from the Christian marriage bed and marital sex. My husband and I have a very happy, very active, and very blessed marriage bed. The Bible is not shy about the beauty of marital sex - even without procreation having to be part of it:

"My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven. His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem." -Song of Solomon 5:10-16

"How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter! the joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman. Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor: thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies. Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins." -Song of Solomon 7:1-3

"Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love." -Proverbs 5:18-19

Did you know it's a sin to withhold sex from your spouse? You are only to withhold for short times of fasting and prayer, if both are in agreement. Don't believe me? Take a look:

"Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency." -1 Corinthians 7:3-5

The Bible can be viewed as a very sexual book. Sex is clearly not just for procreation.

To conclude on quiverfull - it is a very personal decision. I don't judge you for how many children you have or don't have.

Also, I understand that there are millions of non-Christians having children, and that is great. Many of those children will grow to be Christians, praise God. I did, and I am eternally grateful.

I think sometimes God speaks to the heart of a mother to have children, even if she thinks she's an atheist.

However, I believe Psalm 127 is talking to the people of God in regards to having children and building their homes. I don't think it is addressing those who walk in darkness, not knowing the light of Christ.

I don't know what drives all couples to have children. I only know what drives my husband and I, and I know that we want the Lord to be in it. We are fallible, sinful creatures, but we still desire the Lord to be in all that we do.

Certainly there will be some people who will decide to "read between the lines," or misconstrue some of what I've said in this post. So be it.

My sisters in Christ who have the love of Christ know my heart, for my heart is like theirs. I carry no judgement and malice towards any of you. God bless you.

A What's on my Mind Post...

This is just a "stuff" post, of whatever is on my mind as I type... First off... I wish I weren't sick anymore. I'm better and better each day. I'm now to the point where I just need extra sleep, so I've been sleeping in this week, which has been wreaking havoc on my schedule, LOL. I think I'll be able to get up normally tomorrow, however, as I'm about 99% better today. My sickies are intestinal, not a cold. I only threw up for a few days. Since then, I've just been sometimes dizzy and tired, with the occasional headache.

Okay - yesterday's post. I've been looking for some good books to read to study Baptist history further, and there have been some great recommendations, so thank you for that. There have also been some snide remarks, which I didn't read all the way through, nor publish. It's amazing how people take offence at my own personal views and my own personal research. To the knit pickers, I have this to say: GET A LIFE.

Moving on... Quiverful... A few days ago I answered a quiverful question from a fellow reader. I now want to expound more on quiverful, and me personally. I am quiverful, but not of the current quiverful movement. This I want to clarify. The quiverful movement involves couples abstaining from ALL forms of birth control, and to just keep having children until God closes the womb. If I were in this form of quiverful movement, then I honestly believe I would be having a baby each year. Even though I breastfeed, I consistently start ovulating 5 months after each birth - I always do.

I am quiverful, but not of the quiverful movement. I am biblically quiverful - meaning that my quiver is full. Do I want more children? Sure, but I'm fine not having anymore, either. It's not just up to me. It's also up to my husband and God, so I am very happy either way. Do I practice birth control? We do not utilize any internal or external means, nor do we abstain when I ovulate (that would be torture). Instead, we are just "careful." I've never had an "accidental" conception from being "careful," but if I ever do, that is a-okay.

KTH-TV - I added some fresh content to KTH-TV last night, and will be adding a lot of new content today as well. There are some very exciting shows coming on, so *tune in* LOL. :-)

Well, we need to finish homeschool for the day, and then 9yr old will be practicing for the American Math Challenge. I found out about this from LiveForGod's blog. This challenge is nation-wide, and is open to both public schoolers and homeschoolers. I have some homeschooling friends putting their children in this challenge, and my 9 year old is jumping-excited about it.

Other stuff... We are looking into going to the family gym on Saturday, and I'm considering signing up the kids for indoor swimming lessons and some Martial Arts classes - I think that would be fun. :-) BTW, when I see the words "Martial Arts," I keep thinking it says "Marital Arts." hee hee. Maybe the next time I write a marriage post, I should call it "Marital Arts."

Okay, gotta go. This is what's on my mind today. :-)

Baptists are not Protestants

If one wanted to peg me under a denomination, it would probably be Baptist. I've found the Baptist denomination to be quite true to the Holy Scriptures. There are exceptions, of course. Many Baptist churches use the NIV or HCSB Bible, and I've noticed that the Baptist churches I've personally visited that used those Bible translations were also Emergent and/or Purpose Driven, or close enough to it, that they might as well be.

I have been digging around and researching church history, and I must say I am hopping mad that I still can't find any homeschool history books that give the TRUE history of the church. The "Christian" history books will talk about the Catholic church and the Protestant and Reformed churches which came out of the Roman Catholic church, but there is nary a lick of information about the groups that were around worshiping the Lord and Saviour LONG before there were Catholics and Protestants.

I am NOT a Protestant, I am NOT a Catholic, and I am NOT a Reformer. I am a New Testament Anabaptist-like Christian, following the Christianity that is laid out in the BIBLE. I am following the Christianity that CHRIST started over 2,000 years ago.

I wrote a series of articles on this, about the birth of the two churches - here.

The Protestant churches came out of the Protestant Reformation with Luther. Before that happened, there were Christians, such as Vauduois and Waldenses, etc., who were following the Bible, and not the Roman Catholic Church. While Luther's Thesis has some great info, it also had some info in it that the Christian church has never followed or believed, and still doesn't.

One of the points from Luther's Thesis stated that the pope's pardons are useful. Bible following Christians have NEVER believed that - EVER.

Some would say that Menno Simmons, who "founded" the Anabaptists, was an ex-Catholic priest, so therefore the Baptists did come out of the Catholic Church. That is flawed logic at best. Biblical Christianity was there before Menno Simmons was born. He just organized it more into identifiable groups. Menno came out of the whore, as Revelation says to do, and he came into the Saving Grace of Christ. There have been Satanists who have come out of Satanism, and into Christianity, but we would never say that Christianity was born out of Satanism. That would be absurd.

From the research I have done so far, here's what I can tell you...

Here are some of the Christian denominations that are protestant:

Lutheran

Presbyterian

Church of England, Anglican, Episcopal

Dutch Reform

Methodist, United Methodist, Nazarene, etc.

There are several defining features of non-Protestant churches. One of the easiest things to look for is infant baptism. Non-Protestant churches do NOT practice any form of infant baptism.

The Baptists and their core doctrine can be traced to at least the second century, under different names. The core Baptist theology is not a protestant theology. Baptists did not emerge after the Protestant Reformation, but were there before that occurrence. The core Baptist theology is not a "reformed theology," as Baptists, and predecessors, did not have to reform anything. They were simply following the Christianity that CHRIST started.

For more information, please read this short article, and then watch the below videos - they are very informative, and do a much better job of explaining this than I can: