Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Cultural shifts and the Conservative Christian Family

A disclaimer: Below I have expressed my opinion on current cultural changes and the response of a Conservative Christian Family. I am writing these opinions as a Conservative Christian mother. I realize not all of my readers are Conservative Christians or Christians. I am not meaning to offend anyone or cause any debates or arguments--I am just expressing my opinion on my blog (which is the blog of a Conservative Christian women). Yet please note I am not a crazy Conservative Christian that goes around with signs of hate at military and homosexual funerals (that would be weird since I am a military wife). I prefer love over hate.
Oh and if this blog posting does not interest you or you fear it will offend, please click off of this page and either come back when I post something cute and fuzzy about the kids or look at the many other cute and fuzzy postings of the children that are on the blog. Not all of my future postings will be political but I just had some thoughts I wanted to get down on cyber-paper. :) 
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So New York did it. They legalized same-sex marriage. On Sunday same-sex couples fled to the courthouse to get married. This morning I woke up to a text from my friend saying she was scared of what the legalization of same-sex marriage means for us as Christians in the United States. I also constantly receive e-mails riddled with fear of Muslims taking over and how Christians are becoming a minority in the United States. Some e-mails suggest that Christian families need to have at least four children to keep up with the ever growing Muslim population. Christians (especially Conservative Christians) need to come to terms with the fact that our country is (and has been) shifting away from it's Christian heritage. Our country will continue to pass laws and make decisions against the Word. Muslims will continue to out populate Christians and eventually we might even see a bigger cultural influence from them. I am not trying to preach doom and gloom. I just think this is reality.
Now as a Christian with the opinions I hold I have a choice: I can fear these cultural changes or I can embrace them. Since I believe fear is not of God (2 Tim 1:7). I choose to embrace the changes. Now I can see my more conservative friends who are reading this ask: What do you mean? Embrace the changes.
I see this as an opportunity to strengthen not only my faith but the faith of my children. As our society continues to shift away from it's Christian heritage, Christian families need to become strong and grounded in the Word. Biblical illiteracy is at an all time high in our country. Parents are under the impression that just as long as they drop their kids off to Sunday school on Sunday, have their children sit through children's church, and maybe come back to service on Wednesday their children are good to go. This is NOT true. As Christian parents we need to be about the business of teaching our children the Faith. How do we do this? We teach them to pray, teach them the scriptures, teach them to serve and love others, and teach them to stand up for their faith. Phew, this is a tall order. Where do we start? First and foremost we start by being an example to our children. We need to openly display our prayer life and personal devotion time. We need to include our children as we serve those around us. Granted there is much more we need to do. I realize I am going on a tangent, I could and probably should write a whole blog series of keeping the faith in the home. Yet, how will we as families know how to respond to these cultural changes if we are not firm in our faith? How will our children know how to respond among non-Christian friends if they are not firm in the faith? If Christian families are to remain strong during these cultural shifts then we need to be strong in our faith. Period. End. Point.
Secondly, I see these continual cultural shifts as an opportunity to serve and love others. I fully believe that Jesus would be right there in New York as everyone is getting married. He would not be shouting curses but shouting blessings. The way he won people over to Him is through love. He didn't scream at Zacchaeus "get down from that tree you ungrateful sinner, you are going to hell." No, instead he came to Zacchaeus in the tree and said, "Get down from the tree, I am coming to your house today. I want to eat with you. Commune with you and be your friend." (loose translation of course).  Our job is not to judge and curse others. Our job is to pray for our fellow man. Our job is not to just be friends with people like us. We need to be friends with people very different from us. Our job is to go out and love and serve everyone. Not just those who share our same political and religious views. We are suppose to be the light of Christ. That means we need to shine it everywhere--not just in the places we feel most safe (Matt 5:15).
I write all of this to say, as a Christian we should not be afraid of cultural changes in our country. I believe we need to stand firm in our faith and continue to love everyone. Most of all we need to trust in the Lord. God is with us throughout all of this. If He is with us what then shall we fear? NOTHING. We should not fear being a minority as a religion, but should be thankful that we have so many people we can win over to Christ. We should not fear our children having non-christian friends over to the house. We should be thankful that they have opportunities to test their baby faith while we are there to supervise and guide. 
The Lord is with us always. The Lord is still with our country. Yes I think times are going to get harder for the Christian church in our country. Yet I think it is an opportunity for us to refine ourselves and strengthen our swords. I am not fearful of what is to come. I am hopeful that soon and very soon I will be with the Lord in Heaven. Until then I have two jobs: to ground my children securely in the faith and to go out to love and serve others.
May God's grace and peace be with all of you--
A sister in Christ-
Heather

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Daddy's Home!!!

Daddy had to go away for work last week. He was gone only four nights but for the kids it does not matter if it is four nights or forty--they miss their Dad the same. We went to pick up Daddy from the airport on Friday. Before we went to get him Asher wanted to prepare a cake and get balloons for a mini welcome home party. Here are some pictures of the welcome home fun.

On our way out the door to pickup Daddy from the Airport on Friday.



Asher is very excited to see his Dad.

Asher is giving Daddy his "Welcome home" balloons.

Though, we made the cake before Daddy came home Asher wanted to wait to frost the cake with Daddy.

Daddy Let them each have a taste of the frosting.

Here is the finished product. We used our leftover sprinkles, hence why it has both Christmas and Valentines sprinkles on the cake.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

33 Weeks---I Will Not Fear!

As of yesterday I am 33 weeks pregnant. Six more weeks and Bethany will be here. I cannot believe the time is almost up. This pregnancy has been going very well. Better than I expected. Yet I am still nervous. I will be nervous until I have Bethany in my arms and can count her fingers and her toes and touch her little legs and arms and kiss her little head. Yet I am trusting in the Lord. I believe that He knit her together in my womb. He knows her better than I ever will and He is watching over her. With the Lord I have nothing to fear. No matter what happens I know that the Lord is watching over us and is here with us. In Him I can rest and have peace.  
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Friday, July 22, 2011

Bethany's New Shoes

Today I bought Bethany a pair of shoes. Not only are they SUPER CUTE but they were a GREAT DEAL. As some of you know I just looove good deals, so I have to brag! The shoes I got were Robeez and I only paid a whopping 9.59 for them. Diapers.com is having a sale on their Robeez shoes that includes free shipping. Plus if you use promo code: xtra20 you get an extra 20 percent off. Hence my 9.59 super cute baby shoes. 
They had butterfly shoes (which I looove butterflies and I am trying to decorate her room in butterflies) but something about these shoes tugged at my heart just a little more---so I sadly passed up the butterfly shoes and got these. Really with how cheap they are I could have bought them both--but I am trying to be good with our money. Anyway enough ranting about the great deal. Here is a picture of them:
http://www.diapers.com/p/Robeez-Soft-Soles-Spring-Valley-86068

I am so excitied to put Bethany in these shoes. She will be here in less than six weeks. I am ready to meet my little girl. 

Vacation in Photos--Part 2--Water Play

The kids did a lot of water play in their Aunties back yard during our vacation. Here are some pictures of all that fun:
Caleb is using Jen as a slide into the pool.

They were buddies this summer. They even took a nap together. :)

Auntie Bekah acted as the life guard.

Asher getting brave and trying to put his face in the water. Which is a big milestone for him.

Actually the fact that he has his whole body in the water like that is a big milestone for him (due to his sensory issues).

Here he goes--trying to put his face in the water! :)

Caleb needed a break and decided to go driving around the yard instead.

Here's Caleb doing what brother is doing. He likes to imitate brother as much as he can.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Vacation in Photos Part One---A Fourth of July in Illinois!

Two years ago we spent Fourth of July with Auntie Bekah in Illinois and I was very excited to get to do that again. This year our Fourth of July was complete with a parade, dinner at Cheeseburger in Paradise (one of my favorite restaurants) and fireworks. Hope you enjoy seeing our Fourth of July in pictures!!! :)

Asher being silly wearing a Fourth of July hat at the parade.

Caleb showing off his shirt he made in Mother's Day Out!

Waiting for parade.

Cheese!

Cupcake lady. This was my favorite float in the parade.

Auntie and the kiddos watching the end of the parade.

Dinner at Cheeseburger in Paradise.

He just loves the camera.

Jen (Rebekah's roommate) does not.

Auntie Bekah rocking the Asher baby at dinner.

Waiting for dinner.



Auntie Bekah and Caleb (showing off his foot) outside of Cheeseburger in Paradise.


The three of them--and Caleb's foot.

One big happy family (and Caleb's foot).

Auntie and Caleb watching fireworks on top of "Mia the Kia."

So pretty. Rebekah got a tip to go to a parking lot of a local mall for fireworks. We parked on top of the parking garage (along with many others) and enjoyed incredible fireworks. It was a plus that we didn't have to do much walking or brave too many crowds.

Asher watching fireworks. He did not want to sit on top of the van with Auntie Bekah. 

I hope your Fourth of July was as blessed with family, friends, and fun as our was. 
Love to you all,
Heather

I am sooooooooooo sorry!

I can't believe it has almost been a month since I have last posted. In no way did I intend to wait so long. I had fully intended to post as soon as our trip was over. I did have hopes of posting while on the trip but I was so busy and didn't always have Internet accesses that those hopes were quickly diminished. When I got home I was EXHAUSTED and I think I was fighting a bug. Anyway I am just now starting to get my normal (or normal for being pregnant) energy back.  I spent most days last week just crawling through the day and going straight to bed after the children. Anyway enough excuses. Again I am sorry for the delayed posting. I will try not to let it go that long again.
Now I will work on a post with some vacation pictures of the kiddos.
Love,
Heather