Take Root and Write

God, Is that You or am I Crazy?

Have you ever asked, "God, is that You or am I crazy?" I am sure we've all asked that question at some point, but the bigger question is: how do you react in the midst of that inquiry?

Deciding how to respond would be a whole lot easier if God spoke audibly or provided some sort of theophany, you know, a visible manifestation of Himself. Oh wait, He did! He appeared to Moses and the Irsraelites in the form of a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire when He lead them out of Egypt in Exodus 13:17-22. They didn't have to ask God if they were crazy, He was right there. Plus they had seen their powerful God work a multitude of miracles in the forms of plagues that climaxed with the death of every Egyptian firstborn.

Moses and the Israelites did not have to ask if they were crazy, but...how did they react? At first they heartily praised their wonderful Lord but, their choruses of praise quickly turned to mighty murmuring. "What shall we drink," and "If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in Egypt." They were crazy! It had nothing to do with God, but rather, everything to do with their reaction. And they even had a physical manifestation of God leading them day and night.

Let's look at another crazy scenario. Gideon's story is told in Judges 6:11-8:35. Talk about a story with "crazy" written all over it. Time and space prevent me from going into specific details about the yellow streak that ran down Gideon's back, but the general consensus of Bible teachers is that he wasn't the bravest boy in the land. However, God chose Gideon to become a judge and ultimately defeat the Midianites in battle with a tiny army. In the beginning Gideon thought God was crazy, but there was no denying the Lord's call on his life.

The key thing that changed Gideon's was not the fact that he probably thought God's call was crazy, but the fact that he responded to God's call with obedience and faith. Again, space prevents me from telling this crazy story in detail, but during Gideon's time as leader of the Israelites, he probably thought many of the things God asked him to do were wacky! Although the Bible does not record Gideon questioning God with a bunch of "whys", they were probably flying around in his thoughts.

Women With a Mission

Most women are results-oriented.  They have a purpose and they push themselves to fulfill that purpose, whether it be child-rearing, homemaking, career-building, or ministry.  The fact is that women are born with a natural drive for missions.

Of course, not every woman will board a big plane and jet off to some remote island to live among the aborigines to preach the Gospel.  But every woman whose heart has been transformed by the saving grace of Jesus Christ will, in fact, impact the lives of many through her own life.  Let me give you some “for instances”.

Susan is a mother in her late 30’s.  She’s a full-time single mom, recently graduated from nursing school, working for the state to fulfill her tenure before venturing into the nursing career she’s always dreamed of.  She’s compassionate beyond description when loving the elderly, helping them through end-of-life issues, and being the arms and heart of Jesus to them in their final days.  Then, she takes the reins of funeral dinners and ministering to the bereaved family.  Susan is a missionary by every definition of the word.

Rachel is a pastor’s wife in her late 40’s.  She has Multiple Sclerosis yet worked for several years as an international representative for a large well-known corporation until her body finally gave out.  She manages the church calendar, heads up the childrens ministry, is Sunday School Superintendent, leads worship, organizes dinners and events, and accompanies her husband on visitations and hospital calls.  She leads a women’s Bible Study, answers the phone to answer every question people can think of, and does it all with a smile and a hug.  Rachel is a missionary by every definition of the word.

The Age of Accountability

My children and I talk often about living your life for God. Everyone has pretty much heard "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it" Proverbs 22:6 (KJV).

Though most of us can say we know some adults who were raised in the church and once they became adults, turned away never to go back. I am trying to convince my kids that is the exception not the rule. We frequently talk about being ready when Jesus returns and this, of course, has taken our conversations to, "How old are you when you are no longer considered an innocent child?"  This may have been a sneaky way of asking how long they can get away with doing things they know are not right. I have heard many of Christians say twelve-years old and I always wanted to know where they got that number, so I thought I would look into it.

I found that this belief probably came from the fact that Jewish boys have their bar-mitzvah at thirteen and since Jesus was a Jew he must have done this too. However, this tradition only dates back to the middle ages so He may not have participated in any such ceremony. Luke 2:42 indicates he went to a feast when he was twelve-years old, but it is unknown if there was a ceremony to declare him as an adult.

Photography; Understanding and Mastering Light: Part 2

Window lighting is one of my personal favorites, and the lighting of choice for many photographers
is north window light. Why? Because north light is a soft, consistent light, as a north window does
not take a direct hit from the sun. The lighting from other directions changes throughout the day.
(If you're in a country in  the southern hemisphere, the premium light for you is south light).

Even in my amateur photography days, I used window light quite
a bit. This image (taken almost 30 years ago) is of my then 14-month-old daughter, Janice, photographed using window light, and a sheet draped at the other end of the couch served as a reflector. 

The use of window lighting gives opportunities to create natural looking portraits of people, animals, and still life subjects. You'll need a window, your camera, a willing subject, and a reflector.

For your reflector you can use a sheet of white foam core--the kind you get at an art and craft store, or you can take a mat board,16x20 or larger, and adhere aluminum foil to it. The foil should be crumpled, then smoothed out before taping to the cardboard. Do you have one of those foil accordion sun shields that you use to put inside your windshield to keep your car cool on hot weather days? They work, as well.

War Torn Lives Pt. 2

In part one of "War Torn Lives", I talked about how war affects an American military family. This time around I'm going to show you how war affects those lives of the people in the war zone. I'll state it again, everything about the way we live and how we handle things, take it and throw it out the window. Because you're about to get a glimpse the lives of people from a different culture and mindset.

Half-way through my husband's tour in Iraq, the media and our government began to grow testy with the Iraqi people and their newly formed government. For several years Americans were demanding that our troops be removed from Iraq and our focus turned elsewhere. We were losing too many lives to insurgents and it looked as though we had lost the war, so why stay. Sorry, people, but we didn't lose and that's not how the Iraqi people felt.

Had we pulled out when the American media and the public demanded, Iraqi would have faced the worst civil war it has ever experienced. Many of us have never known a life of fear and persecution. For many Iraqi's they had known nothing but death, fear, persecution, and poverty. After England pulled out and left the country to itself, there have been power struggles of many kinds until Saddam Hussein took over, then real trepidation set in. Being from a minority Islamic party, Saddam made it known how much he hated anyone not Sunni.

Now imagine if you will, your country has been overrun by another, they've freed you from tyranny, but death and destruction still rains down on you. It would make any sane person angry. Oddly enough, when watching the news, I found that the reporters sought out the ones not happy with the American troops before they talked to the people who were rejoicing at our presence.

Jumping the Ruts

Laughing, the fifty-something woman looked at her audience with tears swelling in her pale blue eyes. Her well manicured fingernails flashed throughout her discussion with the ease of a bird in flight. Ms. Jones, as we will call her, stood in front of more than one hundred men and women discussed the current status of their collective lives. Why the tears, one might ask. Because life as this group knew it had come crashing down around them, not all their fault but the resulted bankruptcy, financial ruin, dreams upended had come to an end, and yet she laughed. Some knew why while others were confounded. 

It is amazing to hear stories today that are reflective of the Book of Job. But do we really look at life that way as Christians? Do we look at loss of jobs and financial success as a test from God? Children that can no longer go to private schools, cutting back on trips, or even proposed purchases--are these tests that God is allowing for us to prove ourselves?  Most people I have interviewed give a resounding no. They believe it is the problem of the government and inept financial gurus in high places.  But I ask you to consider ...

We would all agree that Job was a man who loved God, yet through no fault of his own, he lost absolutely everything. He mourned and wept over the loss of his children, understood the pain and grief of his wife, but would not move from the position that God was in control. So let us consider our own country's condition, no matter what country you live in. What difference can we make as humans in a world gone crazy?

A Skewed Image of God and Self?

 

Our deepest need is to belong, to be in relationship, to have a spiritual and emotional "home." What happens when someone grows up in an unhealthy home, where she was unloved, neglected or abused? She almost always develops a skewed image of God and herself.

As the friend of a hurting Christian woman, you need to help her change her view according scriptural truth.The Bible says, “Do not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2, NIV).

The best place of renewal: Scripture. It is the sword of the Spirit.

Here are Scriptural truths, based on bible verses. Use them to help your friend renew her mind.

I Am Accepted in Christ

I am God’s child. (John 1:12)

I am Christ’s friend. (John 15:15)

I have been justified. (Romans 5:1)

I am united with the Lord and am one with Him in spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:17)

Weird Beauty Tips and Secrets Exposed

Over the years I have somehow managed to compile a rather long list of odd beauty tips and secrets. I thought I'd share with you.

Some of these I have tried, some I use regularly and some I have never even attempted. I've left out some of the more questionable tips, mainly because I don't want someone slathering something like bikini wax all over their face in the hopes that it will cure blotchiness. You can find all kinds of "cures" for all sorts of beauty ailments, but I don't often branch out into the world of experimental beauty treatments, for good reason.

Here are the tips that made the cut.

Fix a broken nail quick. The next time you break or crack a nail, try using superglue to fix it and then cover with an opaque nail polish to camouflage the crack. (Only attempt if you do not have a history of gluing your fingers together.)

Keep eyeliner from cracking. Pop your eyeliner in the freezer for 20 minutes before using it. It will roll on your lids more smoothly. (I hate crumbly eyeliner.)

Tame electric hair. This is one of my personal tips. I have lived in North Dakota for quite some time and it is the absolute driest climate you'll ever find. In the winter when the air is extremely dry, my hair sometimes picks up a static charge and starts sticking straight up. After I blow dry it, before I hair spray it I just grab a dryer sheet and run it through my hair. It definitely helps with the flyaways.

The Power of Apology

 "Few things are more powerful than common sense, wisdom, and the strength to admit when you've made a mistake and to set things right." - Dr. Spencer Johnson, MD

Whether we have mistreated others or have been wronged by others, it is human nature to cry out for restitution. All human relationships will, at some point, require an apology regardless of the nature of the relationship in which we find ourselves.  That could be a marriage, a working relationship, siblings, a dating relationship, or friendships. A genuine apology makes resolution possible. Without an apology, people will harbor anger and resentment, demanding some sort of justice.

When you apologize, you are accepting responsibility for your actions and seeking to make amends with those whom you have offended. A genuine apology will open the door to forgiveness and reconciliation. The power of an apology will break down the walls that hold people back from having fulfilling relationships with one another.

When you refuse to apologize, you build a barrier in the relationship. That barrier will remain up and the fabric of relationship will deteriorate. Great relationships are a result of a willingness to apologize, to forgive, and to reconcile. Without those elements, relationships will remain cold, superficial, and distant.

In healthy families, children are taught to apologize for their wrong behavior towards their sibling(s) or parents. However, many children grow up in dysfunctional environments and become emotionally wounded or bitter and never learn the art of apologizing. They carry this inability to apologize into adulthood, full of stubbornness, and unwillingness to give in.

A Whole Lotta Shaking Going On......

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying'  (or whatever mules do when they fall into wells.) After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back: he should shake it off and step up! This he did, blow after blow.

"Shake it off and step up... shake it off and step up... shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows or distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!

You're right! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him. All because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

 
Beautiful One, how well do you handle the issues of life?

It is said that these are troubled times. It is said that it is going to get worse before it gets better, it is said that it is going to take a long time for things to start to turn around.

Everywhere you go, you hear the voices of fear, worry, and anxiety. People are losing their homes and their jobs. Families are being torn apart because of all the stress and pressure.  If you read the newspaper, watch the news, or even listen to the radio, you are inundated with all the reports of how bad things are.

Challenge of a Good Fit...Part 2

My last article discussed the challenge of a good fit for the Extra Curvy. I did fail to mention that those tips can be applied to any shape and/or size...my apologies sisters. Now it is on to the next body types.

The next shape is Diamond or a little extra in the middle. On this shape of women I have seen an unfortunate trend; accentuation of their skinny legs with skin tight pants and skirts. This makes the top half look even larger by comparison. Stay away from anything that is not structured, i.e. jersey shirts (good enough for sleepy time but not work time), boxy sweaters, and even the big puffy jackets. Yes, I did just say that. Regardless of how warm they are; big puffy jackets are no one's friend - well maybe your son or daughter's friend...but definitely not a friend of yours!

You see, with a puffy jacket you look about 40 lbs heavier. If you are one of those people who think "At least I'm warm Jessica", then I am sad to say there are other ways of staying warm and still being fashionable. Wool blend coats are very warm! Believe me, I speak from experience. I'm not trying to tell you it's better to be fashionable than warm. What I'm trying to say is there are other options to the puffy jacket. A warm wool blend coat with a scarf is shockingly sufficient. It never hurts to try out the coat and see what I am talking about ladies.

Back to what I was saying: structure is your friend. A great look for someone with a little extra in the middle is: A dark sweater; sweaters are fine as long as they fitted to a degree and not boxy. Pair a sweater with a dark wide-leg jean (or a nice A-line skirt) and a nice structured coat or jacket.

Next let's take a look at the hourglass figure or Curvy overall, the triangle or bigger on the bottom and the upside-down triangle or bigger on top. Women who have hips to die for, tend to wear the super-low rise items and end up with an unfortunate result...the muffin top.

Garden Planning: Let's Grow Flowers!

 

My favorite part of planning my flower gardens is looking through seed catalogs at the new varieties. The cover of this season's second Burpee Gardening Catalog features a colorful mix of Echinacea, commonly called Purple Cone Flower. The description of the new varieties is as exciting as the idea of a garden full of these beauties: "you get bursts of pink, purple, wine, yellow, cream, and orange. A range of delightful bloom forms, too, some with full upright petals and others displaying spooned or recurved petals. Makes a showy planting for  a carnival of color." What gardener can remain unmoved by the idea of favorite flowers in new and interesting colors and shapes?

Before I start filling out order forms, though, I need a good plan in place so that I can prepare the beds in which the new plants will live. I've found samples in nearly every home living magazine's March issues. My personal favorite place to find plans is at the Better Homes and Gardens web site. The plans are free, all that is required is to sign up to be a member of the site. Their plans range from cottage style to formal. The plans are detailed with garden layouts and plant lists.

This year I would like to yank out a bunch of over-grown azaleas, between the base of my front porch and the walkway, and replace them with a mixed cottage garden of annuals and perennials. I have two favorite azaleas I am going to keep and prune a bit to regain their pretty shapes. These azaleas bloom in a lovely shade of salmon. I want to highlight that color with early-spring blooming plants and coordinate the later-blooming plants so they are set off by the slightly rosy-tinted evergreen leaves of the azaleas.

Everyone can follow the basic steps to planting a flower bed and customize the rest of the steps to suit individual tastes and specific locations.

An Attitude of Grief

When I hear the words "Good Grief" I think of poor Charlie Brown standing on the ball diamond trying to pitch a ball, missing the football because Lucy has moved it, or just standing all alone because of some mishap. In all of these scenarios, poor Charlie Brown is isolated and feeling let down.

This past few weeks a multitude of people have shown me various forms of grief, most of which has allowed me to weep with them, over them, and in spite of them. We watched a city come together over a plane that landed on top of a house killing all on board, and the husband/father in the house. An entire neighborhood moved out of the way, little shops unable to do business, and all of sudden living in hotels or with family or friends.

Then there were the several friends who lost loved ones through natural death. I have found what a great blessing it is to have friends who will reach out in pure love to other people, not just family members. Several of my friends have lost mates or close relatives. As a number of us stood talking we reminded each other that in a couple of weeks nobody will come and check on these dear souls who would be lonely and still grieving. But then my heart turned to those who have no close relatives, no close friends, and sadly of all, no church family to check on them.

As a child growing up, it seemed like the neighboring clergy, whether the grieving were of that denomination, would come and pay their respects. I will never forget one particular person. Several weeks after one of our neighbors had passed the widow was at a loss living alone in the house after fifty years of living with her husband. If she saw me riding my bike, she would call to me and invite me in for cookies or even marshmallows. She just wanted to share something with another person.

Lace Up Those Boots and Start Walking

 

How can we progress into a destiny shaped for us in eternity past when we are brittle, fragile, and broken? How can we get past our delicate history to envision what God has for us today? Where is our protection? What happens to the woman who trains to run a marathon, yet never reaches the starting point?

Pondering: Life is an epic long-distance race. From our first lungful of air we fight to live. We cry and struggle, pout and shout, we love and we are unable to find love. Will we one day wonder where the years have gone? In between the struggling we feel careworn. Still, there are those that wish to sway, persuade, and influence us, only to make them feel in control. There are Pharisees among the spiritually fraught; they strive to share blindness at a price too lofty to pay. How can we endure the high hurdles of life, or run the distance with any peace, contentment, or strength for the race, when vultures are waiting in every life experience?

"Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ who gives me the strength" (Philippians 4:11-13).

Coaching: When the Apostle Paul was beaten, stoned, and imprisoned he worshiped the living Lord. Worship is part our protective armor. Praising God is the foundation of our Spiritually Fortified Batman Suit. We will call worship our boots. When we lace up our worship boots we are empowering our feet to move towards truth. We may not be running yet, but we are moving in the right direction; true north. Our protective covering is shielding our feet from bruising stones, muddy paths, and snakes that would otherwise bite us in fields of hidden snares. Putting a cover over our vulnerable feet allows us to walk on a path that was destined. The act of covering our defenseless first steps protects us through faith and protects the soul of our boots. Trying on our boots of faith is a sturdy and worthy starting point in faith, and opens the door to worship, which in turn flows into contentment.

Challenge:This week I challenge you to put on your boots of faith, lace them up, and start walking towards worship. Perhaps it would be a good idea not to ask anything of Him, just worship Him for who He is, and for what He has done for you. Release negative events during your worship time. Worship God for five minutes a day for seven days, and see what happens. If you are willing to do this small exercise, you will be training for a marathon faith habit, that will strengthen and build spiritual muscle to go the distance toward your rightful purpose.

Next Week: Tune in next week to learn the next bit of protective covering from our Spiritually Fortified Batman Suit.

Prune the Suckers

Have you seen trees with the little cute branches growing from the base of the trunk?

Those cute little shoots actually suck the life out of the tree not allowing the essential nutrients to reach the upper branches. The upper branches bear fruit. Suckers will never bear fruit. If allowed to continue to grow these suckers will eventually kill the tree. Suckers will slowly drain the strength and life from a tree.

For a tree to bear good fruit and much fruit, the suckers must be pruned away as soon as they sprout up. This is vital for a productive life.

Like trees, we have suckers sprout up in our lives. If not pruned out of our lives quickly, strength and life will be sucked out of us. We won't be able to accomplish the purpose God has for our lives as effectively.

After seventy years in captivity in Babylon, the Lord kept His promise and the Israelites returned to their homeland. The first task to be accomplished was the rebuilding of the temple funded by Cyrus, the king of Persia. As this task progressed, it faced some fierce opposition. The enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned of the plans to rebuild the house of God, so they offered to help. Yet the Israelites declined this offer. So the enemy changed their approach.

Taking Care of You ~ Exercise

 

You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.  (1 Corinthians 6:20 NIV)

Eek!  When you saw the title today did you mentally "check out" in your head?  Come on, let's be honest.  When you think about being a Work-at-Home mom the first that came to your mind was not "exercise" was it?  Believe me, I am totally speaking to myself on this one as well...as a matter of fact, in this case the teacher is definitely the student.

That verse above in 1 Corinthians sums it up beautifully, doesn't it?

Now, hang with me here, because this is just too important for you to walk away from.  Everyone has to start somewhere, and for you that may be a different thing from me, but there are just too many studies out there that backup the benefits of exercise.
 
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. -Aristotle

Let's get real practical here.  This isn't something that takes a rocket scientist (thankfully, or I would be in big trouble) it just takes a little planning.  The good thing for you and me is this...we are Work-at-Home Moms and are used to planning our days so we can get some work done, right?  So, if we are already used to planning things then it is just a matter of "planning" some time to exercise.  The great thing is, that in January we talked a little bit about our schedule (if you missed it, click here to go back and check it out).

Speaking Life, Not Death

"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live” (Deut. 30:19).

In a previous post we discussed what it means to choose life in our thoughts and, since our thoughts lead to words, I think we are ready to talk about choosing life in our words. Once again, it is important that we determine to control our lips, words, mouth, and tongue. This is made pretty clear in Prov. 13:3, “He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”

All day, every day, we have the chance to speak words that bring life or death. Whether we are talking to our families, peers, co-workers, strangers, or even ourselves, the words we use will either tear down or build up. It says in Prov. 18:21, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” This means everything we say either leads to life or to death and that which we choose, we will receive. If we choose to speak in a manner that is harsh, hurtful, condemning, gossipy, dishonest, or deceitful, we are then choosing death. But, if we choose to speak words that are encouraging, peaceful, healing, kind, lovely, and uplifting, then we are choosing life. We find this to be true in Prov. 12:18, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

It often seems that negative words are easier to say, take root much deeper, and are far more common. However, that doesn’t make it right. Most of us probably beat ourselves up a bit verbally, from time to time, but we shouldn’t. Whenever we tell ourselves, I’m so fat, stupid, lazy, ugly, boring, or sinful, we are choosing death. Anytime we call ourselves names or put ourselves down, we are speaking death over ourselves, and worse we are insulting God, who created us in His image and loves us with an everlasting love. This type of verbal assault isn’t usually only directed inward at self, but it typically is directed outward at others also. When we insult others, lie, speak maliciously, or gossip, to or about other people, we are speaking death not only to them, but also to ourselves! We should be ever mindful to control the words we speak, as it says in Prov. 4:24, “Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.”

Tin Lizzies and Transformation

 

Next week I'll feature another interview with a Christian creative woman, but this week I wanted to share something I've been going through in my personal life, something that has not only taught me more about creativity, but also about God's transforming power during tough times.

My dad restores vintage cars, mostly Model T Fords. Some affectionately refer to them as "tin lizzies," and he's been doing this for more than 35 years. I still remember him driving me to school in his cars, and he always insisted on honking the horn. You know what I'm talking about, right? The enthusiastic and throaty aaauuuugah! aaauuuuugah! announcing, "I'm here! I'm here! Look at me!" Being very concerned about my "image," I would slouch down in the seat and hope nobody heard . . . or saw. My dad enjoyed a hearty laugh at my expense.

Fast forward a few years (okay, quite a few years), to my life now. My husband and I are self-employed ranchers, but my husband is also a carpenter, and the prolific and highly successful artist my husband had been building stretcher frames for passed away. And along with it, half our income. Not only do we miss the artist terribly, but during these tough economic times, like so many other people, we've been concerned about paying our bills (especially since I'm still trying to get my own creative jewelry and art business off the ground.) This isn't the first time we've struggled, but for some reason this struggle has been the hardest for us, probably because we have also been mourning the death of a good friend.

Create A Little Fun

 If we don't make time or plan for having fun in our schedules, life can simply be too overwhelming, and well...let's face it... dull. It can wind up feeling like it is all work and no play, all business, and no pleasure.

Since part of our personality and our individual bodies, require time to rejuvenate, we need to make that a scheduled priority in our lives. It certainly doesn't have to be a large chunk of time, but we do need to pause for a bit and create a little fun!

What is fun to you? Everyone's definition is different.

My brother and his buddies, over twenty years ago, started meeting every Wednesday for lunch. They all worked in the film industry in one form or another, and it kept them connected throughout their various travels and adventures from around the world.

They decided that they would commit themselves to meeting faithfully, even after they were married and having children, and continue to do so to this day!  The wives supported their need for this simple means of fun! Now what was, and still is, has become anticipated and  treasured time for the film-fellas! If I recall correctly, a couple of the wives even had t-shirts made up for them, which they wear every Wednesday, even under their suits!

Several ladies and friends from my church try to meet weekly or at least every second week. Sometimes the busyness of life gets in the way, but we always enjoy trying to coordinate it for at least once a month at minimum. With financial pressures affecting everyone, it looks like it is slowly moving from restaurants to homes but now we have the fun of contributing an item to the meal - and of trying newer and more adventurous things! I am even thinking it might be fun for each to try teaching cooking lessons at the same time!

What is Wellness?

 

When I mention the word wellness, what pops into your mind?  For me it used to be a perfectly combined picture of a spa, an exercise program, alternative medicines, and a vegetarian or other extreme nutritional lifestyle.  All of these things seemed elusive to me.  Though I considered myself a healthy person, I really didn't know if I had anything to do with "wellness."  Though the word meant something to me, it didn't mean anything for me.  The Lord has had me spend some time during the last fourteen years changing that and helping me define wellness for myself and my family.

Wellness begins with the choice and the belief that everything you do to, and for, your body effects your health now and in the years to come.  It is the realization that you alone, not your doctor, are responsible for your choices and your freedom to be truly healthy.  Your doctor can rescue you from a bad situation with drugs or surgery.  But your ongoing choices are what can turn your situation around for the better. 

Some find this overwhelming and give up at the outset.  Maybe they have a few health issues that already seem insurmountable.  It may seem that no amount of small, daily choices could overtake and heal the damage that has been done.

Some people are skeptical, pointing to family history and the fact that everyone dies of something.  They would rather just "enjoy living" without concern for wellness principles.

To the overwhelmed, I say, let's break down the most important things about wellness to begin making the shift, adding hope and meaning to those small, daily choices.

White Lines and God's Kingdom

Most of us have been driving for years. However, I never realized how many parallels there are between God's kingdom and the world of driving. I was recently enlightened to one specific similarity that involves the white lines that mark the outside edges of a roadway.

My family had decided to leave town for the weekend and one of my dearest friends lived in the city we were visiting. I made plans to spend time with her and, although I had been to her house before, my memory was fuzzy and the two interstates that separated Dot and me were unfamiliar. It did not help that I left for her house shortly after sunset.

As I drove in unfamiliar territory, under the emerging stars, I was thankful for the white lines that clearly marked the sides of the road. They helped guide me as the interstates curved and split numerous times due to exit ramps.

I probably could have made it to Dot's house by using only the highway signs and the available light from the streetlights and my own vehicle, but the white lines provided additional guidance which gave me more confidence as I drove. In general, the white lines add to the overall safety of all roadways used by hundreds of thousands of drivers every day.

God provides many "white lines" to help us navigate the variety of roadways we travel in our lives. Some are general while others are more specific, but all of them have been painted into the spiritual realm for our own good and safety. One thing I've observed about people, and occasionally noticed in myself, is that confidence seems to radiate from seasoned/serious Christians who faithfully try to follow God's guidelines (I say "try" because no one can follow God's guidelines perfectly no matter how hard they try). These are the people who step out in faith confident that God will be by their side. There is a boldness in these people despite the fact they may feel hesitant and even a little afraid of where God is leading, but they take bold steps anyway.

Defining the Word Disabled

The word disabled brings different pictures to each of our minds. In my case, I think first of my sister and then of numerous others I've met over the years. Each of them have individual problems but all fall into the disabled category.

The Disability Discrimination Act in the USA defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. To help us understand this more clearly, here are some broad groupings to clarify our thinking.

Physical Disabilities
These are the most obvious as they are the easiest to spot. We are all familiar with signs of disability such as white canes, seeing-eye dogs, hearing aids, crutches, wheelchairs, and prosthetic limbs.

Mental Disabilities
These people have problems with thinking and reasoning meaning that they are unable to fend for themselves or hold down certain type of employment. Impairment can range from mild to severe.

Disabled from Birth
Many people are disabled from birth and this may be genetic or due to a lack of oxygen during the birth. Conditions such as Down's Syndrome and spina bifida fall into this group as do those with cerebral palsy.

Disabled Later in Life
This is often due to an accident that causes brain damage, paralysis, or other injury. Disease also has a role to play and conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Huntington's can eventually lead to disability.

This is a very brief, basic overview and is just to get us thinking about the huge range of disabilities. Within each group, there is a complete spectrum from mild to severe and many people have more than one disability. It is no wonder many of us feel unsure of how to relate to the disabled and uncertain of how our efforts at communication will be received. In my next posting, we will examine the first step to loving the disabled and that is recognizing their humanity. I hope you'll join me as we launch into this wonderful journey of exploration and discovery.
 

What to Say After an Abortion

 

Ellen sobbed. Her voice cracked as she tried to put together a sentence: "I don't think even God could forgive me."

It had been many long years of numbed pain before she broke her silence of her abortion at age eighteen. At least I truly hope she did. Women who have had abortions are in desperate need of healing.

You see, a few decades ago I helped Ellen get her abortion, sort of. I feel bad I didn't say anything back then, that I didn't talk her out of it, and that I supported her. Ellen, our best friend Sue, and I were inseparable during our last two years of high school; except when Ellen was with her boyfriend.

She became pregnant and told Sue and Sue told me. I advised Sue to buy a pregnancy test for her and, when Ellen's suspicions  were confirmed, to call the Better Business Bureau and check out the abortion clinic so Ellen would be OK. Since Ellen never told me about her pregnancy, I believed the lie that I ought to respect her choice and her privacy, and say nothing.

Ellen thought she was doing the right thing. She had plans to go to college and start a career then a family. Her boyfriend didn't want to get married. Neither did she. The women at Planned Parenthood told her that her unborn baby was a blob of tissue. Nothing more. 

They were wrong. She was wrong. So was I.

My silence was deafening.

101

My great-grandma died recently. She was 101 years old. Amazing! Even though it is an incredible blessing that she is in heaven where she wants to be, it still hit me kind of hard: a life gone from this earth. In some ways I’m even a little jealous. I could handle being in heaven.

As I look back on her life, her biggest joy was her family. She would brag on us anytime she could - counting up the grandkids, great grandkids and even great-great grandkids! One person in particular that she would brag about was my grandfather - her eldest son. She would say that he was perfect (it’s pretty much true!) My grandfather is true entrepreneur (he started several successful businesses), a self-learned man (never went to college but reads encyclopedias for fun; he's the wisest person I know), loves people (he knows and genuinely cares about everybody in town) and a man after God’s own heart. She raised a fine young man!

This year my grandfather is turning 80 (yes, all of my family married really young!) and we are celebrating his birthday along with my grandmother at a mini-family reunion. We “stole” all of their old 8mm and Super 8 home movies and got them transferred to DVD as their surprise birthday present from the family. We have tape from 1948! On the invitation to the party, my cousin wrote:

We're celebrating Papa and Mom!
80 Priceless years and still going
strong...their unconditional
love, wisdom and guidance has
been the foundation of our
family legacy.

Blush Can Completely Polish Your Look

For some reason, applying blush can be a tough makeup technique to conquer. I started wearing makeup in high school but for some reason just couldn't get the hang of blush until my early college years. Therefore, I rarely wore it much until well into my 20s. Now, blush is an absolute staple in my makeup bag. Sometimes when I look at pictures of me from 10 years ago I think, "Man, I should a put on a little blush that day."

But I will say, until you get the hang of it, especially if you're young or new to the world of makeup, it is definitely best to wait with the blush. It is much better to go without it then to wear it misapplied. Here is my step-by-step tutorial on blush application that will make you look polished and pretty even on a day that you may be feeling tired or drained.

Find the Right Shade For You
It may sound obvious, but for light skin, light shades like pinks or corals are best, but if you have darker skin, wear burgundy or wine shades.
I think a lot of people have problems with blush color because it is also important to also take into consideration your skin tone. Olive skin looks best with apricots, yellowish skin, like mine, looks best in plums or pinks, and there are also blue skin tones, which usually are found with darker skin. These tones can pull off berries quite well. And of course, if you have a neutral skin tone, mauves look best, even though you could probably pull of just about any color.

Another good rule if you are wanting a really natural look, is to try to match the color of your cheeks when they are flushed after exercising. Color can be difficult, which is why I haven't changed my blush color in five years. If the color is ever discontinued I'm in serious trouble. I use a cream blush because I think cream blush is the greatest thing since cheese. It doesn't come off easily as the day goes on and it blends perfectly in my opinion.

Surrender Your Focus

Marriage from a Distance columnist Jennifer Miller and I noted that God is giving us the same word in different settings: focus. Whether it is a song, an article, somehow each week "focus" is something God is speaking to us. One of the ways He showed me the importance of focusing on Him is through the Wii Fit. When you work on the balance exercises, the screen will show how your core balance is. A red "marker" draws your movement against the core. A balanced core has a red mark in the middle of the board. My balance drawing looks like a child took a red pen and scribbled all over the quadrants. What's my problem on the balance board? Focus.

Just like the disciples on the boat, it is easy to place our focus on the waves, the boat, and the wind. Are you tempted to go to friends, family, email contacts, and everyplace but the Lord when there is an issue? I believe that's His message for us this year. No matter what the economy is like, what health issues we are facing, where family situations lie, He's asking our focus be on Him. First. Last. Always. 

I love the picture of this woman because it shows so many things about focusing on the Lord. Her face is beaming and she is full of joy. She is looking up, and to me, it looks like she is looking to Him. As she focuses on Him, all the other things surrounding her appear fuzzy.

When we surrender our focus and focus on Him, this is the visual I now have on how life will be. How does your balance drawing look? Is your red mark on the core or all over the place? Is your focus on the King of Kings or on people and things?

This month at Christian Women Take Root we'll discuss surrender as well as focus. I'd love to have your join us!

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV).

God's Wonder Women: Poor in Sprit

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3 NIV)

The Sermon on the Mount has long been considered both the starting point and a summary of Jesus’ teaching. On our journey to become/stay/grow as God's Wonder Women, Jesus' own words seem like the best place to start. This post will discuss the first of the eight states of blessedness to which Jesus refers in the Beatitudes.

The Greek word for "poor" can be translated as one who has nothing and is completely empty. Jesus isn't speaking about the earthly realm here. He's not referring to our income or net worth. He doesn't really care how much money we have or make, what we own or can acquire. Jesus wasn't saying we can't have nice things or live well. He's talking about our attitudes and about the state of our souls.

To be poor in spirit means we acknowledge that nothing we have is worth more than God and His kingdom.This type of poverty extends to everything in our lives -- everything. It includes our possessions, our jobs, our friends, and our families. A woman who is poor in spirit acknowledges God's ownership of everything and understands (and accepts) that we are to be good stewards of everything with which we have been blessed.

This sacred stewardship includes taking care of ourselves and recognizing ourselves as valued creations of God. It means that we strive to nurture our talents and discover and/or explore our spiritual gifts in order to be more faithful servants to God's world.

The Good News of Desperation

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them...And Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you, go in peace." (Luke 7:36-38;50 NLT)

Clearly, this passage describes a desperate woman. Without going into much detail, the Scriptures only describe her as an immoral woman.When we use the word desperation, it carries with it the feeling of hopelessness, abandonment, and recklessness. Can you relate to any of these words? The woman in our story is certainly behaving in a reckless manner because of her desperation. She has entered the home of a Pharisee uninvited in order to be close to Jesus. Yes, she actually crashed the party. She humbled herself by washing the dirty feet of the One she believed could rescue her from her despair. Not only did she wash His feet but she kissed them and poured expensive perfume on them. And did you noticed how she washed His feet? She used her own tears and her hair to dry them. Truly, she was pouring herself out before Jesus. And what was her reward? The Son of God saved her and spoke peace into her life. The good news of her desperation was that it drove her to Jesus. The end result was salvation and peace. No doubt, if she had not been desperate, she would not have sought Jesus. I can't imagine that her life was the same after that.

Gearing Up: Planning Your Garden

"She who plants a seed, beneath the sod, and waits to see, believes in God."

Even the most free-blooming cottage garden starts with a plan. If you are planting only one variety of plant, a few basic things must be taken into consideration before you dig the first hole: location of the bed, availability of water, and how much time you have available to garden.

Personally, I'm a lazy gardener. I even own a book by that title. I want to get the hard stuff over with quickly, so I can get to the fun stuff. For me choosing plants is fun, planning is fun, digging the beds--not so much fun, enjoying the blooms and/or harvest is fun again.

I started this year's garden planning back in October, when I was putting last year's garden to bed. I took note of things that worked for me and things that did not go so well during the whole season. First of all, I encountered back problems in mid-spring. By that point I had already started over 130 plants (mostly tomato plants). I had big plans for canning lots of paste tomatoes. Once summer came along, the best I could do was water the pots of tomatoes. I couldn't bend over, so I couldn't plant them. I gave away over a third of my started tomato plants. After I finished with four weeks of physical therapy, I was again able to bend and work for short periods. I planted as many of the plants as I could and continued watering the rest. I finally had to give up on the last third of the tomato plants and ended up tossing them in the compost.

Battle Proof......

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

Sir Winston Churchill took three years getting through eighth grade because he had trouble learning English. It seems ironic that years later Oxford University asked him to address its commencement exercises.

He arrived with his usual props. A cigar, a cane, and a top hat accompanied Churchill wherever he went. As Churchill approached the podium, the crowd rose in appreciative applause. With unmatched dignity, he settled the crowd and stood confident before his admirers. Removing the cigar and carefully placing the top hat on the podium, Churchill gazed at his waiting audience. Authority rang in Churchill's voice as he shouted, "Never give up!"

Several seconds passed before he rose to his toes and repeated: "Never give up!" His words thundered in their ears. There was a deafening silence as Churchill reached for his hat and cigar, steadied himself with his cane and left the platform. His commencement address was finished.
 
Beautiful One, can God take someone who doesn't know everything and do more with them than expected? Better yet, can God take you and do the impossible?

I don't know about you but I love underdogs. Maybe that's because I am one myself. There is nothing more inspiring or that revives my sense of hope more than when I hear of someone who has struggled in the face of adversity, made it through to the other side while silencing the voices of defeat with a resounding victory!

Personalities and Your Prince Charming

Valentine's Day has come and gone, but love endures forever. Sometimes that is easier to say than to believe, especially if your personality is completely different from that of your Prince Charming husband. Believe it or not, most people do marry their direct opposite because, like the premise made famous by Tom Cruise in the movie Jerry McGuire, our opposites do complete us.

So, in honor of the February, the love month, let's explore the different characteristics of each of the Personality Princes.

Prince Sanguine

If we can remember that a sanguine person's basic desire is to have fun and their emotional needs include attention, approval, affection, and acceptance we can better understand the sanguine husband...especially if you do not share the same personality.

The sanguine hubby tends to be spontaneous, creative, and fun. This is evident in everyday life and life in the bedroom (or possibly other fun and funky locations.) They love whimsical activities and games and often have as many words as women that they need to speak in a given day. That's why the sanguine personality is known as the talker.

Although the sanguine prince in your life is full of fun he will probably have some traits that will drive you crazy. They do not like to read instructions and will jump from project to project or task to task until they completely forget what they are suppose to be doing. Most sanguine personalities (male and female, alike) are not cleaning machines when it comes to household chores; they are easily distracted by activities that show more promise in the "fun" department. But, if you can get your prince charming to actually help and accomplish something on your "honey-do" list, give him lots of praise for a job well done and take him bungee jumping or out to get ice cream.

My youngest son, Eric, is a typical sanguine. He is going to be a fun-loving husband, but will need a wife who understands how easily distracted he is when it comes to household responsibilities.  However, on the upside, his wife is going to be blessed with a husband who wants to talk and giggle as much as she does. And, all indications are that Eric is going to be the funnest daddy in the neighborhood. He is a kid magnet. The boys he babysits absolutely love his goofy side and Eric loves to get his hands dirty with kid's activities. Prince Sanguine will be full of fun and forever young at heart.

Prince Choleric

Prince Choleric is a wonderful guy, but he does not always come across as the famous Prince Charming. The choleric personality has a basic desire to be in control. Their emotional needs include loyalty, a sense of control, appreciation, and credit for work.

Your choleric prince can sometimes be a little bossy because he tends to be so mission minded. He always sees projects that need to be done and they must be done his way. Choleric hubbies tend to be high energy and will do everything on your "to-do" list even before you make the "to-do" list.

My husband, Warren, is a classic choleric. As is typical with most choleric personalities, I never have to give him a "honey-do" list. Choleric men aren't known for their romantic or soft-and-tender sides, but they demonstrate their love and affection by doing. If I casually mention something I want, the next thing I know Warren brings it to me or gets it done. One time I happened to mention it had been a while since I'd had a peanut butter cup and the next day, my choleric prince brought me one.

Choleric husbands are not ones to stop and smell the roses. When we take to the road for the weekend or for vacation, Warren is a very efficient traveler and plans any stops strategically...to avoid "accidents" in the car and to ward of starvation. Recently we were traveling home from visiting our son who is in college and Eric and I almost had to declare mutiny to get lunch. However, in true choleric form, Warren provided for us and, once we stopped, we had a feast. You've just gotta love the "git-er-done" guy. I know I love mine.

Prince Melancholy

If you want romance, Prince Melancholy is your guy. If there was a prize for Mr. Valentine, the melancholy would, more than likely, walk away with the trophy. This personality's basic desire it to achieve perfection and order. Their emotional needs include support from loved ones and friends, their own space, silence, and stability. If the melancholy prince plans something for Valentine's Day or any other romantic occasion, he will probably do it up right. Candles and soft music anyone?

Prince Melancholy usually dresses neatly and often very stylish so don't be surprised if he looks like he just stepped off a magazine cover. If you feel like running your fingers through his hair, beware: they may get stuck in his helmet of hairspray. Your melancholy hubby will actually help keep the house clean and tidy. However, if you are a sanguine wife you may not feel adequate up against his meticulous house cleaning abilities.

For as much as our melancholy prince seeks to achieve perfection, he is far from perfect. His quest for perfection and order may cause him to be overly critical of his wife who will often fall short of his expectations. Because of his sensitive nature, it's not unusual for Prince Melancholy to experience the blues and to brood when his emotional needs are not being met. Additionally, their high expectations often place an unnecessary burden on the husband/wife relationship.

However, it is the melancholy hubby who will remember important dates like anniversaries and birthdays. They are totally committed to their loved ones and tend to be loving and protective of any children in the family. And, remember the Valentine prize they would win? They are very romantic when it comes to spending special time with their wife. Prince Melancholy will sweep you off your feet!

Prince Phlegmatic

If you want the king of relaxation, marry a phlegmatic. This Personality Prince is laid back, patient, and agreeable. His basic desire it to have peace and his emotional needs include quiet, feelings of worth, lack of stress, and respect. He may let Prince Choleric slay all the dragons and Prince Melancholy sweat all the details, but Prince Phlegmatic will wrap you in a cloak of stability, show you patience, and is not demanding.

This hubby is easy going and will roll with any punches people or life throws at your marriage. He tends to seek special event "intimacy" (anniversaries and birthdays) and will rarely wake you in the middle of the night because he is feeling amorous...he's too busy sleeping. Prince Phlegmatic's interest include vegging (preferably in front of the television) and avoiding a long or complex "honey-do" list. Like I said, they are the kings of relaxation.

I have a friend who is married to a wonderful phlegmatic man. She marvels at all the household activities my Prince Choleric accomplishes and wishes her prince was as driven as Warren. I look at her husband and wish that mine could relax a little more. We are both blessed with our own princes, but it isn't unusual for women to admire traits in their friend's husbands. But if we understand The Personalities, we will also appreciate the wonderful things that made us fall in love with our own princes.

The phlegmatic prince in your life does not like conflict. It can be difficult to engage him in conversation if you need to discuss a difficult issue. Sometimes, because they are too accommodating, they can lose their own identity or let the kids in the family run over them. However, if Prince Phlegmatic marries his opposite personality (choleric) she will take care of insubordinate kids.

This article just touches the tip of the iceberg when it comes to The Personalities and marriages. If you are interested in learning more on this excellent and important subject Personality Plus for Couples by Florence Littauer is a must read. It includes what I have shared here and goes much deeper. If you are interested in discussing marriage and how personalities affect them, visit the Purely Personalities group over at Christian Women Take Root. Marriage isn't easy, but understanding your spouses personality can make it less difficult.

 

(c)2009 Shona Neff

Designing High School Classes II: Basics of Putting a Class Together

What fun it has been to design my childrens high school classes!  It has been one of the greatest joys of homeschooling for me because I love planning, learning, and planning to learn. Now, you may not feel the same way I do. I can understand that. So, we will keep everything simple.

We have an overall plan.  We understand the concept of credits. If not, review our previous articles in our homeschooling high school column Now we are going to talk about designing individual classes! You can design classes that are 0.5 credits or 1.0 credits. 

The various aspects of designing a high school class are:  textbook or main living book (or DVD teaching series), supplemental books and materials, written and oral assignments, other assignments, and requirements for final grade.

Classes can be simple or complex, depending on what you want your child to learn and what he wants to study. The best way to explain how to design a class is to show you! Let's start with something simple.

A math class is pretty simple to design.  A math textbook, math tests, and sometimes lectures or videos comprise a simple math class. Let's look at Algebra II.

Algebra II (1.0 credit)

Textbook:  Saxon Algebra II

Supplemental books and materials:  The Algebra 2 Tutor Video course

Assignments:  Complete one lesson a day.  Take corresponding test once a week.  Watch one video segment a week.

Grading:  For an C grade, complete all work, watch all videos, and test grades above 70%.  For a B grade, complete all work neatly, showing how you did the problem, watch all video segments, and test grades above 80%.  For a C grade, complete all work neatly, show all problem solving work, watch all video segments, and test grades above 90%.  

Now let's get a little more complicated.  You are going to teach a literature class and you're not sure what to cover.  You want him to read the classics, but your son wants to read mysteries.  What should you do.  One of your options would be to design a class based on classic mysteries.  Your son could read a classic mystery and another book by the same author each month. You also want him to do some writing, but he hates writing and reading.  You are trying to think of some way to make this class more fun, but don't want to compromise.  You notice that your son spends hours on My Space blogging.  Ah, you will have him write book review to post on his My Space page.  You will call it blogging, but require correct grammar and spelling.

Quick & EZ Unit Study Fun with Living Books I

 

We love unit studies in our house!  Even when we use a text books we add so much "stuff" that is could be labeled a unit study.  We have always built our school around living, well-written books that are wholesome and interesting to read.  If you want to take the unit study plunge, then I recommend starting with living books as the core of your unit study.  This is a two part column.  Today we will talk about choosing your topic and books.  Next time, we will focus on adding all the bells and whistles to make it complete and fun!

The best thing about unit studies is that the whole family can learn together!

Step # 1:  Choose a Topic

Start with a topic that interests the entire family.  Your son might love rockets and trains, but your daughter would rather learn about butterflies or flowers.  Try to find topics that appeal to everyone.  What about studying oceans, birds, knights & castles, kings & queens, Robin Hood, King Arthur, Colonial times, The Alamo, traveling west in a covered wagon, inventions, or trees? 

You can choose the topic and share the topic enthusiastically with your children.  Or you can make a list and let the children choose a topic.

Step # 2:  Choose Living Books

Look for books that practically breathe and talk; remember books that you read over and over again as a child.  You might have loved the story or you might have just loved the characters, wanting to spend more time with them!  Maybe you felt like the author was sitting in the room talking just to you.  For young children, the illustrations are as important as the story or writing itself.

We always start with a Bible passage, story or principle, followed up by reading aloud to learn the information of the unit study.  This is followed by everyone's favorite part:  the hands-on activities!  These are reinforcing everything that has been read aloud!  Good books make learning fun!

Is Taking Medication A Sin?

An attractive twenty year old keeps cutting herself to stop the emotional pain she doesn't want to talk about.  A mom of two elementary school children runs on three hours of sleep driving her children to countless activities, keeping up with housework, and helping complete school assignments way after midnight to avoid nightmares of past abuse.  A  professional business women is neatly dressed sitting in her spotless office.  She repetitively follows her routine making sure everything is in its proper place, every lunch is at the same sandwich shop, and she continually washes her hands until they are raw and bleeding. A fifty year old mom is finally an empty nester.  Her muscles ache so much, she can't get out of bed;  she doesn't care about seeing her friends, she stops answering the phone, and is certain she is going to die of some horrible disease.

All four of these woman are very different in age, profession, circumstance, and crisis, but they all share a common thread.  They need to see a doctor to talk about getting professional medical help.

If the twenty year old had diabetes, the mom had hyperthyroidism, the business woman had high blood pressure, and the older mom had arthritis, you would expect each of these women to begin taking the proper medicine to help with her illness.  If they were your friends, you would support treatments including dietary consultation, fitness coaching, and group therapy to learn how to live with their illnesses.

I am curious...would you wonder what unconfessed sin they had committed to cause their illness?  Would you think they had weak faith in God's ability to heal their body without medication?  Would you suggest that they talk with their pastor for advice before taking any medication? My guess is you would probably not.  More than likely you would let them know you were sorry to hear about their disease and would be praying for them to recover.

A Spiritually Fortified Batman Suit

"God can make you anything you want to be, but you have to put everything in His hands" Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972).

What is a soul scar? It is a lasting effect left on the mind of a woman because of a personal misfortune or an unpleasant experience. How do we maintain the wounded soul when a life experience has primed us for calloused walls that numb, shroud, and bind our precious God-given soul? If we do not eat food for nourishment our body will die of starvation. If we fail to nourish the soul, than our soul will harden. God's Word is the solution and clarification to facilitate every predicament in life that continues to imprison our heart with strongholds.

Pondering: Is it possible to heal a wounded soul? We are born with a sin nature that fights to control us. Until the dark nature within all of us transforms into a renewed, supernatural, and spiritual regeneration we cannot change who we are. Even after regeneration this process will continue throughout our lifetime because this battle of character does not depart while we are on earth. Like flowers in a field, we too will wither and fade. What will we do with our life here on earth?

"All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:6-8). 

Coaching: The Bible explains the vanity of the natural woman with all her ornaments and advantages. However, through regeneration the Holy Spirit takes us on a journey of change waiting to rest on a life-path of excellence, distinction, and rehabilitation. We transform and strengthen our human nature through spiritual fortification by the armor of God. It is like putting on an unseen Batman suit for protection. The corruptible becomes incorruptible in the course of nourishment from the Word of God. His tender scarred hands stretch from heavens door to our earthly hearts. He knocks on our soul and we listen to the sound of His knock. Whether we open the door to Jesus Christ or not, the decision is ours. If we open our heart to God's Word and pray for understanding of the Scriptures, the binding chains of strongholds will fall like dust to the ground. Each particle of dust evident to our soul as we experience release from the weighty burden.

Challenge: This week I challenge you to set up a schedule of perhaps fifteen minutes every day to read God's Word. Pray for understanding and listen to the voice of God. Change will not happen overnight, it takes time to learn and grow. Like any good habit we form, we need to initiate the first move, even if it is uncomfortable..

"The man (or woman) who surrenders to Christ, exchanges a cruel slave driver for a kind and gentle Master whose yoke is easy and burden is light"  A.W. Tozer (1897-1963) (Italics added).

Next Week: We will learn to fit more comfortably into our Batman Suit for Christ.

Birds Eye View....

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature.  There we saw the giants; and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”  (Numbers 13:30-33) 

Beautiful One, did you know that it's not what we face that determines our outcome, but how we see ourselves in it? Your perspective and how you see yourself in each struggle will determine whether you are able to take possession of the land, or whether you deny yourself access to the God given inheritance that awaits you.

If you have ever visited the Grand Canyon, you know it is an amazing sight. People from all over the world come to view this natural wonder. It is absolutely breathtaking. What I find so interesting about the Grand Canyon is that you never see the same thing twice. From the rising of the sun to when it sets, the different array of colors the sun casts upon this beautiful rock valley, always shows a different picture. No matter the time of day you will see a picture of beauty for your eyes to feast on.

Usually, when visiting the Grand Canyon you see it from an elevated view. You can stand at a look out point and look downward into the canyon, but if you hike down into the canyon, the view at the bottom is completely different from the one up top. It is still the same canyon but the position from where you view it determines your perception.

Meet Artist Mechelle Harrison of Mechelle Designs

 

Georgia artist Mechelle Harrison's whimsical, colorful birds intrigued me from the first moment I saw them. Fun and friendly, they are a treat for the eyes. Mechelle received her BFA from Columbus College of Art and Design. She has worked as a graphic artist and a freelance illustrator, and she has exhibited her work throughout Georgia and the southest at galleries and art festivals. Her work has even been sold through the Smithsonian Institution gift shops.

Kelley: Thank you so much for the opportunity to interview you, Mechelle. Let's start with your childhood. I think our childhoods play a big part in what we choose to do in life. How would you describe your childhood, and what about it would you say has played the biggest part in your life as a creative person?

Mechelle: I think the biggest influence in my childhood is the fact that I grew up in historic Alexandria, VA. I was surrounded by culture bieng only five miles away from Washington, D.C. My parents, and especially my school, shaped my impression of history and culture. The school field trips made me appreciate the arts at a young age. The opportunity I had to volunteer at an old torpedo factory converted to working studios for artists influenced me to want to become an artist.

Maintaining Clear Boundaries; As a Single Christian Girl

You know the story.

Girl meets guy. Guy woos girl....says stuff like, "You're just so beautiful," and "I can't believe how wonderful you are," and "Other guys were fools not to see how much you ____," and so on.

Guy is not exactly the ideal of godliness, and he may even have some habits and behavioral tendencies that would make even the weakest believer cringe, but girl does not care.

 She knows in her heart that guy is not really all that bad, and more than that, because she's strong in faith, they will work as a couple with her taking the spiritual lead.

She knows better than to end up in bed with him - that commandment is as clear as day in her mind. There's no way she'd break that rule.

Yeah right.

And so the story goes. First she lets him kiss her, then she finds herself making out on the couch, and the next thing she knows, she's dealing with a whole load of shame, if not an unplanned pregnancy.

No, I'm not cynical. Yet I do see an increasing number of women pass through our labor & delivery unit without a wedding band, and many claim to be professing Christians. So how do they end up there, when the Scripture is so explicitly clear on the matter?

Paul gives us a direct admonition regarding the life of faith in I Corinthians 10:12 - "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." (NKJV) This Scripture reflects the classic warning in Proverbs: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18 NKJV).The first reason why a woman, or anyone for that matter, falls into a pattern of sin, has to do with her self-perception. She ignores the warnings about dating someone weak in the faith (or not at all in the faith) and says to herself, I am an exception - I will be able to resist sin. My sisters, the Bible speaks very clearly to this condition: "Do not be unequally yoked," (II Corinthians 6:14 NKJV) which in plain English means Do Not Be Unequally Yoked!

When Worship Becomes Routine

It hardly seems possible that with all we do in our modern evangelical churches to make worship exciting, that it could become routine or mundane.  Maybe a better way to describe it is, we come in to church with so much noise in our minds that it takes a bigger noise to override it.  Maybe the desire to worship is strong but the thoughts and concerns we came in with are stronger.

Today let's talk about what happens when there is no emotion to our worship.  No overwhelming joy, no recent miraculous answer to prayer, no crisis of faith, no pressing needs, nothing to make us jump up and down, or fall to our knees.  We've arrived at church, waiting for the song or the message to pierce our hearts and nothing significant seems to happen.

This is when I take out my thankful attitude and dust it off, and put it on like a garment.  "God, I am so thankful for this time, this wonderful worship service where I can just stand here and adore you.  I am thankful that you hear me and see me.  That you know me and that I am cleansed from sin by your awesome sacrifice.  Wow, I'm thankful that I'm here and not somewhere else, that at this time in my life your hand is upon me, keeping me stable and allowing this routine of worship to continue without interruption."

¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. -Colossians 3:15-17

If the congregational worship song do not strike a chord with you, just take some time to pray on your own, quietly, if it seems appropriate.  Worship doesn't have to be all music.  This is part of the freedom we are supposed to have when the Holy Spirit is allowed to work.  Pray for yourself, or for someone else.  At the same time, try to keep current in what is actually going on in the service around you, one, so you don't distract others, and two, because you are an active participant in your community.

Misunderstandings Are Wellsprings Of Good Relationships - And Other Strange Tales

I have a little challenge for you.  Picture a few relationships.  It doesn't matter whose relationships or what kind of relationships they are, just think about a few.  Now, as diverse as those relationships may be, there is one thing that applies to them all.  Not only the ones you thought of, but the ones I'm thinking of, and the ones anyone reading this have thought of.  In fact, I'll go as far as to say that there is no relationship anyone could conjure up that would escape at least this one basic element.

Because in every and any relationship there is one thing that remains an inescapable, fundamental denominator: communication.

Think about it.  It is virtually impossible to establish, build, maintain, heal and definitely to survive any relationship without communication.  From the basic task of calling the telephone company to set up service, to the intimate carnival of running a household, we are surrounded by various levels of relationships; the success of which are directly affected by our ability to communicate.

What we often fail to realize, however, is that communication goes beyond just speaking and hearing.  That simple oversight is often the cause of our misunderstandings, but even misunderstandings can be a source of life in our relationships.  Strange tales, I know.   

Misunderstandings are right up there along-side failed expectations when it comes to reasons why  relationships fail, but it doesn't have to be that way. If we can use our misunderstandings to gain  understanding, our relationships will flourish. Proverbs 16:22 says understanding is a wellspring of life! 

If we take the time and put forth the effort we can grow and learn from these unpleasant encounters; we can gain understanding. So, why don't we do it?

How to Make a Picture Link Back to a Website

How does everyone take a picture and then make it where when you click on it, and it takes you to somewhere on the web? This might be for making a badge for your website or just a fun, useful graphic to link people to another spot on your site or someone else's.

Remember, as long as you have the link to something, like your RSS feed or a very special post on your site etc., you can use any graphic and link it to that spot on the web!

You can see for Our RSS feed here at Take Root and Write I customized a regular RSS feed button just for us. Then I have coded it to link to the TRW feed so you can sign up.

 I am including a Video Tutorial to walk you through how to do this. Below is all the text used in the video so you can copy and paste for yourself. Keep the code handy in a draft email (that's what I do) so you can pull it up, copy, paste & edit where you want it.

This is the Text Aligned CENTER code.

<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="WEBSITE LINK HERE"><img src="DIRECT LINK TO YOUR PICTURE" /></a></p>

This is the Text Aligned CENTER ....Open in NEW page code.

<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="WEBSITE LINK HERE" target="_blank"><img src="DIRECT LINK TO YOUR PICTURE" /></a></p>

Do not want it centered?

<a href="WEBSITE LINK HERE"><img src="DIRECT LINK TO YOUR PICTURE" /></a>

Using more than One pic/link like....

Then you need....

<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="FIRST WEBSITE LINK HERE"><img src="FIRST DIRECT LINK TO YOUR PICTURE" /></a> <a href="SECOND WEBSITE LINK HERE"><img src="SECOND DIRECT LINK TO YOUR PICTURE" /></a> <<a href="THIRD WEBSITE LINK HERE"><img src="THIRD DIRECT LINK TO YOUR PICTURE" /></a></p>

Death Was Inevitable

Pastor Rakesh was missing—nowhere to be found in his small tribal village in the forest area of southern India. After pastoring for nearly seven years, no one would have thought his life would still be in danger.  The past was long forgotten and the family was busy in ministry. But they were wrong. They may have forgotten and moved on, but the terrorist group he once led didn’t.

In his youth, Pastor Rakesh was heavily involved in a communistic anti-government terrorist group; these  guerrillas currently control an estimated one-fifth of India’s forest regions. The goal of this growing and very dangerous group is to destabilize India and Sub-Continent with a well coordinated strategy with the help of international revolutionaries and covert support from Pakistan and China. This terror regime is being provided with sophisticated weaponry and the know-how for making and using improvised explosive devices—seized weapons and ammunition bear witness to this evidence.

One might say that Pastor Rakesh is a modern-day Paul … the very people he once persecuted are the ones he now loves and ministers to in the power of the Holy Spirit. His conversion was as remarkable as any other as he battled the war within to denounce his terroristic idealism and apprehend the cross of Christ.

But, now his family was grieved.  Counting the days since his disappearance it seemed obvious he would never return. His widow did her best to continue to feed the family but in a poor forest village, this would prove nearly impossible. Their congregation was poor and had no money to assist. The small community of believers was struggling to remain strong in faith considering the circumstances.

After much prayer, a new pastor was sent to the forest village to step into the position of Pastor Rakesh who was now presumed dead. A small offering of support was sent to the widow to sustain her until other arrangements could be made to support her and the children.

August … September … October … November … December … January.  Each month came without word.  Life continued to go on though the prayers for a miracle never ceased in the remote chance their beloved pastor was still alive.

Even this?

 

Focus. Persevere! Yes you can! This is what God has been telling me lately but I am not too sure I believe I can. I am in the middle of a very large valley right now and it seems like I have been walking forever to get to the other side so I can start climbing up and out. Well I hope I am closer to the end than to the middle. "I am tired. I am ready to quit. I want out!" This is what my heart has been crying out to God. I don't know what I am suppose to learn from this. I don't remember sowing seeds this bad to be reaping this!

I have a teenage son at home that really misses and needs his dad. All of his problems are my fault. I am the target to which all this anger is thrown. I understand he is in pain. I understand he feels I will still love him no matter what he throws my way so he feels safe taking everything out on me. Just because I understand all this does not make it any easier. I am physically and emotionally drained.

Last Wednesday night at church we had a guest speaker Pastor Gerald Brooks, who of course was talking just to me. In a room full of people he preached just to me. He said "This is to those who have said "I can't handle it anymore!"  He reminded us God will teach us how to have joy in our "I can't" moments.

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content" (Philippians 4:11 ESV).

He will show you that He is your strength. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).

So I am sitting there listening, feeling bad for complaining when I know some parents who would trade their problems for mine in a heartbeat...but still. I have prayed. I have done everything I can think of to do, and still no resolution. I am still in the eye of the storm watching all the pieces of our lives swirl around me. I can feel God there watching me, but I can't quite understand what I can do that I have not already tried to get myself out. I feel like Helen Hunt in the movie Twister when she said it felt like the storm skipped this house and that house and came after her. I know all these families who don't follow God and they have great kids! How does that work? 

I must say though that God has placed wonderful friends in my life who pray for me and listen when I need them. They encourage and support me. The writers here encourage and inspire me. It lifts my heart to read praise reports and how many wonderful women of God have walked through their own valley and with God's help find the light at the end. I want you all to know how much I appreciate you. When I begin to doubt I can do all things through Christ, when I ask "Even this?", God tells me yes. When I need to be reminded I come here. Thank you all for being blessings in my life.

Understanding and Mastering Light: Part 1

Light is the photographer's sculpting tool and the mastery of it makes the difference between a nice, yet average snapshot, and an introspective image that commands more than a passing glance. In this segment, we'll cover how the direction of the light renders your subject. We'll cover the three common directions of light used in photography: front lighting, sidelighting, and back lighting. To illustrate, I'm going to use images of a crumpled piece of paper, recreating an illustration I used years ago to help me see lighting differences.Okay, I know a piece of paper sounds lame, but it's simplistic and just about anyone would have a sheet of paper handy. (Yes, you can try this experiment at home)

Front Lighting

Are you familiar with the well-worn adage that the designated picture-taker has to stand with his/her back to the sun, so the sun would come over their shoulders to brightly light those in the pictures? This is an acceptable rule of thumb to make sure all subjects in the photo are evenly lit, and this type of lighting is easiest for your camera to meter correctly. However, this is front lighting, which is two-dimensional and flat, providing little depth to the image. This is the same lighting that your on-camera flash produces. Our crumpled paper in the first illustration is front lit and it's pleasing enough. We can see its form, and the folds and creases.

Side Lighting

Side-lighting gives a three-dimensional effect to your subject, with the combination of light and shadow revealing more depth and texture. Our piece of paper has taken on a new look, revealing details that aren't present in the first illustration. Side-lighting at a 45-degree angle is the lighting of choice for most portraits. A 90-degree angle,commonly
referred to as "split" lighting is used for highly dramatic
portraits as the face appears to be evenly halved with light
and shadow.

Additionally, this is the lighting to show texture in fabric, or bring out the coarseness of a weathered fence post.

Caring for the Busy Caregiver - Part 2

Busy. That word is sometimes an understatement as it applies to one who spends a majority of their time caring for a loved one. You have acquired the "non-stop, auto pilot mode" and only a very small fraction of those gears in the control panel are devoted to you, the caregiver. Let me help you make a few minor, but much needed adjustments to the cock pit. Helping you fly at optimal performance speeds is the goal.  Activating some vital instruments on your flight panel is the objective!

This is part 2 of the 3 part series, Caring for the Busy Caregiver. If you haven't read, Caring for the Busy Caregiver - Part 1, you may want to read there first.  I will be sharing 15 helpful tips total, 5 in each segment.

Here is a quick refresher of the first 5 tips;

1). Make Sure the Lord is #1 on Your Daily “To Do” List!
2). Begin a Daily Journal
3). Get Adequate Rest
4). Eat Right & Don’t Skip Meals
5). Schedule in Some “FUN” Time

I hope that you've already taken some steps to incorporate these habits into your life. It takes at least 30 days to purge an old habit, and likewise, it will also take 30 days to begin a series of new habits. If you've made a start, keep going! You can do it!  Let me point out again that you have undertaken a huge responsibility. In all probability, it is the greatest and most important one of all, "caring for another in their time of need."

Through God's Eye's - Part Two

Last week I shared how one of my high-maintenance customers at the dry cleaner provided me a glimpse of compassion through God's eyes. This week I'm going to share different experience that gave me another glimpse of how God sees things. My dog Watson, who some of you may remember from an earlier post, is our star this week.

A couple of years ago my childhood family met for Christmas. We gathered at my mother's house. My sister and her husband, Don, drove in from Oklahoma and my brother Terry's family lived close by. My family arrived from Northern New Mexico and we all anticipated a wonderful holiday and mini-reunion.

The only tricky part was that my family had our three small terriers in tow and my sister's 85 pound Airedale, Margo, had accompanied her and Don from Oklahoma. Margo is a real sweetheart but she does not tolerate other dogs very well. During our visit we were careful to keep the dogs in separate rooms and on different rotations to the backyard. All went well, but, as will happen, we had a slip; Watson had not gotten completely out of a room before Margo was let in. Margo saw 15 pound Watson and hit him like a freight train.

It all happened so fast. Margo grabbed Watson by the neck and started tossing him around like a rag doll. Because of Don's quick reaction the attack was somewhat thwarted, but not until Watson had been slammed against the tile floor several times and his tooth knocked out. Once he was free, I scooped him up in my arms and ran with him to a back room where I cradled and comforted him.

Celebrating St. Valentine's Day

 

The stores are filled with hearts, chocolate, and roses in every shade of pink and red imaginable.  As a lover of pink, chocolate and roses, this just may be my favorite time of year to shop!  It's St. Valentines Day!  Yes, St. Valentine's Day--I know that sounds a little odd to your ears.  When I was a little girl, that's what we called it.  But in recent years, as all holidays are secularized and materialized more and more, St. Valentine's Day became Valentine's Day. 

Who was St. Valentine and why do we celebrate love on the day we've set aside to remember him?  Valentine was a priest who lived in Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius.  He was know for his kindness and selfless love.  He was arrested for his faith and imprisoned, but managed to send and receive letters from his friends and fellow Christians. Emperor Claudius tried to convert him to Roman paganism to spare his life, but Valentine shared the Gospel with the emperor instead.  Before he was martyred for his faith in Jesus, he healed the eyes of his jailer's blind daughter.  

In the Late Middle Ages, when courtly love and romance became the rage throughout Europe, St. Valentine's Day became associated with love and romance. Both romantic love and Christian martyrdom are things to celebrate.  St.  Valentine stands in the "great cloud of witnesses," in Hebrews 12, cheering us on!  St. Valentine's Day can be celebrated in either direction, or both directions.  We can celebrate the romantic love we share with our sweethearts or we can remember those who have given their lives for the Gospel of Christ.

If we are celebrating St. Valentine's Day with our sweetie, there are many options.  He, of course, can buy us a dozen long-stemmed roses and a big box of Godiva chocolate.  We can go out to a lovely dinner and gaze into each other's eyes.  But, of course, those things cost money.  So, what are some inexpensive ways to celebrate the romance you share with your husband?  Here are some things Mike and I have done:

• Pack china, crystal goblets, a tasty lunch, and sparkling grape juice.  Go on a picnic in a pretty spot.  Bring a beautiful comforter to sit on and be careful with the china and crystal!

• Buy a package of Valentines for children.  Write little notes to your husband on each one and hide them throughout the house.  Make most easy to find, but hide some so that they won't be found until later!

• Make a CD of romantic songs and dance outside on the patio in the moonlight.

• Make a scrapbook of your relationship from its conception until now.  Look at it together. 

• Tell your children how you met, how your husband proposed, and other fun stories.  Your children will love this!

What's HIS Love Language?

February is known as the "Love Month." If you are struggling for oneness in your marriage, Valentine's Day can be a day to dread. In the years I've participated in marriage ministry, there is one resource that constantly stands out as an aid to help couples regain footing and find oneness once again (or perhaps for the first time.)

Gary Chapman's "The Five Love Languages" continues to transform my marriage.  There are five languages that each spouse responds to.  You can typically discover your own love language by reading the summaries and recalling which language was a topic of argument.  If your conflicts sound something like, "You never...you hardly..." then your love language most likely is what completed that sentence.

As you read over the languages, focus not on your love language, but on your husband's.  This Valentine's Day and beyond, can you think of consistent ways to demonstrate his love language?  Can you apply these tools even if they are not noticed or returned?  I have a feeling, and it is my prayer that although this may happen in the beginning, he'll notice and you'll be surprised at the joy that comes into your marriage.  I'm rooting for you, but more than that, so is the Lord!

As always, you're invited to check out the group on Marriage: Striving for Oneness at Christian Women Take Root.  Feel free to start your own discussion or reply to an existing one!

What's His Love Language?

Words of Affirmation--Do his eyes light up when you say, "Good job?" Does he move mountains when you share how you believe in him?  If so, this is language.  The worst thing you could do whether this is his language or not is to imply or call him a failure or let him know you don't believe in him.  With this language, encouragement is key.  Test it by leaving him a note on his steering wheel.  Send him an e-card and don't forget to verbalize your love, too. 

90-Day Adventure In Love

Some of my readers are familiar with Dr. Gary Chapman, best-selling author of The Five Love Languages. Last week I had one of the best encounters with another of his books called The Love As A Way of Life. It had been sent to me as a book review and book blog tour. This whole week is about love books. But this particular one really got my attention for several reasons.

This particular book is a 90-day devotional that is, as he puts it, an adventure that makes love a daily habit. He takes several words and demonstrates how the same things we read in the Bible can have a profoundly different effect on each of us. Have you noticed how each of us has the capacity to love, but we demonstrate it in many different ways, and often depending upon whom we are sharing it with. So what are these words that can change our habits and life?

• Kindness
• Patience
• Forgiveness
• Courtesy
• Humility
• Generosity
• Honesty
• And the last chapter is about doing it all in Christ's strength through his Amazing Grace

Looking at the order in which these words are listed have a special significance also. Starting with simple kindness towards others, having to have the patience our transformation and so forth. But it was a bulls-eye noting that honesty was the end character development. Without all of the above we will not be honest with ourselves and certainly not with others.

Weekly Challenge: Take the 90-day adventure to change your love habits. It will open doors to relationships not only in marriage and/or with kids, but in your church, on your job, and in your community. Then tell others about the challenge, perhaps get a group together. What a great love fest to change the culture and attitude of a neighborhood or group. I'm going to be right there with you--I want to make a change in my habits to demonstrate the love of Christ in greater measure.

YOU make a difference! I can't wait to hear about your growth and experiences. So, come back and leave comments so we can all see the adventure results.

War Torn Lives Pt. 1

While my husband was serving in Iraq a sticker adorned my front screen door, just above the blue star flag. The clear sticker had an image of a heart, one half red, the other half in an Army camouflage pattern. Scrolled across the image were the words, 1/2 my Heart is in Iraq.

Half of my heart was gone, along with half my soul, half my pair, and half of the team. My family's life was torn in two while my husband was at war. War tears so many things in half.

In this column and the next I'm going to talk about the effects of war on Americans and the civilians in the countries we're fighting. I'm going to show you a side that the media doesn't always spend enough time on.

And I'm going to give you a good reason to see the war in Iraq differently than any way you've seen it before. I might climb on my soap box, but know it's not to beat you over the head with rhetoric. It's to show you just what the Iraqi people are like and how they see our occupation of their country. Remember, America is unique in its own way, don't take your mindset and compare it to others, or you'll have a hard time understanding.

First, let's explore the American side of this two front war. Right now a new president sits in the office, asking that our troops be removed from Iraq. For some it's too little, too late. For others its about time. Those families who have sacrificed their soldier's presence in their lives numerous times are ready to keep them home. Nothing strains relationships more than war and combat.