OMG, You $*!#%!!!

Sorry for the title : )


Many Christians believe that the bible holds no guidance on using "bad words."

In fact, it's all over the bible!


I've always heard that cursing makes you look unintelligent... how true that is! Our culture has begun losing words and replacing them with the most debase and immoral form of communication known to man.



Just a funny video. I do not endorse replacing foul words with not-as-foul. The emotion is still there.

Let's start with Matthew 5:22 "... and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca (lit. vain fellow or empty head), shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool (moros, lit. stupid), shall be in danger of hell fire."

Bet you didn't think that was cursing, did you? I take this to mean that if we make light of someone, we're in danger of slander... but when we make a malicious, bitter, damning statement, we are in danger of hell ourselves. I do not believe that we can lose our salvation, but I do believe that if you can be so bitter towards your fellow man, there is a chance that you are not saved.

The ten commandments themselves tell us not to take the Lord's name in vain, and yet all over the country (world, even) people are joining pop culture in o.m.g. Did you really think it meant something else? I go to the store and hear Jesus Christ... but not because they're Christian. I hear little kids with their OH GAWD. And apparently now people can order God to damn things. I've gone a step further by trying not to say Oh My GOSH because it's so easy to slip and say God.


Cursing itself (using a profane word as an exclamation), in my humble opinion, gradually wears down the spirit of the person saying it (not to mention the testimony of said person). 


Foul language tears down, destroys, and desecrates the dignity of the person saying it and that of the person it is being used against. Over and over again, the bible refers to the tongue as the culprit... the flesh is our weakness! If you can see that as the truth, then realize that cursing (and the owner thereof) are motivated by SIN.


Bring on the proof!
If you need more than this, then you don't really believe that God governs your life... I do recall that there need be only two-three illustrations for it to be considered fact, yes?

Psalms 10:7 "His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity." (cursing is aligned with liars and cheats!)

Psalms 59:12 "For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak." (again aligned with lying)

Psalms 109:17 "As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him."


1 Peter 2:1 "Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and cries and all evil speakings."

Proverbs 15:4: "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness therein is a breach of the spirit."

Matthew 12:36-37: "I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." 

Luke 6:45 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh." (what's in YOUR heart?)

Romans 3:13-18 "¹³Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: ¹⁴Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: ¹⁵Their feet are swift to shed blood: ¹⁶Destruction and misery are in their ways: ¹⁷And the way of peace have they not known: ¹⁸There is no fear of God before their eyes." (look at the kinds of people God is comparing cursers to)

Romans 12:14 "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not."

Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

Colossians 3:8 “But now you must put away anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths."

2 Cor. 10:10 “For someone will say, "His letters are severe and forceful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.” 

Titus 2:6-8 "⁶Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. ⁷In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, ⁸Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you."

1 Peter 1:15 "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;"
 
1 Peter 3:10 "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:"

James 3:6 "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell."

  James 3:9-12 "⁹Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. ¹⁰Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. ¹¹Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? ¹²Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
There is a way to stop, if you don't know how!

One of the sweetest verses in the bible:

1 Corinthians 10:13 ¹³There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

This is not a step program, it's God's program. Lean on Him and you can do it 

Pray unceasingly

Hide these verses in your heart

Repent immediately when you fall

Praise God for milestones of success in quitting

Smothered Stew Meat

This started from a recipe I found on allrecipes but has been irrevocably changed since then... My husband says it reminds him of a Mexican dish but I haven't been able to find it (let me know if you know what it is!).


Smothered Stew Meat

1-2lb stew meat (the cut up chunks)
1 package dry onion soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup

1. Brown stew meat in skillet (should still be tender when you add in other ingredients).
2. Add in soups and mix in well. 
3. Heat to perfection.

Serve over rice and spoon lots of the sauce on.

Was that easy or what?

HSBA Swap and Breyers Win

So... I lost some pictures I took of all the awesome stuff I got from Nichole over at Butterscotch Sundae. And it was awesome. There was a cute little box full of CARAMEL (yeah, like that lasted long), a stapler, adorable colored staples, tons of flavored coffee (!), and some washable dry erase markers. Suh-weet. This was part of the homeschool swap over at the HSBA Post and it totally made my day.

UPDATE - I FOUND THE PICTURES! : )

Since I don't have pictures to post of my swap, here are some of the loot I got from Breyers for posting about their giveaway... enjoy... we are : )

The awesome insulated bag with a bottle opener on the side

The goods. That black cylinder is a rolled up picnic blanket backed in fleece.

 Yes, that's a coupon for FREE Breyers. As well as awesome Zak ice cream bowls with matching spoons, chocolate syrup, sprinkles, a seriously heavy scoop and a grow-in-the-bag mint.

Breyers is officially on my love list.

Menu Plan... Monday?

I was sick.

The baby was clingy.

The dog ate my menu plan... yep, I'm gonna go with that one.

Head on over to www.orgjunkie.com to see more great menu plans!

You may notice... the weather has changed. At least here in Virginia. You may also notice that I noticed. Just take a look at some of these great cool weather meals - stew, potato soup, soup and sandwiches, tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches... there's a reason fall is my favorite season!

Monday - spaghetti, salad, garlic bread

Tuesday - sweeper steak and roasted vegetables (will post recipes tomorrow)

Wednesday - pumpkin spice streusel muffins (from my new GMG friend Toni) I added the streusel... it's a bad habit, I know.

Thursday - ham & cheddar potato stacks (loosely based on this recipe),  salad

Friday - butter chicken, steamed rice and vegetables

Saturday - potato soup and french bread

Sunday - leftovers

Monday - fried round steak, mashed potatoes, vegetables

Image Credit

Tuesday - soup (canned) and sandwiches

Wednesday - english muffin egg baskets

Image Credit

Thursday - wings, baked potatoes, salad

Friday - tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches

Saturday - stew and breadsticks

Sunday - leftovers

The Harried Mother

That's me. The Harried Mother.

Don't get me wrong - we have our good days. Today was not one... I cleaned the family room twice today. The girls also cleaned it once. There are dishes in the sink. There are clothes in the washer and dryer that have no hope of seeing daylight today. There is flour on the counter. The toddler is not wearing clothing. There are generally toys littering every surface. I'm pretty sure that's a piece of brownie on the floor. *sigh*

I read in Debi Pearl's Created to be His Helpmeet that we need to prioritize. If the children are fed, healthy, schooled and dressed (not so much in this case) then you need to stop worrying about the house being clean and just let it go for today. If you don't, the kids will have an angry, worrying, clean off-the-rocker mama on their hands. I decided awhile ago that I can just give my frustration over to God and change my standards a little.

I'm not talking about doing this every day or letting everything go - usually I'm *mostly* organized. But if you know that you're going to have a melt-down if you try to do everything, just take a break. Call your husband before he gets home to warn him of the destruction that awaits. "Please, honey, just pretend like a tornado did not rip through our house."

Christian women are NOT perfect. Hence the reason for needing Christ. We shouldn't pretend to each other that we are - the ONLY solution I have for not going crazy at the end of the day is to lean on God. Little organizing things I do might help but ultimately, that is the only answer.

Turning to God is not easy when you don't do it all of the time. It took our roof falling in, our son AND daughter almost dying and a slew of small problems before I started saying a prayer with every breath and asking God for help with EVERYTHING. We need to trust in God's plan and accept when it doesn't line up with ours. 

After that, some dirty dishes just seem a little insignificant.

Do You Wear Your Underwear in Public?

Do you?

Why not?

Because it would be inappropriate? Because there are laws against public nudity? Because only your husband/wife should see you in your underwear? Because you don't want anyone to see your fat?

If you wouldn't wear your underwear in public... why would it be okay to wear a swimsuit to the beach?

I have, in fact, seen swimsuits that are MORE revealing than underwear... so why are people wearing them? 

Here's what God has to say about modesty: 1 Tim 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

Considering those instructions for women, is a swimsuit in ANY way modest?

I was saved for around a year before our pastor made a comment that got to me... he said "If you wouldn't wear something in church, why would you wear it elsewhere?" 

My first response was "But the BEACH is different" as I'm sure someone else is thinking right now. You wear the appropriate dress for a location, right?

So who says it has to be practically naked? 

Everyone's definition of modesty is different... to swim, I would wear a one-piece swimsuit (with no chest showing) and board shorts.

I just try (put some pots out to catch the sarcasm here) not to worry about my tan lines... And as for my three girls, they wear rashguard now - not "cute" little baby bikinis. They're going to have plenty of time to fight off the world trying to sexualize them... I think I'll give them a break for now.

I couldn't post of picture of the little girls in the bikinis... it just makes me sick. Go here if you're trying to convince yourself it's cute. It's not. It's exploitation and sexing up BABIES. The porn industry has enough business without our contribution. Trust me.

In addition to modesty, worry about the example you're setting for your children, the stumbling block you would be to other Christians and the testimony you're giving to the unsaved.

No, Virginia, There's Not a Santa Claus

See these?

 

image credit

They're important to us.

And my husband and I take them very seriously.

I think (in my very personal opinion) the one thing most Christians take for granted is lying. God says lying is just as bad as killing! (please don't send me angry comments for saying this) And one of those lies is something that continues to be perpetuated with every generation... telling our children the lie of Santa. 

image by Norman Rockwell

Not only would WE be sinning by telling a lie, but we would be teaching our CHILDREN to sin and we would be taking the focus of CHRISTmas away from CHRIST.

Why would we discipline our children for lying to us and then turn around and lie to them? It makes no sense, but Christian parents everywhere are doing it. 

YES - we want our children to have the "Spirit of Christmas"... but not through a lie. We want them to rejoice in knowing that at that time of year God sent Christ into the world and made a way for all of us to receive eternal life. Doesn't that sound a little more magnanimous than getting presents from an old, overweight man? 

If our children see a movie about Santa we take the time to explain to them (as many times as it takes) that he is a fictional character, just like other movies. That it is based on a real man but that he went to Heaven a long time ago. We give presents, but it is done to remember the gifts that were given to Christ.  

For those interested, here is the origin of "Saint Nick" from http://www.stnicholascenter.org:

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, December 6th (December 19 on the Julian Calendar).

There is also the story of the Christkind (or Kris Kringle) that comes from Martin Luther, which is celebrated in Eastern Europe.

I cannot help but look at both of these men - Bishop Nicholas and Martin Luther - and think that they would be gravely disappointed in us in knowing that their sacrifices and earthly works (meant to bring glory to God) are overshadowed  by Jolly Old Saint Nick.

So please join me in overcoming myth to celebrate Christ. Let's put our children on a road to recovery and teach them what we would have them live by.

Homeschool Resources

Just wanted to share some of the online resources I've used in case you haven't found these. There are tons of preschool craft sites out there but these are some of the awesome meat and potato ones...

Homeschool Freebie of the Day

1 + 1 + 1 = 1

Confessions of a Homeschooler

Homeschool Creations

Totally Tots

Delightful Learning
 
Along the Way

Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Mama Jenn

Other:

The Homeschool Village

The Homeschool Post

Heart of the Matter Online

Menu Plan Monday

No it's not Monday...

Yes I'm behind...

But the house is clean!



Head over to OrgJunkie to find tons of meal plans!

I'm still on a Pioneer Woman kick - Ree Drumond is my new BFF... I promise I'm not stalking her!

Monday - tacos

Tuesday - loaded baked potatoes & salad

Wednesday - potato, egg & cheese burritos

Thursday - marlboro man sandwiches 

Friday - colby-bacon chicken sandwiches

Saturday - easy crockpot chili & cornbread

Sunday - leftovers

Monday - quesadillas & spanish rice

Tuesday - sloppy joes & fries

Wednesday - cinnamon rolls

Thursday - homemade pizza

Friday - tostadas

Saturday - bbq chicken, steamed rice & corn

Sunday - leftovers

Breyers Sundae Scoop-Off Contest

  Breyers® is in search of the next great sundae with the Sundae Scoop-Off Contest and you have a chance to win!  

From now through September 13, 2010, the Sundae Scoop-Off Contest is challenging America to create original, family-friendly ice cream sundae recipes including 10 or fewer ingredients. View complete contest requirements and enter the recipes at www.breyers.com for a chance to win $10,000, a trip to Chicago featuring a private cooking lesson with renowned pasty Chef Gale Gand and one year of FREE Breyers® ice cream. The sundae recipe entries will be judged on taste, creativity, use of Breyers® ice cream and presentation. 

I'm posting this information in an opportunity to win free Breyers! 

Notebook Fun

Wanna score some brownie points with your kids? My daughters being homeschooled now are five and three (first grade and preschool) - so they can still be won over with simple things like this. Takes almost no time and you're Mommy of the Year!

In our homeschool, we are proud notebookers.

You too? High five. Down low. : )

To give my girls some ownership of their notebooks and to fun it up a little, I added some of their favorite Disney characters (or all of them in my 3 yr olds case) and their names in very girlie fashion.

It's really simple - just google search kid favorites like Tinkerbell or Princesses (or Buzz Lightyear in a boy's case), open it up in Photoshop (any other program would work too), make it an 8.5" x 11" with room for a name, add their name in a cute font (check out VERY cute fonts from Amanda here) and print. (I got these cute name effects by adding a stroke to them)

Now they show them off to everyone who comes to the house      : )  (the only bad part is that they get upset when anyone else touches them!)

Mommy Command Center

Binders work for some moms... not me. If I had a binder, not only would I never open it, but it would probably become a fine specimen of the dust types in our house.

If I'm going to follow any sort of schedule or keep track of anything, it has to be at eye-height and in a place I pass by often. Which is why I settled on the fridge.

I've regulated my to-do's to a calendar/meal-plan, daily schedule, cleaning schedule and grocery list (with boxes to mark off needs). Not as pretty as some of the boards out there but we're low on wall-space in the kitchen and this works for me.

Calendar/Meal Plan

I write up a meal plan every two weeks (with any calendar events as well) and add it as a new month's worksheet to an excel workbook I have going. To make it pretty (as all things should be) I copy the cells I want and "Paste Special" as a link into Powerpoint and add the background color and month. The Air Force ruined me spreadsheets... what can I say? : ) Any recipes that I haven't made before get printed out and tucked in behind it.

 Daily Schedule

 An hourly schedule of what my day "should" look like... when I actually follow it. When I get to facebooking, e-mailing or blogging too long my day goes something like this: "Why are you on the table in your swimsuit and boots???... Why are all of your little people in the bathtub??? Why are all of the cushions off of the couch with your bedspread being used as a tent??? And WHY are you eating dog food and/or flour???" Not every day... but enough to make me question my sanity. It's better or worse depending on whether or not paint is involved. : ) 

 Cleaning Schedule

I found this gorgeous picture online and made the schedule around it. And YES I have to say NO CLEANING on Saturday and Sunday... it just makes me feel better to see those two words together. 

Grocery List

This thing has been around for a few years now and works wonders for me. It prevents me from forgetting anything at the store which makes it worth it's weight in gold (what, 2 oz?). All of the sheets are in page protectors (and I keep meaning to put magnet strips on all of them) but this one is useful because I can check which items we need as I go. The spreadsheet I made for this was lost back in the Computer Crash of '09 and I haven't gotten around to making it again - hence the stains and handwritten items. Just squint your eyes when you look at it and it'll be perfect. : )