Orphan Sunday

This Sunday is Orphan Sunday. Actually, November is National Adoption Awareness Month. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and especially James 1:27, "religion, pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this, to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation --to keep himself unspotted from the world." (emphasis my own)

Something else that I heard that hit me was the fact that if only one person from every church in Ameria adopted our foster care system would be obsolete. Imagine that, if only we would listen to God and have a heart for those whom He commanded us to care for, there would be no children waiting for homes.

As Christians we are ALL called to help orphans and widows. Does that mean we are all called to adopt? No, I don't think so. But we can each do something, in our own way, no matter how small or big. So what can we do? The Orphan Awareness Foundation suggests some of the following:

-create "love packs" for children living in foster/kinship care, orphanages, or other insitutions

-write a letter to your state representative urging them to fund issuses involving orphaned children

-create/participate in a rally or demonstration promoting children's rights

-create/participate in a forum via internet concerning children's rights

These are just a few ideas. If you want the full list visit www.orphanawareness.org

It's so easy to get wrapped up in our own little world where we worry about ourselves, our loved ones, we brush off the needs of otheres and justify it by thinking that the need isn't all that great, or that someone else will pick up the slack. That's not how Jesus lived. When he saw a need He filled it. He has commanded us to do the same. I challenge you, I challenge myself, to look outside of my little world and start to live like Jesus did.

christians are like pumpkins

I am not a huge fan of halloween. I'm not anti halloween, nor do I think those that dare to participate in things like dressing up or trick or treating are bad, I just don't personally like it. I don't have a problem with kids dressing up and getting candy. I do however, have a problem with a lot of the costumes that are out there though.

When I was younger I used to love watching horror movies. The older I get the more that I find that those movies and those images leave an impression on my mind, one that I don't really care to have. It reminds me of Philipians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -think about such things."

I think about what I am going to do with my kids during halloween when I start a family. I will let them dress up, but nothing that is bloody or gory, shows to much skin, or is dark and evil. I will not have a half eaten zombie, a slutty kitty, or a demon. I don't know if I will let my kids go house to house (depends on the area) or if we will participate in activities through our church. I don't know a lot of how I will celebrate halloween with my children, but I do know what we will learn when we carve our pumpkins.

I had heard a little story about how christians are like pumpkins quite a while ago. I loved it so much that I bought a pumpkin and carved it with the Sunday school class that I was teaching at the time.

I gathered the class around and we looked at the pumpkin. It was dirty, and I told the kids that when I had bought it it was surrounded by a lot of other dirty pumpkins. We washed off the outside with a clean rag and then I asked the kids if it was clean. They said yes. I cut off the top and then showed them the inside of the pumpkin. I told them about how even though we could clean the outside, the inside was still very yucky.

As the kids helped me clean out the pumpkin guts we talked about how just like the inside of the pumpkin was yucky and gross, the sin that is inside of us is yucky too. We talked about how the pumpkin had lots of seeds. We talked about how we have seeds of anger, bitternes, jelousy, ect inside of us. As we scooped out the seeds we talked about how when we invite Jesus into our hearts, He comes inside of us and takes all that yucky stuff away.

Once the inside was cleaned out we carved a smiley face, and we talked about how Jesus gives us joy. Then, when we put the candle inside and lit it, we talked about how when others see us they can see the light of God shinning through us. I really liked that we could take something that was not supposed to be christian related and relate it back to God. I love that something as simple as a pumpkin can be used to relate such intricate truths.

WFMW: worksheets

Since I work at a school I am constantly trying to find good (free!) websites that have good worksheets for the beginning things like shapes, colors, numbers, ect. I found this website (www.kidzone.ws) and I really like it, there's stuff on there for older kids as well but I haven't looked at it yet.

I've printed off a lot of the pages on here, and it's basically the "curiculum" that I'm usuing right now. It works for me!

WFMW: cute candle holder showy offy things

So, I have no idea what to call these things, but they're super cute! I got the idea from Kimba, although she used hers as a center piece and I used mine just as decoration. (oh. my. gosh. She has some CUTE ideas!) When I first saw the pictures I wasn't that thrilled, but then when I scrolled down and saw the fall ideas I fell in love.

So, I took a trip down to the 99 cent store and bought some glasses and candles. I had to go to the grocery store for my lil squashes though. I love it! Isn't it cute!? It's a bit plain, but I like it. :)

Check out Kimba's for the original idea, and for more super cute ideas! http://asoftplacetoland-kimba.blogspot.com/2008/08/ridiculously-easy-centerpiece.html

Don't forget to check out Kristen's blog www.wearethatfamily.com for more works for me wednesday ideas!

WILMM: traditions

Why I love my man reason #5

I love the small things. The familiar things. The traditions that are unique to us.

love that when I am with my boyfriend I can predict what he will say in response to something that I say. I know what he likes and doesn't like. I can tell you that he is going to wrap his arms around me if he comes into the kitchen while I'm cooking, even before he ever enters the room. I love his tradition of walking me to my car and kissing me goodbye, and then as I do a u-turn and swing back around he steps into the middle of the street and I roll down my window and get one last sweet kiss goodbye. I love those things.

WFMW: playdough recipe

Working at a preschool and now a school with elementary kids playdough is a constant staple of the classroom. However, the reall stuff (you know, the stuff that smells so good the first time you open the can) is expensive.

This is a fabulous recipe that keeps for a long time and it's so easy to make!

Ingrediants:
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• ½ cup salt
• 2 teaspoons cream of tarter
• 1 cup water
• food coloring

Directions:
In a pan mix together all of the ingrediants. Stir constantly over medium heat until playdough starts to solidify and forms a ball. Remove from heat, mix together thoroughly and place in an airtight container.

For a fun twist, after it is done cooking, add a few drops of vanilla, lemon, peppermint, or almond extract. You can also mix in some cinnamon and punmpkin pie spice to make it smell yummy. Another favorite of kids is adding glitter. Enjoy!

WILMM: sweet talk

Why I love my man reason #4

The other day while I was at school I was in an elevator with some other people. Amongst the people were a couple (deduced by the fact that they were holding hands). I don't remember what the girl had said, but the guy turned to her, looked at her and said, "You're stupid."

When he said that I could feel myself sort of jump. I couldn't believe that he had said that. Whether or not the guy was joking I'm not sure, however, that's not the point. Even when words like that are said in jest, they can strike a chord and hurt the other person.

I was trying to figure out why it bothered me so much that he had said that, especially since I just couldn't get over it. Then it hit me. My boyfriend, in over the (nearly) two and a half years that I have dated him has never uttered anything demeaning. Ever.

This is not to say that when he is upset or frusterated with me he doesn't tell me. He does. But it is always in a very repectful manner. He may tell me that I'm being unreasonable (which, a lot of the times I probably am...but shhh! He doesn't need to know I admit to it!) or that what I'm doing or saying isn't logical (that's a favorite of his) but he has never demeaned my worth. He has never told me I'm stupid, dumb, selfish, or anything of the likes. I think that's why it took me by surprise, and bothered me so deeply, when I heard that couple in the elevator.

Makes me remember how good I really have it. :)

Gleaning

I have so far to come in my walk with Christ. So often my walk with Him is more of tag, He walking steadily, I drifting away or drawing close. A constant ebb and flow of being with Him, then drifting away, drifting closer, and yet again farther away. It makes my soul ache because this is not how it is supposed to be. He and I, walking side by side, Him, carrying me, me, allowing Him to carry, reaching for my Father when the journey is just to long, to hard, to difficult. That is how it should be.

Part of this walk is learning who am I supposed to be? Who is Elizabeth supposed to be as a friend, a sister, a daughter, a girlfriend? I learn a lot by gleaning from others.

Gleaning...it's such a beautiful thing when you think about it. You read a lot about gleaning in the book of Ruth when she and Naomi are both widows. They have lost everything but each other. Empty handed. Like me. Yet God knew that those times would come. When people become widows or orphans. When girls in their twenties need role models, encouregment. So He provided. And He still does.

In Ruth's case they needed food. God had commanded the Israelites, that when they harvested their wheat, to leave anything that had fallen on the ground there so that those in need could come and pick it up. Indeed, that is how Ruth met her future husband. When she was broken. When she was relying on God to provide for her through the use of gleaning.

And I? I glean from women who are older, wiser, farther along in their walk with God than I. A lot of my gleaning comes from reading blogs from women like, Ann (http://www.aholyexperience.com/), Kristen (http://www.wearethatfamily.com/), and Shannon (http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/). They open up their hearts and lives and then, after they push the "publish post" button, I glean. I read, and a pick up on things, and I learn and I grow. Often I laugh, sometimes I cry, but always I am touched by these real life women that live their lives for Jesus, their families, and others.

I am so grateful that I am blessed by this 21st century version of gleaning.

WFMW: Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

So today over at www.wearethatfamily.com there is a themed edition of works for me wednesday and the theme is cleaning. I decided to play along.

So, here it is. My tip:

Use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.

They really ARE like magic. You can get CRAYON off of desks or walls (can you tell I work at a school?), those really weird black marks that end up on the walls of your home and no one knows how they got there, cleaning the rubber soles of shoes, grime off of your shower door, and whatever else you'd want to use it on! I really like them. :) AND, it doesn't stink, all you have to do is get it wet!

What I learned in College

Today is a momentous day! I FINALLY finsihed building a corner bookcase for my room that I started, quite probably, over a year ago. It was one of those projects that you get really excited about, but don't get done fast enough so it sits in the garage half built until you're tired of having stacks of books in your room. My dad had been helping me build it but he and i were never home at the same time so finally I decided to finish it myself. It has it's flaws, but at this point, I'm just glad to get all my books off my bedroom floor!\

As I was sitting here looking at my bookcase I wondered what a stranger would think of me if they only looked at my books. They would definatly know that I was a christian, or at least interested in christianity due to my shelf of christian books. They would know that I enjoy a good series, becaus all of my books in a series are on one shelf too. Mostly they would see lots of novels that have to do with family or friendship of love stories.

As I continued to look I wondered if one book in particular would stand out to someone who was judging me by my books. That book is this:


This is not the type of book that I think any of my friends or family would think of if they thought of me. I was required to read Full Frontal Feminism in one of my history classes.

While I am all for equal voting rights and equal pay for women, for not having my husband chosen for me, for laws that protect me from being abused, and the freedom to wear clothing that reveals my ankles and face there were things in this book that troubled me deeply.

Being a christian my worldview is different than those who are not. I have a different moral standard and law that I abide (or at least, am supposed to, I don't do such a great job a lot of the times) by. A lot of this book challenged, and even made fun of, those ideals and values that I am rooted in.

These were some of the things that really bothered me.

1. Full Frontal Feminism tells me to have sex whenever I want, with whoever I want, however I want.

"So have sex with whoever you like, and as many people as you like, but I think we can all afford to be a bit discriminating. -Don't have sex with someone who won't use protection. -Don't have sex with someone who is anti-choice-they have no respect for your body or your ability to make decision for yourself. -Don't have sex with someone who doesn't respect your physical and emotional boundaries. -Don't have sex with Republicans. (Okay, that one is just mine. (pg 32)

The Bible tells me that sex is a sacred gift that should be saved for marriage.

Proverbs 5:18-19 – “May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer — may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.”

1 Corinthians 7:2-3 – “... each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.”

2. Full Frontal Feminsim tells us that abortion is a from of birth control. A woman is in charge of her own body and if she wants that "mass of tissue" gone it's her right to get rid of it.

"All that I can say is that I think there's nothing wrong with abortion, that the right to control our bodies is one of the most important there is, and that those who are seeking to end that right are concerned not about 'life,' but about control." (pg 93)

The Bible tells me that "that mass of tissue" is a human being, no matter how small, and is being lovingly knit together by my Creator.

“For YOU created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful I know that full well.” Psalm 139: 13-14

Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you;"

3. Full Frontal Feminism tells me that homosexuals should be allowed to get married and adopt.

"In one of the cruelest moves ever, the anti sex, anti gay crowd (they tend to go hand in hand) is trying to keep anyone who isn't straight or married from being parents.

The Bible tells me that homosexuality is a sin, and yes, while homosexuals are people in need of Jesus just as much as I am, their sin should not be accepted as the new status quo.

Lev. 18:22 "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination."

Romans 1:26-28 "For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper."

4. (Ok, so this one isn't anti christian, just a little to weird for me). "You may not like me for saying this...but engagement rings piss me the hell off. It's a friggen dowry! Now, I like me some jewelry. And I like gifts. But the only purpose of an engagement ring is to show that you 'belong' to someone, and that your man makes bank. ...While at the end of the day I'm not going to fault someone for wanting a ring, there are certain things (and maybe because they don't have to do with jewelry) I can't get over. Fro teh life of me, I will never understand why a woman today would change her last name. It makes no sense to me whatsoever. You want future kids to have the same last name as you and your hubby? Hyphenate, b****! Or do something, anything but change your last name. It's the ultimate buy-in sexist bulls***. It epitomizes the idea that you are not your own person. (pg 147)

Personally, Elizabeth speaking now, the idea of changing your last name, for me, is a not a sign of giving yourself up as a person but of joining yourself to the person that you are committing to for the rest of your life. That's just me.

5. Full Frontal Feminism tells me that if I don't want to have kids and choose never to have children that's fine. If I do want to be a mother that's fine too. Unless you want to be apart of the quiverfull movement. "The wackiest example I've seen of this idea lately is this movement of religious women who call themselves Quiverfull Mothers (like keeping your "quiver" full of babies-ick) and think that women should have as many kids as they can in order to build an army for god. And (naturally), they think that women should be submissive, and that 'woman's atemps to control their own bodies- the Lord's temple- are a seizure of divine power.'"

The book is not all bad, although I won't be sharing it with any young women, however here were the pros.

1) The book speaks strongly against porn and the damage that it does to those who watch it and then expect their sexual encounters to be like it. She emphasizes that porn is FAKE and that no woman should have to try to recreate that scene for thier partner. Hurrah for that! Porn is aweful, and it does ruin lives. However, sex should still only be for your spouse!!!

2) I do like how she talks about the fact that our culture emphasizes the wedding more than the commitment that is being made at the wedding. "A 2006 study showed that the average amount spent on U.S. weddings is almost $28,000. For a party. I'm sorry, but that'a down payment on a house...again, I'm all for a good party, but do we really have to spend this kind of money to prove to our friends and family how in love we are? ... Call me a hopeless romantic, but it seems to me that geting married should be about how much you love someone- not about how hot you look in a $5,000 dress. Just saying."

3) She sheds light on the way that our culture allows men to be the exact opposite, little boys. "Something new in American masculinity- at least in terms of pop culture- is the resurgence of boyhood as the cool standard. Like, back in the day, being a man meant taking care of your family and having a good job and all that. Now, at least if you look at commercials and television shows and the like, it seems that the ultimate way to be a man is to stay a boy." (pg 186)

4) She talks about how aweful the pressure that society on women to look perfect is, and, how unrealistic. "Whether we're puking or not eating or cutting ourselves (or letting doctors do it), young women are at the center of the beauty cult. ...When people talk about youg women having eating disorders or getting plastic surgery, they often assume that we don't know the consequences- health or otherwise. The sad truth is, young women do know. We just don't care." (pg 197)

I was a lone voice in my class. My teacher would ask us what we thought about the book and nobody else but myself said that they didn't agree with everything. I don't think that out of a class of 30 or so I was the only one that disagreed with parts of the book, but it saddens me to think that I was the only one that stood up for my beliefs.

So, after all of that. Why do I still have the book? My class was over with a long time ago. It's simple. I keep it to remember. When I worked with junior high girlsat my church I had to be aware of what they are being fed through television, at school, and through their teachers. I need to remember that I am in the world, but not of this world. I need to remember to pray for women like Jessica Valenti, who, while doing some good, is causing a lot of harm as well. If anything, reading this book did the exact opposite of what the author hoped for. This book anchored me even deeper in my relationship with Christ, opened my eyes up wide to the world that is out there, and made me resolve to stand up for the things that Valenti bashes, like saving sex for marriage, same sex marriage, and abortion.