Easter Story Cookies March 22, 2008

Oh, and here’s our Easter Story Cookie RecipeDLTK’s Bible Activities for Kids
Easter Story Cookies

My neighbor gave me this recipe, but I found it by searcing, too.

EASTER STORY COOKIES 

To be made the evening before Easter

	1cup whole pecans
	1tsp vinegar
	3 egg whites
	pinch salt
	1 cup sugar
	zipper baggie
	wooden spoon
	tape
	Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important, don’t wait till you’re half done with the recipe!)Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.  Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was Beaten by the Roman soldiers.  Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar.  Put 1tsp vinegar into mixing bowl.  Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink.  Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar.  Eggs represent life.  Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.  Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand.  Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.  Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.  Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing.  Add 1 cup sugar.

Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us.  He wants us to know and belong to Him.  Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.  Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.  Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts.  Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet.  Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.  Read Matthew 27:57-60.

 Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.  Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.  Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed.  Read Matthew 27:65-66.

GO TO BED!  Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight.  Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.  Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie.  Notice the cracked surface and take a bite.  The cookies are hollow!  On the first Easter, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.  Read Matthew 28:1-9.
 Copied from here

No Easter Bunny ‘Round hare… March 22, 2008

Nope.  Just like Santa, the big fluffy guy is seriously a distraction from the meaning of the holiday. Which is the death of Christ.  I don’t post a lot about my spiritual beliefs here, but I’m sure they are evident.   I believe Easter is the most important day of the year. The remembrance of the death of Christ is much more important than his birth, because his death is what gives us freedom. 

To find out where he came from, read this.  

 Easter Bunny

On Thursday night we had 3 couples over for dinner, prayer and communion.  The idea being that ‘The Last Supper’ (the Thursday before Easter) was Christ with his friends sharing a simple meal of wine and bread and then he didn’t eat again until he rose on Sunday.  So that was the last thing we ate.  I did have one cup of coffee with milk yesterday and I made some apple/orange juice this morning and had about 6 ounces. 
Ironically, I had to make 2 huge batches of muffins and a batch of chocolate overload cookies yesterday, all while not eating.  It wasn’t really that bad.  And today I have to make 2 cakes to take to dinner tomorrow, and we are making Easter Story Cookies with the kids.
I’ve always had a hard time fasting because I’m hypoglycemic.  It really hasn’t been a problem this time and I’m actually enjoying the experience of reading the bible and meditating at mealtimes instead of eating.  Part of me actually wants to start fasting on a more regular basis because it’s so calming.  Haven’t really felt hungry yet, but I may by tonight.

  We’ve read the stages from Palm Sunday to the cross to the kids and Selah keeps begging us to go ahead and read the end, even though she knows what happens. It’s precious.  We will read the resurrection tomorrow morning and have a ‘celebration’ over breakfast.   Tonight Travis and I will watch ‘The Passion of The Christ’ after the kids go to bed.  Tomorrow we will have lunch with my family and dinner with his. 

So, that’s our Easter process. What’s yours?

Do You Believe We Have The Right? March 8, 2008

Got this from a friend. If you believe we should have a right to homeschool, please go and sign!  You don’t have to WANT to homeschool to believe that we have the right!
———————

This is really outrageous. I feel for the homeschooling families in California. If you go to the HSLDA site http://www.hslda.org you can sign the petition to depublish the recent case in California. This is all explained on the HSLDA site – spouses can sign separately.

Dear Fellow Homeschooler,

Many of you have already heard about the recent ruling in CA requiring all home school families to have a state teaching certificate in order to continue homeschooling. This virtually outlaws homeschooling in that state. It could also set a precedent for other states to follow if we do not act. Dr. Dobson addressed this issue in his daily broadcast yesterday. I have enclosed the link so you may listen as he talks with several experts on the repercussions of this case.

There is something we can do about this! We can sign a petition put out by HSLDA to stop this decision from becoming law in CA. You will be helping your fellow homeschoolers in CA and eventually all homeschoolers in America. To sign the petition simply go to the HSLDA website. The link to the petition is currently on their home page.

Please stand together with us to fight this terrible offense. Feel free to forward this email to all of your home school friends to get the word out and take action.

Sincerely,

Audrey Britt
President, Home Front Educators

Of Mice and Media March 8, 2008

I distinctly remember a conversation that Travis and I had with another couple when we were preggers with our first, Selah.  Somehow we had gotten on the subject of children’s media and they were incredulous at our intention of keeping it bare bones in our house. 

Them: Well, aren’t you going to let them watch the Simpsons? (insert look of amazement)

US: Ummm.. Heck no.

Them: There’s nothing wrong with the Simpsons. It’s hilarious!  Our kids are gonna love the Simpsons! Don’t tell me your going to be one of those ‘Disney is Evil.’ families!  (I almost stepped aside to look in the mirror to be sure that I hadn’t actually grown two heads)

Us:  Well, the thing of it is…

Yes, the thing of it is… what is the thing of it.  Simpsons.  Yes, it’s funny.  Seriously clever and entertaining. But honestly?  Mom’s a wimp and off in lala land.  Dad’s a lazy bum that certainly isn’t the best example for his kids.  Bart, totally undisciplined and disrespectful.  Lisa, unchallenged and unvalidated.  Maggie…whatever.  Dude, go for it. Watch the Simpsons.  I’ll watch it now and then and laugh.  But I’m not going to let a 3 year old that is just learning how to be respectful and interact with others watch that.   It plants seeds that I don’t want and I have enough weeding and pruning to do on my sweet little guys.  I’m not up for adding that into my workload.  You go for it.  That discussion was about 5 1/2 years ago.  As far as I can see, the other couple’s kids are pretty great.  I’ve never asked if they actually let them watch the Simpsons.  It’s just not that big of a deal to me.  When they get older?  Maybe. Doubt it, but maybe.

Now Disney. That’s just downright evil from the pit of hell. Oh, I so crack myself up sometimes.  There was a huge ‘boycott Disney’ movement when I was growing up.  Maybe it’s still around?  Surprisingly enough my parents didn’t get too active in it. They’d already cut out so many things that they had Disney covered long before the boycott started.  I never say scooby doo until after I was married.  I still don’t think I’ve ever really seen the Smurfs.  My father still swears that smurf means ‘little demon’ in Swedish or something.  We seriously weren’t allowed to watch just about anything.  Except the Cosby Show, Little House on The Prairie, Mash, Night Rider and McGyver.  The last three because my father loved them and his short lived stance against the media for kids wasn’t as strong as his desire to watch HIS favorite shows.  No TiVo back then.

Ok, back to Disney. I don’t hate The Mouse, but I don’t let my kids watch Disney, I think.  I say I think because it’s more about individual movies.  These movies are made by some seriously talented people and I enjoy them.  But children see things so differently. They see a movie one timeand they’re consumed with the desire to BE the princess or the hero. They long for the romance that they don’t understand and aren’t ready for.  They see the villains and monsters and their little hearts haven’t yet learned to distinguish between reality and fantasy.  Think about Sleeping Beauty or The Little Mermaid.  The witches are terrifying! Not just because their witches and witches are eeeevvviillll.   They morph into these huge monsters with sounds and flashes and …terror!  It’s the picture that I don’t want to be putting into their little minds.  Their innocence is only intact as long as I protect it.  And at this point we prefer to limit their exposure to things that are a little more on the realistic side of fantasy. None of them seems scared by our oppressive parenting so far.

 But I’m also very big on giving our children choices. Because, whether we as parents like it or not, they always have a choice. And “because I said so” can be a slippery slope of uneducation that I don’t want my kids to slide down.  So, I spend a lot of time explaining their choices.

Last week Selah saw a copy of Sleeping Beauty and was just begging to see it.  The child was batting her eyelashes with a sweet little tilt to her head. She looked up at me with those big brown eyes…. “Please let me see it, Momma.”  So I sat down with her in my lap for a talk. 

Me: Why do you want to watch this movie, Love?

Selah: Because I want to watch the Princess and see the castle! It looks beautiful.

Me: She is beautiful, but this movie is a little bit scary. There is a mean witch in this movie that wants to kill Sleeping Beauty. She’s mean and hateful. She throws fire and turns into a dragon and destroys things especially trying to kill the prince that is coming to save the princess. It gets really loud and confusing with lots of fire and the big dragon. I’m worried that if you watch this you will have those pictures in your head and your heart, and they will make you afraid when you think of them. They will give you bad dreams in the night when you could have had good dreams without those pictures in your head.

Selah: Oh…. stares off with her brow creased in concern.

Me: Selah, Do you still want to watch the movie?

Selah: No thanks, Momma. I’m going to go play with my dollhouse. Maybe I can watch it when I’m 10. And off she gallops to sweet playtime adventure.

Now, had she said yes I would have talked to Travis and we may have sat down and watched it with her, asking her how it made her feel at intense intervals to see how she fared. I have no doubt that she would have asked to turn it off at some point.

So, the TV is hardly ever on around here, but I don’t go around saying the TV is sinful.  I do love that instead of begging for, well, I don’t know any shows really… my 5 and 3 year old will sit side by side for an hour at the dining room table doing puzzles.   They haven’t seen a lot of the popular movies and didn’t understand most of the costumes on Halloween that kids wore pertaining to their favorite characters.  My kiddos begged to dress up as Dorothy and The Tin Man because that’s what we were reading at the time.  See, they get some fantasy. But, I still wouldn’t let them watch the ‘Wizard of Oz’ for quite awhile.

I have found that the Pixar movies are generally pretty good.  See, I’m not totally off my rocker.  They don’t have the romantic themes and, while fantastic, they’re more realistic?  The kids were just allowed to watch Toy Story at a friend’s house.  My son immediately decided he is Buzz Lightyear.  I have to say that it confirmed my conviction a bit. If they are at a stage where they are going to take on the personalities of what they watch, I’d better get some good stuff into that DVD player for them to copy!

Anyway, I’m now rambling for no reason. I’m sure you get my point.  I’d love to see some suggestions for good movies for kids to grow on.  The current favorites are Charlotte’s Web, Mary Poppins, Sound of Music and Evan Almighty, followed by any Veggie Tales they can get their hands on.   Think about it for a second and post a comment letting me know what movies you want your kids to act like? 

Strep Throat Brings Beauty Full Circle January 19, 2008

Hmm…. my dear husband is a wise man. To think if he hadn’t insisted on my trip to the doctor, who would know that I had strep throat? I’ve never had it before and I will NEVER again look at someone who says “I had strep last week.’ and assume it’s no worse than a little cold.

And I’m convinced that there is a distinct purpose to my being sick and no coincidence that it’s something quite contagious. I won’t leave the house and I’ve stayed away from my own children. No martyr will risk someone else. I’m so predictable. God’s such a genius when it comes to handling us. Due to the diagnosis I obeyed the husband’s, ahem… I meant Doctor’s order to stay in my room. I chose to read ‘the book’ I’ve been avoiding, like I said, for 3 years. Almost to the day, I suppose.

Three years ago I had a tiny little three week old Jacob. Travis was doing anything he could to find extra work and odd jobs, since he had lost his job. I was in constant pain both from my unexpected c-section and the car accident that had injured my back to cause the need for said c-section. Our relationship with his family was strained and painful. We felt very alone, yet were daily working out completely relinquishing our control and trusting God. Such a hard time, but I would go back and change it for anything.
My mother gave me the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge in a stack of books since I had asked her for something to read. Twice I tried to get through the first chapter only to crumble in tears and agony, my heart unable to take on the challenge to even consider such a possibility. Me… captivating…
You see, my husband was in a bitter battle over addiction to pornography. (go ahead and click the link. You KNOW I didn’t put porn there!) The battle had been raging for years, but I had only known about it for a year at this point. I was so proud of him for his honesty, and the fact that he was stronger and winning! Yet, it was a bitter time in the struggle. And as much as I knew the truth that it had nothing to do with me, it wreaked havoc in the mirror and what I saw there. So, basically not a time that I really could imagine myself anything remotely resembling anything…captivating.
So there the book sat. I’ve let several people borrow it over the past 3 years, actually. I always tell them it’s a great book and it will change their lives. I knew that from others, so I wasn’t lying. I just couldn’t ever find the energy to allow it back into my heart. I had to survive.
Well, to be honest I have another friend I want to lend the book to. This woman is precious. But she’s broken and aching. She’s so special to me and I know that God wants her heart. He had mine, and he hadn’t complained much about the scars yet. I guess this time I felt like I should read the book before I give it out again. Which, to be honest, is why the book is still on the shelf when I meant to give it to her two months ago.
Finally under quarantine threats of idle hands, off the shelf it came. I mean, I was going to be miserable while sick, and I was acutely aware that I will be miserable wreck when I read this book. There goes Talitha. The unconventional multi-tasker takes on the two at once. ( and you thought I’d be knitting a sweater while I was sick) Why be miserable twice?
To be honest, I’m not going to write a full review. The book floored me. I cried in anguish, I reveled in peace. I ached in mourning. I sat in awe as it began to dawn on me. I blushed as I realized the truth. My heart raced as the truth set me free. My heart grew into something I’ve never known. No longer a cliche, the truth is about each of us.
I am beautiful, lovely to the core. I am cherished and precious. I’m a warrior, and a princess. My heart is of immeasurable value. No one has to tell me. I don’t have to prove it or fake it.

I just AM captivating.

I can’t imagine ever feeling the same again about myself. For the love of God, go! Get the book!

Who Was She, Really? This woman of Proverbs 31 October 14, 2007

So, I’ve been thinking about this lately. A friend told me that she went to a marriage enrichment class with her husband and they spent some time on Prov 31. She was singled out and asked “What stands out to you about her?” Her answer was that she was a business woman, and that she obviously had servants. To her dismay she was confronted after the class for being disruptive to what they were ‘trying to teach’. That the verses are about being a good wife and mother and THAT is what she should have seen out of these verses. She was told to go home and rethink her ‘career’ and how she parents her children.
So here’s my first problem. I’ve never found a good way to describe it until now, but Travis found a book that really makes it clear to me. The bottom line is that I think people have the whole Bible wrong. It’s treated as a recipe book or a magic formula that if we could just figure out the write combination we will be perfect Christians. If we keep analysing and marking our ‘good deeds’ on a list we’ll make the grade. I don’t think it works that way at all.
The Bible is a novel full of passion, pain, sacrifice, love, bondage and freedom. It was written to draw our hearts and make us fall in love with our Creator. Yes, there are obviously some clear Do’s and Don’ts. I’m currently mourning a precious friendship lost due to a stand I was forced to make based on God’s obvious will. But adhering to the rules should be a desire that comes as a SIDE EFFECT of the love affair of our soul with the one who Created it.
So having said that, I find the issue of the Proverbs 31 woman to be quite the opposite of other Biblical excerpts. Typically, I find that people will pick apart every word of every verse, tracing them back to the original Greek or Hebrew to unlock some mysterious intent. Not so with her. The description of Miss 31 begins in verse 10 and extends to the end of the chapter in verse 31. It’s long and detailed. But every teaching I’ve heard focuses on less than half of the proverb. The parts where her husband praises her, her children rise and call her blessed. Charm is deceptive, to be sure, but that’s just one verse out of twenty-two. These are the rewards and results of who she was. And who she was was more than these 22 verses tell us. That’s what I want to find. Her heart.
So in these verses it is quite clear that she was, in fact, a business woman with servants. I don’t intend to have servants. I wouldn’t want them. I think I would panic if someone wanted to fold my laundry. Wait, I think I HAVE before more than once when it was offered. Sigh… I’m quite the mess…. So she spends every minute doing something productive. She doesn’t wast her time, blah , blah…
OK, here is what I see. Miss 31 had a passion for life and everything in it. She was creative and loved beauty and found a way to express it in a way that would bless her family financially. She was wise, shrewd, bold, confident, creative in her art and in what she feeds her family ( I like that one). She was giving and had a heart for the poor and needy. She was passionate. Not many women back then had scarlet and purple clothing but she loved the beauty of color. She had no fear of the future but ‘laughed at the days to come’ as if to say bring it on! It talks about her husband being respected, but not necessarily because of her. I wonder if their marriage was so full of love that it was written all over their faces and their passion became an honor to him.
To be honest, I know that I can’t live up to a list like that. If that’s what was required, I wouldn’t even try. I don’t think it’s healthy to use it as a checklist to work off of. What I do see is that this is the most clearly described woman of the Bible. This nameless woman who seems able to do anything and conquer all odds. My question is how did she get there?
This is what I believe. God called David a man after his own heart. I see these verses as the praise of a woman that God was well pleased with as well, so I will compare the two.
David was a mess. He was a murder, and adulterer, a liar. He wrote just as many Psalms of Angst and pain as he did of praise and awe. He groveled in ashes and was told to stop and be happy. He danced unabashed and was told to keep still. He was full of passion, yet made painful mistakes. Every time he fell flat on his face before his Creator. He poured out his pain as guiltless as his joys, knowing that his God was big enough to handle it all. And that he wanted it all.
Provers 31 is an epilogue. It comes after everything is said and done. Often to tell what does/will happen in the future. If we were to write an epilogue for King David it would be full of all of his victories and Triumphs. It would praise and honor him with every word. But there was more to him that that, to be sure. He was desperately human and flawed. Yet he never ceased to humbled himself and above all he NEVER EVER hardened his heart.
Miss 31 was what happened after. She was the reward to a son who heeded his father’s word. That’s what the Proverbs are all about, teachings to a son. She is the prize. And I’m OK with that. I would be honored and I WANT to be a reward to my husband and children. But I know that she had a life between the lines of this epilogue. She was passionate, full of trials and passion. I know that she was desperately flawed like me, and she struggled. But I believe she held her heart open to her God at all times.

So in my journey, I plan to work diligently with my budget, to be honorable with my business, to bless my husband and to raise my children as well as I can in my imperfection. I’ll blog about my shopping. My findings. But I will be blatantly honest with my pain and struggles. As soon as something comes to mind I want to grab it and deal with it. That’s what this is really about. Because I know that the bottom line is that Miss Proverbs 31 had an amazing heart. I’m doing the best I can to find my Creator in all of my trials and joys because ny heart wants to be like hers

I DID NOT WRITE THIS October 10, 2007

Someone emailed it to me and it struck a cord so I thought I would share (and put it somewhere I know it can be found again to read in the future)

GEORGE CARLIN (His wife recently died…)
A wonderful Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spendmore, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much , and pray too seldom.  We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.  We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.  We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things but not better things.  We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait.  We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. 

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.  These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.  These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.   It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.   A time when technology can bring this letter to you,  and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.  Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.  Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.  Remember, to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.  Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak!   And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:  Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by themoments that take our breath away.