Parenting and Religion

There are so many things in life that can make us wonder how we will get through it all. So often, we need to talk to someone,speak what is on our minds, get some input into our situations, and maybe even find some wisdom in what another might offer us.
I have a suggestion that is not a new one, one that might actually be the answer to getting help every time we need it, getting the answers that sometimes seem to be difficult to find, and put our lives on the right track…
Take it to the Lord.
Before you say, ”now wait a minute, when I need to talk, I need to talk”, let me say this-
Only God knows all the answers, and you can find them by pouring your heart out to Him.
Only God has the words you need to satisfy your longing for comfort, truth, and peace, read His word.
Only God has a way of wrapping His arms around you, and making everything that you worry about fall away, when you pour your heart out to Him, and let Him be your comfort, that is how you receive His hug.
There is nothing like having the need meeter, meet all of your needs, all of your innermost longings, all of your desires.
Take it to the Lord, before you take it to your friends.
Take it to the Lord, before you take it to your counselor.
Take it to the Lord, before you take it to your doctor.
Whatever the need is, God is the answer, and he holds to key to giving you what you need.

Some may trust in horses, some may trust in chariots, but we will trust in the name of our God!
(Psalm 20:7)
or, in modern language:
Some may trust in wallstreet, some may trust in Government, but we will trust in the name of our Lord, Jesus.

Keeping the financial crisis in perspective of scripture can be challenging, especially when the media is totally faithless in their presentation of what to expect. With money invested in retirement plans, what should we, as Christians, expect?
Keeping our eyes on the Lord, and what His word says, we can expect to have everything be ok.
We can even expect more, with our faith out to see what He is going to do i these times.
My oldest daughter is married, and she asked me what I think about it all the other day. My first reaction was, anger.
Honestly, knowing that our small retirement 401K plan may be going down the drain, made me angry. But, the more I think about it, and the more I remind myself of all the ways we have seen the hand of God move in our lives, the more my faith has been out to see a miracle in the future.
With God, there is no losing everything. As long as we have Him, all of our needs are met. As long as we keep His will in the center of our lives, and our lives in the center of His will, we wil be alright. We will be provided for, in one way or another.
Economic Crisis? No.
Another way for God to show His provision to His children? Yes!

With the upcoming Presidential Election, there has been a lot of talk in our house about voting, and how to decide who would be the best to vote for. My husband and I are very strong in our beliefs about who we should vote for, but some of our relatives have expressed that there is no really good choice, so maybe they won’t vote at all. This is not the answer. I thought I would give some tips to help with knowing how to decide who to vote for, take them or leave them, it’s just my two cents.

1. Consider what topics mean the most to you as an American Citizen. Look at the position all the candidates have taken on those particular topics, and give the one who agrees with your stand a point.

2. Consider the record that each candidate holds for voting on concerns you might have. Examples of things to consider are Abortion, public services (such as welfare, medical coverage, and social security), Homosexual Marriage and rights, educational issues, taxes, and any other issues you might be concerned with.

3. Consider your belief system. Not that you will find one who agrees with everything you believe, but that you look for one who will stand for your right to believe, and your right to worship as you desire and believe is right.

4. Consider the things you see and hear them say. Is there steadfastness in their speech? Has it been proven that they do what they say they’ll do by their past history? Are they degrading or coming down on particular groups of people?

5. Pray about it! This is by far the most important thing to do when deciding who to vote for. Pray for wisdom, and for the guidance of the Lord when you cast your vote. And if your candidate doesn’t win, remember that God is still in control, and He is the one who holds your future; not the President of the USA.

A friend of mine recently told me that someone had asked her if she is political. She is married to a minister, expecting her fifth child, and homeschools like I do.
I thought it a funny question, after all, how can you not be political with the way our country is today?
We are seeing the predictions of 2 Timothy 2:1-5 come to pass:

1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them

. (NIV)
When anyone, politician or not, says they are a Christian (definition: follower of Christ), but in the next breath can say that they don’t believe that Christ is the only way to heaven, they are lying. Either they aren’t really Christian (follower of Christ, believing in Him for their salvation), or they are lying about believing there is one way to heaven….hmmm…..
Any way you look at it, they are not really a Christian.
Christians believe the Bible to be the Word of God, and that Jesus was the only begotten son of God, who died to make a way for us to the Father (and Heaven because that’s where the Father lives), and they confesss such with their mouth. According to Romans 10:9, that is the way to be saved.
If you are really a Christian, you will not be open minded to any other way of thinking, teaching, or religion. Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father.
Now, am I political?
How can I not be?
I am political, but I am first a Christian. We are told in the Bible to judge by the fruit we see in the lives of those who claim to believe in Christ (Matthew 7:15-20). If anyone says they are a Christian, yet denies that Jesus is who He said He is, they lie. He said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father (or heaven), but by me (John 14:6).
Isn’t it amazing how deceived people can be; the way imost of us are do willing to accept that someone is what they say they are, without looking at their fruit, or their example to back it up?
Let’s look closely at those who are running in this election, and if we see things that should serve to warn us, let’s look even closer.
Jesus is the only way to the Father. If you are really a Christian, you must agree.

I thought I would give all you latecomers (those who are chronically running late) a head’s up about tomorrow- “National Be Late for Something Day” (September 5th).
That is fitting for me about one third of the time. If I am going somewhere alone (which is rare), I am almost always on time. If Dan or the kids are going with me, we are late more often. I guess that goes to show that it isn’t all me.
Sunday mornings are the worst, and that is bad. Being late for church isn’t good, when you are the Pastor’s family. (Not that it’s good anyhow, but you know what I mean!)
Anyhow, I am going to try to celebrate tomorrow by being on time for something- rather than late.
Maybe that will be the beginning of a new thing, being on time more often….maybe more than two thirds of the time?
We’ll see.

With all the media focus on Sarah Palin, and her ‘problems’, I wanted to write about her from a little different slant.
Being a mom, always has the potential to present ‘problems’.
Any decision we (moms or parents in general) make is scrutinized by everyone who knows us, and now the whole world knows Sarah Palin.
I am sure that when my parents let me get married at 17, they were judged by many people; but that is part of being parents.
That decision was most likely the best one they ever made on my behalf. I am still married, and happily so, 28 years later. But the key to letting me get married was, they prayed.
They had peace, they knew it was right. But the conflict with others may have made them doubt their decision at times.
I can’t imagine what the Palin family might be going through with all the negative attention placed on them.
Here’s how I see it:
Sarah Palin has a baby, another in her place may have decided not to have that baby. She is blessed because of her stance that life matters, no matter what difficulties it may offer. She is blessed because children are the blessing of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is His reward (Psalm 127:3). That is not conditional, it is all inclusive.
Sarah Palin has a 17 year old daughter who is pregnant, and the media is trying to use that against her.
The fact is, every decision anyone makes, has consequences. Her daughter made the decision to have sex, and she is now pregnant. Children are still the blessing of the Lord, and the family still believes that, and are living examples of how Christians should react to an unexpected teen pregnancy.
I have seen a few examples that were the opposite. Parents insisting on an abortion, or even going so far as to throw the daughter out of the house- just because she was pregnant.
I wonder what kind of a party the media would have if they could throw something that is bad parenting, such as not supporting your almost adult daughter with an unexpected pregnancy, at Sarah Palin?
That option is out, so they are trying to bring her down with making what I consider good parenting, by pointing fingers at her and saying it’s her fault for the type of teaching she gave her daughter.
In reality, the Palin family is doing what the church should do.
They are embracing their daughter in the midst of what could be either a crisis or a blessing, depending on their response to her. They are helping turn it into a blessing, and the baby will be welcomed into a family that upholds the values they preach and believe.
Mistakes are made by all of us, but how we respond to them determines what they turn into.
Sarah Palin is a mom. She loves her husband and kids.
She will love her grandchild.
And she will make a wonderful VP for the USA.