Guerilla Apologetics

It is easier to talk to God about man

than it is to talk to man about God.

~Ray Comfort

We watched this DVD tonight from the Reclaiming the Culture series. It was so very convicting, I highly recommend it. We all need to be challenged and encouraged to share the Gospel. Life is too short to sit quietly by when we are commanded to share God's truth.

Call to Action

So now that we are disgusted about the Baby Borrowers what are you going to do about it?

It's not enough to spout off on a blog or to our friends, which I've done plenty of lately, but we need to take action.

Suggestions:

Pray, which is most important. Pray for a revival in this nation and that Christians will repent of their complacency and even worse, their bad attitude about children. Pray we would be bold enough to share God's truth, not only about salvation but about how we are to live.

Write a letter to your editor, I am doing that! Actually I am writing to both of our small, local papers and to the larger one in Birmingham.

Write the producers.

Comment on their website, I just did. I know I will be made fun of, called names and so on, but MAYBE someone, maybe even a teen will realize there IS another way to look at this issue.

Will any of this make a difference? I don't know, but at least I will have a clear conscience before the Lord.

Will you do anything?

I am Beyond Angry!!!

I try to keep things on this blog possitive and not rant when things get under my skin, but today is an exception! I am so disgusted and angry. Why does God continue to hold back His wrath on our country?

We watch very little TV, usually just the 9:00 news. A couple weeks ago I saw a commercial for a new reality show called the Baby Borrowers. Their slogan was, "It's Not TV, It's Birth Control." That alone ticked me off and I had the usual thought, 'People are crazy!'

Then yesterday I read what Spunky had to say:

Watch the video trailers. In Where's Happy Baby, one mother lays down the law and scolds the teen couple for their failure to parent properly at bedtime; telling the teen parents that the baby has bonded and they need to "suck it up and solve the need." Yet, the mother has just loaned her baby out who needs her comfort not some teen in training. Another mother intervenes when her baby has not been fed all day; she admonishes the teen that life's not about her any more it's about her baby. But that's not her baby and the teen knows it and so does the baby. Someone should be scolding the real parents of these babies, not the TV teens! After all life is not about them anymore. What life lesson are they teaching their own babies and toddlers?

The Baby Borrower's website tells how parents "donated" their baby for the "experiment".

Those that know me know that I am not an overly emotional person, but this literally makes me sick to my stomach! I am beyond angry. How in the world can parents hand over their child who is 100% dependent on them for something so STUPID? These children are given as gifts from God and to treat them as an object ENRAGES me.

Also, on the website it has a poll asking 'When are couples best prepared to become parents?" And of course it gives a list of ages. It has nothing to do with age, it has to do with maturity and MARRIAGE! Do you hear me yelling? Young couples can make wonderful parents if their world view is correct. Today's view of marriage and children is so out of kilter. Marriage is to be embraced, children are to be embraced, according to God's Word!!! God put us here to be fruitful and multiply, not engage in sex with whoever we want to. It is suppose to be one man for one woman, for one lifetime!

What is just as sad as people donating their precious babies for a STUPID TV show, is that this will encourage not only birth control (that usually causes early abortions, although Planned Parenthood and doctors won't tell you that because there is too money involved) , but it will add to the number of abortions. The show obviously will help teens see that a baby is not for them. What if their 'birth control' fails? Abortion is the quickest, least expensive way to kill their problem, their BABY!

Why not do a show on the consequences of pre-marital sex, or extra-marital sex; shattered marriages, STDs, lives of suffering, neglected children, emotional pain, families torn apart... Now wouldn't that make a good reality show? I doubt it because it would be TOO REAL!

I am so angry!!! On one had I say let's throw the TV out and not see anything, but on the other hand we need to know a little of what is happening to our culture. I know I need a slap in the face once in a while with something like this to get me angry, angry enough to stand up and fight to reclaim our culture.

May God have mercy on us.

Pineapples, Hospitality and Homemaking

Have you ever wondered why the pineapple is a common symbol in architecture, furniture, textiles and in food displays?

The pineapple originated centuries ago in South America. Christopher Columbus discovered the pineapple in Guadeloupe in 1493 and took it back to Europe with him.

American colonists began importing the pineapple from the Caribbean in the 17th century. The voyage from the Caribbean Islands to America was a long, slow one. It was great achievement for someone to be able to give a fresh, ripe pineapple to a guest. Some sea captains would put a pineapple outside their home after returning from a voyage as a sign of his safe return. The pineapple soon became a symbol of hospitality in early America.

In the 18th and 19th centuries pineapple symbols were widely used in furniture and household linens.

Today the pineapple is still used as a symbol that says, "WELCOME!"

A lot of old crochet patterns will have pineapples in them. A few weeks ago someone gave me a bag full of old doilies and this one was in it. You can't tell by the picture, but it is made with a very fine crochet thread. It is beautiful and delicate. Note the pineapples. Here I used a small juice glass with some fresh herbs and a flower to make this doily a focal point.

On the back of this rocker is one of the first doilies I made over 20 years ago. At the time I didn't know I was doing a pineapple pattern. :o)

We love the Anne of Green Gables movies. I like the part where Diana is boasting about getting married and how many doilies she has received so far, Anne pokes fun of her which leads to an argument. Although the feminist minded Anne is wrong for making fun of her we could learn a lesson here about preparations for setting up a household.

When attending bridal showers these days how often does the bride get something like a hand made doily or a quilt? Items that say welcome, warmth or comfort? Items that will last for many years and could even be passed down to the next generation?

Granted, everyone's taste is different; not everyone will love doilies or quilts, and that is OK. But I challenge you to really examine the decor of your home. When people walk into your home does it feel like a home? Are there touches of homemade grace? Do they feel welcome? Does your own family feel comfortable and relaxed? This is one of our most important priorities as we seek keep our homes to the glory of God!

You can crochet doilies too! They use the same stitches as used in yarn crochet. I love working with thread. Don't forget to check out our Learn How to Crochet DVD to get you started with yarn crochet and then you can just apply those same steps with using thread.

Roll Ups

These are great to make ahead of time and are always a crowd pleaser!
They can be made with a variety of ingredients.

Cream together:
A package of Cream Cheese
2-3 T Mayo
Ranch Dressing Mix (or a little dill)
1 T Horseradish Sauce (adds a nice kick!)
Onion, chopped
Ham, chopped
Black Olives, chopped
Cheddar Cheese, grated

Spread out on a flour tortilla.
(The special flavored/colored ones add a nice touch if your store carries them.)

Roll them up.

Cut in 1 inch sections.
I discard the end pieces to a scrap pile that my family gobbles up in no time!

These are best if they are chilled over night.
Perfect for receptions, teas, fellowships, picnics...anytime!

Peaceful Habitation

Isn't it amazing how you can clean and organize the house and before you know it it's cluttered and dirty. Being a Keeper of our home is one job we'll never retire from. And if we embrace God's design for our life we can find purpose, fulfillment and joy in making a home. Always easy? No. Always fun? No. Always appreciated? No. But easy, fun and appreciated are about US, and life isn't about us! It's about obeying God, embracing His will and serving those around us.

Isaiah 32:18 says that one day we will,

"abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings and in quiet resting places."

As women we can provide a small taste of this in our homes, for all those who enter. But we cannot have a peaceful and secure home if no one is home taking care of it. And after a long day of work, strife and activity who doesn't enjoy having a home, not just a house, but a HOME to come to and rest quietly?

This week there are no Domestic Day Camps or Carpentry Camps planned, which leaves me wide open to finish several projects and to give this house a good purging, striving to make our house a home, a quiet resting place, a taste of heaven on earth.

Times are a changin'

Gosh our family is changing so fast! It seems like yesterday I was taking care of four needy kiddos and now they are about grown and they need me so little. They are independent and self motivated, which is good, but I miss my little ones.

This morning we put Olivia on a plane to fly across the country (all by herself) to California.

She will be helping a family drive from there to S.C. (although she will be ending her leg of the journey here in Alabama). They have 4 little ones, a van and a U-Haul so she will help with the driving.

She commented, "Everyone knows it's your first flight when your family is acting like the poperotze!" as the camera flashes constantly!

Cherish every day because they'll be grown before you know it!

4-H Regionals

Monday we attended our 4-H Regional Conference. Emma competed in the Chef Food Demonstration and Olivia competed in Persuasive Speech. They both did a good job. Both of these categories involve public speaking; which is one thing I really want the girls to be able to do without feeling like they are going to faint. Being able to communicate well in public is so important. It comes a little easier for Olivia than it does for Emma. I make sure the girls take part in Chef and Public Speaking each year. The more they have to actually speak the more they should become somewhat confident with it. At least that's my plan. ;o)

Olivia won first, which was no surprise since none of the competition showed up. :o/ This is very frustrating for students who pour a lot of work into getting ready. She still gave her speech and was evaluated by three judges, so it was not a total waste. Unfortunately she will not be bale to compete at State level because she will be out of town. :o/Emma won 3rd with her Chef Demonstration of Curry Chicken Salad. She did a good job but her nerves got the best of her, but she improves each time she does it!

Others from our county competing at Regional: Hannah-Chef; Olivia, Emma, Jed- photography-he won 1st in junior division; and Johnny who won first in photography in the senior division.

Over all 4-H is a good program. It's sad more people don't use the program.

Our kids are third generation 4-Hers!

Domestic Day Camp- Quilting

This week I had the privilege of spending some time with this sweet family of girls. They learned how to String Quilt on paper.
Here they are with their almost finished quilt. It is made of Christmas fabrics. Do you see the smiles on their faces? They are like this all the time. :o) A pure joy to be with. When they would make a mistake they'd just laugh it off and try to fix it. They showed great perseverance this week. Way to go girls!!!

The next Domestic Day Camp class is about Bread Making!
For more details go here:

Domestic Day Camp

Frugal Flower Arranging

I'm not crazy about silk flowers but I like dried flowers. Here is a quick and EASY flower arrangement. Last week while we were at Michaels I checked out the dried flowers and found several that I liked on clearance, I spent under $3 for all these flowers.

I used a container and oasis I already had; glued them together.

I stuck the tall rosebud looking flowers on top and glued some Spanish moss to cover the oasis.
(Ignore the blue flowers in the background, they were actually live
flowers that were on the picnic table behind this!)

Then I stuck in some smaller pink baby's breath looking flowers (maybe it's heather?).

These white flowers were only 50 cents. They are glued on.

The finished product sitting on the piano.
Something tall, something different and summery looking!
I actually saw something similar in a Martha Stewart magazine,
although her's looked much better!

My Frugal Friday tip, check out the dried flowers section for the marked down flowers.

The Invisible Woman

The Winners are...

I've decided to giveaway TWO DVDs, due to the fact that I had it on both of my blogs. :o)

The winners are:

http://www.devildogfamily.blogspot.com/ who entered on Teaching Good Things

and

Taunya H from http://thehendersonhome.blogspot.com/ who entered here!

CONGRATULATIONS!

I wish I could give to everyone, but I can't.

For the rest of you,

I will offer the DVD which is regular priced at $21.97,

for a special price of $16.97,
(plus$3 shipping)
that is a $5.00 savings!

This special price is only good for today and tomorrow only, June 15-16, 2008.
You will have to email me so I can give you the discount.
kathy@teachinggoodthings.com

Handiwork is About Being Useful!

I understand the struggle for time to learn a new skill and then finding time to improve on it, but it really is important that we make this a part of our life, especially while our children are young, because us Moms know how much harder it is to learn once we have a husband, home, and children. I guess that is why I am so passionate about teaching these practical skills to young people. We must redeem the time!

Now that I am a little older ;o) and I know how to crochet for example, I can do it to relax, it's not a strain on my brain, it's more like a second nature. My family will tell you I never sit down to watch a movie with them unless I have something in my hands to work on. I find so much satisfaction in creating something. When I give something I have made to someone and they love it, to me that is worth more than what money can buy!

Leaning handiwork is just as important as any academic subject.

Dana left this comment yesterday in response to Rebekah's comment. This just goes to prove that handiwork is NOT about busyness, but about purpose and productivity.

On a related note, my grandmother is in an assisted living facility. She never learned to do much with her hands, except cook. When she was first admitted, she was depressed and complained ALL THE TIME! Then they started letting her roll the flatware in the napkins before meals. Suddenly, she had a purpose, something to look forward to that she could still do. Now she's' much happier, joins in with other activities and LOVES making things with her hands! She's always sporting a new necklace she's made, or showing off something they've all crafted together.

I remember about 15 years ago Grandma saying she wished she'd learned to make something useful when she was younger so she could pass the skills and hand down items to my generation. She regretted that she never learned to do any handiwork.

May we all be willing to use our skills to bless others and to experience the blessings of being productive!

Amazing Handiwork Inspiration

Rebeka posted this comment on our Teaching Good Things Blog, I just had to share it!!! We never how God will use our skills, even if we have only one hand.

Be encouraged:

Handiwork really impressed me in its importance when I was working as a nurse in a retirement home during my college years. There are many elderly people who think they are no longer of any use to anyone. When they were younger they could accomplish so much, and they measured their value as a person by the amount they produced in a day. Then they had a stroke, or fell and broke their hip, or a heart attack, or just became more feeble as they aged. Suddenly they couldn’t do so much,others had to help them do even the smallest tasks such as combing their hair or buttoning their shirt. Many of these precious people who had so much to offer in the way of wisdom or wise counsel felt they were a waste of others’ time and not worth it. They had never learned that God loves us not for what we do, but because of what and who we are - His creation. I saw my place as one of encouraging them, but this wasn’t easy day after day. Then one day a man arrived who was a Vietnam vet. He was very young compared to all the other residents. He had one good hand and a stub on the other side, and was confined to a wheelchair because his legs ended at mid thigh on both sides. The first day he was there he asked me to unpack a suitcase for him, and set up his hook set. Then, in the common area he sat there for hours doing this latch and hook thing. He made about two projects per week, and was always talking about who he would give this one to, or send this to, or what it would be useful for. He was the brightest, happiest person who lived in the place. At first his enthusiasm irritated the others, but three months later, nearly every other resident in his hallway began to learn the same skill. They soon founded a club. Then, friends and relatives started to take their projects and sell them and give the proceeds to charity. Those who were paralized on one side from stroke found they could still do many things with their good side to help. I made it my goal to find a point of interest for every one of those residents. As more and more became industrious in working with their hands the morale increased and the whole air of the place changed dramatically. One man who didn’t have use of his upper body began to paint with his feet. Those who were not able to use any limbs found joy in the accomplishments of others, would offer suggestions, or would just bask in the comradarie of it all. Anyway, when I left that facility to return to my home town it was an upbeat place. Recently I visited that place while on vacation. It was a new group of people. All of them just sat around feeling sorry that they were alive. It was a pitifully dreary place. I wished I could stay and help them find something to do with their hands. I whole heartedly recommend handiwork in some genre and thank God for giving us His example, saying that His handiwork was ‘very good.’ Thanks for the reminder!

DVD Giveaway!

I will be giving away a FREE DVD this weekend!
Giveaway ends at midnight Saturday!
Winner will be announced Sunday morning.

Just leave me a comment and I'll put your name in the hat. When leaving a comment I'd love to know what you find most challenging about learning handiwork. Be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you if you win.

Leave a comment AND post this giveaway on your blog or website, linking back to this post and I'll put your name in TWICE!

If you already know how to crochet this would be great as birthday or Christmas gift!

You can read more about the DVD HERE!

Read my recent article about The Importance of Handiwork.

There are a lot of GREAT comments over on our website!

The Importance of Handiwork

We were made in God's image. He created us to glorify Him and one why we do that is by creating with our hands. Creating things with our hands can range from skyscrapers to a pair of crocheted booties. The extravagance of the creation is not what is most important, but the fact that we are being productive. This keeps us from being idle which Scripture warns so strongly against.

When your hands are busy, so is your mind. We've all heard the saying, "Idle hands are the Devil's workshop." There is a lot of truth there! But it's not just about busyness, it's about needing to be busy with a purpose.

We need to be busy equipping our children (and ourselves) with tools to help develop their character and abilities. Learning any type of handiwork or skill takes determination, self discipline, patience, attentiveness, and perseverance just to name a few. It's not so much about making a quilt or baking a cake, but do you have the character to see it through and do your best? Do you have the skills to do it correctly? That is how handiwork can build virtue in us and our children.

Let's look at a few verses in Proverbs 31 about handiwork. After all, she is the ideal wife:

11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

Does your husband trust you to be a good steward with the finances and possessions? Are you wasting time and money? Are there gifts you could be working on throughout the year to save money at Christmas and birthdays? Are there more frugal options in your meal planning and preparations? Are there things you could learn to help your home run more efficiently? Are there activities that you could eliminate to free up time to do more important things? This list could go on and on. :o)

Although I do not work a job outside our home, there are dozens of ways I help save money and make money from home. My husband trust me. He knows that I take my job as his wife seriously.

13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

In today's culture we may not need to go out and sheer the sheep or weave our own fabrics, but we are to be busy with our hands. The key word in this verse is "willingly". The Virtuous Woman has a willing attitude, not one of drudgery or resentment. I love this verse. It clearly states that we are to be creative; we take something in its simplest form (using wool and flax for example) and we willingly, eagerly, work with it to produce something useful and hopefully beautiful!

18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

As I said earlier, it's not just about being busy, but about creating something "good". In order to create something good it takes determination, self discipline, patience, attentiveness, and perseverance.

24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

Again, she is creating with her hands and selling her goods. There are countless items you can make to sell. Note that she is not the merchant, but she is selling to the merchant.

27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Striving to be a Proverbs 31 Women and keepers of our homes (Titus 2) we have to put a lot of time, energy and love into caring for our families and keeping our homes. It takes a lot of planning and hard work. To do our job in a fashion that pleases the Lord there is no time for idleness. Let us be careful to instill this in our children while they are young, but even more so while they are teenagers. Limit their time of entertainment and folly. Give them resources to inspire them, but most of all parents need to leed by example.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Build a good reputation in the gates (publicly) of being a woman of virtue. Do not be guilty of being a busybody or a woman of vanity. Be a woman that does not waste her life chasing the wind or being idle. Look after your family, keep your home, and reach out to the needy; this brings glory to God, because you are obeying His ways.

For resources to help you learn to do some handiwork visit our website Teaching Good Things.

Herbs SO EASY!

Growing herbs is one of the easiest things to do. They are pretty tough plants and don't take alot of care. Not only are they easy to grow and you can add flavor to your cooking, but you can decorate with them, not to mention they smell so pleasant.

Putting herbs in a small vase, Mason jar, juice glass, creamers, etc... (use your imagination) with a little water and they make for a nice centerpiece no matter what the occasion. The one pictured above (mint and rosemary) has been on my table for a week and they are still fresh looking!

The flower in this one is oregano and it has some mint stuck in.

Here is a big flower pot on our porch. Even if the flowers die off this summer in the Alabama heat and lack of watering, this thyme will still look good flowing out of the pot.

My daughter Olivia has authored an easy to understand e-book to get your started with growing and using culinary herbs, which you can also decorate frugally with!

For more frugal tips hop on over to Biblical Womanhood.

I am so sick of NOT hearing about the issues.

A typical vice of American politics is the avoidance of saying anything real on real issues.
~Theodore Roosevelt

How much more relevant this quote is today, than it was 100 years ago!


I am so sick of NOT hearing about the issues. Tuesday night, late on ABC News (not sure why that station was on) and they did a whole segment about how great it is that Obama will be the candidate, not because of what he stands for, but because he is black.

GIVE ME A BREAK!

So many women want a WOMAN in office, so they back Clinton because she is a woman!!!

THINK PEOPLE!

So many black Americans want a black president they back Obama just because he is black!!!

Does it matter where they stand on issues?

I am disgusted with McCain, not because he is a man, or that he is white, but because of where he stands on the issues!

Where are the candidates with integrity? Where are the candidates that are true Americans?

"Peace is not the end. Righteousness is the end."..."If I must choose between righteousness and peace I choose righteousness."
Another great quote from a real American Hero, Statesman T. Roosevelt

Destroyed for Lack of Knowledge

This week began our Domestic Day Camps. What a joy to be in a room full of mothers and daughters that are seeking to be Godly women twice this week!

While preparing my lessons I thought of the verse below that we are all familiar with and how it is applied to so many situations. The part that we hear so often in the first part:
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:" Then I read the rest of the verse and it really shook me up.

Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:
because thou hast rejected knowledge,
I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me:
seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God,
I will also forget thy children. (KJV)

If you look at the KJV (which should always be the standard when studying) it says if we reject God's laws, He will reject us and our children.

Now, I understand that we live under grace, but that does not excuse a heart of disobedience. Yes, we will fail, we will sin, and that is covered under the blood of Christ, for there is no condemnation for those that are in Him, BUT to have a heart of *rejecting* God's law is a totally different issue. We are not free to obey only the parts we like.

John 14:15
"If you love me, you will obey what I command.

May we SEEK knowledge, SEEK understanding, SEEK grace to obey, SEEK strength to stand firm and not give into temptation. May God never forget us or our children. We need to study, to keep learning so we will not be ignorant of God's Truth!

Hosea 4:6
You priests have rejected me,
and my people are destroyed by refusing to obey.
Now I'll reject you and forget your children,
because you have forgotten my Law. (ESV)

Vote Tomorrow!

If you are in Alabama, vote for Matt Chancey tomorrow!

A Houseful of Children

For unflagging interest and enjoyment, a household of children, if things go reasonably well, certainly all other forms of success and achievement lose their importance by comparison. ~Theodore Roosevelt