Unity Among Educational Camps

I have started and erased this blog so many times because of its subject. I cant seem to get a grip of exactly what I want to say. I have sent this video clip out to so many friends who were struggling with schooling decisions and just realized the other day I had never posted it on any social media. It speaks to the heart of what I would like to write.

We all make educational decisions for our sweet children. We love our kids. Education is important to us and we have personal, real reasons why we choose the education routes we choose. None, not even the one we choose, is perfect and right. Let us not defend them as if they are. Let us love one another with brotherly love and seek to show hospitality to all as we serve our families. Let us not put others on pedestals because they have chosen a specific route that the Lord has not set for your family to take. Let us be confident that, in Christ, the Lord has given you and your children all that they need for Life and Godliness, not placing our hope in any schooling system but in Christ alone. Let us strive to edify one another and be unified in our vision to love the Lord our God, love and serve our family and proclaim His goodness to the world.

Please watch this little clip and be encouraged::

Next Up: Proof Texting

Last week while shopping at Target, Titus just about wore me out begging for this Transformer's blanket he saw. It started with some sweet asking that led to some ideas about how I could buy it and he would do lots of chores to pay me back and that quickly spiraled to whining and complaining about not getting it and how it would "take FOREVER to make that much money." I asked him if he was "whining and complaining," and reminded him of the convos we have been having about the pride in his heart coming out as greed and greed was coming out in his whining and complaining. Well, needless to say, this time "the talk" didn't do much. He literally bugged me about that blanket until I finally told him he lost the privilege to talk. (this is the worst of the worst punishments to Titus)

After we checked out at Target and were out the door I told him he was allowed to speak if he wished. He didn't really say much. I put our things in the trunk and buckled the boys in. As I got in the front and started the car, Titus said, " Mom, you have disobeyed God." To which I replied with a sunken heart, "Oh no, I have? Please tell me what I've done." Titus said, "You have said harmful things." I began to feel awful because I had gotten so flustered in Target I was thinking he had picked up on my annoyed tones. Titus continued, "The scriptures say,'Do not say harmful things but say what people need,' and you said I could not have that transformer blanket." I quickly replied, holding back my laughter, "Well son, sometimes the thing we need most is to be told NO."

That kid! Who knew at age four we would need to have a lesson on proof texting! ha ha!
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I have probably already raved to you about the scripture memory CD's we use with the boys but just in case we haven't they are the Max Lucado "Hermie and Friends" cd's. Each CD is topical. We started with the Obedience one then the Fear one now we are on the one about being kind.

"Do not say harmful things but say what people need- words that will help others become stronger. That what you say will help those who listen to you." Eph. 4:29 NCV

BC Part One:
From A Chemical Decision to a Morality Issue.

As of lately, I have had so many people interested in talking to me about Birth Control and why our family chooses to do things the way we do. I have been wanting to write this series of blogs for a long while now, but have waited for the right timing...it tends to be such a sensitive subject. I love talking about this issue because of the incredible impact that it has made on our life and marriage, but I do realize it is not the easiest thing to discuss. It has taken us on a five year journey with the Lord that has lead us to a much deeper love and trust in Him.

I thought that the best way to start this series is to give our personal testimony on the issue and link some of our favorite articles and sermons on the issue. As you read, please know that this is what the Lord has done in our life...seek Him on the issue and He will resolve in your heart what is right for your family. I know it looks long, but please do endure.

OUR STORY

A couple months before Vernon and I got married, I went to my very first OBGYN appointment. At this, I got prescribed 'the pill' so as to regulate my cycle before our wedding day. This was totally not thought through or anything. I just went in because I thought that is "just what you do." For two months I had these episodes of crashing blood-sugar and light headedness. I would go through surges of emotions and just crash into sleep....it was crazy and completely not like me. The second month I went a week with no problems....and then it dawned on me that that was the week I was taking the placebo pill. So I noted that in my mind and continued taking the pill as directed. The next week it got so much worse that I was crashing HARD, virtually passing out...but conscience. One night this episode happened at my aunts house and Vernon came running into the room, I was crying in the midst of my semi-conscieness and somehow I muttered to him that I thought the Pill was causing this. Vernon decided that we should figure out another way of birth control and I agreed. This was only a month away from our wedding night, so this was not far out to be deciding on our future! What we walked through together that last month brought us so close to each other but even more importantly it built our Love and Trust in the Lord. We were faced with the Truth of His word and had to decide if we REALLY believed it. Did we really believe that God had numbered our days and therefore numbered our children's days? Did we believe that God would not give us more than we could handle? Did we believe that He was our ultimate satisfaction, not time with each other before children? Did I really believe that the Scripture calls children an reward/ blessing of the Lord? Did we believe that He was Sovereign over the affairs of man? Or were all of these truths and many more just ideologies we claimed when it made us feel better.
So at that point we concluded that God gave us wisdom and abilities to make decisions but ultimately it was His Sovereign hand that fashioned and formed our family. Now this did not mean just haphazardly going about our intimate life and not paying attention to the situation we were in financially or just assuming we were mature enough for children. It did mean however, that we relinquished control over the size and timing of our family. It meant we asked the Lord to reveal to us His good timing, in whatever way He liked.
So this issue for us started as a chemical issue and then made its way to a Trust issue and a Control issue.
After the Trust issue was resolved I began looking into alternative ways of contraceptive and what I found was astounding. I had no idea that birth control was in anyway a morality issue. I had not idea that OBGYNs are divided across the board on certain birth controls being abortive. Being extremely pro-life and in complete fear of facing the Lord and Him saying we had had a fertilized egg that was not able to implant in the womb because of a chemical I ingested, I immediately began to read anything and listen to anything I could get my hands on....I wanted to know both sides and what each side said in full. And basically my conclusion was to opt to side on the safe side and avoid any potentially abortive birth control methods.
Yes, we did get pregnant three months into our marriage, but it was not a surprise to us, we knew we were probably going to be. Many people who do not do "natural family planning" give it a hard time and tease about how many kids NFP people have. But to them I will say, we are just now pregnant after 3 1/2 years of an awesome intimate marriage...and we knew about this one too. So there are ways to control that are not potentially hazardous to you or your babies....but in the end, God has numbered the days of your sweet children, they are a reward from Him and He will give you the grace to carry them! amen.

The Links

My favorite sermon so far that i have heard on this topic is by Marc Driscoll and here is the link for that

http://www.marshillchurch.org/sermonseries/religionsaves/week_01.aspx

The first link is my over all favorite article but the rest are great as well:

http://www.epm.org/pdf/bcpill.pdf

http://epm.org/bcp.html

http://www.aaplog.org/decook.htm

http://www.aaplog.org/collition.htm

http://www.aaplog.org/responsetoacogethicscommittee385.htm

http://www.abort73.com/HTML/II-D-2-types.html

And the Assignment is....


In my last blog i told you to study up on John 15 because i was going to give you all an assignment....so here it is...

I am going to be speaking at a High School Camp (starting Tues morning) to the girls. We will have three sessions of one hour to cover John 15 and the idea of Abiding. For the last session I am wanting to read to them what you respond to me....so PLEASE RESPOND! (and soon if you can!)

1) I am wanting all the girls to leave knowing that it IS worth it to ABIDE and REMAIN in Christ. So in one paragraph or so, what would you say to encourage these girls that it is worth it to stick the course?

2) What are some very practical ways that you ABIDE in Christ daily?

Okay friends please do write. and all of you secret readers....WRITE TOO!

Wisdom

'Know that wisdom is such for your soul: if youfind it, therewill be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. ' Proverbs 24:14

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