Blessed Beyond Belief

Maddie's Book Review : When People are Big & God is Small by Ed Welch

2010-09-20T10:38:00.000-07:00

When people are big and God is small

by Edward T. Welch

Book Review by Madelyn Petta age 11

Was the book helpful to me?

Yes. Very muchly.

If yes, then why?

------------------------
because it told me how to overcome the fear of man, which is to look at how great and awesome god is and how tiny, helpless and putrid man is. Then you examine the ‘scary’ qualities of god, which makes you push people out of your mind. You also need to examine your fear of man closely and pick out exactly what you want from people. Look at this desire. Most likely it is not a biblical desire but a false selfish lust. People are not love tank fillers.

What I learned

. most of our felt needs are only selfish lusts
. we need Jesus to replace our ‘People love cups’ with ‘Jesus love cups.
. If God is the God who made the whole universe, the whole earth, all the never ending galaxies, planets and stars, if God is the God who made you and I, then why do we fear helpless people and not Him?

Applications (not the ipod kind)

. in my life I need to understand why I get embarrassed of things

. I need to ask God to shatter my pepole love cup

. I need to grow in the fear of the LORD

Get Rid of Rough Heels: Thrifty Mom Style

2010-09-06T12:48:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about rough heels lately. You may be thinking that that is a pretty strange thing to be thinking about, and you'd probably be right, but let me tell you my rough heels story. I used to have the roughest heels in town. My heels were peeling, cracked and painful all the time but especially in summer. They got so bad in the summer time that the cracks would go down deep into my raw flesh and they would burn. I could hardly walk because it was so painful. I would have to crazy glue them closed and wear socks and tennis shoes in the summer. BLEH!
Then one day I discovered this product: Artemis Woman Heel Smoother . For about 35.00 I was the proud owner of a tool that really helped my poor heels. I had to buy replacement head and it ran on batteries so it was pretty costly for a budgeting Mama like me. But it worked. I had no more cracks. My heels didn't get caught on nylons and silky things. They were....... normal again. But, after I was using it for a while I thought to myself, hey I could do this with products from the hardware store for a fraction of the cost. Wanna know how? Read on:

Supplies:
Your Husbands Drill (or if you are super cool, your OWN drill)
Cheap Sanding Heads from the local dollar store ( I paid 1.99)

How it's Done Pay close attention here, this is difficult:

Insert sanding head into drill
Apply to dry cracked heels
Watch dry skin flakes fly into the air
Smile and be happy, you are on your way to Happy Heels
Apply lotion
Repeat process weekly until your cracked heels are a thing of the past.

BEFORE: This is just a "today" before.

DURING

After about 3 minutes of sanding

This post is dedicated to my rough heeled friend: ML : ) BTW, ML, I would be happy to do it for you. Stop on by for free heel therapy and a pedicure!

99 Cent Store Find of the Day

2010-05-31T20:54:00.000-07:00

First I bought one and thought, "okay, I'll give it a try after all it's only 99 cents!"

After using it and producing deliciously clean and streak free windows and mirrors, I went back and bought 6 more! No more paper towels for me. These babies are reusable and work like a charm.

Homemade LAundry Soap Tutorial

2010-05-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

Recipe:
3 Pints Water
1/3 bar (1/2 C) grated Laundry Soap Bar
1/2 C Washing Soda
1/2 C Borax
Hot Water to 2 gallons

Supplies Needed:
Pot
Spoon for Stirring
2 Gallon Bucket
Empty Laundry Soap Containers
Funnel

Directions:
Mix Grated Soap in a pot with 3 Pints of water. Heat on low until the soap is dissolved. Turn heat off and add the Washing Soda and Borax. Stir to mix well. Pour into 2 gallon bucket and add water to fill. Mix well and let the mixture sit for 24 hours. It will be gloppy and will thicken. Use 1/2 c of soap per load.

Fels Naptha is difficult to find in a store. I had to order mine online. Other suitable Laundry Bar Soap can be found at the 99 cent Store or at Vallarta.

Ideally a food processor that is designated just for soap making would be best, I grated my soap by hand, YIKES!

Dissolve the Grated Bar soap over low heat

Washing Soda is not to be mistaken for Baking Soda. Two different things. You can purchase it online of buy it under the name of Soda Ash at a Pool supply store.

Turn off heat and add Borax and Washing Soda

The finished product

If you don't have a 2 gallon bucket, you can add water and mark the line on a utility bucket.

Homemade All Purpose Spray AKA Fantastic, 409, Etc

2010-05-02T21:09:00.001-07:00

Okay here is my first attempt at blogging some of my homemade cleaning supply recipes.

You will need:

1 T Liquid Dish Soap (Not dishwasher soap)

1 T Murphys Oil Soap

1 T Ammonia

2 T Vinegar

1 t borax

Peppermint oil (Optional)

Food coloring (Also Optional)

Warm water

Clean, empty 1 gallon milk carton for mixing
Empty spray bottles

Funnel

(Caution never mix ammonia and bleach, it can kill you!)

NOTES: While the list of ingredients seems a bit long, once you have these items you will be able to make this spray for years and years to come at pennies a bottle. I used to have to buy Borax through the mail, until I found it at Smart and Final YAY!

Steps:

Add first 5 ingredients to bottle. I love adding Peppermint Oil because I love that minty smell when I am cleaning. I also add a few drops of food coloring so that no one mistakes my concoction for water. After all ingredients are added, fill the milk carton to the top with warm water and shake. Pour into spray bottle. Whala!

I am an estimator. I never actually measure!

So does it Work?!?!?! Yes, here is a spot on my fridge before......

And After: All clean, shiny and Happy!

Break the Cycle

2010-03-20T06:22:00.000-07:00

Unrepentent Cycle of Sin
Husband imperfectly acts or speaks >>>>>>Wife judges, criticizes husbands behavior >>>>>Wife develops emotions of disgust, dislike >>>>>Wife begins to characterize husband as unworthy of respect >>>>> Wife speaks and acts disrespectfully toward husband >>>>>Wife is miserable, dissatisfied & unhappy>>>>Return to beginning of cycle with increased severity
**Continual unrepentance may end in a miserable or broken marriage

God Honoring Behavior
Husband imperfectly acts or speaks >>>>>Wife extends forgiveness & grace because she remembers that she too needs & wants forgiveness & grace >>>>Wife develops emotions of humility & compassion >>>>Respectful words & behavior flow from humility of heart
Husband imperfectly acts or speaks >>>>>Wife remembers that respect is offered out of love for God and is not earned by husband’s behavior>>>>>> Wife refuses to dwell on husbands sin & error (2 Cor 10:5), she instead chooses to dwell on the good in her husband (Phil 4:8)>>>>>Wife prayerfully develops feelings of love & respect>>>>Wife speaks & acts respectfully toward husband in obedience to God>>>Wife is happy and joyful dispite her circumstances

Repentance: Breaking the cycle
Repentance can occur at any place in the cycle of sin and the wife at any time can choose to behave in a respectful manner while begging God to change her heart. Continual repentance will lead to a wife’s happiness, even if her husband never changes. As God enables her, & she continues in God honoring behavior, respect for her husband will increase and become heartfelt & habitual. Repentance does not always fall in our lap. Often times it must be sought after.

Some steps to help bring on repentance:

Beg the Lord to grant you repentance. It is a gift of God (Acts 5:31 11:18, 2 Tim 2:25)

Do not let a day go by without being in the word (even if you have 14 kids)

Read the account of the crucifixtion then 1 Peter chapter 3

Call a godly friend or relative and ask her to give you a godly perspective.

Extreme Parenting

2010-03-04T11:30:00.000-08:00

Some people would call my parenting extreme. I would agree. Recently I took extreme measures with a lovely adorable little lady living under my roof. You see it seems this little one is suffering from an extreme case of discontentment, pickiness and ingratitude. She has been of late very picky about foods, very particular about her clothing, her family, her family’s financial means etc.
“I don’t like that.” She cries as I place a plate of nutritious fresh food before her “Do I have to wear that?” As I pull a blue floral dress out of her closet.
“Is there mushrooms in this?” “No”, I say “Yes there is! What is that brown thing?!?” She cries in sheer horror as if it were a live spider or someone’s missing finger on her plate. “Why can’t we go on trips like McKenna, she has gone to Hawaii, her grandma’s house, to Texas. We never go anywhere.”
Lately it has been a daily battle with getting dressed in the morning. It starts out the day on the wrong note and has been causing discord in our home. Now I am sure this is not a problem that is isolated to just my family. Does any of this sound like things you might hear coming from your little ones?
Again, some would say that my parenting is extreme. And extreme parenting calls for extreme measures. Now don’t get me wrong, for years I have instilled in this little one all the things most Christian parents will instill:
“There are children in other countries that have nothing! They would leap for joy to have even the clothing that we give to goodwill or throw in the trash!”
I have also taught her many verses that deal with this issue:
1 Tim 6:6-8“godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” and
Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
I have explained to her that she must realize that she has the greatest possession on earth. That she has salvation before her. Freedom from eternal death and hell and a relationship with her creator. That He will never leave her nor forsake her! What more could you want? I have asked.
Now we know that ultimately it is the heart of the child that we want to reach. We are not behaviorist seeking to merely polish up a rotten apple. Because we know that even if the outside is all polished up the fruit still remains rotten to the core! We do not want to change behavior alone without using the word of God to strike at the conscience and the heart. And prayer to plead with our children’s maker for their salvation and sanctification. So, teaching God’s word is a most powerful thing and it is my prayer that one day these verses will come alive in my child’s heart and as she is saved will wield much power and practicality as she faces the trials God puts in her path. But I do not believe she is there yet. She does not treasure the truth of God’s word as one who is saved does, yet…. But I can tell you want she does treasure:
Cocoa Puffs, and fruity pebbles, macaroni and cheese, hamburgers and French fries, ice cream and cookies. She treasures variety in her foods and clothing… She treasures cheetah print stoles, and soft and puffy pink shawls, butterfly pins and earrings, and brown calf high boots, soft pink footsie kitty jimmies to lounge around in with squeals of delight…

Because I have seen the principal of “less meaning more” work so well in my children’s lives before I decided that day I was going to help this little one have a taste of what it means to have less. I have learned this principal from experience. And have seen a cured case of the “eeeewwwws & grosses” at the dinner table by removing the offender’s food until the next meal. I believe I had to do this two times. And that little one has not been in the habit of complaining about food since that day more than several years ago. She says “thank you” when I put a plate of food in front of her, and it makes mealtime so much more pleasant for everyone. Every once and a while I have to remind her but it has been extremely seldom. While we are on this subject let me share a few tips for helping your to be grateful rather than discontent about their food:
~Teach your kids to eat a variety of foods from a very young age.
~Children who can eat any meal set before them with a grateful heart are a blessing!
~Acts 2:46 They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts
~Luke 10:8 Jesus said "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you.”

So back to my little food & clothing complainer: that day I decided to give her a bowl of plain rice (no salt) for breakfast. I packed her a little Tupperware of plain rice for snack time at school. And another Tupperware of plain rice for lunch. As I explained her food plan for the day to her I reminded her of the Israelites who had to eat plain manna day in and day out in the desert for 40 years and how when they complained about the manna, the Lord’s anger burned against them as He sent so much quail for them to eat that it came out their nostrils and many of them died even as they ate it. I reminded her that “godliness with contentment is great gain” and that it grieves the heart of God when we are dissatisfied with all the wonderful blessings He has heaped upon us in our lives.
That day while she was at school, I removed about 7/8 of her wardrobe. I left her with a few sensible choices and plenty of clean underwear (I am not that extreme ok!?) I am not sure for how long this wardrobe adjustment will last. We will see how long it takes for her heart to change it perspective.
I can tell you that the rice diet worked beautifully. That girl was so grateful when I allowed her to eat something other than rice. And I have not heard a peep of a complaint yet. It has also even seeped into other areas as I saw her quickly correct her own bad attitude about being asked, after being asked to tackle a math lesson the night before it was actually assigned. I was watching her in the rearview mirror as I saw her correct herself and remove the scowl on her face just as I said her name. “I am not complaining” she said…
The Bible teaches us that "godliness with contentment in great gain" and we also see a wonderful example of the Apostle Paul, who, while in a cold, dark, wet prison & I have heard it taught chained to a Roman soldier so that he did not even have the privilege of using the potty in privacy, wrote these words "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content,". So here we have Paul:
Persecuted, imprisoned, chained to a guard, cold, hungry, all alone, probably no bible, no fellowship, perhaps having some clothing on his back, but maybe not, not a possession in the world and joyfully content
Then we have my child:
Never been persecuted a day in her life, living in a free country, never had a shackle around her wrist, enjoys privacy, warmth, has a closet full of clothes, all the food she could possibly enjoy, a loving family, about 4 bible just of her own, about 34 littlest pet shop dolls, food that abounds and a heart that is discontent over the minutest things.
If my little one is having trouble being content with a closet full of clothing and foods which abound in quality, quantity and variety, then how will she fair as God calls her to be content with much bigger things in life? I feel very much that it is my duty to help her root out the wee roots of discontentment while she is young and under my authority
I was speaking with a mom casually on the phone a few weeks ago and she was sharing the anguish she was facing at the fact that she is watching her daughter grow in the love of money, toys, possessions, and that however much she has, it is not enough, she wants more. It is causing dissention with her friends and sisters. This little girl has not yet learned to apply the truth of the Hebrew 13:5 to her life (which is normal at her age)
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
Now I know a lady, she is probably in her fifties. I have known her a long time and sadly she is a very discontent woman. So discontent that it is mere minutes into a conversation before she begins to complain about her life, her friends, her home, etc. It is discouraging for me to even spend too much time with her because she is so miserable. She has spent her whole life grasping after things that would make her happy, and has found that everything would bring her temporary happiness for a short time but in the end she is just grasping at straws. You see she has never learned the art of being content with what God has given her, with where he has placed her, with the trials he has allowed in her life.
Now let me give a little disclaimer here to remind you all of this:
You are not responsible for the salvation of your little one, nor is their sinful heart your cause or blame. Each soul stands alone before God and is responsible for their own sin. Another reminder is this: Getting serious about killing discontentment in your child now is not a guarantee that they will never struggle with it their whole lives long.
But we do have a serious responsibility to train up our children in the way they should go. The Scriptures command parents to train up children in the way they should go and raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Within this command is a task set before us help discourage negative character traits (lying, stealing, anger, selfishness, laziness, discontentment, etc) and to help them development positive character traits (honesty, self-control, loving kindness, contentment, being generous, diligence, etc.) Because children are born with a sin nature, they inherit a tendency to sin and to set sinful behaviors as a pattern for their whole lives. And a tendency to let little sins become monstrous weeds in their older age if left to themselves.
Now, maybe the rice diet and the wardrobe restriction won’t be the same way you will tackle the weed of discontentment in your life, that was just my example.
But as we look at the little ones God has placed in our life we do need to ask ourselves the question Christy posed to us last week. What will this look like in 40 years? Will giving my child whatever their heart’s desire, whenever their hearts desire it produce a crop of fruit or of weeds? Will being a short order cook at each meal (I have heard many a mom refer to themselves as this before) produce a child who is ready to have a content heart in the jungles of Africa as they spread the gospel and serve the Lord as a missionary? Will practically allowing seeds of discontentment now when they are young to take root in their hearts help them to later have joy in their lives even in trying times? Will allowing them to demand and become accustomed to demanding Cocoa Puffs instead of Cheerios prepare them to possibly live on one income as Christian young mothers so often do? Will running out and buying them the latest and greatest of this or that at their every whim help them to prepare for a life filled with cancer or poverty or persecution? Will allowing them to control the authority set over them (you the parent) through manipulation, tears, and whining, prepare them to come under the authority of a godly husband and elders and pastors of the church in their adulthood?

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

2009-09-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

Eph 5:33 says ³³Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to ^(S)love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she ^(T)respects her husband.

phobeō- to be alarmed; by analogy to be in awe of, that is, revere: - be (+ sore) afraid, fear (exceedingly), reverence.

So practically it is an awe and reverence that causes one to follow another. And specifically it is displayed in a wife who admires & esteems her husband so much that her behavior and words convey the esteem she feels in her heart & she joyfully follows his authority.

Now with that definition in mind: Raise your hand if you excel in the area of respecting your husband.

So as you can see by looking around , this is an area where we as women tend to be especially weak and tempted in.

Because we often need to inspired pay attention to this area, we are going to go over a list of practical ways you can show respect to your husbands, and after that I am going to offer some encouragement to those of us who may be struggling in this area.

ABC’s of Respecting Your Husband

Some hints directly from husbands @ church

Written & Compiled by Wendy Petta

Admire A man feels respected when his wife gives sincere compliments of admiration both directly to and about him in front of others.

Back Your Man A good way to show respect is to back your husband in public and in front of the kids, even if you disagree. Take it up in private if it is something you feel needs to be discussed further.

Consult A respectful wife asks her husband his opinion. She runs things by him & gets his advice. She does not live a life independent of her husband.

Don’t do the following: Correct, contradict, belittle or criticize. A wife who wants to excel in respect will be very careful how she speaks with her husband in private & in front of other people, especially the children.

Encourage Use encouragement rather than scolding or nagging. When a wife encourages her husband rather than scolding & nagging she is honoring Christ. Husbands will actually respond to encouragement. It motivates them to change for the good. Most husbands shrink back from a wife who nags & scolds.

FUN! Have fun with him. Laugh at his jokes (even if they are corny!), smile if he embarrasses you & enjoy him.

Grateful A husband who feels appreciated for what he does is a happy husband. Tell him how grateful you are that he goes to work every day and provides for his family. Teach your children to show gratitude to daddy as well.

Handsome He is handsome isn’t he? Remember the physical qualities that drew you to him in the beginning? Think on these things and tell him you think he is handsome.

Instead Invert your fleshly thinking. Instead of waiting for him earn your respect, behave respectfully and watch him grow into the man God designed him to be.
Joined Gen 2:24 Remember that God joined you to your husband. Be careful to show preference to your own husband over your family and girl friends.

Kisses Stop what you are doing & give him a kiss when he comes home from work. Show him he is important enough for you to wash that raw meat off your hands and greet him with a kiss.

Listen Take time to give him your full attention (stop what you are doing) at least once each day. Use ?s that draw him out, like “How was your day today?” “Did anything discouraging happen?” & “How can I specifically be praying for you?”.

Meek A respectful wife is a meek wife. She endures offenses with patience & without resentment. She is not overly strong in her opinions & does not insist on her way.

Nice A wife should be nicer to her husband than any other person on Earth.

Offer Offer to do things during the day to help him. Ask yourself “How am I being a ‘suitable helper’ to my husband today?” Is there anything you can do for him to make his life a little easier?

Praise Praise him when you have the opportunity to your family, your friends & to the children. Tell them how blessed they are to have a wonderful daddy like him. Be specific and praise his strengths.

Quiet We all know that there are times when the most respectful thing we can do is to simply be quiet. Like times when we want to take charge or perhaps when our husbands are frustrated, have made a mistake, or when you sense the conversation is turning into an argument.

Resist Resist the temptation to rub it in when he makes a wrong decision & you had told him so. (see above!)

Sex Need I say more?

Trust A godly wife trusts the Lord when her husband leads her in a decision that she is completely opposed to, is frightened of, and feels makes no sense at all. She knows God gave her specific husband in all his strengths and weaknesses & trusts that the safest place she can be is under the authority of God & her husband.

Understand Understand that your husband is a sinner. He will make mistakes. He will let you down. He will sin against you. Try to understand that this will happen in your marriage, frequently even and then be understanding when he does not do the right thing.

Venerate Okay, I admit it I had to look this one up! Venerate means to regard or treat with reverence; revere. To regard with respect, reverence, or heartfelt deference. Deference means respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will of another. So a wife who venerates her husband respectfully submits to him. She yields to his judgment from her heart. Wow! What an awesome definition, one that almost perfectly defines how we are to respectfully follow the leadership of our husbands

Willing Be willing to go along with his ideas. Even if you think it is not the best idea or decision. As long as he is not asking you to sin or do something dangerous and do it without complaining

eXamine When things in the marriage aren’t going well or there is conflict, be willing to look at yourself. Instead of being an eXpert on his sin areas, take a look at how you might have contributed or responded inappropriately.

YAY, YAY, YAY! Cheer for his successes. Be genuinely excited when he succeeds and gets the job done well.

ZZZ? My husband said to tell you that I could not think of anything for the letter z and that all wives should refer back to the letter S. J

Was that a fun list? I had several husbands here at Calvary contribute to it, so we are hearing straight from the horses mouth on this topic. Don’t tell any of them I reffered to them as horses, because that definitely would not be seen as respectful! Now, if you find this is an area you are failing in, I really want to encourage you. From a wife of 15 years who has often found herself on the list of America’s Most Disrespectful Wives, I want to offer you hope. You can change. If you are a believer remember that the Lord is eagerly waiting for you to come to Him in repentance. He is eager to offer you forgiveness and has power to transform you into a respectful wife from the inside out.

So what should a wife do who finds herself in sin toward her husband when it comes to respecting him? First, go to the Lord in prayer, specifically confess how you have missed the mark and ask Him to change you. And He will. Here are some other things which will be helpful to you:

· Get some accountability in this area. Most of us need it, few of us seek it.

· Remember this most important piece of truth. Your husband is not required to earn your respect. Respect is not something that is earned, it is something rather that is offered out of love to Christ: Martha Peace had this to say in her book “The Excellent Wife”: “you may be smarter, wiser, or more gifted than your husband, you still need to respect the position that God has given him. You are like the soldier who stands at attention, salutes, and says “Yes, sir!” to his superior officer.”

So we see that we are to respect the position God has given our husband. We are not respecting our husbands because they are so perfect and wonderful and worthy. We respect them because God in His wisdom knows this is what we need to do. It is our God given role.

· Respect flows from the heart. If we trace back the behavior of a disrespectful wife, we usually find that it flows from a heart that is unguarded & thoughts that are undisciplined and running wild. A wife that does not want to find herself wandering down the road of disrespect again and again will be careful to make sure she is not entertaining critical & negative thoughts about her husband. Rather, she will regularly choose to dwell on the wonderful qualities he has.

· Now remember how many of us raised our hands in the beginning saying we excelled in this area? Not many. Many of those ladies who did not raise their hands saying “I have graduated. I am officially a respectful wife in every way” have been Christians who have been working at this respect thing for a long time! This is a journey we are on, to grow. Where ever you have measured yourself as a result of today’s talk just remember that the Lord is not demanding you are instantly perfect in respect, He just wants you to take a step. One more step on the road to being more like Him.

Teaching Your Childean about S** Part 2

2009-07-17T07:41:00.000-07:00

Teaching in the Mileu (In the midst of life) continued:
Last year another advertisement that came up was “Zack and Miri Make a Porno”. Yeah, we had the pleasure of ride alongside this baby for weeks as it was pasted to the sides of buses for every kid in the world to see. And it wasn’t long before a sweet little innocent voice from the back said “Mommy, what’s a porno?” My heart sank because of the utter depravity of our society and pride of our utter depravity to wear it on our sleeves. Even so I had just been presented with another opportunity to teach in the mileu. “Sweetheart, pornos are pictures or movies of people being immodest & committing immorality” (The only reason I could explain it this way was because I had already laid the foundation for defining the word immorality at a previous time, if I had not, the moment would have been awkward and fearful for me) “And God hates pornography, and we should too. When we see it, we must turn our eyes away from it. When we see it, we can pray that Jesus will come quickly to take us away from the sinful world & home to heaven”
4) Simply define words for them: 4 year old child: “Mommy, What is gay?” Mom “It is when a man wants to marry a man instead of marrying a woman. God says that a man should marry a woman and not another man. It is sin. People who are gay need Jesus, just as we did before He saved us.” 6 year old child “Mommy, What is adultery?” “ It is when a daddy loves another woman instead of the woman God gave him to be his wife. It is sin and God hates it. Sometimes mommys want to love a different man than their own husbands. When you get married you are making a commitment to that person for your whole life long. You are promising to never love another man or woman in that same way. Adultery is breaking that promise.”
5) Set a good example in Your home
a) Do your children see you being affectionate with their Daddy? Do you have an open door policy in your home or do they understand that when Daddy and Mommy have their door closed, they MUST knock. Do your kids know that you find their Daddy handsome and irresistible? I love a story Dennis Rainey tells, it went something like this: “one of my children flew in threw our closed door one day when their mom and I were talking on the bed. I looked that child in the eyes and said ‘Someday you are going to throw that door open and when you do, you are going to get the most embarrassing lesson in sex in your life. When that door is closed it is OUR time!” I am sure the child was an older child…
6) Build sex up. I think when we come to approach the topic of sex, we must have in the forefront of our minds that sex is a good thing. Sex is a gift of God. Because of sexual sin, we can tend to have a fear of sex and of talking about it. Most of the sex we hear about it our society is perverse, sinful and a twisted distortion of what God intended it to be. Because of that we can wrongly project it in a shameful and negative light. But we do not want to communicate this shameful way of thinking to our children. We want to build it up. When I think back to how I was raised regarding this topic, one thing sticks out in my head. Sex is bad, don’t do it and if you do…….!!!!! I know my parents did the best they could with what they knew at the time, so I am not in any way trying to slam my folks. But, I was never offered a healthy perspective on sex and told that it was a gift from God to be cherished within marriage. My parents didn’t talk about it with me at all except for to tell me, “don’t do it”, so it was a very mysterious and forbidden thing that apparently was very evil and should be avoided. I still struggle with shaking those feelings and ideas today.
7) Lay down very specific boundaries early:
• How do I want my child to behave with the opposite sex before she is married?
• Do I want her to use her body, her eyes, and her girly ways to have power over boys and get her way?
• Do I want her to be flirtatious? What exactly is flirting? Talk about it...
• How do I want her to dress when she is 16? Seriously, think about it, and then teach her to dress that way now.
Some of the things we have covered in our house:
• As girls, or young women, we do not do anything with the opposite sex that we would not think would be okay between our mom and our pastor. For example:
o Would it be okay for mommy to write notes during a class with Pastor Jack?
o Would it be okay for mommy to call Pastor Jack, just to see what he is doing today?
o Would it be okay for mommy to tease Pastor Jack and take his hat away?
o How about writing on his arm, or giving him a back rub?
o How about staring at him so that whenever he looks my way, he meets my gaze?
o How about making sure I get to sit close to him during class?
Absurd! So why then is it okay for young people today to act this way amongst themselves with other peoples future husbands and wives?
• Your first kiss is something you give to your husband on your wedding day. That is why the pastor says: “You may NOW kiss the bride” (I KNOW some of my family members are going to chide me on this one, go ahead, chide all you want! ;) I recently went to a wedding where the pastor stressed that word upon giving the invitation to the groom to kiss his bride. He said “You may NOW kiss your bride” I don’t know if this couple saved their first kiss for marriage, but I hope they did. It seemed that way anyway and because of that there was something so much more special about that moment. Something that sent chills up my arms and tears to my eyes. And I am no one to them, not even related to them, imagine how special it was for them!!!
*I recommend The Princess and the Kiss & The Squire and the Scroll, two books for children on purity

Teaching your child about the S** word~ Part 1

2009-07-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

Last year a mom approached me and asked me about how we approached the topic of sex with our girls. From that conversation we planned to have a informal moms night where I would teach how we did it in our home and provide an opportunity for moms to share what has worked for them. Last night, a mom mentioned to me that she noticed how open we are about talking to our kids about the topic of sex, love & relationships. She asked me some questions and it got me to thinking about this topic again. What we are doing in our home is STARKLY different from how I was raised and how this subject was broached by my parents as a young person. Many parents find this topic intimidating and awkward to say the least. And because it is so awkward they postpone bringing it up. Moms, I want to challenge you to rethink waiting and ask yourself if now might be the right time to begin to introduce your children to the topic of God's view on sex.
I pulled up the file I had written and wanted to share it here with you, whoever you are... :)
This is how our family has fleshed out what we feel is a biblical approach to teaching your children about the subject of sex. You may not agree with me about all I will share with you and that is okay. I do hope however that you are able to glean a few things from what has worked in our family. Ultimately you are responsible to God and your own husband for how you teach your children about this topic of sex, but this is what has worked for us:

1) Be sincere, and honest. Sincerity and honesty should permeate every word that comes out of our mouths. I would rather make a sincere mistake than to be dishonest or give half truths. I believe this is something that our children will pick up on as we communicate about the topic of sex. If a sex topic comes up that it is difficult for you to explain to them, such as “Mommy, what is pornography?”, tell them “you know this is a really difficult thing for me to try to figure out how to explain to you, but I am so glad you are asking me and trusting me to come to me with these types of questions. Can you give me a minute to think about how I want to answer this?” or “Can I talk with Dad about this and get back to you?” and then write it on your calendar, so you don’t forget and go back when you are comfortable. The more you do this, the easier it will get. Soon, you will feel very comfortable speaking about it and answering all their questions.

2) Formal Teaching: Some formal teaching is okay and even good, but there are some cautions to be mindful of when you approach the topic of sex in a formal manner. This leads me to my next point is going to be. Don’t make a big deal out of it.

3) Don’t make a big deal out of it. If talking about sex is an awkward, uncomfortable & formal discussion that is how it will feel as a subject to them. Awkward, uncomfortable, formal and something to avoid. They will not feel comfortable to ask questions as they arise, they may even begin to feel shameful about the subject, there might be secrecy and hidden things. This is not what we want! Treating sex this way can even carry over into their marriage beds and affect them their whole lives long. We owe it to our kids to give them a healthy biblical perspective on sex. Use natural opportunities to bring it up casually. Do not make it something that is uncomfortable to talk about. Bring it up as often as it presents itself. God’s word teaches us to teach our children “in the milieu”. The word milieu means middle. This means we are to teach our children in the middle of life, as life presents the opportunity. Let’s look briefly at Deut 6, verse

6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.

7"^(J)You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.

8"^(K)You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.

9"^(L)You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Now while this verse teaches specifically about teaching about the Lord, we can benefit from the idea of how we are to teach. This gives us a picture of teaching during life. When we sit, when we walk, when we lie down in bed at night, when we rise up and are in the car on the way to school. This does not give us a picture of sweaty palms, pulled shades, hushed tones and pulling out a large sex book that weights 14 pounds thumping it down on the table and saying “Alright honey, now we are going to talk about SEX!”

Here are some specific examples of ways to bring it up naturally:

When reading the Bible and words like Adultery, lust, immorality, or “let her breasts satisfy you”come up. Maddie was in the garden one day singing the phrase “let her breasts satisfy you” . I laughed and said Maddie, “Why in the world are you singing that?” She told me she read it in the Bible and I used that casual opportunity to tell her one of the reason why God gave women breasts was for their husbands to enjoy. Simple and yet slowly over time building a RIGHT biblical perspective of sex for my child. After that I light heartedly told her it was a phrase that she probably should not be singing about, but she was always welcome to come to me with any questions she had. ***Note: Maddie has given me permission to share this story with you.
When passing Billboards:
Recently we passed a billboard for the movie Juno. It is a story of a teenager who gets pregnant & has a huge picture of a pregnant teenager on it. Because I did not take this opportunity to discuss this with one of my children, she carried a burden for almost two months totally unbeknownst to me. She finally came to me bawling because she is innocent and even though she knew the basics of sex in her innocence, did not fully understand the details of how one gets pregnant, she had been carrying around the fear that that might happen to her. Looking back I could have said something like "Do you know why that young girl in that movie is pregnant?" or "Do you think that young girl followed God's plan for sex in marriage?" These are the kinds of things our kids are seeing on a daily basis unless you board up your windows and never leave your home

So don't be so foolish as to think talking about sex from a Biblical perspective is going to rob your children's of their innocence. You are right in thinking there is someone who wants to rob them of their innocence but it is not you! Get to your kids before the world does.
~To be continued.....

Rain in July? Memorial #1

2009-02-13T11:45:00.000-08:00

Written on 7/23/07

Two nights ago before dinner Maddie and I were talking about how we missed the rain, and wished it would rain. Right before we began to pray she said "Mommy can I pray that God would make it rain?" I said yes you can, but Maddie, it probably won't rain. So Maddie prayed, "...and God can you please make it rain?" Tim and I told her don't be dissapointed if God doesn't make it rain, because it would have to take a real miracle for it to rain in the middle of July. God will probably answer your prayer with a no.

Last night while Kayla was taking out the trash cans, I felt a wet thing hit my arm. I looked up and saw nothing. I felt another, I said "Kayla I felt a raindrop! It is raining! Let's run to tell Maddie" All the way home (she takes the neighbor cans out) we felt drops, and I couldn't stop from tearing up and felt as if my heart was going to burst.

We celebrated in the front yard with the few sporadic drops of rain that were coming down. I told Maddie as I looked intently into her eyes "You remember this day little girl! God is real and he answers prays of little 8 year old girls in Sylmar, Ca "

Last night Maddie said "Mommy I am going to pray that God would make it rain more" I said "ok Maddie you pray that". She prayed that God would make it rain more and said "..and Lord, I would really light some thunder and lightning and can you make the electricity go out too?"

This morning I woke up (5:11) a full wet rain shower. I got maddie up and again my eyes filling with tears we celebrated in the front yard.

Mark 10:13-16) Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. {14} But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. {15} "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." {16} And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them.

I hope you will all take a moment to rejoice with us, have your faith increased in the great, kind, compassionate God we serve, who answers the prayers of little girls in Sylmar, Ca. And please get some candles out because we might just loose our power today!

PS: In my life I have noticed that I need to bring every little thing I want and need before God. He is just waiting to say yes to them and it delights Him to give His children what they ask for, yesterday He brought me and Kayla 2 pairs of jeans for 20 cents a piece after I prayed for them, but that is another story..... :)

Setting Up Memorials

2009-02-09T23:57:00.001-08:00

Joshua 4
Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, ..... and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.

I have often pondered the Old Testament ritual of setting up memorials for remembrance of what the Lord has done in the lives of His people. I ponder this because I so easily forget the mighty things that God does on a regular basis in my life. I wish that I had memorials to remind my feeble sin laden mind of the wonderfully kind and personal God I serve.
In the thick of the day to day when life is hectic for me and it is difficult for me to obey God, I need to remember the wonderful, personal acts of kindness God has specifically orchestrated in my life for me, Wendy Petta.
Not coincidences.
Not luck.
Not chance.
But purposeful acts of God.
Times when He reaches His hand into my life and moves on my behalf to say:
"I love you"
"I will never leave you, nor forsake you."
"I am going to provide for your every need"
" I delight in delighting you......."
So, while I cannot pile rock upon rock. I can pile words. And this is what I am going to do for the next several posts on my blog. Here is my monument to my great God and King.
Here is where I will pile my real life true stories upon stories to remind myself of His UNWAVERING faithfulness in the life of a nobody.

All Things Lawful

2009-01-27T10:44:00.000-08:00

1 Cor 10:23 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.

Maddie was given an Alvin & the Chipmunks Christmas Cd recently. The old unreformed legalistic me would have promptly thrown it into the trash because it is not Christian, and thus inherently evil. The new reformed non-judgmental me thought it through and decided there was nothing inherently immoral and evil about the CD and allowed it into my home.
After a few weeks of playing it, I found many members including myself were having the songs repeating in our minds when our minds were idle.

Christmas, Christmas time is near
Time for toys and time for cheer
We've been good, but we can't last
Hurry Christmas, hurry fast
Want a plane that loops the loop
Me, I want a hula hoop
We can hardly stand the wait
Please Christmas, don't be late.

We would sing in our minds and out loud. It was something our brains just went to when they were on autopilot. After a few weeks it struck me that even though this CD is lawful for me and my family, it was not profitable. It was occupying our minds with words that had no eternal value and pushing out songs with words that will never die like the words to this Seeds song below:

Be Joyful Always
Pray continuously
Give thanks in all circumstances
Give thanks in all circumstances
For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus
For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus

Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.

These words above, when played on the CD player of my mind, edify my soul, instruct my heart and speak truth to my idle mind and the minds of those around me when I am singing it.
Our minds only have the capacity to hold and bring to the surface certain amounts of information at one time.

1 Cor 10:23 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.

So even if I am a reforming legalist, I still choose to pitch Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas CD in the trash.

Sorry Alvin.

SORRY ALVIN!!!!!!

AAAALLLLLVVVVVIIIIIIINNNNNNN!!!!

Enjoying the Fruit of Biblical Parenting

2009-01-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

Today I had one of those moments when I got to get a glimpse of what my life might have looked like without Jesus Christ. Of what my children might be like if I had not received good teaching that taught me that the Bible has the foundations for Christian parenting in it. That God's way in parenting as in all things is the BEST way.

I have to give a disclaimer here.
I am about to boast.
But I am not going to boast that I am a wonderful parent.
I am not going to boast that I have wonderful children.
I am not going to boast that I was smart enough to figure out how to do it right.
I am going to boast in the Lord.
1 Cor 1:31 says “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”
And I have to tell you that I am boasting in the fruit of Biblical parenting.

Today we stopped by Walgreens. The minute the door opening I heard this piercing scream and I instantly turned to see who was being assaulted. Surely someone's life is being threatened! And my eyes met an all too familiar site.
I see a little 4- 5 year old boy was screaming at the top of his lungs as his mother tried to ignore the scene he was making. Wow! Was it loud! As Maddie(10), David (4) and I (not telling) walked by them it was hard not to stare.
The boy screamed and whined.
It was one of those screams that says,
"my heart is really not in this, but I have to keep this up so I will get what I want".
He would take breathes, look around, see that the situation with his mom has not changed and then scream some more.
It became quickly apparent that he had wanted a toy which the store did not have and the mom was saying "maybe we can get something else".
"NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!"
He screamed.
So we walked on by and went to the toys isle.
We were drawn to the toy isle by the big 50% off Toys sign at the front of the store. (we were killing time) In the toy isle David found a really fun looking basketball game. He has a birthday coming up in March so I figured at 50% off it must be a steal.
I said to David "Do you want this?"
He said "Yes!"
I handed it to him to carry and we began to look at other toys because Maddie currently has $ 20.00 burning a hole in her pocket from Christmas.
Soon the screamer showed up and he and his mom continued bargaining over toys.
At this time I was feeling burdened and hoping that this woman would spontaneously come up to me and say "HELP ME!" and then I would share the gospel with her and teach her all about Biblical Parenting and save her from her fate.
But that did not happen.
My heart was also rejoicing in the fact that God saved me and that I had life abundantly because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
And rejoicing that I am not in her shoes. Not in that place of helplessness. Of feeling like nothing any of the experts have to tell about how to parent work! Of knowing I hate this behavior, but am helpless to do anything about it. That hopeless helpless place....
So we walked up to the cashier to check the price of the basketball game.
She scanned it and told me the price was 16.00.
I looked at David and told him "Sorry, David we are not going to buy it. It is too much money."
I held my breath and waited for David's response. Now mind you David is a sinner. He does not always respond the right way. But he has been trained. he has been taught and he has a lot of experience that tells him what is okay and what is not okay when it comes to these types of situations.
He looked at me and with the cutest little nasally voice said "Okay."

Woo-HOOO!!! My heart rejoiced in the fruit of Biblical parenting displayed in David's life as I looked around to see if perhaps the screamer and his mom had been watching us as we had been watching them.
They were not.
As we walked outside Maddie commented on how disturbing the screaming had been.
I turned to her and quoted this verse "Folly is bound up in the heart of a child and the rod of correction will drive it far from him" .
She smiled.
"Maddie aren't you glad that Mommy disciplines you ?"
"Yeah" she said.
"Are you going to discipline your children when you are a Mommy?
"YES!" she said.
"And you know why we discipline you right?"

"Because you love me!" She wisely responded.......

1 Cor 1:31 says “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”

Thank you God for allowing me to boast this day in the Lord and in fruit of Biblical parenting.

Tagged

2008-11-16T07:26:00.001-08:00

Amy tagged me.

I once had a nose piercing
I can easily touch the tip of my nose with my tongue
I can make a pretty good meal using leftovers or whatever I find in my cupboard and fridge, just don't ask me to make it exactly the same again.
I feel very sincere and deep love for most people very quickly after I meet them. Sometimes I make people uncomfortable because I feel so deeply for them. There is nothing I would not give or do for a true need of another person. This has only happened since I have become a Christian and I know this is the love of Christ manifested in me.
My favorite sound in the whole world right now is the sound of Allison and David playing and giggling and talking. It makes me want to worship God and thank Him for his grace to me which I know I do not deserve at all!
I can usually smell things minutes before other people can. This heightened sense of smell has developed with each pregnancy I have had. Also, I had developed a love for spicier and spicier food with each pregnancy and I think the two are related. Sometimes I smell things people cannot smell. This can be a good thing, AND a bad thing!
Since our addition we have probably had close to ten different people/families living with us for different periods of time. It has been a great source of learning and growth for me in my sanctification. I am so glad that God has used this means to teach me what He has....

I tag the only people I know who have blogs: Laurena, Lauren, and Becky.

Praying

2008-10-30T06:04:00.000-07:00

Why is it that we would rather grumble, wish and nag than pray?
Why is it so easy to manipulate circumstances, make suggestions, and criticize?
Why is it that a complaint comes running off our tongue and shooting out of our mouths literally days before we begin to pray, IF we even begin to pray at all?
Over the past several years God has patiently been discipling me in this Art:

Close thy mouth and start thou praying!

Now, mind you, I am a slow learner! And oh what a patient disciplier I have in the Lord Jesus.

I have found a wonderful ministry that monthly sends me a newsletter with pages of scriptural prayer requests that I can pray for those God has placed in my life. Click here to sign up for it yourself: Prayer Closet Ministry . The reason I love this ministry is because it is VERY biblical and all of the prayers are directly from scriptures and the verse reference is listed right along with each prayer. And you can't go wrong praying through the perfect Word of God!

This week my pastor: Jack Hughes, and his wife Lisa have been brought up before the Lord in my prayers because the title of this months newsletter was Prayed For or Preyed On? Why Should You Pray for Your Pastor? I also have prayed for our other pastors: Tim Carns, Ed Wilde & Brock Bolde. Also all our elders. Lastly, but certainly not least, my husband Tim. For every prayer that I prayed for these leaders, I felt compelled to pray for the leader in my home, my wonderful husband Tim. He is both Pastor and Elder in our home and certainly deserves the bulk of my prayers and petitions.

Here is a sampling of some of the things I am begging God for through the scriptures for the most important leader He has placed in my life:

Father, I ask that my husband Tim will daily pursue the filling of the Holy Spirit; I ask that he will walk & operate in the power of the Spirit (Acts 6:3; Eph 5:18)

Father, I plead that Tim will have a growing love & hunger to know & obey the word of God. (Psalm 1:2, 119:33,36)

Lord Jesus, I pray that Tim will be characterized by reliable & godly speech (1 Tim 3:8)

Lord, I ask that Tim will exhibit godly in every area of his life (1Tim 3:10)

Won't you join me in stilling thy tongue & entering into thy prayer closet? :)

Shrewd as Serpents and Innocent as Doves

2008-10-18T05:56:00.000-07:00

"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves" ~~Jesus

I talk a lot with my children. I talk with them in the car on the way to school. I talk with them, when they pass me in the hall. I talk with them when they come home from a friends house. I talk with them when they are bad & when they do good.

When the "Cars" lunchbox we recently got started to show wear and the fabric was fraying & ripping, I gathered them around and I told them that every time someone tries to teach them that we evolved and elements & cells naturally order themselves together & produce good things over a lot of time, I tell them to remember this lunch box. Remember this skirt I bought you 2 years ago. Remember this rotting metal shelving unit at the 99cent store. Does the evidence point to natural ordering and improvement?

When the radio program "Focus on the Family" airs a warning to parents to occupy their children because the program that is going to be broadcast contains sensitive material, I cautiously turn it up and call my children's attention to it. And they hear first hand from a wonderful woman named Gianna, who lived through a failed saline abortion attempt and is now 35 years old.

When Hannah Montana appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair. I called my girls to the computer after I had pulled her pose up on it. I said "Girls, I want you to see a picture of Hannah Montana." I then showed the scantily clad 15 year old girl, wrapped only in a sheet, to them.
"What do you think about this picture? Do you think this is someone young girls of today should be looking up to? Would you want to look up to her as someone to follow after?"

We talk about tops that are to low and skirts that are to high on different girls we meet through out the day. We talk about those Christian girls who dress immodestly. I tell them that those girls can still love Jesus, even thought they dress differently than we do. That each parent is responsible to bring up their child the way God convicts them to do so. We talk about not being self-righteous and judgmental and YET still holding your own standard.

We talk about marriage and what it means. We talk about abortion. We talk about homosexuals and why we love them even though we think they are choosing sin, and why they need Jesus' forgiveness just as badly as we do. We talk about the billboards they see, and in terms that do not force them to carry sexual burdens beyond their youth & innocence, we discuss them.

I read Foxes Book of Martyrs aloud to my children. I want them to know and be familiar with persecution and suffering for Jesus. I want them to ask themselves, "would I be willing to go through that for Jesus?" We read about the Christians who are told "Only recount Christ and you may live" and then we read of their bravery and their horrible murder as they first watch their children killed & then are they themselves killed for their Savior.

We watch End Times Movie together. We watch "Thief in the Night" "A Distant Thunder" & "The Mark of the Beast" on a regular basis. We watch dramatizations of the end times where Christians are killed, starved, and running for their lives only because they are Christians. My Children are processing these things, on a regular basis. They are being prepared to suffer. They are coming to terms in their mind as to whether they are just going along with this "Christianity" thing or whether they really are personally committed to Christ unto their own death.
Many times I have told my children: "You do not have to be a Christian. We will still love you if you choose not to follow Christ. It is YOUR choice & we would not nor could not force you to be a Christian." Maddie will often just randomly say things like: "I will never deny Christ" as she is loading clean glasses into the cupboard. And after moments of quiet in the car " I want to follow Jesus, no matter what." I know she is thinking about these things, preparing herself and processing her own choices on this topic.

Kayla used to have regular nightmares about being left behind in the rapture. While I was sympathetic to her in regards to her nightmares, I was pleased that she was feeling fear. I would constantly remind her how she could be sure she would never be left behind. She eventually chose to repent of her sins & commit her life to Jesus Christ and I believe the fear she felt had a part to play in her choice. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom Proverbs 1:7

It is my prayer that the Lord Jesus would continue to help me to bring up Children who are passionate for God & His glory. Who are as shrewd as serpents & innocent as doves.

Bad Camera = Bad Pictures, Nevertheless a peek into our home

2008-10-11T10:24:00.000-07:00

Tim prays with the kids every night (almost every ;) )
David desires peace

Apparently Allison does too!

The second most precious male in my life and me.

Kayla & mommy being our true selves!

Why be kind?

2008-10-06T05:52:00.000-07:00

I got to hang out at David's school last week. I was invited to observe at the state preschool next door for part of the day. There were two little girls who were trying to line up to come in from recess at the door of the class room. Of course the classic "I'm first" "You cut!" argument started to break out between these two 4 year old girls. Because I am not employed by the school, nor was I acting in a volunteer capacity, I just watched. But, I could only watch for a few seconds before my conscience urged me to intervene. The anger in the eyes of one of the little girls was fierce. Let's call her "Hasmik". Hasmik moved her face to about 6 inches away from "Alik" as she darted glares of hate straight into Alik's face. "I'm first!" she seethed. Alik stepped up to the plate and glared back "No! Hasmik, you always cut! Teacher!!!"

Well, of course the teachers were busy doing other things and no one came to the rescue.

So it proceeded, Hasmik moved her face in a bit closer, crossed her chubby little arms and.......... stuck her little pink tongue out at Alik with all the anger and hatred a little four year old has in them.
This is where I stepped in. "Girls" I said " You cannot treat each other this way. This is not kind. You need to be kind to one another....."

Now, normally I would explain to these children that God tells us to be kind in the Bible. That the fruit of the spirit is kindness. The we need to love others as Christ loved us. That the first will be last in heaven and the last will be first. That choosing to be great in God's Kingdom means that we are a servant to all people on earth.

But here I am, in the public school where I am forbidden to speak the name of God let alone Christ. And the only thing that comes to my head is a big echoing "WHY?????????
Why Wendy, should they be kind?
Go ahead and tell them, without using God, the Bible or the name of Jesus.
Why should them be kind?
Tell them why,
go ahead,
Wendy, tell them . "

I am at a complete loss. I cannot tell them why. As articulate as I am, I cannot give them one reason why they should be nice.

Why should they be kind? I mean what can I tell them? If they do not have God, if they do not believe in the Bible as an authoritative guide for how to live, why should they be kind? I mean who even says kindness is necessary? What moral law are these people governing themselves by? Is kindness even something we should strive for? Godless people, please answer me this: Why should we be kind to one another? Who says kindness is something we should teach our children? Maybe it is better to be mean and self promoting and savvy? I mean that is what makes one successful in the eyes of the world, right? Kindness does not equal success in the business world. And people who are truly kind in public and in secret do not rise to the top in terms of success. Who can say what is right and what is wrong. A man is governed by his own heart. And if his heart does not compel him to kindness who am I to insist upon it?

So there I stood deep in thought about the lack of morals that our country cannot instill in our children and future generation because they deny God and His authority. Without God and His moral law and authority we are lost. We, as four year old Armenian immigrants to America, are lost. We, as LAUSD public school teachers are lost. We, as corporate American business men, are lost. We, as a nation, a people, a planet, a race of humanity, are lost. God help us as we sit back and watch the collapse of our nation, and of humanity all at the hands of our rejection of God and His law...

David sings his little heart out!!

2008-09-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

Reforming Christian Judgmentalist

2008-09-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Wendy and I am a reforming Christian Judgementalist. I say reforming, because I have not yet arrived at complete reformation in this area. We Christians are some of the most judgemental people I know! We lack love! Where is our love?!? Jesus said that people would know us by our love for one another. 1 John 3:14 "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. "

Why is it then that most of my Christian life I have sat in loveless Judgement of fellow believers? I have excelled in Judgment. Judgment has abounded in my life. The moment I met any Christian, there it was. My righteous judgement. It just flowed out of me naturally as I sized up the 'godliness' of my fellow sister in the Lord. Here is a fictional but true to life way of how I used to think when I met a Christian woman:

Hmm, shirt is a little low cut. ungodly.

Did she just say 'Oh, my Gosh' or was it 'Oh my God'? She really shouldn't even say gosh, someone could mistake it for God. tisk tisk.

Oh, wait she is using a lot of Christian phrases, that's hopeful.

She asked her husband for permission to have my child spend the night, woah! very godly.

Oh, wait a minute.

Oh, wait.

I can't believe this.

She told me she has been worried about some test results.

Worrying is very ungodly.

Oh, look, here is one her her kids. Is that 'Pokemon' on his shirt?!? Pokemon? Oh come on, is this woman a Christian or not?

Did he just talk to her in a disrespectful way? Did you see that? He totally disrespected her and she ignored it. Heavens, this woman must be a baby Christian if she is even a Christian at all!! She could really benefit from my discipleship. Yeah, this woman needs my help!

What?!? She has fibromyalgia? Oh, come on! Everyone knows that is a code word for big time 'sin issues'. Fibromyalgia! Please! I can't beleive she told me that. I mean she just up and told me. Well, now it makes sense. Yeah, look at her hair. It is kind of matted in the back. Oh, there is a stain on her shirt.

This woman is down right lazy.

Yeah, she definately struggles with the sin of sloth.

Fibromyalgia indeed!

Wow, I will pray for her.

What a mess she is......

Have you ever thought this way?

Can you related to my horribly sinful habit of sizing up fellow believers?

As I walk away from this encounter, it seems blindly ironic that I am concerned about her sin. Who is truly in need of help in this situation? Who is living in a manner that would be putridly offensive to God, were it not for the blood of Jesus?

I know that no temptation I ever face is isolated to me alone. God's word says in 1 Cor 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you, except what is common to man..." Christian sisters I am asking you to examine your hearts. See if you have fallen into this trap of self righteous spiritual pride.

Why do we do this?

Because we are sinners. You and me and the lady with the dirty shirt. We are all without hope apart from the saving blood of Jesus. All of us are equally failing to live up to the perfect standard that God holds out before us. Even after we are saved. Are we saved by grace and then sanctified by our own efforts and goodness?

Hello, my name is Wendy and I am a reforming Christian Judgmentalist...

I wouldn't have it any other way

2008-08-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

This morning at about 6:15 am a little sweet boy crawled into my bed with me. "doo mawnee" he greeted me with a big hug. As we snuggled up in bed, he had his back snuggled up closely to my front as we both lay on our side under the cool sheet. I kissed his neck and let my thoughts turn to God as I always try to do whenever my eyes first open up after sleeping. "Lord thank you for this sweet boy", "Lord thank you, for who he is", "Lord thank you, that you created him with a hearing impairment", wait a minute... what was that that flowed naturally out of my own heart? Thank you Lord that you allowed my son to suffer for 2 years without hearing, to be misdiagnosed with autism, to live in a state of anger, sadness and frustration for the first 2 years of life, to not be able to say his own name at age 4 1/2. Thank you Lord?

Yes, thank you Lord.

I can tell you I have been thanking the Lord for David's impairment since I first found out, but .......it was all words

just words.

I thanked God because I knew I was supposed to, because God commanded me to in His word and yet there was this reality that did not feel thankful that my boy had this disability.

Yet, this morning, I can honestly say, I am thankful. I praise God that my son has a severe to profound hearing loss. I praise God that he has cute little purple hearing aids. I praise God that he says "doo mawnee" instead of "good morning". I praise God that he calls himself "Bobby" instead of "David".

The excitement of hearing my son surprise us with new words, new phrases and new understanding it exhilerating. It is something no mother of a normal develpoing child will ever experience! And this is a gift from God meant for us to savor and enjoy. And what a joy to be able to see it this way. I thank the Lord that He has allowed me to have a joyful heart in this experience.

On Wednesday we were at the doctor's office. David seems to draw a crowd where ever we go. People notice him.

Maybe it is his loud, high, nasally and squeaky voice.

Maybe it is his 2 pronounced little ears bearing the weight of his heavy purple hearing aids.

Maybe it is just his cute face.

Well he had drawn a crowd of onlookers. There were quite a feww grandmas and grandpas in the office that day and David had all of their attention. We were walking out of the waiting room and David was follwing behind me. I was calling him and turning around and found him walking slowly. All of a sudden he broke out into break dancing for his audience. He was on the floor, bustin a move and kicking his legs up waving his arms and getting down!!! What a little ham. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Yesterday Kayla had done a running jump and found herself on the floor hurt. David showed a lot of concern for his big sister as he bent over, put his hand on her back and said "Are you okay?" I was thrilled because I hadn't taught him this phrase. He just picked it up on his own!!!

And Kayla relayed to me that while playing nintendo the other day with his sisters, David proclaimed "Girls first, then boys", and sat patiently for his sisters to take their turns before he had his own. I wouldn't have it any other way! All moms of little girls, please see me and Tim later for an marriage application for your daughters!!! :)

What are we doing this summer?

2008-07-18T08:08:00.003-07:00

Rescuing and loving stray dogs

Harvesting from the garden

Playing with Friends

Reading Bible Stories after dinner

Loosing Teeth

Making Pies

~Everyone helps

Learning to fold laundry with a happy heart

Learning to master our multiplication tables with the free program "Timez Attack"

Working and eating in the garden

Learning to sew a up a hole in our pants

Annual Pismo Beach Trip

2008-07-16T06:47:00.000-07:00

Sleeping Allison in the car. This is her classic car sleeping pose~ What a beaut, I am saving this one for blackmail later in life ;)

First stop: Mc Donalds where we used 3 buy one get one free coupons and it still cost us 13.00 to feed our family. No sodas, no desserts, just fat fried french fries and artery clogging burgers.

2nd Stop: Camp, where David poses with Nana and Papa .

David thoroughly enjoyed the beach. This is the first year he seemed to understand what was going on and was able to communicate his excitement to us. It was so fun!

Other beach beauties!

The fam at the tide pools in Pismo.

Really weird foaming crab. He just kept blowing these slimy bubbles at us.

We found a large piece of seaweed and made a rope swing/seat for David and Allison.

Our traditional stop at the Avila Beach farm where the kids get to feed the farm animals, and we get a little treat. We have been coming here for almost 8 years.

The kids rode and rode and rode their bikes. David did really well for his first time. He would say "More bish please! "

Maddie and Allison find saying goodbye so hard. See you next year!

DO HARD THINGS!

2008-06-29T00:38:00.001-07:00

Kayla, Maddie and I are reading a book called, well, you can see in the picture what it is called. It is so good! Maddie in the past has had a problem with doing hard things. If I had a nickel for every time she said "It's too hard!", well I would be about 10.00 richer! This book has challenged them to rise to the occasion and do what is hard. It has challenged me to raise my expectations for them and not listen to the little nagging guilty voice in my head that tells me 'they are only kids, what do you expect?'. It has also got me to thinking about my part in providing them with hard things to do!!!!! Some thoughts off the cuff are:

volunteering at Children's hunger fund on a regular basis
street witnessing
babysitting for free for our sick neighbor
the jr. lifeguard program at Hanson Dam (next summer~ if the Lord provides 650.00 for them both to do it!)
Mission Trips with our church
?????????

On a smaller scale I am having them(K, M, D & A) do things like:

Make phone calls to dr.s offices
wash, dry and put away their meal time dishes every time they eat
pull weeds in the backyard with a happy heart
cooking from recipes and cleaning up completely
Asking people what time it is~Allison
Looking people in the eyes when they speak to them and responding with a Yes, Mrs. so and so when they are given instructions

I want to teach them how to have conversations with adults and am open to any ideas on this or any other suggestions you might have. I am especially thinking Kayla is ready to have some kind of summer internship somewhere. Let me know if you can think of anything that might be an option for her. Okay, what is hard for me now is falling asleep. So off I go. "Do hard things, Do hard things!" 1 Cor 9:27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Allison gets a Petta Family Summer Hair cut

2008-06-29T00:25:00.000-07:00

Every summer, I seem to reach my limit of hearing my little ones whine and cry when I brush their hair. It happened with Kayla when she was little. Maddie too. And now Allison has fallen victim to my scissors. There is something about the hot, stickiness of summer that just makes me a wee bit less patient and a whole lot more practical when it comes to hair!

Allison before haircut

Allison after haircut, still cute as a button in my book!

What's new?

2008-06-29T00:10:00.000-07:00

Daddy and Kayla had a fun evening camp out at Camp "Come As a Kid or Don't Come At All". It was a fun time for them to enjoy being together. They hiked, and ate, and talked and ate, and slept and ate!
We finally got a family picture taken at Sears. Kayla doesn't like it because she says her head looks too big. Come to think of it, I actually have a really small head! Ah, well, what can you do? I look at this picture in disbelief of the beautiful family God has given me. I am truly blessed.

David was given an hour of AVT therapy through the school district. I am very excited and hopeful as to how it will help David with his speech and listening skills. Praise God it is only 15 minutes from our house and it is free for us. Also the gal who runs it is very caring and very motivated to help us help David. I am so grateful for this hour a week. It seems like we have been waiting forever for something like this for David.

David has proved to be quite a hunter.

Here is a picture of his first kill!:

Caution, not for the faint of heart!

NOTE: Dead fly on Window seal!

David tried hard to say hop

2008-06-21T17:55:00.000-07:00

Amazing Prayer = Progress for David

2008-06-03T06:37:00.000-07:00

I am in tears right now. The Lord has been so faithful to me, that it takes my breath away. All I can say is that prayer to the Almighty God through a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ works! The most recent prayer that God has chosen to answer for me is this one "Lord, give me wisdom in deciding the right communication choice for David and please help him to be able to communicate" . And here is how he answered it. I have been praying frequently that God would make it clear what I needed to do for David. Sign language w/speech as an adjunct or pursuing oral/auditory communication without sign. Last week David had an audiology appt and a ENT appointment. Both professionals told me that David has a wonderful voice and he will speak! The ENT is going to surgically put in 2 tubes which will increase his hearing a wee bit. The Aud told me "this boy will talk". This last week David had 2 Speech related appointments back to back. At the first appointment I was greatly encouraged by the ST who praised Davids ability to imitate syllables. The next appointment was disappointing, and confusing, but afterwards at the market a woman approached me. She excused herself for intruding but asked me where David was getting his services. I shrugged my shoulders, because he is not really settled into one place right now. She then told me that her husband is on the board at John Tracy Clinic (which is a wonderful oral institute) and that she couldn't help but notice what a beautiful sounding voice David had. "He is going to be successful in speech" she said. Wow, that was encouraging. Who put that woman on my path that day? What are the chances that she would be there when I needed to hear those words? Yesterday he had an assessment for LAUSD with a speech therapist. She went on and on and how impressed she was at how far David had come in one year. She said things like "I work for years trying to get the voice quality he has with some of my students." "His voice doesn't even sound deaf. He sounds like one of his hearing peers." WOW, what another encouragement. And I so needed that encouragement because I often doubt what is best for him. In my quiet time (the time in the morning when I turn my heart toward God and He shows me what He is doing in my life) the Lord connected all the dots for me.

He was giving me the wisdom I was asking for and confirming the choice to pursue an oral approach.

He reminded me of all the encouragement He has given me over the past month and brought to mind all the ways He was confirming our choice

He reminded me that He loves me and wants my heart to be encouraged at what He is doing in our lives

He showed me that He is answering my pleas for David to one day hear, understand and embrace the Gospel

I praise the Lord my God. For He is faithful even when I am faithless. And I anxiously await the answering of another prayer of my heart for David: That David will be a man after God's own heart...

Innocence, precious innocence!

2008-05-20T18:37:00.000-07:00

Kayla pulled me aside in a whispered voice today. " Mommy, Allison said a really bad word".
My heart dropped.
My stomach churned.
I sifted through the list of "really bad words" I knew in my mind.
Was it the s one? .
The d one?
Please don't let it be that really bad other one! As I gained my composure I looked at her and said "Kayla, what really bad word did Allison say?"
"Well she couldn't get the dustbuster to turn on, so she said 'come on you dumb buster' "
I hid my smile and thanked God for the sweet innocence He has allowed my almost 12 year old to maintain even though the world is trying to bang down the door and steal it away.
Thank you Lord for allowing me to savor this moment of innocence. :)

WHAT A DEAL!

2008-05-08T15:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, I got a really good deal today and I want to share it with all of you, whoever you are.... :)
I found a brand new Krups Convection toaster oven for 7.95 at a local thrift store. Whats really cool about it is that our toaster oven went out this morning. This thrift store, called Valley Thrift Store is so cool because they are so big and have so much stuff that you can pretty much just go out and get what you want when you want it for a good price. They only accept cash. They have daily specials like today for example: 1/2 off any items tagged blue, yellow or green. Be forwarned because parking is a huge problem. I wandered around for about 5 minutes before I could find a spot. Be aware of "no parking" signs.
Oh, by the way the toaster oven I got retails for between 99.95 and 129.95. Yipeee!!! What a deal!!
Another source for good food deals: Did you know that Smart and Final marks items that are close to their sell by date for 50% off and more? I was tempted to keep this secret all to myself, but I know the Lord would want me to sow seeds of generosity and not selfishness! I got 3 pounds of frozen baby green beans for 99 cents. 1/2 gal orange juice for 1.50. And a box of snack packs of cookies for 1.17. Worth taking a look at in you are in the neighborhood.
On a spiritual note something occurred to me the other day. It is something I don't spend enough time really thinking about. Here it goes:
Question: What is Jesus doing right now?
Answer: He as at the right hand of the Father, speaking to the Father on our behalf. Another way of looking at it is that He is praying for us. He is our mediator. How awesome. We have the God of the universe praying for us! What a deal!!

A Great Movie for Christians to see....

2008-04-18T12:51:00.001-07:00

http://www.getexpelled.com/

Ben Stein, in the new film EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed

His heroic and, at times, shocking journey confronting the world’s top scientists, educators and philosophers, regarding the persecution of the many by an elite few.

Coming to a theater near you on April 18, 2008

Ben travels the world on his quest, and learns an awe-inspiring truth…that bewilders him, then angers him…and then spurs him to action!

Ben realizes that he has been “Expelled,” and that educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure and even fired – for the “crime” of merely believing that there might be evidence of “design” in nature, and that perhaps life is not just the result of accidental, random chance.

To which Ben Says: "Enough!" And then gets busy. NOBODY messes with Ben.

What is true love?

2008-03-19T09:28:00.001-07:00

I am reading a wonderful book called "Staying in Love for a Lifetime" by Ed Wheat. I wanted to share what I learned this morning about loving . I hope you are as encouraged as I have been:
Real love is not mysterious or irrational.
Real love is not a simple, easy, doing what comes naturally.
Real love is not an uncontrollable feeling.
Real love is not produced by trying to attract it.
I can understand what love is through the Word of God.
I can learn the art of loving.
I can choose to love.
I can produce by giving it first and giving it wisely…
Love recognizes a unique value in the beloved
Love chooses to affirm the value of the beloved always
Love consistently does what is best for the beloved
Love is an active power to be controlled by the will.
Love is always a choice backed up by action.
Love is costly even when giving is pure joy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After reading some stories from the Foxe's Book of Martyrs Kayla (11) commented :"Mommy, I think it would be easier to die for Christ than it is to live for Him"

An invitation to sin...

2008-03-13T04:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was given an invitation to sin. Well, I am given hundreds of invitations to sin everyday. Aren't I popular? ;) Anyway I was not expecting this invitation. It was sprung on me as I was returning some chairs I had bought with a bit of money I had received for my birthday. After the cashier had returned the 54.00 onto my credit card he began to pull cash out of the drawer to give me. "What is he doing?" I thought. "He already refunded the money to my credit card. Oh........ he is going to give me the money back twice". Time stopped for a moment as Satan, dressed in a tuxedo on my own sinful heart stepped in and handed me an invitation. I was given an invitation to sin. I thought about it for a second. And you know what? I like money. Money is fun. And we sure could use money, I mean with gas prices and everything else that has skyrocketed in cost, we could use this extra 54.0o. Now, there are things I would never do. I mean I actually take pride in the fact that I never do certain sins. I mean I would NEVER walk into some one's house and steal 54.00! Yet there it was, an invitation to accept this money that I knew was not mine. I was tempted, for a second albeit, but, I did want that extra 54.00. But, as time sped up again, by God's merciful and loving grace in my life I spoke up: "Excuse me," I said " I think you already gave me the money back on my card." "Oh," He said as he shuffled the cash back into the drawer a bit embarrassed. Then can you believe it I was given another invitation! This one was from God. This is what it said:

Can you believe it? Well, like I said I am popular! :) But sadly, I disregarded this invitation as the opportunity did not seem opportune. But I do thank God for giving me the chance to turn down the invitation to sin and to show Him my love for Him by saying "no" to sin and "yes" to obedience. What invitations have you been receiving lately?

Loving My husband...

2008-03-12T05:51:00.000-07:00

We women are funny creatures. We have high expectations. We demand the best from our husbands. Then we belittle them in our minds and hearts and even our words when they don't perform to our expectations. I was talking to a friend the other day about this phenonmenon. We will actually look at all the best qualities in every man we meet, then we compare our husband's worst qualities to these other men's best qualities. We will compose in our imagination the ideal man, taking all the best qualities and leaving behind the worst ones in our friend's husbands, our pastors, even our doctors. And then we get mad that our husband is not like our fantasy man. We also withhold respect, affection, love and sex from our husbands. These are the things that God has created our husbands to live on. It is their gasoline if you will. So, imagine a husband is a car. He needs premium quality gasoline to perform at his best. To perform the way God created him to perform. If you fill him up with this premium quality gasoline he will perform beautifully. But what do we wives do? We put rocks, and dirt and saw dust in our husband's tanks. Then when they don't perform the way we think they should we start kicking them in the side and wishing we had a newer model. We begin to covet other cars we see. All the while cramming more rocks and dirt into their fuel lines, clogging them up. It is a vicious cycle. They will never perform as long as we are cramming their tanks and fuel lines full of junk. And when they don't perform we want to cram more junk into their tanks and fuel lines. Do you get the picture I am trying to paint? What is the fuel they need? Love, affection, respect, words of affirmation, and ....sex! And what junk are we trying to force them to perform on? Derespect, belittling, coveting thoughts, abstinence and withholding affection. It is pandemic. Wives everywhere are doing this. If you are a wife and you are reading this, please hear me. I want to warn you. There is a bridge out ahead. And you are the passenger in the car that is heading straight for it. We need to wake up and be the first to break this cycle. We are in serious need of repentance. We have sinned against God and against our husbands. And ladies, let me tell you, there is nothing like a sleek, high performance ride in a luxury car. When we fuel our husband's tanks properly we are obeying God. We are loving and not hurting our husbands. And we benefit immensely! You cannot even begin to imagine the enjoyment you will benefit from when you fuel your car properly. And I am not kidding when I say, you cannot even imagine it. If you know you have not been fueling your car the way God intended for you then you are missing out big time. Trust me, I know firsthand and I can honestly say my marriage gets better everyday and I will NEVER go back to rocks and dirt and saw dust....

Our cute signing boy!

2008-03-03T20:56:00.000-08:00

Christian, Speak up!

2008-02-29T21:06:00.000-08:00

At Disneyland yesterday I was speaking with my husband on the telephone. In the distance two Asian women were walking toward me. Just 2 strangers in a crowd of people at Disneyland on this Thursday. One of the ladies shirts caught my eye. To my horror her shirt was displaying two women in their bras and underwear embracing each other and kissing in a sexual way. Before I knew what was happening I was reaching out and gently grabbing her shoulder. "Your shirt.... It is horrible" I said in a grieved voice. She looked at me with a big smile and tugged at it proudly as if to say "Oh, you like it?" as she said "Yes!" with a thick accent of someone who does not speak English. I could tell she did not understand me and I said "No, bad.....It is wrong....." She walked away from me and I stood there, sad. I did not judge this woman because it is only by God's grace that I myself am not depraved. I prayed "Oh Lord, when will you come and judge this world. I am so sorry for how we, humanity, mocks you and hates you." I was struck with a sense of not understanding how God could stand the pungent filthy stench of sin that must arise from the Earth and fill His nostrils. I remembered that His ways are not my ways, and I was glad about that. He is much more patient, longsuffering and loving than I. He is waiting for all those who will repent to do so. I prayed that I would see that young lady again so that I could tell her what Christ did for her on the cross. Looking back it was surreal. That whole interaction was instinctive. If I do not speak up when sin is so blatantly displayed then I am giving it my approval.
Romans 1:32
and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
I am exposed to blatant immorality on a daily basis, in the grocery store, walking down the street, driving home..... Am I speaking up? Are you speaking up? I need to speak up more. I need to speak the truth in love to those who are perishing. I need to be the voice of truth in a world of relativism. I need to call wrong wrong. I need to speak into the hearts of those who are depraved. To prick their consciences with the truth. To give them a IV push of epinephrine to wake their fibrillating hearts....

A pair of pants, 2 shirts, a dress, a jacket and rice

2008-02-20T12:07:00.000-08:00

Some people would call my parenting extreme. I would agree. This morning I took extreme measures with a lovely adorable little lady living under my roof. You see it seems this little one is suffering from an extreme case of discontentment and ingratitude. She has been of lately very picky about foods, clothing, etc. So this morning I took extreme measures. I feel very much that it is my duty to help her root out the wee roots of discontentment while she is young and under my authority.
So today she is eating plain rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I also weeded through her wardrobe and left her with a pair of pants, 2 shirts, a dress, and a jacket.
The Bible teaches us that "godliness with contentment in great gain" and we also see a wonderful example of the Apostle Paul, who, while in a cold, dark, wet prison wrote these words "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content,". If my little one is having trouble being content with a closet full of clothing and foods which abound in quality, quantity and variety, then how will she fair as God calls her to be content with much bigger things in life?

Take my hands......

2008-02-03T05:22:00.000-08:00

I was doing my bible study the other day when I came across a wonderful treasure: 1 Timothy 5: 6 " But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives."

So even though this verse is specifically talking about widows, it can be universally applied to all women. Wow. What an impact this verse had on me when I read it.
Firstly it is written to the "shes" of the world.
That is me.
I am a she.
I absolutely treasure verses that talk to me specifically as a woman.

Who: she- women

What: are dead while they live

Why: because they live for pleasure's sake

The implications for application of this verse in my life are numerous. Although I know I am not dead because I am born again and have been made alive in Christ, I can certainly still act like a dead person.

When I won't get out of bed and want to sleep "just a little more", I am living for my pleasure.

When I don't put things back where they go because I am lazy and tired, I am living for my pleasure

When I take the best of anything for myself, it is "my pleasure" that is motivating me

When I eat more that I should, I am "living in pleasure"

When I don't do what I know is right because I am tired, afraid, selfish or lazy, I am not living a sacrificial life to Christ, but I am "living in pleasure"

I am so grateful to God when He so lovingly shows me how I can grow & verses that motivate me to live in holiness.

We have been reading through Exodus. Yesterday's reading was about all the things the Isrealites had to do "just as the Lord had instructed". The list was very, very long and specific. Finally when they had done everything "just as the Lord had instructed", "the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. "

I was struck again. I want God's glory to fill me. I want to experience His presence in my life. So, if I want to have a close relationship to God, if I want to have Him speaking into my life, if I want to "feel close to Him", I too need to do all He has instructed. God promises that He will never leave or forsake me because I am His. But, there are certain blessings that a Christian only experiences when they are careful to do "just as the Lord had instructed".

That's Entertainment!

2008-01-25T11:29:00.001-08:00

Dear Sir and Madam,

We were invited by a friend to a Jr. High Drama Play last night at LA Lutheran. We had our whole family in attendance. We have children from the ages of 3 all the way up to 11.

I must tell you we were deeply grieved and disgusted with the material presented in your play. We wrote down some of the many things that we found disturbing for you:

"My teacher is a moron. If you didn't hear me I'll say it louder--MY TEACHER IS A MORON! I think I might kill him and bury his body with this cork in his mouth"

"That boy that you like? He's over there kissing your older sister."

"I saw that cute boy first!"

While enacting a witch’s ceremonial religious ritual with candles lit and red lights shown:

Thrice the brinded cat hath mewed.

Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.

Harpier cries "'Tis time, 'tis time."

Round about the cauldron go;
In the poisoned entrails throw.
Toad, that under cold stone
Days and nights has thirty-one
Sweltered venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmed pot.

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg and owlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble

Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witches' mummy, maw and gulf
Of the ravined salt-sea shark,
Root of hemlock digged in' the dark,
Liver of blaspheming Jew,
Gall of goat, and slips of yew
Silvered in the moon's eclipse,
Nose of Turk and Tartar's lips,
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Ditch-delivered by a drab,
Make the gruel thick and slab:
Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
For the ingredients of our cauldron.

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Cool it with a baboon's blood,
Then the charm is firm and good."

Also we had the pleasure of exposing our whole family to other lines such as:

"Josh, you're an idiot. I failed the class because of you. We were supposed to be studying and you were kissing your teddy bear."

"I'd kill you if I could get away with it."

"why'd you do that? (kick me). You deserved it."

"Why do I have to go to this stupid class?"

“Oh my God”

We found the play to have NO redeeming qualities what-so-ever. Everything had to do with fighting amongst the characters, expressing some sort of hatred toward someone else, or fighting over a member of the opposite sex.

Is this the image LA Lutheran High is promoting? It would be disturbing enough for us to experience this at a secular high school. But Lutheran High promotes itself as a school which “Shares Christ, Discipline and Christian Beliefs”. Yet when we look at the scriptures this is what we see:

Ephesians 4:29

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

James 3:9-10 "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be."

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Ephesians 5:3-4

But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

We are deeply grieved to find a school which wears the name of our Lord Jesus Christ so prominently and yet at the same time encourages romantic relationships amongst young children in a day of immorality and sexual promiscuity.

A school which prays to the Lord Jesus Christ before the drama performance, and yet takes killing, murder of teachers and students in school in a joking and light hearted manner is a society which faces the reality of these events all to often.

A school who laces it’s website with scripture and yet re-enacts satanic and offensive conjuring of spells and witchcraft for entertainment.

Over and over, God denounces those who "conjure spells" and those who practice witchcraft and sorcery. The Bible says that anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord (Deuteronomy 18:10-12; 2 Kings 21:6; Micah 5:12; Isaiah 47:12; Ezekiel 13:18, 20; Acts 8:11-24; Leviticus 20:27; Exodus 7:11; Revelation 9:21; 22:15).

God warns of the ultimate punishment. Revelation 21:8 says of "…those who practice magic arts …their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur… the second death" (NIV). Those who practice witchcraft (sorcery) will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:20-21). These practices are anti-God and are in rebellion against Him.

We urge you:

Joshua 24:15

"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Sincerely,

Tim Petta-Former graduate of LA Lutheran High

Wendy Petta

Kayla Petta -11

Madelyn Petta- 9

Allison Petta- 5

David Petta- 3

Fifth Disease

2008-01-16T13:51:00.000-08:00

David is excelling in sign language and communicated to us that he was sick yesterday. After taking his temperature, I realized he was right. Bad that he is sick. Great that he could tell us! :)
Since we last posted, 3 out of our 6 family members has come down with Fifth Disease. David currently has a fever and we are wondering if he will come down with it too. Ahh, illnesses, the results of sin and one more thing we will be glad to be free from in heaven!

Interestingly, we had a very good lesson come from our appearing in the local newspaper (The LA Times). After being interviewed about our interest in growing fruit trees in our backyard, it turns out we are depending upon their harvest to feed our needy family of 6! Something like "Tim and Wendy Petta painstakingly researched what trees to choose for their backyard, which has 40 fruit trees crammed onto a 8000 sq ft lot, to help feed their four children" !!!! Can you believe it! So what was the lesson? That the media severely twists information and cannot be trusted! We never implied that we were poor, dependent upon our fruit trees for food, or even that we "painstakingly" did anything! Actually the only reason the author even knew we had 4 kids was because they answered the phone when she called and she was impressed with their phone manners and casually asked us how many kids we have. I explained to my children that I was glad they twisted the truth so that they could learn how the media cannot be trusted. If the media twists information on this small level so severely, know it cannot be trusted on any level.

Wendy the immorality vigilante strikes again at the local Valley Foods Market. After seeing a completely naked woman (contorted as to not show the vital areas) on the front of a magazine stashed exactly at the eye level of an average 3 to 5 year old at the checkout aisle, I proceeded to pick it up stash it under my arm and ask for the manager. When she approached I held the magazine for her to see and she immediately lowered her head and downcast her eyes. She was ashamed. I said "Can you tell me why this magazine is being displayed at children's eye level? This is unacceptable and I would appreciate it if you would tell the manager we do not want to shop here if they continue to display things like this for my children to see. This is just wrong!" She said she would and when I came the next day the magazine was gone! Thank God!

Speaking of the immorality of society at large, please, if you have time listen to these two messages found at http://www.oneplace.com/ . A Nation Abandoned by God 1 and A Nation Abandoned by God 2 . These are essential important messages for every Christian to hear. In Romans 1 the bible teaches that when people continue to sin against God, He abandons them to their own evil desires. Immorality is rampant and exponentially increases day by day.

I am rereading The Duties of Parents by J C Ryle. It is so excellent. I picked it up again after reading a friend's blog who shared that she reads this booklet yearly. That is a fantastic suggestion as this book is short, to the point, extremely convicting and useful in focusing one efforts in parenting!

I am also reading Staying in Love for a Lifetime by Dr. Ed Wheat. I wish I had this book many years ago. This should be required reading for every pre-marriage young adult. Just fantastic, and not afraid to touch on every subject that is relevant in the Christian marriage.

Well, that's all for now. May the Lord bless and keep all His children until that day....

Wendy

Back, By Popular Demand!

2008-01-09T19:58:00.001-08:00

Well, it is official. This blog rocks! I cannot contain the amounts of requests given to continue journaling my mundane wanderings! (wink, wink~ Amy)
As you can see to the left, Nacho Libre rocks too! This drawing is courtesy of Allison Petta age 5.
So what is new with us. Well, Kayla, Maddie and I have faithfully read our bible in a year reading every day so far this year. WOO HOO! It feels so good to be disciplined in this area of our lives and even though K & M have been dead dog sick this past week, they have not missed a day. I am also excited about some wall charts I am going to be ordering from Rose Publications. These charts will help us to keep straight the kings, prophets, times and places as we read through the old testament.
Our Korean students arrived on Monday and they did not have American names. After being told by their teacher to pick American names, they proceeded to not pick names. So I named them. They are Rachael and Sara. They seemed happy with their new names. They have been very quiet and seem to be enjoying America, even as we are enjoying them...

I cut my own hair. And believe it or not, I don't think it looks too bad. Tell me what you think the next time you see me, but only if you like it...

David saw his new DR on Monday and I really felt like she is a much better choice for us. She seemed very eager to help us get some things that David needs: Speech Therapy and a referral to the audiologist. David was also very happy to return to school this week. We both really enjoy him going to school!

Please pray for me & Allison. She has such a bent toward causing trouble and being, shall we say, "not nice". I love Allison to pieces, really I do. But I am blue in the face with trying to tell her the right way to behave. It is truly a humbling time for me as a parent. I cannot excuse her behavior, nor can I or should I convince anyone that I am being a good parent. Allison choices are between her and the Lord. All I can do is guide her, love her, and pray for her. I see many wonderfully strong qualities in her and I pray that in time those strengths will be focused on living a life of passion for Jesus Christ. And, hey, she is an awesome artist too. AND she does magnifico Nacho Libre impersonations.

Ok, I think I am creatively blocked right now, so that's it. To ALL my loyal fans (Amy & Mom): ;) I love you & goodnight. Hug hug, kiss kiss, hug hug, big kiss, little hug, kiss kiss, little kiss.

We're famous! Well, almost...

2008-01-04T15:37:00.000-08:00

Tim and I will be in the side bar of the front page of the LA Times this Thursday. :)

Wendy's Wanderings

2008-01-04T15:03:00.000-08:00

1/4/08

Today Kayla, Maddie and I read from Genesis about Noah, his sons, and the tower of Babel. We are attempting to read through the bible in a year, together. We then went to Sam’s club where Maddie spied a “Groovy Girl” set on sale for 10.37. It was regularly 24.97. Since they had about 35 boxes on hand, I convinced Maddie that if she waited a few days the price would probably go down more. I also decided that I need to take the girls through a bible study about how to be good stewards of their money. It seems that as soon as one has money in one’s pocket, so begins the battle for choosing to love God more than money and what it can buy. I am looking into some Larry Burkett material.

After buying vegetarian fed organic eggs (2.84 for 18) and 2 gallons of nonfat milk (about 2.00 gallon) at Sam’s Club, we drove over to Valley Foods. Here we picked up about 7 pounds of very fresh and tender green beans (2 lbs for 1.00). I will freeze some of them. We also picked up about 8 lbs of apples. Kayla and Maddie are going to make homemade apple sauce today. We got the apples for about 2.00 as they were marked down due to some bruising. We also picked up several pounds of delicious seedless tangerines (2 lbs for 1.00). Since we are cutting way back on our sugar consumption, I have notices a much greater desire to eat fresh fruit.

Next, we walked over the Fashion Sol. Maddie purchased a very cute yellow sun top for 3.00. By this time Allison had to go the bathroom and it was beginning to rain, so we headed home.

After we had a lunch of left over beef soup with some rice, I began tackling my ever present pile of laundry. Kayla and Maddie washed and began to peel the apples with potato peelers. We decided they could put down a sheet in the office and listen to Paw’s and Tales on the internet while they peeled the apples. We have found that www.oneplace.com is a very good resource for free Christian audio programs of all sorts for all sorts of audiences. About half-way through the apple peeling the girls started to whine a bit and want to quit. I encouraged them to be diligent and follow through with the task they had started. By the end of the job, they had become quite proficient at using a peeler.

While folding laundry I had Allison and David sitting at the table to have some Pomegranate 7-up. It was a new flavor, so I folded when they asked to try it at the store. It was on sale for 99 cents, so I said “sure”. Lately Allison and David have been fighting quite a bit. Because of David’s younger age & communication deficit, I encouraged Allison that she has a greater responsibility to decline the invitation to sin against God in fighting with her brother. As I was putting another load of laundry in in the garage I could see her sitting at the table, not declining, but accepting the invitation to sin and bicker with David. As she caught my eye, she knew she was doing wrong and was “caught”. I came in and signed to David to be nice to his sister and “don’t fight”. I turned to Allison and asked her what it is that she wants so badly that she is willing to sin against God and fight with David. She said she just wants her way when David wants his way. I got out my book Proverbs For Parenting and I read to her Proverbs 16:7: When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. We talked about what this verse meant in her situation and then I asked her to practice it until she knew it by heart.

Since our gas & electric bill was very high last month, Tim has asked me to be more careful with being wasteful with these commodities. Since then I have used the heater much less and been trying to keep all the unused lights off in the house. I wear socks on my feet, and put on a sweatshirt and this helps a lot with the cold.

Yesterday I took the kids to the Glendale Galleria. First time I have been in over 10 years. I was so disappointed to see all the immodest displays there. They were actually promoting a show called “How to Look Good Naked” or something like that. They were handing out DVDs promoting the show and I watched in surprise as they handed one out to a perplexed little girl no more than 5 years old in front of us. As we walked by they approached me and attempted to give me a packet. I said “no, thank you” in a firm but polite manner. I walked forward more and turned around to check if all my little chicks were behind me and I saw a gal trying to give Allison (5) something. I said more firmly this time, “No, Thank you!” I am not a real quick thinker, but later wished I had asked these women how they could promote something so inappropriate to young children. Also, a warming about a store called "Hollister", please avoid it! I have never seen such a disgusting display. Without getting too graphic it shows much more of the male anatomy than any God fearing person would ever want to see. It is a good idea to sit one's family down before going to the mall and prepare them for what they might see. We have a policy to “look away and pray”. Our prayer is for His kingdom to come and save us from our (humanity’s) own perverse hearts….

Tonight we will have Korean Bar-B-Que, courtesy of my wonderfully generous friend Miyon, and a wonderful green vegetable I discovered at Super King market. I believe it is called Mangda. Apparently it is loaded with vitamins. I asked a lady at the market about it and she said “It has too much vitamins. Oh, too many vitamins!” We will also have fresh pineapple which I picked up for 1.00 at Valley Foods. I had found a great pineapple corer, sliced gadget at a garage sale a few months ago for .50 cents. It makes serving fresh pineapple a snap!

Well that’s all for now! We are going to work on the older girl’s book reports. And finish that pile of laundry. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all you creatures here below.

PS: We are now enjoying a sampling of about a gallon of fresh, sugar free, homemade applesauce, all for $2.00, plus the girls learned a lesson in cooking, diligence, resourcefulness and enjoying the fruit of one's labors!