When I had to change my diet to exclude meat and most meat products, I did a lot of research. By way of the internet, I checked out hundreds of sites. Most of them were not of interest to me, but many were. I even signed up for updates from some of them. What was I thinking?!
I got an email from one of those sites just a few minutes ago. This site claims to support green living, vegan diets, and human rights.
The email I just received made me cry.
This is an excerpt from that email:
Stop Bush's Sneak-Attack on Reproductive Health!
Bush's new ruling under Health and Human Services (HHS) would allow health care organizations that receive federal funding to refuse to provide abortions based on "religious or moral grounds."
What on earth????? I went to the site to take my name off thier list and what do I see on the front page?
Animal Rights.
That's a good thing, but why do you get so worked up about Fluffy or some chickens, yet don't flinch at the idea of a human being being torn limb from limb then thrown in the trash?
The war.
I have my feelings on this and, no matter what they are, this article there left me scratching my head:
torture is wrong no matter who does it to whom. the u.n. isn't as effective as it should be, because it's members don't support it. it seems there are too few people who support working toward peace. too many want to eradicate with torture and war rather than to sit down and try to find a solution.
Do I even need to comment on that one? I will anyhow.
You don't want to see a (possible) terrorist tortured. However, when a partial birth abortion is performed, the abortionist jams scissors into the baby's skull. The scissors are then opened to enlarge the hole. The scissors are removed and a suction catheter is inserted. The child's brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed.
This is not only acceptable with you, but you will use all your energy & resources to make sure this is continued?????
It goes on & on. I don't understand. How can ANYONE who's heart breaks for a defenseless animal not feel the same compassion for the most innocent & defenseless?? They not only don't defend the unborn, but they will fight with all they have to keep up the torture and killing????
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Every penny counts
I like to think of us as frugal. Many people think we are wacked.
I would never dream of buying bread crumbs. Those bread crumbs most people toss in the trashcan get put into a gallon size ziplock bag, and put in the freezer. Dried out bread goes with them. I always have them readily available. Oh yea. And I make my own bread. It costs me about 25¢ per loaf. When I slice it, I have plenty of crumbs for my 'bread crumb bag'.
We keep our home at 60°. Honestly, you get used to it. We used to keep our home at 65°, but went down 5° last year. We used HALF as much natural gas with that slight change! When we are done baking, or running the dishwasher (I said I was frugal, not Amish), we leave the door open. That heat is paid for, and the steam from the dishwasher adds much needed humidity.
I hang almost EVERYTHING to dry. That includes towels, socks, and underwear. I only run the dryer for sheets & blankets. I hang everything in the basement, and I don't have the room to hang those. This not only saves a small fortune by not running the dryer for 2+ loads every day but, again, it adds much needed humidity to the air in the winter!
I do not buy processed foods. I used to use coupons and get them very cheap, but I have found that cooking from scratch IS cheaper! (No one was more amazed than me.) We also eat much healthier this way. I've had to change my diet to exclude meat, but my family still eats meat. I make at least 3 vegetarian meals every week, and it is much cheaper than a meat based diet. As I've become more used to cooking without meat, our meals are much more varied and I'm cutting out the meat even more.
Those who know me know that I make my own laundry detergent. Before you roll your eyes- it is NOT hard! It takes about 15 minutes to make enough to last for at LEAST 2-3 months. It costs less than $3 to make that much, and it works better than any commercial product you can buy. Seriously!
There are many, many more things we do, and I'll try to share more of them in future posts. Now that Tim is about to join the ranks of the unemployed, we are racking our brains to think of new ways to save money. It's frustrating when we watch these "how to save money" bits on the news every day, because we already DO all these things. So.... what to do..... what to do.......
Could we cut our heating cost even more???
We have 'zoned heating'- meaning each area of the house has its own thermostat. The office/classroom is a heat pit, so we put styrofoam in the windows during the winter. Hmmmmmm.... could we close it off? Where would we do school????
We are getting our house ready to put on the market. The number one thing to do is to clear out everything that isn't necessary for life. So, we got a POD . This has worked wonderfully, but we really need to cut somewhere.
Hmmmmmm........
Today, it hit me! We move our classroom downstairs! (Actually, Tim & had already talked about this) and turn off the heat out there. Then, we move all that "STUFF" from the POD into the office and get rid of the POD. Yea, it feels kinda like a waste after using the POD for so long, but why use it for the next 5 months if we don't have to! When the house is ready to show, THEN we move it out. These two things could save us about $200 a month!
Will we be a bit more cramped this way? Yea. So what. We have a roof over our heads. We have heat. We have food. We have our health. We have 2 cars!! We are so much better off than more than half of the rest of the world. By FAR!
Thank you, God, for all you have given us.
Please keep our thoughts thankful and our heats humble.
I would never dream of buying bread crumbs. Those bread crumbs most people toss in the trashcan get put into a gallon size ziplock bag, and put in the freezer. Dried out bread goes with them. I always have them readily available. Oh yea. And I make my own bread. It costs me about 25¢ per loaf. When I slice it, I have plenty of crumbs for my 'bread crumb bag'.
We keep our home at 60°. Honestly, you get used to it. We used to keep our home at 65°, but went down 5° last year. We used HALF as much natural gas with that slight change! When we are done baking, or running the dishwasher (I said I was frugal, not Amish), we leave the door open. That heat is paid for, and the steam from the dishwasher adds much needed humidity.
I hang almost EVERYTHING to dry. That includes towels, socks, and underwear. I only run the dryer for sheets & blankets. I hang everything in the basement, and I don't have the room to hang those. This not only saves a small fortune by not running the dryer for 2+ loads every day but, again, it adds much needed humidity to the air in the winter!
I do not buy processed foods. I used to use coupons and get them very cheap, but I have found that cooking from scratch IS cheaper! (No one was more amazed than me.) We also eat much healthier this way. I've had to change my diet to exclude meat, but my family still eats meat. I make at least 3 vegetarian meals every week, and it is much cheaper than a meat based diet. As I've become more used to cooking without meat, our meals are much more varied and I'm cutting out the meat even more.
Those who know me know that I make my own laundry detergent. Before you roll your eyes- it is NOT hard! It takes about 15 minutes to make enough to last for at LEAST 2-3 months. It costs less than $3 to make that much, and it works better than any commercial product you can buy. Seriously!
There are many, many more things we do, and I'll try to share more of them in future posts. Now that Tim is about to join the ranks of the unemployed, we are racking our brains to think of new ways to save money. It's frustrating when we watch these "how to save money" bits on the news every day, because we already DO all these things. So.... what to do..... what to do.......
Could we cut our heating cost even more???
We have 'zoned heating'- meaning each area of the house has its own thermostat. The office/classroom is a heat pit, so we put styrofoam in the windows during the winter. Hmmmmmm.... could we close it off? Where would we do school????
We are getting our house ready to put on the market. The number one thing to do is to clear out everything that isn't necessary for life. So, we got a POD . This has worked wonderfully, but we really need to cut somewhere.
Hmmmmmm........
Today, it hit me! We move our classroom downstairs! (Actually, Tim & had already talked about this) and turn off the heat out there. Then, we move all that "STUFF" from the POD into the office and get rid of the POD. Yea, it feels kinda like a waste after using the POD for so long, but why use it for the next 5 months if we don't have to! When the house is ready to show, THEN we move it out. These two things could save us about $200 a month!
Will we be a bit more cramped this way? Yea. So what. We have a roof over our heads. We have heat. We have food. We have our health. We have 2 cars!! We are so much better off than more than half of the rest of the world. By FAR!
Thank you, God, for all you have given us.
Please keep our thoughts thankful and our heats humble.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Amos 3:6
"If a calamity occures in a city has not the Lord done it?"
Are we being disciplined as a country? Will we be?
This is something I've been struggling with for awhile. I'd appreciate and consider any input. I've got too many thoughts to write about it now, but I'm working on it.
Are we being disciplined as a country? Will we be?
This is something I've been struggling with for awhile. I'd appreciate and consider any input. I've got too many thoughts to write about it now, but I'm working on it.
Friday, November 7, 2008
A REAL "Pro- Choice" Choice
NOTE: You WILL get mad at me before you finish reading this, and you WILL want to quit. PLEASE DON'T STOP READING UNTIL YOU GET TO THE END!!!! If for some reason this post does NOT make you angry, then you REALLY need to read this entire post. Probably at least twice.
I used to be "pro-choice". There. I said it. Yes, I was brainwashed into believing that it was my "choice", that it was a "blob of tissue", that it was "my body". As a Christian, it is absolutely impossible to believe that anymore. Even if you are not a Christian, do some research that isn't linked to any 'pro-choice' information. You will be amazed. And sickened.
Some of the arguments I've heard is are:
Well, I have the perfect solution to all three of those problems, and it doesn't require a single abortion. In fact, it would save our government billions of dollars, and would help bring us closer to getting rid of our national debt!
Yes, really!!!!
First of all- the big number:
This year there will be approximately 1.3 million abortions performed in the United States.
Now, what if there is something wrong with the baby?
Did you know that in the U.S. right now, there are approximately 6.2 people who are technically "mentally retarded"? That means that their I.Q. score is below 70. (The mean score is 100, with 70-79 being borderline retardation.) The number of people in the U.S. with "Severe Mental Retardation", meaning their I.Q. is 20-34, is approximately 300,000.
Well, these people are obviously a drain on society. They cost the medical community and taxpayers every year. They cannot earn a wage and pay taxes, so they are negatively influencing our economy. I'm sure they are an incredible physical, emotional, and financial drain to their families. And besides, what kind of life is this for them to live anyways? After all, "quality" of life is important, right?
By "choosing" to "eliminate" them, we can free up those tax dollars for better uses. It would also relieve their families of the undue burden they put on them.
What if the mother cannot afford a baby?
Here is where it gets fun and I save you more money that you ever thought possible! The most recent numbers I could find were for 2006. With the economy where it is right now, those numbers may be higher, but this is what I am working with.
In 2006 there were 36.5 million people in the U.S. living at or below the poverty line. Since our poverty line is a bit liberal compared to the rest of the world, I chose to work with the number in EXTREME poverty: that is, less that half the poverty level. That number is 15.6 million. Say that half of that number is children. (It's probably higher, but this is a safe estimate.) Wow. Can you imagine how hard that must be on the parents?
I'm sure their lives would be much better off if they didn't have to worry about that financial responsibility. By "choosing" to "eliminate" those 7.8 million, it would be much easier for those mothers to make something of their lives. I'm sure it wouldn't be an easy decision, but once they understand those facts I'm sure they would agree it is what is best for them.
Now, with the options I've listed, we have just eliminated 8.1 million unintended dilemmas. It has helped these women who find themselves in difficult and inconvenient situations.
You don't agree? Would they not be better off financially? Of course it wouldn't be an easy choice, but there are plenty of clinics to help them get through this decision process.
After all... we don't know when life begins and who are YOU to tell me what is best for me?!
***************
Obviously, I was playing devil's advocate. One of the biggest arguments I hear ANY time the abortion discussion comes up is, "What about in the case of rape or incest?"
Some statistics for you:
Why women have abortions
1% of all abortions occur because of rape or incest; 6% of abortions occur because of potential health problems regarding either the mother or child, and 93% of all abortions occur for social reasons (i.e. the child is unwanted or inconvenient).
So don't even go there with me. That's a crap argument, and you know it.
By the way, I hate the term "mentally retarded", but it is one that most people are familiar with. And, since I was more than a little offensive in the rest of this post, I decided to go all in.
I used to be "pro-choice". There. I said it. Yes, I was brainwashed into believing that it was my "choice", that it was a "blob of tissue", that it was "my body". As a Christian, it is absolutely impossible to believe that anymore. Even if you are not a Christian, do some research that isn't linked to any 'pro-choice' information. You will be amazed. And sickened.
Some of the arguments I've heard is are:
- "It's better this way if something is 'wrong' with the baby."
- "Most of these babies would be born to mothers who can't afford a baby/are poor."
- "If abortion didn't happen, our world be even more over-populated that it already is. It's population control."
Well, I have the perfect solution to all three of those problems, and it doesn't require a single abortion. In fact, it would save our government billions of dollars, and would help bring us closer to getting rid of our national debt!
Yes, really!!!!
First of all- the big number:
This year there will be approximately 1.3 million abortions performed in the United States.
Now, what if there is something wrong with the baby?
Did you know that in the U.S. right now, there are approximately 6.2 people who are technically "mentally retarded"? That means that their I.Q. score is below 70. (The mean score is 100, with 70-79 being borderline retardation.) The number of people in the U.S. with "Severe Mental Retardation", meaning their I.Q. is 20-34, is approximately 300,000.
Well, these people are obviously a drain on society. They cost the medical community and taxpayers every year. They cannot earn a wage and pay taxes, so they are negatively influencing our economy. I'm sure they are an incredible physical, emotional, and financial drain to their families. And besides, what kind of life is this for them to live anyways? After all, "quality" of life is important, right?
By "choosing" to "eliminate" them, we can free up those tax dollars for better uses. It would also relieve their families of the undue burden they put on them.
What if the mother cannot afford a baby?
Here is where it gets fun and I save you more money that you ever thought possible! The most recent numbers I could find were for 2006. With the economy where it is right now, those numbers may be higher, but this is what I am working with.
In 2006 there were 36.5 million people in the U.S. living at or below the poverty line. Since our poverty line is a bit liberal compared to the rest of the world, I chose to work with the number in EXTREME poverty: that is, less that half the poverty level. That number is 15.6 million. Say that half of that number is children. (It's probably higher, but this is a safe estimate.) Wow. Can you imagine how hard that must be on the parents?
I'm sure their lives would be much better off if they didn't have to worry about that financial responsibility. By "choosing" to "eliminate" those 7.8 million, it would be much easier for those mothers to make something of their lives. I'm sure it wouldn't be an easy decision, but once they understand those facts I'm sure they would agree it is what is best for them.
Now, with the options I've listed, we have just eliminated 8.1 million unintended dilemmas. It has helped these women who find themselves in difficult and inconvenient situations.
You don't agree? Would they not be better off financially? Of course it wouldn't be an easy choice, but there are plenty of clinics to help them get through this decision process.
After all... we don't know when life begins and who are YOU to tell me what is best for me?!
***************
Obviously, I was playing devil's advocate. One of the biggest arguments I hear ANY time the abortion discussion comes up is, "What about in the case of rape or incest?"
Some statistics for you:
Why women have abortions
1% of all abortions occur because of rape or incest; 6% of abortions occur because of potential health problems regarding either the mother or child, and 93% of all abortions occur for social reasons (i.e. the child is unwanted or inconvenient).
So don't even go there with me. That's a crap argument, and you know it.
By the way, I hate the term "mentally retarded", but it is one that most people are familiar with. And, since I was more than a little offensive in the rest of this post, I decided to go all in.
“We are failing to segregate morons who are increasing and multiplying . . . a dead weight of human waste . . .an ever-increasing spawning class of human beings who never should have been born at all.”
Margaret Sanger- founder of Planned ParenthoodWednesday, November 5, 2008
Pray for our new president
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-for kings and all those in authority.
-1 Timothy 2:1-2
-1 Timothy 2:1-2
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
God bless America! ....please
I've intentionally stayed away from writing anything about the election. It's not that I don't have anything to say- believe me, I have a LOT to say. And it certainly is not that I don't care. I always vote. Every primary, every issue, everything. I don't think I've ever cared as much about any election as I do about this one!
I am not an Obama fan. I don't agree with him on any issue. Not one. I AM thrilled that a black man has the possibility of becoming our next president.... but I really don't want it to be him. I understand why so many African-Americans, as well as many others, are excited. Who can blame them? Most of the black children I grew up with never dreamed that THEY could actually be our president. I mean... yea.... they may have said they'd like to be, and their parents may have told them they could be, but I doubt too many of them every believed they could be given the chance. I am an UNprejudice as they come, but I know that bigotry is alive & well in the U.S.
I just cannot wrap my mind around the fact that so many people vote for someone because of their skin color. And, if it was Hilary that was running, many woman would vote for her JUST because she carried that illusive "X" chromosome.
Just as infuriating, are the people who allow themselves to be brainwashed into voting along party lines for no other reason than they 'belong' to that party. Really? How 'bout you give that party headquarters a call and tell them you'd like your membership dues refunded. It's not a club, folks! You don't OWE them anything!
You don't need to vote for anyone because your company or union tells you you should! USE YOUR BRAIN PEOPLE!!!!!!! The internet is right here! If you are reading this, you can just as easily google the issues, or go to usavoter.com and LEARN something!!!! I take my right to vote very, very seriously. I learn about the judges. I actually READ the plans our candidates put out there. Is it easy? Absolutely not! But this is one of the most important decisions I must make. EVERY time I vote.
Yes, I voted for McCain/Palin. I know it's incredibly obvious (right?), but I didn't want anyone to think I intentionally left that part out and was just bashing Obama.
My body is tired and the tears are beginning to flow. Again.
I've been in prayer most of the day, and I'll be praying again as soon as I publish this post. I know that it is in God's hands now. I pray that He continues to bless us with the best country in the world. The ONLY country I want to live in. The country that I LOVE! I pray for God's blessings. That whatever happens, and whoever becomes our next leader- our next commander-in-chief- that we do not experience His wrath.
I pray for our country to truly be the land of the free:
Free to remain the country our forefathers fought for.
Free to enjoy the gains of our own hard work.
Free to practice religion without persecution.
Free to speak without fear of prosecution.
Free to keep marriage sacred.
Free to remain accountable for our own actions.
Free from terrorism.
Free from murder of the unborn.
I will pray today, tomorrow, and every day for these things.
God- HEAR MY PRAYER!
(And just in case anyone who reads this doesn't think abortion is THAT rampant, there have already been almost 39 MILLION unborn humans murdered so far in the world just THIS YEAR!)
I am not an Obama fan. I don't agree with him on any issue. Not one. I AM thrilled that a black man has the possibility of becoming our next president.... but I really don't want it to be him. I understand why so many African-Americans, as well as many others, are excited. Who can blame them? Most of the black children I grew up with never dreamed that THEY could actually be our president. I mean... yea.... they may have said they'd like to be, and their parents may have told them they could be, but I doubt too many of them every believed they could be given the chance. I am an UNprejudice as they come, but I know that bigotry is alive & well in the U.S.
I just cannot wrap my mind around the fact that so many people vote for someone because of their skin color. And, if it was Hilary that was running, many woman would vote for her JUST because she carried that illusive "X" chromosome.
Just as infuriating, are the people who allow themselves to be brainwashed into voting along party lines for no other reason than they 'belong' to that party. Really? How 'bout you give that party headquarters a call and tell them you'd like your membership dues refunded. It's not a club, folks! You don't OWE them anything!
You don't need to vote for anyone because your company or union tells you you should! USE YOUR BRAIN PEOPLE!!!!!!! The internet is right here! If you are reading this, you can just as easily google the issues, or go to usavoter.com and LEARN something!!!! I take my right to vote very, very seriously. I learn about the judges. I actually READ the plans our candidates put out there. Is it easy? Absolutely not! But this is one of the most important decisions I must make. EVERY time I vote.
Yes, I voted for McCain/Palin. I know it's incredibly obvious (right?), but I didn't want anyone to think I intentionally left that part out and was just bashing Obama.
My body is tired and the tears are beginning to flow. Again.
I've been in prayer most of the day, and I'll be praying again as soon as I publish this post. I know that it is in God's hands now. I pray that He continues to bless us with the best country in the world. The ONLY country I want to live in. The country that I LOVE! I pray for God's blessings. That whatever happens, and whoever becomes our next leader- our next commander-in-chief- that we do not experience His wrath.
I pray for our country to truly be the land of the free:
Free to remain the country our forefathers fought for.
Free to enjoy the gains of our own hard work.
Free to practice religion without persecution.
Free to speak without fear of prosecution.
Free to keep marriage sacred.
Free to remain accountable for our own actions.
Free from terrorism.
Free from murder of the unborn.
I will pray today, tomorrow, and every day for these things.
God- HEAR MY PRAYER!
(And just in case anyone who reads this doesn't think abortion is THAT rampant, there have already been almost 39 MILLION unborn humans murdered so far in the world just THIS YEAR!)
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
The coming century......... a century ago
“In answer to your inquiry, I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.”
William Booth - founder and general of the Salvation Army. 1829-1916
William Booth - founder and general of the Salvation Army. 1829-1916
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