Cletus, Take the Reel

That’s the title of a funny parody of the song, “Jesus Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood.  I really like the original by Miss Underwood, but the parody is very witty.  Take a look at ”Cletus, Take the Reel” on this youtube video (it’s clean). 

I’ve done parodies for awhile now, and have alot of fun with them.  Like Weird Al, I don’t pick on anyone out of meanness, but everyone is fair game.  I wrote some song titles here in this blog post, “Polka-ing Fun”.  I’ve also written many of my own whole parody songs, one to the tune of “O, Christmas Tree”.  The most recent song I’ve rewritten is to the song, “Burnin’ Up” by The Jonas Brothers, a pop boy band.  The original video of the song is here on YouTube.  It’s also clean and is about teen infatuation; sort of the Disney genre.  I’ve changed the lyrics and song title from “Burnin’ Up” to “Cleanin’ Up”, when a friend of mine asked me to rewrite some lyrics for popular songs to present the parodies in a “5-day” club to do outreach to kids in the community.  You can find my version of lyrics to the song, relating to “cleanliness” compared to the original lyrics here.

Update:  I’ve just found some funny videos by Tim Hawkins, the songwriter/comedian who wrote “Cletus, Take the Reel”.  He’s got a funny comedy routine on how corporations may someday parody some Christian songs for their marketing.  Interesting thought.

The tree in my front yard

 

Some of the photos you’ll find on my blog are ones that I captured from my own yard.  I’ve placed many in my header to showcase the seasons we have in beautiful northwest Oregon.  I’m thinking of starting a separate photo blog, inspired by another blogger.  Now, if only I could keep my camera batteries charged … 

 

Growing Up in the 80’s

My dad called yesterday to encourage me to listen to a radio station I don’t usually listen to, and I was pleasantly surprised by one of the songs.  It’s called 19 Somethin’ by Mark Wills.  Watch and listen to this video to find out why.

I dedicate this song and video especially to my son, Michael (who loves to tease me about my “Flock of Seagulls” music generation), and to all you who can remember so many of these things in the video. 

My name is not Titus

Knowing that there are so many Christian women who love the Lord, and want to live a life pleasing to Him, I’m probably stepping on a toe or two right now.  Perhaps my strong feelings are because I feel that this passage in Titus 2:1-5 (a letter from Paul to a pastor, Titus, in Crete) is some sort of rigid definition of who I should be in total as a woman professing Jesus Christ as God, I’m trying to convey that there’s so much more to His creative and expressive work in me.  “Titus 2 Woman” just doesn’t feel like a badge I want to wear.  There’s something that just doesn’t feel like it describes me accurately.  It’s the same thing for the Proverbs 31 woman, because I don’t think she exists (at least as a full time human being).  I tend to even see that passage as descriptive of the beautiful Bride of Christ, a fulfilling of the Church when she is caring for her own and reaching out to the world.  But Proverbs 31 is a study for another blog post. 

God has created me with strong convictions and abilities to cut through to the chase on issues, especially ones that pertain to Scripture.  I’m grieved at the abuse of Scripture to fit agendas.  People who know me know that I’m a fighter.  I don’t back down when I know that I’m right, even if it costs me friends.  [Just to clarify:  stubbornness is NOT a Christlike character trait and that's not what I mean or want to have in my life.  My convictions in the study of Scripture, His Holy Spirit's work through my life's experience are what direct me.  I pray DAILY for the Lord to teach me to have grace, patience and love toward others, some who I disagree with strongly.]  I love sweet friendships, but if those friendships are only based on how I fit into a prescribed paradigm, then I just become a project and not a valuable friend. 

Some things in life just can’t be changed.  I’ll never be tall enough to be taken seriously.  I’ll never bear another child.  When my children are grown, I won’t be able to use them as my identity, as it was so much easier to do when they were young and my life revolved around their care and my love and protection for them.  Who will people say that I am then? 

My life doesn’t have a distinguishing mark of anything, really.  I haven’t written a best-selling book, or an award-winning website for homeschooling moms, or invented an innovative way to fuel vehicles (wouldn’t THAT be nice!?  My husband’s working on that one, though).  No, I do keep the laundry moving and at the same time can put together a shared meal and dive right into a deep theological discussion and Bible study with people, either in our home or online. 

As far as creative homemaking:  I freeze up when it comes to decorating my home.  It takes so much money to make it look just right, and I don’t want to have to start over, so I just don’t do anything.  My husband keeps urging me to pick out a paint color to paint our spackled walls, but I just don’t have the desire anymore.  So, there are big patches on our walls begging to be painted, but I can’t decide which color, because I can’t stand our dis-functional living room furniture (that is SO uncomfortable) and want to replace it all, but that takes too much money.  (I know it seems I’m rambling, but I’m just trying to let you understand how I think).  Maybe it’s a sign of perfectionism, which I hate, because I know that only Jesus Christ is perfect.  But I don’t have the money to throw around, so I don’t make a decision to spend it on something until I KNOW it’s the right thing; get it?

Some of my less controversial parts of me are that I love music, especially if it transports me by the lyrics and intricate melodies into the throne room of God.  I can make a great meal out of very simple, non-expensive foods.  My family loves my enchiladas, and my baked chicken and rice. I LOVE GOOD HUMOR, and refuse to live without it. I can tackle just about any project, once I get started.  I can lift 25+ pound boxes in a warehouse each week and have not injured myself yet (praise the Lord).  I enter sweepstakes, and occasionally I win.  For my teens’ education at home, they’re supplied with homeschool materials, but I’m terribly unorganized and don’t know where to begin this year with school, mostly because I’m completely burnt out with homeschooling.  It has totally lost its appeal to me as of late, because of the heavy VF/fv trend these days that overpower the local groups of homeschoolers.  However, there are only a few more years to go and we’ll be done, so, why throw in the towel now?

My marriage is good (grace, grace, God’s grace).  Seriously, though; my husband is a gem, and I can’t believe how much he puts up with.  His work …  I would challenge ANYONE to even TRY to walk in his shoes.  They could not do it.  His position and career philosophy is a rare thing.  He manages another man’s millions of dollars, deals with all of the trials and tribulations of other people, is rejected by his own christian peers because of his vocation and still has to come home to me.  God, Bless this man.  He is one of a kind.  But I digress; I was trying to convey my relationship to God in comparison to what christian leaders would try to teach is the ‘biblical’ way to be a woman.

My identity is Christ.  I’m not necessarily primarily a “Titus 2 Woman”.  If anything, I want to be known as a “Luke 10:38-42 Woman“, who, like Mary, sits at Jesus’ feet and hears His word and chooses “that good part, which shall not be taken away” from me.

 

Good Stuff and Not-So-Good Stuff

The Good Stuff

June’s here and I’ve been busy being interested in other people’s thoughts that I haven’t really thought to write down any of my own here lately.  Though I don’t have any good scone recipes to share with anybody, and since there have been very few good Christian books written lately I’ve been just waiting for something to blog about.  Well, I guess I misspoke.  I have a dear Christian neighbor and friend who wrote a fiction novel about a fantasy land where virtue and adventure is discovered.  Muirecka is a story for those who like the Lord of the Rings.  I know G.L.L. Anderson personally and know that this person loves the Lord.

You can find this adventurous novel at Amazon.

Now the Not-So-Good Stuff

I’m not going to be popular, but I’ve got to get this out in the open before I make myself ill.  I’m done with certain people’s vision and many advising us how to live.  I’m done with the new wave of unending “biblical” advice so that we don’t “lose” a generation (remember:  no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hands).  I’m done with the fear-based teaching and scare tactics.  For many years I’ve tried to reconcile in my mind that some of the teachings that my family and I have been taught have been good “biblical” teachings.  However, much of it just has been so blatantly full of holes, with no one (within the local leadership) wanting to have a dialogue on them.  I’m not talking about the teachings on the Scriptures that are clear about Grace, Love, Mercy and the perfect Sacrifice of Jesus for our sins and His powerful victory through His resurrection to secure our Hope in Him.  No, it’s the extra teachings that have been so emphasized that have put me at odds with certain teachers and has caused me terrible grief over the last couple of years, and especially over the past few months.

This blog post I just put up will explain many things I’ve struggled with and has brought heartache and frustration in our household.  I’m finding that it’s getting harder to find people who just want to lift up the Gospel and live their lives for Him, wherever they are in life, and not follow the doctrines of men out of fear.  I feel like a burden has been on my household.  Like some friends of mine said on another blog:  Many of these teachers have home-based millstone manufacturing businesses. 

Here’s the blog post:  Exclusivity, Condescension, Preferential Teachings and Why I Disagree Strongly With These Teachings

Memorial Day is Sad

That’s why I couldn’t bring myself to posting anything yesterday.  My daughter passed away 11 years ago to the day on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26th, 1997.  I miss her and envy her life in the presence with our Lord Jesus, where there is no more falseness, or pain, or cliques, hierarchy or favoritism.  In Heaven (and in people’s hearts who are captured for Him on earth) Christ is all and in all.  His glory and redeeming life is magnified and praised, and believers in Him share the freedom to praise and enjoy Him forever.

This past week countless children have passed into glory to their Savior’s loving arms.  We don’t know their names; some were never named and saw the light of day.  However, when I see the smile on one precious child’s face and know they’ve passed on, I’m frozen in time, grieving along with the family.  One such child that passed on this week was Maria, daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman, the Christian singer.  Please pray for the Chapman family.

I’d like to present my own daughter, Jennifer, in this slideshow.

Memories of Jennifer

God blessed us with Jennifer for such a sweet, but short time here on earth. Someday, we’ll be together again with the Lord. What a gloriously joyful Day that will be!

The music is sung by Pablo Perez and Laura Hackett, entitled “My God is King”.

Polka-ing Fun

In honor of a true visionary in the music field, I’d like to present this post as a tribute to Weird Al Yankovic.  His way with lyrics and musical talent has inspired me to come up with some soon-to-be hits (whether musical or blogging, I don’t know).

Presenting Homeschool’s Greatest Hits, featuring your all-time favorites; some new tunes, and some generational faves.

“Patriarchal Man” [my husband's choice] by The Christian Village People (lyrics:  “Patriarchal Man .. I’ve got to be a Patriarch. Patriarchal Man .. I’ve got to be Patriarchal!”)

“Another Purity Ball” by Pink Bible Verses (lyrics: “Oh, no! It’s not another purity ball!”)

“Silly Doug Songs” by The Non-Normatives (lyrics: “You’d think that people would have had enough of silly Doug songs. I look around me and I see it isn’t so. Some people want to fill the world with silly Doug songs …”)

“If You’re Going to San Antonio” by Doug and the Traditionalists (lyrics: “If you’re going to San Antonio be sure to wear long hair and tan, long skirts”)

“My Betrothed’s Back” by the Josh-elles (lyrics: “My betrothed’s back and you’re gonna be in trouble”)

“I Homeschool, Babe” by Sono and Gregg (lyrics:  “I don’t know if all that’s true, all I know is baby,  I homeschool”)

“Da Do Do Do, Da Hard Hard Things” by The RighteousBros, from their album, “Teenchronicity” (lyrics: “Da Do Do Do, Da Hard Hard Things, that’s all I want to say to You”)

“The Leader of the PAC” by the Sham-gri-las (lyrics: “My friends were always voting him down.[down, down] They say he votes with the wrong side of town”)

“H-S-L-D-A“  by Ineedsome Franklins (lyrics: “H-S-L-D-A for me! Find out how to send money! H-S-L-D-A for me! Ooooh! Sock-it-to-me, sock-it-to-me, sock-it-to-me, sock-it-to-me! …”)

“Be-Homian Rhapsody” by The Queen’s Subjects (lyrics: “Is this the home life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality”)

“Helpmeet” by John Lenin (lyrics: “Helpmeet, I can hardly express my disappointment with your choice of dress. You’ve got to learn the meaning of submit/succe–ess.”)

“Make Your Own Banjo Music” by The Homeschool Mommas and Papas (lyrics: “You’ve got to make your own banjo music, sing your own special song, make your own banjo music — even if nobody else sings along!”)

“All the Way - Home” by MyOwn Pride (lyrics: “When somebody homeschools, it’s no good unless they homeschool — ALL THE WAY!”)

“Gregg, Brother Gregg, it’s Brother Gregg’s Travelling Salvation Show” by Delight Directives  (lyrics:  “So, pack up the babies, and grab the old ladies, ’cause everyone goes, everyone knows Brother Gregg’s shows …  Hallejuah, Brothers, I said, brothers …. “)

“I Will Survive Homeschooling” by Glorious Gaynore  (lyrics:  “Once I was afraid, I was petrified …. “)

“Homeschool Carpet Ride” by Scrappin’wife (”You. don’t. know what. we. can. find, why don’t you come with me little girl on a homeschool carpet ride?”)

“There’s No Business Like Home Business” by Ethel Homeman (lyrics: “There’s no business like home business, like no business I know! Everything about it is appealing ….”)

“Court Me” by Sixtimes None the Bridegroom (lyrics: “Court me, with elder oversight, Court me, under my father’s watchful eye …”)

“It’s the End of Homeschooling As We Know It” by MLM (lyrics: …. “It’s the end of homeschooling as we know it, and I feel fine ….”)

“Star Wars, Nothin’ But Star Wars” by the real Bill Murray (as performed on SNL)

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Stay tuned to this station for updates!

*Bonus Tracks:  “White-Washed-Feminist Wedding” by Billy IdleTalk (lyrics:  “Hey, Christian sister, what have you done?  It’s a nice day for a —  White-Washed-Feminist Wedding!”)

“Little Less Mathematician, Little More Adverb, Please” by Melvis (lyrics:  “All this aggravation aint satisfactioning me”)

“My Patriarch” by Ella Barbra Billie (lyrics:  “Two or three girls has he that he likes as well as me, but I love him ….  I don’t know why I should; he isn’t true  –  he beats me, too, what can I do?   Oh, my Patriarch, I love him so; he’ll never know, all my life is just despair, but I don’t care.  When he takes me in his arms the world is bright all right.  What’s the difference if I say, I’ll go away, when I know I’ll come back on my knees some day?  For whatever my Patriarch is, I am his forevermore.”)

“Modesty” by Mr. BillyJo (lyrics:  “Modesty is such a lonely word.  Everyone is so uncool.”)

“Walk Like a Puritan” by The Shackles (lyrics:  “All the kids in marketplace say, Ay oh, way oh, ay oh, way oh …. Walk like a puritan … Walk like a puritan.”)

“Sixteen Going On Seventeen“ by the real Rodgers and Hammerstein (lyrics:  “[Rolfe]: You need someone older and wiser telling you what to do, I am 17 going on 18,  I’ll take care of you. [Liesl]: I am 16 going on 17, I know that  I’m naive; Fellows I meet may tell me I’m sweet, and willingly I believe …. Totally unprepared am I to face a world of men; Timid and shy and scared am I of things beyond my kin. I need someone older and wiser telling me what to do; You are 17 going on 18 I’ll depend on you.”)

The Pretenders — Show Me

Pretenders - show me

Some songs you just can’t get out of your mind.

I Know My Redeemer Lives

Nicole Mullen - Redeemer - Video

This song is so beautiful.  I weep every time I hear it.  I pray it blesses you, too.

FlyLady Helps Me Fly!

  

The FlyLady’s motivational website has helped me to get my home organized and clean, and my thoughts have become a little less anxious because of clutter.  Because we’ve homeschooled and collected many books and craft projects and gotten sidetracked (I’m a S.H.E), FlyLady’s “BabyStep” encouragement helps me to be excited over my small achievements in my home and life.  Unlike many teachings in various homeschool venues, my worth is not based on how “biblical” my home looks. 

The fun and uplifting daily emails and motivational tools have seemed to be a message of graciousness that I have needed for my housekeeping skills.  Like they say on the Allstate commercial:  “Life comes at you fast.”  With lots of activities over the past 2+ years, remodeling of our kitchen, and a wedding, things really got out of order in our home.  So, the “no-guilt” approach that FlyLady has taught really works for me.  They also have weekly blogtalkradio call-in talks shows that have given me encouragement, too.

The Goodness of the LORD

In the book reviews of “Shepherding a Child’s Heart” by Ted Tripp, I was surprised to find a lot of negative comments on the book.  I’ve not read it but the following are some of the commenters’ opinions against the book. One commenter stated:

“Tripp believes that as Biblical parents, what we must truly control is not the actions but the heart of our children. And to this end, he advocates spanking children not for their actions, but for what we interpret their heart to be. He espouses that if we tie those heart-strings, then we will *know* the heart of our children. And thus, we MUST discipline for what we know of their heart, and discipline until we turn their heart.So what is the problem with this philosophy? Quite simply, its the concept that we can BE God to our children. Its a flawed and dangerous philosophy to believe that we can control the hearts of our children …  ultimately, the decision to turn their heart to the Lord MUST come from our children, and will only come through the work of the Lord himself in the hearts of HIS children.”

Another commenter had this to say:

“I thought that is why Jesus came. To take our punishment. We forget that, and put our children under the “law”, while we enjoy grace.”

This final commenter summed up my problem with those who “define” how to live “biblically”:

“This book, recommended by friends, purports to be about “Biblical” child-rearing. Now, I consider myself a born-again Christian and have a high regard for the Bible as God’s word. However, the interpretation of scripture used in this book is highly questionable. The author has a world-view drawn largely from the Old Testament scriptures. His stated view of God is “Tremble, God is a Consuming Fire” and he reminds us that more than one third of the Bible is about judgement. He suggests that the three foundations of life are “the fear of the lord” (and yes, he means fear in the literal sense of the word), “adherence to parental instruction”, and “disassociation from the wicked”.Now that you have some idea where he is coming from, it is interesting to see where he goes with regards to child-rearing. First, he opposes all techniques of child-rearing but his own. Of course, he doesn’t claim it is his own method, it is, after all, Biblical, and if you do not follow it you are at risk of eternal perdition, as is your child. Second, the two principles of Biblical child-rearing - according to him - are:1) “Rich, full, communication”
2) “The rod.”This is based on Proverbs 23:13-19. He takes this passage quite literally although ironically, he fails to give similar import to the passages in Deuteronomy (21:18-21) in which disrespect for parents is treated with stoning.”

So, these reviews on the book that, previously I had heard nothing but raves about from people at church, got me thinking about the whole Old-Testament-Law-following again.  Jesus came and fulfilled the Law, and when we pick a choose which O.T. Laws we want to follow in order to be “biblical”, then we forget to look to the Author and Finisher of our faith, Jesus, and His Spirit to guide us, not man’s opinions and interpretations.

The Scripture passage that encouraged me today was about God’s Goodness and Mercy and Grace.  It reveals His wonderful reign as glorious King.  Be encouraged today.

Psalm 145

“I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.  Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.  Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.  One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.  I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.  And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.  They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.  The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.  The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.  All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;  To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.”

I’ve Been Tagged [updated]

Karen of thatmom blog has tagged me.  I’ve never been tagged before and when I went to see what it meant to be tagged it was so fun to find out little things I never knew before about friends.  So, I’m posting this entry to have you surf over to Karen’s blog, and read the other women’s tagged posts that are listed, too.  

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I took actual disco lessons in the late 70’s from an instructor for several months.  I used to have my own disco globe as a teen (and a record player with Abba Singles) in my room at my parents’ home.  I’ll occasionally use a “disco move” to take advantage of a teachable moment with my teens

In the top of my closet is my own authentic Princess Leia doll, the one with her hair in the Space Buns.  I also used to play the Meco disco version single of The Empire Strikes Back theme  on my record player in my room as a teen, but that’s more than you wanted to know.

Years ago, my husband was driving our family in an old ‘78 GMC extended cab truck, while pulling our 38 ft. travel trailer (our home at the time) on the steep downhill grade of the Siskiyou Pass (between Oregon and California), when he lost 3rd gear.  I thought we were all going to die.  It was all he could do to find 3rd gear again and coast into a service station.  We sold the RV when we moved into our house.

I was carded for my driver’s license last week for the first time at a restaurant my husband and I regularly attend.  I’m 41 years old.  Our server looked me straight in the face while asking me for my I.D.  God bless that young woman!

I once called a national radio sweepstakes and won a goodly amount of money.  The money went to pay down (not off!) my husband’s student loan he incurred while studying in the Information Technology field. 

While travelling out of town with a friend in 1985, I met Linda Hamilton at a convenience store at 1am.  She played the female  hero (Sarah) in the Terminator movies with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

My shoe size is 5.

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I’m reposting the rules of tagging here, thanks to Karen at thatmom blog:

There are 4 simple rules to this fun game of internet tag.

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Okay, I have 3 bloggers so far, and I may be able to tag some more in the future. 

Cynthia

Lin

Elizabeth

Some Food for Thought

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Enjoy your weekend!

Homeschool Nation: “Homier Than Thou”?

I’ve never been a member of HSLDA since we began homeschooling, and I don’t have an earth-friendly organic lifestyle.  Our family eats “whatever is in the shambles” :), which means that we eat from the 4 basic food groups, and get some of our food from a wonderful Christian gleaning organization.  This same organization was ridiculed by someone in the homeschooling community that chooses organic living.  He mentioned he got his food fresh from a local organic co-op instead of from cans sitting in some warehouse.  Nice attitude, but faulty.  We frequently get organic produce at our Christian Gleaning Warehouse and more than just food supplies there.  (I wonder how he feels about the truck driver who transports potato chips and sundry supplies for a National Grocery Store Chain?) 

The Gleaning organization I belong to is very unique and is frequently praised by governmental officials for it’s handling of funds and volunteerism.  It’s been such a blessing to our family, and I made even close Christian friends there where we pray together every week.  Sometimes they have great produce and day-old bread, along with the packaged paper goods (not often recycled, earth-friendly materials, but never-the-less, a blessing to our family), books, clothing, dairy, some canned goods (really, not too many), toiletries and wonderful giftables, but for some Christians in my area of the country it seems that’s not good enough for healthy, responsible godly living.

Organic living has become a source of separation to some degree even among Christian homeschoolers.  Now, I don’t begrudge families choosing certain health choices to affect their own family’s health, but it’s become a near “badge of honor” to wear in order to prove their (homeschool parents, especially moms) dedication to their families.

It isn’t just organic, sustainable living subjects that divide brethren.  It’s homeschooling vs. formal schooling; it’s spending ungodly amounts of money and outside activity toward the homeschool educating of our children (outside classes that add up to the same amount as private-schooling them, — because, after all; they’re worth it) vs. keeping it simple; courting vs. dating, apprenticing our “young men” in family-run businesses vs. allowing teens to work in fast-food or other venues for job experience; it’s home-birth vs. hospital birth; unrestricted family sizes vs. a couple’s decision to limit how many children they have by non-abortive means; it’s women’s equal participation in the priesthood of believers vs. husband as earthly high-priest of his family before Jesus; and the list goes on.

One of my recent observations has been that the homeschool “movement” will probably suffer a backlash in the future.  With all the conflicting “teaching” going on as far as what is “biblical” when raising a family and what is “of the world” I predicted the legalistic and elitist attitudes will actually become less of a reason to homeschool.  People will still find the quaint return to the “Olde Times” to be a pull on their hearts, but in reality, it’s just a focus on man’s opinions.

I was surprised to find where the original quote, “homier than thou” came from.  It came from a 1994 article written by Mike Farris of HSLDA here.

A quote from the article:

“There are a myriad of bragging points that can be filled in this blank: really quality home schoolers do unit study, or use a certain brand of curriculum, or belong to a certain national or local training program, or study classical literature, or bake their own bread, or do home births, or refuse vaccinations, or refuse Social Security numbers, or do not participate in church youth groups, or do not own a television, or do not use birth control, or … The potential list is endless.”

So, 14 years ago one of the “leaders” in the homeschool “movement” was predicting exactly where we seem to be at, at least in the Sustainable Christian Region of the Northwest.  You should see the look on people’s faces when I tell them my husband supervises a fast-food restaurant chain.  One example was a woman I met for the first time at church, and she immediately started in on how evil fast-food was toward our environment and our bodies, etc.  This was a well-respected and sought-after for advice woman in the congregation who was so obviously overweight.  I wondered why.   (Clarification:  I’m not judging her body weight; I don’t care about that.  I just felt that her words about healthy foods and the fact that she venerated Wholesome Foods as pertaining to godly, responsible living and her physical representation were at odds.  Like Forrest Gump once said, ”That’s all ah have to say ’bout thayat”.)   Food seemed to be her obsession.  She didn’t bother to ask me how I felt about my husband being gainfully employed to support his family at a fast-food restaurant.  It’s probably good that she didn’t.

That same snobby attitude showed up recently in a Sunday sermon, and even a few years ago from another one of our church leaders’ sermons.  The recent sermon focused on how in this young man’s experience, restaurant management was a dark environment where sin abounds and he, by his association in it, was being taken away from the more important things in his life: his family, his ethics.  He found a better way by quitting his subsequent well-paying restaurant job to attend Bible School.  I suppose he could blame his lack of ethics on his work environment, but I think that it was his sin-nature, really.  The other man’s sermon mentioned when raising our sons, we shouldn’t be sending them off to work in fast-food, but be raising them up to be entrepreneurs or in the family business.  Nothing wrong with that, unless the implication was that working in the “world” was not training them up in the admonition of the Lord somehow.

Why did I bring up those examples?  Because it seems it’s Open Season on those who don’t hold more godly professions, such as Christian Book Writer, Conference Speaker, Home-Based Business Owner, Christian Naturopath, Christian Homeschool Specialty Instructor, or Nourishing Natural Food Teacher.  No, if you work for a Corporation, you are shirking your Christian Duty to build up a more godly nation.

And, don’t get me started on the Full-Quiver (What Color is Your Quiver?) movement.  My tied tubes are repenting in sackcloth and ashes.  What’s an insulin-dependent diabetic Christian married woman to do with this movement?  Incidentally, I had 4 children while in  “mainstream” christianity (Foursquare, Lutheran Brethren, Nondenominational) and got funny looks from people because I had my hands full with children.  You can’t please everybody.

Another quote from the article:

“There is an attitude which I see a little too often in the home-schooling movement which I call the “homier than thou” attitude. There used to be few enough home schoolers that the mere fact that you were home schooling gave you the opportunity for spiritual bragging rights. There are now enough home schoolers out there for some spiritual one-upmanship to begin to take place.”

Do you see that happening now in the homeschool environments?  I do.  There are enough books written now on the proper way to raise your family in the homeschool arena to make your head spin.  Everybody has a paradigm to push.  Just look at the “Passionate Housewives, Desperate for God” genre of teachings.  It is pre-suppositionally promoting gender-specific duties for wives to perform to stroke our husband’s egos so that they can lead us properly.  I’d just rather read my Bible. How about the many homeschool momblogs out there like “Biblical Womanhood”, that, if I’m not mistaken, is hosted by a European woman (nothing wrong with that, it’s just got a very Earth-Sustainable bent to it at times). 

This quote is right on:

“Unfortunately, the “homier than thou” attitude is growing inside of the home-schooling movement. We simply have to do our best to squelch it in our own lives as individuals”…. “I am not saying that we should refrain from ever expressing an opinion on a controversial subject. If anyone wants to ask me why I am fully committed to courtship rather than dating, I will gladly and enthusiastically explain it. But I hope I do it in a way that is absent of pride and ultimately merciful.” 

“Really spiritual home schoolers refrain from being “homier than thou.” Let’s be gracious people. – Mike Farris from this article here.

So, my challenge to myself is when I see such attitudes in others towards those of us who are just trying to physically survive and share the Gospel of the Good News of Jesus rescuing us from sin, I am to have grace towards them.  It’s difficult for me, because it puts me on the outside of certain christian circles frequently because of “outward appearances” and the judging of meats (remember, it’s not what goes into a man that makes him unclean … ). 

Go, therefore and make disciples …

 Matthew 28:18-21 

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. ” KJV

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And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ESV

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Homeschool Happenings

Q:  How many homeschoolers does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A:  Three.  One to hold the bulb, another to write a Unit Study on the history of light bulbs, and the third to host a conference seminar on the biblical way to screw it in correctly.

But seriously, folks. Read here about the recent ruling in the California courts, and here on homeschooling freedoms are being limited.

Encouragement and Exhortation

I shared this today with some people who are going through a difficult trial right now.  I don’t know if they’re believers in Jesus and His Gospel, but I hoped to bring encouragement to them.

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To: Those who are suffering,

I heard the news about your health, *****, and wanted to encourage the both of you on this journey of growth. My source of encouragement when faced with very difficult times (my 2 1/2 year-old daughter died from a heart condition years ago) and my questioning why a Good God would let people suffer led me to His Word which showed me His purposes, that even our times of suffering/need are not random acts of a capricious God. They draw us closer to Him in our need. “He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it”. (book of Philippians, Bible)

Have you ever heard the still, small voice of God press on your heart to hear Him? That’s what happened for me and I want you to know that He loves you both “with an everlasting love, therefore, has He drawn you in lovingkindness” (book of Jeremiah) to Himself in your seasons of need . Jesus said His sheep hear His voice (Gospel of John) and they follow Him, with their burdens carried by Him. Let Him carry your burdens by recognizing His outrageous love for you expressed by His sacrifice of love by dying on the cross for all our sins. Have you turned to Christ in your time of need? He is compassionate and full of love and is ready to receive all who come to Him for salvation (from our sins, rescued from attitudes of ungratefulness or selfishness, etc.).

The Gospel is not burdensome or religiously complicated: it is rest in Jesus. He died for our sins, was buried and raised to Life eternal on the 3rd day in power, according to the Scriptures and offers to us — to me, to you — the wonderful gift of eternity with Him.

People will come to worship Him with one voice, thanking Him for all He’s done for us in Heaven someday. Let’s recognize and thank Him today for what He’s done for us right now where He’s placed us. Please be encouraged; strengthened to fight the good fight of faith and I will be praying for your recovery, giving thanks to the Lord Jesus for His purposeful work in you both. May God bless you and keep you. — Kathleen

New Mercies of God Arise With the Sunrise

This sunrise picture I took this morning is a blessing I can witness frequently from my upstairs window.  Between the trees is a small view of Mt. Hood.  I’m thankful for the beauty that surrounds me where I live and am reminded with this sunrise today that God’s mercies for me and many are new every morning.  I just wanted to stop and capture some reminders on my camera.