Raising Boys to be Masculine

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Raising boys is a very special job. I'm honored that God would see fit to bless me with two little guys to mold and teach to hopefully one day become soldiers for His word.

It's very important to me that they embrace their "boyhood". The world is feminizing our little boys and teaching little girls to be more masculine.

I remember seeing a J.Crew ad with the company's president and her little boy. She had painted his toenails pink and stated that she was lucky her son enjoyed it. While conservatives tried to slam the ad, mainstream media declared "So what? It's just painting his nails." I don't think so.

There have been a couple of times in the past when my oldest has walked into the room when I was painting my nails. He stuck his hand out like he wanted his painted too. I told him, "No. This is something that girls like to do. Little boys and big strong men like Daddy don't paint their nails." He accepted this and went on his way. He was simply a three year old interested in what his mother was doing at the time.

Notice how I told him about his "big strong Daddy"? I tell him all the time that he needs to finish eating so he can be big and strong like Daddy. Little boys naturally want to be just like their dad. I often ask him, "Can you please help me move this laundry basket? I need somebody big and strong to help me and Daddy is at work?" He comes running to help me and tells me how strong he is and shows me his muscles. He'll often tell me, "I'm big and strong like Daddy" or "I'm big and strong like Papaw." He wants to be manly.

I also want my boys to have a clear picture of a feminine woman. I want them to see growing up that a woman can embrace feminity and enjoy it. There is clear gender distinction in our home. Their dad is the bread winner while their mom is the bread baker. Daddy does the outside work while Mama cares for the things of the home.

Daddy also wears the pants, figuratively and literally. I don't demean my husband or talk badly about him to our sons. I have heard lots of women complaining to their kids about their father. This is a definite way to go to get your kids to disrespect him and not want to be like him. Kids will learn as they get older that Mama and Daddy are not perfect; we don't need to point out these imperfections to their little minds that are soaking up EVERYTHING.

Wearing modest dresses and skirts around our my boys is giving them a physical picture of a feminine woman. I'm not saying there's no way to be feminine in a pair of pants, but I don't know anyone who will argue that a woman looks more feminine and tends to act more feminine in a skirt. I can bake a cake or play catch in a dress. I can do laundry or play on the floor with Hot Wheels in a skirt. I can stay girly and do these things with my sons despite what the world says.

They say, "It takes a village to raise a child." I've seen the village, even been a part of it, and I definitely don't want it raising my boys. If we ever have a daughter, I won't want it influencing her either. The most important lessons they will learn for life come from right here at home.

Christian Persecution

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Persecute (verb) - to oppress or harass with ill-treatment, especially because of race, religion, or beliefs.

Christians may not be being arrested or having our chuches destroyed, but we are definitely being persecuted in America today. It's almost to the point where it's easier for someone to be openly gay than openly Christian. If you declare your love for Christ and your desire to follow his word, you are automatically labeled a hate filled bigot.

Celebrities who come out of the closet are praised and sat on a pedestal. When a prominent figure prounounces love for God, he's shunned.

^"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

^\If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me."  John 15: 18-21

The owner of Chick Fil-A has recently stood up for what he and the company he has built believes in and is taking direct fire for it. The media is mocking him and trying to tear him down from every angle. Here's the article from Lifesitenews: http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/guilty-as-charged-chick-fil-a-owner-stands-by-true-marriage-stance/

The world embraces the gay community with open arms, but all they want is for this man to fall. I pray that he'll be able to withstand the persecution and not give into the world's demands.

Today is National Support Chick Fil-A Day (pretty sure that's not the official name), and we will be showing our support. We regularly eat there anyway not just because the food is good but because I'd rather spend our money at an establishment that upholds Christian beliefs.

Just for the record: I do NOT hate gay people. I hate the lifestyle and the evil of it all. We are supposed to love everyone including the sinner but hate the sin.

"Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked." Psalm 97:10









A Heart for Home

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"To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." Titus 2:5

Home sweet home. Isn't it though? There's no place I'd rather be than home. I am a tried and true homebody striving to be a good homemaker.

I love to be a stay at home mom, housewife, domestic engineer, or whatever you want to call it! While all the other girls had dreams of a career, I have always wanted to a be a wife and mother and stay home to care for my family. This is where my heart is.

 

 

I don't have to be away from home very long before I desire to be back. Even with my weekly errands, if I have to make very many stops or am gone for very long, I start to feel guilty about being away from home. I feel that I should be at home, working at home in some way.

I have an amazing husband who probably would not care at all if I spent regular time out of the house for myself. I just have no desire to. First of all, I wouldn't feel right going to do something for me when there were things here that I could be doing. Secondly, I know that I wouldn't enjoy my time away because I would be thinking of the things back home. Don't get me wrong; I do greatly enjoy the rare time that my husband and I get out together.

Am I wrapped up in home life? Yes. This is where my heart is.

In my opinion, being the keeper of the home is the best job ever. However, I am not the best housekeeper ever. Luckily, there's so much more to it than cleaning and laundry. Keeping the home means keeping the heart of it well. To the keep the heart well, priorities need to be in order. God is first, followed by my husband, children, and then the house itself.

When I aim to please my husband, the other things fall into place. Stopping to watch a favorite show with him when he gets home actually makes a big difference. I have tried in the past to make sure all the housework was done before bed because that's what all the cleaning blogs and websites say you should do. When I do that, our couple time in the afternoon is almost gone. It doesn't work for me not if I want a happy home. The priorities get out of line. Who really cares if the rinsed out dishes have to wait until morning? My husband will leave for work before dawn and not be home until almost night. I have plenty of time to do them when he's gone.

There are days when things don't get done right away because our children need extra attention. If I constantly tell them "Mama can't play right now because I have to scrub the tub" or "Mama can't sit with you because I need to wash the windows", it's going to begin to hurt their hearts. (And mine!) They are so much more important than shiny windows. The house itself is getting put above the home. When I realized Better Homes and Gardens will not be showing up for a photoshoot and began to relax, the heart of my home was much better.

My heart is in making my home a happy, peaceful place for my family. Now, there is a certain amount of order required. Messes and chaos do not equal peaceful. I just have to remember there's a difference between house work and "home work".

This somehow became more about priorities at home than a heart for the home, but I think the two go together.

"When a woman says she is a housewife

she should say it with the utmost pride,

for there is nothing higher on this planet

 to which she could aspire.” 

John Seymour

"Our house is clean enough to be healthy,

and dirty enough to be happy."

Unknown

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A Peaceful Morning

It is a very rare morning in our house. It may be a first actually. It's almost 6 a.m. and neither of the boys has woken up all night. Batman didn't need to go potty during the night. Thor didn't need to cuddle with mommy to go back to sleep. It is a truly peaceful morning.

Morning is the best time for me to read and study the Bible. Very seldom are these mornings so peaceful! Even through the usual chaos and noise, I find peace and guidance for the day in his Word.

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

Spending time with the Lord each morning sets the tone for my day. I believe He wants us to seek Him out and pray for his mercies for the new day. It makes a huge difference (a bad difference) when I forget to stop or get too busy to stop and seek Him out.

It doesn't take long on those mornings before I realize I have definitely left out something very important! Nothing will be going right. The boys will be grumpier than usual. Mama will be grumpy! Then I'll realize, "No wonder I'm having a bad day. I left the one out who controls it all!"

Taking the time to put Him first in the morning, reminds me that He controls it all. The good days and the not so great days are all in His hands.

I've enjoyed this quiet morning and know it will soon come to an end. Blue eyed boys will soon be waking and needing hugs. God has blessed me with another day to be their mother, and I can face that day knowing that He's here.

"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." Psalm 5:3

Mocking God

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Why is it that so many people openly mock God and Christianity but when trouble strikes, they start asking for prayers?

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

Galatians 6:7

The same God that they have ridiculed they now want help from. The same people who they have made fun of they now want praying for them.

If you believe He's answering prayers, why are you so against Him the other 99% of the time?

If you believe He truly has the power to heal your loved one or comfort you, why do use Him as a punch line?

When they mock God, they are publicly demonstrating their rebellion against Him. They want someone to know they think it's all a joke.

I hate to see my God mocked. At the same time, it saddens me to hear someone making jokes about God then hear them asking for prayer about a situation. How can you mock God, ask for His help, then turn around and mock him again?

All of this was mainly brought on by a post on Facebook a few days ago. Someone posted a joke about God. Someone that had just lost a loved one and asked for everyone's prayers. Someone that routinely asks for prayers in bad circumstances. Their idea of a joke really offended me. At the same time, I have been so saddened for this person that I know hasn't accepted Christ as their saviour.

I immediately thought about "unfriending" this person. We haven't been friends in a long time and only "like" each other's statuses from time to time. Then I thought, "Well, I may offend her if I do that." It hit me earlier today. Why am I more worried about offending someone than what offends my Lord?

"For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10

If someone is asking for His help, he is not totally ignorant of His grace. The saddest part is that so many of those will never surrender their souls to Christ. They will continue to mock Him until their dying day thinking it's funny.

I've heard nonbelievers ask for prayer a million times, and there is nothing wrong with that. If someone comes to you and asks for prayer, you should take it seriously and make it a point to do it. I just have a heavy heart right now for those that are lost and find humor in it.

Getting Dressed for Church

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When the weekend rolls around, I begin to plan what my family will wear to church on Sunday.

I've often heard that it shouldn't matter what you wear to church. "As long as you're there, that's all that matters to God." Something along those lines.

For unbelievers, I believe that's true. The important part is that you're there to hear the Gospel and hopefully get saved.

As Christians, we are held accountable for our appearance. There would not be so much left for us in the Bible about dress if it was unimportant.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" 2 Timothy 3:16

Exodus 39 details the ornate garments God required Aaron and the priests to wear to enter the Tabernacle. This was serious business, and Moses did not take it lightly. The Tabernacle was the most holy place of God.

Although we are no longer under the law and have Christ as our intercessor, I believe there is significance in those passages about how we should approach the church today. The church was bought with a blood price and deserves our utmost respect.

 "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

Acts 20:28

We don't need to try our craft our own breastplates to match those described in Exodus, but we should wear our best clothing into His house. Every one's "Sunday best" is different. For one, it may be a suit and tie. For another, it may be blue jeans and a clean, pressed shirt.

No one should feel that he has to have designer labels to come into the house of God. When Paul outlines a woman's modest dress in 1 Timothy 2:9, he includes "not with...COSTLY ARRAY". $300 shoes and purses are important to the world not God.

Now, I know that God sees the heart, but man does not. Like it or not, the world judges you first based on your appearance. An unbeliever should not walk in on Sunday morning and see all the women and girls dressed like the world.

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."

1 Peter 2:9

At the same time, the church should be the one place where I don't have to worry about immodestly dressed women. Not only is it disrespectful to the Lord, it disrespects the wives and mothers in the building. We need to be concerned about our brothers in Christ, young and old.

This usually isn't much of a problem at our church. However, I have seen some girls whose dresses were so short that you just pray she doesn't drop her Sunday School book and have to pick it up.

We need to do a modesty check before we leave the house.

•  Is this dress/blouse too low cut?

Add a layering top underneath or change tops altogether. You shouldn't be exposing your chest if you lean over and someone should not be able to see down the top of your shirt. (I'm 5'2 so almost anyone would be getting a peek if my top is too low.)

•  Is this going to be too short when I sit down?

Your dress is going to rise when you sit down and most of your time will be spent sitting.

• Is this too tight?

If the outline of your underwear can be seen, it's obviously too tight. Most of us become "thicker" in certain areas after becoming mothers. Make sure your clothes aren't clinging to those areas that might draw a man's attention.

• Is this sheer?

Slips aren't very popular with my generation, but if the sunlight is going to be shining through the bottom or your skirt or dress, you need to wear one!

I know that what we wear is not the only thing to be concerned over. But as members of the church, we need to model the respect for his sanctified house. Unbelievers and young Christians should be able to see the Word living through older Christians.

When I say "you" and "your", I mean "me" and "my"! In no way am I leaving myself out.

I would be disrespecting God just as much if I sat there judging the girl in the short skirt or the woman showing too much cleavage. I need to pray for them. If they are still lost in their sins, I need to pray they will soon come to know Christ and turn from living like the world. If they already know the Lord, I need to pray they will see the error of their ways and have a desire to change.

"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

James 5:16

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Getting Back on Schedule

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It is time to get back on our routine!

The past few months have been a little stressful, and the boys and I have completely fallen off track. We put our house on the market in the spring which meant keeping everything neat and tidy all day everyday in case someone was interested in seeing our house. That is a very difficult task with 2 energetic boys under 4! It also doesn't help that the agents tend to give you about 30 minutes notice to get out of your house!

Now, I am a creature of habit. I like to wake up knowing what I am doing that day. I like to have certain days that I do certain things. It guarantees that I almost always get them done.

Right now however, my chores are getting done on random days, getting done twice because I forgot I already dusted yesterday, or not getting done at all.

We've been in our new house now for almost a month so there's no excuse for me to still be so out of whack. I need to sit down one evening this weekend and plan what next week will look like.

I like for my typical week to look like this:

Monday:       Wash bedding

                         Laundry

                        Tidy up from "weekend mess"

Tuesday:       Clean bathrooms

Wednesday:  Laundry

                         Meal plan for Thursday shopping

                         Dust

Thursday:     Errand day and grocery shopping

Friday:          Laundry

                         Sweep & Mop

                         Iron church clothes for Sunday

                    

My weekend time is generally reserved for spending time with my husband. He works late hours most days so this is the only time we are allotted together, and I don't want to spend it cleaning. Luckily, I am blessed with a wonderful, carefree man who understands this and doesn't mind if there are dirty clothes in the hamper.

My oldest son, Batman, also thrives on routine and will definitely benefit from being back on schedule.


While I am planning my week, I will also plan our morning lessons for the week. We typically spend about 45 minutes to an hour a morning having a bible story/lesson and some preschool work.


He has really enjoyed the free preschool pages that I printed from www.1plus1plus1equals1.net/
 I intend to make another post in a few days about the lessons we'll use next week!

 

Enjoying the Blessings

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We just bought a new home, and that picture pretty much sums up the way I feel! I absolutely love this house and where it's located. I love the beautiful kitchen and fenced-in backyard. I am extremely blessed beyond anything I deserve and in need of nothing.

So why is that when we have everything we need, we still desire more?

When you move into a house that's about 1000sq ft bigger than your last, you start to realize there are things you "need". I "need" a few throw rugs to go here, here, and there. I "need" some pretty containers for the cream and sugar so it can be displayed by the coffee maker. And since we have such a lovely back deck, I "need" a porch swing to make it complete.

Does that sound about right?

Well, I won't be getting any of those pretty extras anytime soon. Until a renter is found for our old house, we are carrying two mortgages. Ouch. Our real estate agent assured us that HE could find a renter within "a week tops" (those are his words). It has been a month now, and the old house is still vacant. That was HIS timetable not God's.

 ^"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:

wait, I say, on the Lord." Psalm 27:14

I know that God is in control of every single aspect of our lives. He knows that I could so easily get worried about the situation and let it consume me, but He wants me to lay it at His feet. He knows our finances. He is the one who has blessed us with everything we have. And in this case, I know he's blessing me by not giving me those extras. I am made to stop and enjoy the blessings that He has already given me.

 ^"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6

Case in point #2, the dishwasher is messed up. I HATE doing dishes. But with one my favorite conveniences out of play, I am forced to wash the dishes by hand and really notice what a lovely view I have outside the windows by the sink. I wouldn't be enjoying that serene view if I didn't have to slow down and take it all in. I wouldn't be able to see the forest through all the trees, so to speak.

It all reminds me of my son's birthday about 6 weeks ago. We bought him this really neat video game for the Wii called Skylanders. The game has a bunch of different characters you can purchase to go along with it. Each character plays the game differently.

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He unwrapped the present and was over the top excited! His daddy got it set up for him and in no time, he was playing. After maybe 15 minutes, he realized the extra guys were shown on the back of the package, and he let us know which ones he wanted now.

More? We just bought you this super cool game that you haven't even fully enjoyed and you want something else to go with it?!

Of course as his mother, I told him that no he would not be getting all that extra stuff anytime soon. I wanted him to appreciate what we had given him.

It seems at twenty something I would be wiser than my 4 year old. I did the same thing he did, and my Father had to put things into perspective for me too.

I'm still learning and grateful for a patient God who knows that. I am going to enjoy the blessings that God has bestowed on his undeserving child and try to make sure to thank Him the way I should knowing that all things happen in His time not mine.





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