Homeschooling? How dumb!

SAID NO ADULT EVER (WHO WAS ACTUALLY HOMESCHOOLED WELL)!!!!

 I read the entire transcript of Obamas speech. The one where he says all sorts of lovely stuff about women. And then claims that women are forced to stay home because childcare isn't available. 

I want to know how many women that ACTUALLY is? 

Find me a stat. A number. I want the proof from the horses mouth. 

I see that women who want to work, can and do. He wants to magically make daycare more available and better? By what funding it through the government? Sending our kids to institutions ran by government workers? Where do these magic daycare/childcare providers come from? They must be women, right? 

How does he think he will create better child care programs? He says all this wishy washy stuff. But never says HOW he will accomplish it. And no one ever thinks about it all the way through. 

As a homeschooled individual, it's extremely demeaning & insulting to say that children are better taught outside of the home. ..

"because we know investing in high-quality early childhood education makes all the difference in the world." -Obama

And frankly, it's ignorant to claim children are better educated by professionals with strangers sitting all around. Some children NEED one on one attention. 

Staying home was a stress free, bully free, schedule free, environment. I made choices about my education when I was 10. I was able to choose what projects to do. And I was able to focus on things I liked to learn about while also incorporating important educational areas - reading, writing, math, science, history. 

So to say that a child is best served in a classroom of 30 students at age 3, isn't fair. Not all children thrive in chaos. Actually, most do not enjoy it. 

Our son is very social, get him in a huge group of people and he clams up. It overwhelms him. And why wouldn't it? And why is it said to be bad if he can't handle loud groups of people? I can already tell, he learns best when he's one and one. He needs quiet, loving attention.

And I will provide him with opportunities and experiences in group settings. We will join home educating co-ops for group learning. And he will get socialized. I promise. 

Somehow I managed to be homeschooled and still attend highschool and graduate with honors! And then obtain two college degrees. I have my associates degree and LPN. 

 Weird.

 Shouldn't I have been stupid from all my "home edumacating" by someone who isn't a qualified professional? 

HOW could someone dumb home educate me? Is that a serious question? 

Always

I will never be done sharing how Jesus has changed me. And made me new. And taken away the guilt and pain and shame of my past. And how the joy of The Lord has filled my heart. 

I was never trying to fight. 

Simply spreading hope to anyone who wants it.

But I've put in the effort. The daily renewing of my mind. Daily finding new ways to see beauty. 

I also had to make choices. Stop drinking and smoking and doing drugs and openly and blatantly sinning and being vulgar and gross. 

All my choices lead me down a dark path. And then by God's grace, I couldn't take it anymore and I chose to let God have my heart instead of the world. 

Those choices and the knowledge of knowing that every day is a new day and Jesus loves and forgives me when I stumble, all of it together has lead me to here and now. 

It isn't something that magically happened over night. And it wasn't by chance. I sought hard and still do. 

I chose to stop the party life and choose to go to church and praise God. And listen to Bible teachers. And truly repent and let my heart be softened. 

It isn't something I take lightly. 

But it is something, I love sharing. And I love helping other people find a relationship with Jesus. It's what life is all about.

There is always hope.

READ THIS, AND TELL ME THERE IS NO HOPE FOR PEOPLE BATTLING DEPRESSION----

ROMANS 8:1-39

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:1-39 NIV)

I want to be...

Who do I want to be? Why do we care what others think? Where have I gone wrong? How can I continue to change for the better? Am I too truthful? Why can't others see how wrong the world is? 

These questions have been on my mind For a few months. And I have come to one simple conclusion::

Without a solid guiding force to lean on, life can be confusing. 

We look to other humans for self worth, acceptance, love, understanding and comfort. And when that doesn't work, because humanity is flawed, we turn to activities and worldy things. Or. Ice versa, we try things first & then we try relationships. Buying stuff will fill the void in our lives. Doing what other people are doing will make us happy. Following the masses will bring us to a place of contentment. People can't see how wrong the world's ideas are because they are looking at life through a dirty lense. They see what they want to see. And they ignore the evil around them. We ignore the evil around us. I've done it. 

 It is easy to get caught up in the world. The world tells you, stuff will make you happy. It tells you, Spending your money on new shoes and fancy baby accessories will fill the mile wide gap in your heart. Our society pushes us to one up each othe & To go out and buy the latest and greatest THING. 

Not happy?

Maybe a new car will solve that lack of happiness? 

Still not happy? 

Maybe if you change your hair color you will be happy? 

Still not happy? 

Perhaps, wearing the latest fashions will fill your heart's desires? 

Still not happy? 

Perhaps, you aren't doing fun things. Go out and party. That should help. 

Didn't help!? 

Try it again. 

And again. 

Oh heck, try it one more time. 

Just keep doing everything others are doing. It may only be temporary but you will feel better in the moment. And as soon as you start to feel unhappy, buy a new outfit and go out with your friends. Or better yet, a relationship will make you happy. That ONE PERSON will solve all your problems. Put all of your love and faith in the hands of another human being. They will never let you down. They will never make mistakes or hurt you. 

It is so apparent how NOT true ^ that is. 

People will hurt you. 

Things will not make you happy. 

REALITY CHECK! 

The only guarantee we have in this life doesn't have anything to do with what the world says. The world will lie to you. 

We have to be sure we KNOW who we put our trust in. 

Jesus said, he will never leave us not forsake us! 

God knows the deepest darkest parts of us & He loves us anyways. 

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

^ That is one of my favorite Bible verses. 

It reminds me of how VAST God's love is and how deep his arms of Grace reach. They reach farther than we can imagine. They hold the world!  

It isn't about how often we attend church or what service we perform at church. It is about our hearts. It is about MY HEART. When I wake up in the morning, am I thankful? Am I mindful of God's love and do I show that love to those around me? Or, am I so caught up in appearances and the latest fad or what celebrities are doing or what happened on Teen Mom (by the way I don't watch it I've just been seeing advertisements EVERYWHERE) that I miss out on what God has in store for my life and my family? We all have temptations. They aren't the same. But the attitude in our heart is the same.  We want to leave God out and do things our own way. Or we say, well this one thing isn't that bad, it doesn't hurt anyone else. We justify our choices to others and to ourselves and even to God Himself. 

I don't want to get so caught up in what others think that I lose sight of what is important. The car I drive, the house I have, the clothes I wear, the job I work, the toys Elijah has, etc. NONE of that is important. 

What is important?

Staying healthy. And for me it doesn't just mean eating right. I have to stay healthy in mind, body and spirit. I have to dig into my Bible. Daily plugging in to God's word. Letting it permeate my soul and allowing it's truth to wash over my heart. I have to listen to some good Jesus music. It always sets my mind at ease and pulls me down to earth while keeping my eyes on Jesus. 

I do this in many different ways. Today, I am focusing on Romans 5:8. Throughout the day, I contemplate what it means. I go look up what other theologians have to say about it. Most importantly, I meditate on it in my heart and mind. 

Ghis morning my contemplating lead me to this::

God didn't send Jesus to die on the cross AFTER mankind had repented and apologized and finished their check list of good deeds. God made a plan to save us BEFORE we ever stopped our bad behaviors. God sent Jesus to earth while we were YET sinners. While we were still actively sinning. (When I say we, I mean humankind as a collective.) The fact that it isn't up to us to make ourselves righteous and holy, lifts a big weight off of our shoulders. There is no magic set of steps to holiness. We can't ever be good enough apart from Christ Jesus. And when we mess up, simply repent to God and instantly you are made white as snow! There isn't a process or a long list of duties. You don't have to go telling everyone of your sins. It is good to have someone to hold you accountable. But it should be someone who loves Jesus and loves you. But repentance itself is a very simple process. 

Believe in Jesus and what He did on the cross. 

Repent 

Forgiven 

Walk in the light as He is in the light 

Any sins can all be washed away in an instant. 

Then we are free to continue::

 to fight the good fight. 

To mend broken relationships. 

To share Jesus with the world. 

To forgive. 

To give grace to the undeserving. 

God is Holy. He alone is Holy. 

We strive to be like Jesus and HIS holiness rubs off on us. 

That is my ultimate heart's  desire. 

I want to be like Jesus. 

Like Jesus

http://youtu.be/c1QE-DgvR80

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.” Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.” Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered: “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate, The Lord has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. But yet a tenth will be in it, And will return and be for consuming, As a terebinth tree or as an oak, Whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump.” (Isaiah 6:1-13 NKJV)

The next time...

The next time you go to a strip club or watch porn, remember 95% of women in the sex industry were molested as children. 

http://www.wearecherished.com/resources-2/statistics/

\\ My heart today //

Lately, every time I feel lead to post something spiritual, I hear a voice saying "don't do it" "it's not worth it" "what's the point" etc. . In those moments I pray for the thoughts to leave my mind in Jesus' name. After I was made to feel that my posts are offensive, 6 weeks ago, I have struggled internally each time I go to post. I know in my heart, for now, as a stay at home mother, this is what I can do to lift others up. I can write and I can use my words to bless others and spread the truth. I can share cute photos of ourf  smiley to brighten someone's day. But that doesn't mean I don't struggle to write this stuff. I don't want anyone thinking I am perfect. I am not perfect, Jesus is. I can try my hardest and I will never measure up. It's all about His glory through me. #love

God's grace.

Life is about God's grace through Jesus. 

Jesus paid the price. He paid our price. We don't have to continue to pay for our sins. I am talking about things we have done that have been in rebellion against God. (Obviously breaking the law has just punishment).  

Life isn't about a long list of religious rules. 

There is NOTHING standing between you and Jesus' blood and righteousness!! 

Not a church. 

Not another person. 

Not ANYTHING!

Life is about realizing God is for you. 

God sees you. 

God hears you. 

God forgives you. 

Communion/sacrament, whatever you label it, is for anyone who wants to repent of their sins and turn to JESUS!! 

ANYONE! 

It disgusts me that people would dare set rules in place that exclude people from partaking in communion because they ARE TOO SINFUL! The whole point of the ceremony is to remember we are all lost and we ALL NEED JESUS! 

Before communion I always take a minute or two and repent and confess anything I feel I have done wrong, to God. It is between He and I. It is a beautiful thing. 

What makes one person worthy and another unworthy? Seriously!? 

People kid themselves if they think they are worthy and a peer isn't. Because technically NONE OF US are worthy!!! And we all deserve to rot in hell! But because of Jesus hanging bloody and broken on the cross, we can be forgiven!! 

And that is beautiful. 

JESUS SAVES!! 

THE KEY WORDS IN THESE VERSES ARE "ALL AND WHOEVER". It is for everyone at whatever time they choose to turn towards Christ and repent. 

Forgiveness is not conditional. It is unconditional. If someone apologizes they need to be forgiven. God forgives us. 

It is a scary concept to think that other men are keeping forgiveness from their fellow man just because if a set of rules. 

 

It is only logical that people won't feel forgiven if they are excluded from partaking in a ritual that is meant to be a reminder of Jesus' sacrifice. It allows us to remember we have a great hope in Jesus! 

WE ALL SIN! 

I'm so irritated by the fact that people are living their lives feeling condemned. 

And I pray they are able to see the evil behind forbidding someone to take sacrament. 

End rant. 

Bible verses::::

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26 NKJV)

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV) 

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 

JOHN 6:26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”…. I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

I just had to...

I just had to ... Vent about this article. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2544387/Doctors-urged-talk-mothers-home-births-like-letting-child-not-wear-car-seatbelt.html

The article needs to be talked about so women don't get even more controlled by the stupid medical system. Midwives do a wonderful thing in this society and in the UK. 

DOCTORS use fear. Constantly. And it isn't based on evidence based practice. Women have somehow let doctors control their thoughts. We are so vulnerable during labor. 

Gosh. Homebirth is wonderful. I enjoyed mine immensely. And I was safe. The midwives had all the necessary tools. And they protected me and guided me and encouraged me. They didn't give me ultimatums and deadlines. And even when my body stopped progressing they never said I failed. They simply approached the situation with the solution (which was manually opening my cervix) and kindly explained it to me and moved forward. It felt like the SAFEST car ride I have ever been on. 

My one prayer about the future is that I will be able to fully dilate on my own next time. Because having help was crazy painful.  

The medical system does not respect the natural process. They monkey with it and  when their interventions fail or cause unnecessary pain, they don't apologize. They somehow make women feel as though these problems that occurred were always going to happen. When really at any moment the woman could have said, NO. 

Our Breastfeeding journey...

I wanted to write down my experience. I have had several women tell me I must've had it easy when it comes to nursing my son. And that's why I love it so much.

But that is not the reality of my journey. ; Not at all. 

We had a rough start. I'm sure our 30 hour labor had something to do with the struggle. Elijahbear slept for the first 24 hours. I tried to get him to latch. And I offered him my breast every time he stirred or woke. But he wasn't interested. And this was ok because my milk hadn't come in yet. 

For the first week, every day was a constant struggle. Elijah was not a vocal baby. 

He did not cry unless his diaper was being changed. .

 And you might think that a non crier was a good thing. But it made it extra hard to know if he was hungry or not. So any time he would move or appear to be rooting around, I offered him the breast. 

Most times he would try. But he wasn't really sucking right and he was not latching on. The midwives had checked his tongue and lip. They were not tied at all. 

Not properly latching was making my nipples so sore. They cracked and bled. It was overwhelmingly painful. 

I cried.

 I squeezed pillows. And did my best to stay calm. 

I prayed. 

God gave me peace. 

I persevered. 

I watched tv to distract me. It helped. 

I could feel God's presence. I knew it was my duty to continue. 

One night, I used a pacifier to help Elijah learn how to suck properly. That helped. He just needed a little guidance. And we never used the pacifier again. I did use my finger to help him learn how to suck. 

Praise God!

Slowly but surely, he began to get the hang of it. But wow was it 

P A I N F U L !! 

It was excruciatingly painful and almost unbearable. That pain lasted 3 weeks. That is how long it took my skin to crack, bleed and heal over 2 times. And then, one day, zero pain. Imagine using a body part in a new way and add on saliva and almost constant use with intense suction. The skin took time to adjust. 

But I didn't care. My nipples were cracked and bleeding a little bit. 

But I didn't care.

My milk let down was quite strong and tingled and my breasts itched. 

But I did not care. 

 It was NOT about me. 

 Elijah was learning how to eat and I was feeding him. It was so beautiful that I didn't care that it was overwhelmingly painful. 

I just kept going. 

Smooth fabric and stretchy bras and olive oil helped a lot!  

I was going to succeed.

 I knew God designed it to work. 

But I knew from reading and hearing my mom talk about her experience, that it is a learning process. 

A day in our life at that time was quite tiring. But it was also quite beautiful. 

Elijah wanted to eat every 2 hours or so. But I didn't keep track. Some days he ate randomly. No rhyme or reason or schedule. Other days it was like clockwork: every 2 hours. 

Kaleb slept on the couch because he had to be up at 5am for work. Elijah and I shared the bed. I slept when he slept and sometimes, I even slept when he was nursing. When he was brand new, he slept on my chest or Kaleb's chest. Once he was a little older he slept next to me in bed. I would hear in stir and latch him on. He would eat and doze back off. This routine lasted for several months. As soon as Elijah was 3 months, Kaleb joined us in bed. I slept in the middle and Elijah slept to my left. It was brilliant. I never had to get up to feed him. I had to keep water at arms length so I could hydrate properly. Soon, Elijah was able to find my breast on his own and eat, I often, never woke up, not really. It was a state of zombie, as Kaleb would say. He said my eyes were open, I would grab Elijah, and he'd nurse. And we would both go back to sleep. He said I moved with such ease and grace. It seemed so simple, he said. It was complete instinct. And I was and am happy to do it. 

I needed to give my baby a chance to learn how to properly nurse. And use his tongue and lips and throat correctly. And what is an appropriate amount of time to let someone become an expert at something? 

A week?

A month? 

3 months? 

WHAT?

None of us adults become good at something on our first try. It usually takes months of practice. Then it becomes like second nature. Don't brand new humans deserve that same amount of time? 

I believe they do. 

We tend to set babies in a separate category. As if these tiny perfect humans aren't real humans yet. But they are. They need skin to skin contact. They need to be held and loved. 

 Our society keeps them at arms length. Before they are even born, plans are in place to give them to strangers. So parents can do important work. 

Daycare waiting lists are full. 

Infants come out of the womb and instantly they are often rubbed down and dried off. And placed under bright lights. I know I wouldn't want to be rubbed down and placed under a fluorescent light after spending 10 months in a perfect, cozy, warm environment. 

But we do it to newborns. 

Traumatizing. 

When it came to breastfeeding, I did not factor in my feelings AT ALL. I set them aside. It was for the benefit of another human being. A being that lived inside of my body for 10 months. His needs surpassed my own. He needed me. 

About 2 weeks into his life, Elijah started to spit up his meals. So I researched and decided to stop eating dairy. Even though, I enjoy cookies and milk, yogurt, cereal, ice cream and cheese of all kinds; ESPECIALLY Parmesan. But I stopped eating all of those things. And Elijah stopped regurgitating my milk. 

I tried reintroducing dairy several times but he would have an episode. So I quit trying. 

Oh how I missed diary products. 

Especially Parmesan cheese! 

When Elijah was 10 months old, I prayed and decided to try dairy. And what do you know, Elijah didn't react at all. His poop stayed the same and he didn't throw up my milk. 

I still do not consume large amounts if dairy because my body is still not used to it. And may never be able to handle it again. But I enjoy ice cream and Parmesan cheese now! 

I love that God created these processes. 
Pregnancy. 

Labor. 

Delivery. 

Breastfeeding. 

They are splendid. The child grows inside of the mother. The mothers body bring a the baby earth side. Then the mother uses her body to feed her child. It is so beautiful. 

My body has been feeding Elijah for over 22 months. 

[10 months womb side and 12 months earth side.] 

I find it judgmental when women assume that our journey the past 12 months has been a cake walk. It isn't fair to assume ANYTHING about anyone's journey into motherhood. Instead of making assumptions, ask me. Ask the mother how things are going. I'm an open book. Many of us love to answer questions. All areas of motherhood are to be shared with others; especially with other moms and future mothers. I enjoy telling my life story. 

But I believe in honesty. 

Cold. Hard. Truth. 

Even if that truth isn't all rainbows and butterflies, I tell it. I have to. I can't live any other way. 

If you didn't breastfeed, that is your choice. Please don't make a breastfeeding mom feel bad for her success. 

No one can make you feel guilty for making a choice. If you feel guilt. Search within yourself and find the root cause of that guilt. Do you have regrets? Give those to The Lord. Repent of the things you feel you messed up on. There is no sense in living with that guilt. 

But the part that is hard for me to handle is the blame game. Women who didn't nurse their baby(ies) point the finger at us who did. And they often say, it's our fault. By rejoicing in our triumphs and breastfeeding successes, we make them feel bad for bottle feeding. Even though, we never address bottle feeding or out right bash anyone using bottles. We each must choose our path.

We have simply made the choice to avoid bottles. 

It isn't fair to push the blame in our direction. I won't blame anyone using bottles for the struggles we faced at the beginning.

If you are truly confident that you made the best decision for your child, you should not have any guilt. You should feel pleased. You should feel proud; just as proud and elated as we who breastfeed. 

If you sit here and read this and my words have made you feel feelings of guilt. That is inside of YOU. Those are your raw emotions coming up. 

Deal with them. Think about why you feel that way.  
Truly, think about your feelings.
Ask yourself the hard questions.
Why do I feel guilty? 
Where do those feelings come from?
What is the root cause of that guilt?

Just as roots of bitterness can grab a hold of us, the same happens with guilt. We need to yank that guilt weed out by it's roots. The easiest way, repent. Simply, tell God your thoughts. He instantly forgives. The hardest part is forgiving ourselves. 

No one forced me to do this. I chose what is best for my child. The science and truth that breast milk is better cannot be shaken. It is best.

Elijah loves nursing. I don't plan on stopping any time soon. I've always thought that 3 is my cut-off but now, with research, I believe nursing longer than 3 can be beneficial health wise. I will be one of those so-called "weirdos" that is STILL nursing. 

We plan to try for baby #2 this summer. And I plan on continuing to nurse Elijah as long as he still wants to. These days, he comes and asks for it. He is learning to say "please" in sign language. He does a good job! 

Because of breastfeeding, my cycle has not returned {and I don't miss it}. But that doesn't mean my body can't get pregnant. With the presence of sperm, often a woman's body will quickly ovulate. We shall see what happens. We have been praying and weighing what God wants for us. 

I will end with this:::::

As Christian women, do we kid ourselves and think that Jesus actually wanted to be crucified??! 

He didn't. 

He begged God to take that cup from him. But if it was the Lord's will, Jesus said he would keep going. 

 It's right there in the Bible. 

Jesus died on the cross for my sins (and yours), the least I could do was deal with some pain in order to give my son what he needs to be healthy. 

PS- Enjoy the journey. Enjoy the pain. Enjoy the ups and downs. Enjoy the struggle. Because before you know it, it will be over. I sit on the cusp of that day. Elijah is starting to love food and not want to nurse as much. I am glad we had the time we did! 

ENJOY IT! 

A little bit about what we believe

Christian theologian J.I. Packer once said, “If I were the devil, one of my first aims would be to stop folk from digging into the Bible… I should do all I could to surround it with the spiritual equivalent of pits, thorns, hedges, and man traps to frighten people off.”

I don't know if I ever really wrote a blog post defining clearly exactly what we believe as Bible believing Christians.

 The first and most important part of our faith is Jesus. 

Jesus is at the center of it all. 

We believe:

• Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Who came to earth to save the world. Look it up. It's in the Bible. 
• They will know us by our love. Love your neighbor. Love all you meet. I'm not going to list all the bible verses about LOVE go find them. They are wonderful. 
• Communion is done to remember what Jesus did on the cross. It is done so we can repent and set ourselves straight. It is between a person and God. 
• Free will is a leading roll in our faith in Christ. We choose to follow and we choose where we go to church. 
• 
  Worshipping The almighty God can be done in many ways. It can be done in reverence. Some things need quiet. I believe communion and remembering Jesus' sacrifice is one of those times.
  
  Worship can also be loud and crazy and fun. Dancing can occur and singing and playing instruments. All are acceptable. We raise our hands in church because we need more of God. Just as a child lifts his hands to be picked up by his father. We lift our hands so his can lift us up. Worship soothes the soul. Worship is our way of giving our minds to God. Setting aside our worries and negative things and focusing on what's important --God. 
• The Trinity is real. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are three in one. Look it up in the Bible. 
• We are all born with a sinful nature. And only through the blood of Jesus are we saved from that sin. Look it up. 
• You can receive forgiveness for your sins by asking God for forgiveness. It is important to understand that you do not have to confess every sin out loud. But the Bible does say, confess your sins ONE to another (James 5:16). This is done out of freedom and love. No one requires or forces anyone to do this. If you feel comfortable with a Pastor or a friend, you can tell them your truth. But no one keeps track or insists you do this. It is essentially between YOU and GOD. 
• If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are saved and will reside in Heaven with God when you die. And you will be at peace and be singing praises with the Angels (John 3:16).  
• Hell is real. We don't quite no what hell will be like. God has left that as a bit of a mystery. But it is eternal suffering and separation from Jesus/God.
• Satan was never a god. He once was an angel who thought he knew how to do things better than God. He essentially wanted to be God. And he was cast out of Heaven. Jesus said, 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10) (1 Peter 5:8) (Ezekiel 28)
• Our good works will not get us to Heaven. Jesus paid the price for our sins by dying on the cross. It is simple and beautiful. There is no amount of good deeds we can do to make ourselves good enough. We simply have to lean on Jesus and remember that His grace is sufficient. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
• We can only choose salvation for ourselves. We cannot make that decision for anyone else. We are only responsible for our own choices. 
• Baptism is a choice we make at ANY age. We decide for ourselves that we want to follow in Christ's footsteps (Matthew 3:13-17). 
• Being baptized isn't a requirement for salvation. Being baptized is another step in faith to proclaim that you are following Christ. The Bible does not require it at a certain age. Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
  
  Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/15-bible-verses-about-baptism/#ixzz2q1wKp34s
• ANYONE can preach the gospel at any time. The Bible says, as you go, preach. (Matthew 10:7)
• "The Church" is the collective body of believers. ANYONE who believes Jesus Christ is the Son of God and died and was resurrected. 
• Jesus is a prophet. 351 prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. See for yourself HERE
• HERE are some amazing statistics about Jesus fulfilling over 300 prophecies. 
• ANYONE can be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues. (1 Corinthians 14) (Acts 2)
• We are ALL a royal priesthood. 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:5 You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ
• There is only one true word of God. THE BIBLE. Plain and simple. They have found translations of the Bible that date back to Jesus' time and they match with the translations we have today. The Dead Sea Scrolls prove it. I will not argue with that proof. I saw the scrolls in person 3 years ago! They are so beautiful and so moving. I could just imagine the people that wrote them and read them. The history is fascinating. 
• When we quote books or sermons, we do so freely. No one is telling us to. We decide for ourselves if the quotes and or teaching are solid. We do this by comparing what they say to the TRUTH in the BIBLE. I myself enjoy MANY different Pastor's sermons and teachings. I choose these by my own freedom. (Rebecca St. James, Mark Driscoll, Louie Giglio, CS Lewis, Rick Warren, Keith Kerstetter, Mike Bartz, The list could go on and on.)
• Jesus said that John the Baptist is the greatest prophet that ever lived. And today, there is no prophet. We do each hold the ability to prophecy and see truth. We gain this by listening to the Holy Spirit. Matthew 11:9-11 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. (10) This is the one about whom it is written: " 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' (11) I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
• If we are persecuted for Christ's name sake, we should be glad. 
  1 Peter 4:12-14 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

•ANYONE can lay hands on anyone else and pray and God hears your prayer. Men, women, children, can all pray to bless others. And they can pray for healing and anything else that comes up in life. God is always listening. And when our hearts desires are good and pure and we are seeking Christ, God wants to fulfill those desires. Clearly, God does not want to fulfill our sinful desires. Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

I cannot stress how the most important thing we believe is this:

Jesus came down to earth in the form of a human. He lived a sinless life because He is the earthly manifestation of God in a human being. Jesus was then persecuted and crucified. He died. Was buried. And resurrected 3 days later. All of this happened to prove to the world that we are all sinful and need a Savior. JESUS paid the penalty for our sins. We can rest in knowing that there is no need to be worried about our perfection here on earth. We can never be perfect. We can lean on God's grace and mercy. And continue to try our best but always remembering that our best is lame in comparison to God's glory. THAT is why we need Jesus' sacrifice. 

Unfortunately, many people have a false understanding of who God is and as a result, they live with a huge burden to be good enough and do enough, [so] that Jesus will save them 'after all they can do.' It's very sad, really. And I want to do my best to be sure I am clear as to what we believe. I could go on and on. But this is just the basics about our faith. 

There is freedom in the name of Jesus.

There is power in the name of Jesus. 

2 Corinthians 4:8-12 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

My prayer is that you are touched by things I post because Jesus has changed my life. And I pray He changes your life also. Truly. He is loving and kind and He paid the price for your sins. 

Through Jesus I pray. 

Amen

October