How Well Do You Know Roe?

Whether you are pro-life, pro-choice or somewhere in between, I would encourage you to take part in a unique survey on the web called the Roe IQ Test, which is sponsored by Concerned Women for America, Alliance Defense Fund and Focus on the Family. It asks a series of 12 multiple choice questions regarding the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, followed by a small number of demographic questions.

The purpose of the survey is to gauge the average citizen's knowledge and attitude towards the abortion issue. I took the survey and was surprised to learn some new information, especially how our laws compare to other countries.

To take the Roe IQ Test for yourself, click on the link below.

www.roeiqtest.com

Belonging

I want my children to know they belong.

I also want my kids to know that we're a family, and we stand by each other - always. I'm constantly trying to figure out better ways to show my 5 year old son that he belongs in our family - not just that he was born into our family, but I want him (and my daughter once she's older) to have a real sense of belonging. That's more than just the mere circumstances of birth. It's a sense that you are accepted unconditionally, loved unendingly and cherished. It's knowing that your family and your home are a haven from the emotional beatings we have to endure in life, and it also requires that we, the family, make sure that we are not a source of pain for each other.

It really means answering the call of Jesus to love others unconditionally. This includes my children when they are in the midst of a gigantic temper-tantrum or have just accidentally spilled milk all over my freshly-cleaned kitchen floor. It means sacrificing my comfort -- and sometimes happiness -- for the benefit of another. Now, that's where it really gets tough. Sometimes I'll snap at my husband or child, or I may have a complaining or ungrateful spirit simply because it pacifies my own selfish nature. Whenever this happens, I am reminded of how inadequate I really am. I must depend on God to fill me with His love so that it overflows out of me to others because I am utterly incapable of loving unconditionally on my own. Otherwise, I might be a source of pain and hurt for the people I love. Our family's home may not be a haven from the hurts of the outside world, and my children may decide to seek emotional refuge elsewhere.

Giving my children a sense of belonging also means building a grace-filled home, where each of us is allowed to make mistakes, yet can expect to be forgiven. This begins with me allowing my children to see my faults (my husband already sees them very clearly) and not pretending to be perfect. It means not only forgiving my children when they wrong me, but also asking their forgiveness when I hurt them. I want our home to be a place where we are all mutually accepting of each other and each other's faults. And it is my highest hope that we extend our grace-filled environment outside our home and touch others. This is what I believe Jesus meant when He said in Matthew chapter 5: 14-16 (The Message paraphrase), "You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand -- shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

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"Father, help me to love unconditionally, as You first loved us. May our home be a place of grace, where our children know they belong, and where your mercy and grace are evident to others. I pray our children would grow up with the knowledge that You, Father, love them even more than we do, and that they would early in life decide they belong to You."

What Every Mom is Thinking

This is one of my favorite YouTube videos. The comedian featured in the video is Anita Renfro. For more information about her books, DVDs and tour schedule, visit her website at www.anitarenfro.com.

All you moms (and dads!) out there will laugh hysterically when you watch this!

Peace - Be Still

"Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush, anxious for greater developments and greater riches and so on, so that children have very little time for their parents. Parents have very little time for each other, and in the home begins the disruption of peace of the world."

-- Mother Teresa


I stumbled upon this quote from Mother Teresa yesterday quite by accident while searching for another one of her famous sayings. The words above reinforce a conviction I have felt lately regarding home and family: a slower-paced family life is a more peaceful family life. It seems for about the past 9 months, God has been pounding me (in His gentle style) over the head with this very idea. This lesson has come at me from so many different directions, I'd be a fool not to listen.

The truth is, life is simply more peaceful when we slow down as families and just enjoy each others' presence. There's a huge temptation to busy ourselves and our kids with more and more activities in order to feel like we're keeping up with everyone else. Although there will always be greater opportunities within our grasp, sometimes we just need to step back and look at the big picture and ask ourselves: "Will this opportunity draw our family closer together or pull us away from each other? Will this new development move me closer in the direction of God's plan and purpose for my life?" If we answer "no" to either of the questions above, we must prayerfully consider if this new opportunity will ultimately become a burden and rob us and our families of peace.

Slowing down does not mean shirking our responsibilities and taking a vacation from the realities of life. Irresponsibility never promotes peace, nor does it demonstrate love for others. There will always be challenges along our path as we journey through life, and with God's grace, we can navigate around these obstacles. However, slowing down simply means we cut out the clutter in our lives and focus on what's important from an eternal perspective. What's eternal in life? People. It may seem strange to think of it this way, but our spouses and children are eternal beings. This life on Earth is just the opening act for eternity. C.S Lewis said something like 'no one we meet is a mere mortal' because we were all designed for eternity. This includes our spouses and children. The very people with whom we eat breakfast, watch TV, and experience all the mundane activities of daily life are, in fact, immortal.

They are definitely worth slowing down for.