Feb. 15, 2006
Children in Church
Posted in Articles-General Homestuff
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There has been an ongoing discussion on our local homeschool email loop about children in church, and some church's not allowing children to be in the worship center with their parents. I am finding myself growing more and more frustrated about this whole issue, so I thought what better way to air my own opinions than to write them here on my blog :) So, here goes! (This is strictly MY opinion based on my observations) There seems to be a growing trend in churches in our area to restrict the age of the people that are allowed to worship God in sanctuaries and "worship centers". I'm hearing about more and more local churches that don't allow children under the age of 11 or 12 into the main worship service, they are required to either attend children's classes or to be sent to a "cry room" or some other such place. To me this sounds an awful lot like discrimination.....age discrimination. My children do attend sunday school classes with their peers MOST weeks, but I do like to have the option to have them in church with me, or if they want to stay in church with D and I, I think that they should be allowed that opportunity. Yes, my children are well behaved and have been trained to sit quietly in church (or anywhere else that it is appropriate), and if they were to become disruptive, or a distraction to those around us, I would remove them from the service. I do believe that most parents would. So, why is it that church's are discriminating against families that choose to worship together? D and I have discussed this with two of our pastors and they agree that this is an anti-family policy and they do not believe that it is Godly or Biblical. So why is it that some of the big Bible teaching churches are setting this policy? I believe that it is another attack against the family. It seems that the attacks on family are coming from all areas now, even our local church (let me clarify, not OUR family's local church....the "local church" generically). If our "local church" won't stand by our family's then who will? What really saddens me is that two of the churches that have this policy locally are churches that I have attended in the past and absolutely love the pastors and the teaching that is happening. When I attended these two churches as a new believer from1987-1989 both churches not only included children in the worship, but they discouraged parents from utilizing the nursery. Both pastors (and they are the same pastors as are in those churches still today) had children that varied in ages between about 7 and 14/15 and all of those pastors' children were active parts of our congregations. When I found out that these churches had this policy when we moved back to our "hometown", I wrote a letter to both pastors. Didn't hear back from either of them. I did call the pastor at the church in the same town as we are living in now, and his statement to me was "children are a great distraction to me, and they need to be taught at their own level". WHAT?????????? First of all, this is SO different than what he taught when his OWN children were young. Secondly, if I believed this for my own children, their own spiritual growth would be SO stunted! Kids are like sponges! They soak up and remember so much in these young years. For instance, my children (ages 13, 10, 8 and 5) have been memorizing entire chapters of scripture, and entire Psalms this year. They are all memorizing at different paces, but they are hiding large chunks of God's word in their hearts. My children are not extraordinary, they are normal kids! If I believed as this pastor does, and as he's teaching from his pulpit, my kids would still be stuck at "Jesus Loves Me" and that would be the extent of their bible teaching! So so so sad! These children deserve to be taught just the same as adults. I will step down off of my soapbox now, but there may be more about this is the coming days :) |
Feb. 12, 2006
Pampering my girls' friends :)
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Tuesday, Valentine's Day, is our oldest daughter's 13th birthday. Tonight we are having a party for her.....pizza, movies, popcorn, cake & ice cream. I was able to surprise my girl with a "spa night" also. She had 6 of her girlfriends, and her small group leader from Jr. High group at church over. After dinner, I set up herbal foot baths for each of the girls, then scrubbed their feet with a peppermint pumice scrub, and massaged all of their feet with peppermint foot cream. They were shocked that anyone would do that for them that wasn't getting paid, but they all so enjoyed the pampering! I also painted their toenails....I had SO much fun blessing these young ladies in this way, and then watching there eyes light up, it totally made my day! :) I love blessing my family in things like this! The birthday celebrations will continue over the next couple of days......tomorrow night we are going to dinner with D's dad and stepmom and sister. Then on Tuesday, I will have lots of fun surprises for Rebekah......her favorite stuffed french toast for breakfast, her favorite spaghetti with cheese for lunch, and then for dinner I'll make something special.......steak or tritip or something like that. I'm almost the mother of a teenager! :) |
Feb. 8, 2006
Winter Beauty
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WINTER BEAUTY Isaiah 61:3, "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified ."
I look up from reading the Word of God in my morning Quiet Time. Oh what a glorious sight meets my eyes. A beautiful sunrise of brilliant salmon pink glows through the bare leafless branches of the winter trees. It is glorious. I am awe-inspired. Why haven't I seen these beautiful skies before? I realize that I hadn't noticed them before because they were hidden from my view by the thick foliage of the tall trees that surround us here in the Tennessee woods. Wintertime is stark and barren, but it is in these bare times that we see beauty that we don't normally see. As I drive the country roads in the winter, I often exclaim, "Oh, I haven't noticed that home before." Or, "I've never seen that barn." The lovely leafy laden trees had blocked them from view. Perhaps you are going through a winter season in your life. Your heart is cold. The outlook seems ugly. You feel stripped of all that you hold dear. Can I remind you to lift up your head? Look up. As you do, you will see things in a new light. You will see God in a new way. You will see different facets of His beauty that you hadn't noticed before. You will see things that God has been waiting to show you that He couldn't reveal to you with all the foliage around your life. Often God has to strip us of all our trappings and the things we daily rely upon, so He can reveal Himself to us. We don't need Him when we have everything else around us to rely on. We don't see Him clearly when our sights and senses are filled with other things. I used to think the bare trees of winter were rather ugly, but I have now come to appreciate their own uniqueness. I love their intriguing beauty as they silhouette against the differing moods of the sky. I delight to see the tiny thin branches of the trees, which show up like lace in the sun-setting sky. There is nothing more striking than the moon shining down through the bare trees. What could bring more pleasure to the eyes than seeing the hoar frost or a fresh snowfall balancing on their bare outstretched limbs? And of course I now see the sunrises that I don't see in the other seasons. There was also a time in my life when I didn't like going through hard times. I'd rather not have to face them at all. But I have learned to find beauty in these times too. This is when God does His deepest work in our hearts. This is when we really grow. This is when God is able to conform us to the image of His Son. Don't despise these winter seasons. Don't let your heart get bitter. Fling off that self-pity. Don't cower in the dungeon of despair. Open your spiritual eyes. Look up. Unless I had looked up from my reading to see the sunrise, I would have missed it. You won't see unless you look up. There are beautiful things to behold that you haven't seen before, which you cannot see in any other season. God will reveal Himself to you in a deeper way. And you will see a new sunrise in your life.
Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
PRAYER: "Father, I have been shivering in this winter experience. I feel bare and stripped of everything. Lord, I am sorry, that I have been looking at the ugliness of it all. I have been consumed with self-pity. I confess this to you. Lord, I look up to you. I want to behold your beauty. I look to see your goodness in the land of the living. Show me glimpses of the precious work you are doing in me in this winter season. I thank you for the good work you are doing in me."
AFFIRMATION: I will look for God's beauty even in the barren times. |
Feb. 7, 2006
I am almost the mom of a teenager......
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Only 7 more days and I will be the mom of a teenager! Can't believe it :) She has grown up so quickly!!! What a beautiful young lady she has grown to be, and she is maturing in her faith as a Christian. I love this young lady, and am really looking forward to honoring her for her birthday this coming Sunday evening. All she knows is that there will be a sleepover for her birthday on Sunday evening, but I am planning a spa night here at home for her and her friends. I am borrowing some foot baths from friends, and they will be able to do each other's toenails, and I'll give each of them a foot massage and they will each receive a gift bag that has a journal and a "spa item" in it. Just to celebrate their coming into their teenage years. I can't believe that my baby is almost 13!!!!! I keep telling r (our 5 year old) that I want to keep her right where she is now (small, cuddly and FIVE!)....she just giggles at me :) Wish I could keep R right where she is also, but I know that I can't, and I know that the Lord has great and mighty plans for this young ladie's life. Can't wait to see it all unfold :) Here's a picture of the birthday girl.......  |
Feb. 6, 2006
Titus 2 alive and well!
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I only have a couple of minutes, but wanted to say that I am so thankful to know that the Titus 2 mandate of older (more mature/more experienced) women teaching the younger (less experienced). After meeting with Mrs. L today and visiting with her, and having her teach me to knit, I feel so blessed! She was so willing to sit next to me and teach me! I am blessed! Now I may be able to teach her daughter to crochet. When she found out that I crochet, she told me she wants to learn to do that. So, after I get the knitting thing down, I will teach Mrs. L's 15 year old daughter to crochet. Titus 2 is alive and well! :) |
Feb. 6, 2006
My new clean room and sewing area :)
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Feb. 2, 2006
February 2, 2006
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My first entry of the year.......33 days after the beginning of the new year! Unfortunately, that is pretty common practice these days unfortunately....I have been just having a tough time keeping up with life these days! At least this week I have a good excuse :) Our friend Neil's dad passed away last week, so Neil and his brother and sister all came into town to make the final arrangements and to bury their dad. D and I were able to help with some of the arrangements, as well as hosting a time of refreshment and fellowship after the graveside service yesterday. Neil stayed with us for several days, and we have spent the past two days with his brother, sister and sister in law, as well as other friends and family members. It has been fun having him here and the girls all got very attached to Uncle Neil.....which was good, I think it may have helped him to not miss his kiddos quite as much. I hope :) As soon as I get some pictures, I'll post them here. Today I ended up sleeping in....I got up at 6:00 and got D off to work, then I layed down on the couch and slept until 8:30 when r came out. We snuggled for a few minutes, and then I was up and moving. Today was a very lazy day! The rest of the kids didn't get up until after 9, which was fine.....but tomorrow we've GOT to get back to our normal schedule and school! A couple of weeks ago, I got 7 scrapbook pages done (YAY ME!!!!!), and it was great, because last night Neil's brother Wes and D were talking about hockey. They were talking about a specific hockey game that D and I went to early in our marriage, and I was able to go to my scrapbooking materials, grab that page, and bring it out to show to them. D was so excited, that it was done :) I love pleasing my man with things like that! Yesterday a friend from church gave me a box of things that she had put on our local freecycle group, and I asked for them. One of the items was a set of blue/green and maroon curtains. I LOVE the fabric, and am looking forward to making some throw pillows, or maybe a couple of floor pillows with the fabric. They will look great in our living room! I can't wait! :) Which leads me to the next thing.....I was blessed a couple of weeks ago with 2 more large boxes of some beautiful yarn, so I'm excited to get started on some crochet projects. All this crafty stuff that's been happening around here has me excited to set up a sewing area in our bedroom. I am looking forward to doing that maybe this weekend, so that I can start sewing soon. My first project will be to get started on the quilt blocks for a quilt block swap that I am doing with some friends from an online community that I've been part of for several years now. Well, dinner's ready........will post more tomorrow. |
Dec. 16, 2005
The Legend of the Candy Cane
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The Legend of the Candy Cane Written by Lori Walburg One dreary evening in the depths of November a stranger rode into town. He stopped his horse in front of a lonely storefront. The windows were boarded shut and the door was locked fast. But the man looked at it, smiled and said, “it will do.” All through the gray short days and the long dark nights of November, the man worked. The townspeople could hear the faint pam pam pam of his hammer and the snish snish snish of his saw. They could smell the sweet clean scent of new lumber and the deep oily smell of new paint. But no one knew who the man was or what he was doing. The mayor hoped he was a doctor, to heal his illness. The young wives hoped he was a tailor, to make beautiful dresses. The farmers hoped he was a trader, to exchange their grain for goods. But the children had the strongest, deepest wish of all. A wish they did not tell their parents. A deep, quiet, secret wish that none of them said out loud. No one spoke to the man. No one asked if he needed help. They just waited. And watched. And wondered. And wished. But one small girl watched and wondered, waited and wished longer than she could stand. And one snowy day she knocked at the stranger’s door. “Hello,” she said, “My name is Lucy. Do you need some help? The man smiled warmly and nodded. Then he opened the door, and Lucy stepped inside. A long counter ran down the side of the room. Bare shelves filled the opposite walls. In the back were dozens and dozens of barrels and crates. “Could you help me unpack?” the man asked. Lucy’s heart sank at the sight of all the boxes. What if they were only barrels of nails and bags of flour? But she removed her dripping boots and hung her coat on a peg. On stocking feet, she crossed the rough wooden floor and knelt beside a crate. “Please, Open it,” the man urged. Slowly, Lucy put her hand into the box and pulled out an object wrapped in tissue. Round and heavy, it almost slipped through her fingers. Lucy trembled a little as she unwrapped it. It was a glass jar. Lucy gave the man a puzzled look. “Go on,” his nod said. So she unpacked another glass jar, and another, and another, until she was completely surrounded by jars of all shapes and sizes. Tall and thin. Round and squat. Jars with lids and jars without. “Now,” the man said, “for something to put inside.” And he pulled over a huge crate stamped with a strange word. As Lucy unpacked, her eyes lit up. It was candy. Her favorite candy. Gumdrops! “Try some,” the man said. She popped one in her mouth. Now she could hardly unwrap fast enough. Peppermint sticks! Taffy! Lollipops! Chewing gum! Wide-eyed, she looked at the man. “We wished--,” Lucy said. “Yes I know,” said the man, “And here it is. Welcome to Sonneman’s Candy Store. I am John Sonneman.” Soon the small store was filled with candies, gleaming in their glass jars. Raspberry suckers and tiny lemon drops. Brightly colored jawbreakers and long tangles of licorice. Pink and white peppermints for church and butterscotch balls for company. Then, in the very last package in the very last crate, was a candy Lucy had never seen before, a red-and-white striped candy stick with a crook on the end. “What is this?” Lucy asked. “This,” Mr. Sonneman explained, “is a candy cane. It is a very special Christmas candy.” “Why?” Lucy asked. “Tell me,” Mr. Sonneman said, “what letter does it look like?” “J!” she said. “Yes.” Mr. Sonneman smiled. “J for Jesus, who was born on Christmas day.” “Now turn it over. What does it remind you of?” Lucy turned the candy in her hand. She peered down intently. “I know!“ she said finally, “It’s like a shepherd’s staff.” “Who were the first to find out about Jesus’ birth?” Mr. Sonneman asked. “Shepherds in the field, “ Lucy answered, “Watching over their flocks by night.” “But Mr. Sonneman what are the stripes for?” Lucy asked. The man’s eyes grew sad. “The prophet Isaiah said, ‘By his stripes we are healed,’ Before he died on the cross, Jesus was whipped. He bled terribly. The red reminds us of his suffering and his blood. “But then,” Mr. Sonneman continued, “the candy is white as well. When we give our lives to Jesus, his blood washes away our sins, making us white and pure as snow. “That,” he said , “is the story of the candy cane.” “ “Is it a secret?” Lucy asked. Mr. Sonneman looked at her for a long moment. “It’s a story that needs to be told,” he said, “Will you help me share it?” It was now the depths of December. The town was whipped round by blizzard winds. For days, the sun hid itself. But every morning, Mr. Sonneman and Lucy ventured out. The wore heavy woolen coats and bright hand knit scarves. And in their stiff, mittened fingers they each held a bag. The went to every house in town. They traveled to every farm in the country. They knocked on every door. In every home, they told the story, they left a small gift, and they gave an invitation. On the afternoon of Christmas Eve, the sun finally broke through the clouds. And Sonneman’s Candy Store officially opened. The mayor came, feeling better than he’d felt in days. The young wives came, dressed in beautiful smiles. The farmers came, eager to trade grain for Christmas gifts. The children ran in dizzy circles. Yes, their wish had come true. Yes, they had come to share in the opening of the candy store. But they shared something more. Something bigger, Something better. On that Christmas Eve, they shared the story of the candy cane. They told of the miracle of Christ’s birth. The misery of his death. And the mercy of his love. |
Dec. 16, 2005
Laus Deo
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LAUS DEO: I thought that you and others may like to see this. One detail that is not mentioned, in DC, is that there can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument. With all the uproar about removing the ten commandments, etc... This is worth a moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this historical information. On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington, DC, are displayed two words: Laus Deo. No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and for that matter, probably couldn't care less. Once you know Laus Deo's history, you will want to share this with everyone you know. But these words have been there for many years; they are 555 feet, 5.125 inches high, perched top the monument, facing skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America. Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world. So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, possibly mean? Very simply, they say "Praise be to God!" Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James Polk was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty five years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus Deo ..............Praise be to God!" From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant...a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north. The Jefferson Memorial is to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west. A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the Constitution. So, read on. How interesting and, no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice. Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message. On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore; on the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians; on the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6. Praise be to God! When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848 deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God! Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy .."One Nation, Under God." I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you never read it? Well, now is your unique opportunity, so read on! "Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." Laus Deo! When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of God, as it is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look. You may forget the width and height of "Laus Deo", its location, or the architects but no one who reads this will be able to forget its meaning, or these words: "Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127: 1) |