Jul. 15, 2008
Helping Haiti
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After I put up my last post, I realized it might be good to share with you the specific ministries we've connected with, so that, if the Lord leads, you might be able to help them, too. Homebound Missions www.homeboundmissions.org This is, of course, our largest commitment as a family. There is lots of sewing to be done, diapers is our thing. Collecting gently used summer clothing is another project we have done. My favorite is hosting baby showers, where all the gifts go to Haitian orphanages. The Livesay Family - livesayhaiti.blogspot.com We discovered this family through Homebound Missions. We love to read Tara's descriptions of life in Haiti. If you want high gloss, "missionary" stuff, this might not be the spot for you. Tara is very real in her writing about daily life with a house full of children in Haiti. We are praying for this family and hope to one day to be able to meet them in real life. We like meeting real live missionaries. His Hands For Haiti www.hishandsforhaiti.org This is our newest connection. We've known about them for awhile now. Sometimes the Lord just has to put something before you over and over (because we're "dumb as a hake" right Jamie?) before we actually follow through. We are blessed with the privilege of being able to sponsor one of the children from His House orphanage. Haitian Ministries www.hatianministries.com Through His Hands for Haiti, I learned about this ministry. We are currently working to prepare New Mom Bundles that can be distributed by their clinics to newly delivered moms for their babies. Heartline Ministries wwwheartlineministries.org Through Tara Livesay, we learned about this ministry. Their Women's Program will also be the recipients of New Mom Bundles. Haitian Children's Home www.haitianchildrenshome.org While we haven't officially begun helping this ministry yet, but I am exploring ways that we may be able to include them in what we are already doing. I just received my list of their most needed items. Still waiting for the Lord to direct on this one. When the Lord helped me to close one door, one I'd known I needed to, but had been dragging my feet on, He flung open, not one, but many windows all in one place Haiti. Do you suppose He's called my family to serve Him in Europe? Or maybe Canada? Sometimes I miss the obvious, but I think I'm getting the picture on this one. Has the Lord given you an obvious calling, that you just keep missing? Blessings, MaggieRaye |
Jul. 11, 2008
Counting the Cost . . .You Do the Math
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I recently have had contact with a nurse who does short term missions trips to Haiti, and helps in three clinics. I also "talked" with another lady about her womens program. One of their programs gives New Mom Bundles to mothers who have recently delivered or are near term. The bundle consists of a t-shirt, diaper, and receiving blanket, if I remember correctly. Because of my work with Homebound Missions, I decided this was a project I could and would like to take on, but I wanted to do it a little different. You know me, I'm just wanting to do my own thing. So the New Mom Bundles I'm putting together are pretty much the same, except that instead of one disposable diaper it has three cloth diapers and a set of diaper pins. Now here's the part where math comes in. A cloth diaper from WalMart costs $1 A days wages in Haiti $1 If you figure a days wages in the US based on an 8 hour work day at $7/hr. (American Poverty) that translates to $56. Would you be able to afford diapers if you had to pay $56 a piece for them? 4 diaper pins or 1 pair of vinyl pants cost about the same as one cloth diaper. How about a simple three snap front t-shirt from Gerber? Cost approximately $2.85 3 days wages in Haiti $3 Would you be able to spend three days wages ($168) for a single t-shirt? A home made flannel receiving blanket $5 A weeks wages in Haiti $5 Would you be able to spend a weeks wages ($280) on a single flannel receiving blanket? The total New Mom Bundle including the time to put them together and the cost of shipping them to Haiti will cost $15 and it may well be the only gift the mom receives to celebrate the arrival of her new baby. 3 weeks wages in Haiti $15 Would you spend 3 weeks wages ($840) on a single baby shower gift? How about $15? This math lesson certainly has made me reconsider my own American poverty. As a single mom with two children, I see, in comparison, how truly blessed we are in our poverty. Blessings, MaggieRaye |
Jul. 6, 2008
Amazing Message
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Today was a church at home day. The Lord knew, and earlier in the week, the John MacArthur CD I'd requested over a month ago, arrived. Perfect timing, as usual. The Message: A Biblical Response to the Church Growth Movement. It was powerful, it was amazing, it was convicting. I thought about all the churches I've attended, and measured them by this message (read "scripture"). There were very few who measure up - maybe two - out of many, many churches. Even allowing for our humanity, this is not a good thing. Interestingly, MacArthur goes back to the first church, which is a subject that has come up in several different places lately as I'm reading. How far away from the model Christ gave us we are. The last point in his sermon spoke the most to me, it spoke of the qualifications of the leaders -- not just the verses we typically think of from Timothy and Titus but also the character of those men who were chosen to minister to the needs of the widows in Acts. If we'd only return to these standards. If you're up for a great message, that will make you think twice about what the purpose of church really is and what the church really should look like, I recommend this for you. If you're comfortable being B.U.S.Y., doing all those church activities then you probably don't have time to listen to it anyway. Blessings, MaggieRaye |
Jul. 3, 2008
BirthVerse
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Someone sent me a link to this really cool site, where you enter your birthday (day and month only). And it tells you what your BirthVerse is. Check it out! My BirthVerse Blessings, MaggieRaye |
Jul. 2, 2008
How B.U.S.Y. Are You?
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A friend read this to me this morning, as we talked on the phone. She was going to give me a copy of it, but I had to have it now, to share, so I searched for it, online, and found it. It was just too precious not to share. It made me really stop and think. I hope it does you as well. Blessings, MaggieRaye WORLDWIDE SATANIC MEETING AGAINGST CHRISTIANS
Satan called a worldwide convention of demons. In his opening address he said; "We cannot keep Christians from going to Church". We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth". "We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their Saviour". "Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken". "So let them go to their Churches; let them have their communion services, but steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a personal relationship with Jesus". "This is what I want you to do," said the devil: "Distract them from gaining hold of their Saviour and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"
"How shall we do this ?", his demons shouted. "Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, and borrow". "Persuade their wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles". "Keep them from spending time with their children". "As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!" "Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice". "Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive. To keep the TV, VCR, CD's and their PC's going constantly in their homes and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly". "This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ". "Fill the coffee tables with sexy magazines and worldly newspapers". "Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards; Flood their mailboxes with junk mails, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes..." "Skip skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they will become dissatisfied with their wives". "Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night. give them headaches too"! "If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere. That will fragment their families quickly". "Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas. Give them Easter bunny so they won't talk about His resurrection and power over sin and death." "Even in their recreation, let them de excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted". Keep them too busy - (Being Under Satan's Yoke) to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays concerts, and movies instead". "Keep them busy, busy, and busy"! "And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences. Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus". "Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause. It will work! " It's quite an effective plan". The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there. Having little time for their families. Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives. I guess the question is, has Satan been successful in his schemes? Over to you, dear Christian, be the judge! |
May. 30, 2008
Discontentment
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Even in the midst of so much to be thankful for, I find that discontentment can subtly sneak in. For anyone who says what we watch doesn't impact us I would beg to differ. Recently I sat and watched every single episode of the Christy series -- including 2 or the 3 that PAX put out so we'd all now how the story ended. I find myself wondering why I can't be a back woods school teacher or have some other equally "romantic" ministry for the Lord. Never mind He's blessed my life with the highest calling there is . . . But, I want . . . And then there is the whole preacher, doctor thing. . . yeh, I know I know, I have the perfect provider in my Heavenly Father. But, I want . . . It's not only where we go and who we hang out with that can cause discontentment, if we do not guard our hearts, some of us foolishly even pipe it into our homes and inflict it upon ourselves. So, the Lord being gracious and perfect put Hebrews 13:5 in my devotional reading the other morning, and I find myself claiming it over and over again recently, Roughly paraphrased it says to be content with what we have for the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. OUCH! Single mom's be cautious -- idle amusements, something as simple as watching a "good" movie with your children, has the potential to stir up our sin natures. I long for the day when I have learned to bask in the Lord's trustworthiness and not want anything more. How about you? Have you searched out the reasons for your discontentment so that you can pull those weeds from your garden? If you don't, they'll only grow . . . Blessings, MaggieRaye |
May. 29, 2008
Searching for Additional Orphanages to Help
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For about a year now I've been blessed to work helping Homebound Missions minister to two orphanages in Haiti. I'd like to expand our efforts as a family and start adding orphanages from other countries to our efforts. So, if you know of a Bible believing ministry that serves orphanages (we don't care what countries) please email me the contact information for the program. Thanking all of you in advance, MaggieRaye |
May. 27, 2008
I Am What I Am
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Today's thought for the day: I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be. But still, I am not what I used to be. And by the grace of God, I am what I am. - John Newton |
Apr. 23, 2008
When Your Hut Is On Fire
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** I think this post is similar to what many future posts will be like. Thank you to Susan Lemons for sharing it on a Yahoo! group that we both belong to. May the Lord bless your homeschooling endeavors today! MaggieRaye When Your Hut's On Fire
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?' Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! 'How did you know I was here?' asked the weary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied. The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God. P.S. You may want to consider passing this on, because you never know who feels as if their hut is on fire today. |
Mar. 16, 2008
For Isaac's Family
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Originally posted March 14, 2008. Edited Sunday, March 16, 2008 - 11:34 AM - This post will remain my top post for awhile. Please be sure to scroll down to read other, newer posts. I recently posted about wanting to read a book (A Song for Your Honor) about another single parent homeschooling family. I wanted to be able to review it and share it with all of you. I received two "annonymous" comments, on the post -- where are all my regular readers anyway? -- and with them came sad news of family tragedy. One man, Richard, gave me a link back to his blog: http://www.xanga.com/InnerJoy/647028124/item.html http://inmemoryofisaac.com/ To read about what has been going on. I am sitting here thinking - Why Lord? Of course, being oh, so American, my initial thoughts (sadly) were - - Lord, all I wanted was a copy of the book to read. I didn't want to be involved in anything "emotional" other than the book. I have a friend here, who just lost her son-in-law and now her daughter is a single parent homeschooling mom with two little ones, that's enough Lord. Instead, I find myself, bombarded with posts and pictures of this young man, (one link led to another, to another and I just couldn't stop myself from reading more) who was obviously dear to his family and friends. I can't begin to feel their pain and loss, there is no way. And yet, I know that the Lord's timing is perfect. He let me begin to pursue this, at just the moment I did, He knew what was going on in their lives and mine. So, I would like to ask all who read -- or those who are just happening by -- to offer up prayers of peace and comfort for the family and friends of Isaac. My the Lord Jesus hold you and comfort you during this time. Blessings, MaggieRaye |
Jan. 6, 2006
Mr. Pointy Nose
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A dear friend emailed this to me about a
year ago. I have no idea of it's origin and am not taking any
credit for it. I did feel it was worth sharing and I only
wish I had come up with something this clever. What do you think? Mr. Pointy Nose
Once upon a time, thre lived a happy family in a great wood:
Mother and Father, Brother, Sister and Baby. Father went off to
work each day, and Mother planted seeds and tended her garden and loved
her children and taught them to read and write. At night, when
Father came home, the family sang songs and laughed and played together.One day while Father was away at work, a knock came at the door of the family's home. Mother opened the door and found a stern man with sharp teeth and a very pointy nose standing on the doorstep. "May I help you?" Mother asked. "I am here," snarled the man, "to inspect your home and your children." Mother was surpised. "Whatever for?" she asked. "It has been reported," snapped Mr. Pointy Nose, "that you do not institutionalize your children, as is the norm. It has been reported that you spend an abnormal amount of time with your children, and you have been seen laughing with them, and they with you. It has been reported that your teen child is not embarrassed to be seen with you and that she smiles while working in your garden and hanging laundry. I will have to inspect your house and ask you some questions." Mother invited Mr. Pointy Nose in and offered him a cup of tea. Mr. Pointy Nose pulled a great pile of papers from his briefcase and began asking important questions: "How many television sets do you own, how often do you dine out, why do you have so many books, what do you have agains institutions, why do you grow your own food, do your children know who Madonna is, how about Beavis and Butthead?" Mother was very kind and reassuring: "we have one teleision set, in the closet," she told Mr. Pointy Nose, "and we dine outside several times a week in nice weather. We have so many books because we love to read. We have no personal gruge against institutions -- we simply choose not to institutionalize. We grow food to eat, and of course my children know who the Madonna is. I'm not sure what a beavis is, and while butthead is a rather crude term, I've known a few." Mr. Pointy Nose seemed insulted by this last statement and jumped up in a huff. "I must speak with your children," he announced. Mother called Brother and Sister, Baby was too young to speak. Brother was six years old and Sister was 13. Mr. Pointy Nose asked Brother, "Have you ever heard of Beavis and Butthead?" "Yes," said Brother. "We have beavers in the creek, and Butthead is my uncle's boss." Sister giggled, but Mr. Pointy Nose was not amused. He addressed Brother again. "Do your parents ever yell at you?" "You better believe it!" said Brother. "One time I climbed clear to the top of a 30 foot tree, and Dad yelled and yelled at me to stay up there till he could climb up, too. He doesn't get much time to climb trees and I think he yelled so much 'cause he was excited at the chance." Mr. Pointy Nose turned again in disgust and asked Sister, "Wouldn't you like to be institutionalized with other children your age?" "Well most of my friends are institutionalized," Sister told him. "And I haven't been too impressed with it. They can hardly read anything -- they don't even like Charles Dickens. And they all hate history and math. I like playing jump rope with them in the evening, but they all talk about the most boring things, like clothes and make-up and what's on TV and...oh...I know who Beavis and Butthead are. Do you know who Mr. Pickwick is?" "No," said Mr. Pointy Nose curtly. "What sort of music do you listen to?" "Oh, Beethoven is my favorite. Did you know he went deaf and just kept on writing music?" "No," said Mr. Pointy Nose impatiently. "Why don't you listen to popular teenage music?" Sister was surprised that a grown-up would ask such a question, but she answered as politely as possible, "Because it sounds simply wretched." "Wretched! Wretched!?" screeched Mr. Pointy Nose. "That is not a seventh grade word! Where did you learn it?" Mother had been in the kitchen preparing a snack of homemade bread and strawberry preserves. When she heard Mr. Pointy Nose screech, she rushed into the living room. "What's wretched?" she asked, a little alarmed. "This child," Mr. Pointy Nose said indignantly, "correctly used the word wretched." "Oh, I'm sure she wasn't referring to you," Mother said gently. "Here, have some fresh bread and jam." Mr. Pointy Nose looked at the tray in Mother's hands suspiciously, then cautiously took her offering. As he ate he began to relax a little. "You made this yourself?" he asked. "Oh yes," said Mother. "And I helped," chimed in Sister. Then she added, "I'm sorry for upsetting you. I didn't know you had an aversion to that word or I would never have said it." "Aversion?" Mr. Pointy Nose sighed. He slumped in his chair and looked at Mother. "How do you ever expect your children to fit into the world if you don't institutionalize them, and you encourage them to develop advanced vocabularies and you teach them self-sufficiency. This does not coincide with the new way -- they must follow the new standards." Mother looked at Mr. Pointy Nose thoughtfully. "I appreciate your apparent concern, kind sir," she said, "but you see, I am not raising children to follow standards -- I am raising them to set standards." Mr. Pointy Nose looked around in a musing way and murmured, "Yes, yes, I can see that." He left with a bread recipe and an invitaiton to visit again some time. |