Keeping Kids Pure in a Hollywood Loving World

I have completely disappeared for a week but for a really good reason.  :D  This one makes me smile.  We were completely decluttering our house.  Our garage is filling up with stuff for our garage sale.  I can't believe how fantastic the house looks again and I'm really proud of the kids for decluttering with me.  After decluttering my room, I thought I'd show you a picture of one of my daughter's great decorating ideas.  It's not really my favorite and I had to remove it.  See if you can spot it in the picture.  :)



 

Recently we shut off our internet to focus more on God and more on our family.  We are fine with it but since I've noticed the kids have withdrawals from it, I'm glad I cut the entertainment I.V.  We don't have movies in the house but there are some exceptions to the rule.  If it is for educational purposes it's fine.  We allow all 19 Kids and Counting episodes, and some Clean House.  Of course all are on DVD.  I let the kids get an idea of what we were gonna do by letting see some Clean House episodes.  It was so awesome seeing the kids go through and clean out their rooms without me having to push them.  We used to have regular movies before but it was getting almost impossible to find anything that had no fornication, swearing, or blasphemy.  Why is it so hard for Hollyweird to show a married couple without making it seem boring or bland?  It's just so wrong of me to make stands against these things to my kids but then watch it in a movie.  Yikes. 

Ryan and Chaz



The other day we were walking through Walmart picking up a few items and I didn't really notice that we were walking through the women's section.  Chaz had his head down and once we passed it said, "How come the world has to always portray women in a perverted way."  Surprised by this question  I told him that whatever good God makes the devil always has to pervert or twist it.  Sometimes it's truly hard to live with higher standards because it's so opposite of the flow of the world, but watching my kids grow up with a love of God, a willingness to serve others, and see them desire what is pure and righteous makes it all so, so, so worth it. 

Shortage on Clean Tween Entertainment

My kids were big... or I should say HUGE fans of Veggietales back in the day.  It was fun.  Then they were big fans of Bibleman when they were about 8 or 9 years old.  Well, I have a couple of tweens and they just don't have any type of Christian entertainment for their age.  I'm sure there is some available out there, just very little.  Our childrens church shows many of these shows or movies but they don't have any like this for the tweens.  I don't know about you but I sure would like to support something like this that brings clean entertainment to our kids without the filth of Hollywood.  It doesn't just bring entertainment, but deals with real life situations that they can relate to.  Well, for them to be able to successfully push it forward, they need our support!  Lets give secular Hollywood a kick in the butt by showing we care for some moral and clean entertainment.  I know I do!

The Curse of Hollywood

Can you believe this?  Man, time has changed!  I've always thought the models in the runway were waaaaaay too skinny that it was gross.  When I was a teen I would try and drink Ensure shakes because I felt that I was too skinny.  It didn't work and I didn't gain any weight. I probably thought like that because I wasn't raised with a TV and didn't read the teen magazines so I didn't feel that pressure to be deathly skinny from Hollyweird.  I'm telling you, kids get that vibe from those places. When you are sheltered from that, you don't feel that pressure.  Hollywood has really, really twisted our view of what is beautiful.  I bet half the women in America would not even worry about dieting if it weren't for the sick view of what's considered beautiful.  Of course obesity is unhealthy and that's a reason to diet but I see perfectly healthy women worrying about their weight.  I've been frustrated at myself for my weight and I have to keep mentally slapping myself and telling myself that I just had a baby a month ago.  

Have you seen this?  I love it!  I have it printed out for my kids and I'm gonna frame it.  Talk about taking it down to where kids can really understand it.  I read it to my family with a southern drawl and my husband and kids loved it.  Ha ha.

Ashley has been telling me how much she can't wait to be a mommy.  I was sitting down talking to Juliet and Ashley came up with her dolly and was copying everything I was saying.  Later, Ivy joined with her doll right next to me and they were copying every word. It was so cute.  I've been telling Ashley to just enjoy being little but she insists she's gonna grow up, get married, then have lots and lots of babies and she can't wait.  Heh heh... Fine with me since that'll make me a happy Grandma.  Still, I'm  in no hurry for my own babies to grow up.

When the World Shakes Their Fist

Agh!  Sunday was my blogoversary and I spent it in church. It was a great day! :)  This will be my 1,656th post.  Holy cow, that's a lot of posts.  That's how you know you enjoy writing.  I must've only took weekends off from blogging.

I have sooo much to be grateful for in blogging land.  Seriously, it's been a positive thing in my life and I've met some amazing blogging moms.  I love down to earth mamma's that tell it like it is rather than always sugar coat things.  I've met some amazingly smart ones that make me feel pretty "duh" in comparison.  I've met some that amaze me how many kids they have and they have the joy and stand up for what they believe in.  Children are a blessing no matter what the world says.  The world will mock you, spit at you, tell you that you're flat out nuts.  But remember, Jesus was mocked at and called crazy. He was crucified.  However, even His last words were of forgiveness.  So what if I feel "persecuted" by words for what I believe in? Every time I get down for how someone talks to me about my large family I have to remember that the world ISN'T going to agree and THAT'S THAT.  Even when we had to sell everything, move into a tiny apartment, just so I could stay home, the people shook their heads thinking it was nuts.  Why wouldn't I just get a job?  I had only $100 at the best for groceries every month.  No car.  It was a tough time but some of our very BEST memories.  Did the world agree?  Of course not.  But I had my babies and I knew they'd grow up fast.  Can everyone do that and stay home?  Of course not.  

Today I was  thinking about how grateful I am for my own mom that stayed home with us.  I know not everyone can do that.  Some, no matter how hard they try, have to work to make it.  I will never, ever take it for granted though that I was one of the lucky ones.  Every single one of us in this world can find something to be negative about in our pasts, make excuses because of them, find reasons to never trust again, but that's not a great way to live.  Who wants to live like that?  Sadly, a lot.  Bitterness, sadness, hurt, anger is what makes pharmaceutical companies so rich.  I choose to be grateful for the positives, learn from the negatives, and live for the here and now and of course the future.  The world hates a successful story, at least one lived for Christ.  Hollywood is praised but missionaries, working dads supporting their family, firemen, doctors, soldiers seem to be forgotten.  The real heroes.

Blogging has helped me pull out the positives by sharing my stories.  It's helped me to find the humor in tough day. It's been even better to receive encouragement and even reproof from other blogging friends.  Was a fun 6 years of blogging!

Is Michelle Duggar Trusting God or Just Being Selfish?

Ever since the news came out about the Duggars losing their 20th child there have been some big online debates.  Some are sad for them, angry at them, don't give a crud, can relate, or are quick to judge and want everyone to know.  

I know everyone is entitled to their opinion.  This is America, right?  What happens when you get a lot of people who believe their way is right and that's that?  No arguing with them.  If you disagree with them they'll make fun of you, mock you, swear at you, insult you.  What causes this kind of anger in people over just a disagreement in beliefs?

I'm so glad I don't live in a country where how many kids I have is forced on me.  Whether I want one kid or 20, that is my business.  Not anyone else's.  Whether a doctor tells me it's healthy for me to have another one or not, that's my business.  Whether people think we make enough money or not, well, that's also our business.  Just as you have your own.  Welcome to America.  

Why is there such an anger towards large families these days?  People act like this is a new thing. Do people remember life before birth control pills?  My grandma remembers.  She had 9 kids and my husband's grandmother had 10.  She gave birth to her last child at the age of 45.  Having your last child at this age was common.  Yet, people are attacking Michelle Duggar for being pregnant at the age of 45.  Why?  Is it not Michelle's body as it was yours when you got your tubes tied?  Did the doctor force you to do that?  No, you were given a choice.  I think people who have such a dislike towards large families wouldn't of liked living in the days before birth control or the understanding of Natural Family Planning.

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." Psalm 127:3

Remember when having kids was considered a blessing from God?  I don't know if maybe after reading the bible several times through I somehow skipped any scripture on limits but please correct me if I'm wrong.  Where in the bible does God give limits?  I know the world can give TONS of worldly advice on the matter.  Money, doctors, health, material things, age.  I'm still waiting, and have been for a long time, for someone to point out the only opinion that matters to me and that's from the Word of God that there is a limit.

My pastor said it well.  He said, "People who treasure things above children just can't understand how someone who puts children above things can enjoy it so much.  They just don't get it.  Your children are your treasures.  Not material things." 

Recently, I heard the argument that it's not fair to the siblings. That EVERY SINGLE person they've met from a large family hated growing up in a large family.  That they had to be the mom and ended up not wanting to have kids when they are older.  Really?  So those 2 people they met are now a blanket for all large families?  Sure you have the parents that try to turn their kids into their own personal slaves but I've seen this in small families as well.  I've even seen this from families with only 2 kids.  Even if you took a poll and found 10 people from large families to say they hated being in one, you cannot throw the blanket over millions that are in one.  My husband's family LOVE being apart of a large family and are all really close.

Living your life according to scriptures will always, always bring hatred from the world.  I've learned that when the world agrees with my way of living, I might need to reexamine my life according the scripture.  Usually, when you are living for Christ (not just saying it but living it), you will get backlash from the world.  Well, smile, because that usually means you're doing something right.  Jesus died on the cross with the world spitting on Him, mocking, cursing, and laughing at him. 

Another argument people use is that large families make their kids work too hard.  Really?  Let's look back and see how kids worked around In the late 1700's and early 1800's.  An article called History of Child Labor points out that a lot of children either worked on farms or in factories for very long hours every day.  Over the years it seems to have turned into the other extreme.  Kids shouldn't have chores, teachers blamed for bad grades, and never even think about asking the older ones to keep an eye out for the little ones while mommy works on some paperwork or makes some phone calls. That is child abuse these days.  Well, the only problem with that is now employers are saying that kids are coming to work expecting an easy day, minimal effort, late to work, early to leave, and is expecting high pay. Whatever happened to a balance?  There is nothing wrong with expecting kids to have some responsibility around the house and even learn some about caring for others.  

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Regardless with what you believe, I think we should all have respect for each other.  I disagree with women using chemical birth control but I don't write hate notes on their page, send them mocking emails, or laugh at them for what I think is a lack of knowledge.  Facebook, TLC, and Saturday Night Live isn't my idea of research. The best thing any of us can do is our own bible study on issues and our own health studies.  We have to come to our own conclusions for ourselves and for our family and bathed in prayer.   In writing this, I am just hoping someone, anyone, will just understand that the best way to win someone over is using some respect and understand that not every person will agree or think exactly alike.

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

This is such a huge debate among Christians and wherever I see it talked about, it can get explosive.  I've mostly seen Christians talk against but rarely hear from Christians like me that do go out and dress up.  Here is how I've done it:

Halloween 2010

All growing up the rule was we could dress up in costume, anything we wanted as long as it was clean and was not demonic.  We didn't dress up as witches, goblins, ghosts, demons.  Nothing of that sort.  It was the one day of the year I could dress up as any character I admired and have fun getting candy.  It was no more than that.  We had to stay in a group and usually we went for hours.  I have so many fun memories of it growing up.  

Here is my solid belief on the matter and I found the perfect way to explain it from this link HERE but I'll copy a certain portion of it for my blog for an easy read.  

Can the Christian celebrate Halloween?

The answer is simple: Yes and No. Let’s look at the negative first.

The Christian is not to be involved with or support the occult, witchcraft, demonism, or any other thing that uplifts the occult. To do so is to contradict God’s word, dabble in demonic spirits, and invite judgment from God. If a Halloween celebration is centered on demons, devils, spirits, etc., I would say don't have anything to do with it.

On the other hand, it isn't wrong to dress up in a costume and go door-to-door saying "Trick or Treat." Provided that the costume isn't demonic, I can't see anything wrong with this.  It's just fun for the kids.

Take a look at the Christmas tree.  It was originally an ancient fertility symbol. Yet, it has become a representation of Christmas and the place where gifts are placed. Are the Christians, then, paying homage to an ancient pagan fertility god? No. Not at all. They do not consider it pagan at all and are simply joining in on a cultural event and giving no honor to anything unbiblical.

In the Bible in 1 Cor. 10:23-33, Paul speaks about meat sacrificed to idols. This meat was often sold in the meat market and the question arose, "Should a Christian each such meat?"

Paul said in verse 25, "Eat anything that is sold in the meat market, without asking questions for conscience' sake." This is most interesting. He says it is okay to eat the meat bought in the market place even though that meat may have been sacrificed to idols.

Then in verses 28-29 he says, "But if anyone should say to you, 'This is meat sacrificed to idols,' do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience' sake; ²⁹ I mean not your own conscience, but the other man's; for why is my freedom judged by another's conscience?" (NASB). Paul is saying that if you find out the meat was sacrificed to idols, don't eat it -- not because of you, but because of the other person. In other words, eating that meat won't affect you. But, it may affect the attitude of another who does not understand the freedom the Christian has in Christ.

Is it any different with Halloween (or Christmas)? No. Even though Halloween has pagan origins, because of your freedom in Christ, you and/or your kids can dress up in costumes and go door-to-door and just have fun. However, if you are not comfortable with doing this, then you should not.

Pastor Sawyer sharing gospel message after Halloween Play

Another side of this I would love to share with you is something my church does.  Growing up my church would put on haunted houses but not the kind you might think of. We'd cover real nightmares.  Abortion, drunk driving, suicide, gangs, murder, hollywood, drugs, etc.  It always was covered in the news because it drew a lot of attention. Often you'd hear crying during the abortion scenes because it touched a raw nerve in the crowd.  Why do ghost and goblins when sin itself is a nightmare?  In the end, the very last scene, would be a bloody Jesus on the cross and a minister giving a gospel message.  Hundreds of people would get saved through that.  What if we shunned that time of the year and as Christian hid away?  The opportunity to bring Christ to a lost people would be missed.  

This year my church did a Halloween play.  Of course the purpose was to bring a gospel message.  Not glorify evil.  It was powerful and amazing to see so many people respond to Christ.  I took my older boys with me knowing it was about the right age.  My boys had a really long discussion afterwards about sin, the effects of sin, and how we never know how long our time is here on earth.

Tomorrow, yes, I'll be dressing up my kids.  I'll be letting the kids play out their favorite character and get candy.  No, we won't be participating in sacrifices or praying to demons.  After trick or treating we'll be attending the Halloween play again to support it and pray with people.  We're really looking forward to a fun night.  I really think this is a personal conviction.  If God spoke to my heart on he matter, of course I will obey Him.  Just as we still put presents around our Christmas tree.  We are not worshipping the fertility God. We are just having fun exchanging gifts and celebrating Jesus' birth.  Of course we know that was not His actual birth date but it's pretty darn awesome that we set that one day out of the year to celebrate.  

Does your family stay home during Halloween or do you dress your kids up?

Courageous the Movie: Honor Begins at Home (Review)

We don't hit up theatres very often but today we did.  We wanted to support the movie Courageous that came out.  Not only to send a message that we are willing to pay for clean, family, Christian movies, but that we want more of them.  There is SOOOO much filth out there it's just sad.  Normally I would just wait for a Christian movie to come out on DVD or watch it in church but I knew numbers was important.  Sending a message to the box office that people will go to these kinds of films.  It's funny how people tell Christians to be quiet and they shouldn't offend others but it goes both ways.  I am offended when I go out and stuff comes from every angle.  We can't go into a mall without having to warn the boys constantly to not look at the windows of some of the stores.  Soft porn is thrown at my kids at what is supposed to be a safe place for families.  If you go in many stores or even eat at the food court you have to endure the big screens of dancers or even just the sound of filthy music.  Wherever we go in the food court my kids see these videos where women are prancing around in almost nude costumes.  So, don't be afraid to share your faith. The world may want to shut the Christians up but we don't have to go quietly.  This is a HUGE reason I wanted to support Courageous.

We were at the mall and I said, "Hey babe, there is this Christian movie that just came out.  Do you want to see it with us?"  He said yes.  ;)  I was excited that the Duggars played a small part in the movie and that it was for fathers.  We laughed and cried through the whole movie.  We brought all six kids, ages 2-11, and they thoroughly enjoyed it. Charles absolutely loved the movie.

Courageous is about not just being a "good enough" dad but being an extraordinary dad.  Someone that is more than just a breadwinner or someone that is just around.  A dad that is there spiritually, emotionally, physically.  Someone who won't just spend time with their kids in their own realm, but in their kids' where they can better connect.  Kids know when we're all talk.  If they see us one way at church but living another way at home, they are gonna think Christianity is a joke.  If they see us talk about forgiveness but we can't even get over the fact that someone said something bad about us, they are gonna follow our example.  If we talk about morality but sit them in front of movies that violate morals in the bible, who do you think they are gonna follow?    I don't know, Hollywood can paint a pretty picture of sin.  Kids aren't dumb when they are sent to bed and mommy and daddy are watching morally questionable content on TV.  Blasphemy, murder, and fornication seem to be a common theme for most movies from Hollyweird.

If we were to go back to the start of television and films, I don't think we could imagine it would go this far.  It used to be that you couldn't even show a couple sleeping in the same room.  Then it moved to double beds.  Then a single bed.  Now sex right in front of the cameras and pushed into every person's home.  They push the envelope and see how far they can go.  If you put a frog in a pot of cold water they won't jump out.  Slowly turn up the heat and their body temperature will adjust.  You could keep turning it up ever so slightly and they won't even notice they are slowly being cooked alive.  That's what has happened to us.  

God, please help me to not only teach my children what is morally right but to live it in my own by what I listen to, watch, and say.  I don't want my kids to take the bible lightly.  To think it's just an old book with old ideas.  God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  The morals He put in scriptures are the same morals we should have today.  Even in this generation.  It's not called old fashioned.  It's called living a holy and acceptable life before God, our children, and everyone around us.

Please, please, please take your husbands, brothers, dads out to see this movie.  It'll touch their heart.