Movie Warning

I am not a helicopter mom by any means. My kids do not have me hovering over them all day every day. I let them breathe, I let them learn, I let them play, I let them have consequences. I am not raising them to stay my babies forever, but to become responsible adults who not only will function in society but contribute in a positive manner.

And part of that is sheltering them from some of the ills of the world. As they get older it is harder and harder (and I say that with them being only 3 and 5). I know I cannot wrap them in bubble wrap and isolate them. They have to be exposed to humanity and society to some degree so that when they are no longer under my roof they don't rebel and become trouble makers ransacking society. But, at this young age, there are still many things they do not need to be exposed to. In time we will have conversations, but when they are old enough and mature enough - and for each child that will vary. Boys and Girls age/mature differently, so a conversation I have with my daughter at age 9 might not happen until age 11 with my son.

This is not my normal post. We do watch movies, my husband and I, and we do let our kids watch movies. Princess's, super hero's, Disney classics, Bible stories, it runs the gauntlet on what my littles can watch. They don't watch a movie every day, we have dedicated play time, book time, and weather permitting, we send them outside to get hot and sweaty, and a bit stinky. My daughter has gone to the theater 3 times now, my son twice. It is a treat, and one we try to make happen in the summer for sure, to break up the routine a bit. When it comes to the movies we go to, my husband and I try to pick one that we ourselves will enjoy, but that the kids will understand.

I heard about a movie yesterday, that from the outside looking in, we totally would have taken our kids to! The movie is called "Show Dogs." IMDB gives this description of the movie:

Max, a macho, solitary Rottweiler police dog is ordered to go undercover as a primped show dog in a prestigious Dog Show, along with his human partner, to avert a disaster from happening.
IMDB: Show Dogs

It sounds super fun, and I know my 3 year old would love it: police and dogs! It is right up his alley!

But the article I read yesterday paints a different light on the movie, and it is something that cannot be ignored:

It all started out fine, she says:

“The premise is great for a kids movie.  Max is a talking police dog (voiced by Ludacris) who is paired up with a human partner, Frank (Will Arnett) to infiltrate a prestigious dog show and rescue a kidnapped baby panda.  Being a tough dog from New York, Max has no business competing in a dog show but uses his street smarts to outperform the competition to get closer to the inner circle of kidnappers.  Along the way, Max learns lessons about trust and the need to accept help from others.  The usual hilarity ensues with dog farts, bites on the rear-end, and slap-stick bonks to the head which elicit giggles from the audience. “

It’s when Max the police dog learns what he has to do to truly go undercover and be accepted as a legitimate show dog that the trouble with this movie starts. WHAT does Max (and apparently all the show dogs) have to submit to?
Having his private parts touched and inspected. Yep. Maldonado continues:

“What could have been solely a fun movie for kids that would get my highest recommendation is damaged by a dark and disturbing message hidden, not so subtly between the fluffy dogs and glamorous parties of the show dog lifestyle.  As part of any dog show, contestants are judged on their abilities and physical attributes.  One part, in particular, is the inspection of the dog’s private parts.”

Max, of course, is  NOT cool with this, and when his partner Frank and a former champion show dog try to get him to accept this process, a certain dark and very dangerous theme for kids emerges. Maldonado explains:

“Since the inspection of the private parts will happen in the finals, Frank touches Max’s private parts to get him use to it.  Of course, Max doesn’t like it and snaps at Frank for him to stop.  Max is then told by the former champion, who has been through the process before, that he needs to go to his “zen place” while it happens so he can get through it.  More attempts are made by Frank to touch Max’s private parts, but Max is still having trouble letting it happen and keeps snapping at him.”

Max needs to get it together, see, and LET PEOPLE TOUCH HIS PRIVATE PARTS, or he might lose the competition and fail at his mission to rescue the kidnapped panda.
Do you see what’s happening here? Max’s success is riding on whether or not he lets both his partner (for practice) and a stranger (the competition judge) touch his private parts.

IN A KIDS MOVIE. WHAT???
Newsflash, folks: THIS IS CALLED GROOMING and it’s what sexual predators do to kids!
It gets worse. Maldonado describes the movie’s dramatic dog show finals scene:

The day of the finals come and if Max doesn’t let his private parts be touched, he may lose the competition and any hope of finding the kidnapped panda.  It all rests on his ability to let someone touch his private parts.  The judge’s hands slowly reach behind Max and he goes to his “zen place”.  He’s flying through the sky, dancing with his partner, there are fireworks and flowers-everything is great-all while someone is touching his private parts.

So a stranger touches Max’s privates and it MUST feel good because Max has gone to his happy place while being fondled.
UMMM. NO.
Maldonado saw the movie with not only her kids, but her husband and her mother too. After the movie, all three adults felt uncomfortable with the “private parts” stuff. She says:

During the movie, I kept thinking, “This is wrong, it doesn’t need to be in a kids movie. Everything else in the movie is good fun except for this.”  Afterward, my husband mentioned that he picked up on this message too, as did my mother who saw the movie with us.  Dog Show Movie Review

Numerous mom friends of mine on social media have been sharing the warning not to take your children to this movie. And I have to concur. I was curious though what Focus on the Family: Plugged In Movie Review had to say. I was shocked.

Conclusion

Show Dogs is a kids' movie through and through. If you consider its story and presentation on a graduated scale—say, one that ranges from whine and scratch on the low end all the way up to a family pleasing tail-wag peak—this pic probably qualifies as a Saturday-matinee chew toy that lands on the less-enthusiastic, flea-bitten side of the scale. It feels like a talking-dog version of Miss Congeniality: a canine caper the youngsters will giggle at even as parents roll their eyes wearily.
On the plus side, it actually has plenty of action and less doggy doo-doo humor than I expected. And in the negative column, there are some extended dog-private-parts-inspection moments and a couple uses of the word "d--n" that really should have been left on the cutting room floor.
Your kids will likely think it's silly and fun. But whatever you do, I'd suggest you leave your family dog at home. 'Cause he'd never forgive you.  Plugged In: Show Dogs

They gave the movie a 4 out 5 for family friendliness. I really am shocked. I visit their site to get an idea of movies my husband and I are considering for our kids, and I feel this is a major letdown. All they shared about the above is this:

Sexual Content

Some of the female dog handlers wear formfitting, low-cut outfits. A male handler ushers in his dog while shirtless. A trainer offers to let Max breed with his dog. Frank repeatedly cups Max's nether regions (off-camera) to prepare him for the judge's on-stage inspection of him. Max and another female show dog share a "kiss," à la that iconic canine canoodle in Lady and the Tramp.

They summarize the grooming of a "person" to accept fondling by another in one sentence. I am sorry, but that is wrong. My family and I will NOT be seeing this movie, and I plan on writing to Focus on the Family and letting them know that this movie is not appropriate for anyone, but ESPECIALLY children.

While my children are young, and I make a majority of decisions for them, I will do what I can to shelter them from thinking things like this are normal.

LEGACY: Impact on Men on Families & Society

Have you ever seen the movie"Courageous" by the Kendrick brothers? I highly recommend everyone watch it. Married, never married, divorced, have no children, or do.

Honor Begins at Home

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, David Thomson, and Shane Fuller are confident and focused. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood.

While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. But they're quickly discovering that their standard is missing the mark.

When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a newfound urgency help these dads draw closer to God ... and to their children?

Filled with action-packed police drama, COURAGEOUS is the fourth film from Sherwood Pictures, the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. Viewers will once again find themselves laughing, crying, and cheering as they are challenged and inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children.

Protecting the streets is second nature to these men. Raising their children in a God-honoring way? That's courageous. (Courageous the Movie)

-*-*-*-*-

The title song for the movie by Casting Crowns, I love it.And in my pregnant condition, it makes me cry. It stirs my heart and overwhelms me.Take a moment to watch it.

Couragous - Casting Crowns

In America, and the world today, there is major crisis. That crisis is the lack of fathers/men in the lives of their children/families.

Prager University has a video on the importance of black fathers, but they share some statistics on fatherhood in general that makes it worth watching: Prager U: Father Video

Children who grow up without a father are:

• 5x more likely to live in poverty & commit crime
• 9x more likely to drop out of school
• 20x more likely to go to prison

Statistics on unwed mothers:

• In 1960, 5% of children grew up in a home with a mother and father not married to each other.
• In 1980, it was 18%
• 2000 it was 33%
• By 2015, that increased to 44%

This issue, this lack of men in the family, crosses generations, races, and economic boundaries. Now it might be more noticeable in certain communities, but this issue effects everyone. There are those on the extreme left who say, "The future is WOMAN!" I have issue with that. God made man and woman both in His likeness. God doesn't make mistakes, He made man and woman to fulfill His plan for creation. Both serve a purpose. Humanity needs both men and women, no matter what science says.

I look around my own life and so the evidence of the importance of men. I am blessed that in spite of my parent's divorce when I was 2.5 years old, my mother eventually married another man, who for the past 24 years has been an amazing influence in my life, and now I can say in my children's life. The day I walked down the isle, both my father and "step" father walked me down the isle to wed my husband. While my mother and father did not make life work together, them and my "step" father worked together in raising me. And, maybe I am a bit biased, but I think I turned out rather well.

My mother/father in-loves have been married around 40 years, raised 3 sons to adulthood, and now have 5 grandchildren with my unborn child being their 6th. The 3 sons talk to each other, us 3 sister-in-loves talk too. We are stronger for these bonds.

Let's look at the Reverend Billy Graham, a tangible example almost everyone the world over can look to. He passed away on February 21, and the world will not be the same with him in Heaven. But the legacy  he left, it cannot be underplayed. I have followed the teachings of his daughter Anne for several years now, and on April 12 was blessed to hear his daughter Ruth speak at woman's event at my church. And should the LORD tarry through November, I hope to hear in person his 3rd daughter Gigi speak. These three ladies and his sons have taken up the torch their father lit and and running the race that Jesus set as an example:

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NASB)
Jesus, the Example
12 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Friends, there are many heartaches in this world.

February 14 - Parkland, Florida
February 21 - Billy Graham passed away
April 8 -Chemical attack in Syria
April 17 - Former First Lady Barbra Bush passed away
April 27 - Alfie Evans dies
April 30 - Israel exposes Iran Lies

Death, destruction, lies.

It is only going to get worse. My pastor preached tonight the midweek sermon. Normally his son does, but food poisoning (send up a prayer). Our pastor and his wife just returned from a trip to the Holy Land with 82 other church members. And his sermon tonight shared what I have learned the past 8 months about Christianity.

Here are some of my sermon notes:

In Israel, there are 13.5 million people: 7 million Palestinians & 6.5 Jews,numbers released by the Israeli military a few weeks ago.
Of those 13.5 million people, 1% of those are Christians, and in the Holy City, Jerusalem, that number is less than 1%.

He added that America is heading towards a society that shares that statistic. With everything going on in our country, and the world, faith in Christ is declining, knowledge of who Christ is is declining. And unless the men of the world come to faith in Christ, society will continue to crumble. Men serving God and not themselves will be what changes our world. Jesus could tarry and not Rapture the church if the men in this country, in the world, grew up, manned up, and became men who serve God. A man who serves the LORD puts God firs, then his family, then himself. He works hard, is active in church/community, is a present in the lives of his children, and shows his children love by serving/loving his wife. A man who marries a woman, usually brings them both out of poverty. Men make a world of difference. We need to appreciate what men are capable of doing.

Prager U has another great video that outlines the benefits of men marrying. Prager U: Be a Man, Get Married

Let me wrap up. The future is not man, is not woman, it is both working together to fulfill God's will. We need to stop down playing the importance of men in society and the world. Scripture tells us that a day is coming when the church will no longer be here, and the wrath of the God will be poured out on humanity. We do not know when that day will come. So until then, we need to pray, we need to share the Gospel, share what Jesus has done in our lives, and remember that God wins in the end. And because we do not know the day, or the hour, we must live as if we have time, even though we are aware that we do not know for sure how long we have. Ladies, pray for the men in your lives, and in the lives of your children. Men, seek God first, lead your families by example.

A Note for Women Raising Children with out Fathers:

Dear Sister,

You are amazing, you are loved, you are not alone. You are doing the best you can, in a situation God never intended for any of His beloved children. Remember, we live in a fallen and dying world. God will be father to the fatherless. Keep moving forward. Do what you can to set the example of Christ in your home. Find men (preachers, pastors, grandfathers, uncles) who can be an example to your children. Boys and girls alike need to see what men are supposed to be like. And remember, our heavenly Father loves our children even more than we do. We have to trust them into His hands. He has given them to us to raise, but ultimately they are not ours. Hang in there. You are prayed for.

The Sower, Seed & Soil: A Study of those who will go to Heaven

I have spent the past 8 months studying God's word, and what Jesus says is a disciple of Him. Eight months is a good deal of time to stud scripture to understand what Jesus taught in 3 1/2 years to His disciples. I have been blessed that my teacher on the class was a man that I admire, who has a passion for Jesus, and came to the faith through the Old Testament. And I am grateful that he is a man who wanted to teach a class that was of quality not matter the quantity of students. On the best day, there were 5 students, and the lowest, his wife and I were the only one's in attendance. And I feel that on those two occasions where his wife and I were his only pupils, the conversation and studying went to an even deeper level. I am blessed by this couple, I see them as friends, mentors, as family.

Now to what he taught, what I learned, and the truths everyone needs to face.

The attendance in heaven is going to be shocking, in two ways.

1. The people who go there will be shocked by who is there.
2. The people who go there will be shocked by who is NOT there.

The study I was apart of outlined: the call, cost, commitment, and the comissioning of the disciples. Jesus outlined a process to His disciples that they were to use to make more disciples to fulfill the Great Comission (Matthew 28:19-20).

I want to start with verse 16 though. Scripture should be read in context, not just picked at.

Matthew 28:16-20 (NASB)

¹⁶ But the eleven (in spite of deceptive Judas) disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. ¹⁷ When they (the eleven) saw Him, they (the eleven) worshiped (prostrated before Him) Him; but some (at least two) were doubtful (did a double take; unbelief at what they saw). ¹⁸ And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, (imperfect tense) “All authority (ability, strength, power to do God’s will) has been given (one event with result into the future) to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go (COMMAND – as you go) therefore (because of the authority) and make (COMMAND – molding, manufacturing, process) disciples of all the nations (no one is omitted), baptizing (emersion of life) them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (under the authority of the trinity), ²⁰ teaching (instruct personally) them to observe (living, keep, obey, act) all that I commanded (pay attention) you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (forever, end of time).”

This process, it is what God intended for all Christians/disciples to follow. And by the way, those are one in the same. A disciple is a Christian, and a Christian is a disciple. If you answer the personal call that brings you out of the darkness, and choose to pay the price of following Christ, and endure to the end (Matthew 10:22;24:13) you are a disciple of Christ.

The truth is though, most people who walk to the front of a church worship room and say they have given their life over to Christ, will not endure to the end. And by most, I say with confidence 72% of "professing" believers are not disciples of Christ (I will explain later in this post where I get this number from). They do not take the time to invest in God's word, to know what God has instructed His believers to do (live, act, believe), and when life gets tough they give up on "faith" because it is easier. And this is clearly outlined in at least two portions of scripture:

1. Parable of the Soil: Matthew 13:3-12; Mark 4:3-9; Luke 8: 5-8
2. The letters to the Seven Churches: Revelation 2 & 3

The Wisdom of the Parable of the Soil

Matthew 13:3-12 (NASB)

3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. 8 And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

Mark 4:3-9 (NASB)

3 “Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. 6 And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” 9 And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Luke 8:5-8 (NASB)

5 “The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. 8 Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great.” As He said these things, He would call out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

By reading these three portions of scripture, we learn that there are four types of soil. If you have spent any length of time in a church service, more than likely you have heard a sermon on "What Type of Soil Do You Want to be!" The problem with these sermons, is they miss the mark, not entirely, but unfortunately, in a crucial way. Most pastor's in my own experience use this topic as a sermon on salvation to the lost. But that was not the target audience. The soil is in the church. This goes back to when I mentioned "professing" believers. The parable of the soil is a picture of those in the little "c" church (your local community churches). Not everyone in your local church is a possessor of saving & sanctifying faith. Unfortunately, the parable of the soil tells us that those in the local church are 75% lost; 25% saved. Truths about the parable: Sower is God the Father, Seed is the Word of God, and the soil is you and me. Of the three, the only one that changes is you and me. We have a choice to be lost or to be saved. Here is the break down of the four soils:

• The seed that fell beside the road.
• World system
• Has heard the Word of God
• Birds - occupation, recreation, family, money
• Might not even a a professor, but the soil is dry (not good for growing)
• DIAGNOSIS: LOST
• The seed that fell in the rocky places.
• Professor's for sure
• In the little "c" church, but is not in the big "c" Church (body of Christ)
• Bad fruit
• Judas, of the original 12
• DIAGNOSIS: LOST
• The seed that fell among the thorns.
• Professor
• Not sanctified
• No fruit
• Chokes
• Unsaved
• Has a visible appearance of fruit/flower - is deceiving
• Most of the little "c" church
• Largest portion of soil in the church
• DIAGNOSIS: LOST
• The seed that fell among on good soil.
• Possessor
• Good Fruit\
• Sanctifying faith
• Will endure to the end
• DIAGNOSIS: SAVED

Friends, brothers & sisters in Christ, we have a mission field literally in our House. The recently departed Reverend Billy Graham was once quoted as saying, "At least 50% of those sitting in church pews are lost." The parable of the soil shows us that number is closer to 75% - and God's word tell us that.

Now, let's wrap up with the Letter's to the Seven Churches from Revelation 2 & 3. I won't outline the Scripture here, I have shared that previously: Revelation: Letters to the Seven Churches

But a quick summary will suffice for what I want to talk about.

Church #1 - Ephesus Revelation 2:1-7

• Description of Christ - Holds 7 stars in right hand/ Walks among the 7 golden lampstands
• Commendation - Poverty (but rich), blasphemy of the false, some in prison, tested
• Reproof - V4 - Bu this I have against you that you have left your first love. Jesus is their first love, duty w/o devotion.
• Warning/Instruction - Repent, do your first deeds, from where you have fallen. 
• Promise to Overcomers - Crown of life,not hurt by the 2nd death

Church #2 - Smyrna Revelation 2:8-11

• Description of Christ -1st and last was dead, come to life (V8)
• Commendation - V9 - I know your tribulation (& poverty) but you are rich. FAITHFUL
• Reproof - NONE
• Warning/Instruction - V10 - Be faithful unto death
• Promise to Overcomers - V10 - Crown of V11 - Life, not hurt by the 2nd death

Church #3 - Pergamum Revelation 2:12-17

• Description of Christ -V12 - The One who has the sharp two edged sword.
• Commendation - Hold fast to My name. Did not deny My faith.
• Reproof - Tolerating the teaching of Baalm. Eat things sacrificed to idols. Some hold to the teaching of the Nicolatians. 
• Warning/Instruction - Repent or I will make ware against you. Jude/2 Peter
• Promise to Overcomers - Hidden manna White stone, new name

Church #4 - Thyatira Revelation 2:18-29

• Description of Christ - Son of God. Eyes like a flame of fire. His feet are like burnished bronze
• Commendation - Deeds, love, faith, service/perseverance. Greater than at first.
• Reproof - Tolerate Jezebel - prophetess - leads astray - immorality lust , idol, sacrifice, seduction
• Warning/Instruction - Hold fast until His return. REPENT
• Promise to Overcomers - Authority over nations. The morning star - possess.

Church #5 - Sardis Revelation 3:1-6

• Description of Christ - Has 7 spirits of God and the 7 stars
• Commendation - Have a name and are alive
• Reproof - Dead. About to die. Works are incomplete.
• Warning/Instruction - Remember what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent.
• Promise to Overcomers - Walk with Him in white garments, name not erased from the book of life. Name confessed before the Father and His angels.

Church #6 - Philadelphia Revelation 3:7- 13

• Description of Christ - Holy, True, has key of David, who opens and no one will shut. Shuts and no one will open.
• Commendation - FAITHFULNESS
• Reproof - NONE
• Warning/Instruction - NONE
• Promise to Overcomers - An open door. Deliverance from Great Tribulation. Permanent place in the Temple of God. A new name.

Church #7 - Laodicea Revelation 3:14-22

• Description of Christ - The Amen, faithful, and true witness. Beginning of the creation of God
• Commendation - NONE - NOT EVEN ONE
• Reproof - Neither cold/hot: LUKEWARM Say rich and wealthy and need nothing, but are wretched, miserable, poor,blind and naked
• Warning/Instruction - Buy gold refined by/from Jews to be rich, white garments to not be naked, Eye salve to see. Be zealous & repent.
• Promise to Overcomers - Sit with Him on His throne.

Only 2 of the 7 churches were given no reproofs: Our Savior, Jesus Christ, held nothing against Smyrna and Philadelphia. And if you look at the map above, you see that the seven churches were close to each other. They knew of each other, and could influence each other. 5 of the 7 made a choice to not follow the steps of Smyrna and Philadelphia. And therefore, Jesus gave them commands that had consequences: rewards or penalties for obedience. The letters are written to the churches, and the churches are portraits of the church across the globe today. Every little "c" church fits one of the seven descriptions. Do the math, only 28% of churches are doing what Jesus told His to disciples to do. That statistic is heartbreaking. So many in the churches today are lost, by choice, and they are influencing those around them in the pews. Possessors are in short supply. There are few doing the work of seed planting for the harvest that is to come. 

Those of us that make up the 28% must not lose heart, must continue on, be strong, and endure to the end....death of these mortal bodies or the rapture of them unto Heaven. Keep planting the seed. 

I leave you with one more image to consider. The current of the world system that we are born into naturally leads to hell - death, eternally separated from God the Father. To be a possessor, a disciple,

you have to go against the current, which takes endurance, that Holy Spirit provides. At the top of the image is the gate to Heaven. You recall in the parable of the Narrow/ Wide Gate, few will enter by the Narrow. That is an understatement. Think of that gate as a capillary, which only allows one cell through at a time. That is the gate to Heaven, guarded by Jesus Christ. He only allows one person at a time to enter, and He decides who enters. The most highly exclusive destination.

Remember, Matthew 7:21-23 (NASB)

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

If we do not endure, we are not disciples of Jesus Christ. And everyone who is not His disciple is going to hell. The gates to which are wide open, inclusive (takes anyone), and are never satisfied.

If you would like to know more on the course I took, it will be offered again, and I will share, with pleasure, that information.

Fifty Shades of Red

Confession: As a tween I was introduced to romance novels. I am talking about Julia Garwood, Danielle Steel, Nora Roberts and the like. Books very similar to the daytime soap operas on the standard channels. No where near appropriate for a 10-13 year old to read. I was a ferocious reader (still am to a degree) and could read 3 to 4 a week.

Now, romance novels were not the only books I read, I read Little Women, Jane Eyre, Edgar Allen Poe, and many others. So a varied assortment, but should I have read the romance novels? As an adult, looking back, the answer is absolutely no. The books I read very easily effected my perspective on romance, sex, and relationships. The books, with their fictional story lines, some highly improbable, with unrealistic outcomes changed how I viewed life. Will I allow my daughter to read such books while she is in my house? No, not at all. 

2011, the year that the first book of the Fifty Shades trilogy came out. My husband and I were married. I remember the book came out while I was in the midst of a ladies bible study group at church. The book came up after our main session while we were split into small groups. Amongst my group of varied ladies (backgrounds, education, age, stage of life) not a single one of us wanted to read the book, and in fact many of us were appalled. 

Were we being prudes? Maybe. But what had us appalled was the number of God fearing women we knew who were fanning over the book. Mothers, Bible study leaders, women we respected -  were excited about this book trilogy. A trilogy based on debased sexual perversions, that glorifies sexual/mental abuse, and highlights an ungodly/immoral relationship.

Many of us asked amongst our selves, and to the ladies who were excited about the books this question: what is the difference between the trilogy and porn? To those we asked, many thought we were being overly dramatic, that there was no connection. Porn they said was degrading to women, and nasty men watched it. They got very defensive and deflective. But there is no difference. Both porn and that trilogy degrade women, make light of the foundation God implemented for sex, and changes how the individual partaking in its message views romance/sex/life.

As with our culture, if a book goes against God, glorifies an "alternative lifestyle" and is successful monetarily, movies are made! Just recently the third movie was released and has been a roaring success according to the media news outlets. It has had a $33 million launch and is a box office success. 

What does this say about our society? That fact that these books and movies are so successful does not speak well about the moral temperature of our culture and society. 

Ladies if you have read this trilogy and seen these movies, I HOPE and PRAY that the Holy Spirit convicts you and you become Fifty Shades of RED! Be embarrassed. God created sex, He knows what is best and how it works best: within a marriage, built on the foundation of faith. God knows how love works, He created it and defined it!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails

And also remember this, God's plan for marriage:
Ephesians 5: 22-33 (Marriage Like Christ and the Church)

22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.


25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of His body. 31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Ladies, we are the moral lighthouse of our homes. We have a heavy influence on our children and their upbringing. Our children see what we do, and what we do is what they will do. Let that sink in on every level - how you dress, how you eat, how you serve, how you spend your leisure time. Women with daughters, I feel this is even more so relevant to us. Our daughters want to be us (at least my 5 year old does a this point). She wants to dress like me, do her hair like me, she asks to wear my lip stain - she wants to be my mini me. How I act in front of her, what activities I partake in, she is soaking in like a sponge. Our sons are influenced by us also, but their father will be the bigger influence in their actions and ambitions. Women usually are the glue that holds their families together, or tears it apart. 

Proverbs 14:1 The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands

Let us all be the wise woman.

Praying for a Hard Person in the Call for Life

Do you know this woman? Do you know who she is? What her profession is?

Cecile Richards

If you are apart of the pro-life movement, or even follow it remotely, you know who she is. 
Cecile Richards. Since 2006 she has been the president of Planned Parenthood. Later this year she plans to step down from that position. Now that does sound like a reason to celebrate, especially if it meant that Planned Parenthood was finally shut down. But alas, no she is stepping down to further her ambitions as a writer. Her book, "Make Trouble," has the tag line of, "Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead."

I do not like who this woman is or what she "stands" for. I believe it is an absolute sign of the depravity and fallenness of this world when a woman leads an organization known for murdering millions of babies before birth. Thirteen months ago my husband and I lost a child, just weeks after finding out we had conceived. That time was hard. We cried, I yelled, I begged, I prayed, I pleaded with God - save Charli. It was not to be. Barely 3 weeks after discovering we were pregant with #3, we lost our sweet baby. And we have mourned - not always the prettiest or even the nicest, but thirteen months later, we have come out stronger together. As much as I could, I fought to save that life, that baby.

If you are friends with me personally, or follow the Facebook page for this blog (link), you know that a week ago, my husband and I found out that once again we are expecting #4. I am just barely 5 1/2 weeks pregnant, but pregnant is pregnant. Something my OB noted on the medical portal has irked me, "Very early pregnant." Maybe the hormones (which are doubling like they need to) have me sensitive, but "early" pregnant? That seems like double speak to me. I am sorry, but you are either pregnant or you are not. Not just a little pregnant or a lot pregnant. Pregnancy is an absolute. Yes you are. Or no you are not.

The woman above, she thinks, no, believes to her core, that I have every right to get rid of this child if:

• it is not convenient to have a baby right now
• to call my baby a lump of cells if the notion of aborting a "baby"is offensive
• if there is something "genetically" wrong with my fetus, by all means get rid of it
• that what I am carrying inside me isn't a baby, it is a lump of cells, or at most a fetus, but not a human being worth the dignity of having someone fight for it.

She is a mother and that baffles me to the core. How can a woman who has children fight for women to murder their own? 

I digress. I am not here to judge her, that is God's job. My job and your job is to pray for her. But not only her. She is stepping down from the butcher shop. She is going to be replaced. People have been selected to head the committee to replace her. My conviction is that her replacement will be more depraved, more inhuman than she could even imagine. Evil doesn't tame its self, evil doesn't dilute it's poison, it ramps it up. Evil spreads like cockroaches. 

Since Roe v. Wade (1973) over 50 million babies have been murdered. The blood of our land has been polluted by the murder of our young. They are crying for justice, and some day soon God will avenge them. Until then, until the Rapture, you and I need to pray. But not just for our friends, community, pastor's, loved one's. We need to pray for people like Cecile Richards and those like her. 

Matthew 5:43-48  (NASB)
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

If you are pro-life, a defender of God's creation, Satan and his ilk, those he uses for his wickedness will persecute you. Mrs. Richards was recently reported as saying, in response to President Trump wanting protections for Christians apposed to abortion who are in the medical field, she wants them to not have any protection, but be forced to give the abortions.

Brothers and Sisters, join me in prayer. We need to pray for the unborn, for the women who are at risk of manipulation of murdering their own child, pray for the individuals who are on the committee to replace Mrs. Richards, pray for her. Let heart's be changed, lives be saved. I leave you with some verses to pray for the situation at hand.

• 1 John 4:4 Dear children, you belong to God. So you have won the victory over these people, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 
• 2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen
• Proverbs 1:33-34 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,
• Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the LORD leads to life; one will sleep at night without danger. you and guard you from the evil one.
• Proverbs 12:21 No harm comes to the godly, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.
• Ecclesiastes 8:5 Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
• Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
• Psalm 46:1-2 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
• Psalm 9:9-10 The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you.
• Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Something about a Daughter

Us after Sunday rest 2/4/2018

My daughter is 5 years old, going on 30. It is scary, let me tell you. Raising a girl in this generation has my heart skipping beats quite often. Her life is so much different than what mine was at her age. She has more security, a better foundation in faith, a solid home life, and a plethora of family and friends that are pouring into her.

She has friends, so many friends, boys and girls. She is a delight. Life with her is not dull. She is into dolls, princesses, bugs, coloring, and reading. She is a delight. And headstrong too! Molding her into the godly woman Christ intends for her to be is trying at times. It is not a simple one prayer and done. It is a constant molding. She is clay on a potters wheel, and my husbands hands and I are shaping her the best we can. I am glad I am not at this alone. That her teachers, our friends, our family, our community are working together, praying together to help her. I am proud of who she is becoming. I really am.



She said, "Mommy I drew you."




New Year, New Chapters

Wow, how are already in February. This year is going by quickly, as each year seems to do.

This year has brought about more changes for our family. My wonderful husband graduated from the Police Academy a little over a week and a half ago. A year long process, application to graduation is complete. Now he is pursuing a career that God steered him to. He is still in a training phase, but it is hands on, on the job. He is suited up and serving. To say we are proud of him, is an understatement.