Serving...or is it?

A friend and I were talking the other day about "serving." You know, giving of your time and talents for the good of others. We were talking about how there seems to be "levels" to service. I don't know who invented these imaginary levels but it drives people like me nuts. When you are leading a ministry, at church 3 days a week, and running ragged that is SERVING.

Then there is me. I'm back in baby mode. No ministry leadership, no being at church 3 days a week, and a different kinda ragged running is occurring here. I'm asked often how I am "serving" or if I am serving...I speculate it is because I am no longer at the visible level of service.

So, me and this friend were talking about this very thing. Who defines what equals service? Who is judge to whether we are serving "enough." What is enough? Isn't that between the Lord and I? Why are moms who are home with their children not considered serving? Isn't that our most important mission field?

My friend sent me this link about 100 Ways for Your Family to Make a Difference. All of this made us recount how we have "served" over the last month. Here is what we have done:

*made blankets for the homeless

*bought groceries for a needy family

*delivered a stove to a needy family

*packed an Operation Christmas Child box

*donated used clothing

*sent money to Haiti to help with a boys funeral expenses

Is that serving? I didn't work in the nursery at church or lead a Bible Study. I did what a could with where I am at in this season of life. I serve my husband and kids every time I pick up dirty clothes, wash dishes, iron, pack a lunch, cook a meal, and teach a math, phonics, and Bible lesson. That is serving.

So, who came up with these man made levels of service? I for one have decided to stop letting man tell me when I am serving "enough."

"She did what she could...." Mark 14:8a

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are at." T. Roosevelt

TOADY Awards

One of the websites I follow is Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. This is the 3rd year of voting for the TOADY (Toys Oppressive And Destructive to Young Children) awards. You will be amazed at some of the toys targeting our kids. I'd love to hear what you vote for. I voted but will share my choice later. Cast your vote today!

CCFC 2011 TOADY Award

Book Review: Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman

I'm not sure what inspired me to pick up this book at Ollies. I can't say I was a die hard Steven Curtis Chapman fan..I mean his music is good but I wasn't a groupie by any stretch. I knew some of their story and I don't normally like to read things that are sad; especially pertaining to our kiddos. The price tag even at Ollies was $6.99 so it wasn't a $2 deal I couldn't pass up. So, that leads me to the fact that it must have been a God thing. Choosing to SEE: A Journey of Struggle and Hope by Mary Beth Chapman was by far one of the best books I have read in a long time. Let me explain....

When I realized I loved this book and couldn't put it down I wondered what was wrong with me. It's sad. Heartbreaking actually. Why was I captivated? There it was staring me in the face....Authenticity. Something we see so rarely in todays Church. No mask, no fake smile, no sugar coating. Truth. Pain. Grieving. God.

I was drawn in from the beginning of Mary Beth's story. Her desire was to have a neat and orderly life but God had a different plan and path for her to walk. From chaos as a struggling musicians wife to unexpected pregnancy, to depression just to get her journey started. As one who thrives on order and can't deal with chaos and who has struggled with anxiety and depression I felt like I got her struggle.

Her story moves into the season of being called to adopt, start a ministry for orphans and adopting families, adopting again, and then again...and no adoption is a "neat and orderly" process!

A chunk of the book is about the accidental death of their daughter and the days, weeks, months, and years that have followed. The details are intimate and the pain so real. The journey through grieving is honest. Again I asked why I liked this book so much and not only was it authentic but it gives hope.

No mom would choose the road the Chapman family has journeyed down. However, as Mary Beth writes, she will do Hard because God has called her to that road. She faithful clings to God and God's faithfulness to them is so evident in this book.

So, I loved it. I recommend it. I admire this family more now than ever before having read their story, seen their hearts, and heard them testify to God's faithfulness even in the Hard.

Please VOTE!

Vote for God's Littlest Angels

I blogged this back in August but am reposting it seeing the deadline is next week.

Seriously, this takes 30 seconds of your time. I voted, registered and blogged this in 2 minutes flat....

God's Littlest Angels is an orphanage in Haiti that I follow by blog, pray for, and hope some day to adopt through. We know people who have adopted through them. Here is their website/blog:

God's Littlest Angels

God's Littlest Angels in Haiti

So, what's being asked?

1. Go to God’s Littlest Angels Haitian Baby Ministry :: Giving of Life

2. Vote for GLA to receive a grant

3. On the top of the web page register to receive 2 more votes

4. Return and vote again, and again

5. Spread the word by email, Facebook, or whatever method you can

Matthew 25:40
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the leastof these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

More food for thought....

The Gospel

Raising Unselfish Kids Book Review

I picked this book up at Ollie's for $3. Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World by Jill Rigby. It was a good read. My critique is that again multiple translations are used including The Message which I do not endorse. As always, I will highlight the key parts that jumped off the page for me.

The book is broken into three parts.

1. Reassessing the Goal of Parenting

• We have become so self-absorbed that we've lost the ability to give without expecting something in return. (15)
• We yearn for newer, bigger, faster. We get it ans still want more, because newer, bigger, faster can never fill emptiness. We replace blouses, houses, and spouses with the same regularity. (pg. 16)
• Americans generate 230 million tons of garbage every year. (pg. 17)
• The average cost of a luxury kitchen remodel is $57,000. That is $10,000 more than the cost to build a Habitat for Humanity home. (pg. 21)
• Companies like "Hello Kitty" have created debit cards with a target audience of 10-14 year olds. (pg. 24)

2. Bumping your Child off Self-Center

• We must intentionally, rationally, emotionally, and wholeheartedly seek to raise unselfish children, or it won't happen. (pg. 41)
• Three types of parents: Deflector (asks kids to make decisions they aren't capable of), Depriver (either do too little or too much for kids and deprive them of doing things for self), and Developer (devloop children by giving them what they need when they need it). (pg. 54)
• Meet all their needs, not all their wants (pg. 71)
• Our self-absorbed society says, "Do something and be somebody!" God says, "You are somebody; now do your something!" (pg. 93)

3. Rebuilding our World

• If we Christians did a better job of living the Gospel, we wouldn't have to spend so much time and effort telling the Gospel. Rather than standing out as different, we look and act much like everyone else. (pg. 206)
• If you strive to be number one, you'll compete with others. If you strive to be the best, you'll only compete with yourself. If you strive to be number one, you'll give up when someone beats you. If you strive to be the best, you'll persevere until you reach your goal. (pg. 212)

There is a section in part three that addresses our lack of involvement in politics and how we are paying the price for that. I loved the multiple quotes from former Presidents of the United States such as this one from John Quincy Adams. "The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: that it connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government and Christianity."

President Calvin Coolidge said,

"We do not need more material development; we need more spiritual devvelopment.

We do not need more intellectual power; we need more moral power.

We do not need more knowledge; we need more character.

We do not need more government; we need more culture.

We do not need more laws; we need more religion.

We do not need more of the things that are seen,

We need more of the things that are unseen."

How is that for being a nation that is said to not be founded on the principles of God Almighty.

Overall, the book was good. No real new ideas for me but a good $3 read and reminder. Some good statistics, quotes, and ideas through out the book.

Anguish

The next few days of posts will be video clips that are stirring my heart. This one has spoken to me before but has stirred my heart again. It is 7 minutes long...take the time.

May anguish be stirred in all of us.

Some Neat Websites

In a reading a parenting book, that I will review here later, a few neat websites were listed. These sites are all political in nature to keep us informed on were our leaders stand on key issues. Thought I would share them here.

OnTheIssues.org - Candidates on the Issues

iVoteValues

THOMAS (Library of Congress)

http://www.wallbuilders.com/

With elections all around us we need to be informed and vote our values!

Blog-Worthy News

As a member of the HSLDA I receive updates by email and magazine of the legal battles that face homeschoolers. Many times the battles are not homeschool specific but issues that are jeopardizing family freedom. Today alone, there are two items to consider acting on:

HSLDA | Officials Seek to Terminate Johansson Parenthood

HSLDA has learned that Swedish officials on the Island of Gotland may be seeking to terminate the parental rights of Annie and Christer Johansson. Seven-year old Domenic Johansson was snatched by a fully armed Swedish police unit in June 2009 while on board an airplane bound for Annie’s homeland of India. Among the primary reasons given for the seizure was the fact that Domenic was homeschooled. His entire family has been denied any contact with their son for nearly a year. HSLDA and the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) filed a joint application on behalf of the Johansson family at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in June 2010 and have been working to support the family since shortly after Domenic’s seizure.

Both the ADF and HSLDA are asking for letters to be written in an attempt to renew attention to the family’s case and to encourage Swedish officials to release Domenic back to his family. The United States Supreme Court has called the termination of parental rights the family court equivalent of the death penalty. Annie and Christer have done nothing worthy of such a horrific outcome. Will you join us as fellow advocates and take a moment to write to the Swedish Social Services Committee in charge of Domenic’s custody situation? The Johansson family is grateful for your efforts on their behalf.

The link above will take you to sample letters that you can mail on behalf of this family...mine is in the mail.

The other issue at hand, and I have addressed this before, is the parents right to make decisions for their children is being taken away by the government. As a NY State resident, our policies often follow California. Well, California just signed into law a bill allowing 12 year old children to decide for themselves on the Gardisil (HPV) vaccine. Check out the link below.

California Further Erodes Parental Rights - Parentalrights.org

As a parent, I can not imagine allowing a 12 year old to make a medical decision for themselves. Beyond that issue is the issue of this vaccine being for HPV, a type of STD. Why are we promoting a STD vaccine to 12 year olds?

I encourage you to get informed and take action...all of these "little" steps lead to the same end result, the erosion of parental rights.