Prayer For Our Country

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This came to me in an email (thanks, Adam!) and I thought it was very good. You may have seen it before but I thought the prayer was certainly worth reading again. I have some things I would like to add to it but this is enough for now. ;-)
By the way, I did check it out on snopes.com so I wouldn't forward something that wasn't true. It is true. However, even if it wasn't a true event the prayer is certainly true.



Thought you might enjoy this interesting
Prayer given in Kansas at
The opening session of their Senate. It seems
Prayer still upsets some
People. When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open
The new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was
expecting the usual genealities, but this is what they heard:


Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask
Your forgiveness and to seek your direction and
Guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those
Who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we
Have done.


We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed
Our values.



We have exploited the poor and called it
The lottery.



We have rewarded laziness and called it
Welfare.



We have killed our unborn and called it
Choice.



We have shot abortionists and called it
Justifiable.



We have neglected to discipline our
Children and called it
Building self esteem



We have abused power and called it
Politics.



We have coveted our neighbor's possessions
And called it
Ambition.



We have polluted the air with profanity and
Pornography and called it
Freedom of expression.



We have ridiculed the time-honored values
Of our forefathers and called it
Enlightenment



Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts
Today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Amen!

Rebellious Teens? No!

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(The book above is supposed to be excellent. I haven't read it yet but it is on my "to read" book list. For more about this book clicke here. )

I found an article that sums up my feelings about those so called "rebellious teens". I just had to share it with you. Go here to see where I found it (scroll down). Bold print is mine, added for emphasis.

HOME Where They Belong
I have two teen boys - soon to be three. Levi turns 13 years old this Valentine's Day. Amazing. Three teens in my house. I've entered a new phase; a new chapter in my life is unfolding. And I LOVE it.

When Paul and I were engaged, we went to a pizza place once. We were discussing our future together, in particular, our forthcoming children should the Lord bless us with any. I thought I was so smart, so savvy. I was this 19 year old kid, chomping at the bit to be married and someday become a mom - but I was clueless. I announced to Paul on that pizza date that when our children become teens, that yes, they would be rebellious (like all teens - like ME) but that we would just do our best, and hopefully relate with them.

WRONG. Boy, did Paul set me straight at that very moment. He announced back to ME, that no, our future kids did NOT need to be rebellious and that if we trained them up in the Lord, we could skip all that rebellious nonsense. I looked at my future husband skeptically (what a goof I was). I gave him a, 'Well, we'll seeeeee' look. Sure, dear. You just keep thinking positively.

Guess what. He was right. 100% correct. My older, wiser, soon-to-be husband knew the truth. He knew God's word. He blew off the world's way of thinking and insisted that I must, too. So many years have passed. My word, three teen boys live in my home! My quiet home. My God-honoring home. Are my boys perfect? Oh...far from it. Do they fear the Lord? Do they respect Paul and me? Do they love each other? Do we have their hearts? YES. You want the "secret?" Here it is: Shelter them. They're yours, gifted by God. Train them up in the admonition of the Lord. Keep them near you. Expect obedience, insist on it. Hold them accountable. Give them lots of responsibilities - and plenty of space. But keep your eyeballs fastened tightly to that space. The key is relationship, too. Be interested in them. Let them drone on and on about their latest software application or musical composition (Paul and Luke, respectively, there!). Love them but not as a pansy best friend. Love them with strength and resolve. With seriousness, firmness. They'll thank you for it later, and you will be blessed. God's way (His word) is always the best way.

- Gena

More Secrets to a Happy Marriage

After my post a several days ago regarding "The Secret To A Happy Marriage" it got me thinking. After being married for 18 years I may have learned a few things about marriage.

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT profess to be an expert and a lot of people have been married a lot longer than my husband and I. I know there are a lot more words of wisdom out there but a lot of them are not sharing. In an attempt to help those that have been married less than 18 years I want to share some things I have learned. If it is helpful, let me know. If you have some advice let us all know. I would LOVE your comments.

I am going to share something that I heard recently at a homeshcool support group. It sums up. in a better way, some of my own feelings about marriage. Yes, you might find it a bit surprising regarding the source. I am really blessed to be in an awesome homeschool group with an awesome leader. Some of the information that was shared came from here.

Today's information is geared toward wives so husbands need not read any further. ;-)

We were reminded that although you hear all the time, "the husband is the head of the household" the correct way of thinking is "the husband is the head of YOU".......Ouch! That sure changes things doesn't it?

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Eph. 5: 22-23

If we let our husbands be the head of us it will naturally trickle down to the rest of the family. When the children see Moms respect and attitude toward Dad they will follow. I have seen this in my own home. The way the children see the parents respecting each other is how they will treat their parents also.

The comment was also made that we should be serving our husbands and training our children. A lot of times we get this backwards and try to serve our children and train our husbands. Stop and think about that for a minute....

Sadly, you can look around you and see the results of parents that have been serving their children. It is not good. Not good for the parent and certainly not good for the children. My husband has had the attitude from the beginning of our marriage that the children will eventually grow up and move out. He has even reminded our children of that! (That is a good thing. It really helps them put the correct perspective and priority on marriage and children.) There is a time frame for having children in our homes. Before the children were there and when the children are gone your spouse will be there. If we spend our lives serving our children by the time they move out it is going to be difficult to say the least. That is why I believe so many people look at each other when the children move out and realize they do not have a close connection. They lost their intimacy. Who is this other person? Sometimes that marriage even ends in divorce. Very sad.

We need to value and protect the marriage relationship. It is so important. That is what the family is based on. If we value and protect the relationship with our children and let the marriage go we end up hurting the children and the marriage. Children want to grow up in a family with both of their parents loving each other. We should make sure our children see that so they will do the same in their marriages. It is important for the children to see the love and commitment between the parents. It is comforting to them and gives them a sense of stability.

If we work at serving our husbands there will still be a good relationship when the children move out. I try to remember to serve my husband but I am guilty of trying to train him from time to time. Although that is a mistake getting that little reminder is also a relief.

One less thing I have to do.

God Is Still Holding You Responsible

I read an excellent thing today. Well, painful in a way but also excellent. That is how the corrections of God are at times though. The type in bold is what really got my attention. All parents should read this....

Parents, there are things that cannot wait, and this is one of them—training up a child in the way that he should go. You have to understand that your time with your children is running out. It is slipping away, and God is still holding you responsible.

In Deuteronomy 6:4-9 is a succinct statement of parental responsibility.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

Parents, this is the pre-cursor to rearing children the right way. You have to love God this way first.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 And these words which I command you this day shall be in your heart: And you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the posts of your house and on your gates.

That brief description covers virtually every part of every day, because God is saying that no matter what you do, no matter what you say, no matter what comes into your life, every day you should be reflecting the mind of God in your own life, in your own speech, and in your own attitude. In addition to that, reinforcing your example by teaching the children verbally. God is saying that everywhere that child looks he should see examples of the way of God, not only in the way you work, but in the work itself....

You can read all of this article here.

I think every parent should get a copy of this on their way home from the hospital with their new born baby. I think they should get a copy of it again when their children start middle school, when they start high school, and again at the beginning of their senior year! Time to go help my middle schooler and senior! :-)

Hurry, Vote Now!

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Should we take "In God We Trust" off of our money? There is a live vote going on right now at NBC. Here are your choices on the vote.

Yes, it is a VIOLATION of the principle of separation of church and state
or
No, the motto has historical and patriotic significance and does nothing to establish a state religion.

At the point I voted the YES votes were winning! :-(

Help us change the way this is going. Tell all your friends and family to vote also.

Vote by clicking HERE.

When I put this post on this morning the people that thought this was "a violation" were winning. The tide is turning but I think it best we ALL vote. This shouldn't even be a close one in my opinion. What do you think?

What Is Going On With Russia & Georgia?

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Important to read this article from Glenn Beck. Don't think that the situation in Russia with Georgia has nothing to do with us. Pay attention to this. The rest of this article is found here.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- "This is for America. This is for NATO. This is for Bush."

These were the phrases that the president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvilli, told me were on Russian bombs falling before, during and after the numerous cease-fires that have come and gone since the Georgian-Russian conflict began.

He went on to say that he believed the Russians were not fighting a war with Georgia; in reality, they were fighting a war against the idea of Georgia, the governing principles behind it.

To have a flourishing democracy in a neighboring country is seen as a threat. It is a stark contrast from Russia's brand of state-controlled pseudo-capitalism. The Russians, he said, "want to kill the idea of freedom, and by proxy they imagine they fight a war with the United States."


Read the rest here.

New Address

Just wanted to let you all know the Cultured Mom blog address has changed.

It is now http://culturedmom.blogspot.com/

Be sure to book mark it so you can come back!

The Criminalization Of Christianity

Just saw this book in an email. Looks like a very interesting read. Have you read it? Leave a comment if you have and let us know what you thought. I just requested it from my library.

The Criminalization Of Christianity

Janet L. Folger

People in powerful places want to eradicate the Christian faith from American society. However, upholding traditional values has become synonymous with "tolerance."

At first the attacks were subtle. The Supreme Court ruled that children couldn't pray in school. The Ten Commandments were removed from our classrooms - and later, our courtrooms. Now pastors are imprisoned for speaking out against homosexuality, people in New York are fired from their jobs, and kids in California are suspended from school, all for exercising their religious freedoms.

How in the world did we get to this place in a "free" and civilized society, and how far will it go

Here is an excerpt from the book.....

The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke, statesman, orator, and political thinker

There is a war going on for the future of our country. Most people know that. What they may not know is that if Christians lose, the result won't be just public policy with which we disagree; it'll be a prison sentence for those who disagree.

We've all seen the attack coming. The year I was born, the Supreme Court said that kids can't pray in school-at least not out loud. Can't talk about God-at least not the real one-in school. If you want to use the name of Jesus, you'd better be taking it in vain or be in another country ... like Russia.

My senior year, the Ten Commandments were ripped from classrooms for fear that unsuspecting students might read them ... and actually obey them. Wouldn't want to discourage kids from lying and stealing and killing, after all. Then the Commandments were pulled from public buildings and courthouses from Alabama to Wyoming. And while we sit idly by, our enemies are warming up the sandblasters and taking aim at our national monuments and the Supreme Court, where the Ten Commandments are engraved.

Yes, we've all seen the attack coming. But I'm not sure we all see where it's going. After all, the Supreme Court said we're still allowed to say "one nation under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. Maybe things are going to be okay after all.

Think so?


FAIR WARNING

In 1997, my friend Bob Knight, who directs the Culture and Family Institute at Concerned Women for America, gave a speech that opened my eyes and changed my life. He made a statement that, quite frankly, I didn't believe. He said, "The ultimate goal of the homosexual movement is the criminalization of Christianity." I immediately thought, What an exaggeration! Come on, Bob. You can make your case without hyperbole. I said nothing, but for the next several years I watched and listened. And learned.

After all, homosexuality wasn't my issue. I was the "pro-life girl." Helped pass the nation's first ban on partial-birth abortion and every other law the Supreme Court would allow to help women and restore protection to children-children who were real no matter what label was used to describe them and who through no action of their own had someone else's "choice" inflicted upon them.

About ten years ago, I was where you likely are right now: I knew the Bible had strong words against homosexuality, and I knew the health consequences were severe. For their own good, I hoped people didn't engage in it, but I didn't feel the need to speak to the matter. I knew some homosexuals, and, well, they were nice people. Still are. Christ Died for them, just like He died for me.

Then one night I was watching C-Span. It was airing a conference of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest homosexual lobby in the country. One of their directors, a lesbian, was pounding on the podium, screaming words I will never forget: "We must do away with words like abomination!"

My first thought was I wonder where that word is found. For those of you who don't know, it's in the Bible (Leviticus 18:22, KJV). God uses it to describe the practice the homosexual movement has built its identity around: homosexual sex.

I began reading everything I could get my hands on and talked often with the leaders on the allied side of the cultural war (that would be the side standing for life, liberty, and family). In one such conversation, Bob Knight predicted that homosexual activists would soon go after the Boy Scouts of America. No way. Why in the world would they want to go after a group as American as apple pie? One that teaches kids how to be prepared, tie knots, and help old ladies across the street?

But with the help of the ACLU and their network of activist judges, the homosexual lobby kicked the Boy Scouts out of city parks, public schools, and local meeting rooms. Next they took away their city, county, and United Way funding to mentor kids without fathers. They started calling them names like "discriminatory" and "bigoted." Why? Because the Boy Scouts didn't think it was in the best interest of young boys to let self-proclaimed homosexuals become scout leaders and go camping with them. The whole idea makes about as much sense as letting middle-aged men go camping with teenage girls....

Secret To A Happy Marriage?

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Psst, want to hear a secret?

Will Smith and I agree on something 100%. Can you imagine what a Hollywood celebrity and an Oklahoma housewife/Mom agree on? The secret to a happy marriage is....

are you ready...here it is....

RULE OUT DIVORCE!

So true. If you don't believe it about Will and I, just click here for the proof.

More importantly, on day one my husband and I agreed on this as well. (We have seen the damage caused by divorce. We know the heart ache and the suffering that adults do and that children have to endure.) If you know that divorce is not an option you realize it is up to YOU to be happy. You can't afford to sit around wondering when he (or she) is going to make you happy. You either make it work and be happy together or don't make it work and be miserable together. I for one prefer to be happy.

Also, the link above here mentions couples that throw around the word "divorce" when they are angry (and sometimes just kidding). My husband and I believe that is a big mistake. I used to know a couple and he would tell her if, for example there wasn't any more ice cream that it was "grounds for divorce". He did this often in front of me. Guess what? They eventually divorced. Your words are powerful. The Bible says, 'out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks' Matt. 12:34.

How true! Don't think it, don't say it, and don't divorce.

Here is a bonus for you wives or 'some day wives' out there. Check out this link on ways to show your husband that you love him. If you are the husband check out this link regarding your wives.

What Are You Doing To Save The Planet?

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I just had to share this poster with you. It really made me smile. It also reminded me of something.

The other day I opened an email from a company I will not name (it really could be any of them) and it had a little poll on the side. The question was,"What are you doing to save the planet"? Hmm, the options didn't fit me and I was hoping to add one. After these options...."recycling" "driving less", etc. I wanted to add "I had 2 children to replace me and my hubby when we are gone!" Oops, I suppose that will not please the environmentalists. That is more like saving humanity instead of the planet. But still it is an 18 year + commitment. And on top of that I am raising them NOT be self hating and ignorant.

I am so tired of everyone going "green". It really is becoming so PC and nauseating. How much more can a person take? Can't people see there is a money trail in all of this? Follow the money. This has all been a huge money maker for a lot of people. When we go "green" by not driving as much we are hurting the "evil oil companies". What about the "evil mortgage companies" that are being saved by the government with our money? I say that insurance companies and credit card companies are much worse. You are just a number to them. They don't care about us. They are all about making money....just like the oil companies. Is anyone impressed with the green logos any more? My favorite dish washing soap went green recently. My daughter wanted me to protest by not even buying it. Golly, gee whiz, I have to clean my dishes and the rest of them are competing too.

That green label means nothing more to us than the company is trying to give us the illusion that they "care more than the other company". Hey, I wish they would care more about teaching their teens to dress modestly instead of worrying about their green label. I wish they would be caring about what kind of stuff they are sponsoring on TV rather than giving us a "green" logo-hello- rebellion, promiscuity, drugs, etc. I wish they would be less concerned about making a car that runs on corn and realize we need to eat that stuff and not burn it up! I wish they would save the HUMANS on the planet by worrying less about the life of owls and whales and put some concern into HUMAN babies being killed in their mothers wombs.

Genesis 2
15And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
19And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
20And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field...

Kind of gives you the impression that it was God's intention to put Adam (man kind) in charge and to rule over the animals.

Not the other way around.

The animals and the planet are here for us.

Not the other way around.

We are pretty proud when we think that this entire planet that God made is too wimpy to support humanity. Did God not see into the future when HE created this world? On the flip side, nobody promised THIS earth would last forever. Nobody promised every type of animal, bug, and fungus would last forever. There is a time for all things. When HE says the time is over, it is over. We are not in charge of that.

I am off now. I am going to get in my gas guzzling Taurus, drive all the way to the grocery store, and see how much food prices have gone up for today. Hey, people it has been over 100 degrees here so don't even think I am riding my bike! Save the planet? Save me from heat exhaustion! If I get mad enough I just might go chop down a tree. Hey, I just remembered something my husband now has a chain saw.

That will make things easier.

Have a great day!

Also, check out evilconservatives.com

Yes, it is loaded with sarcasm but makes a point.

Cultured Moms Favorite Things-Book

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Afer posting this I was concerned that someone might think I am "diss'in" the older women. That is far from the truth. Just in case you are wondering what kind of value I put on older women and their importance in our life, be sure to read an earlier post, by clicking here. The older women are a blessing and we need them to mentor and share with the rest of the world. As women we are all going to be "older women" one day. I just want to look as good as I can while becoming that. :-)

Read a great book called, "How Not To Look Old" by Charla Krupp. I would suggest it for anyone over 35 and especially over 40. It had some great tips and advice. It also had a lot of product suggestions. Now, my word of advice. I don't think everyone should do everything in this book. For example, she talks about fake nails not being youthful. Well that is too bad. (I really do disagree!) My husband loves them and it is more important to me to please my husband. You can go to an extreme with this book I am sure. Do not do that. Pick and choose. I think being happy is a lot more important than trying too hard to look younger than we are. Having said that I looked at the review on Amazon for this book. It seems that most people like the book but a few don't. I understand why they don't. We can't all look like the over 40 celebrities unless we make the cash that those celebrities make, have a staff to make us look beautiful, and people to work on our photographs. Most of us don't. Also, unless you are willing to go under the knife it is just not going to happen. We all grow old and we have to accept that. It is unreasonable to think we are going to look young forever. Having said that....I am not in a big hurry. :-) There are some easy things we can do to look and feel younger and to look our best though. I am always up for a bit of self-improvement in any area. How about you?

So, I DO suggest that you get this book and read it. (Your library probably has it.) Learn a few things and then adapt what you want.

While I was at Amazon I noticed another book that was recommended. It is called "Staging Your Comeback: A Complete Beauty Revival For Women Over 45". I am getting that one from the library too so I will let you know what I think of it later. If you get to it before me leave me a comment with what you thought.

Now for a laugh.....

GAMES FOR WHEN WE ARE OLDER

1. Sag, you're It.

2. Hide and go pee.

3. 20 questions shouted into your good ear.

4. Kick the bucket

5. Red Rover, Red Rover, the nurse says Bend Over.

6. Musical recliners.

7. Simon says something incoherent.

8. Pin the Toupee on the bald guy



SIGNS OF MENOPAUSE

1. You sell your home heating system at a yard sale.

2. You have to write post-it notes with your kids' names on them.

3. You change your underwear after a sneeze.



OLD IS WHEN:

1. Going bra-less pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.

2. You don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.

3. Getting a little action means I don't need fiber today.

4. Getting lucky means you find your car in the parking lot.

5. An all-nighter means not getting up to pee!


But Most of All, Remember. . .

A Good Friend Is Like A Good Bra: Hard to Find, Supportive, Comfortable, And Always Close To Your Heart!

Homeschool Foundation?

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Homeschooling Moms, what do you think of this article?



If someone had asked me 11 years ago, when I first began to home school, if Christ was our schools foundation I would have responded, "Well, of course HE is! We study the Bible each morning, memorize scriptures daily, read Christian biographies and work on character training plus all of our textbooks and curriculum are Christian based." Over the past two years the Lord has slowly began to unveil the truth that, even though we were ‘doing’ a lot of the ‘right and godly’ things in our homeschool, our foundation was not in Christ as much as my own works, effort and curriculum.

This seems to be a common trap amongst home schooling families. We want so desperately to 'do it right', to be the very best parents that we can in order to raise godly children. We want the perfect curriculum or the idealistic schedule to guarantee that our children will become all our hearts desire them to become. We can go for years building a foundation that we believe to be Christ while all the time depending on our own efforts to bring about godly character in our children. As the storms and trials of life beat against this foundation we will begin to see if our faith truly has been Christ or our own efforts .

These are four common symptoms that may reveal a wrong foundation.

1. Confusion: Which curriculum do I use? What is best? Do I use unit studies or workbooks?

2. Overwhelmed: How do I do IT all? How do I homeschool, sew, grow my own wheat to bake bread, birth 20 children, memorize scripture, use only unit studies, run a home business, etc. in order to produce a godly home?

3. Fear- what if I miss something? What if there is a big gap in their learning that I could have prevented? What if they never learn to read? Am I training them up in the way that they should go or is there something else I should be doing? What will happen to my family if my husband makes decisions that I feel are detrimental to our children? What if I train my children wrong and because of it they never become a Christian?

4. Anger and Frustration- "Help, I'm suffocating under this load of things I have to do!!" The mother is angry because of everything that has to be done. She is resentful towards her husbands requests or demands, short-tempered with the children if they mess up the house or request her help with school work. She wakes up with a frown and goes to sleep with one. There is no joy in the home or her heart.

Fear seems to be a common denominator in many of these symptoms. It may be the fear of failing at home schooling our children. We may fear that they will not be able to meet the college requirements. Or that they will never become a Christian. We may even give into the fear of man by comparing ourselves to those who seem to have it all together. We see the pictures and stories on the front of homeschooling magazines and we know that our families fall short of this ideal. A lot of homeschoolers are burdened by an enormous amount of peer pressure. Have you felt it? Do you hear that imaginary voice whispering, "The perfect homeschool mother rises at 5 a.m. to spend time with the Lord, she bakes her own bread from the wheat that she grows on her 10 acre homestead as her 9 children are doing their unit study in the home that the family has built?" Or how about this mindset," The perfect Christian family has a father who leads devotions, a mother who never loses her temper while the family watches no television, and trains their children consistently by the "Growing Kid's God's Way" method. As we compare our family to theirs we see that we fall short of this ‘perfect’ model and live in dread that our children will never reach heaven because of it.

To read the rest of this article click here.

Chaos, Out of Order?

Isn't it interesting that when one area of your life is out of balance or not in order it affects many other areas as well? I have noticed that many times in life. I heard someone comment about that when I went to college. At the time, I agreed with it half heartedly but over the years have seen it through my own experience. I have seen that if things get out of order with your housekeeping (your discipline), your relationship with God (your spirit) , your eating/health (your flesh), your organization, etc. it will affect other things. I have also seen the reverse is true. WHEN you start to get things back in order in one area it usually gets the ball rolling in the other areas too. I have been working very hard for the past 5-6 weeks on getting my weight and fitness under control. It has been out of balance for a long time. I realize now, that other areas were out of balance.

Now that I am trying to get this area of my life under control other areas are starting to line up. This is good news! I encourage you to get things in your life in order. Just pick one area and see if it doesn't have an affect on the other areas in your life.

I suppose it should not be a surprise though. God is a God of order and not of chaos. If you doubt that just look around you or even look AT you in the mirror. Just the way our human body is put together shows that God is order. Everything has a place and in order for it to work correctly it has to be in the proper place. An eye wouldn't work very well on the bottom of the foot. An ear wouldn't work too well inside of your stomach. Order....that is the theme of today. Get your life in order and out of chaos. You will feel so much better!