Archive for September, 2005
Monday Madness
1. When you're stressed out, what do you do to relieve your stress?
I could let y'all think I was this super-spiritual person and say "pray," but unfortunately I drink a coke instead.
2. Are you normally a patient person, or is patience NOT one of your virtues?
I'm learning patience.3. How many times a week do you blog?
It varies. Sometimes it's a couple times a day; sometimes it's a couple times a week.4. How many memes a week do you participate in?
About 3.5. Describe the perfect day, weather-wise.
Starts out crisp and cool, warms up to about 80, then finishes with a whopper of a thunderstorm.6. Would you rather be too hot, or too cold?
Too cold - you can always put on more clothes, but you can only take so many off.
7. Do you eat out often, and if so, what type of restaurants do you frequent?
We eat out about once a week, usually it's when we are running errands of some sort, and it tends to be some sort of fast food.8. If you could run your own business, what type of business would it be?
We're actually tossing around the idea of starting a tree farm at some point.
A response to the CTBHHM reviews
In their latest issue of No Greater Joy, the Pearls respond to the reviews of Created To Be His Help Meet in the blogosphere. They didn't name names, but since there are only about 5-6 blogs that have posted anything negative about the book, I'm guessing that my blog is one that they are responding to.
Spunky posted her response here, and it sums up my response as well.
Our stance isn't a popular one, but when a book claims to be Biblical yet twists Scripture and promotes extrabiblical teachings, it's a necessary stance.
As a result of my review series I have been accused of: not having a teachable spirit, being a feminist, not promoting submission, "having it out" for the Pearls, and more. I'm not going to play the emotional game that involves making unsubstantiated accusations and name-calling. I actually welcome discussion on the actual substance of the book and my reviews. Since this book is so wildly popular, I do hope that I am in error! Unfortunately no one has been able to show me where I am. It seems Spunky and the other reviewers are experiencing the same thing, based on what I have read in the comments on their posts. Typically the extent of disagreement reads something like this, "Why do you have it out for the Pearls? This book has been such a blessing, why don't you like it? What Mrs. Pearl MEANT was xyz...." Albert (see the comments of my posts) has been pretty much the only one willing to discuss it based on Scripture rather than emotionalism.
It's sad that an intelligent dialogue can't be had about this book. It's sad that our concerns about the book are dismissed so easily; i.e., "take the good and leave the bad." When a book doesn't claim to be Biblical and "God's plan for a heavenly marriage," I'm all for that. But when a book makes the claims this one does, it has better stick VERY close to Scripture, and this one strays in several areas. THAT is the basis for my concern, and so far no one has addressed my concerns.
Aloha Friday #29
(Even though I'm writing it on a Saturday.
)Do you lead a peaceful or hectic life? Would you prefer one over the other?
I have 5 children ages 8 and under. You tell me. While I wouldn't trade the kiddos, I would prefer to have it be a bit more peaceful around here.Anything can be fun if you want it to be: agree or disagree?
Ehhhh. For the most part agree. But something about vomit just ruins the fun, no matter how you look at it.Play the Boo-Yay game. Tell us about a “boo” and a “yay” from the past week.
Boo: Costco wouldn't rotate my hubby's tires since they are already worn down to the secondary rubber after, get this, 6500 miles. Which means that the Volvo dealer had some answering to do since hubby has had his wheels aligned there twice.Yay: Hubby got a phone call from his boss and his boss's boss complimenting him on a presentation he had made to an even higher-up boss. (He does SUCH a good job!!!!!
)
Feast Sixty-Two
(Yeah, yeah, I know I'm posting this on Saturday, but we went to the fair yesterday.
)Appetizer
Do your closer friends tend to be male or female? Why do you think that is?
In high school it was most definitely males because females were just way too petty. Nowadays it's females because I'm married and it would be quite improper for me to have close male friendships. Plus males aren't interested in the things I'm interested in: br*astfeeding, cleaning suggestions, etc. LOL! Although I do have one dear friend leftover from high school who is a male, my good ol' buddy Robb. Soup
If you could wake up tomorrow with a new talent, what would it be?
Organization.Salad
Name a household cleaning item that you would recommend to others.
Shaklee Basic GMain Course
What do you strive for in life?
To exemplify Jesus Christ.Dessert
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how funny do you consider yourself?
Evidently I'm not as funny as I think I am. Dh says I'm a 3. LOL! I said, "So I'm funny, but not 'ha ha funny?" (Then I said, "See? I'm funny!") LOL!
Created To Be His Help Meet - Chapter 19
Titus 2:4-5" "That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste...."
The word translated "chaste" in this verse is Hagnos, which means "1. exciting reverence, venerable, sacred; 2. pure; pure from carnality, chaste, modest; pure from every fault, immaculate; clean."
In Chapter 19, Mrs. Pearl says
We aged women are to teach the young women to be chaste:, pure in thought, word, and act, and to be modest and honorable in all things.
Oh, how we need this message today!!! When we were visiting churches after moving here, we visited one that had wonderful preaching, and we truly did enjoy it. But there was just far too much SKIN. I'm fine with "casual." I'm fine with a few immodest ladies here and there, because for all I know they are not believers. But when the majority of women have lots of skin exposed, that tells me that immodesty is tolerated and not even confronted. I saw many a young girl wearing short basketball shorts and spaghetti-strapped tank tops - AT CHURCH! Needless to say, we don't attend church there LOL!
On page 201 Mrs. Pearl shares:
A chaste woman is a modest woman. God speaks of a woman maintaining her chastity and purity by the clothes she wears. "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works" (1 Timothy 2:9-10). God says that a woman's apparel should profess godliness. Her clothes, hair, and adornments - not just her mouth - make a profession to all who see her that she is modest and godly, or that she is immodest and ungodly. Our Heavenly Father has dress standards! Would you employ the standard argument and dismiss God as "legalistic" when he tells us that there is a proper way to dress and there is an improper way?
Nancy Leigh Demoss has done several radio programs on modesty, and they have all been transcribed and posted on her website. You can find them all here. We should examine everything we wear as God might, and not only because of the men around us, but because of God. "Does this clothing glorify God?" "Why do I want to wear this, do I want men to notice me?" (Not necessarily in a l*stful way, but just in a "I'd like them to notice me" way.) "What does this outfit reveal about my heart - that it is pure before the Lord or that it is impure?"
I know that this is an unpopular concept in today's church, but it is one that needs to be discussed. I'm glad Mrs. Pearl has tackled it in her book. I know I personally need to go through my closet (yet again). Sadly some clothes that used to be modest on me aren't anymore. (LOL)
What about women that are not modest? Mrs. Pearl says this on page 202:
If you find pleasure in being a source of temptation to men, you are definitely an ungodly woman and are in desperate need of repentance.
Jesus said that a lusting man commits adultery WITH a woman, not against her, meaning that the woman is included in the lusting adultery. Women have told me that they are "not convicted" about the way they dress, as if God has to chase them down and torment them about it before they will obey his Word. Many are offended when their "style of dressing" is called into question. They say they are not going to be legalistic about it, even when God has clearly stated his will. The Holy Spirit convicts according to the will of God. If you are not convicted by the Holy Spirit for your immodest dress, then you are not being led by God. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14). If you are God's child in more than just name, you will be led by the Spirit of God. If God is not leading you consistent with his Word, then you must face the fearful truth that you do not have that Spirit indwelling you. "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Romans 8:9).
Some women are not modest because they are just ignorant about it. This is where solid, Biblical teaching needs to come in. We attended a church for a while in which I never actually heard it preached from the pulpit, and there weren't rules about what constituted modest dress, but overall the people (both men and women) dressed very modestly. What was taught? Personal holiness, and modesty was a part of that.
Some women may claim that the Lord isn't convicting them of modest dress, when in fact He is. I have no idea who those women are, nor is it my job to know. The Lord knows though.
And then there are women like Mrs. Pearl is discussing - women who truly aren't being convicted of modesty, even when they read about it in the Bible. I have to agree that perhaps they aren't being led by the Spirit because they aren't saved. Of course it is not my place to judge who is and is not saved based on their behavior, and only the Lord knows what is truly going on in their heart. But their fruit (or lack thereof) does give a good picture of what is going on inside.
I do applaud Mrs. Pearl for tackling a particular subject:
What About Pants?We cannot leave this subject without dealing with an issue that comes up over and over again. Is it permissible for a woman to wear pants? Deuteronomy 22:5 is cited as a prohibition against a woman wearing pants: "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God." To cite this verse as prohibition against women wearing pants, one must assume several doubtful concepts. Do pants pertain to men? What verse? According to the Bible, the common garment for a man is a skirt or cloak. Seventeen times the Bible speaks of men wearing skirts, such men as Boaz, King Saul, and Aaron. One time, the Bible speaks of a woman's skirt, and another time it speaks of God's skirt. So, even God wears a skirt, as did the Scottish men and the Roman and Greek men of old. American Indian men wore mini skirts. During Bible times, as far as secular history reveals, the only people who ever wore pants were Eastern women.
I'm so glad she addressed this, because oftentimes modesty is taught as being dresses/skirts only. I've heard tapes, read articles, etc. that attempt to argue that point. If a woman is convicted to wear only dresses/skirts for whatever reason, then that is fine, but the Bible does not teach that women need to wear only dresses/skirts.
A great article online examining this issue is found here. (I cannot vouch for the other articles on the site and found some that I definitely couldn't recommend, but this one is very well done and is true to Scripture and logic.)
And then on page 204, Mrs. Pearl begins to tell the story of Bad Bob. "Bad Bob" is a composite character. He happened to see a bit of soft p*rn one night as he changed the channels on TV, and thus began a lifelong struggle for him. It was exacerbated by all the immodest women he was surrounded by at church. One in particular was the youth pastor's wife, "Lydia." Bob struggled so much with lust that he eventually dropped out of the youth group so he wouldn't have to be around her.
He married and things got better, but after his wife had their second child things slowed down in the s*x department. So he tried to be vigilant against lust. Then one day in church his wife said she wanted to sit behind a particular family with immodest girls. Bad Bob reluctantly went and
knew he was Bad Bob, full of lust, anger, frustration, and defeat.
I asked my husband about this scenario, and he said that to some extent it is true. But he said the same thing that I was thinking: nothing is mentioned regarding Bad Bob's responsibility in this.
I realize that this book is addressing women and not men. However, to lay the complete and total blame for Bad Bob's problem with lust at the feet of the women with whom he comes into contact is unfair. Does Lydia have somewhat of a role? Yes. She should have been dressed more modestly. Does his wife have a role? Yes. However, Mrs. Pearl once again completely dismisses any legitimate reason his wife is disinterested in s*x:
Her excuses were exhaustion, sickness, didn't want to get pregnant, didn't feel like it, it hurt because "something seems wrong inside me now," etc.
While she probably did have too many excuses, Bad Bob should have cut her some slack, especially since there was something physically wrong with her!
So I don't discount any of that. But as my husband so eloquently put it, "Bad Bob needed to get over it." He agreed that it is difficult, YET IT IS POSSIBLE, to take his thoughts captive. And it was no reason to allow bitterness to fester. Again, I realize that this book isn't addressing the men and what they need to be doing, but it's unfair to the women reading this book to insinuate that the women and their immodesty are The Problem. They are a problem and yes, we need to learn from these examples just how our immodesty affects men, but the full blame should not be put on the women's shoulders as Mrs. Pearl has done.
A few months back Rebecca wrote several posts on her blog on the responsibilities of men and women regarding the men's lust and the women's immodesty. Very thought-provoking. Here are the links for you to check out: Rekindling controversy, Speaking of controversy, and Excuses, excuses.
Mrs. Pearl discusses Bathsheba and David once again, and once again she lays the blame on Bathsheba.
Because Bathsheba was indiscreet, she caused great calamity...Her lack of discretion...She provided the opportunity for him to lust by her lack of discretion in where she chose to bathe.
Scripture doesn't indicate that Bathsheba was being indiscreet. At this point in time the fighting men and the kings were out battling. But David had stayed home. Perhaps she didn't know that he was still home and thought she was being discreet since she was bathing at night and figured there weren't any men around anyway? Or perhaps she did know and, yes, was indiscreet. We simply cannot know based on what Scripture says. I do know that Scripture never faults Bathsheba for what all occurred. But it does fault David.
At the end of the chapter Mrs. Pearl lists some traits of a good help meet regarding chasteness:
A good help meet is chaste in her heart, actions, and looks.
She considers the potential temptation of others with gravity.
Her conversation with her husband is lovely and kind. A good help meet looks out for her man.ALL EXCELLENT ADVICE. And the "meat" of this chapter is right on - women must strive to dress more modestly. (I do believe there is more to "chasteness" in Titus 2:5 than just being modest, but the whole point of this chapter is modesty in dress.) Unfortunately Mrs. Pearl places the sole responsibility of a man's sin in this area on women's shoulders, and that is unfair. Women do play a role, but "the woman made me do it" didn't work with Adam, and it won't with men of today.
Another commercial break
I've heard lots of great things about Startwrite, a computer program that allows you to create your own handwriting sheets. The only problem with it is that you're limited to the fonts that come with it. We use Handwriting Without Tears, and Startwrite doesn't have a font like the HWT font.
Well, I now can create my own handwriting sheets, with the HWT font, using Educational Fontware. This is awesome. It installs the fonts you want, and then you can use any word processing program to type your handwriting sheets. They have several different fonts to choose from: HWT, BJU, A Beka, Getty-Dubay Italic, Zaner-Bloser, etc. Each font is sold separately, but who really needs a gazillion types of handwriting fonts anyway?
I'm not sure about all of the other fonts, but with the HWT fonts you get a huge assortment of helps. Things like outlined letters with arrows, with/without the lines, dotted letters, cursive, etc. I can foresee MUCH use of this with the kids' AWANA verses!!!
So if you have been eyeballing Startwrite but use a different handwriting style, check out Educational Fontware. You won't be sorry!
Oh they’re trying, but it’s not really working…
I caught the end of the President's speech tonight. Then I was "blessed" (cough, cough, sputter, sputter) to hear Brian Williams and Tim Russert share their thoughts about it. Oh yeah, and the NBC White House Correspondent, I can't remember his name. President Bush said:
Four years after the frightening experience of September the 11th, Americans have every right to expect a more effective response in a time of emergency. When the federal government fails to meet such an obligation, I, as President, am responsible for the problem, and for the solution.
Oh my, they jumped all over that. The White House Correspondent Man (LOL) said that President Bush's speech was different than his past speeches. Normally he doesn't admit his mistakes.
Hello, HE DIDN'T admit a mistake. As the President of the United States, if someone in the federal government screws up, it ends up being his responsibility, whether it's his FAULT or not!
Tim Russert was just a blowin' and a goin', and I finally had to turn it off. I even had my 8yo hollering at the TV. *grin*
Anyway, I thought this was rather interesting. I've read several places that despite the MSM's best efforts, the people who were actually INVOLVED in the hurricane (and therefore didn't have TV and the means to be indoctrinated
) don't blame the President at all really.(I'm NOT real crazy about Bush's plan to spend spend spend, but that is what he likes to do in these sort of situations, so I can't say I'm surprised.)
This is the most precious thing I’ve seen all day
You'll see what I mean.
Gathered in His Name
7 things
Saw this at Perri's blog and thought it looked like fun. If anyone wants to copy, let me know so I can check out your blog!
7 things I plan to do before I die:
1. Get out of debt (my kids will thank me LOL!)
2. Update my will (the couple dh and I chose as guardians have divorced *big sigh*)
3. Stop biting my nails
4. Go to the David Letterman Show
5. Finish college (I'll probably end up getting to do it for free for being over 60 LOL!)
6. Learn Spanish
7. Get back to my ideal weight (only 30 lbs. to go woo hoo)7 things I can do:
1. Play the flute
2. Cross-stitch
3. Remember the date of people's birthdays and anniversaries
4. Remember back to when I was 2-3 years old
5. Type about 80 wpm
6. Calculus (well, I use to could anyway)
7. Use "use to could" in a sentence 7 things I cannot do:
1. Do the loud, fingers-in-the-mouth whistle
2. Leave my checkbook unbalanced
3. Wear socks with a wrinkle or fuzz ball in them
4. Draw
5. Stay organized
6. Turn someone down if they want to play with my hair
7. Tap dance7 things that attract me to the opposite s*x: (Like Perri, I can't really say "attract," but I notice these things)
1. A cheerful smile
2. A good, CLEAN sense of humor
3. Humility
4. Kind to his children
5. Loving to his wife
6. NOT expecting to be served
7. Loves the Lord7 things that I say most often:
1. Time to start school!
2. I don't know.
3. Good job!!!
4. G, leave him/her alone.
5. C, you smell like a pee pot.
6. L, take your thumb out.
7. J, no hitting.7 celebrity crushes:
I only have one.
Unlikeable
How do you know if you're unlikeable? I've wondered that lately, since I don't have many IRL friends. Granted, we've only lived here a year, but we've lived here a year, KWIM? It seems I haven't really had any good friends in goodness, 8 years. And often I wonder if people just sort of put up with me.
I've known people who are just sort of "weird." I tend to attract them actually. I've thought that it's because I'm nice to them, but maybe it's because I'm annoyingly weird too????
Is there a way to know if you are annoying? What if you don't realize it? I don't THINK I'm annoying, but who is ever annoying on purpose?
I try to put out a friendly "vibe," I try to not be real "needy," I try to ask questions about other people and therefore not monopolize the conversation, I've been told I'm witty...maybe I smell or something?
The first major experience I've had where friends have just sort of "left" me was in college. I had a group of friends that I was really tight with. Then I got engaged, and by the time my wedding rolled around, everyone had just sort of left me high and dry. The girls who were my bridesmaids were still friendly to me, and people still came to my wedding, but there was just something "up," and to this day I have no idea what it was. A while back I chit-chatted with my then boyfriend at the time, and he actually knew exactly what I was referring to, but when I asked what it was all about, he said not to worry about it. So of course that tells me that SOMETHING happened! But what???
Other friends just start to (seemingly) avoid me. Not return calls, have other plans any time I want to get together, etc. Now, there is a good chance that they are just super busy, and these women I'm sure are. But after a while and after soooooo many unanswered calls (and we're talking maybe I call once a month, it's not an everyday thing!), it makes me wonder if it's me, ya know?
Is there a way to know if you're unlikeable? It's not like people will come out and actually TELL you. They just seem to avoid you. Which is why I've been pondering this....
Feast Sixty-One
Appetizer
Who is the easiest person for you to talk to?
That's a trick question. Not counting myself, God. But for an "in the flesh" person, my husband. Usually. LOL!Soup
If you could live in any ancient city during the height of the quality of its society and culture, which one would you choose?
I'm not sure if it counts as an "ancient" city, but it would have been interesting to live in Philadelphia around 1776. ANCIENT-wise I'd say Jerusalem.Salad
What is the most exciting event you've ever witnessed?
The May 3, 1999, F-5 tornado in Oklahoma City.Main Course
If you were a celebrity, what would you do for a publicity stunt?
That would depend on WHY I was a celebrity. Dessert
What do you consider the ideal age to have a first child?
Whenever God decides. Check it out at Friday's Feast!
Aloha Friday #28
Choose a unique item from your wallet and explain why you carry it around.
My husband's business card because it seems I'm always having to write down his district office's phone number at different places (dr.'s office, etc.).
What are you wearing today that is most reflective of who you are?
A pair of capri pants that is literally falling off of me. My mom gave them to me because they were too small for her, yet they were too big for me even then. I was able to wear them throughout my last pregnancy if that tells you anything. I've lost weight and am now slightly thinner than I was when she gave me these capris, so they just hang on me. Normally I use a diaper pin to cinch the waist, but it's missing. I finally got annoyed with them falling off and tried a clothespin, but that didn't work.
Why are they reflective of me? Because I'm too cheap to actually buy clothes that fit. LOL!!!!! How sad is that???
Play the Boo-Yay game. Tell us about a “boo” and a “yay” from the past week.
Boo - I discovered this morning, when I took my last Synthroid pill, that I have no refills left because - ZIP - 6 months (actually 7) have gone by and it's time to get my thyroid levels checked. So now I'm Synthroid-less till I can get a new prescription. This won't be pretty (if I go 2 days without taking it I'm a total slug), but I do have some generic stuff my dr. gave me. Hopefully it will be close enough to tide me over.
Yay - my mom and stepdad are coming out for a visit!!! That's a triple yay!
