Thanksgiving

Ya'll I can't believe it's Thanksgiving already. Where did the fall go? It has been crazy busy at our house this fall. I've been teaching a class on top of working full time in a new position that I'm trying to learn and understand. Tim is working on his doctoral program and has had a ton of change going on at work. Grace has had an exciting time in 3rd grade and has started taking karate lessons. It just seems like we're in constant motion. I'm sure you all can understand.

With that said, let me just tell you that I'm so thankful for the craziness of family. I love my life, my husband, my daughter, stepdaughters, granddaughter...just everything about life right now. My parents just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary and are doing well. Even through the tough things that we face, my siblings are doing well. God has blessed us all so much! To Him be glory!

Last weekend Grace and I traveled with Tim to Chicago for class. We dropped him off at the hotel to study while we drove into Chicago. We had a wonderful time at the American Girl Doll store. We started off with a tea which was so much fun! It was one of those mommy/daughter times that I think we'll always remember. She loved the cinnamon buns and the hot chocolate. Then we got her doll's hair done and bought her some boots for the winter. Anyone who's been there knows that you can spend an enternity in that store alone, so we were there for quite a while.

After that we went to the Lego store which was a couple of blocks up Michigan Ave. Grace was not a fan of walking in the cold and it was cold. However, we managed to get there and back and she had a fun time while she was there. We stopped by the Hershey store after that. Grace had a meltdown when she was told that she couldn't "create" a cupcake because they could not guarantee it was peanut free. Bless her heart, she was just bawling. The sweet lady then came and gave her a hershey bar to take with her. It was a moment!

At about 9:00 we headed back to the hotel. It was such a precious time with my beautiful daughter. One I will never forget! For that time, I am very grateful! :o)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Humble yourself and pray

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2Chronicles 7:14.

I can't seem to get this scripture off of my mind. Tomorrow we will elect a new president. May our hearts be stirred to pray continually and ask God to bestow His mercy upon our nation. For every unborn child, aborted baby born alive, the orphan and widowed, pray that God intervenes and grips the hearts and minds of His believers to do what is right and what is just.

My husband's a wise man.

I was reading comments on a friends Facebook page the other day. All political and some just so sad. The original post by my friend mentioned his concern about the abortion issue with regards to voting for Obama. Many began to comment on his note, and I was taken back by the number of "Christians" who were discussing how that we cannot be too narrow in looking at just one issue. One man, a pastor, even went on to say that it's not something our vote for president can change so why not look at other more signifanct issues that we face. I cringed, my heart broke. Seriously!? I couldn't believe what I was reading. Then I told my husband about it and this was his reply to me.

"Hasn't it become very popular for Christians to now put forth a strong message on how they aren't fighting any longer against abortion and have taken up "bigger" causes. The deaths of our 4,000 troops in Iraq has been an extremely high price. Doesn't God's grief over the deaths of that number every year through abortion matter to these folks any longer."

That night as we were discussing it, he brought up William Wilberforce. For 30 years Willberforce fought against slavery in the Parliment of the United Kingdom until the day it was finally abolished. The wonderful movie, Amazing Grace, portrays his great struggle. It was not an easy fight and took much out of Willberforce. Tim said, "Aren't we glad he didn't give up to take on 'bigger' causes."

I am certain that my passion for the unborn child as well as for the orphaned, widowed and poor can all exist together. I can have concern for the stewardship of the earth as well as the economic crises in our country and still fight for the right of the least among us. This is not about "one or the other" but rather an all of the above. As a follower of Christ, I can no more turn my back on the unborn child than I can on my heavenly Father. His spirit compells me to act! So whether it's through a vote or my sharing personally, I will do all that I can to make a difference.

The real facts about Obama

Check out this article for some detailed information about Obama.

The Secret

For any of you all that know me or have heard me share my personal testimony, you know the topic of abortion is near and dear to my heart. Please check out the link at the bottom. Melinda at "traveling the road home" is giving away a wonderful resource that can be used by anyone to help those who have had an abortion.

She gives a statistic that 1 in 3 women have had an abortion. Can you imagine? I know what it's like to live with that deep dark secret, and I also know what it's like to be free! When I think of what God has done to bring me out of that pit...I have to smile. There's nothing like it! Picture standing in the rain and having each drop reach to your very soul...that's grace. Oh, it's so good. To know the freedom that comes from forgiveness. To know that complete healing that comes from God. To know that God loves you no matter where you've been or what you've done. Ladies, it's good...very good! I KNOW.... ;o)

http://travelingtheroadhome.blogspot.com/2008/10/giveaway-that-keeps-on-giving.html

The Presidential Election

For anyone who truly knows me, ya'll know I am so into politics that... well frankly I'm totally obsessed! I am a strong conservative, although I haven't always been. I grew up with a strong Democrat as a father and most all of my family were Democrats. However, there are two things that have forever changed my life and those have affected how I vote.

When the primaries began I was a supporter of Mitt Romney. I absolutely love his morals and values as well as his family! Do we completely agree on theology? Nope...but frankly he lives out what we as Christians are suppose to live out and for that he had my vote. When he bowed out of the election I just about cried. By that time I knew that the Republican candidate was going to be John McCain and I didn't like it...NOT ONE BIT! What I knew of McCain, I didn't like. But being me...I began to research and more importantly listen.

One thing swayed me and two things sealed the deal.

1) I heard McCain speak with Rick Warren at the Saddleback Forum. That began to sway me. I really believe that McCain spoke from the heart and I like what he had to say. He talked about the worst moral thing personally that he's ever regretted was the end of his first marriage. I respected that. Then he spoke with such great love for our country that the ice (on my end) began to melt. I was warming up to him.

2) He picked Sarah Palin. I must say I love her. I really don't care what the media thinks. This lady has a moral compass and for that I am grateful. I will post more on her tomorrow, but I gotta tell you...she was one of the things that sealed the deal for me.

3) I read an article that discussed one specific vote that Obama made in the Illinois senate. A bill was written that would allow doctors and nurses in the state of IL to treat babies who were born alive after being aborted. Simple right? A woman has an abortion, her baby is born alive, the doctor gets to treat it. No brainer. Obama voted against the bill. He was the only one to vote no. That my friends completely sealed the deal. To think that a precious baby would be set aside to die...I can't even fathom.

So now you know. Please pray for Sarah tonight as she debates. I am praying that God gives her clarity of mind, wisdom and strength. I really want her to do well.

More tomorrow.

Hurricane Ike in Ohio

Well for the very first time in my life I got to experience the wrath of a Hurricane. Now we don't normally get Hurricane's in Ohio...well we never get hurricane's in Ohio...remants of course, but not the full blown thing. That was until Sunday. We experienced 75 mile per hour winds here in my little town of Mount Vernon. Our electricity went out at 5:00 pm on Sunday and we just got it back last night at 11:00 pm. Now having been part of the clean-up in New Orleans, I know that I have little to complain about, but frankly by Tuesday I thought I was going to lose my mind! Monday morning we cleaned the debris out of our yard and then headed out to see if our friends were doing ok. I could not believe the devastation! Trees were down everyone...not just tiny trees, but huge old oaks. I couldn't even get to my friend Heather's house because every road was blocked by downed trees. Now of course when the trees came down so did the power lines. Our university had to close on Monday and Tuesday. Grace was out of school until today. Although we have our electricity back on many still do not. Some have no water. We here in Amish country are beginning to understand just how they live....and frankly, I can't fathom it. I don't think of myself as a sissy, but to not be able to communicate with the outside world just about did me in.

On the bright side, my furniture was delivered earlier today and I now have electricity so all is well. Tonight you can catch me on my couch (or love seat) in front of the TV...all night!!!!

Kimberly