We live in a place we really like, but it is a mobile home...a super nice, very large, new mobile home on 5 acres, but still a mobile home. We purchased at a steal, with the knowledge that we would build in 3 years after purchase. I know this sounds weird, but if I built a house, I think I'd build it to model many things we have to this place. The kitchen is huge and open. It has 4 bedrooms and a huge playroom/homeschool area, etc. We've struggle in some ways with our area, but have come to love our neighbors. There are 16 kids, including ours, in this neighborhoold (most of them are younger than my older kids) and I really love them all. We have had issues at times, but I've seen God work so much here and I love all the little kids coming in and out of my house. I can't explain it...it just makes me happy to see these 4yo twin girls come pop their heads in my door and come in and play. There's a rough little boy with a rough mouth from a rough home situation who comes down and we've had to lay boundaries several times, but he follows them now and I just adore him. He is always down here doing bike tricks wanting us to watch him, liking the attention we pay to him. I just love him!! I would miss them all. There is the background. 1 mile from our home there is a brick home that is the same size as ours but with 3 bedrooms. It is on 6 acres of cleared land, with huge, beautiful oaks, fenced and cross-fenced with a barn with horse stalls, another huge barn, an outbuilding that will hold four-wheelers and yard equipment, and half of it is an apartment. It has a 2-car garage with a shop. And the piece-de-resistance (sp?), it has a HUGE arena with cattle shoots and everything...it's amazing!! The whole place is beautiful! We qualify for it and wouldn't be strapped to purchase it. First, I'd miss our neighbors, but we'd be close by. The location is just nicer than where we are...there is no doubt. We're a little afraid of the hoops we'll have to jump through to sell this place and buy that one. I mean, if we put this place on the market, the ONLY place we want is that one...how do you do that? I've never done this type of thing before. We're afraid of getting the paperwork going on this place and the deal falling through on the other, then we'd be without a home. Oh, I don't know what to do!!! WWYD? Teresa

The Bible is crammed packed with scripture about God being a jealous God and not sharing that position with another. There is a difference between building an idol to represent God and worshipping a false god. We aren't to build an idol but we also are to have no other gods before Him. Well-eduated Christians don't mean as much as whether they believe the Bible IS God's written Word to mankind and inerrant. I do believe that religion is a many-faceted thing, obviously because there are many religions with many beliefs in them. I believe Christianity has some majors and some minors. The majors are the keys. One of the majors is that Christ is the only way. The Bible says: "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it." I think there are many who have found some wide gates and broad paths that don't line up with God's Word, many well-educated Christians who Christ will say "I never knew you." Teresa

In my own human effort, knowing how fearful I can be, it would be hard to say yes. But by God's grace, I would lay down my life if forced to deny Christ, or for His purposes. I know that I know that He would have to be the one to give me the courage at that moment. Teresa

At this point, I have the walls painted an oatmeal color and someone making bandana curtains. I would like to do a saddle/worn leather faux finish on the walls. What is a good way to do it? Also, any ideas on accessories, etc., that would go well for this theme in a church setting? I'm thinking of buying a rope and making a high border around the room with the rope. I'd love input. Thanks! Teresa

Nearly everytime I read what you write, I like what you say and how you say it. I see what you are saying how that POV works. I'm saying, from my POV, like someone else said lower down, it's like pickles in your chili...maybe pickles in your cheesecake. As a Christian and from a Biblical POV they just can't work together. I always like analogies and food analogies are better! :) Teresa

I wish you could catch my tone here because I'm saying this kindly in my head. When I read "A secular mom's point of view," as the post title, I didn't read it as "I'm wanting input from secular moms only" or something like that as often the CC posts seem to be purposed towards. I really, genuinely saw it as a secular mom offering a point of view so that Christians and others could read the post and get where she's coming from. I'm only guessing that other Christians saw the same intent behind the post. With that in mind, you sounded rather snarky!

I too think it's sweet and can't imagine it being creepy. Teresa

I respectfully disagree. Biblically, Christianity stands opposed to Buddhism. The Bible says Christ is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. There are many other Biblical references that would say those two just don't mix and that Christ can be mixed with nothing else. He's not the fifth bowl in line on a buffet table. As a Christian, He IS the buffet buffet table...and everything else needed or wanted involved in said buffet! He's even the host of the party where the buffet is being held!! I can't take a little of the Jesus that I want and toss the rest, then mix that up with a little Buddhism and a dash of something else. If I do, I have created a false god, and that is in complete opposition to what it means to be a Christian. I'm just saying to you that Biblically, that would be apostasy. I'm speaking this to you from a Christian POV. Teresa

That was an awesome post!! I appreciate that you made points on both sides. Good points. Your wording made me very sympathetic on both sides, and that is a great thing...seeing it from both points. Teresa

I think I can understand the shock of that if taken from your POV. From my POV, God has proven Himself so often to me through my own prayers and His Word...honestly, from unbelievable, jaw-dropping miracles!! No one can take away my actual experience with Him in prayer and make me disbelieve my own practical experience of walking in the newness of life in Him and with Him. It's one of those things that someone could tell me the ocean water was bright orange today and I'd believe them more easily than ever disbelieving in Christ my Savior who is more real and more trustworthy than any human word or wisdom has or ever will be for me! He has given me new life. He has given me hope when I used to feel hopeless. He has RADICALLY changed my marriage, my mothering, my friendships, my thought-life, my view on the world I live in. He has given me peace at times when everything was absolute chaos and turmoil...unexplainable peace that no human or pill or drink or potion could even think of giving me!! He has done unexplainably beautiful things for me in unexplainable ways. Nothing can steal that from me. So if He has been that gracious, that loving, that amazing, that forgiving, that kind to me...how could I possibly tell my kids anything else? It would be me trying to be all politically correct in a situation that is so very, very far beyond political correctness. I'm not going to ever play games with them in such a way...I won't play games with God in such a way. His Word says for me to teach it to them when we are walking when we are at home, write it on my doorposts, etc. Love for Him drives me to do it...often it just comes bubbling up in such a way because I. AM. IN. AWE. OF. HIM!!!!!!!! You asked. That is my heart-felt reply. It's from my experience and not me pointing a finger at anyone else for not doing it my way. I'm just saying. Teresa

...Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. Having studied other cultures and religions, like another poster said, they've learned to love others and understand why they think the way that they do. MFW ECC last year really opened their eyes and gave them that love for others...praying through Window on the World was a great tool for them! The answer is yes, I do teach them that, but the Bible simplifies that for me because it's not me making that up but God's very Word that teaches it. :001_smile: Teresa

I think that often, not always, paid pastors do forget what challenges the working person have to deal with. We had some of this at a church we were at. Isaiah 51:7 says, "Listen to me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts, do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified of their insults." I know that that verse is not totally in context, but God highlighted it to me one day and it was like balm to my soul. God has had to use that particular scripture on me many times when I'm stepping outside of His perfect will in order to please others, especially in the church setting. 1st, I'd ask what God has asked you and your dh to do. Get clear for sure that you have followed Him. If your dh is working the kinds of hours he's working and not able to spend time with his family, then it seems pretty obvious. I think the Christian life works outwards, like it starts in our hearts, then to our marriage and family, then outside the home. It's not a thing that we serve others first then take care of our families and our own walk. After you know what God wants YOUR family to do, then you need to obey Him and lay that out for the pastors, with or without their blessings. It sounds like they aren't trusting God with the church. If they continue to be ugly about it, you'll either have to pray that God help you to handle it well and that God lead them to see truth OR you may want to look elsewhere. I can't tell you how often I've stepped out and done ministry extras strictly to get approval from man (usually not knowing I was doing it), when God didn't want me to do it in the first place. I'm in a situation right now, leading the children at a very small church, where people are angry with me for not doing extra services and things throughout the week other than Sunday morning, but none of them are willing to help. It would be me, all alone. I have had to follow God's leading on this and not try to please them but pray through it and know what HE is telling me to do...thank goodness the pastor is completely with me on this! I would be irritated also!! Teresa

My thoughts exactly. I would doubt she was a Christian at all. The Bible talks of how people will sneak in and how you will know them by their fruit, etc. And no, this is not Christians on trial month. Christians have been on trial for a long, long time. It strikes me more as the norm rather than unusual. Teresa

About 3 years ago, we watched the video series of that. I got good things out of some of it and didn't out of some. My life is like yours, much like yours. The kids and I are in the process of getting involved with CEF, and my ultimate desire would be to get involved with the Good News clubs in the ps system here. I helped this week and was so impressed!! The Gospel was presented so clearly, and these kids were having a blast...this was not dull to them but life-changing. These were kids in a lower-income school system that is known to be in the drug area of town...the town we live near is known for drugs and gangs. These were really well-behaved, sweet kids, and I could see the impact this had on them, and I could see the heart-felt love the leaders had for them. There were 30, and one of the leaders told me that all of them but a few had believed in Christ, and I saw one little boy living out his convictions. I just see that I need to get involved in these types of things. I really want my children doing them too...it is easy to be hidden away here. Teresa

:iagree: I don't think there's anything, homeschooling-wise, that I have felt more strongly about than what you just said. So very often when I see new homeschool moms inputting their schedules and wanting advice, I want to yell what you just said from the rooftops!! NOT because I am having a superiority complex, but because I soooooooooo wish I had just lightened up and enjoyed it back then. Oh, to redo those years and had fun just being adventurous with them. I still have littles also, but I'm up against the same issue...I have older kids who it is hard to leave behind or pull along on a light-hearted field trip. Teresa

I have been in situation and seen things that disturbed me. I like your formula. I am one of the ones who stand there not knowing at all what to do, then if I do say something I second-guess myself. If I don't say anything, I'll suffer guilt and doubt later for that also. I like your way of handling it. Teresa

I'm guessing this is an allergy/congestion issue (because he is congested), but for the past week or so my 3yo ds' face area stinks. At first, I thought it was his breath. I would brush his teeth and bathe him and still the smell was there. I've not encountered this with any of my others. It is so bad right now that my other family members don't like him in their space. :sad: Poor boy. I guess I'm calling the doctor today, but I just wanted to ask here and see if anyone else has had this happen and what you did to help it. Teresa

That's a good explanation of what we have done. He is a part of everything. Teresa

I use some curricula that is Biblical and some that is non. My goal is not to subliminally get Bible into them while they're diagramming their sentences or figuring out a math problem...other than R&S grammar, I don't think I've come across anything like that, and R&S is an excellent grammar program, so that would be more why I've used it. I do want them to know that anything that contradicts the Bible is a lie. We discuss those things...helping them to have a Biblical worldview! I hope to assist them in having that filter to run everything through. I guess I had enough in my own formative years of trying to mix the Biblical truth I was getting at home with non-Biblical things I was taking in at school, somehow mixing them up and getting a messed-up mishmash. I can look back and see the negative effect it had. I pray I can help them to filter every experience, relationship, educational experience, etc., through the lense of truth, so they'll be able to tell truth from lies. It's not just about education, but more about teaching them how to walk with the Lord/walk in truth!! It's been difficult enough to work through as an adult...I hope I can give them a head start! Teresa

That is so wonderful!!!!!!!!!!! Teresa

Thanks!! Yes, the scripture interprets scripture is exactly what I'm wanting. I want to be able to connect scripture with other scripture so I can more thoroughly establish what to stand firm on and what to take as a one-time instance in my Bible. I'm thinking a chain reference would help with that also. Teresa

"At this point, I do have a fairly good overview on the books in the NT, not as much as the OT, though I do love the OT." I wanted to rewrite what I said above. I wrote it wrong. I have a BETTER handle on the NT THAN on the OT. I made it sound opposite there. Virginia Dawn, Thanks for the input. Yes, I do often do word studies and find those helpful. I have wanted to go through the Gospels and see how Jesus handles conflict and "wrangling with words" when speaking to others, so that might be a helpful thing, how to lovingly talk to people (I miss the mark there so often). Like I was noticing how when Jesus talked to people, often he'd tell them "Go and sin no more" or "Go and do likewise." It hit me that he didn't spend years trying to convince them. He just told them and seemed to move right along. I might read through the NT with that type of thinking involved. Again, my ADD tendencies often distract me when I go with a plan like that.

I like it! I really like it!! Teresa

I don't have time for a class. I spend about 1/2 hr to an hour each morning reading the Bible and praying. I am wanting to get more of a method to my madness. I read an article on Bible Study by John Macarthur and the book by Kay Arthur "How to study your Bible." I so see the benefits of reading and rereading a book of the Bible. John Macarthur even said to just pick a small NT book and start reading it once per day for a month, then sometime mid-stream to outline that book on index cards, etc., and you'd get more familiar with the book and its purpose. I think he said in 2 years you'd have gone through the whole NT thoroughly. Then he suggested reading the OT through once per year. I do have a Strongs Hebrew/Greek dictionary, and I use online commentaries at times. I find it maddening to read the same book of the Bible and anaylyze it like that repeatedly for a month. I have some ADD tendencies, and I think that is part of my problem. I have done a Kay Arthur study with a group and gotten much from it, but to apply that on my own is difficult because I don't stick to it and it feels intimidating. At this point, I do have a fairly good overview on the books in the NT, not as much as the OT, though I do love the OT. I'd just like suggestions on how any of you have gotten deep into God's Word. I'm also at a point where I'm seeing soooo much mishandling of scripture within the church itself that I'd like to get a handle on God's Word to see what different scriptures actually mean and not what people just really, really want them to mean, kwim? :001_smile:I'd like suggestions on how to go forward, any resources that would be good, etc. Teresa

That's us. Even 5 or 6 years ago, I had a very different opinion on boy/girl relationships, when it was good or bad than I do now. My teen years I would have laughed at a parent like me. Through good and bad examples of raising teens, I feel God has firmed up my husband's and then my decision on how we're going to handle this. We want purity for our children, and I know as they get older they'll want it too. It will be our job, as parents, to help them to achieve that goal by protecting them from certain situations that they may not have the ability, emotionally or physically, to navigate. Teresa