Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Help Stop Convention on the Rights of the Child NOW!

Continuing their push to override the rights of parents across the United States, the UN and the Obama Administration are now pushing for a ratification of the Council on the Rights of a Child. This "international law" will threaten the rights of US citizens be they parents, grandparents, teachers, aunts and uncles, etc... It is most important that we be vigilant about the things this administration will sneak in the back door while we are busy paying attention to deficits, healthcare issues, Iran and other issues that are looming large, but we cannot afford to fall asleep or be distracted now!

Trying to get through on the phone lines below...
Lori

From ParentalRights.org-------------------------

Dear Friend of Parental Rights,Monday in a Harlem middle school, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice told a group of 120 students that administration officials are actively discussing “when and how it might be possible to join” (that is, ratify) the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). As before, she also communicated what a disgrace it is that the U.S. would stand with only Somalia against such a widely-accepted treaty.

This is the first direct public statement by the Obama administration that it will seek ratification of the UN CRC.

In my 30 years of political involvement, I have learned to recognize this as what is called a “trial balloon.” Like in World War I trench warfare, our opponents have “sent up a balloon” to see if it will draw fire. If things remain quiet, they will proceed with their plans to push for ratification of the CRC in the U.S. Senate.

To discourage them from doing so, we need to make sure that our voices are heard with unmistakable clarity. We must let the Obama administration know that we oppose this anti-family, anti-American treaty.

Here’s what we need you all to do:

1. Call the White House comments line at 202-456-1111. Tell them you heard the administration wants to ratify the CRC, and you strongly oppose this giving away of U.S. sovereignty to the UN. Also keep in mind that this treaty gives the government jurisdiction to override any decision made by any parent if the government thinks that a better decision can be made—even if there is no proof of any harm.

2. Call Ambassador Susan Rice’s office at the United Nations. Tell her that you want her to represent the United States to the world rather than trying to get the United States to go along with international law initiated by the UN. Her office number is 212-415-4000.

3. Contact your Senators and urge them to oppose ratification of this treaty. (Find your Senators’ contact information by typing your zip code into the box here.) Ask them also to defeat it once and for all by cosponsoring SJRes 16 – the Parental Rights Amendment.It is very important that we speak up right now.

Please call before you close this email!
Sincerely,
Michael Farris

Friday, June 19, 2009

Sarah B on You Tube!!!

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to share this with you...

Another adoptive parent sent me the following link. It is video from the orphanage where Sarah Beth lived until we brought her home.

She is being held and fed right around the 1 min. 37 - 1 min. 45 second mark of the video, but do be sure to watch it all the way through. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nREUBmiRKQc&feature=related

Love, Lori

"Child's Rights" Forces Mobilize

Dear fellow Parents,
(Aunts and Uncles, Grandparents, and other's)
who care about the children of the United States,

I urge you to read the message from ParentalRights.org posted on my blog and become involved...

Our family supports this organization with both our time, communication efforts and money, and I would urge you to do so as well.Assisting in the fight for the rights of American children, and against "International Law",

The McGuire's
_____________________________________
Dear Supporter of Parental Rights,

Three major developments—all of them ominous—have occurred in the last several days.

1. On June 1 and 2, Georgetown University Law School hosted a two-day symposium entitled “The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC): Why It Is Time to Ratify.” This well-funded conference was held to organize a new coalition effort by American internationalists to seek ratification of the UN child’s rights treaty.

2. In the second week of June, a major study was released by the British education ministry calling for dramatically dangerous increases in the regulation of homeschoolers in that nation.

This study concludes that the UN CRC requires that the government enter every homeschooling home and privately interview each homeschooling child to determine “the child’s wishes” regarding his or her education.

3. On June 17, at the UN headquarters in Geneva, the UN’s Human Rights Committee—which oversees all human rights treaties—announced that it was forming a committee to draft a new “protocol” for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Under this new addition to the CRC, individual children would be able to file a formal legal complaint if they believe that their rights had been violated. It would give this new international tribunal the right to determine if the child’s treaty rights had been violated by any person.

The internationalists believe that this is their moment in history. They have millions of dollars in their coffers. They have the support of the media. They have the powers of government. They have the entire apparatus of the United Nations.

We have some assets as well.

Our arguments resonate with the American people—the vast majority of Americans believe that Americans should make our own domestic laws and that parents, not government, should make decisions for children.

Leaders at the Georgetown conference publicly admitted that logic and facts will not defeat our arguments. What do they plan to do?

They plan to use emotional arguments. They said so in open public sessions.

At the Georgetown conference, the UN officials and other foreign experts were constantly censored by their American handlers. Why? Because these foreign experts acknowledge that this treaty would be supreme over American law.

The American child’s rights propaganda machine denies that we would forfeit American sovereignty—even though they do not have the legal arguments to back their rhetoric. They did everything they could to silence their guest speakers when they strayed from the sanitized version of their message.

We are in a race. It is a race for the future of the American family and American self-government.

The question is: Will the lies of the internationalists be heard by more Americans than the truth of those who believe in families?

I wish that I could look each person reading this right in the eyes. It is incredibly difficult for written words to explain how serious this situation really is.

The real battle is being fought right now. Our opponents are preparing for a vote in the Senate sometime ahead—as soon as they feel they have laid the groundwork for victory.

Because the internationalists possess the reins of government, have millions of dollars at their disposal, and have powerful allies in the mainstream media, they can build momentum much faster than we are able to do.

We have to get our message out to others and we have to do it today.

I have been leading grassroots political efforts for over thirty years. Without any fear of contradiction, I can tell you that we are going to win or lose the battle over the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the next few months. The key to victory lies in the stage of preparation.

Will we have adequate preparation to win?

The annual budget of Parentalrights.org is less than $500,000. They have millions and millions of dollars at their disposal.

We must raise money right now to employ professionals who can help us get our message out in the media.

We must also raise money right now to employ experienced people to work the halls of Capitol Hill on our behalf.

I cannot do these things alone.

We have to have a quality team if we expect to stop the combined power of Geneva, New York, and Washington.

This is the time to decide whether you are willing to take meaningful action.

There are just two tangible things I would ask you to do.

1. Give a gift of $10 or more right now to parentalright.org (PRO). Membership in PRO is just $25 a year. Sustaining membership is just $100. We have to raise a substantial amount of cash or we simply cannot keep up.

2. Please recruit at least three other people to sign up for our online email alerts. We have over 100,000 people who are a part of this team. We need to get to 4,000,000 supporters before the battle starts. We have to dramatically pick-up the pace of recruiting people if we are going to have any hope of beating the other side in the greatest grassroots battle in American history. We need to be doubling our numbers every couple months to get our team in place.

You are the best recruiters we have. Please pick up your phone right now and call a friend and tell them that they need to read the email you are about to send them and that you really need them to become part of the team. This kind of personal attention will work.

In less than two years, American social workers may be in a position to inform all our children that if they have any conflict with their parents over any decisions at all then they can file a formal complaint in an American court to vindicate their international rights. And ultimately, once this new protocol is in place, if they don’t like the outcome from the American courts, there will be a new UN tribunal to hear their complaint.

Moms and dads, we have to get ready. The battle for American liberty is about to begin.
Michael Farris

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Quotes for the Day - from Elisabeth Elliot and C.H. Spurgeon

I wanted to share a couple of quotes that really "grabbed" me in the last 24 hours...

The first is from a book I am reading Discipline: The Glad Surrender by Elisabeth Elliot (the wife of the late missionary Jim Elliot killed in Ecuador by those he went to minister to).

"Discipline is the wholehearted yes to the call of God. When I know myself called, summoned, addressed, taken possession of, known, acted upon, I have heard the Master. I put myself gladly, fully,
and forever at His disposal, and to whatever He says my answer is yes."
Elisabeth Elliot
I pray that my life will reflect that I was always ready to, "Yes!" to my God in every area of my life.
The next came from a newsletter I received today from Lori Flem, author of Teach Magazine for homeschoolers. It is her "Spurgeon Speaks" quote...
"A thrifty housewife is better than a great income. A good wife and health are a man's best wealth."
From the writings of Charles H. Spurgeon, it is a good quote and a positive one to remember as we minister to the needs of our families and our husbands in our highest calling as their helpmeet.
Abandoned in my role as helper to my husband,
Lori

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

My Daughter's Death and the Sovereignty of God

A friend and member of the new church we are attending, and trying to help grow, lost his only daughter 9 years ago today. At the time he was a pastor of a Word of Faith church in the Clay/Trussville area. He has since come out of that doctrine and is attending a Baptist church and trying to renew (or de-program as he calls it) his mind to the full truth of God's Word. I grieve with him his loss today, but I am so thankful that he's come to know the truth of God's righteous, mighty and sovereign hand. His daughter did not die because her parents didn't confess the right things, speak the right words over her, pray in faith strongly enough, etc... and neither did mine.

Psalm 139:16 says, "Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."

I clung to the truth of this Word daily for years reminding myself that her days were in HIS hands, and understanding His deep love for me gave me great comfort that HIS ways were indeed always right, even when at times they are painful.

John shares his experience on his blog today, I invite you to read it at
http://junkerjorge1.blogspot.com/2009/06/my-daughters-death.html and to pray for them as they remember Jennifer today. You will be able to read my comments to him as well, once he them posted. I think she was around Anna's age when she died. That really brings it all back into perspective, if you know what I mean. You never "get over" it, it changes you permenantly. Life goes on, you laugh again, you learn to live - but the living is forever different. I would encourage you to read through some of his other posts if you or anyone you know is attending a Word of Faith church or in bondage to this type of belief system.

Hug your precious ones today, mend broken relationships if it is within your power to do so, love your family and friends deeply and freely, show them your heart so that they will truly know you for who you are.

We never know what tomorrow will bring, but one thing I am sure of - His grace is always sufficient,
Lori

Monday, June 15, 2009

Sign of Life... in our house

(This is a photo of our home during a little snow we enjoyed back earlier in the year.)
I don't know if you have ever experienced reading a quote, sign, piece of artwork, etc. that makes you say.... "That's Us!!!!"
Well, today, it happened to me,
in the middle of a Hallmark
store at the Galleria. I don't know who
the author of this piece
is so I can't give them credit. It will just have to
be listed as annonymous here.



This simple piece of artwork will be prominently posted in our girl's bath, with serves as our guest bathroom whenever we have company. So, without further ado, here's what it says:



In This Home ...

We do second chances.

We do grace.

We do real.

We do mistakes.

We do I'm sorry's.

We do loud really well.

We do hugs.

We do family.

We do love.

My very favorite line is that "we do loud really well" because that is the honest to God's truth!! We are a loud bunch when we get stirred up :O).

So, from our loud, loving, forgiving, apologizing, mistake making, real, grace filled,home of second chances to your's,

Lori




Christian Giving

This morning in church we heard a sermon on the needs of the church, the needy, and the poor and how our tithe can help to meet these needs. Many Christians today do not tithe regularly, or at all.

Yesterday, Todd emailed me the following statistics he'd noted while listening to a sermon by Dr. David Platt of The Church at Brookhills (www.Brookhills.org). He asked me to share them with those on my email list, so I am doing that, as well as sharing it with you - my blog readers. :O)
*************************************
Statistics From Dr. Platt.

It is estimated that 4.5 billion people are without Christ in the world today.
If we continue with our present Church trends this will never change.
There are an estimated 1 billion people today living in extreme poverty, 700 million people today living in slums, 500 million people starving today and 200 million children exploited today for labor.

A recent Stanford research project found that if every church member, in America alone, would give only ten percent of their income in only two years time the church, apart from any help from any other organization, could;
1) Eliminate global starvation and malnutrition.
2) Provide an education for every child on earth.
3) Provide universal access to clean water and sanitation worldwide.

IN ONLY TWO YEARS TIME!!!

************************************

Those are statistics that are hard to fathom, and yet impossible to ignore. It can become so overwhelming to think of the greatness of the need that we become paralyzed, and unable to do anything because we don't know what to do - or where to give.

As Todd and I rode home today we took some time to discuss a few scriptures that came to our minds.

1 Corinthians 4:2, "Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. " (also read Mark 12:41-43)

Whether you give $500.00 a week or $5.00 a week, is not the issue. The tithe is a matter of the heart. It is something we do in obedience, to provide for the needs of the body of Christ through our local church, and then others outside our faith family. The point is, we should be found faithful with whatever amount we decide we can do. Granted, the goal is a tenth, but I've been there in that place where a tenth couldn't be given. We continued to be faithful even on weeks when it was as little as $2.00.

The only area in which God encourages us to "test (or try) Him" is in Malichi 3:5-11. I understand the Old Testament was not written TO me (as a Gentile) but that it was written FOR me (as an example). So, I am always willing to search the Old Testament to help me in examining my life.

Malichi 3:5-11 says, " And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien— because they do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts. For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the LORD of hosts. “ But you said, ‘ In what way shall we return?’
“ Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘ In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts,

“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, says the LORD of hosts;

Within these verses, we find a lot of examples to look to:

1) You can trust God with your tithes and offerings, you owe it to Him.

2) God owns it all anyway, and you're only giving back what already belongs to Him. (Todd and I always remind ourselves to have the mindset that all of it belongs to the Lord, He is gracious enough to allow us to manage the other 90 percent. Which really is more like 70 percent once the government gets done with us. :O(

3) There is a "Devourer" that God will rebuke on your behalf, as you follow in obedience to His Word. Which logically leads to the conclusion that He will NOT rebuke the "devourer" on your behalf if you are not living in faithful obedience to His Word in this area. What does the devourer look like in your home - the car broke down, the taxes are due, the mortgage payment is late, the kids need new shoes, your air conditioner went out, etc.... You get the point. It could be anything, but it comes in droves, and gives you that feeling of "what else could possibly go wrong!"

As Believer's, God expects us to care for the needs of the widow and the orphan. (James 1:27)

There's so much more I could say about the Spiritual Discipline of the tithe,and yes I do believe it has spiritual implications. I don't believe in Word of Faith or Name it and Claim. I believe in obedience. Last, but certainly not least in my list of verses,

Luke 16:10-11

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?"

These verses in Luke have great spiritual implications. If you have learned the elemental principles in your relationship with Christ, be faithful in sharing those with the unbeliever and your brothers and sisters in Christ. When we are faithful in caring for God's Word, we will grow even more and be made to understand much greater truths. The same principal applies here with money of course, if the Lord can't trust you with $20,000 a year, He will not trust you with $50,000 a year. If He can't trust you with $50,000 a year, He will not trust you with $150,000 a year. Now don't go saying that I'm teaching prosperity through giving, because that is NOT the point here.

Some of you will read this and really get it, others of you may be scratching your heads in wonder, hmmmm, "what does all this mean?"

Everyone is very MONEY sensitive right now because of the economy. I'd love to recommend several authors whose writings have helped us tremendously in growing in our understanding of God's Word and how it speaks to the issues of money.

Resources: Howard Dayton - The Crown Money Map and other books. Anything by Dave Ramsey or Larry Burkett. All of these have websites with information available on them to help you get started too.

Don't delay, your financial and spiritual health are worth a good study of what God's Word says about Christian giving.

Todd's final words to you are these -

I pray every Christian in America will bring glory and honor to God through giving!!!

Amen, and Amen... Todd and Lori McGuire

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Cool Water and a Little Sunshine...

We bought the girls a small round above ground pool on sale at Academy last weekend... it took Todd two tries to get it just right. It's strange how an area can look really level, and then be out by three inches. Three inches was NOT going to be good enough for him. It had to be perfect. So, a couple of landscape timbers, and loads of dirt hauled with the backhoe and we had a "near perfect" spot to fill it up for a swim.

It's amazing what a little water and some sunshine can do for a couple of kids!!

Anna has always enjoyed playing in a pool, although she's never really had much of an active participant to play with. I really never wanted to get in because the water was always SO cold. This year, we purchased a solar cover, wow what a difference a large piece of plastic - that looks like a big sheet of bubble wrap - can make!!

So the girls and I enjoyed a nice day in a pool of comfortable water!! We had such a great time together, just my girls and I. Sarah loved hanging out with her new fisheys. Anna had a great time playing with her baby sister. I enjoyed the laughter and fun we had together.

That day was followed by another with a friend who came to swim. Another day of fun in the pool. We will definately get our money's worth out of this little thing!!!

Enjoy the pictures.
Abiding in His grace,
Lori

Friday, June 12, 2009

Misunderstood

I'm writing today to just say "hi" to anyone who might pass by my blog today.

For the last three days I have felt like one of the most misunderstood people on the planet. I don't know if other people ever have those days, or if it's something psychologically unique to me, but it doesn't feel very good. In fact it makes me feel grieved and sad.

I suppose that Jesus must have felt this way many times as He tried to share the things of the Spirit to those who could not understand. His experience was certainly much more frustrating and grieving than mine. He gave His all, He did THE BEST, He loved with an unwaivering love.

Do you ever try to do the right thing, only to be made to feel it is the wrong thing? Do you ever make decisions that you know no one else is going to understand, but know that you must make them? Do you ever feel as if others judge you - and you're not measuring up - even when they don't even have an accurate measuring stick?

Well, that's how I'm feeling today.
Seeking His grace for the moment.
Lori

Friday, June 5, 2009

Loving Your Children God's Way; and God's calling from Titus 2 - Part 3 - A Devotional

This is Part 3 and I promise the final part to what I began two days ago... :O)

These final verses I share just because they are good tips for you ladies in your roles as wives and mothers...

These verses are just a wonderful reminder that His ways are not our ways, it's His ways we should follow, not our own thoughts, feelings or inclinations: (and Sisters - this is the hard part)!!

Proverbs 3:5&6, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

Proverbs 14:12, " There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."

Proverbs 9:10, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

Isaiah 55:7-9, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. 'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.' "

Be discreet when admonishing your children, Proverbs 11:22, "As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a lovely woman who lacks discretion." Get yourself a life size picture of that in your mind. A woman who is without discretion is as ridiculous as a swine with a gold ring in her snout. Not a pretty picture.

At the same time, we must be balanced in our approach. We cannot be so overly concerned with "embarrassing" our child, that we do not handle problems when it is necessary. Proverbs 27:5, "Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed."

Build! Build! Build! Be wise in the building up of your household. Proverbs 14:1 "The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands. Don't spend your life tearing down your children and your husband, build up one another in love. Don't nag, point out faults, and discourage them, build, build, build!!!

Be loving and gentle and speak wisdom to your children and your husband. Proverbs 15:1-3, "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good." and Proverbs 31:10; 26-27 "Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness."

As for the particulars to your role as Christian wives, you will enjoy reading these further scriptures on your own - Proverbs 31:10-31; 1 Peter 3:1-4; and Titus 2:3-5.

I hope you've enjoyed this series of posts, that they have ministered God's Word to your heart, and that they have been an encouragement to you in your roles as wives and mothers. And may God grant you the fruit of your hands as you work to please Him. Proverbs 31:30-31, "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates." They've been a fantastic "refresher" course for me.



In His Grace, and for His glory,

Lori

Loving Your Children God's Way, and God's calling of Titus 2 - Part 2 - A Devotional

Today is Part 2 of what I started yesterday, a past letter to a friend struggling with her parenting role and her relationship with Christ. (But it looks like I'll be having a Part 3, I found another page of what I shared with her that day.)

Proverbs 27:19, "As in water face reflects face, so a man’s heart reveals the man." People, be they children or adults, cannot hide their heart for long. Eventually it comes out and you see it for the ugly wretched thing that it is.
Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." I used to make the mistake of telling people they just had to "follow the leading of their heart". Then God showed this scripture to me and revealed just how desparetly wicked we really could be. Now I say, "Don't follow your heart!!! It's a lying, scheming, coniving thing that wants to convice you that whatever it is you want to do is the right thing to do!! No, my sisters and brothers, DO NOT follow your heart, follow God's Word!!!

The beginning of Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." Remember that when you discipline your children, your discipline is to bring about fruits of righteousness, a heart that is aware of its need for God. Hebrews 12:11, "Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."

The issues of disobedience, rebellion, disrepect, etc... are not matters in need of a psychologist or their opinions and techniques, but those in need of a God full of grace who wants to change their hearts. It is a matter of the heart, and only God changes hearts. In a child's life, we - the parent's - are God's instruments, but He alone can do the work within.

Jeremiah 24:7 says, " Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart." This is indeed our greatest desire for our children, that God would indeed give them a heart to know Him.

Resting in His Sovereign will for my children,
Lori

Loving Your Children God's Way; and God's calling from Titus 2 - Part 1 - A Devotional

Hi Everyone:

I take very seriously God's call for the "older women to teach the younger women" as it relates to their husbands and children, homemaking, and the like. As a result, I have read dozens of books, and studied God's Word extensively as it relates to my life as HIS daughter, my husband's wife - and sister in Christ, and the mother of my children. Listed at the bottom of this post will be some of my personal favorites.

I was cleaning out some things near an old computer we used to have and found the following notes I'd made for a friend. She'd called me at her wit's end about her oldest child (she has 3). She was on her way back from dropping her off at school and an apparent battle had ensued between the two beforehand. Here's what I shared with her, and with you all now...

The following verses are critical to our understanding of our role as parents, and mothers in particular. I like the teachings of Lorrie Flem, who always begins with, something like this - I'm here to teach under the authority of my husband and my God. I do not desire to teach the men, as that is not my place. So, men, if you are reading this is encouragement for your wives, as you support them in their role as your helpmeet and the mother to your children. I share her sentiments.

So here I will share some scripture and a few thoughts as I've pondered them over the years.
Proverbs 13:24 "He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly." To me this just reminds me that a swift dealing with behavior is God's best course of action for us. Don't let it go on, don't let it fester, don't let it grow resentment or frustration in your heart or theirs. Discipline them swiftly and justly. This is one thing I'm definitely doing differently with my 2 year old than I did when my oldest (12 year old) was that age. Fits, tantrums, crying when she doesn't get what she wants - all of these things are met with an immediate and swift swat on the diapered behind and she's told to, "Hush!' With the first one, I tried the psychologist way of doing things and "ignored the bad behavior - trust me, it doesn't work - it only gets worse with age.

Proverbs 14:1 "The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands." I'd like to be able to say that this is self-explanatory, but I can't tell you how many Christian women I see doing this very thing. While clinging to the ways of the "world", and refusing to follow and embrace the VERY IMPORTANT roll God has given them, they lose much joy which is found only in losing your life for His purposes.

Proverbs 19:18, "Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction." Again, common sense should tell you that the earlier you start to train their hearts the better, and the easier! We should not sit back and wait on the Lord to impose punishment on them when we should be doing it ourselves. And I hope that it goes without saying that we should never glory in the destruction of our children because they "just wouldn't listen". They don't need to hear, "I told you so!" Instead they need us to beg and plead with them from our hearts to come to and follow the ways of Christ.

Provers 20:11, "Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right." I must warn you that this is a particular peeve of mine. :O) Just because your child may have gone to Vacation Bible School, or Church Camp, or whatever and had some sort of "spiritual experience" does not mean they are born again!!! Read their behavior, then you will know if their hearts have indeed truly been changed. The danger here is that we may sit back idle, thinking - "well he got saved at VBS." Dangerous, dangerous, dangerous!!!

Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." As I've studied over the years, I have come across many resources that indicate that the literal translation here is "In the way he should go, or according to his bent." I have not personally studied the Hebrew text, so I'm going to have to take their word on that, and proceed with caution in my thoughts. This is an indication that because all of our children will have different personalities, character traits, interests and callings from God that we MUST seek God's wisdom for the best means of disciplining each one individually. The way you deal with each child will and should be different, because God has made each one of them different. That is not unfair or unjust, it is wise.

Proverbs 22:15, "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him." You needn't be around a child very long before the foolishness will rear its ugly head! Do everything within your power to drive it from their hearts while they are still in your care. Remember that ultimately we aren't raising children, we're raising adults and if the behavior/or poor character trait would not be appropriate for an adult, it's not appropriate for your child. (Examples: whining, complaining, arguing, begging, disobeying authority, disrespect, etc...) Drive it out with consistent correction.

Proverbs 23:13-14, "Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell." I most certainly do not advocate beating our children, although I do believe an occasional trip to the "woodshed" is warranted with most children at some point in time, but I don't think that is the point of this scripture. The point here I think is, that we must be swift to correct them, and be serious with our tone when we do it. They are in sin against their God, rebellion against their Maker, and THAT IS SERIOUS!! Do the right thing, so that you may have hopes that you have done everything within your power to delive their soul from hell."

Proverbs 29:15;17 "The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul." This parenting gig is hard work!!! But, by being willing to do the hard work in the lives of our children, we ultimately bring peace and rest. We want our children to be a delight, not a terror, and it really begins and ends with us. Do not allow behavior at 2 that you wouldn't want to see again at 10, 12, 16, or 40!

So, this is the first part of the thoughts I shared with this friend, and now with you, my online friends. I will complete part two for tomorrow.

Would love to hear your comments, thoughts, wisdom or insights. Please feel free to leave a comment.

Abiding in His Grace, and walking this parenting road alongside - though a little ahead of some - of you.
Lori (Don't forget to scroll down for the booklist.)

My favorites include:
The Excellent Wife and
Becoming a Titus 2 Woman both authored by Martha Peace (these 2 especially are tough "meaty" reads, but highly recommended) Passionate Housewives - Desperate for God - by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald
Shepherding A Child's Heart - by Tedd Tripp
The Mission of Motherhood - by Sally Clarkson
Created to be His Helpmeet - Discover How God Can Make Your Marriage Glorious - by Debi Pearl (I do not agree with everything she and her husband teach in other books, but this was a good sound book.
Most recently I'm reading The Measure of a Woman - by Gene and Elaine Getz.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Parental Rights Threatened by International Laws

Dear Friends:

Please take the time to read the following message from ParentalRights.org. For those of you who homeschool, and already know about this through HSLDA, I apologize for the repitition of information. However, I know that those of you already aware understand the gravity of this situation.

It is imperative that all parents be aware of the international parental law that is at work behind the scenes, and that we contact our appropriate representatives in our states regarding the support of the Parental Rights Ammendment. We do not want our children (those of the United States) to become subject to International laws that will undermine our ability to parent our children as we deem appropriate.

God's blessings on you and your's,
Lori McGuire

____Message from ParentalRights.org____

A parent’s right to raise their children as they see fit is a time-honored American tradition, but today it is being threatened. The Supreme Court’s Troxel v. Granville decision in 2000 undermined a 75-year heritage of Constitutionally-protected, fundamental parental rights, which 8 of the 9 justices abandoned. At the same time, a growing body of international law fuels activist judges to legislate foreign standards from the American bench, while treaties such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child would subject parental decisions to government oversight and international review.

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (MI-2) has proposed HJR-42, the Parental Rights Amendment, to stop the erosion of parental rights in American courts while simultaneously defending our laws from international invasion. Please, visit
parentalrights.org to learn more about the Amendment, and to join their email network by signing the petition to protect parental rights.