Mama Wars....the Good and Bad {part 1}

I'm going to write about something that's been on my mind and heart a lot lately. Hopefully it will come out as well in words as it has in my thoughts so that it can help someone else! We've all heard about "mama wars" over various subjects and just to be honest I think most of it is silly, immature bickering that everyone needs to stop making such a big deal over. Notice I said most of it, which means I obviously do think there are some things worth fighting for. Now I also think there's a right and wrong way to go about it, but still some things do require a battle. It's just part of the world we live in due to sin and our human nature. Before I get into what I think we should be warring over though (which will probably be in part 2), I'm going to share a few things that I don't feel are appropriate or worthy battle grounds. So here goes....

~ What you feed your kids, when you feed your kids, how you feed your kids, etc. Now don't get me wrong, I have very strong opinions on these things for my own family; partly because I've had to. And there are tons of stuff out there that I think is pure junk and shouldn't be given to anyone! BUT if your idea of what's best (or what you can afford) is different from mine and it works for you (or even if it doesn't!) then it really isn't any of my business. I will gladly share my thoughts if asked but until I am any of them expressed are just my own opinions and lifestyle and in no way meant to induce feelings of guilt or inferiority in anyone.

~ To vaccinate or not vaccinate, ah...that is a HUGE question these days, right?! But once again as stated above, one that although I hold very strong opinions on myself is in no way what I think should be required of everyone. I love researching things and prayerfully considering what's best for our family and I think everyone should be doing that, but giving or not giving shots once again just isn't a decision anyone can make for someone else. Now I will GLADLY tell you what I found out in some of that research and may even secretly hope it changes your mind since I think most vaccines are horrible (just keepin' it real!) but I will also fully respect if it doesn't. And furthermore just keep my mouth shut if not asked to share. No warring here, mkay?

~ Natural childbirth vs medicated, breastfeeding vs bottle, birth control vs not preventing (unless it's abortive of course and then I'll probably be pretty outspoken about it), natural medicines vs conventional, homeschool or private, Christian school (no I don't really consider public school a valid option, even though I still wouldn't tell you that if you choose it unless you specifically ask me), debt-free vs credit cards, and any other number of similar, personal choices that a husband and wife make for themselves!

Seriously, this list could go on for a while since there really are a LOT of these kind of issues that just aren't something that can or should be decided on by anyone else but you in your own way (hopefully by prayer and scripture for most of them!) and for your own reasons. I guess that gives an idea of what I mean when I say most of the typical things that trigger "wars" are just pointless though. Now that we have that part out there I'm going to be sharing what for me are some things worth fighting for. Ones that I feel like God has really placed on my heart, especially recently, for a reason. And I'm praying that it may just help some of you join the battle as well! Until then what are your thoughts on this subject? I'd love to hear them!

                                                                    Tyra

*linked up here at The Modest Mom blog*

(ps. I should have added that I do often share things on my personal FB page or here that I'm rather passionate about......some that may not be exactly right for others and some that should be important to everyone! My giving out info there or on the blog isn't always meant to change minds or disagree with others but may just be part of me being me. But then again I read stuff all the time that helps me better myself in many ways and I think that's a good thing so there may always be a reason for what I share that can help someone else!)

An Article on Modesty

This is a subject that has been on my mind and heart a lot recently. I'm working on a couple of posts with my own thoughts about it  and other things that go along with it but in the mean time I ran across this article and wanted to share. I feel like it does a very good job of scripturally explaining what God has to say about nakedness and modesty. When we go back to the Bible and really look at what His word says, it's a little hard to argue against it regardless of what our own opinions might want to be! Hopefully this will be an encouragement for someone reading, to seek the Holy Spirit over what is truly Godly modesty in these days and make changes in our attire if it doesn't line up with His standards.

 

 

                                                           Nakedness and Modesty

As taxes and death come to us with proverbial certainty, so too does immodesty with the summer season. As the temperature heats up, the world strips down; and all too often the church follows the world in its scantily-clad ways. Though the Bible demands we clothe ourselves in "modest apparel" (I Tim. 2:9), some view the issue from a subjective view which relegates "modesty" to the way one "feels" about the subject. This sentiment destroys any real meaning to the term and makes God nothing but a babbler.

To come to any real understanding on any biblical subject, one must study the passages of the Bible which deal with that specific subject. Modesty should likewise be studied in all of the passages in which God reveals His will on the subject. Modesty, which means "orderly," is closely related to the term "naked." If one is naked and in public view, one certainly is not modest. To be naked is obviously to be improperly clothed and hence, immodest (Rev. 3:18). However, nakedness not only refers to total nudity, but sometimes refers to one who simply is not clothed properly. This definition is utilized in James 2:15, where a brother was "naked," though certainly not nude. John 21:7 records Peter girding his fisher's coat and casting himself into the Sea of Galilee because he was "naked." The word "naked" translated from the Greek gumnos can mean "clad in the undergarment only (the outer garment or the cloak being laid aside)." Peter had taken his outer garment off to fish, which left Peter only with his undergarment. This was fine in the presence of other men, but in coming to shore and meeting the Lord, Peter clothed himself. Peter was naked because certain parts of his body were exposed that were considered naked by the Jews and God himself.

Nakedness, clearly condemned in both Testaments, is spoken about first in the garden of Eden. There Adam and Eve became aware of their nakedness after the eating of the forbidden tree and fashioned themselves aprons of fig leaves to cover themselves. It was after this that they heard the Lord's voice call to Adam in the cool of the day. Recorded in Genesis 3:10 is Adam's response: "And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked: and I hid myself." It must be noted that after Adam made his covering, he still considered himself naked. The Lord confirmed Adam's words in the next verse, saying "Who told thee that thou wast naked?" (Gen. 3:11). Adam had covered the bare essentials and still needed to be properly clothed, as the Lord made for them "coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21). The aprons, from the Hebrew chagora were loin cloths or hip clothing that covered what the modern swim suit would cover. God then clothed them with "coats of skins" which implies they were not adequately or decently clothed with only their aprons. This garment, according to the Hebrew word kethoneth, was a long shirt-like garment that covered from their shoulders to the knee. This was God's definition of being clothed.

To corroborate this standard, the Bible reveals to us that when the thigh was left uncovered, God considered one's nakedness exposed. In Exodus 28:42, the priests, while serving above the people, were told to "make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs shall they reach." "From...even unto..." is a common Hebrew idiom in the Old Testament. It is from the Hebrew words min. . .veh ad. It means that both classes of objects and all that lies between them are included in the pronouncement. In the King James Version, this expression is sometimes translated literally ("from...even unto") as in Exodus 28:42, while in other passages it is translated idiomatically ("both...and") as in Genesis 19:4. In spite of this difference, the idea of inclusion is the same. Similarly, "from the least of them even unto the greatest of them" and "from the prophet even unto the priest" (Jer. 6:13) clearly cover both classes. Thus, "from the loins even unto the thighs" means that both parts are to be clothed. God instructed that in addition to the outer "coat" (Exod. 28:40), undergarments that went from the loins (hips) to the thighs (literally, to the rounding of the thigh) were also to be worn. God viewed the non-compliance of this act very seriously because in the next verse He said, "that they bear not iniquity and die" (Exod. 28:43). The outward coat of the priest normally covered the thigh, but God was also concerned with the different positions the priests might find themselves in while serving.

The same standard is applied to women in Isaiah 47:2-3. There the prophet declared that the Babylonians would flee as a daughter would flee the land and cross the rivers in exile. Isaiah said, "uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen." Isaiah speaks about the leg being bare and the thigh uncovered. Since the foot and lower part of the leg were exposed with common dress, the woman's nakedness was shown in the revealing of her thigh. In picking up her dress to "pass over the rivers" her thigh would be shown, and consequently, her nakedness would be uncovered.

The upper torso was also included in God's standard of modesty. John 21:7 depicts Peter without an outer garment. As Adam was naked with only his loins covered, so too Peter is also labeled naked, having on only his undergarment. Moulton's Greek Lexicon has the following comment on the Greek word gumnos which is translated "naked" in the New Testament: "...without clothing (Mark 14:51-52); without the upper garment and clad only with an inner garment or tunic (John 21:7); poorly or meanly clad." Thayer's lexicon in commenting on John 21:7 says, "clad in the undergarment only." When the upper torso of a man was fully exposed the word "naked" describes how the Scriptures view him. Incidentally, outside of natural revelation, there is no substantive difference between how much a man's body should be covered and that of a woman. Both sexes need to be "clothed." The word "clothed" means literally "to be thrown around." Since the garden of Eden, God willed both sexes to be clothed, which included the upper torso and the hip and thigh area as well.

This standard might seem too conservative for some, yet God has always been radically more conservative than the world's sentiments. It has only been over the last generation that the standards of the world have become so lax that even the most immodest clothing is now viewed as acceptable and even normal. If the standard of modesty is only relative, then the ultimate determination of what is modest and what is not modest resides totally within one's own heart and nowhere else. Yet, Jeremiah said, "Oh Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer. 10:23). God did not leave the subject of modesty in the subjective arena of whims and preferences, but it is to be found in the objective venue of the authoritative word of God, "which hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (II Pet. 1:3).

—Holger W. Neubauer

(linked to the Modest Monday post. Click here to read it and other blogs on similiar subjects) 

 

Meeting Me {a getting to know you post & link-up}

Thought it would be fun to share a few things about myself here on the blog AND then let you write and link up your own posts so we can get to know each other better! The linky and instructions will be at the bottom of this post but for now sit back and enjoy learning a little more about me! These are just some random facts in no apparent order:

~ I'm in my 30's now.....which still feels weird to say.

~ Been married almost 11 years (this month) and have 4 kids.

~ Was homeschooled all my life and now get to homeschool my own kiddos. Wouldn't trade either experience for anything!

~ Preacher's wife, daughter, and granddaughter. I guess it must be in my blood or something! :-)

~ Struggle with chronic health problems that often make every day tasks seem impossible and overwhelming.

~ Started reading when I was 4 and have loved it ever since! Books are a huge weakness/strength of mine.

~ We are a family with crazy, weird, multiple allergies and sensitivities. It's always a challenge trying to keep up with it all, as well as just deal with how it makes us feel.

~ Love just about any and all things natural whether it be food, medicines, cleaning supplies or whatever!

~ I have changed my last name twice since getting married. To the same man. (loooong story!)

~ I play the piano. Would like to learn violin but just haven't gotten around to it. Yet.

~ Had 1 medicated birth and 3 all natural  births and would definitely prefer the pain over the reactions to the meds any day.

~ Music and singing is one of my favorite things in life. God has used songs so many times to speak to my heart and also allow me to worship/praise Him. Thankful it's something I can share with my family as well.

~ Before I met Blake I prayed specifically for God to send me a husband with dark hair. (among lots of other things, of course) And He did! :-)

~ On our wedding day I was really sick and had to take medicine which made me sleepy. When the video zooms in on my face I look like a zombie with a dry mouth. Ha! The upside? I was so out of it I didn't even feel nervous or cry. The worst downside? Trying to sing with that dry medicine mouth. Fun times.

~ Have had depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and other emotional issues off and on for years. And it. is. hard. BUT I've learned that God's grace truly is sufficient. Even if I can't see it in the middle of the darkness, I can always look back and realize just how much it was there.

~ Took horse riding lessons at a local equestrian center when I was a teenager and now my 7 yr old just started taking there as well. With the same teacher and horses I had! So neat.

~ We went to an "out of the way" resort in Jamaica for our honeymoon. And there were honestly a couple of times I didn't think we would make it out alive! Privacy is great, but a little too much local culture for our taste. (think marijuana and machetes. ah!)

~ I always wear skirts or dresses of some kind. (except for my pjs/lounge pants around the house:) Trying to teach our girls that being feminine and modest, while still dressing cute, is way more important and pleasing to God than fitting in with worldly styles.

~ I love the beach and would probably choose to live there if I could. (an added bonus is it's always great for my allergies!)

~ I believe that God exists, created everything including man in 6 days, that first man sinned thereby condemning us all to death, then God's Son, Jesus, came to the earth to live a sinless life, died a cruel death on the cross in our place, miraculously rose from the grave in 3 days, and is now in Heaven making intercession to the Father for us.

~ I also KNOW that the Holy Spirit showed me as a 10 year old girl that I was a sinner and that I needed to ask His forgiveness and trust Him to save me. I'll never forget the relief I felt after bowing in that alter to pray! I'm more thankful than I can say for God's grace in my life. Every. single. day.

Well, I could go on and on but I think I'll just leave it at that for now! If you want to know anything else feel free to ask in the comments. :-)

Now for the link-up fun! Just write your own blog post with a little something about yourself in it and enter the info in the linky below. Easy-peasy, right?! (oh, and if you could link back to this post  on the blog that would be great too!) If you don't have a blog you can just leave a fun fact about you in the comments so we can still get to know each other better. Can't wait to "meet" you all!!


                                                           Tyra

The Best "Things" in Life

Sweetest thing ever is when your 20 month old says, "Momma, baby read Bible."  and then lays on the couch like this while she pretends to do just that. My heart is so thankful to be blessed with copies of God's Word and that I have the amazing privilage of sharing it with my children! May I never take it for granted and always seek to instill a love of it in their little hearts by them seeing me feel that way about it myself. Here's a picture of the sweetness for ya'll to enjoy as well....

"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 3:15

Tyra

Why Should He Bless Us?

So much has been on my heart lately about our country, families, and just the shape everything has gotten into in the past few years. Celebrating the 4th last week was bittersweet in so many ways since it's hard to be thankful for America being my home but at the same time see it turn into a place I almost don't recognize anymore. Not to mention thinking about my children growing up in a nation that is quickly choosing to turn away from the God that made us what we are today!

My mom reminded me of a song the other day that I had heard a few years ago but not thought about recently. The verses speak about the laws being made to take prayer out of schools and allowing abortion to be legal, but the chorus is even more fitting to society as a whole.....

Why should God bless America?
She's forgotten He exists.
And has turned her back on
everything that's made her what she is.
Why should God stand beside her,
through the night, with the light
from His hand?
God have mercy on America,
forgive our sins and heal our land!

As I sang those words to myself the past few days my heart broke even more to realize that there is swiftly becoming no reason why God should or even will bless us due to all the sin we've allowed to be so prevalent in our lives. And the saddest part is realizing that the main problem doesn't really lie with who our president is or those who have passed such awful, ungodly laws. The main problem is with us as Christians who have just set back and allowed it to happen, while we enjoy having our flesh entertained by worldly things, learn how to fit in so that our lives aren't so hard, condone rather than condemn sin, and mistakenly think we don't need to judge in order to not seem legalistic. In other words, we've chosen the easy way out rather than standing up for what's right......and now we, and especially our children, are paying for it.

So where does that leave us? Is that really the end of the story and now we just wait for God's judgement to fall on this wicked nation and even ourselves? Some may say yes, but I'm not totally sure that I agree. We watched the movie Monumental yesterday that was recently made by Kirk Cameron and it definitely gave me alot more to think about. (if you haven't seen it yet I highly recommend that you go out and buy it!) Even before then though while searching my heart after being so discouraged over the way things are, there was a well known scripture that kept coming to mind and it seemed to just resonate with me even more last night and this morning.

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 hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land. 2Chronicles 7:14

I'm sure this is a verse that we all know, but I wonder how often we truly think about what it actually says. And most importantly put it into practice!! I know for myself that I am sometimes the worst at seeing what needs to be done about something, but so often failing to be the one who steps up to do it. What I feel like the Lord keeps reminding me of is that this scripture is to me, you, all of those who are His. Not the ones out in the world that don't even know Him. It's my wicked ways, the one who claims to be His child, that needs to be turned from; I'm the one who needs to be seeking His face and praying for our land. Oh, that I would be willing to humble myself more and let go of more selfish, worldly pursuits to do just that. For the sake of my family, our nation, and their future.

Because I truly believe that if enough of God's people would be willing to admit what we've become, truly give up our sinfulness, and get back to just seeking Him, He will still keep His promises. Yes, there will eventually still be judgement on this world and yes, things will probably never totally be better with so many choosing to live in sin. But who knows what a difference we could make until then?! And isn't that all that should matter? I would love nothing more than for my children to see true revival, even on a small scale compared to those in the past, and know that it started with me praying and seeking God.

There's a quote by DL Moody that I think of often and have been feeling convicted of lately that we've failed to put into practice. Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure. Another one that I think is fitting as well says, No one is a firmer believer in the power of prayer than the devil. Not that he practices it, but that he suffers from it. I truly believe this is why he works so hard to hinder us from praying and seeking God, because he knows the truth that we so often seem to easily forget. Prayer does change things. There's a reason why the Bible says that the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. How amazing could the outcome be if we put into practice the verse in Chronicles about turning from our wicked ways and then follow that with a fervent seeking of God in prayer?!

My hope today is that I wouldn't just write this in a blog post and then go on my merry way. That I will be burdened, convicted, and challenged by these words enough to truly make some changes in my life. To fall on my face before the Lord, seek His help, and find out what He wants from us. Won't you please join me in this today? It could just possibly be the beginnings of something greater than we can even imagine. Because He never fails to do what He said He would when we do our part as well.

Homeschooling Stuff

I don't post very often about homeschooling on here, which is something I may try to change in the future. And since I had some thoughts on my mind about that subject at the moment I figured now would be a good time to start! :-)

We are almost done with this school year as far as days go, although we do have some more work in a few books that I want to finish up this summer as well so that we can start with some different things for the next year. I'm a little torn over what I want to try for the next grades just to be honest. We did some unit studies at the beginning of this past year but while we liked some things about it there were others that we didn't. We then ended up doing some Abeka and Bob Jones books in a few subjects which is what we are working to finish up now. I'm also still doing some of the upper level Sing, Spell, Read and Write with Delancey and she has caught on so amazingly well with her reading just recently. Due to various reasons it has taken her longer to pick up on stuff than it did with Dathan but knowing that every child is different I wasn't all that concerned about it really. I'm so thankful to have a homeschooling background that I believe enables me to be more easy going with things and willing to just go with the flow while the kids are young. They will get it when they get it and pushing too hard or worrying about it is just pointless I think.

Back to the question of what curriculum to use this next year though. Knowing that we'll be adding a new baby in the mix come August or September makes it even harder to decide what direction would be best to go in for everyone. I'll have a 4th and 2nd grader to teach plus an almost 2 year old and newborn to deal with at the same time! And since my 8 (he'll be turning 9 in August) year old and 7 year old seem to learn in different ways and even like different subjects that makes it a little hard to school together really. Any thoughts, advice, or suggestions would be appreciated in this area!

To be honest, academics isn't really my highest priority when it comes to schooling my kids or the main reason we choose to keep them at home. (gasp!) I'm not saying there's anything wrong with learning or that we will hold them back if they have the desire to advance as far as they are able, but it's just not where I want to put the most importance. Especially while they are little. I'd much rather see them learn how to become Godly young men and women who use their lives for His glory rather than get caught up in a certain career or worry so much about what they know or can accomplish in life in other ways. That being said, I think a certain amount of learning is good and beneficial to everyone, regardless of their goals in life so that is what I want to be able to help them with as they grow up. Not to mention that they both happen to be smart, little boogers who love to learn (about the stuff they're interested in anyway! lol) and I want to encourage them in that the best way I can. :-)

So anyway there's a few thoughts about homeschooling I had at the moment. I'm sure there will be more to come in the future! For now though if you have anything to share with me pertaining to this subject I would love to hear from you. Until next time....

                                           Tyra

p.s. I am linking this post up to The Modest Mom blog but seem to be having trouble with buttons recently so just click on the name above to visit her site! Thanks! 

Some Things I Really Want

It's not.....

~ all the stylish, new clothes and jewelry I see on Pinterest that I really don't even have a need for.

~ the pretty hairstyles that might look great on someone else but I will probably never be able to achieve on my own hair.

~ a bigger, better, (cleaner?) house, newer car, or more gadgets and toys for us or the kids.

~ a perfect body that looks great in (or out?) of clothes. (which after four kids and multiple health problems is really impossible for me anyway!)

~ to seek after more carnal pursuits (like ungodly,worldly movies, music, or other entertainments) that only satisfy the flesh momentarily but leave your soul feeling empty and 'vex your righteous spirit'.

~ to be popular or accepted by those around us or have to let down certain standards in order to fit in and have more friends.

But it is.....

~To be a woman who is content with just trying to be the best Christian, wife, and mother I can be. (1 Ti. 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain.)

~ To focus more on who I am on the inside than what I look like outwardly. To treat others around me well and show my kids that attitudes of the heart are what's really most important. (1 Ti. 2:9-10 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shame-facedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh a woman professing godliness) with good works. Prov. 31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.)

~ To realize even more that being commended by the Lord for how we live is a far greater achievement and blessing than to be liked or approved of by others.....and to rest in the fact that no matter how many don't understand the decisions we make or choose to turn against us, He is the one we're trying to serve and please. (Luke 6:22-23a Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall seperate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice you in that day, and leap for joy; for great is your reward in heaven.)

~ To remember how important the battle we are in against satan is. And that no matter how tired I get some days of trying to do the right thing or be less like the world, I can't give up. Even if so many around us seem to be. Not only for my own sake, but the sake of my marriage, children, and others who don't know the Lord! (2 Ti. 2:3-4 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2 Thes. 3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.) 

Yes, these are the things that the Lord has been speaking to my heart about lately. And ones I've realized that I truly want more than anything, even though they might be hard. Because they are the things that really matter in the end and will count for eternity. I'm praying that He'll help me to not only want them, but work for them as well! I don't want to just be a hearer of His word, but a doer also.

(Just to be clear, some of the things I named above that I don't want may not all be bad in and of themselves, but are just things that can become too important and turn into wrong if we focus too much on them I think. And again this is stuff the Lord's been showing me personally that I felt like sharing! Not intended for any other specific purpose.)