A Dark Day

Today was a dark day in my life. Although it started well. I went to have coffee with a friend, something I was very much looking forward to. And then it happened. When we went to order, I insisted on paying. So far, so good. I thought. And then it happened. The cashier gave me a senior discount. I couldn't believe it! Me a senior discount!

Do I look like a senior?

Well tomorrow I guess I'll go look for a coffin.

By the way, have you noticed how young all the cashiers look these days?

Natasha's First Birthday

Friday is Natasha's first Birthday. But T.J. and Rachel will be in Illinois, so yesterday we went over to their house to celebrate her birthday. Time went by fast. I can hardly believe she is one year old.

That face is so cute!
Waiting patiently while everybody sings to her.
And she really wants her piece of cake.

It's funny how she and Allen are so different. Allen couldn't and still can't stand getting messy. But Natasha loves making a mess! And getting in it too.

Now it's time to open the gifts.

She got board with opening them............
Until it came to the baby doll.
I think Grandma made a good choice on what to get her. She really likes it.

And then she got to try on the dresses. Well it may have been fun for us, but it wasn't fun for her.

What I think of Veggie Tales

Everybody likes Veggie Tales because It's funny Bible stories for kids. But really it's hardly a Bible story because it's so watered down. What it really is, is a story taken out of the Bible with a lot of the good stuff taken out and chopped up. Then throw the story, some funny looking vegetables, and some stupid little jokes in a blender and blend it up really good and you have Veggie Tales.

My older sister Johanna says that it has been genetically modified and all the nutrients taken out.

(By the way, I don't like Veggie Tales.)

What the Boys Have Been Doing

This is what Jordon, Levi, and Boaz have been up to. We have a little patch of trees in our pasture and the they have been cleaning it up. They have been driving the tractor out there and hooking the old fallen logs up to it with a chain and dragging them to the wood pile. Then cutting them up with the chainsaw and splitting them in smaller peaces.

Sorry, I don't have picture of them on the tractor.

Another Reason Not To Send Children To Public School

Here's another reason not to send your children to public school.

Be Warned. It contains objectionable material!

go to this link:

http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2009/12/22_The_Continuing_Collapse__December_2009.html

"Schooling" Children

Yesterday I went through the drive up window of the bank. I had 2 of my school age children with me, which I normally don't do because of school hours.

I don't remember the exact words of what the teller said to me concerning the children being out of school for the "winter break", but it had to do with "putting up with the children being home all day".

I responded with, "Oh, I homeschool and I like having my children home with me."

Her response was, with a genuine glee, "What a blessing. That is a blessing that you are able to do that."

I'm not sure what she meant by it being a blessing that I'm able to homeschool, if it is truly a pain to have to be around your children all day.

And also, in another way, she might have meant it is a blessing if a mother has the luxury of staying home and not working outside of the home.

Well, most likely, in the eyes of the average person in this world, I don't have the luxury of not working outside the home.

In order to be a stay at home mom and homeschool your children, it might depend on your point of view and what you're willing to live without.

Barring, of course, circumstances that really do warrant a women to have to find employment out side the home.

The main thing is to raise and train my own children and not send them out from under their parent's authority, not send them to the government indoctrination camps.

That doesn't mean that someone else can't teach them something.

Now I know that there are exceptions and going to the government schools hasn't damaged some kids as bad as others.

But, I do not know how a christian can send their children to the government school system.

Almost every child that I have come in contact with that goes to a public school, is not what I would call growing in grace and wisdom.

Plus, the whole reason that government is in the business of "schooling" children is to indoctrinate them with a socialist worldview. And look at the results of years of that indoctrination. A lot of those kids, now grown, think government should take care of them.

And those grown kids have voted a socialist into the presidency.

Also, I can't imagine letting my 10 or 11 year old daughter dye or bleach her hair, wear a ton of makeup, (black eyeliner and all), dress like a bimbo and act like a 2 year old. All of which I have seen.

I realise that it's the heart that matters and not the outward appearance, but let's face it, the outward mirrors the inward. But, My goodness! What are parents thinking!?

All the stuff that is going on in the public school setting today and christian parents just compain and wonder what to do.

Like a friend has said, "Pull them out, DUH!"

Guess what.....The government has no biblical jurisdiction over other people's children.

But we as parents give up our biblical jurisdiction and authority over our children when we send them to the government school system.

How in the world can a parent train their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, when they spend most of their time in a socialist, immoral, anti-christian environment, including hanging out with their peers that are also spending most of their time in the same environment?

Parents, especially you christian parents: Despite what the world tells you about socialization,

you are to shelter your children and control who and what they hang around with.

And when they turn 16 or even 18 you don't just release them to the wolves.

But then, that would require effort and hard work and not doing as the rest of the world does.

It would also require that you look at raising children from a biblical worldview.

BTW, Training, schooling your children in righteousness and wisdom from the bible, goes a long way towards their education. In other words, you don't need to spend a lot of money on too many "school books".

Also, when children spend more time with their parents and other adults, they tend to mature faster than those children that spend more time with other children. Hmm, Imagine that!

The Tenth Amendment and an article by Chuck Baldwin

The Tenth Amendment

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Anger With Federal Government Not Enough
By Chuck Baldwin
December 18, 2009


This column is archived at
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2009/cbarchive_20091218.html


According to Rasmussen Reports, "Seventy-one percent (71%) of voters
nationwide say they're at least somewhat angry about the current policies of
the federal government. That figure includes 46% who are Very Angry.

"The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 27%
are not angry about the government's policies, including 10% who are Not at
All Angry."

The report goes on to say, "The data suggests that the level of anger is
growing. The 71% who are angry at federal government policies today is up
five percentage points since September.

"Even more stunning, the 46% who are Very Angry is up 10 percentage points
from September."

The report also states, "The latest numbers show that only nine percent (9%)
of voters trust the judgment of America's political leaders more than the
judment of the American people." It further states, "Seventy-one percent
(71%) believe the federal government has become a special interest group
that looks out primarily for its own interests. Sixty-eight percent (68%)
believe that government and big business work together in ways that hurt
consumers and investors."

Rasmussen Reports goes on to say that voter opposition to the proposed
health care plan, government bailouts, and higher taxes is especially high.

See the report at:

http://tinyurl.com/rasmussen-71pc-angry-at-govt

That Americans are angry with the federal government is nothing new. As a
general rule, Americans STAY angry with the federal government. So what?
Nothing changes, anger and discontentment notwithstanding.

Oh! Occasionally, grassroots effort can be mustered in sufficient quantity
to stop whatever happens to be the latest effort by the miscreants in
Washington, D.C., that tramples our freedoms. But only occasionally. The
only recent triumph I can think of was when G.W. Bush, Lindsey Graham, and
John McCain tried to ram an amnesty bill for illegal aliens through
Congress. But never fear, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid will
pick up that particular baton soon enough.

I'm old enough to remember when giving the Panama Canal away was opposed by
virtually everyone outside the Beltway. It changed nothing. Jimmy Carter and
Congress gave it away, anyway. Most people oppose the wars in Afghanistan
and Iraq. So what? Our troops are not only still there, but more are on the
way. Most people believe children should be allowed to pray and read the
Bible in school. So what? They still are forbidden from doing so. Most
people believed former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore had the right to post
the Ten Commandments in his courtroom. So what? He was forced to take them
down, anyway (and removed from office in the process). I could go on, but
you get the point.

Anger and opposition to Washington's policies and edicts--no matter now
egregious--hardly ever translate into anything beyond words of frustration.
And Washington politicians don't pay much attention to rhetoric--not even
their own.

You see, the wizards in Washington and on Wall Street have us figured out.
Along with their compatriots in the propaganda press corps, they know that
no matter how loudly we scream, how much we protest, or how angry we become,
the system is rigged to protect them. The best we the people can seem to
come up with is "throwing the bums out" every two or four years. BUT NOTHING
CHANGES--at least, not in terms of restoring the fundamental principles of
freedom and constitutional government.

Throw out George H.W. Bush in 1992, and nothing changes. Throw the Democrats
out of Congress in 1994, and nothing changes. Throw Bill Clinton's party out
of the White House in 2000, and nothing changes. Throw out G.W. Bush's
Republicans in 2008, and nothing changes. The only thing that happens with a
changing of the guard is an escalation in the pace of whatever version of
socialism--or Big Government program--is currently in vogue. With Bush it
meant expanding the Warfare State. With Obama it means expanding the Welfare
State. But both do everything they can to expand Big Government.

When will we awaken to the reality that Washington, D.C., has had the
American people chasing their tails for decades? People, wake up! As long as
we continue to focus our attention and energy on Washington, D.C., we will
only continue to supply more rope to those who wish to hang us.

Washington, D.C., is too far gone to salvage. Admit it! Washington is a
cesspool, a landfill, and a putrid pond of corruption and duplicity. Neither
the Republican nor Democratic Party will ever allow a principled
constitutionalist to become its Presidential nominee. No matter whom we
elect as President, the beat toward Big-Government socialism and one-world
internationalism will go on without interruption. Big Government scalawags
own the entire federal system, including Big Media, Big Business, Big Labor,
Big Religion, and Big Special Interest Groups. They are all feeding at the
government teat.

Therefore, it is absolutely obligatory that freedom-minded Americans refocus
their attention to electing State legislators, governors, judges and
sheriffs who will fearlessly defend their God-given liberties. And, as
plainly and emphatically as I know how to say it, I am telling you: ONLY THE
STATES CAN DEFEND OUR LIBERTY NOW! And awakening to this reality means we
will have to completely readjust our thinking and priorities.

It means awakening to the fact that Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Bill
O'Reilly (and the rest of Big Media's talking heads) are, for the most part,
irrelevant to providing real solutions to the continuing loss of liberty.
And, in truth, they are, more often than not, part of the problem, because
they continue to focus our attention on Washington, D.C., and off the source
of genuine solution, which lies with the states drawing a constitutional
line in the sand for freedom. Good grief! Beck and O'Reilly have recently
even advocated for higher federal taxes! Yeah! That's a real solution: more
power and money to Washington, D.C. Ughhh!

Instead of getting all worked up about what Glenn Beck says or what Sarah
Palin says or what CFR member and Big Government neocon Newt Gingrich says,
start paying attention to what your State legislators and candidates are
saying.

If we had more State legislators such as Washington State's Matthew Shea;
Georgia's Bobby Franklin; Pennsylvania's Sam Rohrer; New Hampshire's Dan
Itse; Michigan's Paul Opsommer; Oklahoma's Randy Brogdon, Sally Kern and
Charles Key; Montana's Rick Jore, Greg Hinkle, and Joel Boniek; Tennessee's
Susan Lynn; South Carolina's Michael Pitts and Lee Bright; Missouri's Jim
Guest and Cynthia Davis; and sheriffs such as South Carolina's Ray Nash,
Arizona's Richard Mack and Joe Arpaio, Montana's Jay Printz and Shane
Harrington, etc., it wouldn't matter what those nincompoops inside the
Beltway do. The federal government cannot violate your rights and steal your
freedoms without the consent and approbation of your State government.

Folks, let's get down to where the rubber meets the road: the reason we are
in the miserable mess we are in is because the states have--either wittingly
or unwittingly--ceded their authority and independence to Washington, D.C.
Therefore, it is now critical that states reclaim their authority--authority
that is duly granted them under the US Constitution.

All of us who call ourselves conservatives or constitutionalists or
libertarians (who, no doubt, compose a majority, especially in "red" states)
need to retake our State governments. Elect a governor who knows how to
say "No" to the federal government. Elect a State legislature that knows how
to say "No" to Washington, D.C. Elect sheriffs and State judges who
understand the Constitution, State sovereignty, and the principles of
freedom--and who are courageous enough to defend those sacred principles in
the face of attempted federal usurpation.

The truth is, for all intents and purposes, we could turn off television
completely and be in no worse shape. And newspapers are no better. The vast
majority of them blatantly support and promote Big Government. As Mark Twain
said, "If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read
the newspaper, you are misinformed."

With Big Media, it's all about Washington politics. Period. For the most
part, the conservative-liberal/Republican-Democrat paradigm is nothing but a
distraction at best, and a scam at worst, to keep all of us safely on the
federal reservation, where we are without hope or recourse to actually
change anything.

Ladies and Gentlemen, freedom in America has only one hope: the resurrection
of State independence and sovereignty. Fortunately, there are rumblings
around the country that this revival has already begun.

The last time I checked, some 38 states have introduced Tenth Amendment
resolutions--or some form of federal nullification proposals--in their State
assemblies. To follow the status of various states' rights initiatives, keep
an eye on these two web sites:

http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/the-10th-amendment-movement/

http://libertydefenseleague.com/liberty/

If conservatives/constitutionalists/libertarians would spend as much time
and energy influencing elections and policies at the State and local levels
as they attempt to do at the national level, we could turn this floundering
ship of state around. If he had the support and backing of his State's
legislature and sheriffs, imagine what ONE constitutionalist governor could
do. I get goose bumps thinking about it!

Imagine a State with its own financial system--its own currency, banks,
regulatory agencies, etc. Imagine a State with its own militia--under the
authority of the governor only--completely independent from any
responsibility to the President or federal government. Imagine a State with
an education system unfettered by the federal Department of Education.
Imagine a State where the BLM, the FBI, the ATF, and the DEA had to actually
submit to State law. Imagine a State with no federal bribes, or federal
"funding" as it is commonly called--except as is constitutionally
constructed (with no strings attached). Imagine a State with its own health
care system. Imagine a State with no FEMA--UNLESS INVITED IN. Imagine a
State that would not allow Washington's spooks to unlawfully spy on
law-abiding citizens. Imagine a State that actually had a say in how much
land the federal government could claim for its own. Imagine a State where
citizens never had to worry about a national ID act. Imagine a State that
would protect the right of its citizens to freely express their faith in the
public square. Imagine a State that did not demand that its farmers put RFID
computer chips in their livestock. Imagine a State that would let you drill
a well without reporting it to the federal government. And for some really
fun mind games, imagine a State that would be willing to challenge the
constitutionality and legitimacy of the direct income tax and the IRS. All
of this--and more--is attainable with a constitutionalist State government
committed to protecting the liberties of its citizens.

I repeat: freedom in America has only one hope: the resurrection of State
independence and sovereignty. In the US Constitution, our Founding Fathers
sagaciously reserved to State governments their independence and
sovereignty, knowing that they had the awesome responsibility of being the
last (and greatest) vanguard of liberty for the American people. They never
intended or imagined that the states would ever become a doormat for the
central government (which is what most of them have become).

In this regard, the states that are proposing State sovereignty resolutions
should immediately band together to overturn the 17th Amendment, because
this amendment strips the states of their constitutional powers by turning
US senators into Washington insiders, who are more beholden to Washington
interests than the interests and well-being of the states that they are
supposed to represent.

If the 71% of voters who are angry with the federal government would channel
their energies into electing constitutionalist governors and State
legislators, their anger might actually produce real and lasting change. As
it is, efforts to "reform" Washington, D.C., are like trying to teach a hog
to take a bath. Instead, let the hog wallow in the mud, but make sure the
mudhole stays small; don't let it spread to your back yard. And keeping that
Washington mudhole small is the job of the states. And, in case you have not
noticed, the mudhole has already grown to the point that it's not just in
your back yard; it's on your front porch and about to consume your whole
house.

*If you appreciate this column and want to help me distribute these
editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by
credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

(c) Chuck Baldwin

Abigail's Birthday

The first of December was Abigail's eleventh Birthday. We had T.J. and Rachel over for dinner, which as always was fun.
And of course there were presents. That's the main part of birthdays, right?
Somebody put a headband on Natasha.
I think they are playing like they are Indians. Allen is waring One of Abigail's headbands.
Natasha watching Uncle Jordon play the guitar.

Chicken House

Over the past weeks the boys have been building a chicken house and yesterday they finally completed it. We also got the chickens yesterday.These pictures are from last week when they were putting siding on it.




Allen was here last Wednesday. He and Boaz made a little building out of scraps.

This is yesterday just after we put the chickens in. The chicken yard is made of a dog cage that we never could keep a dog in.
I think they are Red Star.
I took these pictures today. It was raining so all the chickens were inside.

The rooster

Here's a great article written by Dr. Samuel L. Blumenfeld

To read Dr. Blumenfeld's article, Homeschooling and socialism, go here:

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=117239

The Lord's Day, Worship & Communion

Someone once asked me what the significance of Sunday worship is. And this is my short answer!


Before we can properly prepare our hearts for public worship, we must first and foremost understand what worship is. Sadly, present-day churches are rampant with confusion regarding worship, and this has led to much discord and division among congregations, families and friends. Worship should unite Christians, not divide them. True biblical worship pleases God. And there are some things that constitute true biblical worship; and they go hand in hand, the singing of songs, preaching, corporate prayer, the Lords supper,[or communion]. In some reformed circles communion is the center piece or “highlight” of the service. Needless to say it is indeed a significant part of the service and is also the best reason for corporate worship to be on Sunday, the Lord's day. It is after all, in remembrance of Him that we partake in the Lord’s Supper, on the 1st day of the week that He arose, signifying a new beginning, a new covenant. [More on that later].

But what is worship? All true worship comes from the heart, in a heart felt love for God. And even then true worship must come from a pure heart. All true worship honors God. Worship is simply praising God. And it can take a lot of different forms. Any way that you praise God is worship.

Speaking of God’s character honors Him. Simply reciting scriptures that say “God is great” and “holy” and “righteous” and “God is a pure God” and “God is almighty God”. Any time you recite the character of God, that praises God and this is worship.

Then there is singing. Singing that speaks of God’s character, His Holiness, His righteousness, His might, His sovereignty, in reverence is worship. That’s why I believe the old hymns and psalms are the most appropriate.

Another aspect of worship is not just singing about and reciting scriptures but meditating on the grandeur of God. People are starving for the grandeur of God and if we don’t meditate on the grandeur of God we won’t reflect that grandeur. And meditating on the grandeur of God can and should be done while singing, reciting scripture or the hearing of preaching. And all these things should be done in corporate worship.

Corporate worship also includes communion because the Communion table exalts the work of God in Christ on the cross. It exalts not only His work on the cross, but doesn’t Communion remind us of His love and His forgiveness and His mercy? Communion in and of itself is an act of worship. Worship is the attitude of your heart praising God for who He is, for what He has done.

The reason we worship on Sunday is simply because Sunday was the day that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead. The first day of the week is the beginning of the New Covenant. (The day that Jesus rose from the grave). And we have much reverence for that!

In the Old Testament they worshiped the Lord on the last day of the week, the Sabbath day as a day of rest. But when Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week, they began to celebrate the resurrection. The church was born out of the resurrection, (the day of Pentecost) the beginning of a New Covenant and the ending of an Old Covenant. And the very next time we see the disciples meeting together; it is on the first day of the week. And then again on the first day of the week. That became the pattern.

All the way through the book of Acts you begin to see them meeting on the first day of the week. And this was to commemorate the resurrection, “As often as we come together”. The Sabbath law of the Old Testament was set aside for Israel for their rest. It is interesting that even though the Sabbath is in the Ten Commandments, the only one of the Ten Commandments that’s never repeated in the New Testament is the commandment to keep the Sabbath day. Much more than a day of rest, the Christian’s Sunday is a day of remembrance, of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. And there is plenty of evidence in the New Testament that the early church met for worship, corporate worship, on the first day of the week.

But we must remember that is simply the traditional day for our corporate worship. Our worship of God should occur all day long every day, seven days a week. And it really doesn’t matter, what day of the week it is, you’re as much involved in worshiping the Lord today and every day as you would be on Sunday morning. There’s nothing sacred particularly about the day. It’s simply a day that was established because of the remembrance of His resurrection, the beginning of a New Covenant. How appropriate that as often as we do this, we do it on the same day he rose from the dead.

After the wedding

Well, it's been a little over 2 weeks since the big event. All the wedding supples are put away.

Everything is back to normal. That is, as normal as it's going to be with Elise having left the nest.

We miss her.

I thought the wedding went very well. It was simple and beautiful. Elise was beautiful. Gabriel looked very handsome in his tuxedo. The bridesmaids and groomsmen, as well, looked great. The church was beautiful. Their new fellowship hall was a great place for the reception.

We have never gotten to meet most of Gabriel's family. So, the wedding served that occasion.

We had a lot of food left over from the reception. Some of the people that were suppose to attend were unable to make it after all. It seems like several families had to leave after the ceremony and were unable to attend the reception. I gave quite a bit away to the friends that helped clean up. But I still had a lot left. Leftovers are good.

I'm so thankful for the friends that helped us on the rehearsal night and at the reception. They were a great blessing and they did a teriffic job. In all honesty, we would not have been able to do it without them. They worked very hard.

When it was time for the bride and groom to leave, there were hugs and tears to go around. They walked between lines of guests blowing bubbles to get to Gabriel's truck and went to my son's house to change their wedding garments and head off for their honeymoon.

But, we weren't home from church long the following day, when Elise called and said they were headed back to our house, because Gabriel's truck was acting up. So they come back to our house and they and Tim took the truck to Dickson where we take our vehicles for repairs. They left it there and then borrowed our car to drive out to Virginia Beach.

Someone asked us which of one of us sabotoged Gabriel's truck so that they would have to come back here.

Well, of course, no one sabotoged the truck, but we were happy to have them come back by before they left for Texas.

They got back the following Sunday. We had TJ and his family over for supper while they were here. We had the whole family together one last time before Elise moved to Texas.

This time seemed a little harder to say goodbye.

Friday the Stokes invited us over along with several other families. They had a bon fire and hayride. 

It was a lot of fun and a little cold.

Here, several of the men are talking and eating. 

Some people ate outside. 
Mr. Castille and Rachel trying to get warm.

They had the girls go on the hayride first, then the boys went. This is after the girls went and we were all really cold. Sorry I didn't get pictures of the hayride.

While the boys were on the ride some of the girls sang. Brittany and Johanna the pianists. 

Pictures