The 9/12 Project

The 9/12

The 9 Principles

1. America Is Good.

2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.
God “The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.” from George Washington’s first Inaugural address.

3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.
Honesty “I hope that I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider to be the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” George Washington

4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.
Marriage/Family “It is in the love of one’s family only that heartfelt happiness is known. By a law of our nature, we cannot be happy without the endearing connections of a family.” Thomas Jefferson

5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.
Justice “I deem one of the essential principles of our government… equal and exact justice to all men of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political.” Thomas Jefferson

6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.
Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit of Happiness “Everyone has a natural right to choose that vocation in life which he thinks most likely to give him comfortable subsistence.” Thomas Jefferson

7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.
Charity “It is not everyone who asketh that deserveth charity; all however, are worth of the inquiry or the deserving may suffer.” George Washington

8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.
On your right to disagree “In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude; every man will speak as he thinks, or more properly without thinking.” George Washington

9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.
Who works for whom? “I consider the people who constitute a society or a nation as the source of all authority in that nation.” Thomas Jefferson

The 12 Values

* Honesty
* Reverence
* Hope
* Thrift
* Humility
* Charity
* Sincerity
* Moderation
* Hard Work
* Courage
* Personal Responsibility
* Gratitude

September birthday? Or even if not.

The September Campaign Trailer - www.borninseptember.org from charity: water on Vimeo.

Cry Out America

Are you in the US? What are you doing eighteen days from now on September 11th? Are you interested in being part of a nationwide day of nondenominational prayer - like that of May 1st?

"On September 11, 2008 our nation will pause to remember the greatest 'wake-up' call in our generation, the terrorist attacks on 9/11/01. As part of Awakening America, a call is being issued for Christians across the nation to mark this significant day in our history with powerful prayer for America and the lost individuals of this country.

"In every one of the 3141 counties in the United States, during the noon lunch hour on September 11, Christians will unite around their county courthouse to cry out to God with focused prayer for their community, their lost friends and family, and for the spiritual condition of our nation."

We found out yesterday that our home church is the organizer for our county's Cry Out America activities. We will be meeting at our county's courthouse that Saturday like we do for National Day of Prayer.

Did you know that according to Awakening America's site:

• Only 17 percent of Americans attend church on any given Sunday.
• Moral failure among Christian leaders continues at a high level.
• America has become the 3rd largest mission field in the world.

Find out here where this event is taking place near you.

Remembering what's important

Good job to the Dallas/Fort Worth community for doing this! I wish we lived close enough to an airport to do this! How cool it would be for the Vikings to see and for DaHubby and I to be reminded...

Spreading the word

Coming up in two weeks is an event to raise awareness about the work of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). LLS is a national voluntary health agency dedicated to curing leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, and to improving the quality of life of patients and their families.

LLS supports the following major programs: research, patient services, public and professional education, advocacy and community services. And, while my sister-in-law Peggy (who is 73 days post-transplant as of today due to acute myelogenous leukemia) has not received services from the group as far as I know, its work is something I feel I should support in her honor.

Goodies For Mom is sponsoring a Blogging For Blood Cancer event the second week in August. If you feel this is something you'd like to support, donate to, or blog about, stop by their bloggy home and do some reading about your choices.

What do you do...

...when they give it back?

One of the biggest lessons in the Financial Peace University series is class #13, the last one, called The Great Misunderstanding. He basically says that if you get this last lesson wrong, the rest of the lesson won't matter much in the long run. You'll never truly find financial peace.

As part of the lesson, Dave Ramsey goes into a lengthy explanation about giving that breaks down to these three ideas:

1. It's not YOUR money - it's ALL God's! We are simply the stewards and He is the Lord of the Manor.

2. We are built in His image. He gives us everything - including His Son. So, if we are to be striving to be Christ-like, we should be giving.

3. If you hold on to your money with a clenched fist, yes, you may not "lose" any but none can come in either. Plus, the universal sign of anger is a clenched fist. On the other hand, if you remember Who is all belongs to, you keep your money in an open hand - yes, money may come and go. You will give and it may not come back financially; your pocket may not grow, but your heart will.

I "happened" to find the soundtrack from this DVD lesson in the mini-van's player this afternoon while doing our grocery shopping. I've heard it before - several times. One of the things DaHubby and I are most looking forward to when we reach that "baby step 7" is the giving! But, in the meantime, we try to bless those around us as we can.

For example, our first family night out that we saved up for so as to do it ONLY with cash, we found at the end of the evening as we sat in a restaurant munching on late night treats with the kids that we would have money left over after we paid the bill. It was late. The poor waitress was not only waiting on us but a large several-tables-long group of loud teenagers. So, we wanted to bless her and gave her everything we had left. That money was meant to be spent that night. The night was over so we gave her the rest! LOL

Well, back to today...as I was waiting in the last grocery line today, the lady in front of me was having trouble. She seemed nice enough. Had said "hi" and "excuse me" when we nearly collided in the produce section earlier. She was being sweet to "my" regular cashier. LOL But, with her first subtotal, it appeared she was about $5 short.

She was using a Bridge card - which is the debit card for the Michigan food stamp program. As I had paid bills (including the mortgage) before leaving the house, I was also acutely aware that it is the end of the month and, if her card was empty, she had no more money for food for the next 6 days.

So, knowing a nudge from God when I see one (LOL), I rummaged in my purse and found my cash envelopes. I had just been braggin' to someone Monday that I had never put the alloted funds in the mini-van's gas tank last week so the envelope is still full when I filled my envelopes for the upcoming week today.

I pulled out a $5 (which, honestly, in our mini-van would not be a whole lot of mileage LOL) and gave it to the cashier. And, the cashier balked. She hesitated to take it so I just laid it on the pile of change the customer in front of me was counting out and she was deciding what things to void off her order with several people behind her. Can ya' say "been there done that"?

When all was said and done (and counted), she ended up not needing the $5 and, after very graciously thanking me and giving me a hug, she gave the money back.

And, that's where I balked.

If the Lord "nudged" me to intervene, should I have taken the money back? Should I have insisted she keep it? Initially, I had simply said "no problem, ma'am...that's why my hubby and I are working the program we're working so we can help in situations like this. Just pass it along some time in the future when you are able to." If I had insisted she keep it, maybe she was meant to give it to someone down the line.

While I'm thrilled at the opportunity to serve, I feel like I may have messed it up somehow. LOL

So, what do you do if they give it back?

Another thing to pass along...

...as I am digging out of piles of electronic paper shuffling and emails from several days offline.

I don't see many service members in uniform/fatigues around these parts but I know people who have served in one way or another during their lifetime. I think this is an excellent idea! Way overdue. I'm all for putting the politics aside and remembering (as these folks put it) that it is about the SERVICE and the SACRIFICE our service members make for us! God bless 'em all!

Cool!

Saw an article in Family Fun magazine in October. They have held a contest in the past with regards to family-friendly ideas for volunteering. And, in the interest in starting the Vikings off early, I was crusing the pages looking for something I can do with a preschooler and toddler! LOL

Then, I saw this one. And, with two of DaHubby's relatives currently fighting cancer, with losing DaHubby's brother to lung cancer in 2005, my mom being a melanoma survivor, in addition to the fact that we're within walking distance of our regional hospital facility, this seemed WAY doable.

Well, the phone rang about an hour ago and it was someone in the heirarchy of the radiation oncology department. They loved our idea! They figured that doing this for the in-patient folks would probably not be possible (due to isolation and food restriction issues) but that the outpatient folks who are able to come get treatment and leave might be interested. So, they are checking into it! Yippee!

Not to mention that I got a F-R-E-E ice cream maker on Freecycle! LOL So, other than the prohibitive cost of whipping cream, by the first of the year, we could be in business! I'm so geeked!

Somebody Prayed Me Through

Infertility stinks. It's like your body is betraying you - losing its "natural" function. Well-meaning people are inadvertently cruel. "Why haven't you had children yet?" What a thing to say to someone who is part of a couple whose nearly every waking moment is about temperature taking; cycle monitoring; invasive procedures; often prohibitively expensive, uncovered medications; in some cases multiple miscarriages; repetitive disappointments witnessed in ANOTHER negative EPT and daily reminders of feeling like a failure. And, it was a tough way to spend my newlywed years...a time normally spent getting to know each other not being tested by fire and stress.

When I met DaHubby, I was 32. I had recently re-committed to going to church. And, I had been trying to find and follow God's will and had been waiting and waiting and waiting for the right guy. Once he came along, I figured all would be blessed - because isn't that always what it was like in God's will, I naively believed at the time. How little I really knew.

Four years later, I was broken. My spirit was beaten up. My hope nearly gone. My faith shaken to the core. We had been married three years. Spent the first year being "not careful" assuming nature would take its course. Spent the next two coping with the realization and repercussions of the fact that something was actually wrong. DaHubby even had his share of invasive and/or embarrassing procedures and moments.

Then, it was early spring 2005 and we had been trying for 22 unsuccessful cycles. I had had an awful miscarriage (are there any other kind) 8 months before. The church we were attending at the time had intercessory prayer on a weeknight and my most vivid memory of it was falling to my knees, weeping, and repeating over and over and over "Your will be done, Your will be done, Your will be done..."

One day we heard on the radio that Allen Asbury was going to make a local appearance. Now, we are in an out-of-the-way part of Michigan. It's nearly an hour to any kind of "civilization" i.e. concert venues, big name stores, etc. To have someone like this locally, playing at our high school auditorium...for FREE...is unheard of!

At that time, his hit "Somebody's Praying Me Through" was all over the radio. And, when he sang it at the concert that night, I fell to pieces. That song, along with "I Will Wait Upon The Lord" just broke me down into a puddle at His feet. It renewed me, gave me hope to hang in there a little longer. I was *sure* that baby was coming. So, I just had to be ready and willing to receive in His timing.

But, the lyrics of "Somebody's Praying Me Through" continued to hold me up through many, many hard nights, more disappointments, more procedures, more medications until finally that summer, I found myself pregnant with Flicka.

On Friday, the Vikings and I were on our way home from our morning running around. And, that song came on the radio. And, like it did the first time, it stripped away all the "stuff" of the week (the whining, the crying, the struggles, the diapers, the injuries, the bickering, etc.) and reminded me what life was like without the Vikings and how desperately I had wanted these little miracles just a short few years ago.

"Baby?"

"Yes, Momma?"

"Did you know this is your song? This is the song that Mom and Dad used to sing over and over and over when we were waiting for God to send you to us."

She was quiet and listened to the rest of the song. She asked me to explain again about the song and seemed to think about it. Then, last night, she asked to hear it again...knowing I had a copy here at the house.

So, I put the CD in. And, we danced. And, when I couldn't stand looking into her sweet little face at arm's length any longer, I picked her up and I held her so tightly as we danced and I sang it to her again. Then, Pojke wanted in on the action. LOL So, I sat on the floor, held my babies tightly, cried, and sang it one more time. Just for them. DaHubby found us in a pile on the kitchen floor. He helped all of us up - and my sweet hubby and I put those sweet blessings to bed.

So when you're drowning in a sea of hurt
And it feels like life couldn't get any worse
There's a blessing waiting to push back the curse
'Cause somebody's praying you through

Love Your Life: Do Something For Others

I mentioned here about the article I found in an old copy of Family Circle magazine (FC) about loving your life right where you are at now. And, this is my second piece of rambling coming from that self-imposed writing prompt to take what FC offered and considering it from (hopefully) a more of a Christian worldview. LOL

FC's suggests to "remember every day what matters most to you." And, one way to do that is to do something for someone else. They suggest "giving of yourself is key to a sense of well-being."

I would argue that well-being comes not simply giving of yourself but giving yourself to God and gaining a servant's heart. Nowhere in Scripture are we to do unto others so we receive something in return. We should not seek our well-being in deeds but in Christ. And, whether the receiver acknowledges it or not, whether they appreciate it or not, or whether they know it's you or not, the true point is the service and the serving!

Romans 12.10-11: "[Be] kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord..."

Next, they suggest "Spirituality comes down to one simple word, and that is kindness."

That's funny - I thought it was all about the LOVE! LOL

Matthew 22.37-40 " Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is [the] first and great commandment. And [the] second [is] like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Again, Family Circle: "Feeling useful to those in need gives us a deep feeling of connection to humanity and a powerful sense of purpose."

My first thought: aren't we ALL in need? LOL But, seriously, serving (again) is not about what we gain but about how we act as the Lord's hands and feet here in this world. We serve because we are compelled to in thankfulness and in love ideally with no regard for what we'll receive in the future but what we have already received through Christ. It's not about our gain - it is about His glory.

Psalms 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, [And] into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, [and] bless His name.

1 Chronicles 16.28.29 Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength. Give to the LORD the glory [due] His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!

Family Circle: “If your schedule is too crowded to serve meals at a shelter or soup kitchen on a weekly basis, devote one day to rounding up coats and blankets to give the homeless, or shovel snow for an elderly neighbor.”

While I agree with the idea of act where you are with what you have, Christians need to make the time to serve! It should be an outpouring of our spirits and as natural as breathing. Using one’s discernment and through prayer, we should be able to find people all around us in need of service on a daily basis.

Matthew 6.21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

So, where is your treasure? And, is service one of your jewels? *wink*

Two Cool Links

...from our local paper this weekend.

This one reminded me of Kelly's project here at Pass the Torch. (I had to copy, paste, and edit for space since the paper made me log in.)

Backpack drive provides school supplies to children who need a little help

By DEBRA HAIGHT
H-P Correspondent
BUCHANAN —A few years ago, when Jann Mitchell want­ed to do something to help her community, the idea to organize a backpack drive to give school supplies to children came to her during her prayer time.
“I was praying about what I could do to be a blessing to the community, and the Lord gave me that vision,” she said. “I went with it and it has been re­ally great.”
This is the third year that Mitchell has organized the backpack drive. She has gotten more people involved every year, not only at Faith Victory Fellowship where her husband, Dave, is the pastor but through­out the community.
“Each church has something they do, and this was something I felt we could do,” she said. “At first I wondered about back­packs, but it really helps people to get them for their kids.”
This year, the Buchanan Area Ministerial Association is help­ing, as are several local busi­nesses, organizations and indi­viduals.
For example, the Chemical Bank branch in Buchanan has put posters up about the back­pack program as well as set aside a place where people can leave donations.
It’s also become a ministry that other local churches have taken to heart.
“A lot of churches had their kids bring items as part of their Vacation Bible School pro­gram,” Mitchell said. “It was a blessing to see the kids get in­volved.
“I thought it was neat to see all the churches working to­gether,” she said. “It’s a won­derful witness for the commu­nity to see.”
After filling over 200 back­packs with school supplies the first year and 378 last year, she and other volunteers have done 306 already this year. They’ve already spent one morning fill­ing the backpacks and will be doing it again on Wednesday starting at 10 a.m. and continu­ing through the day until they are all done.
The backpacks will be dis­tributed to children and teens and their parents from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Buchanan Farmers Market stalls at the Common in downtown Buchanan on Sun­day, Aug. 26, during the Old Mill Festival. Everyone from Head Start to 12th grade stu­dents can get one.
Mitchell said she went to area schools as well as trailer and mobile home parks the first year to find families where help might be appreciated. Since then, people have contacted her both to ask for help and to find ways they can make donations themselves...
The backpacks are filled with everything from toiletries to all sorts of school supplies includ­ing folders, notebook paper, notebooks, scissors, glue, eras­ers, crayons, pens, pencils and even calculators for the high school students.
Each one also gets a chil­dren’s book on religious themes and a flier telling about the Bu­chanan Area Ministerial Asso­ciation and activities at differ­ent local churches...
She said that the backpacks go out to families throughout the area.
“Kids in Buchanan, Niles, Galien and Brandywine get our backpacks,” she said. “They even go as far as Coloma, Baro­da and South Bend.”

And, this one I thought was cool as an option for homeschoolers in this area. There are only two districts in Michigan doing this and one is down the road from me and (I think) would be an option for Flicka and Pojke should we choose to go the homeschooling way until high school.

Local homeschoolers enroll part-time and in return they get resources, classes, and experiences they might not generally get on their own and the district benefits by getting "credit" for those students so more money from the State of Michigan.

FINALLY! A district that doesn't look at homeschoolers as the "enemy" or the "competition" or people to be distrustful of! Wa-hoo!