To Christmas or Not to Christmas

     Today is December 25th, a day most people know as Christmas. Most are celebrating this day, but many for different reasons. I am part of an online group that is Christian based and was deeply troubled by seeing a post on there today. (Yes, I did go on Facebook on Christmas, as that is the only way to communicate to certain people in the family at this point) So, this post was about if people know the roots of Christmas then they have no business celebrating or partaking in it.

     Now, I am very passionate about not mixing ungodly things in with Godly observances, or having anything to do with the watering down of God, Jesus, or anything Christ related. I want the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and I particularly get more passionate the more I see and hear the Truth being butchered, or seeing an image of "Jesus" with his arms around an image of Santa Clause, like they are bros, on the same team, or that Jesus would be okay sharing the one day when many who spit at His name all year long are open to celebrating Him.

     We do NOT do Santa in our house, and that is something for a whole other post, we don't celebrate elves, or what most people do. Around our house you will see a manger scene right on the "mantle" above our T.V. that is the central focus of our house. We have a small artificial tree with a golden star on top, with ornaments and many depictions of Christ related things, like one with Linus that recites the infamous "Behold" verse from Scripture, a manger scene, and one of Mary and Joseph holding the baby Jesus. We do not have Santa, or reindeer, or anything of the like. We have a small nativity scene in our guest bathroom along with a cross (that is up all year).

      Now, the person who posted, and many others from the comments, will state that EVERYTHING and ANYTHING to do with Christmas is wrong because of its pagan roots and that nowhere in the Bible does it tell us to celebrate Christmas. It is true there are pagan roots. There are pagan roots to everything that I know of. It is true that the Bible does not tell us to observe Christ's birth. It is also very true that December 25th was NOT the actual day of Jesus' birth. Many speculate, but there is no exact record of the actual day of birth.

     I get, in part, where the poster and agree-ers are coming from. We are not to partake in ungodly things nor to live as the rest of the world. We are called to be separated, sanctified, and to live in a way that contrasts the world. I get that. But, the spirit of the message did not stop there. It lumped everyone together and, from the comments, stated that anyone who did anything celebratory or in observance of this day was ungodly and needed to repent, basically.

     This is what my family did today: We got up, woke up enjoying our morning together while drinking hot chocolate, then opened our gifts. After lunch we took over some bags of things I had cleaned out and we handed over the donations to a wonderful group of ladies who are part of a program that helps women who have been abused, were homeless, or addicted, to get on their feet and lead them to a path of recovery, all with a foundation of Christ. It is a wonderful and amazing program that I felt led to donate to. My family and I have started a new tradition of BEING Christ in the community. Many of the things donated were not only practical, but things that would hopefully help and encourage them to a deeper relationship with Christ. The lady receiving it was so grateful and said Merry Christmas. We said it back. We also opened our home last night to anyone wanting to come over and celebrate, and will continue to do so in the future. My husband also, as one of his gifts to me, made a generous donation in my name today to a charity/organization of my choice. To the person who posted that message, this would be wrong and ungodly. ???

     I don't share my thoughts in this post because those words by the poster made me feel guilty. On the contrary, I know with firm conviction that what we did today best honored God. I prayed years ago when I first started my journey how God really wanted me to best celebrate the one day of the year that so many around the globe unite to celebrate His birth into this world that ultimately led to the Greatest Gift. He showed me that gluttony and family get-togethers are not it, but actually reaching out into the community in different ways and BEING like Him, BEING His representative, the Salt and the Light, into this world that is growing darker.

    I share my thoughts because the post concerned me that not only were they saying that what my family and I did was "wrong" per their standards, but basically we all should just bury our heads in the sand on this day. I grow deeply concerned because all I see in my head are lights being turned off and the dark getting darker. Like Halloween, we do not celebrate the way the world does. We use these two days as a platform to spread the Light and Love of Christ in a dying world when people are more willing to accept gifts of gospel tracts or to hear about Christ.

     My family and I do not celebrate or worship Santa Clause in any form. Just because we have a tree does not mean we worship it. To me, as a lover of gardening, I see a tree as a symbol for life, and the fact that Jesus ultimately was killed on a cross made of wood from a tree where He made the transaction that gave us a second chance to be with God when we die rather than facing an eternity of rightly deserved punishment in Hell. We have a golden star on the top of the tree to represent the Star of Bethlehem that shone in the sky for Jesus' birth, a symbol of that night and that all Light leads to Him. We have candy canes, because red represents the blood that Jesus shed for us and white represents how His blood cleanses us from our sins once we repent and commit our lives to following Him. The cane upside-down is a "J" for Jesus, and the other way is the staff of a shepherd, also representing Jesus and "the Good Shepherd." Everything that we have around us points us back to Christ. THAT is what we are supposed to do and partake in. Only that which edifies us and strengthens our relationship to Christ. We also watched the Nativity Story, then read Luke 1 & 2, then cut a birthday cake in honor of Jesus as we spent time reflecting on His life on this earth and how grateful we are to Him.

     Yet, to certain people, that is a bad thing. I can't help thinking about the people in the Bible who ragged on and condemned Jesus because He ate at the table with the prostitutes and tax collectors. Jesus didn't sin in order to do that, nor did He glorify their sins. He reached out to them in love. He humbled Himself, reaching out to those that most others would snub. The religious people told Him He should have nothing to do with them. I ask, if He had not, how would they have gotten to know of His love? How would they have SEEN love in action? I take that lesson with me in this encounter online today. I feel sad for those people who choose to do nothing to glorify God on this day. I feel sad for their children who are made to feel shame for glorifying and honoring Christ on this day. I feel sad for others around them who are getting mixed messages or are seeing Christ represented in a poor light because of these people who choose to lump together everyone and cast them out.

     My firm stance on this is that it should be about what and how we celebrate, or WHO we celebrate. Many celebrate Santa Claus. Many their families or children. Many combine idols like Santa or their own families while worshipping Jesus. If a person is solely worshipping Jesus on this day, doing all they can to deepen their own relationships and that of their families with Christ, as well as reaching out and trying to help others get closer to Christ, then THAT is EXACTLY what Christ wants us to do and CALLS us to do. Would Christ really be pleased if we bury our heads in the sand on this day? If we turn off our lights and lock ourselves up just so no one will see us on this day? Or would He want us to shine our lights the brightest, reach out with the most love, and be joyous as we take a day that most do use to worship idols or butcher the True Meaning of Christ and instead use it to solely glorify the Lord. If we are in the right with God, and that is something more personal that we need to hear from God Himself through the Holy Spirit, then it doesn't matter so much HOW we worship Him, but that we DO worship Him.

     The secular liberal media, and atheists want to eliminate the Christ in Christmas, and now I see that professing Christians want to eliminate it all together. To me, it seems like two parts of the same way. I truly feel God calling us true followers of Christ to RISE UP, to let our LIGHTS SHINE, to not grow weary or be ashamed of glorifying Him in ALL that we do, especially on this day. Not all people who celebrate Christmas celebrate Santa. Some people actually celebrate Jesus, the Christ, being born to this earth and all that it means.

    I can't say I blame many for their ill-feelings towards professing Christians. THEY are the ones that make a mockery of Christ. NOT the un-believers, in my opinion and experience. I will pray for them, while I shine my Light on this wonderful day we observe the birth of our Savior into this polluted and depraved earth. Thank you Jesus!


 and,


  MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Alternative Chunky Monkey Ice Cream: Better For Your Health and Taste Buds

Chunky Monkey Ice Cream Alternative

 

     Pregnancy has brought on new challenges. I am currently five months along and still struggling sometimes with being repelled by some foods and finding an appetite, or finding quick-to-make foods that are still healthy and appealing. I faced just such a challenge today. Nothing ready-made in the house sounded the slightest bit appealing to me, and I find I am having difficulty eating the fresh veggies and grains that I used to - Eep - which severely limits my food choices as I try hard to eat non-processed whole foods with limited dairy and meat (and only organic at that). I scoured my Pinterest Pins for food ideas and found this (see pic above) that finally appealed to my stomach.

     The link to the original recipe is here. One of my favorite ice cream flavors pre-health consciousness was Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey. The problem now is that it is so full of added sugars and unhealthy things, particularly dairy (ICK!) and non-organic at that, PLUS it is $5 or more for a small pint. It is no longer in my budget or something I can eat in good consciousness knowing the junk I'm putting into my body. So, I was thrilled to find a healthier alternative and a quick fix, as I was not about to wait around today to make regular ice cream, plus I didn't have all of those ingredients on hand anyways.

     The beauty to this recipe is that it is very likely to have all the ingredients on hand. It only consists of bananas, a nut butter of choice, chopped nuts of choice, and chocolate chunks. I used some bananas I had that were going bad, a healthier peanut butter, chopped pecans, and my favorite chocolate -Enjoy Life Mega Chunks- that tastes like gourmet chocolate and much better than the cheap stuff found in stores. It all goes in a food processor and then it's done. What took the longest was letting it sit in the freezer because I did not use frozen bananas. I recommend using frozen bananas.

    The consistency was more like a frozen yogurt or sorbet and tasted awesome. There was no added sugar, but was super sweet to my taste buds. It is pregnant chick and 7 year old approved. My son loved it and so did I.

    Now, if there is a little more time to play with, it is super easy to make a healthier homemade version of Chunky Monkey Ice Cream also. Just make a batch of vanilla ice cream, swapping dairy milk for almond milk (in my recommendation) or whatever other milk is preferable. Then add already food-processed frozen bananas, chopped nuts of choice, and chopped chocolate. Easy, and there you will have the traditional ice cream consistency, but overall, the alternative mentioned above is just as good and definitely satisfied my craving, PLUS it's all healthy ingredients and VEGAN. Yep, the V-Word. I got nutrients for the baby, no added junk in my body, and my taste buds and stomach are very happy. Success!!!



     Happy Eating and Experimenting!


  ~ The Not-So Starving Artist

 

A Very Frugal Christmas pt. 1

     So, in our first year of marriage and with a baby on the way, our budget is extremely tight with no room for excess or mistakes. The problem is, we have a lot of loved ones that we want to use this time to show our love for.

     I, personally, am against the materialism aspect of Christmas. I just don't think that is what Christ is about or how He would like us to celebrate His day of birth into this world and all that it means. Christ came to this Earth in the flesh of Jesus as a total sacrifice, not of self-indulgence which is what I see so much of permeating the Holidays. There is a mad dash to get presents bought and food prepared and all for what? Is Christ really getting glorified and enjoying us celebrating Him and all He stands for when we are too stressed to even enjoy our families or give something back to the community? I just don't feel He's too pleased with the way most of us do His day.

     I have decided to do things differently. Surprise, surprise! I think somewhere my name really means "mold-breaker." I always feel that if a gift is given just for the sake of giving, then there is no point in it anyway. I'd rather have the money, or not have the person feel pressured to get me something lest I think poorly of them. I'd much rather have someone give me something meaningful. Something they actually spent time thinking about me and felt I could actually enjoy or would benefit me, rather than just more stuff to add to my already stressful amount of stuff. Right? I'm all about gifts with a purpose and function, rather than dust-collectors, unless of course it's a pretty vase or something of the like that they actually desire.

     Moving on, my husband began getting stressed realizing how many people we "had to buy" for and how in the world we could manage to keep our own budget intact while giving for others. I quickly reminded him he has a very creative wife who can MAKE things for our loved ones that are actually created for them out of love rather than spending money on something they probably don't even really need and we sure can't afford. I know I would feel awful knowing someone bought me something just to give me a present when they didn't really have the money in the first place. I'd rather have a visit and watch a favorite movie together, or something more meaningful that's totally free. That's my P.O.V. for giving as well. Especially as I am getting older and possibly more nostalgic and sentimental, I realize that stuff really doesn't matter, it's the little memories and moments along the way that make us feel cherished by those we love. So, enter my gift giving ideas.

    I also wanted to implement a One Buy Rule within our family for Christmas gifts (stocking stuffers don't count as they are usually cheaper anyway) and that we would have to make the rest or offer something for free. I volunteered ideas to my husband for me, such as a massage and serenade. Totally free and totally awesome and meaningful. For my son, I've been wracking my brain and scouring Pinterest until I finally got one idea, and here it is:

The Activity Bucket

     As you can see, it is a simple pail I think I got at Wal-Mart a few years ago on clearance for about 50 cents. I used craft sticks and scrapbooking paper I already had on hand to make the activities. As I was thinking about what my son could really use, I realized it was more quality time with us. My days are very busy what with homeschooling him, taking my own college courses, keeping up the house, cooking from scratch (it's worth it), writing, being pregnant, and the other things in life, there is not much of me to go around and I find I am more teacher than I am Mom. My husband also works full time and every other week sings on the Worship team at church, which means every night he is practicing at home, then one night a week he doesn't get home until 10:30 due to practice at church. When he is home, it's trying to take care of household stuff and just having time to unwind from daily stresses. Quality time with the parents, especially before and after the baby gets here, is super important and I felt he would appreciate that time with us much more than any more stuff.

     Here are some of my ideas:

• Story time (he loves when we play dress-up with stuff from his costume bin while I read to him)
• Make up a story
• Play King and Queen for a day - wear crown and robe
• Plant "Magic Beans" - for garden
• Cook something from My First Cookbook (this was a cookbook my grandparents gave to me when I was little and he has been asking to cook from it, but I never had the time)
• Go to the park
• Go Geocaching (If you don't know what geocaching is, go here Geocaching NOW!)
• Go for a bike ride
• Make bouncy balls
• Make flubber
• Play chess
• Go on a date with Mom
• Play a game (his choice)
• Make PlayDoh
• Play baseball with Dad
• Play Aerobi in park with Dad
• Play Frisbee golf

     So far, those are my ideas for things I've heard him mention or take an interest in, or things I just think would be fun, like making the bouncy balls. Any time we make something, I also use it as a lesson and count it towards our Homeschool day. I made sure to include quality time with both parents together and separate. Like, I am not much into sports or outdoor activities these days due to my pregnancy, and my husband is not very crafty, so these activities are things we the parents will also enjoy.
     Parents, don't be afraid to think outside the Gift Box. Children, no matter what they may say, value quality time with parents over large quantities of material stuff. It is really all about the memories. Think about it; which do you remember now and value more from your childhood: the toy you always wanted and got, or the time spent with family?
     Hope this post helps to stir your creative juices and helps you and your family onto a more meaningful holiday season.
     I will be sharing more posts later in stages regarding the holidays.



 Until then,

~ Crystal ~

To Halloween Or Not To Halloween? pt. 1

                                             



                                      


                                                    
    

     Today is a day when many people around the world will celebrate Halloween. They will dress their kids up, or themselves, in costumes from witches, pirates, ghosts, or maybe even little devils, to ladybugs, bumblebees, and funny things. They will go door-to-door or to other parties to collect candy with a pumpkin pail and many will claim this as their favorite holiday, even over Christmas, after all... it's just some harmless fun right?

     If you ask anyone who used to know me in my B.C. (Before Christ) days, they can wholeheartedly tell you what a fanatic of horror and Halloween I was. I would celebrate every Friday the 13th that came around with a horror movie marathon, from an early age I read Goosebumps books then graduated to John Saul, Dean Koontz, and Stephen King. I laughed at horror movies and gore. Halloween was absolutely my favorite holiday, especially as I got older. I didn't even really care for the candy, I just loved getting to freely explore the darker side without getting called a weirdo or freak. I adored Wednesday Addams from the Addams Family and Lydia from Beetlejuice. I identified more with them than some bubbly blond whom everyone loved. I share this to say, I know the appeal and allure. I also used to think it so sad when friends of mine were not able to celebrate because their parents saw it as something bad and I would feel so sorry for them, thinking the parents to be buzzkills.

     The moment I knew 100% that God was indeed real was when I could no longer stomach watching a horror movie in a series that I used to love. I had been anxiously awaiting the next installment of the Saw series and had to literally force myself through 30 minutes of it, pausing and wanting to turn it off then telling myself how stupid I was and turning it back on, until I finally couldn't take it any longer and there in that moment God revealed to me the kind of people that get entertained by death, destruction, malice, perversion, and harming others. Those people are not of Him because he is about everything that goes against that. God is about creation, love, light, beauty, healing, and peace, among many other things. Nowhere does darkness or evil enter into that and it cannot mingle. Having that moment with God I swiveled in my chair completely dumbfounded, realizing that only God Himself could have removed such a love for that dark stuff I used to get a delight in, and changed it to where it now repels me. I sat there for quite a while, just trying to process it all and feeling like I had been dealt a huge blow. Wow! that God did truly exist and I wasn't just crazy, and Dude! Who am I now and what is this person you are creating?! Is what I asked Him. I then realized I was slowly being formed into His image, and that required me letting go of all that I used to love and identify with in order to love what He loves and have His identity. I was no longer my own, which is what I prayed and offered up when I gave my life up to Him and made the decision to follow Him for the rest of my life. True Christianity is one of sacrifice. One of the first huge sacrifices I made was delighting and partaking in evil.

     I sure tried to hold onto it for as long as I could though. I celebrated a few more Halloween's after that, even totally decorating my house. I dressed up as the girl from the Exorcist spending hours on my makeup and the effects, looking pretty abominable, and the last I celebrated with my son I dressed up as  Gypsy thinking it was the lesser of evils. God had been convicting me all along, yet I didn't want to listen. Not my beloved Halloween!!! Surely, surely I can just do a little of this and not ALL of that and it would be okay. But Christ doesn't want just a little of us, He wants ALL of us, and thus, our complete surrender to Him. That's what being a Follower of Christ MEANS!

~ Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. ~ Romans 12:2

~ 5This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. ~ 1 John 1: 5-7

     So, that was the first big whammy to knocking down Halloween for me. Then, as I began to read the Bible more, I found Scriptures I had never heard talked about before and confirmed what God had been trying to tell me all along, but I am a stubborn mule that needs reiteration on top of confirmation and then some to change. Basically, I need to be hit over the head many times. BTW, I used to be HUGELY into astrology, tarot cards, even did a few "spells" as witchcraft when I was younger, read my horoscope and believed in them, and even participated in a séance once in high school with friends...Here are some of those Scriptures:

Leviticus 19:31 - “Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God."

Deuteronomy 18: 9-12 - “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you."

Leviticus 20:6 - “If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people."

Isaiah 8:19 -  And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?

Galatians 5:19-21 - "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

Revelations 21:8 - "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

2 Chronicles 33:6 - "And he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger."

1 Chronicles 10:13-14 - "So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse."

Deuteronomy 18:14 - "For these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this."

and last that I will include is this,

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

     That is not all of them either. Most talk about sorcery, divination, and mediums which are witchcraft, fortune-telling, and "speaking" with the dead. One of the symbols representing Halloween is the infamous witch and black cat with some ghosts. Very clearly, as is relayed ALL throughout the Scriptures and not just on one book or section of the Bible, God is clearly against ALL types of witchcraft, etc. even going so far as to include it in what are abominations to Him and people getting cast out or killed because of their involvement with that stuff.

     I included the last verse from 1 Corinthians to remind professing Christians, that if you call yourself that you are Christ's representative. If you are truly born again, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you and your body is no longer your own. Your repentance and salvation meant that life from that point on was no longer about you, but Christ living within you and using you as a beacon of Light within this dark world. So why, why, why would you dress yourself up as and/or partake in darkness?!?!?!?

     Another sobering Scripture to remember is this one from Matthew Chapter 18:

"4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.³

References for Matthew 18:4

• Cross References

• 3 18:4 - S Mk 9:35

5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.⁴

References for Matthew 18:5

• Cross References

• 4 18:5 - Mt 10:40

6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,⁵ it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.⁶

References for Matthew 18:6

• Cross References

• 5 18:6 - S Mt 5:29
• 6 18:6 - Mk 9:42 ; Lk 17:2

7 "Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!⁷

References for Matthew 18:7

• Cross References

• 7 18:7 - Lk 17:1

8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin,⁸ cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.

References for Matthew 18:8

• Cross References

• 8 18:8 - S Mt 5:29 ; Mk 9:43,45

9 And if your eye causes you to sin,⁹ gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.¹⁰

 

    Are you raising your children up to partake in and delight in Halloween also? Please pray earnestly and wait on God to answer before you do this. Not only are you raising your child up to partake in evil then go to church on Sunday which will confuse them, you yourself are storing up God's wrath in verse 6 by leading your child into sin, leading your child to willingly and joyfully participate in the things which are abominations to God and are anti-God. I am forever grateful that God got to me while my son was still little before I did lasting damage on him by raising him to partake in the things God hates. I don't want to see any of my friends and loved ones going down this road either. I will include in my next post a part 2 about the history of Halloween and its demonic roots.

 

 I pose a question to professing Christians who celebrate Halloween, how does this glorify God? How does this bring focus, glory, or praise to God? Most of you, if you answer honestly, will say that it doesn't, that it's just some harmless fun, and to lighten up.

 

    Before you get defensive, ask yourself what is more important to you: Halloween or God? Raising your children up the world's way, or God's way? If you are truly honest with yourself, like I finally had to be, and you truly desire to follow Christ, you will have to let go of this world and embrace what pleases God, not what pleases yourself or your children.

 

 

 

 

 ~ From,

 

A Recovered Halloween addict saved by the Grace of God

Alien Fruit and New Challenges

     So, tracing back to some of my former posts, I challenged myself to finish one of my writing projects by my 28th birthday last month, to lose 20 pounds, and to get more creative. Unfortunately, the blessing of pregnancy has rendered those things a mere dream. Losing weight is obviously no longer on the To-Do list, but I have swapped for trying to be healthier. Getting in 10 minute workouts is a huge accomplishment these days due to nausea and fatigue from the pregnancy, but I still push to do a little pilates and strengthening exercises, light weight lifting, and stretches. It felt wonderful today to get in a bike ride in the beautiful day that had a lovely breeze. I've also been trying to focus on my nutrition. The irony is that I ate super-healthy before, I just was consuming way too few calories. Now, I don't really have the energy to cook like I used to, and I get sick so easily, so quick meals, and (ICK) processed foods have become more of a staple.

     To combat the unhealthy things of late, I recently joined a produce Co-Op that offers me a wide variety of fresh fruits and veggies each week for a reasonable price, and I can pick it up only a few minutes from my house. I am overjoyed that it keeps me from having to shop! Fruits and veggies are more my deal anyway, so my husband goes to the store to pick up his staples. It also encourages all of us in the household to eat better. I LOVE IT! I also have taken the new produce as a challenge to create good and different meals from what we get. Today, we had purple baked potatoes. They tasted the same, but trying something different was so cool! I now have orange cauliflower, and some alien looking fruit called rambutan that is so fascinating. I highly encourage anyone who is interested in eating better or just switching up their meal routine, to get connected with a local Co-Op to get a variety of produce, many you may never have tried otherwise, or even heard of.

                                       (Rambutan. So cool! Tastes kind of like a bland grape)

     I am nearing my last weeks in my college courses online and trying hard to push through and focus to churn out quality stuff in the midst of my pregnancy fogginess and daily challenges, so, my writing has taken a backseat, though plenty of ideas are churning and I am jotting down new ideas often. I am burning to get back into writing! I may just sign myself up for NaNoWriMo this year. Dare I?! These stories are burning in me to get out. That daily discipline may be just what I need to get focused again. I really want to get more writing down before the baby gets here too. Today marks my sweet baby being three months along, so ETA is end of March or early April. I view that as my deadline to churn out as much writing as I possibly can, because I know once my baby is in my arms, all my energy will be into caring for my new blessing and writing will take the backseat once again for who knows how long.

     Not surprisingly, my creativity challenge has also taken a backseat. I just don't even have the energy or desire to create anything right now. I briefly think about how nice it would be to grab a paintbrush and slide some paint on canvas, but then the symptoms overtake me again and I pick up a book to read instead. Hopefully the second trimester will be better on me and I can do more of that which I love so much. I realize more how creativity is part of my soul. For my husband, it is his music. For me, it is creativity in whatever form. I am most myself when I am creating something; cooking, painting, getting gooey with Mod Podge and scrapbook paper, making collages, making bookmarks for me and my family, and even when I am collecting my seeds and putting them in my jars or gardening, singing, and of course, writing. Creativity, in whatever form, is my expression and what feeds my soul, next to God. It sends the blood pumping through my veins. I would love to make some money off of it one day, to have it be more than a hobby, but right now I don't even have time for the hobby, so....

     Until then, I plug along through each day, trying to make the most of each moment and not beat myself up when I can't get done what I want to. I treasure this time before my new little one gets here. I am trying to focus on myself and gear up for the marathon of life. Little by little I will get there, slowly getting closer to my goals and gleaning from the beauty around me in the process.

    I hope, whoever you are reading this, that you get inspired in some way too. Live your dreams, my friend. Life is short and tomorrow isn't promised. Be today who you long to be tomorrow.



 Peace my friends,

     ~ C

Bargain Hunting: Maternity Clothes

     So, one of my joys in life is saving money. I get a thrill when I can get my bill down to half or more. My husband constantly tells me that I don't need to shop the clearance racks or at thrift stores, yet I can't justify paying full price unless absolutely necessary for quality purposes. I have a future home I'd like to own rather than renting, student loans and a car loan to pay off. I don't have room to pay full price, so to me, it's worth a little extra effort to try to find the best deals and save as much as possible to go towards my family and I's future rather than material things.

     We don't exactly have it in our budget now to get me a whole new maternity wardrobe, but as I am on the edge of 3 months and baby belly is starting to protrude, I am needing some new comfy yet stylish wardrobe staples so I don't have to resort to wearing a sack equivalent. With a little clearance shopping and research, I got a great deal and I'm going to share my tips for anyone needing to save some money.

     First, for my recent maternity clothes purchase, I went to OldNavy.com. I don't want frumpy stuff and they typically have good deals. I shopped the clearance and sales, and the only thing I got that wasn't on sale was my maternity jeans. Those are worth the investment, or so I've been told. I wound up getting 11 items for what amounted to $140. I got free shipping since I spent over $125. Then, I went to my favorite online tool, retailmenot.com and finally got a code that worked, that sent me to Old Navy.com where I only had to sign up with my email to receive a code for 20% off.  That saved me $21.60 and brought my total, including tax, to $127. My total savings was $107, since nearly all items were on sale. That is a successful shopping event to me. I saved nearly 50% and got everything I need for my maternity staples. Jeans, lounge pants, camis, tanks, shoes, swimsuit, top, and a dress, and even got my son a pair of flip flops.

     The ultimate thrill is that they offer free returns, so I don't have to fret if anything doesn't fit me, I would get a full refund, and still get all of my savings. SWEET!

     So, before shopping online, I highly recommend checking retailmenot.com to look for special codes or deals at the online store you are buying from. Shop clearances and sales, take advantage of free shipping when you can, and add savings codes and promotions on top of that to save more money. Here is the link to the page on OldNavy.com for the 20% code after singing up with your email: https://secure-oldnavy.gap.com/profile/info.do?cid=52346&src=Site_TextFooter&mlink=5151,3446303,9&clink=3446303&tid=onaff2210202&ap=2&siteID=onafcid10455642&cvosrc=affiliate.cj.2210202#close
Also, I find I can get better deals when I shop online. Kohls also has some great deals and I always walk away saving about 50%, which equals a lot of loot!

     Now, that $107 can go towards our future home savings and hopefully I can share my tips with others who like bargains or need them as much as I do.



     Happy Hunting!

                ~ Crystal

~ A Perfect Design ~

     The past month has been a blur among nausea and fatigue. Just when I feel those symptoms are lessening, I get a really bad cold that knocks me off my feet again. I am close to my second trimester and hoping I will get back to semi-normal and get to exercise more and get more accomplished in my day. I find it very difficult to just sit still and do nothing. If I'm not doing something, I feel I am wasting my time, and that is not acceptable to me...especially when there is always so much to do. Homeschooling my son properly takes up a bulk of the day, and then I have my own school work on top of it. Thankfully I chose only 2 classes this time and 1 for the remainder of the Fall semester. Then there is a house to clean, food to throw together, random tasks to tackle, books to write, and household projects that need to get done, as well as making room for baby.

     I share that to say that in the past month, I have learned that there is a perfect design to pregnancy. I was a frantic overachiever before this pregnancy that never took much time to take care of myself. Nearly seven years as a single mom will do that; ultimate non-stop survival mode. Though I have been married for just close to 10 months now, I still struggled with stopping to breathe and take care of myself, and feeling guilty if I wasn't always focused on productivity.

     With this pregnancy, and being so sick day-in-day-out, I find myself getting excited when I can vacuum the house, or get all the laundry done in one day, or cook a nice meal. All things that I pressured myself to do all day every day never giving myself a break and forcing upon myself unrealistic expectations that I never could quite meet. Now, I am realizing that if I only make one really nice meal a week, and have leftovers or freezer meals the rest of the time, that is okay, and kind of makes that one really nice meal even nicer. I even got so excited the other day when I was able to go to the library, and the bank, and the store, and didn't get sick or feel like I was going to pass out. The little things I used to take for granted I no longer do. They are suddenly big things that lead to a sense of great accomplishment, and I am forced to take care of myself, the biggest thing I have been neglecting for a long time.

     I may not get all my son's homeschooling done in one day, and that's ok. He is still learning, and that is the beauty of homeschool; flexibility. I have thrown away my schedule, and the best I can hope for is to get a little of the most important things done. That's the biggest thing I've learned in this sudden upheaval of my life, what is really important. It's not crossing all the things off my To-Do list, but making every moment count. The precious moments of snuggling with my son and having him read to me are no longer rushed  and squeezed between all of my tasks. There is a beauty to this pregnancy. It makes me stop and slow down, really seeing again all of the blessings in my life that I started to take for granted and get blind to.

     Amid getting sick and having to rest either in bed or sitting for the bulk of my day and feeling like I have a non-stop flu sometimes, I am grateful for this time; not only that in the end I will be rewarded with something so precious, but that I am learning to take care of me and focus only on what really matters, letting go of the guilt in the process. I hope I can share these lessons and that you, whoever you are that may be reading this, will learn to take the time in each day for what REALLY matters, and that some big life change doesn't have to force you to do so.

     Make every moment count, but only on what really matters.
     Don't overlook the beauty and blessings that are already in your life.



Until next time,

   ~  Crystal

Convictions and So-Called Freedom

     While lying on my bed suffering from pregnancy symptoms, an incident from a few days ago that upset me kept going around and around in my head, only reigniting those negative emotions. Something happened while in a group setting that was sprung on me and severely contrasted my convictions.


     Without going into detail, I found myself in a big dilemma of not wanting to be a part of anything that would compromise my convictions, yet also not wanting to create an awkward scene in this new setting where I would have to have a semi-long-term relationship. 


     My spirit and nearly everything within me wanted to jump up and flee. The longer I sat there, the worse it got, and I contemplated things over and over in my head. Each time I got the urge to jump up and run, another voice kept saying things like, "But what would they all think?" "They'll just think you're weird and a troublemaker," and things of the like.


     So what did I do? I sat there. Awkward and seriously uncomfortable, fidgeting and squirming like I had ants in my pants or something. I didn't watch the screen. I fidgeted in my bag. I kept my eyes anywhere other than the stuff on the screen that severely conflicted with my conscience and convictions. I hated it. But quick spur-of-the-moment situations like that do not go well with me. It seems I always choose wrong and feel guilty for being "weird."


     Upon reflection, I see I could have handled that so much better, because really, I did something horrible. It would be no different had I been a part of a group that committed a robbery, and I only stayed in the car, folding my hands, and making it obvious I didn't want to be there. I still stayed there and was a part of it. Therefore, I am guilty.


     That reflection brought me to tears because it then made me realize, if I couldn't even stand up for my convictions in something so "innocent" as this group setting was, then how in the world will I ever be able to stand up for the things that truly matter?! It shook me realizing I wouldn't. I am a coward. Still. My mind and heart may be set on the right things, but my body doesn't align.


     I have always been a pushover since I was little. Always just wanting to be liked and hating if I ever upset anyone. I thrived on peace. I don't like to be in the spotlight. I do not like attention on me. I like to blend in.


     Unfortunately, these days it seems that if you have a firm stance on anything, you are going to be rocking the boat if you don't go along with the crowd....and this is what it all comes down to:


     Will I hold strong to my beliefs and convictions even if I am all alone, persecuted, laughed at, and mocked? Or will I back down, stay silent, and be guilty by association by still being a part of what I know to not be right. Will I continue to blend in with the crowd? Or will I stay true to myself and my convictions and risk being in the spotlight I hate? Which is worse: being in the spotlight I hate for a noble reasons, or being a coward and being liked by the crowd? Which will I respect more? Which will I be okay with if my children follow in my footsteps?


     Looking at it like that, the answer is pretty simple. I will never be able to respect myself if I don't stand up for my convictions. Thus, I need a lot of help to get stronger in this area.


     I also have this crazy, perhaps Utopian, idea that we could live in a world that is respectful towards other people's convictions and doesn't try to bully them or force them in others ways to violate those convictions. In this instance, it would have been nice to be warned of what was coming in advance, yet I see a growing problem of a lack of sensitivity to others convictions.

     I believe that what once made America a great nation was the freedom of choice. There were ample opportunities here, a melting pot of people, a variety of cultural and ethnic influences, spiritual and other viewpoints, the variety and diversity, that made this place so great once.


     Yet very rapidly our freedom of choice is being stripped away, so that those with convictions are forced to conform or pay a steep price. There is no choice anymore, except for how we choose to get punished, by bowing down and losing our self-respect or facing fines, jail time, or worse.


     My Utopian idea is that whatever side of an issue someone is on, they would have respect and a right to their convictions. Vaccinate or no vaccinations, organic/vegan or standard American toxic diet, same-sex or traditional marriage, homeschool or public school, classical or modern music, etc., People should have the right to be able to hold to their convictions without being bullied or forced to violate those convictions... just my wild and crazy idea. There should be a respect on both sides of an issue without one forcing the other.


     In the situation I just faced, I could have handled it better by stepping out of the room and politely saying what was going on went against my convictions so I couldn't partake and it might be a good idea in the future if they warned people in advance in case of any such convictions. See, I don't have to go shouting and stomping my way around about how uncomfortable and violated I felt. I don't have to create a dramatic uproar, bring in news cameras, or sue. I could simple walk out and leave for good if need be, or better yet, let them know of my concern so maybe they will be more respectful and sensitive to that in the future. No arguing or bullying. It's really very simple.


     Standing up for a conviction does not mean bullying, shouting, protesting, bringing in the media circus, or crushing the one who offended me or made me uncomfortable. It means sticking to my convictions while maintain love and respect for the other person or people. It means hopefully finding a way to meet in the middle and resolve it like adults, another thing that is dying along with freedom of choice.


     If I get offended that someone won't make a cake I want, I can simply take my business elsewhere. If someone is convicted that my lifestyle choice is wrong and won't issue me a marriage license with my love, I can go to another county to file for it. If a restaurant serves only meat or GMO food with no other options, I can leave a suggestion and ask for healthier options or try another restaurant. If it offends your friend to eat pork, don't serve pork chops for dinner. Meet in the middle if at all possible. Both sides need to give as far as the respect goes. It's really a simple idea that for some reason seems so profound these days.


     Compassion, respect, courtesy. To force anyone to violate their convictions is wrong. Simple as that...in my wild and crazy opinion.








    

Culture's Journey

       Since I was a young teenager pondering life and the mysteries within it, I was convinced that the day we know everything, if at all possible, is the day we die and that life is a continual journey of progression towards the fulfilled individual we were supposed to be. This was before I knew and followed God. This was before I even ended puberty. Something within me knew there is more to life than just test scores, a good job, and financial security. It is partly about continually developing ourselves, growing daily, in as many ways as possible, to become the whole person.


     I remember during my ponderings seeing a person as an empty container of sorts, born empty. Only in the thirst and search for knowledge do we become more fulfilled, learning about life, people, cultures, Greek language, art, etc., do we start to fill that container. If one only reads Dr. Seuss, or only watches "reality" television, or only eats one kind of cereal, there is no growth, as is becoming more and more evident in our culture these days. People, in general, seem stunted. Instead of pursuing the next level of their own personal development, they are striving and seeking success in the form of reaching the next level of their video game. There seems to be very little growth for growth's sake, and much stagnation, filling up on superficiality and vain things that are in all actuality completely unsatisfying, which leads me to theorize that is part of the reason why so many are depressed and not very happy or satisfied with life. There is little joy, little contentment, much indulging and addiction to things with no sustenance. We are intellectually starved.


     Our culture seems to be deteriorating at a rapid pace, and I look back at when things seemed to be thriving and looked at the habits and customs of those days. It was customary for education to be primary, and not basic reading, writing, and arithmetic, but challenging things were given to little kids like Greek studies, proficiency in piano, etiquette, horseback riding lessons, and studies of Plato, the Bible, Aristotle, Shakespeare even. It seems as if everything is dumbed down these days, and it makes me very sad. It is almost like our culture, our intellect, is wasting away. Culture is dying as there are very few "cultured" people left out there. Very little sophistication. Very little class or dignity. It seems as though those are almost bad words these days. I miss manners, respect, and the like. So, in my own life, I strive to create that for myself, to teach my son dying things like manners, respect, and dignity, and embrace that myself. I do not have to adopt the ways of the "norm" around me. I am blessed to be able to "create" the world I wish to live in.


      Part of my challenging myself to create is also to grow intellectually and spiritually, to stretch and push my mind and the way I think, to broaden my horizons. I think I will start with Saint Sir Thomas More's Utopia, then maybe Walden by Thoreau, Tolstoy's War and Peace, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Ralph Waldo Emerson's poetry, and other classics. I believe they are classics for a reason. So many classic works of literature that I have not even read yet, but I will. I strive to read as many classics, and even Plato and Aristotle and other "thinkers" of past times before I die in this life. I will listen to Bach and B.B. King, examine Monet, and study Da Vinci's sketches of inventions.


    I seem to believe more and more that the only way to ensure a rich, healthy future is to go back and study the past. There is something to that. Aside from teaching my son to love God first, and others, I strive to teach him the importance of a quality education, the thirst for knowledge. Life is not found in textbooks forced in order to meet government standards, but in the individuals pursuit of knowledge and challenging one's self to keep stretching beyond the comfort zone, to continue growing daily in various forms.


     Am I the only one that thinks this way?


     I can't imagine I am.


     I would love to hear thoughts on this.




   Until Next Time....

Homeschool: Seashells and Multiplication

Today my little guy and I tackled multiplication, something I have been prolonging as much as possible. I figured it was something my son would need extra explanation and visual aids with so I broke out the seashells and took some deep breaths before we began.


He has been using a Jumpstart to 2nd Grade workbook we found at our thrift store a while back for only $2.99 and we both love. Each section has four different levels with "stamps" to put on each "passport" after completion of each section, and one level is a review that earns a big sticker to put on the Certificate of Completion at the back of the book. My son loves earning his stamps and stickers and keeps him encouraged to do his work, which makes me love it even more. The book is also perfect to use since I have decided to continue homeschooling throughout the summer, just changing up our lessons and focus a bit.

Since our kitchen table has tiles on top of it that make perfect grids, I utilize those with math every chance I get. So today I helped teach my son multiplication by using seashells and sticky notes. I wrote a number or equation on the sticky note and placed it on a lower square, then had him add the correct number of shells to each square or "group." Thus, he had a visual of what the different groups and numbers per group meant. He seemed to pick it up VERY quickly and even said he liked doing it, asking to do more multiplication equations. I walked him through, then had him do a review on his own by placing the sticky notes with equations on the table and he used the shells to complete it. Once I felt confident he could do it, and HE felt confident, we moved on to the lesson in the workbook, which he did with very little trouble at all; only a few mistakes due to rushing through.

Overall, he was encouraged and excited about multiplication and there were NO TEARS for either of us. I think he enjoyed the hands on part of getting to sort of play with the shells and perhaps it tricked his mind into thinking he was playing. No matter what, the lesson was not bad at all and I dreaded it for nothing.


Once he finished, we moved on to our Art time. I had popsicle sticks, mosaic tiles in blue and tan, and the shells used for our math lesson. I glued the blue tiles on the bottom of the stick, then the tan, then added a few shells to the top. I wish I could upload the pictures. I call them our "Ocean Sticks." He enjoyed the project too. I'm not exactly sure what purpose they will serve, but I am sure we will think of something, if not more tools to use for his playtime and imagination.

One thing I try to do with our homeschool lessons is tie-in themes throughout, which is why I wanted to share our day as an example. Using shells for math and art, making a crab for an art project and then watching a video on crabs, making ice cream and then learning about Antarctica... the possibilities for fun tie-ins is endless and makes teaching and learning much more exciting for both the Teacher (Mom) and Student (Child).




Until Next Time...

Pushing Forward

It is amazing what happens when I purposefully set aside time to myself and retreat into my writing. I started by utilizing what little time I had tonight while my little one was bathing and my husband was relaxing after work to read a few devotionals I have and write in my journal. I then utilized more time to write after my little one's bedtime and our family time. Then after a little break to get my big guy in bed and have our Love Dare devotions, I purged out more words for a total of over 5,000 words added to one of my upcoming stories. That is astounding to me and so long since I have done that. It feels "wonderful" to have done that and to be reminded that I CAN do it. Three years I believe it has been since I have churned out that much in one session. I am thrilled! 5,000 words equates to about seven pages. A great head start. I am still amazed at how much it just starts flowing out of me once I get my head geared into it and realizing I am not going to ever produce perfection in my first bits of writing. Even the best of writers have to constantly edit and re-write with multiple drafts in-between.


So why am I so hard on myself and have so many unrealistic expectations?!?!?!


I am my own worst enemy and biggest stumbling block.


I fill myself with all these unrealistic expectations and then when I can't meet them, and I don't think any real person could, then I use it as evidence to convince myself I can't. I self-sabotage.


Why?


I am afraid of success and I am afraid of failure.


It has come to my attention that I am not the only one out there that deals with this annoyance. I wish I could be "normal" and just do it, but it really is about why am I so afraid at succeeding?


I am afraid of putting myself out there.
I am afraid of doing all this work, investing all this time and effort, for it to flop or be wasted.
I am afraid of letting down my husband.
I am super afraid of letting down myself.
I am convinced I am a writer and that is what I am meant/was created to do, yet I am afraid of never succeeding at it, thus spending my whole life chasing unmet goals and forcing everyone to suffer through my pursuing of my dreams.
I am afraid of succeeding and being put into the spotlight with all the added pressure.
I am afraid of people expecting things out of me, like more success.
Really, to summarize, I am afraid. Simple as that.


Fear has always been an enemy of mine that I wore like a security blanket.


I am a recovering perfectionist with high expectations and I think I expect others to hold those same high expectations also.


I hate letting people down.


I hate feeling like a failure.


I am a fumbler in life, but I don't want to fail at my heart's desire.


I am working on this fear thing and learning to go with the flow, take the time allotted to me when I get it, even if it is just a half hour, and start pouring myself into writing, in whatever form. I am working on focusing on the journey instead of the destination. It is a journey to free-write my stories, purging them from my soul first before I try to prune and sort them into sensible creations. I must first work the clay before I can form it into the perfect piece of pottery. Why do I expect it to instantaneously poof into a vase? A seed doesn't turn into a fruit-bearing plant overnight. It all takes time. It is part of the process. I am learning to accept, enjoy, and embrace the process while pushing forward past my fears, breaking them apart as I move along.


Ooh it feels good!