The Best Cuddle Place

Last night, we let Elizabeth stay up a little later than the other kids for her "special time." I asked her what she wanted to do, and her response was,

"Just spend some time with you. I will help you clean up the kitchen if you want."

So sweet. And, I almost took her up on it.

After much deliberation, she chose to watch TV and cuddle. We settled the TV upon National Geographic on a program about rehabilitating dogs. No, not Cesar Milan because I do adore him, but DogTown or DogCity or some such. I couldn't really pay that much attention because for the duration of the show our sweet, hazel eyed, curly headed daughter TALKED AS LOUD AS HER VOICE WOULD ALLOW.
"Why does that dog only have 3 legs?" "Is he okay?" "Where is his other leg?" "Why is he there?" "Are those people nice?" "Are they going to show the dog with 3 legs again?" "How many times does he have 3 legs?"

Yes, loads of questions, all of which Luke and I were unable to answer because we could not hear the TV over the sound of her voice.

Finally, we realized that the TV was on more for "background noise" and cuddled our sweet baby girl. We asked her who she wanted to cuddle with and she replied,

"My heart can't decide. You see, I want to cuddle you both, but there's only 1 of me, so I can't."

"You've got two arms, we can each cuddle one." Luke said.

"Yeah, but I've only got 1 tummy and that's the best cuddle place."

Oh, our sweet baby girl, she's growing up so, so fast.

Makin' Baby's....Food

Although most of my readers probably already know HOW to make baby food, I thought I'd do a baby food making post. The reason(s) being:

1) I couldn't think of anything else.

2) I'm thinking of finally doing a Part 2 to this post, and making my own baby food is ONE way I help save our family money.

3) Because it's my blog and I can.

4) This little guy needed some (half) face time, and as you can see from the dirty highchair, hims likes some baby food.

So, here goes:

Today's lesson will be on how to make baby carrots. With baby food reaching an alarming $.69 a jar, it not only disgusts me to spend that kind of money, but I also can't help but wonder what extra "stuff" they put in it to make it stay the color that it should be (AKA..baby bananas, why aren't they brown?).

Anyway, I start with plain old carrots (or any other fruit/veggie I can find on sale).


Next, I dice the carrots as small as my knife and patience will allow. Smaller cubes means faster cooking time.

After cubing, I steam the carrots in AS LITTLE WATER AS POSSIBLE. I do this because I know that while cooking, the water gets all the good stuff, vitamins, minerals, etc. Then, I can just blend the water right in after they are cooked and I can keep all the goods from the "juice."

When the carrots (or whatever) become fork tender, I place them, a few tablespoons at a time into the blender. I blend after every few tablespoons so that I can get the desired consistency. For Stage 1 baby food, add LOTS of water. As your child progresses through the stages, you can make it lumpier and thicker. Baby D likes his food THICK, so if it's too runny when you go to feed them you can always add some rice (or oatmeal) cereal to thicken it up.

Once pureed to the consistency of your choice, I put my baby food into ice cube trays. Each cube holds about 1 tablespoon of baby food. Baby D will eat as much as 6 cubes at 1 meal!

I cover the ice cube trays in tin foil or saran wrap and freeze for at least 36 hours.

Once the cubes are frozen, I pop them out and bag them in zipper freezer bags.

Yeah, I'm just like a cooking show. I already had a bag of Sweet Potatoes prepared, so that's what you're getting to see.

When it's time to feed your little person, just pop a few cubes into a microwave safe dish, and microwave on high about 10 seconds per cube. Be sure to test the temperature though before you feed your baby so that your little one doesn't get burned.

And there you have it. This is my small way of helping ease the cost of our ever rising grocery bill. What are your secrets to making your grocery bills cheaper?

The Potty Is Alive, With Sound of Flushing!

Potty training is one of the things I never really thought about before I had kids. Sure, I knew kids had to learn to use the potty, but the nitty gritty of potty training never crossed my mind. I never thought I'd pick up large chunks of poop off the carpet without totally gagging. It never occurred to me that cleaning up pools of pee pee would become a daily ritual.

I never thought I'd be so FREAKIN' excited to hear another person pee pee in the potty, much less "puuweep." Such was the case just this morning. I came from our bathroom, walked through our bedroom and heard the sound of liquid going into a potty. Usually, this means Elizabeth has gone, all on her own and is doing her thang. But this morning, I heard such noise (more boldly than I'm used to) and saw Elizabeth and Ashlee resting in our bed, watching cartoons.

I quickly scanned the room looking for Lucas, then I realized that the sound of the pee pee could only come from him (plus, I was tipped off by the velocity in which his stuff was hitting the water). Peering around the corner of the bathroom, I saw the greatest site ever...my 2 (almost 3) year old son, standing in front of the potty, peeing like a champ!

What made this so awesome is that he, for the 1st time, DIDN'T come and find me and ask me to help (or to hold his "wenis.") He did it, all on his own!

Now, if you're not a parent of a potty training aged child, or if you've never been through such years, this may seem like the stupidest post ever. But can I tell you that when Lucas came back to me just 2 minutes later announcing that he needed to "puuweep" it made my heart sing.

Folks, just so you really understand, this brings my daytime diapered people down to TWO, yes TWO. Only two people who now require me to change their diapers every 2-4 hours. 3/5 of my children are now going to the potty on a regular basis. I'm blown away, super excited and a little sad that my babies are getting so big.

So now, enjoy some pictures, courtesy of the our new "easy to go potty" look. The twins are in just undies so that potty access is easy, and Elizabeth, well, she was too concerned with getting paint on her clothes....she's a little OCD.

Oh, one last thing...if you invented flushable wet wipes, I owe you, BIG time. Email me and maybe I'll hook you up with some socks or something.

**Even as I typed this post, both Lucas and Ashlee went potty all by themselves. Sweetness!**

Bizzy And The Jett

We have these friends, good friends, the friends that just "get you." Until 17 days ago, they were the only good friends that we had left, that were still not parents. 17 days ago, they welcomed their 1st born, a precious son named Jett.

Elizabeth and Britt are ultimate "girlfriends." Seriously. I have never seen a 24 year old and a 4 year old "get" each other the way these two do. Maybe it's the common presence of curls, maybe it's the "girly-girlness." Maybe it's because Britt (aka "Girlfriend") is one of those people that kids automatically adore. Either way, Elizabeth, Girlfriend and Ashlee are tight. And one day, I'm sure Baby Girl will be right in the mix, girlfriendin' it up as well.

Elizabeth knew that Girlfriend was having a baby. She has watched Girlfriend's tummy grow, we had talked about Girlfriend's week long labor, complete with contractions that would stop her mid-sentence. We had said that Girlfriend's baby was coming, very soon.

Well, Girlfriend had her baby and one week later, Luke and I left for the mountains. Needless to say, this cut in on Elizabeth's Girlfriend time. So tonight, being the good girlfriend that she is, Girlfriend (and Matt) brought over their new baby boy.

We had hoped it would be a surprise, but when I told (spelled to) Luke that "B-R-I-T-T and J-E-T-T and M-A-T-T" would be coming over tonight, Elizabeth stopped dead in her tracks and said,

"Girlfriend's coming over? Is she bringing her baby? Is she bringing Jett?!!"

Apparently, my 4 year old can spell J-E-T-T. Who knew? She was the happiest girl in the world tonight as she perfected her mini-mommy skills on this sweet baby boy.

Technically, I only received permission to post this one picture:

So Matt, close your eyes as I post 2 more, because Jett, in all his cuteness, deserves more than just one picture on ANY blog that he graces.

Oh little boy. This is the first of many, many, many sessions with your new Littlest Mommy. Prepare yourself my boy, prepare.

PS-If you haven't figured it out yet, "Bizzy" is Elizabeth's nickname. Lucas and Ashlee gave it to her when they were first learning to talk, and it's just sorta stuck.

Love, Without Condition

Our week in the mountains was one filled with relaxation, remembering why I fell in love with Luke (that very first time) and rest. However, there was one predominant theme throughout the entire trip. I remembered why I fell in love with my God (that very first time) all over again.

I remember the first time I truly understood that I was important to the Creator of the universe. I can't tell you where I was, or what I was doing, but I remember the humbling, earth shattering feeling. I realized that this God, the One that made the heavens, stars, earth and everything within it loved me, with abandon.

He chose to love me, before I was ever lovable, and sacrificed more than I will ever comprehend just so I can spend eternity with Him. Just typing those words makes tears well up in my eyes. He cares so much about me. This week I was reminded of that time and time and time again.

During my quiet time one morning, He made sure I understood just how much. I was flipping back through a notebook that I keep that is partially full of notes from sermons and Bible studies. I found some notes from Romans Chapter 8:31-39. It grabbed my heart, once more. Since I stink at journaling (hence one of the purposes of this blog) I did not date this original "journal" entry. My guess, from other notes and such, is that I originally wrote it around Thanksgiving of this past year. Here is what I wrote (Edited only with brackets so that you can follow my jumbled mess. It's a little all over the place):

Although I am so full of sin, this sin that makes me feel as if I'm unworthy to even approach the Throne [of God] and ask for forgiveness~I know that since I have the spirit within me - there is nothing that I can't humble myself before God and make right. There is nothing I can do or have done to deserve it anyway [God's forgiveness], so I should approach, repent and be cleansed. Because God gave his Son, why wouldn't I think that there is anything else He would spare to give me all I need (v 32).

(v33) God himself gave me the right standing with him. Although I feel so far from Him right now, I am told that nothing, nothing can separate me from His love (v 38-39).

As I stood in awe of the beauty of untouched nature this past week, God reminded me again, just how much He cares for me. Tiny, inconsequential, speck of the universe...ME

I watched water rush over rocks and sticks and dirt. I saw that each rock, both great and small, was perfectly placed so as the water rushed over it, true beauty was shown. I saw tiny buds of life beginning to form on frozen limbs. I witnessed the peace of a roaring stream and I allowed my soul to get lost in the majesty of a forest.

You see, this same God who so carefully placed each rock, drop of water, tree and branch, He also, with the same care, placed me here and crafted me with even more delicacy. His love for me poured out so richly, so that I too can reflect His majestic glory. As I soaked in all of The Maker's craft, I was reminded of Matthew 6:26.

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Yes, He cares for me so much. And if He took this much time to carefully design and create the beauty of nature, how much more must He love me? The answer was breathtaking. Each rock and stream so meticulously placed for our pleasure. His love is so abundant and I am so humbled.

And, the most surprising part yet?

He loves you, and me, just the same, whether we choose Him or not. His love is not conditional. He is beckoning us to love Him, to the best of our sinful ability, so that He can reveal Himself to us piece by piece, drop by drop and moment by moment.

In the peace of the woods, I thought about this post. I thought about the words I would say, hoping to convey the love that I saw, so elaborately displayed for all to see. And, I prayed. I prayed for each of you, reading this, that you would be touched to your core. That you would taste and see for yourself. That you would realize, if you haven't ever before (or maybe realize all over again, as I did) just how much He loves you and that He is beckoning you to come and feel the power of a love, without condition.

Sneak Peek: Vacation Pictures

We are back. It was beautiful, snowy morning when we drove down the mountain, on our way home. The snowiest day that we had seen, which made it bittersweet to leave. We were thrilled to see the kids, and each of them provided heartwarming smiles and squeals when we saw them.

I have a big post coming, with many, many more pics, but it may take me a few days to get everything reorganized and my thoughts gathered. In the meantime, enjoy these few. I promise there are MANY more where these came from.

Mountain Photography: 101

In our quest for breathtaking mountain views (and free internet) we found a place to pull over on the side of the road, hoping to enjoy God's amazing creation and each other's company.

We decided it would be a perfect place for a photo opp, and instead of the regular camera-at-arms-length self portrait, we thought we'd try to prop the camera on top of the car. It is with our new self photography skills that we offer you the following photography tips, incase you're ever in need.

Tip #1) Ensure that the camera is zoomed all the way out, before you take your first picture:


Tip # 2) While recovering from hysterical laughter after viewing the previously pictured...er, picture, make sure that you remember to RE-set the self timer.


Tip #3) Get the zoom right, and even though you can see the hood of the car, realize that this is as good as it's gonna get.

Tip #4) Realize that the beauty of God's magnificent creation is the best subject on which to focus the camera.

36 Hours of Cold Weather Heaven

We've been on our Mountain Vacation almost 36 hours, and already we are feeling relaxed. This morning, we slept until 11am and I woke up, for the first time in a LONG time before Luke, all on my own, feeling refreshed and ready to face the bitterly cold temps. Yes, a seriously cold 37 degrees F. Yes, I know some of you Northerners consider this summer weather, but us thin-skinned southerners think we are facing blizzard-like temps. Especially my fair skinned, red-headed husband, whose self deemed "Cold-Meter" says it's too cold if he "can see his breath."

Yeah, I'm serious.

We checked into our precious little condo, consistent of 1 room (plus a bathroom) that holds the bed, kitchen and "living area" all a quaint 300 square feet. It is seriously the cutest thing I've ever seen. Here are a few quick pictures to tide you over. I don't know how often I will be able to post, as we are currently at a delightful little italian bar and grill eating lunch and stealing using their WiFi.

Our delightful mountain bungalow (do they call mountain places bungalows?) and my Man.

Whilst taking the above picture my back is to

the kitchen.

Before going in for some lunch, we snapped this quick picture of the slopes we are about to ski on.

Oh yeah, can you say Tylenol for dinner?

Packing, Packing and More Packing

The eve of our vacation is finally here. With it comes mountain of work. I have to pack separate bags for each of the babies, get everything ready for school tomorrow morning AND pack my own bag. Luke's on his own and my Mom so graciously has allowed me to skip packing for the big kids because they will still be here!

Whew! This is a lot of work. But 18 hours from now, it will all have been totally worth it. Now, enough time on here...I gotta PACK!

I am hoping that I will be able to at least post once while on vacation, but if not you can always follow me on Twitter. Look out snow...here we come!

Friday Night (Hi)Lights

If you follow me on Twitter, you will already know that Friday night we camped out in our basement with the "Big Kids" (that's Elizabeth, Lucas and Ashlee if you're wondering). We had a fabulous time.

Elizabeth came up with the idea on Wednesday afternoon when she asked,

"Mom, can we go camping tonight?"

I thought about it, and said,

"I don't see why not, but it will have to be inside. Maybe in the basement? How about Friday night?"

A huge grin spread across her precious face. The rest of the week she played "camper" with Lucas and Ashlee. That night we confirmed it with Luke. Then, she threw in a curveball...

"Can we sleep in a tent?"

So, we did. We set up a tent in the basement and had our own little camp out. And the best part? Running water, no bugs, power...this is my kind of camping.

The excitement built as Paw Paw (my Dad) came over Friday afternoon and set up the tent in our basement.

Please pardon the hodgepodge attire and clearly self-dressed children you see pictured. We have come to the age where "me do it!" has superseded my desire to battle them to wear appropriate clothing while at home. Hey, at least they are clothed, which is a major accomplishment for us...as you will see soon with a post I have in the works. And when we go into public I at least make sure that each child matches, sort of. Now, that does not mean that we all wear the same season of clothing. For example, this morning Elizabeth clearly wore a springy sun-dress to church, while Ashlee adorned more of a fall/winter dress. But hey, everyone was clothed and no one had a melt down.

Anyway, back to the campout. The kids "helped" Paw Paw set up the tent.

Then, it was time to test it out.

Earlier in the day, while helping Ashlee go to the potty (which she is doing by herself now, only requiring diapers at nap and bedtime...YIPEE!), my nose reminded me that bath night could not be pushed off one more day.

In an effort to distract them from the tent, we went back upstairs and took baths. Luke gets off work late on Friday nights. I wanted him to experience some of the excitement and so I banished the kids from the basement until Daddy was home and could escort them downstairs. I should have known that this would only INCREASE the excitement, and by 7:30 when Luke got home, they were about to bust.

We made hot dogs, the camp out food of choice, and ate downstairs. We played for a bit in the tent, and then it was MOVIE time. The kids snuggled up into their sleeping bags and we all settled down (onto a very hard basement floor) and enjoyed the show.

Once the movie went off, it was game time. We made silly faces, wrestled, went on "Bear Hunts" and played made up games, all within the confines of the tent. Then it was time for outside the tent fun. We played floor puzzels and attempted a very bad game of Chutes and Ladders. (Note to self: Do not play counting games when 2/3 of your gamers cannot count in sequential order.

"two...five....eleventeen...three!" was Ashlee's favorite move.)

Anyway, we decided it was time to begin to settle down and have a snack, so we tuned into our second movie of the night and enjoyed some popcorn.

By the time our second movie went off, Ashlee was long asleep and Lucas and Elizabeth were desperate for some Z's themselves. Luke and Lucas retired to the tent, while Elizabeth and I slept on the pullout sleeper sofa. Ashlee didn't move a muscle and snored the night away in her sleeping bag on the floor. We ushered in Valentine's Day (yes at midnight) as we tucked ourselves in and slept under the glow of the stars hallway light.

It was, without a doubt, the BEST campout I've ever been on. And although my back still hurts beyond belief (from a very uncomfortable night on a sleeper sofa) and my kids were up 4 hours past their bedtimes, it was so worth it. I know we all made memories that we will laugh about for a very, very long time.

Don't Worry...You're Invited

Updated: Thanks for the tip, Wendi!

For those of you who read some of the links on my sidebar, my friend Beth (our friends we met at Foster Parent Classes) has now made her blogs restricted to invite only. Here's something from her that she asked me to post for all of you who are "co-lurkers" on both my blog and her's:

The Haut House, and Random Arrows are now blocking public access until further notice. As much as I HATE to block strangers from my most awesome blogging skills (haha), I need to keep my family as private as possible until we are able to adopt Daniel. IF there is anyone out there who would like to continue reading my blogs, I would love to invite you to have access, but I need your email to do so (don't worry, I won't spam you). Email me at lovemyarrows(AT)gmail(DOT)com and I will send you two separate invitations, one for The Haut House, and one for Random Arrows.

Sorry for the inconvenience, but I have to set up some safe guards for the time being!

Happy blogging,
Beth

So there you go, email her if you want access. And for the record, Beth, I think you do have some awesome blogging skills!

Also, for all things blog related, I have created a new email account. It is: beaverbunch(AT)gmail(DOT)com.

If you know me personally, and have my primary email, please feel free to use that one to stay in touch. I will probably check it much more often than the gmail account.

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Wow, just 3 more days until Luke and I are enjoying secluded, kid-free time in the cool-crisp mountain air. I can hardly wait. I can't believe how well things are coming together. Our kids are being left in very capable hands, we will have a superb house sitter and, best of all, it's costing us very little out of pocket. I can already feel myself relaxing...well, until I think about all I still have to get done BEFORE we leave. Geesh, packing for 7 people for 7 days...quite daunting!

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Baby D's birth parents canceled another visit today. Although their excuse reason was not one they'd used before, I still can't help but think they are lying. Grrrr! It's so frustrating!

Questions Attempted: Redeemed By Grace

My attempt at answers are from questions left in the comment section of this post.

I sorta felt like these next questions go hand in hand so I'll attempt them together, yet separately. Also, I am going to try not to use "Churchy" words because before I was a follower of Jesus, those words were a HUGE turn-off. Let me know how I do with that, mmkay?

Once again, please remember:

1. The thought of answering questions and defending my faith makes me nauseous. Not because I do not believe, but because I am afraid of misrepresenting the One who is perfect and blameless.

2. I am not a theologian. I have never studied Greek or Hebrew and I have not attended seminary of any kind (I knew you all were wondering). This is the BEST that I can do with the limited knowledge (and jumbled Mom brain) that God has given me.

3. If I don't answer your questions it's because, well, I DON'T KNOW.

4. I do not claim to represent any specific denomination or church "sect." What I can tell you is that I am a believer in Jesus Christ, that He is indeed the Messiah and that His blood has the power to wash away all sin no matter how great or small. I've seen it in my own life.

5. Please, I'm begging you, remember that I've only been a Christian for 5ish years. I'm still just a baby. If you see an error in something I have said, please feel free to comment and correct me. However, please also back it up with Scripture. I will also use Scripture to emphasize my points.

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First up:

Courtney, in an effort to save a little space, I'm going to paraphrase your question. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

The general gist of your question was:
There are a lot of good people in the world. My experience with "churchgoers" and "Christians" is that some of these people do not fall into my category of "good." So, how can Christians say they are getting into heaven but claim that other, basically good people (who are not self-identified as Christians), are not? (Okay, maybe I didn't shorten your question.)

I SO struggled with this in the past. And now, knowing what I know, I still struggle (if not even more) with this, just in a whole new way. But, I must remember that the Bible is 100% the word of God and so it is there that I find my answers.

The book of Romans is amazing at outlining what it takes to get to Heaven. Anyone who gets bogged down with the speech of the Bible might try The Message version (it has helped me to understand parts of the Bible that I might have otherwise never understood).

Romans is written by a man named Paul (who used to be Saul...gotta love the name changes). When Paul was still called Saul, he hated Christians. He often witnessed and helped lead them to their deaths. However, he had an extreme encounter with the Son of God and from that day forward, he believed in Jesus as the Savior.

The book of Acts was written by a man named Luke. Luke was a doctor that traveled with Paul, recording the things that he saw along the way. I love Acts Chapter 15 because it so clearly talks about salvation and what must be done for it to be obtained.

Basically, Paul and another man named Barnabas come upon some people teaching Gentiles (non Jewish people) that they must be circumcised before they can be saved. Also, these other teachers were trying to convince the crowds that in order to retain their salvation they had to obey the Jewish (Mosaic) Laws. Paul and Barnabas believed differently, so the church decided to send them to the council in Jerusalem to ask the apostles (the disciples of Jesus...the 12 men who were his closest confidants) and elders about obeying the law and circumcision as it pertained to Gentiles.

(You still with me? I'm getting somewhere, I promise.)

Okay, so Paul and Barnabas arrive at the council and someone stands up and says, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses." (verse 5) Then Peter, who is like the leader of the disciples - now that Jesus has ascended into heaven - addresses the group saying the following:

"God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them [Gentiles] by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith." (Acts 15:8-9)

So that's it! Faith. Faith that Jesus is the Savior, and trust in Him. Here's how that ties back to Courtney's question...

Good people exist, but I think we would all agree that NO ONE is perfect...no matter how "good" they might be. However, true salvation is not dependent on how strictly we follow a law or how "good" we are in the world's eyes. True salvation comes ONLY through belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Again, I SO struggled with this when I first became a Christian. I knew (and still do know) so many "good" people. It made me sad to think that because they had not confessed Jesus as their Savior that they would not be in Heaven with me one day.

However, here is the flip side of that. I am a generally "good" person. Yet, I'm not good enough. God is a just God. He requires purity and blamelessness and holiness before we can ever even be in His presence (this is also something I used to have issue with...before I was a Christian...but that's another post entirely).

I can NEVER be good enough to be in God's presence, no matter how many "good" works I do, or how many other people think I'm "good." I'm still prideful and bitter and jealous and just down right sinful. So, what's the solution? Jesus. Jesus lived a perfect life, a life without sin. Because He did, and He chose to die for all people, we all have "pass" if you will. He took the blame for all sin, so that God could remain a just God, yet we can be allowed in His presence one day.

If you ask me, I'm sorta glad I don't have to work to EARN my way into Heaven. Whew...I'd never be good enough.

Which leads me to....

Kristin's, and GK's and Chasity's questions about suicide.

Suicide is a sin. Afterall, one of the Ten Commandments is "You Shall Not Murder." And, killing of oneself is, certainly, murder.

However, if we are going to keep with the Ten Commandments theme, let's keep looking. Some others on that list include, in no such order: (and I'll say "check" if I've done them)

Adultery (check): later in scripture it talks about lusting after someone other than your spouse and that such lust is considered adultery. Yep, done that.

Steal (check): Seriously. If you haven't ever stolen anything, you're a liar.

Honor your Father and Mother (check): Or rather, I HAVEN'T always honored them...and most of the time, I still fail to do this.

Misuse God's Name (check): I think we are all clear on this one, I don't need to elaborate.

No Other God's Before God (check): I've certainly put some things before my relationship with God.

Don't Give False Testimony - aka..don't LIE - (check): and refer to stealing if you think you don't lie...and yes, little white lies count.

Don't Covet (check): Once, when I was in middle school, I wanted this girl's Kriss Kross tape so bad I stole it. Double whammy....stealing AND coveting.

Now, I'm not trying to make light of the 10 Commandements or suicide, but I think if we reflect on what we know about God and what we know about sin, the answer is clear.

We are saved by grace, through faith in the Savior (Ephesians 2:8-9). If a person truly believes in Jesus Christ, has proclaimed his/her faith and has a transformed heart, then NO SIN is going to separate them from God's love and mercy.

If suicide means, for a Christian, immediate death and eternity in hell, then you are going back to "faith by works" (see my reply to Courtney above) rather than "faith by grace."

Again, if you see an error, please feel free to comment, but also use scripture to prove your points.

I pray that you will see my attempts at answers for what they are, a simple lover of the Lord, trying her best to show others how wonderful HE really is.

Please, find out answers for yourself. If you don't have a Bible, and you'd like one, please email me at beaverbunch (at) gmail (dot) com and I will mail you one. Also, don't forget about Bible Gateway.com.

Many, many blessings...

Baby D's Agency Review

This morning we had an agency review for Baby D's case. An agency review is just that, a review of his case, stating the progress of the birth parents, by various people from the departments of social services. There is the G.A.L. supervisor, two other people from DSS, the social worker, us and birth parents.

However, today Baby D's birth parents did not show up. I am not totally surprised. After discussing his case, all of the DSS folk agreed that on our court date in March, it will be best for DSS to recommend TPR (Termination of Parental Rights)/Adoption as the new plan.

Naturally, it will still be up to a judge to decide the final plan.

Funny, I have no empathy for these people like I do for Baby Girl's mother. I struggle with that because I know I need to show them compassion and love. So, as March 16th draws closer, I am praying for the opportunity (and a willing heart) to show them love, compassion and a glimpse of my Savior. It will be a struggle, but if that is the Lord's desire for me, then I know I must obey.

Court, Questions and Counting

If you follow me on Twitter (or even if you check my blog for my twitter updates) you already know that I am extremely happy to report that the judge changed Baby Girl's case plan to TPR (Termination of Parental Rights)/Adoption.

It was an emotional moment, filled with sadness and joy. I will surely blog about it more in depth later, but I will leave you with the knowledge that we sat 5 feet away from Baby Girl's birth mom and listened to the judge tell her that she isn't a good enough parent to keep her daughter. I still cannot explain the compassion I feel for this woman. I wanted to wrap my arms around her, and at the same time, shake her and tell her about all she is missing. I could go on, but I will post more about this later.

It could still be many, many months (probably another 6 or 9 months) before Baby Girl would be "officially" ours, therefore don't expect pictures or an adoption announcement anytime soon.

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I am still reading my Bible and digging for answers to your questions from this post. I should have some more attempts at answers later in the week.

However, I would like to thank you for the incredible questions you asked and the opportunity you've given me to search out scripture, dig deep into God's word and find out some things for myself.

I challenge each of you to do the same thing. The book of Romans is full of scripture which references grace and how to be saved ("salvation" in churchy talk). If you've never read it, it's a letter from a man named Paul (a former Jew who tried to kill a bunch of Christians...who is now a Christian) to the church in Rome. Thus, the name "Romans" because that was the people he was writing the letter to.

I am also reading Ephesians (still written by Paul but to the church at Ephesus) and a little bit of the Old Testament so that I can be thorough (Mosaic law). Thanks for your patience.

(Again, if you don't have a Bible, Bible Gateway is amazing. Also, if you want one you can email me, and I'll send you one.)

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I can't believe that a week from today Luke and will have already been on our secluded, romantic and totally relaxing vacation for nearly 24 hours. To say that I am "ready" would be the understatement of the century. 6 more days....but who's counting and I'm counting.

Questions Attempted: Church, Prayers and People

Wowzers. I figured that there might be some tough questions, but man, those were REALLY tough. Before I try to answer any questions, let me say a few things.

1. The thought of answering questions and defending my faith makes me nauseous. Not because I do not believe, but because I am afraid of misrepresenting the One who is perfect and blameless.

2. I am not a theologian. I have never studied Greek or Hebrew and I have not attended seminary of any kind (I knew you all were wondering). This is the BEST that I can do with the limited knowledge (and jumbled Mom brain) that God has given me.

3. If I don't answer your questions it's because, well, I DON'T KNOW.

4. I do not claim to represent any specific denomination. All I can tell you is that I am a believer in Jesus Christ, that He is indeed the Messiah and that His blood has the power to wash away all sin no matter how great or small. I've seen it in my own life.

5. Please, I'm begging you, remember that I've only been a Christian for 5ish years. I'm still just a baby. If you see an error in something I have said, please feel free to comment and correct me. However, please also back it up with Scripture. I will also use Scripture to emphasize my points.

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Since there were several questions, I will take a few posts to answer them. But here's a start:

@ Anonymous 9:23AM: Let me address your second question first, because I think that is easier for me.

The question was:
Why do people use a prayer to be "saved" when no one in the bible did?

You are right! In the Bible, there is not a specific prayer that "saves" you. There is only one Man and his name is Jesus.

But, here is where I think the idea of a prayer came from. Matthew 10:9-10 says,

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Notice that according to this passage it takes BOTH actions, the belief in your heart and the confession with your mouth. This is why I was so excited when Elizabeth proclaimed her faith to us and our church members.

My prayer is that every person begins a relationship with the Lord and grows to know him intimately, deeply and on an incredibly personal level. It wasn't until I was 2 years into my relationship with the Lord that I understood what it meant to know Him intimately and, quite honestly, I'm still learning.

As far as the term "saved," not only is it referenced in the above passage, but I actually saw this in scripture as I studied yesterday. Luke 9:23-24 says,

Then he [Jesus] said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it."

While this passage does not reference saying a specific prayer, it does say that a person is "saved" when they give up their life for the Savior. This is not necessarily in the literal sense (but yes, it can mean death) but rather a giving up on their former way of living. If there is not a transformation in the way a believer lives his/her life, has that person really given up their life? I think not.

Just FYI - Mark 8:34-35 says the same thing, and Matthew 16:24-25 is basically the same, but doesn't use the exact word "saved."

Okay, Anonymous @ 9:23Am, to your first question:

The question was:
How can people look at the "church" today, and say it is accomplishing the same goals as the church of the bible?

I am not terribly knowledgeable in the ways and practices of the Early Church. However, my understanding is that their desperate desire was for ALL people to know Jesus as Lord. The first followers faced incredible persecution, often resulting in death. However, they pressed on, telling everyone they saw about Jesus and the miracle of His birth, death and resurrection.

I find that, as a general rule, most churches are still doing this exact thing.

I would be curious to know more about your experiences with "church." Just like every group of people, they have their faults. Romans 3:9-12 says this about all people, that includes the "church,"

What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."

The church that my family attends is wonderful. It is rather large for our area and does a lot to help in the community and to grow its members. However, it has one major flaw...it's made up of PEOPLE. Anytime you get a group of PEOPLE together you encounter sinners, and selfishness and imperfections and drama and...well, you get the idea.

However, the thing that comes to mind when I think about a bunch of folks, gathered together, working toward a common goal, (in this case telling people about Jesus), is this:

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
~ Colossians 3:12-14

Wow. Sorta puts it all in perspective huh? Just as I am forgiven, I need to also forgive. I know that I want to be loved, in spite of my many, many, many flaws. Likewise I need to love people even though they have flaws.

Afterall, it just says I have to LOVE them, it doesn't say I have to be BFFs with everyone. I looked my whole Bible over and no where did I find a book of Claire's saying, "Thou shalt share BFF bracelets and/or necklaces with all-eth of the congregation."
And praise the Lord for that. I'm sure I'd probably drive some folks crazy if they had to be my BFF. Just ask my BFF, she puts up with a lot.

But seriously, (although I was serious with that last bit) as I continue to seek and find answers about your questions, I encourage you to do the same. Seek and find for yourself. Looking up scripture to back what I believe has been incredibly rewarding and taught me even more about this glorious God I serve.

For that, I thank you.

PS - If you don't have a Bible, you can 1) email me and I'll send you one and/or 2) check out Bible Gateway.com. It has a ton of awesome resources. If you've never read the Bible, a good place to start is with the book of James.

It'll Take Some Time

Yesterday, you all asked some great questions, most of them I have NO IDEA what the answer(s) are. Therefore, I will use my new Bible, prayer and some time to answer them.

In the meantime, I posted again over on the Homeschool blog I co-author.

Oh, and if you follow me on Twitter, you will know what this picture is all about. Sorry for the terrible photo quality. I took it with my phone. All the ones I took with my camera show too much of his face. Hopefully, in a few months, you will be able to get to see just how truly adorable my little man is!

I call it, "Double D."

Finding Out For Me

We confirmed that Baby Girl will be going to the respite home that I asked for! Yay! I just LOVE it when God takes care of the smallest of details.

Now, a mere 1.5 weeks until I'm in the blissful mountains, remembering every reason why I fell in love with this marvelous man I married....

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I've been studying the gospels this week, really digging into WHO wrote them and why. Before I was a believer I questioned the authenticity of the Bible regularly. I would wonder how all that stuff got in there and how I could be sure that it wasn't tainted by the supposedly sinful people that wrote it.

Today I'm going to head over to Lifeway to pick up a good study Bible, or maybe even a research Bible so that I can dig into the word and find some answers for myself. Although I'm sure there are some good books already written on this subject, this is something I need to seek and find out for myself.

Do you/have you ever had those moments where you look at Christianity or the Bible and wonder how it can all be true? I lived that life for so long. Even after I became "saved" I sometimes read some Scripture and thought..."Is this for real?"

As a mother, I now see the importance of understanding the Bible more than ever. Last night I was reading a chapter from Tedd Tripp's book, Shepherding a Child's Heart. I found that as I discipline our children I need to understand why I am disciplining them and where the sin of their actions come from. I am on authority from God to be their disciplinarian. I got a punch between the eyes when I read what Tedd Tripp said about Godly discipline:

"You do not come to your child demanding, for your own purposes, that he knuckle up to you and obey. No! You come with the corrections of discipline that are the way to life (Proverbs 6:23). You engage your son on behalf of God because God has first engaged you."

Wow. I think I've been approaching discipline with a skewed version of priorities and goals.

With all that said, I know now, more than ever, that my perception of God's word must be accurate and self-discovered. I've relied too heavily on books and "study guides" to help me determine my perception of God's word rather than digging in and finding out for myself. And while study guides and books are great for aiding in understanding, I've made the dramatic fault of relying on them for my SOLE interpretation of the Bible.

So, it is with that that I ask you:

If you are not a Christian (or even if you are) or a person who has a close, personal relationship with Christ, what is the biggest problem (or comprehension issue) you have with the Bible?

I'm sure that any answers I provide will not be that of heavy theology or come with years of research experience. However, I will do my best to answer any I feel capable.

I'll enable anonymous comments for this post.

Answered Prayers!

Well, it turns out that the babies HAVE to be in a licensed foster home while we are out of town, no matter what. And although I was upset that they couldn't stay with our close friends, I can see that God is already taking care of the details.

The respite home where Baby D will stay is one of the foster families that we go to church with. We work with them in the youth area and they are great! The timing of our trip also coincidentally works with their hectic work schedules. Sometimes, I just stand amazed at how God CARES and works out the smallest of problems.

Hopefully, we can get the word on where Baby Girl will go tomorrow. However, the foster family that DSS called for respite care is also a family that I feel EXTREMELY comfortable with! We met them in our Foster Parent Classes and I know that they are Christians and share the same parenting desires that we do.

You know, when God works in the easy things, it makes it so much easier to trust Him with the difficult choices.

This vacation is so minor compared to the grand scheme of life. I have visited blogs lately where children have died, or been diagnosed with cancer, or spouses have walked out on their families. I know God is working in each of those situation as well and I am blown away that the Creator of the Universe also cares about the tiny details of my life.

Each time I think I cannot fall more in love with my amazing God, I do and it is wonderful and I cannot imagine my life without the Lord leading the way.

Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

Luke 12:24-32

Pray, please!

I just spoke w/ our social worker about our vacation. She's not sure that DSS will allow friends or family to keep the babies.

That means they'd have to go to respite care. I am not really comfortable with that.

PLEASE PRAY!

Thanks.