Yesterday I had the most amazingly infuriating experience ever. I went to the library to pick up a couple of books, and lo and behold, who were standing out front of the building? Two people from PLANNED PARENTHOOD!!! They were asking for donations. I managed to restrain my temper...barely.
Then we went toWalmart and I calmed down some after buying bleach, contact lens solution, coffee filters, and some more earring. And then we went to Trader Joe's.
Guess who was out front? YES! Another pair of Planned Parenthood people. I still managed to hold my temper (mostly because my dad was there with me this time) but I really, really, really wanted to say something about how I had "seen a video of the aftermath of an abortion and you know what I saw? I saw babies' hand and feet lying in a pool of their own blood."
But I didn't. The best comeback I ever heard given to them is that of my mom. One guy asked her, "Hi, would you like to support Planned Parenthood?"
She said, "No. In fact, I'd like to see you put out of business."
She was polite and everything, but you know what the worst part was? The fact that the guy couldn't believe that someone actually wouldn't want to support Planned Parenthood. These people are blind. To them, all dark is light and all light is dark. I could try to persuade them to a knowledge of the truth with the SLED acronym and the Romans Road. But without Christ, there is no hope for their sight to return.
All we can really do is pray.
UPDATE: Went to Trader Joe's again today and they had a sign out front saying something along the lines of "So that our customers can shop undisturbed, we do not allow solicitors by or near the front of our store. If you are approached by anyone with a clipboard or folding table, feel free to ignore them without guilt." HAHAHAH!!!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Day 107 - Misselainious
Hey, look, Elaini Garfield talked about us and the garage sale we did! See her post here.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Incredible Quotes #3
(Speaking about the well-known quote "Forgive me, for I have sinned.")
"I say 'Forgive me' but I don't say 'I have sinned.' Forgiveness is important, but, then, so is reputation."
~Whitney (one of my best friends)
I about died of laughter.
"I say 'Forgive me' but I don't say 'I have sinned.' Forgiveness is important, but, then, so is reputation."
~Whitney (one of my best friends)
I about died of laughter.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
~Misselainious~
Yes, I do know how to spell miscellaneous. See? Miscellaneous. Miscellaneous. Miscellaneous. Miscell...okay, you get the point. Misselainious is something special.
Elaini Garfield had a dream. A dream to go on a mission trip to India. But at 16 she became plagued with an awful skin disease. So, she decided, even if I can't go to India, I can still help them. So she did. (See pictures here) For one hundred days, Elaini wore one black dress to raise money for Indian orphans. But she didn't just wear it. Everyday she designed new and ingenious outfits using that black dress. Her goal? 50,000 dollars.
Sounds hard, right? That's what some of my friends and I thought. So we decided to organize a sale and donate all proceeds to Elaini.
We asked for donated materials to sell. We asked for volunteers. We arranged to borrow a church parking lot. We did a lot. And it was a lot of work!
But it was amazing. We had so much stuff I couldn't believe it! Like a room full. We had 21 kids help, plus a bunch of parents to provide "adult supervision." (Which meant sitting in the shade talking.)
We made $900. Yippee!
Really, this might not seem like much to you, but to us it was awesome. A huge team effort that had a great impact. $5 feeds an orphan for a month! It also took us down a bit in our level of cynicism. We had people that were running late and still took the time to stop by and donate for the orphans. Even when everything was free at the end of the sale, we still had people give donations. People. Are. Not. Animals. That's something we Creationists understand. But sometimes it's hard to remember, when you see abortion and 9/11 and people who seem to merely live to satisfy their base cravings. This was a real eye-opener, and I don't think just for me.
Anyway, Elaini is still taking donations even though the 100 days are over. She still wants to reach her $50,000 goal. (She only has like $32,000) Go ahead. Feed an orphan with 5 dollars. That's only like 1 Starbucks.
Please.
"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."
~James 1:27
Elaini Garfield had a dream. A dream to go on a mission trip to India. But at 16 she became plagued with an awful skin disease. So, she decided, even if I can't go to India, I can still help them. So she did. (See pictures here) For one hundred days, Elaini wore one black dress to raise money for Indian orphans. But she didn't just wear it. Everyday she designed new and ingenious outfits using that black dress. Her goal? 50,000 dollars.
Sounds hard, right? That's what some of my friends and I thought. So we decided to organize a sale and donate all proceeds to Elaini.
We asked for donated materials to sell. We asked for volunteers. We arranged to borrow a church parking lot. We did a lot. And it was a lot of work!
But it was amazing. We had so much stuff I couldn't believe it! Like a room full. We had 21 kids help, plus a bunch of parents to provide "adult supervision." (Which meant sitting in the shade talking.)
We made $900. Yippee!
Really, this might not seem like much to you, but to us it was awesome. A huge team effort that had a great impact. $5 feeds an orphan for a month! It also took us down a bit in our level of cynicism. We had people that were running late and still took the time to stop by and donate for the orphans. Even when everything was free at the end of the sale, we still had people give donations. People. Are. Not. Animals. That's something we Creationists understand. But sometimes it's hard to remember, when you see abortion and 9/11 and people who seem to merely live to satisfy their base cravings. This was a real eye-opener, and I don't think just for me.
Anyway, Elaini is still taking donations even though the 100 days are over. She still wants to reach her $50,000 goal. (She only has like $32,000) Go ahead. Feed an orphan with 5 dollars. That's only like 1 Starbucks.
Please.
"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."
~James 1:27
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Gleanings for the Hungry...
Gleanings...Gleanings...the word no longer means what it was meant to. Instead of meaning "to come behind the reapers and collect the fallen grain", to many of peers, it really means a week in sunny CA, hard work, rotten peaches, and heat well up into the 100's.
Down in Dinuba, California, there exists a small compound composed of several buildings, a processing plant, and several LARGE drying fields. All around are the "large hills" of California and many, many fruit farms. This small compound is known as Gleanings for the Hungry.
Okay, so what do they do? Their mission is simple. Every year thousands - perhaps millions - of pounds of fruit is wasted because they are either close enough to ripe that they would be rotten by the time they could be sold or because they are too small or because they are simply deformed looking. Gleanings takes this fruit (donated by the growers in the area), slices it, drys it, and packs it in buckets to be sent to third-world countries where the majority of people are hungry for most of their lives. There, their missionaries distribute the fruit to the people and, at the same time, plant the seed of Truth in their hearts.
The problem is, Gleanings is a non-profit organization. They don't have the money to pay people to come run the plant for them. Therefore churches from all over the place send teams down there every summer to process the fruit. My church is one of these.
Now, of course, you have to pay your room and board, as well as your share of the gas it takes to get down there. This usually rounds up to about $200, counting souvenirs and the food on the trip.
My friends and I get the chance to pay only $200 to have a week-long vacation in beautiful California...spending over 8 hours a day working your hands off in rotten peaches and sweating out more liquids than you ever knew your body contained. Who wouldn't jump at the offer? The truth is, we love it. It's a great growing experience, it gives you a better work ethic, you get to spend a LOT of time (sometimes more than you like) with your fiends...er, friends. There's a swimming pool and a cafeteria with what has got to be the best food ever. And you get to sleep in a dorm room and see exactly how messy your pals really are.
But best of all, you get to spend quality time with your Lord and Savior, in prayer and in worship.Nothing can express the amazing power that this trip can be. Please pray for this year's trip, from August 27th to September 4th.
Down in Dinuba, California, there exists a small compound composed of several buildings, a processing plant, and several LARGE drying fields. All around are the "large hills" of California and many, many fruit farms. This small compound is known as Gleanings for the Hungry.
Okay, so what do they do? Their mission is simple. Every year thousands - perhaps millions - of pounds of fruit is wasted because they are either close enough to ripe that they would be rotten by the time they could be sold or because they are too small or because they are simply deformed looking. Gleanings takes this fruit (donated by the growers in the area), slices it, drys it, and packs it in buckets to be sent to third-world countries where the majority of people are hungry for most of their lives. There, their missionaries distribute the fruit to the people and, at the same time, plant the seed of Truth in their hearts.
The problem is, Gleanings is a non-profit organization. They don't have the money to pay people to come run the plant for them. Therefore churches from all over the place send teams down there every summer to process the fruit. My church is one of these.
Now, of course, you have to pay your room and board, as well as your share of the gas it takes to get down there. This usually rounds up to about $200, counting souvenirs and the food on the trip.
My friends and I get the chance to pay only $200 to have a week-long vacation in beautiful California...spending over 8 hours a day working your hands off in rotten peaches and sweating out more liquids than you ever knew your body contained. Who wouldn't jump at the offer? The truth is, we love it. It's a great growing experience, it gives you a better work ethic, you get to spend a LOT of time (sometimes more than you like) with your fiends...er, friends. There's a swimming pool and a cafeteria with what has got to be the best food ever. And you get to sleep in a dorm room and see exactly how messy your pals really are.
But best of all, you get to spend quality time with your Lord and Savior, in prayer and in worship.Nothing can express the amazing power that this trip can be. Please pray for this year's trip, from August 27th to September 4th.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Life...As A Homeschooler
For many of the people reading this right now, the word "homeschooler" conveys one of two pictures to their minds.
1. A nerd who gets an A on a trigonometry test and would rather discuss the anatomy of lightning bugs (hey, they are cool-looking) and the inner details of aerospace engineering than see the latest movie down at the theater...basically is a typical weirdo.
OR
2. An undersocialized freak who actually dislikes Justin Bieber (guilty), doesn't know what electric guitars are, and has been brainwashed into thinking that abortion actually kills a human being (who'da thunk?).
I'm here to tell you...they're right.
Well, mostly.
Here are some things which in all my years have stuck out the most to me about being a homeschooler.
1. On my tests, as on those of the majority of my friends, A's are praised but not unexpected. B's are average. C's mean I need to do some serious studying. D's...well, let's just say I'd rather not find out. (And, yes, I do have friends...and guess what...they're homeschooled, too!)
2. We don't get snow days...or sick days. You come downstairs and say "Mom, I think I've got the chicken pox." She takes one look at you and says, "Okay, go back to bed...and take your math with you!" Then she calls all your friend's parents so they can bring their kids over to get it too.
3. At age 16, stupid is still a word used only on the direst of occasions, and public-schooler is "an insult of the highest degree."
4. You go the library and when you check out the librarian congratulates you on persevering through Sherlock Holmes. You quietly smile as you inform her you've been reading Charles Dickens since you were 9...and just for fun, not because your mom made you.
5. The closest thing to a school bully is your little sister.
6. You can recognize another homeschooler from across the grocery store, even if you've never seen them before. You're usually cued off by three things: the fact that the girls are wearing jean skirts and tennis shoes, while the boys' pants are fastened securely about the waist; the fact that there's about eight of them, the oldest about 20 and the youngest just a few months old; and, lastly, the fact that, to the smallest, they are behaving in a quiet dignified manner - no cussing, no yelling, no temper tantrums, and perfectly obedient.
7. The minor holidays mean that Dad is the one who gets to quiz you with algebra today, since he's not at work.
8. Your school uniform and your pjs are one and the same.
9. Lunch break means chores.
10. You can get as far ahead in school as you want - which means you can take a day off whenever you want, when you're ahead.
11. You try to call you friend only to have their mom tell you they're still in school...oops!
12. You have 15 best friends, and many more mere friends.
13. The Rebelution is the coolest thing since Apologia science.
These are just a few of the many unique things about homeschooling. I realize that I belong to a special brand of evangelical Christian homeschoolers, but I think much of this applies to more than just us.
But, though lots of things about homeschooling are amazing, sadly, there are many adverse consequences.
When taking the PSAT at your local college, the teen who had been quite friendly for the first half of the test turns abruptly cold when she finds out your homeschooling status.
When fundraising for your science team, people on the verge of donating walk away when finding out the same thing.
Lots of prejudice against us exists. And it's just plain sad. But I think we shall prevail. :)
And if you ever decide to homeschool your kids, please, please, please...don't make your kids do chores on lunch break.
Just sayin'.
1. A nerd who gets an A on a trigonometry test and would rather discuss the anatomy of lightning bugs (hey, they are cool-looking) and the inner details of aerospace engineering than see the latest movie down at the theater...basically is a typical weirdo.
OR
2. An undersocialized freak who actually dislikes Justin Bieber (guilty), doesn't know what electric guitars are, and has been brainwashed into thinking that abortion actually kills a human being (who'da thunk?).
I'm here to tell you...they're right.
Well, mostly.
Here are some things which in all my years have stuck out the most to me about being a homeschooler.
1. On my tests, as on those of the majority of my friends, A's are praised but not unexpected. B's are average. C's mean I need to do some serious studying. D's...well, let's just say I'd rather not find out. (And, yes, I do have friends...and guess what...they're homeschooled, too!)
2. We don't get snow days...or sick days. You come downstairs and say "Mom, I think I've got the chicken pox." She takes one look at you and says, "Okay, go back to bed...and take your math with you!" Then she calls all your friend's parents so they can bring their kids over to get it too.
3. At age 16, stupid is still a word used only on the direst of occasions, and public-schooler is "an insult of the highest degree."
4. You go the library and when you check out the librarian congratulates you on persevering through Sherlock Holmes. You quietly smile as you inform her you've been reading Charles Dickens since you were 9...and just for fun, not because your mom made you.
5. The closest thing to a school bully is your little sister.
6. You can recognize another homeschooler from across the grocery store, even if you've never seen them before. You're usually cued off by three things: the fact that the girls are wearing jean skirts and tennis shoes, while the boys' pants are fastened securely about the waist; the fact that there's about eight of them, the oldest about 20 and the youngest just a few months old; and, lastly, the fact that, to the smallest, they are behaving in a quiet dignified manner - no cussing, no yelling, no temper tantrums, and perfectly obedient.
7. The minor holidays mean that Dad is the one who gets to quiz you with algebra today, since he's not at work.
8. Your school uniform and your pjs are one and the same.
9. Lunch break means chores.
10. You can get as far ahead in school as you want - which means you can take a day off whenever you want, when you're ahead.
11. You try to call you friend only to have their mom tell you they're still in school...oops!
12. You have 15 best friends, and many more mere friends.
13. The Rebelution is the coolest thing since Apologia science.
These are just a few of the many unique things about homeschooling. I realize that I belong to a special brand of evangelical Christian homeschoolers, but I think much of this applies to more than just us.
But, though lots of things about homeschooling are amazing, sadly, there are many adverse consequences.
When taking the PSAT at your local college, the teen who had been quite friendly for the first half of the test turns abruptly cold when she finds out your homeschooling status.
When fundraising for your science team, people on the verge of donating walk away when finding out the same thing.
Lots of prejudice against us exists. And it's just plain sad. But I think we shall prevail. :)
And if you ever decide to homeschool your kids, please, please, please...don't make your kids do chores on lunch break.
Just sayin'.
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