**HFL members...Please remember to tag your Etsy listings with our team tag so that we can all find your items more easily!**
Monday, March 29, 2010
Last Minute Easter Gifts...
I just did a Handmade for Life search on Etsy with some last minute Easter basket stuffing in mind. To search for Handmade for Life members on Etsy just type HFLteam in the search field. Here are some sweet finds from my search today...
**HFL members...Please remember to tag your Etsy listings with our team tag so that we can all find your items more easily!**
**HFL members...Please remember to tag your Etsy listings with our team tag so that we can all find your items more easily!**
Monday, March 22, 2010
It's time to become an activist...
Congress has narrowly passed the monstrous health care bill. Obama wins. Babies lose. It seems to so many that our representatives have turned a deaf ear to the will of the people and pushed through legislation that is so objectionable to so many.
It's easy to pass the blame to corrupt government officials. After all, many of us did not vote for this administration. But the fact remains that most Americans did in spite of the fact that Obama was incredibly clear about his strong pro-abortion agenda. Remember his promises to Planned Parenthood? "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act." It took him a little longer than he expected but he's now making good on the heart of that promise.
Most Americans voted for this administration. Americans elected the men and women who worked so tirelessly and shamefully to push through this bill which is so damaging to our freedoms on multiple levels. You and I may not have been among the number to cast our votes that way but we cannot completely reject responsibility unless we are confident that we did everything we could to stand up in defense of life.
I know that I did not do everything I could have done. I am a busy mom who often allowed my discouragement to serve as an excuse for inaction during the last election.
What we are seeing now is the practically irreparable damage that can result from just one election cycle. The result of too many Americans lamenting the state of things from their living room couches. We tend to shy away from being "activists" leaving that label to those a little bolder than ourselves. But every American is charged with great responsibility since we are a free people and bear the burden of choosing our representatives. We have no worthy excuse to exempt ourselves from that activist role.
"I know no safe depositary of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power." --Thomas Jefferson to William C. Jarvis, 1820
Midterm elections are rapidly approaching and we must make ourselves heard. If you do not know when your primary elections are taking place, find out. Some are only weeks from now. If you do not know who is running in your primary, find out. Find out immediately and do what you can to help with last minute campaigning for those who will truly represent the ideals of freedom. Many corrupt incumbents are powerful and have access to your tax dollars to fund their campaigns (a true outrage). Their opponents must hope and pray that a literate electorate will look beyond a glossy mailer to find the best candidate.
The fight over this health care bill is not over yet. State governments are preparing to fight on a local level. Let your local politicians know where you stand. Lend your support. Voice your opposition. Raise money. Knock on doors. Let your love for life and country overcome your distaste of politics.
Whatever you do, please get off the couch. America needs you.
It's easy to pass the blame to corrupt government officials. After all, many of us did not vote for this administration. But the fact remains that most Americans did in spite of the fact that Obama was incredibly clear about his strong pro-abortion agenda. Remember his promises to Planned Parenthood? "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act." It took him a little longer than he expected but he's now making good on the heart of that promise.
Most Americans voted for this administration. Americans elected the men and women who worked so tirelessly and shamefully to push through this bill which is so damaging to our freedoms on multiple levels. You and I may not have been among the number to cast our votes that way but we cannot completely reject responsibility unless we are confident that we did everything we could to stand up in defense of life.
I know that I did not do everything I could have done. I am a busy mom who often allowed my discouragement to serve as an excuse for inaction during the last election.
What we are seeing now is the practically irreparable damage that can result from just one election cycle. The result of too many Americans lamenting the state of things from their living room couches. We tend to shy away from being "activists" leaving that label to those a little bolder than ourselves. But every American is charged with great responsibility since we are a free people and bear the burden of choosing our representatives. We have no worthy excuse to exempt ourselves from that activist role.
"I know no safe depositary of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power." --Thomas Jefferson to William C. Jarvis, 1820
Midterm elections are rapidly approaching and we must make ourselves heard. If you do not know when your primary elections are taking place, find out. Some are only weeks from now. If you do not know who is running in your primary, find out. Find out immediately and do what you can to help with last minute campaigning for those who will truly represent the ideals of freedom. Many corrupt incumbents are powerful and have access to your tax dollars to fund their campaigns (a true outrage). Their opponents must hope and pray that a literate electorate will look beyond a glossy mailer to find the best candidate.
The fight over this health care bill is not over yet. State governments are preparing to fight on a local level. Let your local politicians know where you stand. Lend your support. Voice your opposition. Raise money. Knock on doors. Let your love for life and country overcome your distaste of politics.
Whatever you do, please get off the couch. America needs you.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Send Flowers, Support Life
At Faith and Flowers , you can send someone a gorgeous floral arrangement and support a Culture of Life at the same time. Faith and Flowers will purchase ad time with Virtue Media on a quarterly basis using profits from their flower and plant sales. Here is just one of many beautiful selections...
"This gorgeous, timeless beauty of spray roses and godetia with pale blue blossoms reminds of the wonder and glory in all God's creation 'which rightly gives Him praise."
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
New Life and The Pain Scale...
If you've been to a doctor or hospital within the last 20 years or so, you've likely been confronted with this cute pain scale indicator. "How badly does it hurt with Zero being not-at-all and 10 being the worst pain you've ever felt?" I never get the answer right because I've been through non-medicated labor 5 times (one of which was back labor with a tailbone fracture). Everything else in life is clearly a 5 or lower when compared with labor so my real, but occasional, medical issues are dismissed because I'm perceived to be in not enough pain. My frustrated husband lectures me every time: "Why don't you tell them how bad it is? Isn't it bad?" Of course, but that pain scale keeps me totally honest. No injury, illness or surgery I've ever had holds a candle to labor pain.
In spite of that, I still sit here thinking that I'd rather go through labor twice than suffer through these weeks and weeks of 24-hour pregnancy sickness. My average labor is 3 hours long. Fast and furious. Multiply it by two...equals six hours of terrific pain. Contrast that with endless hours, days and weeks of perpetual, debilitating sickness. Tough call.
There's no question that pregnancy and childbirth are a true cross of motherhood. There are some mothers who love pregnancy. I am not one of them and go into survival mode for quite a while with "Help me, Jesus" constantly on my lips. It is a time when I get a glimpse into how I might be different without my Christian faith. I hate this suffering and know that without a firm belief in the sanctity of each and every life at every age, I might give in to the weakness of this Culture of Death.
Motherhood is itself an act of sacrificial love. We embrace a life of service and self-donation or we spend our lives bitterly trying to escape the cross that we barely consented to. We give these painful moments gladly in love to our babies or we spend our lives resenting their intrusion.
What would I give in love to this child? Would I be strong enough to choose this path of suffering if it was optional? What good can I make of it? If I lose this child as I lost my last , would I be grateful for this difficult but short time that I had to spend with this hidden treasure?
My love for my unborn baby is very similar to my love for the Lord. Passionate but imperfect. I desire a union of perfect love but love of my own comfort and preferences seem to constantly present a stumbling block.
Dearest Little One,
I will love you even when I am sick. I will love you even when you are sick. Because love is not an emotion but a choice. Love is not about comfort but about joy in service. And I choose to give my life for you as our Lord gave His for me. Help me, Jesus.
Love forever,
Mommy
Friday, March 12, 2010
baby shower, anyone?
Babies are such a nice way to start people. - Don Herold
.
As a public service, I give you a sampling of our talented team's baby items:
Polka dot baby hat by Deusprovidebit
Sweet Pinks baby quilt by My Creative Threads
Baby's first year knit hat by Baruch's Lullaby
Reversible baby bib by Sew Appealing
Bottoms Up bodysuit by Baby Big Mouth
Handknit baby sunhat by A. Victoria
Burp cloths by 
Sweet Dreams sign by Family Attic (I bought one of these for my new nephew!)
Monday, March 8, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
a place called simplicity
Have you noticed that some blogs are addictive? You stumble upon them, glance around, quickly become enthralled with something, and poof! An hour has passed. Here is such a blog. It is my joy to introduce you to A Place Called Simplicity.
A pastor. His amazing wife. And their ten kids. Their hearts for LIFE will thrill you. Their honesty will surprise and delight you. And their call to adoption will challenge and bless you.
A pastor. His amazing wife. And their ten kids. Their hearts for LIFE will thrill you. Their honesty will surprise and delight you. And their call to adoption will challenge and bless you.
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