Christine - Trained Doula

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Cause we LOVE flamingos AND chickens

Sunday, January 22, 2012

BE a VOICE for LIFE


Be a voice.... Sounds easy for someone like me who tends to be a bit loud and boisterous but that is not the voice I am talking about.  I am talking about the voice I need to have when it comes to speading the good news of Jesus Christ.  And sometimes that just isn't so easy.

Today is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.  I could go into all the typical statements and photos about why abortion is wrong and I am sure there are as many people out there with reasons why it is necessary and that it is just a fetus - a blob of tissue.  But I won't.

My belief is that regardless of the circumstances,  abortion is wrong.  BUT instead of "preaching" the wrongness of abortions, we need to focus on - why we are here to begin with.  To spread the gospel and in doing so bring people to know and love Jesus.

I encourage everyone to watch the video - BE A VOICE produced by Focus on the Family. Take 5 minutes to find out why we all need to BE A VOICE.

I have included a small article about a young lady Madeline Mann.  She was born weighing less that a pound at a gestational age of 27 weeks.  She is a survivor.  She was the size of a child who might have been the result of a late term abortion.  How can we say she was just a fetus and therefore it doesn't matter.

Madeline Mann was born in June 1989 at the Loyola University Medical Center, weighing 9.9 ounces. She had mild brain bleeding, common in tiny preemies, but with no lasting effects. Madeline was treated for an eye condition common in preemies called retinopathy, which in severe cases can cause blindness.


Madeline is now a 22-year-old honors student in psychology. She has asthma and remains petite - 4 foot 8 and about 65 pounds at age 20 - but has no other lasting health problems.
Jim Mann, Madeline's father, said having a baby born so small was "terrifying" at first. That she has done so well is a source of pride, and wonder, he said. "I don't know why, we were just extraordinarily lucky.



This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. 
Deuteronomy 30:19.


Monday, January 16, 2012

Tylerisms

Mom:  Tyler you need to put your pants on so we can go to the park.
Tyler:  Me no like pants
Mom:  If you don't put your pants on, your legs will get freezing cold. 
Tyler:  Me like freezing cold legs. 


Mom:  I found _________ fill in the blank cause it doesn't matter, the answer is always the same. 
Tyler:  oooo, Me been looking for that. 
(it could be anything from a toy to food to a dust bunny.)


Tyler helping mom do the laundry
Tyler:  Me lubs doing laundry.  Me really good at it.
Mom (to self) Now if he only would lub putting his toys away. 


Tyler - talking to daddy on phone: come home, its dangerous outside...big spiders and tornados


Tyler to Libby the dog: ( holding a spoon in one hand while tapping his palm on the other)  Did YOU spill the water?
Libby:  no answer just a blank look
Tyler to his mother :  Did YOU spill the water
Kate - ROTFL --- literally so hard she couldn't speak to which Tyler looked at the computer we were skype-ing on and said to gramma ---- Did You spill the water??

Katie (sitting at the computer with hair dye covering her head)
Tyler:  Your hair looks scary mommy .....but I still lub you!!!!!

Monday, January 9, 2012

the original upcycle-er

Upcycling is all the rage now a days.  But I remember back when I was first married with two young children (the 70's).  I took all of my husbands yucky socks, cut them apart and crocheted them into a rug.  I sliced up the legs of my blue jeans and added material to make long skirts. I even remember ripping apart a sweater to make a new one for James.  Never bought dishes because we had neat bowls from some margarine company and glasses from jelly jars.
Now, if i was only creative and not so utilitarian maybe I could upcycle and make some money.

Beyond the Next Mountain

Hmar Highlands, the Power of God and the faithfulness of ONE servant


Written as a drama with a documentary narration BEYOND THE NEXT MOUNTAIN tells the story of 
Rochunga Pudaite's life and his mission to bring the gospel to his people, the Hmar of northeast India. Branded as ruthless heathens by the British at the end of the 19th century, the Hmar were forever changed when a copy of John's Gospel made its way into their village. Rochunga's father, Chawnga, adopted Christianity and believed that his son was chosen by God to bring Christianity to the entire village. (taken from Netflix)

Rochunga Pudaite (born 1927) translated the Bible into the Hmar Language 
and in 1971 founded Bibles for the World. 


At the close of the 19th century, the British branded the Hmar people of northeast India as "the worst headhunters". In 1871, they beheaded over 500 British Soldiers. Then, in 1910 a missionary from Wales named Watkin Roberts, armed with a copy of the New Testament, arrived in the area where the tribal group lived. He lived under the same roof and taught the Hmar people about God, specifically the Gospel of John. Through that lone missionary, Chawnga, the father of Rochunga Pudaite, was introduced to the teachings of Jesus.
Chawnga and a few tribesmen believed in what they learned and became dedicated Christians. Chawnga believed that his son, Rochunga, was God's chosen instrument to bring the Bible to the Hmar tribe in their own language. 
Rochunga Pudaite's biography is recounted in James Hefley's book God's Tribesman: the Rochunga Pudaite Story (Holman, 1977), Joe Musser's book Fire on the Hill(Tyndale House Publishers, 1998), and in the film Beyond the Next Mountain (which can be watched instantly on Netflix). Pudaite is the author of My Billion Bible Dream(Thomas Nelson, 1982) and The Greatest Book Ever Written (Hannibal Books, 1989).  (excerpts from Wikipedia)



Rochunga Pudaite and his wife. 


Until Watkins Roberts journeyed to the Hmar people, they had no contact with the Western world. They still practiced the barbaric way of headhunting and inter-tribal warfare. The outside world was unknown to them and they were unknown to the outside world. And this was more or less the picture when a Welsh missionary Watkin R. Roberts came with the Gospel at Senvawn village in south Manipur on February 1910. Watkin R. Roberts is fondly called and remembered by the Hmars as Pu Tlangval (Sir Youngman). With the introduction of the Gospel, a wind of change swept the Hmar community. Pudaite wrote, "…to the Hmar it was more than just the mere newness that appealed to their heart. It was the amazing transforming power of the Gospel that had captivated their hearts and imaginations. They had been headhunters but now were heart hunters. They had been savage and 'uncivilized' people but now they were counted among the (rank and file of) civilized society of the earth. They had once been filled with fear and with frustration but now with friendliness and assurance of life." As of now 99% of the Hmars are now Christians.




Independent Church of India


Mizo Story and Watkin Roberts

Sunday, January 1, 2012

BSJ in Crochet

After knitting about a dozen Baby Surprise Jackets I am attempting to do one in crochet.  So far I have started several times and eventually ripped it all out.  I purchased with my 40% coupon a booklet with several variations of the crochet BSJ so hope it helps.  I have so much trouble marking stitches and end up counting just about every row. I will conquer this issue.


what a cutie - can't wait to get restarted on my sweater of pinks, greens, and browns. 


 Not my creations but inspiration to get mine finished. 


update - 01-03-2012
I can't believe I have ripped out what I have done, again, and started over.  
I really think I have it now, at least I better. 
I have done 10 rows and so far so good. 
I have completed my decreases and am now almost finished with my increases. 





I am seeing progress.  Having the book has actually helped me to get the decreases and increases correct.  I choose to make the 12 month size but am concerned that it will be too short.  I will at least  be able to make adjustments though once I see how it is when it is finished.  January 7, 2012

January 19, 2012 - I have conquered.

 Finished my first crochet baby surprise jacket - size 6 months. 


And started another - 


As soon as I block it I will crochet a button loop and search my
 vintage button collection for just the right button.