Hello blog friends, I want to tell you about a wonderful new book that a friend of mine has written. It is Postscript: I’ve Changed!, a poetry book filled with the thoughts and prayers of a young woman pouring out her heart to God. This book was incredibly encouraging to me and has prompted me to deepen my walk with the Lord. Not only is it great to have on YOUR bookshelf, it would make a delightful gift! Please check it out at the Becoming Godly Maidens bookstore, http://www.becominggodlymaidens.com/bookstore  or at http://pocketfullofsoul.weebly.com/purchase.html

Virgin Mary Through the Ages

Today I did some research on religious art through history for an illustrating job I have. The purpose of this was to study the culture and clothing of the first century as portrayed by various artists. As I scrolled through over one hundred of the most famous paintings, it struck me as funny how each artist’s culture changed his perception of different scenes. There were many that contained historically correct clothing and realistic scenes, but there were many others that did not. I couldn’t help cracking a grin when I saw Caravaggio’s Calling of Saint Matthew. This painting was done in 1600 and the persons in the picture were dressed in styles belonging to that century.

     I think Mary would laugh if she could sit next to me and see all these paintings. Roughly half of them depicted her. She was painted with everything from blonde and red to brown and jet-black hair, dressed in the plainest frocks and the most elaborate garments from the fashions of the first century to the Regency period.

Sometimes, she was a small young girl, other times a full-figured woman. She sat in barns, caves, thrones, clouds, temples, rocks, and even floated above the clear waters at the edge of a tropical island.

Her waist contracted and expanded and her skin darkened and lightened with the fads through the centuries. 

 I wonder what she was thinking while she was laboring in a smelly animal cave in the dark and cold night. I wonder if, as she held her newborn baby close to keep him warm and comforted, she knew that what had passed would be recorded and celebrated for millenniums by people all over the world.

Did she understand the significance of that moment? As she lay down, exhausted and sore, on a pile of straw, could she foresee what lay ahead?

Did she dare to imagine that millions would veneer and even worship her? Her hair was matted and messy. She was weary and sore from riding on a donkey all day and giving birth. Her clothes were dirty and old. She and her husband were almost penniless.

There was no floating above the ground in a gold throne while she rocked her baby. He was red, wrinkled, and floppy—and oh, so tiny! He did not sit up gracefully and observe the world with wise eyes.

When the shepherds, stinky and unpolished, came trooping through the entrance, what did she think? When she heard the hosts of Heaven break out into song, did she tremble? These weren’t little fair-haired children with stubby wings, after all. These were mighty spiritual beings like nothing  she had ever seen!

     What was it like? I always wonder what life is or was like in places and times I’ll never be in. What was it like? The paintings aren’t any help whatsoever. Even the scriptures skim the details. What was it like for Mary? I wonder.

Cute Mitten Ornament

Isn't this fun? Directions at http://the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com/2007/10/mitten-ornament-tutorial.html

Meet the CEDAW

    I just read the scariest thing I have read in a very long time. No, it’s not another Frank Peretti novel. I’ve learned my lesson in regards to those. Actually, I just finished reading the text of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The purpose of this treaty is to end discrimination and degredation of women. The problem is that it is being dealt with in a very humanistic manner and that legal force will be used to ensure the equality of both sexes in all spheres. Translation: governments will force man and women to abandon traditional roles. This is stated very clearly in the Preamble: “A change in the traditional role of men as well as the role of women in society and in the family is needed to achieve full equality between men and women (CEDAW, Preamble, par 16).”  What does this mean? I will allow the CEDAW to explain:

States Parties shall take all appropriate measures:

(a) To modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women;

(b) To ensure that family education includes a proper understanding of maternity as a social function and the recognition of the common responsibility of men and women in the upbringing and development of their children, it being understood that the interest of the children is the primordial consideration in all cases (CEDAW, Article 5).
     In other words, the goal of the CEDAW is to abolish traditional roles. How will this affect you and me? I plan to eventually marry, have children, and stay at home to raise and educate them while my husband acts as the head of household and primary breadwinner. According to CEDAW, my husband would be treating me as an inferior being, taking advantage, of me, and discriminating against me. I would be a victim of a tyrannical spouse, and my children would be labeled as “abused,” and probably removed from our home (most certainly, if the Convention on the Rights of the Child passes). I don’t know about you, but the freedom to embrace my femininity is more important to me than this so-called equality. I feel more degraded at the thought of being forced to follow a humanistic pattern for my life than I do at the thought of staying at home.
     What makes me seriously offended by the CEDAW is the concept that I will be forced to follow what the United Nations thinks is a good plan for my life. I don’t even have any say! It will be illegal for me to say that I am submissive to my husband. Yet it will be permissible and even condoned for a woman to badmouth her husband at every opportunity. I really don’t care if some other woman wants to pursue a career, run the household, and give her husband no say in family planning. Really! It’s no skin off my nose. So why on earth does that woman care whether or not I stay home and raise my kids? It’s none of her business, it’s none of Hilary Clinton’s, and it’s none of the United Nation’s business what I do in my personal life.
     Indoctrination of children is written into this treaty. You are probably already aware that the feminist movement is highly lauded and thoroughly covered in public school text books. The CEDAW wants to go one step further:
“The elimination of any stereotyped concept of the roles of men and women at all levels and in all forms of education by encouraging coeducation and other types of education which will help to achieve this aim and, in particular, by the revision of textbooks and school programmes and the adaptation of teaching methods (Article 10, section c. Emphasis added).”
     Yet another reason to homeschool. However, I have reason to suspect that homeschooling will not be sanctioned under the CEDAW, as a woman’s place will no longer be in the home, but in the office.
     What does the Bible have to say about this? We know that to God, men and women are already equal. We are different, but we are equal, as stated in Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” God has different plans for men and women. The head of the woman is the man (1 Cor. 11:3), or as the New Living Translation puts it, “A woman is responsible to her husband.” This does not mean that a man is better, more important, superior to a woman (as anti-Christian disputers proclaim), it is simple the God-appointed way to keep order in the home, the church, and in the world. Pastor, Bible commentator, and writer Chuck Smith writes,

“I do not believe that the Bible has ever taught that God favors the man over the woman. The Bible does teach that God made man first, and then from man formed the woman. When God looked at man and said, ‘It is not good that man should live alone,’ and so He made the woman from man that she might be a helpmeet for him.

Now, some people misinterpret that. The helpmeet, the word meet is an old English word fit, a help that is fit for him, created for him. No way does it signify a subservient position. God saw that man by himself could never make it, and thus, the woman created, as God said, ‘for the man.’”

     We don’t need any new laws to make men and women equal. Do you want to feel worth and purpose? Follow God’s plan for your life. Not the United Nations’.

Find out more from Michael Farris

6-14-10 "YOU Can Dress a Girl Around the World"

Dress a Girl Around the World is a sub-organization of Hope4Kids International. Dress a Girl’s purpose is to provide impoverished girls with dresses, and thus give them more dignity. The dresses are made by people in the United States, Canada, Uganda and Malawi and are sent to a variety of countries across the world. The dresses are easy to make- the simple pattern, which uses a pillowcase, is easily and quickly created.
Yesterday I made my first dresses for Dress a Girl! Here they are:





They were “sew” easy, too! If you know how to stitch a straight seam, you are ready to go. And, as I pointed out to my friend a few days ago, I am not exactly Miss Sewing Queen of America, so if I say it’s easy……

It is.
So why don’t you make a couple, too? Here’s the link to the website: http://dressagirlaroundtheworld.webs.com/

I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Matthew 25:36-40

PS if you join the site, send me a message! I’m Becoming Godly Maidens :)

5-29-10 "When I was Naked, You Clothed Me, When I was Hungry, You Gave Me Food..."

Hello! J

 I’ve joined “Dress A Girl Around the World.” This organization is a sub-organization of  Hope 4 Kids International, an missions organization which helps Americans sponsor the education of foreign impoverished children. Dress A Girl is an organization which sends home sewn pillowcase dresses to impoverished girls in other countries. If you like to sew (or can sew J ) and if you’d like to help a girl in need, get involved! You don’t have to join the site to help out, but if you do join, look BGM up.

Happy stitching :)

4-31-10 "Forget it, Lizzy Stanton"

I just found a delightful website- Ladies Against Feminism. Come on, sisters, let's fight feminism and show the world that we want to be respected for our feminity and appreciated for the womanliness that God gave us!

     Feminism is unbiblical- just check out the epistles. And Feminist attitudes won't go away without FEMALES fighting it. By giving "rights" they took away our dignity. Let's take it back for the glory of God!

     When we do this, we not only help ourselves, we help our Christian brothers by allowing them to be masculine. The world laughs at feminine women and masculine men, but that is SO backward! Men can't behave chivelrously if we don't let them. Give the gift of manhood to the boys in your life and the gift of womanhood to the girls and take your place in the role God intended for you!

Nathan has thoughts on this matter, too... please read his post here

1-27-10 "Chag Purim Semeach!

Chag Purim Semeach! This Sunday, February 28, is the Jewish festival of Purim. I’m not Jewish, but since Christianity has its roots in Judaism, I think that it is important that we have a basic knowledge of Judaism. Then we can more fully understand the culture, and where Jesus was coming from when He said the things that He said.

     Purim is the traditional celebration of the salvation of the Jews from the hands of the Medes and Persians. You can read about this story in the Old Testament book of Esther.

Recognize Purim! At dinner time, read the story of Esther. For desert, eat Haman’s ears. Don’t let the name scare you! They are actually yummy cookies.

 

·         4 eggs

·         1 cup oil

·         1 ½  cups sugar

·         2 tsp vanilla

·         1 tbsp baking powder

·         ½ tsp salt

·         4 cups flour

·         Pinch of lemon rind

·         Beat eggs, add remaining ingredients, beating well after each ingredient. (I suggest that you mix the flour by hand to avoid excessive stickiness)  

·         Roll out dough and cut out circles

·         Put a tsp of jelly in center

·         Fold over edges in three section

·         Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.

·         Makes about 5 doz. cookies

 

The story runs thus:

     Xerxes, king of the Medes and the Persians was having a drunken party one evening, as kings were accustomed to do on occasion in ancient times. He ordered his wife to flaunt her beauty in front of his buddies, and she, having some sense of propriety, refused. The king wrote a declaration against her and sealed it with his signet ring. The declaration said that the king’s wife was banished from his presence forever. The next morning, as the king was recovering from a terrific hangover, he remembered what he had done. He felt terrible; however, in the law of the Medes and the Persians, once the king sealed something with his signet ring, it stood forever. Whoever wrote these laws were obviously not quite as intelligent, as, say, Thomas Jefferson and the guy who wrote the Magna Charta. So, God save the Queen, and out she went.  

     Xerxes was seriously bumming. His officials suggested that he find a new wife. So, Xerxes held a beauty pageant to find a new wife. Ah! Xerxes- haven’t you heard? Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting!

     Apparently, Xerxes had never read the sayings of King Lemuel, and went ahead with his pageant. He was really serious about finding the biggest cutie on the planet- ok, the biggest cutie in Media and Persia- for it took an entire year of beauty treatments for each girl before she could be introduced to the king! All the girls were gorgeous, but Xerxes turned down one girl after another, seriously damaging their self-esteem. Finally, he saw the woman he wanted- a girl named Hadassah! Hadassah had another name, too- Esther. Xerxes found it much easier to say Esther (perhaps he had a terrible lisp), so that was what everyone began to call her.

     Esther missed her cousin (and legal guardian) terribly, so she got him a job at the palace. This man, Mordechai, overheard a couple of losers plotting to kill the king. Mordechai snitched on them, and they were killed. Then the king promptly forgot all about Mordechai. Around this time, the king appointed a right-hand man. The guy that he picked was Haman and was a real snake.  It was another one of Xerxes’ bad decisions, and at this point I’m sure a lot of people thought that perhaps it would have been better if Mordechai had never overheard the assassination plot. The King, of course, did not think Haman was a snake at all. If fact, he worshipped the ground Haman walked on, and wanted everyone else to do so, too. Literally. Mordechai, a devout Jew, did not take kindly to this and thereby refused to pay homage to Haman.

     Well, this really made Haman mad. So, he convinced the King to write a decree to kill on the Jews. The King agreed. He wrote that on a particular day, the Medes and Persians could go slaughter any Jew they found and take all the plunder they liked. It would be like 99₵ day at Savers! Xerxes sealed it with his signet ring. Haman clicked his heals together and went out to build a gallows on which to hang Mordechai.

     Mordechai heard about the proclamation, went home, and dressed himself in a burlap bag. Then he went to the palace, sat in the courtyard, and began to bawl. Esther looked out her window and sent a servant to find out what the problem was. Mordechai filled the servant in on the proclamation, and the servant filled Esther in. Mordechai also begged Esther to go to the King and ask for a reprieve.

     Another weird law of the Medes and the Persians was that if you entered the King’s presence without being invited, you were going to be killed- that is, unless the king stuck his golden scepter in your face and let you touch the gold ball on the end. Esther knew about Xerxes mood swings, and she knew what happened to the King’s ex when she went against the King. She was petrified at the thought of going to him. Nevertheless, she fasted and prayed for three days, dressed up in her best clothes, and marched right in to the throne room. The King was bored that day, and he was delighted to see Esther. He stuck the gold scepter in her face, and she touched the gold ball. He made a comment about how cute she was when she touched gold scepter balls, and she smiled halfheartedly. He, feeling generous, told her that she could have anything she wanted, up to half of his kingdom. Now, tempting as that was, Esther meekly invited he and Haman to a dinner party. The King was pleased and Haman gloated. His good mood was ruined when he went outside and saw Mordechai sitting by the palace gate ignoring him.

     That night the King and Haman went to Esther’s party. The King, showing a bit more intelligence than he had in the past, figured out that there was something on Esther’s mind, and he asked her what it was that she REALLY wanted. She got nervous and told him that she would tell him the next day at another dinner party.

     That night, the king had a hard time sleeping. So he asked for a bedtime story. Of course, since he was a selfish individual, he wanted the story to be about himself. So, his scribe went to get the royal records and began to read them. When he came to the part about the assassination plot, the king, still suffering from insomnia, asked the scribe what had been done to reward  Mordechai. The scribe riffled through his scrolls and finally told the King that nothing had ever been done for Mordechai. Just then, Haman burst into the bedroom, wearing his nightgown and bunny slippers. The King did  not ask Haman why in the world was he bursting into the palace dressed like that at that time of night. Had he done so, Haman would have answered that he was getting real sick of Mordechai and could he please kill him RIGHT THEN. However, the King did not ask that- instead, he asked Haman what he thought would be the best way to honor someone the King thought highly of. Well, Haman could only think of one person whom the King thought highly of, and that was himself. So, he told the king to dress up this person in the King’s clothes, set him on a steed, and have someone lead him around. Xerxes congratulated Haman on his brilliance and told him to go do all those things for Mordechai. Haman had no choice but to acquiesce. After he finished honoring Mordechai, Haman headed home among snickers from his friends and got washed up to go to Esther’s party.

     At her party, Esther told the King about a great enemy of her people who was bent set on destroying she and her family. Xerxes was highly offended that anyone would want to kill his beautiful queen, and demanded to know who the man was. Esther took a deep breath and pointed at Haman. The King stormed out in a rage. Haman grabbed the queen and begged her for his life. She was petrified by his violent shaking and weeping. Xerxes, who had finally composed himself a bit, came back in during this scene. He became angry all over again and began to shout at Haman. Just then, a servant form Haman’s house told him that the gallows for Mordechai was ready. The King became more angry and told the servant to hang Haman on the gallows. Then, we went and wrote a new proclamation, stating that the Jews could defend themselves on the day that they were supposed to be slaughtered, and he sealed it with his ring. That day, not one Jew died. Mordechai took Haman’s place and the Jews began a tradition that is continued to this day- the festival of Purim.

    

12-22-09 "four...eggs...molasses..."

Today we made gingerbread cookies. In the past we have always made our gingerbread men look like the traditional type:

 But with the exception of this Venerable Gentleman, and select Friends, this year we were far more creative. Thus, Kevin from Home Alone:

 

And the snorkler:

A guy listening to an iPod

This one got a little messed up when I tried to put him on the cookie sheet, and he looks like he may have been run over by a tractor or a bike or something.

These ones could either be high-fiving or dancing.

This is what you do if you accidently amputate a limb while moving from cookie cutter to cookie sheet: make it look like it was on purpose.

 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this deviation from the normal kind of entries I post here, which tend to have a bit more substance to them. I tried to find some sort of Biblical lesson that can be gathered from decorating cookies, but unfortuanately gingerbread was not invented until after 100 AD. So I will leave you with a small anecdote: Use your God-given creativity for God's glory! Decorate your cookies, and spread joy by giving them to a neighbor, a friend, or someone that needs a bit of Christmas cheer.

10-1-09 "From the desk of Jane Bennet"

 

     I just love spending time with my dad. I like having one-on-one time with him so I can talk to him about serious things and about fun things. I am always surprised at how much I can learn about business, politics, God and everything else during a single conversation! One thing my sister and I do every year is go to a dad and daughter dance at our church. It’s been a tradition ever since we were very small. This year, I get to go to a Regency era ball with my dad- just he and I! I can’t wait! My mom and I are sewing a historically accurate (for the most part) dress for the occasion. I am not quite sure what to expect at the ball, although I know that there will be regency-era dancing and socializing, but I know it will be great because my daddy is taking me. Who needs prom when you have that!? To all you girls, I’d like to recommend that you find something fun to do with your dad. Do you both like the outdoors? Then go camping together. If you enjoy art or history, find a museum. Or just go grab a burger! Do something and make a memory.

 

 

P.S.

 Hey everyone- guess what I found on the internet! http://www.becauseibelieve.net  has officially been added to my list of favorite websites. Why? Because this is where Chris and Emilee Danielson are broadcasting! You can listen top their podcast (at the bottom of the page) to hear this duo glorify God and create light-hearted humor and laughter.

 

 

3-24-09 "my hand is not a pincushion!"

What I'd really like to be doing right now is sewing. I have a folding table, on which is scattered notions, fabric, and of course, my machine, tucked away in my room right now.  My dad said I can move the whole kit 'n caboodle downstairs and set it up in his office. It is very generous of him, especially since the whole room has already been taken over by a legion of school books, games, and scrapbooking accessories that belong to my sister and me.

     I have been sewing a matching kitchen set consisting of a potholder, an oven mitt, and a casserole mit. I have not sewed anything in a over a year. I am out of practice, so I have been spending most of my sewing time taking out stitches and jabbing myself with sharp objects. (My seam ripper has been my best friend lately. Until it draws blood- then I hate it just about as much as I despise that uncoopertive bobbin.) You know, I think life is kind of like that. We go full speed ahead, run off track and spend more time going back and fixing mistakes than actually making any progress. And in the process we prick our fingers with a pin or two! I am just so grateful that when I let God run my life, I can get more done and waste less time fixing mistakes. Because when I try to take over, I just run off track.

     You'd think I'd learn.

       When I get those kitchen items finished,  I will post pictures for you to see. Then I will tuck them away in my hope chest until I get a home of my own. They will join the crocheted potholders and dishcloths I have made (and some of my grandmas have also added to that collection). Well, I am going to head to my room now and finish The Great Battle of the Bobbin. Oh, and before I go, I just have one quick question for you :

Who is running YOUR life's sewing machine?

1-25-09 "it is possible to find joy in a pink sponge and scrubbing bubbles"

     Today, I glorified God by cleaning the bathroom.  I have reformed my attitude towards bathroom cleaning. I no longer look at it as a boring and gross way to waste forty-five minutes of my life. I CAN glorify God through cleaning the bathroom! First of all, it is a blessing to my mother, who has enough house to clean, a blessing to my family, who would like to have a clean and tidy restroom, and a blessing to myself. I can draw from Col. 3:17, "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."  What about cleaning bathrooms can I give thanks for? I'm not talking about pretending to be happy (Oh, yay! Thank you, Lord, that I get to scrub scum off the tub and wipe down the potty!); but truly finding joy in the one of the most monotonous tasks. I can find several things to be thankful about. 1) I am thankful to my mom who is having me learn to keep house now so that I won't have to struggle when I get a home of my own. 2) I am thankful I actually have a bathroom to clean. I have seen what people form third-world countries use- outhouses from cardboard boxes and rain barrels instead of running water. 3) I am thankful that this will be one more thing I can do for my future husband, because I don't know any man who would want to clean the bathroom himself.      This positive outlook can be applied to nearly everything.  You can find joy in the most simple, everyday tasks of life if you look hard enough. Even in cleaning the bathroom! 

12-31-08 "I recently finished a crochet project... and did some interesting research"

I just finished a crochted doily. I love working with a miniscule hook and white thread to create delicate masterpeices. I made this one by copying a crocheted doily that my great-grandma made a long time ago. I found her doily in my hope chest among other hand-made heirlooms while I was replacing the snowflake ornament that I had also copied. Here's a photo of the finished product:



Here's a photo of my doily beside my great-grandma's (it's four of the same motif joined together) :



Today I did some research to see what the founding fathers said about God. I knew that they made references to Him, but the results were astounding! Here's some of the quotes I found:

"Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself guilty of treason towards my country and an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings." All too often we keep back our opinions because we are afraid we will offend someone. It hit me that instead, we ought to be bold! It occured to me that people who are afraid to take risks, who are afraid to take the chance that they might fail miserably, are the ones who never succeed. Think about it.

Another good one is from Benjamin Franklin: "I have lived, Sir, for a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing the proofs I see of this truth- that God governs the affairs of men...I also belive that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel..."