February Favorites

I am the kind of person who gets into a lot of new things at a time. Here is a collection of what I love this month!

                                           

home made hash browns!

 

Such a classic!

                           

Just started this show on Netflix!                      

Created an account and can't stop making these!

Fashion Star

 

Issues w/ The Feminist Movement

Last week on twitter the trending hash tag was "Tell a feminist thank you"...

As a woman who is very against the feminist movement, scrolling through the tweets with this hash tag was very disheartening.

there were tweets like,

Though through anger I could post a million reasons why The Feminist Movement does harm, and does not help women; however, instead I think a wiser source can clear some misconceptions of female roles. Check out this awesome article below!

God's High Call For Women

Why Judging Others is Stupid

Well, I can be the first to admit that I'm probably the most opinionated and blunt woman in the world. I try not to make judgmental opinions. But that often happens. The worst part about that? I naturally don't care if my bluntness bothers others. 

Also, I have a "someecards" account and a lot of my ideas come from opinions.. and often.. judging. OOPS.

Anyways, when we look at someone else and think "ope, they sure are blah blah blah".. Do you realize what we are doing?

We are comparing people to our own standards. And do you know what that does? That sneakily tricks us into thinking that we are as white as snow. Without fault. The better person. Self-righteous.

But you know what? Jesus never sinned, therefore He is the only one who truly is as white as snow. He is the standard. We are not. Not even close. He will judge fairly, but we will not.

So when judging people, I have made the excuses in the past, "well it helps me to remember what not to do!" or "it gives me a visual of what these people look like while they are doing what they are doing.. so I can keep myself checked".... uh huh...

Really though, judgment is a sneaky killer. It builds egos and honestly, develops false opinions.

So, now that this topic has been spoken of in multiple settings by multiple people, a reminder is always necessary. At least for me.


"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:2

"Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven." Luke 6:37

What are you doing that pleases society but not God?

This is a loaded question. It requires lots of thinking. Because clearly, we do not notice these things that we do, and if we did notice we would be working to be obedient. :)

The other day I was thinking of the sins that I don't realize I do. If I were to have the idea in my head that I knew every time I sinned, that would infer that my human flesh was weak ONLY by choice and not by birth. That would suggest that I had some sort of control over my sin and that I was sinless because I had felt that I was making the right choices.

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8

Well, we sin by choice and we sin by birth. There are sins we know we do, and there are sins we don't know we do. This is another place where the Holy Spirit is needed.

Galatians got me thinking about this topic. 

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:6-7,10

What parts of the gospel do you have twisted? 

A very, very wise preacher from Knoxville, (one of my personal favorites, actually) advises Christians this: "Preach the gospel to yourself everyday" -Greg Pinkner

I mean really, if we are serious about answering God's call- why wouldn't we? The routine would be there to remind us that we are sinners (helps poke the selfish side of us) and would be fresh in our minds if it comes up in conversation with a non-believer.


I know that as time goes on, society will keep looking at Christians more and more negatively. "Oh, you don't agree with that? I'm not surprised." or "Sigh, you don't agree with anything that I agree with"

And honestly, the Christians who know the Word are going to be judged and scoffed at more than ever before. These Christians don't fall for the "comfort food" that people who limit God and don't know God.. pass out. "Christians are so strict", they'll say. 

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power." 2 Timothy 3:1-5a

I already see this in our society. I already see this in the church. I already see this in myself. But, by firm faith in the Holy Spirit's power we can overcome our fleshly desires. I think that if people can not recognize any of those above sins in themselves, they can at least recognize that every sin's root is "lovers of self". 

Now, when non-believers think "sins" are not so bad... what I want to ask them when I look at 2 Timothy.. or even the 10 Commandments...
What good comes from these actions? What benefits? 

Even if they do not believe in God. So you love money? Look what that will do to your family. So you are ungrateful? That will get you no where. The Devil makes everyone (saved or not saved) justify actions with ridiculous excuses. And because we are so self-focused.. internally minded... we miss that. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us to see. 

So what sins slip behind your back? 

What in the Word have you over-looked? 

As you ask yourself these questions, ask God to convict you for the sneaky sins. As you notice them, you will only grow.

Valentine's Day Craft

Every Valentines day, my boyfriend and I do some type of craft for each other. In this Valentines surprise, I put a bunch of goodies and balloons in a giant box. At the very top were instructions.

                                           

Inside each balloon was a small piece of paper that had a clue and a bag number. The numbered bags had some of Nik's favorite snacks inside.

Supplies:

Balloons

Paper Bags

Goodies

Paper

Sharpie

Stapler

BIG BOX

Glitter (optional)

Start with buying paper bags. I lucked out and found red & pink ones at Wal-Mart

Put the goodies in the bags. This is where a lot of planning is necessary. 

Figure out what to say for each treat. So, cereal bars are inside bag #2. 

The very first step would be to figure out what to say with what snack. 

With that in mind, you can know what to buy. Here are some ideas.

Stuff the clue in the balloon and blow it up. 

Make sure that the balloons aren't too big so that all of them can fit inside the box. This is where you can add glitter if you'd like. :)

Keep going until all of the bags are numbered and stapled, and the balloons are blown up. 

Put the bags at the bottom of the box and the balloons on top.

I made a handmade card for him this year. I made him a scratch off hearts sheet attached to the front of the card.  Instructions for that are found here. Inside the card were instructions for the balloons. And I had a mix cd attached to the back. Also made sure to mod podge Dwight Schrute on the back of the card. 

A photo of the aftermath: