A Double Edged Sword

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Umm... yah, I get the schools point of view, but as the wife of a military member, I get where she's coming from. Deployments are HARD on kids. Her explanations are perfectly valid, and since she's already working with a psychologist, I don't see why the school didn't release him. Having separation anxiety is certainly not going to get any better when you take a child away who already has to deal with a parent being gone.

On the flip side of this, I read a comment on the page I saw this on http://moms.today.com/_news/2011/02/15/6058506-6-year-old-committed-to-psych-ward-against-moms-wishes, and it's absolutely true. The public school system has evolved into an extra parent providing before and after school programs, etc., etc,... and we're to blame. Don't judge me too harshly. I know this isn't true of everyone, but MANY people don't know what to do with their kids when school is out... or they're pushing for all day kindergarten (this would be for 5 year olds friends!) so that they don't have to worry about arranging child care options for their kids. I get that there are people (namely women) who have to work in addition to their spouses income to make ends meet... I have a sister that was divorced with 3 little girls... I get it, I do, PROMISE, but a majority of the women that work do so not because they have to. (Please don't argue here if you don't agree with me. I can assure you that I don't see "wants" that you may see as "needs" in that way and there's nothing you can say that will make me do so). Anyway! We've turned the school system into monstrous child rearing institutions and we can't really get all up in arms when they turn parental. You've given your child to the system. I'm not saying that you don't have any say, by golly I would go sit in my kids class everyday if they were in public school and insert my nose in everything (hence why I say that the schools are actually quite blessed that we homeschool... it wouldn't be very fun for either party involved to have my kids there), so yes, be protective mommy, I beg you! But at the same time, we've relinquished a lot of rights when we allow our child to be indoctrinated (that can be for good or bad) away from home upwards of 8 hours a day.

So, there you have it... the double edged sword. Really don't know where I stand on this one. I'm appalled and would be REALLY upset as a parent, but the schools really couldn't just let this one fly because people would be up and arms and blaming them if anything happened to this child. Oh the web that we sew!

Use Your Phone For Good Today!

Here's an email that I got from Family Watch International last night, please help!

Dear Cherie,

Tomorrow, Thursday, February 10th, we encourage you to call your congressman and senators and urge them to withhold all federal funding of Planned Parenthood. FWI and other pro-life groups are trying to flood congressional offices on that day to urge Congress to cut off all taxpayer funding of this abortion provider and advocate.

You may have seen the most recent undercover video, which is the latest of a string of outrageous examples of how irresponsible this organization is. The video shows a Planned Parenthood employee suggesting ways that an actor posing as a pimp could secure abortions for what he explained were child prostitutes, who, he implied, were in this country illegally.

Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider in the U.S., performing more than 300,000 abortions annually. It has a budget of around a billion dollars a year, and federal grants and contracts provide about a third of that amount, more than $363 million of our tax dollars. While these funds theoretically do not directly support their abortion activities, they certainly help support the overall organization.

If you feel, as we do, that no federal tax dollars should go to any organization that advocates and provides abortion, then you need to make your views known to your congressman and senators. As you know, we face a major federal budget crisis in the U.S., and the current out-of-control federal spending levels are simply unsustainable. Planned Parenthood funding is one of those things that can and should be cut to deal with this crisis. This may be our best chance ever to defund this organization that has been responsible for the deaths of millions of unborn children.

Please help save the lives of unborn children by calling your congressman and senators. You can be connected to their offices by calling the Capitol switchboard at 202-225-3121. (The switchboard is manned 24 hours a day, and most offices have voice mail systems available after business hours.) You can give the staffer who answers a very simple message: do whatever you can to cut off all federal funding for Planned Parenthood. Be sure and give them your name and address so they know you are a constituent. We also suggest that you tell the staffer that you would like to be informed about how the congressman or senator votes on this issue.

If we get the number of calls we expect on Thursday, it may be difficult to get through to these offices. If that is the case, we suggest contacting the district or state offices of your congressman and senators and ask that the same message be conveyed to them. You can find the number of the office nearest to you in the “U.S. Government” section of your phone book.

Please help even more by forwarding this on to everyone else you think would also call on Thursday. Planned Parenthood has more than 5 million members in the U.S., and they and other pro-abortion groups are pulling out all the stops to try to protect their federal funding. Polls show that a majority of Americans now oppose abortion, but the political reality is that unless we let our elected representatives know that we do not want any tax dollars going to any group that promotes and provides abortions, Planned Parenthood will keep getting your tax dollars.

Thank you for your help. If enough of us call we will certainly have a major impact on Congress, and we have a good chance to cut off this unacceptable use of our tax dollars.

Thank you for whatever you can do to help.

Sincerely,

Sharon Slater
President

A New Favorite Blog....

You definitely do not want to miss this one! www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com is a beautifully feminine site. Not only do they have wonderful articles, but in their link section I found an ad for www.bigfamilyshirts.com where things like this brought a huge smile to my face first thing in the morning:

and this (notice the bag in the middle :-D):

While I could not find said bag for sale on their site, my absolute love for it is still very present!

Yes, I owe you many posts, but I hope this will pacify you for now as well as reinforce my desire to help fill your mind with the knowledge that you're not alone! You, caretaker of husband, child(ren), home, studies, nutrition, medicinal needs, and server to those who need a helping hand... despite the distaste that is evident upon the faces of those who pass you in the supermarket with your gaggle in tow (regardless of how polite and quiet they're being), and the comments made to tear you down and make your career choice of not only having children but being around to raise them each and everyday, and the disgust and confusion that other women offer when you choose to stay home with your husband instead of participating in set "girls nights" each week/month. There are others who are right there with you! Keep up the good work! I have a college degree, I have employment opportunities that would make our income exponentially greater than it is (I love the military, but lets just say Mr. Wonderful isn't in it for the money!), but the work I do in my home WILL affect the world greater than ANYTHING else I could possibly do. We have control of the future!

On a side note, but still related to the above thought, while reading Stand for the Family a few months ago (and truly getting a little frightened), I came to the best conclusion ever! I hope it brings you a greater feeling of hope too.... After discussing some concerns with my husband I ended up wondering aloud "Well, if these people are so pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage and anti-childbearing, than who's going to fight their cause in the end? If us pro-family people are the only ones have children, I think we're going to have a pretty good shot here!" Just a little bit of sunshine for your day :-). Stand Tall! Your good example of womanhood can influence many others if you go about your tasks with joy and vision!

Family Friday: Stand for the Family, Chapter 2, Part 2

Another little story about where our country stands on these issues.... again, the HIV/AIDS guidelines call for same-sex marriage to be legalized.... President Obama actually said during his candidacy that he was against legalization of same sex marriage, and yet, the US delegate told Sharon to her face that the official stance of the United States was in support of this document. Did you know that? Thankfully Sharon has a son (a few children actually), from Africa who was orphaned due to AIDS and was able to hold a caucus and tell the delegates of his experiences. In the end his lobbying paid off, but I especially love her statement at the end of this story as she is looking back at this issue that looked like it would be lost... "All that it takes is someone who is willing to take a stand for the family, and miracles can happen."

The UN influences governments and has a lot of money, including our tax dollars, to be able to push forward it's agendas. They get to decide what is normal and those opinions are based upon who's speaking the loudest! If we stay at home moms are content to think that our right to stay home and care for our children is supported in big government settings, we're wrong. Unopposed, our husbands wouldn't even be able to go and play golf after a hard week at work! There's a very aggressive minority of people out there trying to secure rights for us that directly oppose everything that we stand for, but because they are so aggressive and loud, they're winning! This is one of those times when I started to feel despair, but the scripture came to mind, "Fear not: for they that are with us are more than they that be with them." 2 kings 6:16. We have to speak up and be heard! We are the majority and we need to be involved in securing the right to bear children, to raise them, and to have husbands that don't have to be oppressed by women who think that men are controlling. Really? We need to regulate this stuff with laws?? I fell oppressed so I’m going to respond by oppressing the things (or gender) that I fell oppressed by? How does that make any sense?

So, why do you care what happens at the UN?

I get to cheat this time as the reasons why are written out quite nicely bullet by bullet in the book.

"1. International policies often trickle down to the national, state and local level."

Thanks to other countries policies on homosexuality, the US Supreme Court ruled in Lawrence v. Texas that "the U.S Constitution was out of step with international developments concerning homosexual rights." Take that ruling a step further and you have the basis for the passing of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. So, out the door with the Constitution and in with popular ideas, are you scared yet? Don't get me wrong, I don't claim that the Constitution is infallible (if you look to the upper right you'll notice that I'm dark skinned and a woman... so, there are definitely some amendments that I'm glad made it to ratification!) But now we're moving from rights for people that should be "natural" (in Thomas Jefferson's sense of the word), as in the fact that my skin isn't white and I'm not a man is not something I woke up one day and chose.... to, I want to do something that is against the law, so I'm going to push until I get it. I realize that I just opened pandora's box about homosexuality being a choice, and I know that there are many who feel like they are born that way... just stick with me, we'll get to why I said that, promise!

"2. UN agencies create and fund programs that sexualize children."

This one made me sick actually, so I'll touch on it briefly and you can look into it more if you'd like. A UNICEF funded website is targeted at your teenager in order to encourage them into "abortion, masturbation, homosexuality and other sexual activities." Their real mission is to support the rights of children, as in helping them stay safe against violence, disease, bringing education and trying to raise them out of poverty by doing so. Again, the real shocker here is that in the face of all the terrible things in the world (hunger, violence, etc), we're pushing a sexual agenda, putting money into it, and receiving funding from places like the Henry J Kaiser Family Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, even the South African Government. You'd think that promoting sexual health and healthy lifestyles would take other forms than telling a child that at any age they have the right to a "free and safe abortion." CHILD. A child should be encouraged to go kick a ball, read a book, play a game, not being instructed in sexual things that their not developmentally and/or emotionally ready for. We don't need these radicals bringing up and forcing these "rights" on such tender souls.

"3. UN policies create international norms that can affect your family."

A treaty that has been up for discussion in the Senate for 30 years but hasn't been ratified has been adopted in the city of San Francisco. Any guesses as to what it is? :-). The CEDAW Treaty stands for Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination again Women. Mothers, wives, daughters, I plead with you to look further than the name. Sure, ending discrimination is a good thing, BUT who is setting the guidelines for what things are discrimination. This treaty is anti-family and anti-motherhood and our Senate is, after all this time, starting to try and push to ratify this treaty. If you hear ANYTHING about this, please, please, please put a call into your representatives and make your voice heard. I've put calls into my Senators office at 1am their time after receiving an email from Family Watch about what was being discussed in a lame duck session in November. My husband looked at me like I was a crazy person as I read an email, quickly got up and got the phone and made my calls. We talked about it later, and I saw a very proud man looking at me who understood how important it was that we make our voices heard (even if my representatives were backers of what I was against, at least they heard from me!)

"4. UN commities, in concert with NGOs, manipulate member states to change their laws in ways that harm the family."

So, remember that CEDAW Treaty you read about 2 seconds ago? It's reared it's ugly head in countries like Peru and Columbia in order to legalize abortions in these countries. While there is no "right to abortion or unrestricted sexual activity" in any UN treaty, the UN CEDAW Committee has pressured these countries into legalizing something they were against. How is this possible? Well, if we say something enough times it becomes true. And if we make connections between existing documents and interpret them for a specific cause, then they're free game to use in any situation. Case in point, if we take the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and look at a provision that "prevents torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" and apply that to a situation where a woman can't get an abortion of a malformed fetus and suffers depression after the birth.... viola! Seems strange that we can stretch things that far, but it really happened in Peru. Thus, they changed their laws to comply with the UN and then this was applied to Columbia. Then you have an African country that signed a treaty in 1976 and a group called Human Rights Watch, wanting to make homosexuality recognized internationally as a human right, trying to get a passage interpreted as protecting "sexual orientation." Yah, I've heard of living documents, as mentioned about, but this evolution of documents based on our "progressive" understanding of human rights issues is really an insult.

BE IN THE KNOW

The people who know how these things work, are the ones with all the power. If a group like the Sexual Rights Initiative is (and are) offering $500 to people to "create reports on sexual rights abuses regarding reproductive rights, sexual diversity, sexuality education, HIV/AIDS, etc." that has to be a flag in your mind that this is a real battlefield. There are those who in a UN forum have stated that "the family is the most violent institution in the world" and that those who support sexual abstinence for children are the cause of all the deaths in the world from AIDS.

"If a few stay at home moms with no previous experience can make such a huge difference, others who simply have a desire to preserve and protect the family can do the same."

"...even ordinary citizens with little or no experience can learn, become involved, and make a difference."

www.familywatchinternational.org

Family Friday: Stand for the Family, Chapter 2, Part 1

Stand for the Family Review, Chapter 2: Deceptive Tactics

I really don't think that this chapter could have been titled any better than this. I think what was most surprising to me, and thus caught my attention the most, were the issues that were being discussed at the United Nations in the first place. As far as I knew, the documents that came out of the UN were really important... like things that help poor nations get food, antibiotics, and keep genocide from happening. Boy was I wrong! Are you ready for this??

We're now 8 years after the instances I last wrote about, and Sharon Slater is now Family Watch International President. The document being discussed is on HIV/AIDS and refers to a document called the "International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights." Sounds innocent enough right? I would agree with you and so would (and did) most of the delegates at this negotiation because they were not aware that the HIV/AIDS guideline that was being referred to "called for members states to:

-Legalize abortion;

-Legalize same-sex marriage;

-Punish people who criticize same-sex relations;

-Repeal laws against adultery, fornication, oral sex and sodomy;

-Enact laws to protect homosexual behavior; and

-Provide children with explicit sex education."

Did you catch those? Studies have proved over and over again that it's risky sexual behavior that spreads HIV/AIDS, and now we're going to pass laws that not only make these behaviors acceptable but actually encourage them?? This is all a mistake right? Sadly, no. There's something that you have to take note of, any language that can be approved in the UN can be used ANYWHERE. Thus, if I can slide words into a document that may not even have anything to do with what is written there but no one objects for whatever reason, I have now set a precedent for legislators, judges, and NGO's all over the world.

Is this a big deal? Yah, I'd say so!! It's such a big deal that people will use pressure, as we talked about before, and even bold face lies. Case in point, pro-family groups were trying hard to combat the inclusion of the references to the HIV/AIDS guidelines in this document and were searching for more support. After a call to affiliates in Uganda, who contacted their Minister of Ethics and Integrity, who then contact their UN delegate, who then talked to the woman chairing the negotiations of this document and was told that the offending reference was to be removed. Too easy? Yes, that was too easy. The chairwoman was later approached by Sharon, who asked about the phrases removal, only to be met with a smile and the words "Maybe next year." I don't know what the chairwoman told the delegate from Uganda, but apparently it wasn't the truth.

Are you ready to learn a few more things that a few passionate people are trying to push through in order to "help" you? The theme of "The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including care giving in the context of HIV/AIDS." Your husbands will especially love this one.... I can't help but use Sharon's words here from page 16, "The negotiations, as ludicrous as it sounds, included a long discussion on how to ensure that fathers who take family leave do not use it to, for example, "play golf." So, your hubby wants to go play golf (or insert another favorite past time of his here), and because he's leaving the family to go and enjoy a hobby on his own... he can't... it's not legal. Are you flip-flopping through laughing out loud and being utterly frightened at the same time??

Moving on, I learned that the phrase "sexual and reproductive rights" is actually a nice, all encompassing way of saying "abortion, promiscuity, homosexuality and transgenderism." Oh, and by the way, did you know that all of these things are a solution to the AIDS pandemic and maternal mortality? True story, Norway's State Secretary to the Minister of International Development went as far as to say that having an abortion is safer than giving birth to a child (which isn't true and the proof for that is coming, be patient).

The most frustrating part of this chapter was in the US under the Obama administration to fund an office to promote women's rights with an initial amount of $500,000,000... I'm sorry, the last I looked our country was in MAJOR debt so creating this office and funding it in that way is just ridiculous, and also, I happen to be a woman, and the "rights" that will be fought for by such an office do anything but help women!

A Little Sweetness and Perspective for your Day

Beautiful video for mom's. Thank you to Ann Voskamp.

Family Friday: Chapter 1, part 2

I always wonder about how much voicing my opinion, or just lending a smile to someone standing up against opposition helps. Despite the fact that I describe myself as fairly anti-social, I can't help but create a little experiment when I'm in public. My favorite experiment happens every week at church. My family sits on the very front row... it's always open... and generally there are very few distractions for our children... From the front row I stare at the speakers and music leaders (that is, when I'm not trying to detangle my baby's hand from my super curly hair... read Japanese finger torture..., helping my 2 year old understand that he can't sit on daddy's lap right now due to a hernia he got last week that needs surgery, and helping the visibly tired 4 and 5 year old try to come away with something from the meeting besides pouty faces) and I smile. Yep, that's all, my experiment.... as I'm a political science nerd and not a real science nerd... consists of a simple smile that reaches up into my eyes and says "good job! keep it up!" And you know what happens every time? THEY SMILE BACK! I've made you suffer through my order of operations here because I have a hypothesis that has stood the test of time for me. I have been around tons of strangers, and no matter our backgrounds, a simple encouraging smile can give someone the added courage necessary to complete a difficult task. I dare you to try it! They may not smile back at you, probably because you haven't learned the art of smiling with your eyes too, but your encouragement, even when silent, can go very far.

We have to yell like all the Who's down in Whoville "We are here!! We are here!!" If Horton can hear us and we're bolstering his courage, eventually everyone will hear our cries. On the opposite side of this unexpected analogy, if no one is talking but an angry kangaroo, we're all going to get boiled in beezlenut stew.

Case in point of one way to stay out of the boiler: Sharon was at another conference which was negotiating a document that was being disputed because large groups that wanted to push a sexual rights agenda. Nations like Canada, the European Union, and the United states were pushing for these amendments, while those from Muslim countries, Sudan, Iraq, Poland, Syria, Nicaragua and others were against these provisions. My favorite line comes from a Nigerian delegate who asked Sharon, "So why is the West so obsessed with sex?" Seriously, come on people! A delegate from Pakistan said it best when he pleaded with the Western countries "to stop wasting the delegates' time with sexual rights provisions and, instead, to start working on the issues that matter most to women in poverty-i.e, basic health care, clean water, food and shelter."

Seriously, you may think I'm a complete nut, and that I'm making a big deal over something so small, but when there are people out there who are in dire need of basic necessity, "why is the West so obsessed with sex??"

Concerning the negotiations of this document Sharon writes, "social liberals and conservatives locked horns on issues related to sexual orientation, reproductive rights (abortion), sexual rights, and family-supportive language." With both sides frustrated and not going anywhere, the pro-family group distributed flyers that said.

"If the West was not so preoccupied with sex, the document would be done." As you can imagine, such a message received varied responses, but in the end the pro-family delegates were given an extra boost to stand against their opposition and were no longer afraid of being accused of holding up the proceedings (does the word BULLY not apply here?), and things were able to move along with "all references promoting abortion and broad sexual rights were eliminated."

What you need to know:

*There are very large, outspoken individuals and groups who "seek to create a right to sex outside of marriage without having to take responsibility for the consequences. When sex occurs outside of marriage, it doesn't matter if it is heterosexual, homosexual, premarital or extramarital; the evidence shows that any sexual activity outside of a traditional marriage, sooner or later, is damaging to the individual and to society, and especially to the institution of the family

*A UN official who represents the United Nations Population Fund, which gets millions of dollars every year to promote "family planning," recently spoke of divorce and out-of-wedlock births as a "triumph" for "human rights."

*You are one person, and you can and will make a difference if you are willing to do the hard work and prepare yourself in the event that a moment comes which requires the help you have to give.

So, I ask you, is your family important to you??

You may yet wonder why all these obscure thoughts should be important to you and your family, I promise that you'll understand where the UN fits in to all of this, and why you need to be observant and aware for the sake of your family. In the meantime, just think about this: If there are UN officials out there openly rejoicing in the breakdown of the traditional family, you can be sure that laws will be ratified in your area that will directly oppose everything you stand for.

Next week: Chapter 2, Deceptive Tactics.

-This chapter really is a must read. I'm not entirely sure how to impart all the information that I need to from this, but I will do my best. Be forewarned, this chapter removed rose colored glasses where I thought there was none, and helped me reestablish a footing I hadn't realized that I'd lost.

-If you want to get to reading on your own you're welcome to pick up there book here. All proceeds help to support Family Watch International. Feel free to grab a few extra for family/friends, you'll get a bargain for buying in bulk and you'll help embolden others to share the message that "We are here!"

Family Friday: Chapter 1, part 1

Today begins my chapter by chapter review of Stand for the Family, written by Family Watch International president, Sharon Slater. (I actually wrote this a few weeks ago, and then my husband was home a few Friday's in a row and threw off my plans. Yes, better writers would have written in advance and set posts to publish automatically, but I'm not such a person, and hey... I had fun with my husband being around, so I can't really apologize for the time I took off, but I will thank you for coming back!)

When told, "Hey, Cherie, there's this book that I really think you should read," I'm a happy recipient and set out to learn something new and/or reaffirm why I have chosen a particular stance on a given subject. Herein lies a few thoughts that have ensued since picking up this book, and a big thanks to my friend Courtney for not only bringing this to my attention, but for giving me my very own copy. (I love the computer, but being able to highlight on paper makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!)

Chapter 1: Witnessing the Assault at the International Level

I think the first thing that stood out to me about this chapter is that I was reading about a typical stay-at-home mom. While the idea of soccer practice for multiple children and public schools are not on my to-do list (and hopefully will never be, not because it's bad, but because the mere thought of running around doing those things gives me ulcers), I could actually relate to this woman. While I don't know her, I'm going to take a little liberty and refer to Mrs. Sharon Slater as "Sharon" from here on out, because I think we'd be good friends if we should happen to meet. So, from Sharon's experiences, I was able to relearn a fact that I know and is near and dear to my very existence.... one person can make a difference.

Now, I don't say this to be cliche. For example, while you may not agree with me, and may never read anything from me again because I say/type funny things, I have an odd fascination with Hitler. It's been fascinating to me, even from a very young age, that this one man was able to be so influential as to be able to enact such amazing atrocities. How could good, loving, kind people be able to be turned against one another because of one person?? It's truly remarkable. Don't get me wrong, I think he did horrible things and I in no way have a love for this man, but I do believe that we need to wake up and realize that one person can change the tides of any situation and do so for good or for bad... don't be lulled into thinking that one little law, or policy can't affect you!

Okay, to leave you with good feelings, people like William Tyndale (who translated the bible into English while in exile and was eventually killed for doing so, but left the world saying, "Lord, open the king of England's eyes."), and Joseph Smith (the man who restored the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was persecuted and eventually killed for his beliefs), and even strange little John Adams (a fierce proponent of the Declaration of Independence and freedom despite the repercussions it may attract from England... and no, he wasn't killed for his stance, but he did die on 4 July, the same day as Thomas Jefferson, and something like 50 years from the signing of the Declaration, if I remember correctly), all did amazingly strong things that have undoubtedly left an impact of great proportions.

Anyway! I began to recall the huge difference that one person can make, and I really want to impress upon you... as you sit there feeling tiny, probably overwhelmed, and contemplating the 20 loads of laundry that need to yet be done, that you, YOU, can make a HUGE difference. But you have to do something... you have to take a step!

My friend Sharon, (yep, that's what I'll call her, it sounds nice, right?), took a step to go attend a UN meeting in Geneva, knew very little about what was going on except that the family was under attack, and she went. Without mincing words, her statement on page one of this book caught my attention:

"I had my first glimpse of the calculated, organized, worldwide assault on the family and witnessed for myself the destructive forces that are affecting our nation and the world as a whole."

I'm sorry, but no one can make a statement like this and not have me perk my ears. I don't care who you are or what you're talking about, a statement worded like this increases my curiosity so greatly that I will research for hours just trying to figure out how you could say something so bold!

I could literally see Sharon observing UN delegations as she watched groups go into small rooms to discuss a document that needed to be agreed upon by all members, and her confusion as not enough copies of the document in question were provide for the delegates let alone a place for them to sit. Additionally, I could see "radical feminists" (defined as those who "espouse a militant, anti-patriarchal ideology that men oppress women and who work to legalize abortion, and to promote lesbian, transgender and homosexual rights, among other things),* and nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), taking up spots at the table, despite their status to just observe delegations, and forcefully voicing their opinions. Strangely, I could also see the workings of those running these meetings intentionally creating these groups so that poorer/undeveloped nations did not have enough delegates to have a presence in each room.

I saw this all the more when Sharon describes a delegate, later identified as being from the Vatican, who made a request that respect for religious diversity be added to the document and was countered with attacks, laughs and the admonishment that it wasn't "necessary or appropriate" to include respect for religion in the document. While this delegate could not find how to support her suggestion by using UN language, Sharon knew where the information was and was able to slip it to the Vatican delegate who was then able to stand for her position! Sharon's response? It's one we all can learn from... simply she "just happened to be in the right place at the right time, with the right tool..."

Now, here is where I have to stop and think. Here is where I took up the cause of making my name known to my representatives, and have dared to step beyond what I'm comfortable and familiar with. This statement made me ask myself.... "have I prepared myself with the tools to help?" "do I actively seek opportunities that will help promote what I proclaim to be of importance?"

I think the most surprising thing that I read in this chapter was about the peer pressure that happens at these delegations. This same Vatican delegate was in another room being pressed to stop opposing an amendment to the document that would remove all the law against homosexuality throughout the world. She held out for a long time because she could feel the support of Sharon and her friend, but eventually she gave in because this document would have to go through a whole other revision in NY later and there would be more delegates able to lend support.

Sadly, and maybe most important for all of us wives and mothers to think about, Sharon wonders, "If more people had been there to give her moral support, she may not have caved in."

*Be patient. If you are wondering what's so wrong with a certain portion or all of this definition, we'll get there. Promise!

A Preface

I last wrote about how I was going to lead you through the chapters of the book Stand for the Family. Since then, I've worked out how this is going to work, and have also come upon many scriptures in my daily studies that have given me even more perspective, hope, and desire to stand up against the evils around us.

It's important for you to know that the family is the most crucial part of our existence here on earth. Whether you are examining this fact from a religious point of view, or you simply just feel that's it's right, there is overwhelming societal pure fact/research based advantages to supporting the traditional family. I will not be posting information based how I feel about the family. I am not trying to rouse you to action based on emotions or simply what I think. What I am trying to do is to give you reason to research and take an analytical approach to what you may already feel to be correct.

Please also note, that while I'm always up for a good discussion, I will not invite or stand for any attacks/emotion based comments from readers. I will be providing research for my statements and I ask that you afford me that same respect. Additionally, I know what the opposing side to my stance has to say already, so no need to waste your time. I spent most of my life on said team, I know the arguments firsthand because I said and believed them myself. So, before you cry discrimination or bigotry know that I rallied for the other side of my stance, and even now have many close friends who are on that side.... and I love them dearly.

Now what you've all been waiting for! My posts will start this Friday in honor of what I'm going to call "Family Friday." So, each week you can count on a post here that will start detailing the Stand for the Family book by chapter, as well as during and after I've finished posting on the book I'll post about legislation, how you can contact your representatives, and what you need to be aware of in your communities. We may even find some fun things for you to do just to strengthen your family in general. Sound fun? I'm excited!

In the meantime, and after I care for the crying/sick baby, I'll write a post about the scriptures that I've come across and some other things I'm looking forward to doing in the New Year. Maybe you'll join me!

Taking A Stand

My absence from writing here can be explained very easily... I've been busy learning :-). I find myself in a position where I could stop for a few minutes and explain what I'm delving into... or I could just read so more. Well, as I'm sure you've gathered, reading has been winning out (as well as getting a concussion, welcoming my husband home after he was gone most of the year, visiting family in WA for a few weeks, my husband going back to his lovely 10-14 hour days, etc.), but it's time for me to share what I have learned!

I have to be honest with you. What I have been learning is life changing. In fact, it is so important for me to share with you that I've actually had a little anxiety over how I was going to present this information. I've realized that I've become even more proactive about the family as of late, and there are definitely forces at work that are not happy about that. Regardless, and perhaps even because of this, I need to present information to help you do the same.

The family is truly the backbone of our society. I know you know this! I doubt anyone reading this feels otherwise. In fact, I know that most of you are stay at home moms, even homeschooling moms. Sisters, if we believe that what we're doing is the most important work on the earth, I'm asking you now to join me in preserving this work! I have spent hours contemplating, reading, calling Senators, and signing petitions. I have felt heart ache and some despair, only to have the words come clearly in my mind "those that be with us are more than they that be with them." So, I'm asking you to join the cause of the family. Our rights and God's way is in danger and needs you, yes you, to stand up and be heard.

Over the next few weeks I'll be running you through the information provided by Family Watch International. Here we'll deal with hard issues and things that are at works in our country and around the world that are placing the family under attack. Please read these posts. Please choose knowledge over ignorance. We are here for a purpose and it's important that we stand up for truth and righteousness. Evil can only prevail if good people allow it to.

Please pray for the family unit. You can also go here:http://www.standforthefamily.org/sff/ and read some things for yourself from my source. Additionally, there's a petition on the site that is called the "I Stand for the Family" International petition. I would ask you to go and read what the petition is for and if you agree with it, please sign and pass on the information to all that you know. The book I'll be posting from is called Stand for the Family, written by Sharon Slater. I would highly recommend getting a copy yourself, but am happy to share the information that I know so that you too can be enlightened and take a stand for YOUR family and YOUR right to be a mother that is being challenged everyday far beyond what's happening within the walls of your home.