Thoughtful Thursdays: Stormy Paths

Tips on Tuesday - 72 hour emergency kits

So the storm missed us (this time) but we were prepared like we should be. No matter where you live emergencies occur, so it is better to be safe than sorry. Here is a link to a 72 hour emergency kit:


72 Hour Kit

Hope it helps!

Withstanding the Storms

I live in the Tampa Bay area and my eyes have been glued to the Weather Channel due to the new hurricane coming into the Gulf of Mexico. I have a fear of these storms because I experienced one years ago...Andrew. I never want to go through that again. I now have a healthy respect for Mother Nature.

I had moved away thinking I would never have to experience it again. After 8 years away from Florida, I felt prompted to move back to Florida to be closer to family. Wouldn't you know it, that was the year Florida had 4 big storms hit, 2004 (welcome back, right?).

Anyway, I remember watching the huge oak tree branches swaying back and forth. I thought about how strong those trees were and if the strong winds could topple them over then what could this storm do to me. I was afraid again. Then I noticed this small tree, which my youngest son named Bob, and it wasn' t moving at all. The wind was blowing hard all around it but it stood strong and unmoved. I knew there was a life lesson in this.

I have the opportunity to use it in my blog today. We are living in an unstable world with trials blowing all around us. Who are we going to be like, the mighty oak or Bob, our little unwavering tree? I have read that if you have fear then you do not have faith. That was a difficult thing for me because I was afraid of storms but I know that I have also read in the scriptures that if we are prepared we need not fear. So we are prepared as can be for this storm and any others that come our way. We studied and acted upon the things we learned to be better prepared for disaster.

The same with everything else in life, we can prepare for life's storms if we build a strong relationship with God. We do this by learning His ways and His plan for us. We can do this by studying His word, the scriptures and through daily prayers. If we can do this we can withstand those strong storms that find their way into our lives. We can become like Bob if we act upon the things we learn from studying God's ways.

It won't always be easy but we have to trust in Him to lead the way through these storms. He is there for us if we want Him to be. We just have to ask Him to help us. I honestly don't know how people do it without Him but I am grateful for His love and guidance. I know that I can get through anything with Him by my side. I have done it before and I will do it again and again. No Fear!!!

Thoughtful Thursdays - Motherhood

Amen to this, something to think about.

Tips on Tuesday - Parenting Skills

Being a parent is not always easy, as we all know, so developing skills to help along the way is a good thing. I wanted to share some cool tips for good parenting skills. I picked these up from the following link:

http://www.crisiscounseling.com/Articles/GoodParenting.htm

Good Parenting Behaviors

• Parent is actively and positively involved in child's life.
• There are direct, open, and cooperative dialogues between parent and child.
• Parent cooperatively communicates with other parent.
• Parent is flexible in behavior and limit setting.
• Parent appropriately modulates expressions of love and intimacy.
• Parent sets clear boundaries between child and environment.
• Parent identifies and understands child's needs.
• Parent accurately observes child's behavior and own behavior.
• Parent develops and nurtures independence, individuation, social responsibility, and self-confidence.
• Parent develops and nurtures child's self-esteem.
• Parent is knowledgeable about child's strengths and weaknesses.
• Parent is perceived as a positive role model.
• Parent applies appropriate discipline.
• Parent supports child's relationship with other parent.
• Parent encourages socially appropriate behaviors and respect for rules governing society.

Parenting God's Way

Good Day!!!

In the past two weeks on the Sabbath Day I have felt so wonderful. I was spiritually fed those days and found much joy in doing the work of the Lord. I am so glad the Sabbath Day was made for mankind to focus on what's important, and that is...our spiritual growth. I do love the Sabbath Day. I just wanted to share that with you.

I have a slight problem when it comes to parenting... I like things done my way. You know that we as parents can see things our kids can't because we have experienced more in life. We know things, and how the world works. But how did we get there? We got there through trial and error. We gained experience by trying it ourselves then learning from the experience. SO, why can't I seem to let go by letting my children experience life and make mistakes?

I have a child who I believe is making unwise decisions at this time and I am struggling to let them make their own mistakes. The decisions they are making are not life or death decisions but, they are about being happy or miserable for the rest of their lives. So...as a righteous woman I went to God for the answers.

The scriptures showed me how our Heavenly Father parents us. He tells us that we can make our own decisions but there are consequences for any decision we make. He makes it clear what those consequences are. So he leaves it up to us to decide the direction we will go. But, the real cool thing is if we make the wrong choice, we are still not alone in the consequences. He is there for us and he will help us get up on our feet again. He will still love us not matter what we do. He wants to help us get back on the road to success and happiness. I am so grateful for that knowledge.

So, I took His advice and told my child that they should be allowed to make their own decisions. But I made it very clear what the consequences would be if they made the wrong choice in this issue, never-the-less, I would be there to help them and would still love them. I felt at peace with that conversation. But, I also made it clear that I was Mom and I probably would still check up on them!!! (I'm a slow learner).

I love my children, as I know our Heavenly Father loves us. I am so glad He created families so we can better understand the relationship we should have with Him. I pray for wisdom all the time because I want to be like Him. I want what's best for my family and I want them to know that I want them to feel true happiness.

Well, I want to close my blog today with a thought I sent to my child recently in a text (because my child was out of town for a couple of weeks). I saw them being idle with their time and I wanted to make it clear that they can do whatever they wanted with their time but here was the consequences.

"Look at your day, what can you say you have accomplished, sometimes there are small accomplishments and sometimes there are big ones, but can you say that you have had a successful day? If you can't then you have wasted your day, and can never get it back, so live today as if there were no more days to live, find happiness in your day...I love you."

I did not get a negative response back but I got a "thank you, Mom". I felt good because they knew I loved them and would still always be there to lead them on a good path.

I read a statement recently by a man named George Albert Smith who said,

“I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideals but rather love them into doing the thing that is right." I felt like this was the way our Father in Heaven would have us do it.

I will love my children into making the best decisions for their lives, and accept their decisions are part of them growing into the person they were meant to become. I will trust in God, as long as I do it His way I know it will all be for good.

Guest Post: Rantin' & Ravin'

Hi!

My name is is Tammy and I write on Rantin' & Ravin'.

I was so excited to hear from J-lyn here on To Stand As Righteous Women. When she asked if I would do a guest post, I jumped on the chance.

She basically gave me a free reign as long as it was inspiring for her readers and encouraged you all in righteousness. So, I gave it a little thought and took it to prayer. Isn't that what we should do in all things?

I read over her previous posts here and here and decided to write about the constitution.

The United States Constitution is an inspired document. This document serves as a model for other nations and is currently the oldest Constitution still used today.

I know that the Lord inspired people such as Columbus, the Pilgrims and the puritans to search for a place where they could have religious freedom. I know that the Founding Fathers were led by the Father to write the words of the Constitution. The Constitution was laid out to allow for the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I am a history major and I have had many professors teach me that the Founding Fathers were not Christians.

How can this be?

The Declaration of Independence affirmed the Founding Fathers’ belief and trust in God in these words: “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

At the conclusion of the Declaration of Independence, they wrote, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” This Declaration was a promise that would demand terrible sacrifice on the part of its signers. Five of the signers were captured as traitors and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary War; another had two sons captured. Nine died from wounds or from the hardships of the war.

Would you be willing to die for something that you truly didn't believe in, for Someone you truly didn't believe in?

The delegates at the Constitutional Convention were the recipients of heavenly inspiration. James Madison (my favorite!!), often referred to as the father of the Constitution, wrote: “It is impossible for the man of pious reflection not to perceive in it a finger of that Almighty hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stages of the revolution” (The Federalist, no. 37, ed. Henry Cabot Lodge, New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1983, p. 222).

Alexander Hamilton, famous as the originator of The Federalist papers and author of fifty-one of the essays, said: “For my own part, I sincerely esteem it a system, which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interest” (Essays on the Constitution of the United States, ed. Paul L. Ford, 1892, pp. 251–52).

Charles Pinckney, a very active participant and author of the Pinckney Plan during the Convention, said: “When the great work was done and published, I was struck with amazement. Nothing less than the superintending Hand of Providence, that so miraculously carried us through the war … could have brought it about so complete, upon the whole” (Essays on the Constitution, p. 412).

Don't let anyone ever tell you that they were not Christians!

In a talk given by Ezra Taft Benson titled, Our Divine Constitution, he says, 

"How then can we best befriend the Constitution in this critical hour and secure the blessings of liberty and ensure the protection and guidance of our Father in Heaven?

First and foremost, we must be righteous.

 

John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” (The Works of John Adams, ed. C. F. Adams, Boston: Little, Brown Co., 1851, 4:31). If the Constitution is to have continuance, this American nation, and especially the Latter-day Saints, must be virtuous.

Second, we must learn the principles of the Constitution in the tradition of the Founding Fathers.

 

Have we read The Federalist papers? Are we reading the Constitution and pondering it? Are we aware of its principles? Are we abiding by these principles and teaching them to others? Could we defend the Constitution? Can we recognize when a law is constitutionally unsound? Do we know what the prophets have said about the Constitution and the threats to it?

As Jefferson said, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free … it expects what never was and never will be” (Letter to Colonel Charles Yancey, 6 Jan. 1816).

Third, we must become involved in civic affairs to see that we are properly represented.

Note the qualities that the Lord demands of those who are to represent us. They must be good, wise, and honest.

Fourth, we must make our influence felt by our vote, our letters, our teaching, and our advice.

  

We must become accurately informed and then let others know how we feel."

Have you ever head the expression, "The Constitution is hanging on by a thread"? 

That thread is your vote. 

It's important we make our voices heard.

Mark your calendars, November 6th!

Duty to Country

I am not really a political person. I know about politics and I am up on current events but I  really get frustrated with politicians and politics. Who can we trust? I think most politicians are untrustworthy. I sometimes wish that there were laws against career politicians, you know, like the President of the United States position. He can only serve twice but those in Congress can be there as long as we keep voting them in, and some have been there way too long.

But the reason I am blogging about politics today is due to the upcoming elections. Righteous women have the responsibility to vote for those we believe will serve the people for good. My blog today is about registering to vote so that we can make sure we put people in office who understand that they are serving the people and not themselves. We need to put people in that are God fearing people. I am not registered with any party because I don't believe in parties. I believe we should be voting for who has the people and this country in their best interest.

I'm not saying who you should vote for, that's a personal choice according to your beliefs. But I am saying that you should be voting. Many women in the 1800 and early 1900's worked hard for that right so we should not throw that away. It is a blessing to be able to vote for the leaders and lawmakers of our country. We need to review the past records and what these people stand for. And, we need to include in this process a lot of prayer. If we ask for guidance from our Heavenly Father who is best qualified to fulfill His plan, at this time, then we can know we have made the best choices available.

God's plan will always be for the good of His children. We need not fear this world because He is in control of it's direction. But we do need to do our part to fight against evil and make sure we have the best people leading the way. Even if the person you vote for wins you still need to make sure they are held accountable for the choices they make in your behalf.

Righteous women need to be heard and we can only do this by voting for righteous people to serve in these positions; then follow up by watching their work. They should have to answer to us if they do not do what they promised. We need to make sure they are under control of the people. We have more power than we realize, we just need to wake up and make it clear that we stand for truth and righteousness. So if you are not registered then get registered as soon as possible before it's too late. Then, most importantly, go vote.

New review!!!

Got another review!!! Take a look at this cool blog called "Rantin' and Ravin'".

She creates posts about what she likes and what she doesn't like. It's too cool. I have found lots of neat ideas and food recipes (because I like food). Here is an example:

 Easy Garlic Chicken

Check her out! Thanks "Rantin' and Ravin'", for your great review!!!

Walking with Righteous Men

I watched a wonderful movie last night called "Courageous". It's a story about the importance of dads in the life of their children.  If only all men thought that way. If you haven't seen it please watch, it will not be a waste of your time. I grew up basically without a dad figure and I have problems with knowing how to choose a good man in my life. My bio dad split up with my mom when I was 4 years old. Her second husband adopted me as his own but their marriage only lasted 4 years. Then she married my step-father and he was around for 25 years then passed away. But I was 18 when they married so life without father was my motto. I have made a lot of mistakes when it comes to men, I believe this is so because I did not have a dad in my life.

I read a newspaper article about male influence in the life of young elephants. I kept this because I felt it was so true to our young men today. The elephants in this reserve consisted of females and young children. There were no adult bull elephants. Several of the young male elephants were equivalent to teenagers. The caretakers of the reserve found dead rhinos and after placing cameras throughout the reserve they found that the young teenage males were killing the rhinos. Once they placed bull elephants in the family all the killing stopped because the males influence corrected the behavior of the male teenagers. I cried when I read this because I knew it was true. I knew how important it is for dads to be in the life of their children.

What makes a righteous man? The answer to that is to have a strong righteous woman at his side. Her influence can do wonderful things for him. She need to encourage and praise him as he puts God first in his life. She needs to help him rationalize good choices and fulfill his commitment to God. If a man can put God first then his wife and family will be a close second. If a man can put God first he will be a dependable, loving man that will be there for his wife and kids. He will be a responsible person and will teach his children to be the same. It's his wife that will be the key to his choosing to put God first or not. Do you see the importance of our role in the life of our men?

God designed men and women to complement each other. We each have roles to play in family. We need each other in order to raise righteous children. They need us in order to find their way back home to Heavenly Father. I love my brothers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love their example and willingness to help those who have no father in their lives. Our influence as righteous women can reach more than just our families by helping the men in our lives give of themselves by walking the path of our Savior. What a wonderful plan our Father has created for us. He is the ultimate example of Fatherhood. May he bless the lives of those who follow Him.

Restoring Love Project

Hello Sisters,

OK, here is an issue we can make a stand on. I'm sure most of you have heard about the Chick-fil-a leaderships stand for the marriage between a man and a woman. It's sad that people don't understand that it's not about the human being, we should love all people as our Savior has told us to do, but it's about the issue of what God defines as a marriage. Its about standing for what God has established as a family base. Now someone has said that we Christians aren't as supportive when  it comes to serving the poor.

I was listening to Glenn Beck today and heard about his Restoring Love project. Its worth the read even if you don't like Glenn Beck. Thousands of people came on the last weekend in July to provide service in many different ways. Please read the attached link and see what else you can do to prove the unbelievers wrong. Christian women need to make a stand for the sanctity of marriage and Christian service.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/viral-chick-fil-a-picture-claims-christians-dont-feed-the-poor-but-we-have-proof-to-the-contrary/

LDS Bookstore

I am so excited!!! The LDS Bookstore featured my blog in their weekly newsletter. Take a peak:

http://www.ldsbookstore.com/august-1-2012

Since my blog was featured I have increased in views tremendously. I am so grateful for their kindness and willingness to recognise my blog. I guess that means I am doing some good by blogging about righteous women. Thank you LDS Bookstore!!!

The newsletter is so cool because they give a complete family night plan from the scripture and hymn to the end of night treats. As you get older you need every bit of help you can get because you start to run out of ideas. So this is very helpful to me.They have lots of little tidbits to view as well like "This Week in History" and "Events this Week". You don't even have to seek them out every week for this information, you can sign up for the weekly newsletter to come to your email. Cool, huh?

The bookstore web page is awesome too. They have more than just books for sale. I saw clothing, jewelry, movies, art, etc. Good stuff! If you are like me you don't have a lot of time to go out shopping and the closest LDS bookstore is at least an hour or so away. This is a very good way to shop so take a look and see what they have. I'm sure they have something for everyone, thanks again LDS Bookstore!!!

www.ldsbookstore.com