Calling all women...

No matter which side of the aisle you're on, Ladies...you ought to be good and mad at the liberal media's castigating of Sarah Palin. As a female child of the 60's and a Southern conservative, I am disgusted with the blatant attacks on Sarah Palin. Apparently, I've been naive to believe all these years that the women's movement was about WOMEN'S RIGHTS and not a powerful liberal machine that happens to incorporate the word "WOMEN". What a hypocritical double standard. If Sarah Palin was a Democrat, we, women would be in the street, marching to "I am woman, hear me roar..." and burning our bras!

I happen to line up politically with Sarah Palin and I know, many of you don't. It doesn't matter! We need to make our voice heard and let our "sisters" and the liberal media know, women won't be questioned and scrutinized on the basis of our family situations, marital status, the number of children we have or the fact that we don't have male anatomy.

Please take a moment and read liberal and fellow female, Susan Estrich's comments from yesterday. It is on the mark! (see link below) It's time we, women agree to disagree and stand up and have a 1960's fit over the double standard we've experienced for the past 6 days.

I cannot be silent on this one! There is simply TOO much at stake!

http://www.creators.com/comments/opinion/sarah-s-choice.html

Like I said...I may just burn my bra!

ASK!

My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God's Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he's listening. And if we're confident that he's listening, we know that what we've asked for is as good as ours. 1 John 5:12-14 (The Message)

Last weekend, my three precious grandchildren spent the night with me. I called their mother on Thursday and asked her if they could come for an evening with Nana. Of course, my daughter said "yes". She usually does unless they have something special going on. That night after supper at a local Mexican restaurant where they ate like starving monkeys, baths and shampoos, and some arguing over who was going to sleep with whom, I found myself sleeping with seven year old Anna. As Anna and I lay in the dark, we talked about how much I love having the kids come spend the night with me and she told me how much she loved to come. It occurred to me that she had seldom, if ever, called me and asked to come stay the night. So, I told her, "Anna, all you have to do is call me and I'll come get you." "Oh." she said as if it had never occurred to her to call me and simply ask.

Today, as I rushed about at work and at home I could "hear" God saying to me over and over..."Ask, Jane, ask." You know, there are some things I want, even need, that I've never really asked God for! Just like Anna had not asked me to come to my house at times when she really wanted to, I have not asked God for some things that I'm sure He'll be pleased to give me. And just like Anna, I needed to hear God say, "Ask."

Love, Jane

PS (By the way, guess who is coming to stay with Nana this weekend? Yep, those three starving monkeys!)

Missing Out?

30-33"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Matthew 6:30-33 (The Message)

Perhaps one of the hardest lessons I've had to learn is best summed up in the verses above. While I try so hard to stay on the "straight and narrow", I inevitably end up taking a detour around this corner or that! I get so preoccupied with living this life to the fullest, I take many turns that aren't needed and are some times destructive. Thankfully, though, God has a way of REELING me in just before I go over the cliff or crash and burn!

Today, my little family came to church to honor their dad's 18th anniversary teaching, preaching, and ministering to our little congregation of believers. As I sat in church with my children and grandchildren, and worshiped the God who has given me so much, I felt a sense of joy like no other. We came home and shared a big, old fashioned Sunday dinner and again, as I sat down with my family, I realized I am living life to the fullest!

Jesus said it this way...

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

I was wondering...

Here's something to think about...

Assuming you're a believer,

If there were no threat of Hell or no reward of Heaven, would you still follow Christ?

Blog with me!

Nothing Wasted

Not long ago, my sister in law, sent me a compelling devotion entitled "Blessed with Less". Sometimes, I fear, I paint an all too rosy picture of life as a Christian. I hope you never get the impression from me or my writing that God is a "cosmic Santa Clause"! I hope we all come to understand that God is interested in far more than our comfort, our status, even our health! While He certainly gives us "good" gifts, often His greatest and most meaningful blessing come when we are "Blessed with Less".

For example, I wouldn't appreciate my current good health if hadn't undergone the doubt and fear of aneurysm surgery. I wouldn't appreciate what I have materially if I didn't know what it's like to be flat broke. I wouldn't appreciate my marriage if Dearld and I hadn't almost divorced. I wouldn't know what it's like to suffer mentally and emotionally if I didn't have OCD. I wouldn't know how it feels to be slandered, if it hadn't happened to me!

My mom and I were talking yesterday as mothers and daughters do and something painful from the past came up. My mom said, "Now, why do we want to bring that up!" And I said, "Well, Honey Moma, nothings wasted in the kingdom of God!" I believe this with my whole heart!

None of us like tough times and if we had the choice we'd say a big, polite, "No, thank you!" and hurry on pretty fast! But, there's a lot that happens in this life that we just don't choose and it's important for something good to come out of everything. Once, in a dark time, I remember being on my knees before God and crying out..."Why, God, why!" And in His gentle, still soft voice He answered..."Jane, I never promised you that wouldn't go through hard times. What I promised you is My presence and that is enough." And you know what? It is.

Love, Jane

...At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it's all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become... From 2 Corinthians 12 (The Message)

Jane's Minestrone Soup

1 c carrots (julienned)
1 c celery (chopped)
1/2 c onion (diced)
1 med zucchini (julienned)
3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 c shredded cabbage
water and 2 to 3 beef bouillon cubes

1 can red kidney beans (15 oz)
1 can garbanzo beans (15 oz)
1 can flat green beans (15 oz)
1 can white beans (15 oz)

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 can tomato sauce (29 oz)

1 c small pasta shells
1/2 lb lean ground beef

salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves

Parmesan cheese (freshly grated) for topping

Prepare veggies and garlic. Place in large stock pot with enough water to cover. Add bouillon. Bring to a low boil. Add the beans including the liquid. Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Return to a slow boil. Brown ground beef, drain and rinse. Add ground beef to soup. Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and bay leaves. Let soup simmer slowly for several hours. Just before serving, bring to a low boil and add pasta shells. Cook until pasta is done.

Serve in colorful flat bowls with the Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Make some garlic toast or warm some fresh Italian bread for dipping! WONDERFUL!!!

This recipe will make enough soup for 6 - maybe more! AND it's better on the second day! So, don't forget to take some to a neighbor or friend in need of some nourishing love!

Happy Entertaining!