Stand Up for What is Right, Even If You Stand Alone

My 9th grade English teacher had this poster in her classroom. It sticks with me to this day.

The other night I was at an event our parish was hosting: An Evening of Reflection and Prayer for 40 Days for Life.
It was over an hour of prayer, including Benediction, Adoration, hymns sung in Latin...it was simply beautiful.

In my head I kept hearing "Stand up for what is right, even if you stand alone".

Looking around the room, you'd praise God for not being alone. There were maybe 20 of us there.
We were together, not having to stand alone, united in prayer, preparing our hearts to take action.

What we came to stand for? LIFE.

Call it what you want: a zygote, embryo, fetus, BABY  (HUMAN), they are alone.
They have no person to fight for them, especially in the sad circumstances of their own parents hoping to end their very life.
Abortion.

When you can't even count on the womb--the very first home--to be a safe haven, when you can't even count on that, it's beyond sad, and it's our moral responsibility to take a stand.
We stand together to fight for their LIVES. The basic right to live & breathe.
Those babies-HUMANS-with beating hearts, they are not able to even stand up alone to fight for their own lives. Their very life, before even having the chance to live it, is threatened.

I don't live in a perfect world without trials & tribulations, I don't come from money and I certainly acknowledge that there are bad people in this world. Things happen that emotionally scar people, such as rape.
Research it, though, and you'll learn that the majority of abortion cases are not a result of rape, despite what Planned Parenthood would like us to believe.
Even in the event of rape, the wrong person would be receiving punishment (the baby), and that is not just. Two wrongs do not make a right.

I could go on that rant forever, citing actual facts about abortion, post pictures to imprint in your brain the horror that it is.

Instead, I'll plead that in some form, you take action.
Yes, YOU.
Start with prayer.
Pray for the moms considering abortion. Those moms feel hopeless, scared, unsure. They rely on abortion as a last result.
Pray for them and their babies. Pray for the father of those babies, so that they may be men that do not threaten the lives of the mothers and/or babies, inflict violence, threaten to leave them if...

Pray for the resources needed to choose LIFE to become apparent in the lives of these women.
Adoption options, pregnancy centers that offer classes, free baby items, etc.
Pray these things will make themselves known to these women.

If prayer is the only thing you can do, so be it. After all, it's communication with God-it's a great thing.

Let's say you can do more (and I suspect most of you can).

Check out the 40 Days for Life site and see if you can sign up to participate.

Gather items to donate to a pregnancy center.
Make a straight financial donation.

Educate yourself in the matters necessary that deal with our political front, such as the Heartbeat Bill.
When the time comes, VOTE responsibly.

There is so much a person can do. You don't need a lot of time or money (I have neither), but a desire in your heart.

Stand up for what is right.
I would stand alone, but thank God I don't have to.
Together let's stand up for those who are alone.
For the babies. For the pregnant mothers. So many of them feel alone or are alone.

Join me in taking a stand.

White Flag Waving

*Caution: whine included. Reading this may result in wanting some real wine.*


Can I kick & scream, yell "it's not fair!", and cry?
I can't?

Well, then, accept this as me waving my white flag. Wildly waving it.
I'm waving it for God.

I give up! I surrender!
I've tried to find what gets HIS attention, and it seems I've failed.
Why?
Because in our efforts to communicate with Him, we're getting the same ol', same ol'.
Isn't that almost the definition of insanity?

I know, I know, God hears our prayers, maybe He wants just the life we have for us, bla bla bla.

I'm telling ya, I'm waving my flag.
I give up on the prayers I've been praying, because Lord knows there seems to be know relief answer!

Waving that flag....yes I am. Wondering what others are doing to get His attention so well, what we're doing wrong, and how long until the answer is known.

Ugh.

Yes, a bla feeling on a rainy bla Monday.

A wise person today told me "Keep the Faith". I know, deep down, that those are very wise words.
Erroneous not one bit.
While my glass appears half empty, I'll try to look at it for a moment as half full, and Keep the Faith.
It's not feeling easy, but Faith matters, right?

Menu Plan Monday--September 19, 2011

Monday: Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken over rice
Tuesday: Leftover burgers & baked beans
Wednesday: Chicken Primavera with Pasta (Happy Birthday to Erin!!)
Thursday: Grilled Cheese, apple slices
Friday: Easy Fried Rice

One of the Reasons I'm Glad to Stay Home

I'd miss a lot of this:

For the record, shiny bowls are exciting. ;)

It Makes My Heart Ache

When you hurt my son's feelings, you hurt mine, too.

When you make fun of him, I feel that, too.  
When you exclude him, I feel it, too.

Today my heart aches for my son.
Things are a bit different in his social circle this year at school, and today he came home a bit saddened.
He's a sensitive person to begin with, but nonetheless, his feelings were hurt, and I hate it when he's truly sad.
Throughout the course of the day, someone made fun of the shirt he wore to gym. Being really into Pokemon right now, it made him bummed out (it was a Pokemon shirt...a time when I wish they also had gym uniforms!).

The bigger thing is that a good friend of his told him "you're not my best friend anymore".

Oh boy...

How do you comfort your child? At this age, for my kid, it feels like a break up, in a way.
Yet I know their interests aren't 100% the same, and he's made new friends, too.
Still, being told "you're not my best friend anymore"? Oh how that makes me want to go all ninja on a person or two.

I'm hoping tomorrow he can talk to this kid and straighten things out.
More importantly, I know the importance of continuing to pray for good friends in his life, and for him to be a good friend, too.

When he hurts, it makes me hurt.
And I don't like it.

The Simple Woman's Daybook, September 13

FOR TODAY  Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Outside my window...it's sunny, with a light breeze. It's also trash day, so the curb is lined with trash cans waiting to be emptied.

I am thinking...that I am tired, and I'd love a McD's caramel mocha. Also that I need to work with my 4yo on writing his name.

I am thankful...for my husband getting up each morning with the kids, so I can get some sleep.

From the learning rooms...Brennan working on his numbers with counting frogs.

In the kitchen...an almost empty coffee pot, dishes that need to get in the dishwasher, and the smell of toast.

I am wearing...jean capris, flip flops, and a gray 3/4-length shirt.

I am creating...a grocery list and menu plan.

I am going...to school later today to pick up my 7yo.

I am wondering...if prayers will be answered sooner than later.

I am reading...news online. That's it for right now. (shameful, I know)

I am hoping...to stay on program today with Weight Watchers and eat well.

I am looking forward to...the weekend. And vegging out with my husband tonight.

I am hearing...the baby monitor, my 4yo watching "Day of the Diesels", and a car passing by.

Around the house...I need to vacuum and dust, and like always, declutter. Put away laundry.

I am pondering...what to make for dinner next week. 

One of my favorite things...Fall weather.

A few plans for the rest of the week: grocery shopping, going to MI on Saturday.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

                          The reason I am tired, and the reason it's all worth it

1st Day of Preschool!

While I'm still getting over the shock that Brennan, my Brennan, started preschool yesterday, I thought I'd share some of the pictures.
This kid is at a stage of being photogenically-challenged...ha! But he's just adorable.

Ready to go!

Bashful

Spiderman backpack and Spiderman shoes!

 checking out his classroom

Brennan finished his first day of school with a big smile on his face, excited to go back on Friday.

Thank God for the gift of a good first day! 

By the way, the day before, when we dropped off Aidan at school, I did cry the entire way home. I kept it together on his actual first day, but boy was he missed! Having 2 in school, gone during the day, feels so weird. A little empty.

I'm glad at least Brennan was home today. :) We had fun making homemade muffins! 

Menu Plan Monday--September 5, 2011

Sunday: Ground Beef Enchiladas
Monday: Grill out *Labor Day*
Tuesday: Smothered Chicken in Gravy over biscuits
Wednesday: Pita Pizzas (Brennan's choice for his 1st day of preschool!)
Thursday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Friday: Appetizer Night! Baked Zucchini Sticks, Southwestern Black Bean Salad,

My 3 at 6 months

 In order: Aidan, Brennan & Cillian.
Each boy has his own look, but you can certainly tell they're brothers,

 can't you? 

I'm at War

With Peanut Butter.
The girl on the left? Yeah, she's the one with all the willpower to say NO to peanut butter.
The one who reads the label each time, walking away in shock at 16g fat for 2 tablespoons.
The good girl who acknowledges how much time she needs to exercise to burn off that peanut butter.

The little devil on the right?
Oh my, that is the one who, all week, has convinced me it's worth it.
The one who taught me how delicious a slice of peanut butter toast goes with coffee. The gooey, melted peanut butter goes so, so well with warm coffee. The coffee streams through the film in your mouth that the peanut butter laid there. They coordinate so nicely together, coffee and peanut butter toast.

The little devil also has me enjoying a scoop (or 2...or 3...let's be honest here) of peanut butter stirred with some chocolate syrup, ya know, to curb a chocolate craving.

This has been my war on peanut butter.
I try to avoid it, then I fail & indulge.
It's been oh so good, yet oh so bad for me.
I need to stop losing the battles and win this damn war.

Only now, I think it's to the point where I need back-up.

Me: 0     Peanut Butter: 5