True Love Doesn't Wait

I went out to meet my Beloved today. He very graciously received me... even after the many times I have rejected and neglected our precious times together. Truly I am a very unfaithful lover! He wants to do everything with me, though I don't understand why after all the ways I have wronged and scorned Him. When I sleep, He is beside me protecting me from harm. When I wake, He is ready to greet me with a smile and encouraging word. I dance, and He is there watching; taking delight in my joy and pressing me on in the mistakes. When I work, study, write, talk, relate... in every mundane or simple task I do He is always there taking sincere interest in my accomplishments.

I wish I could say that I loved Him as much as He loves me. His strength is beyond my comprehension and His protection so sure; unlike most suitors He has never once left my side. Sometimes I ask Him why, when I have slapped His gentle hands away so many times, He still picks me up when I fall. The love and joy shining in His face is so perfect in comparison to my own countenance, I can't even look at it long enough to know His answer.

You would think that with such a perfect Provider claimed as my own, that I would constantly be boasting of Him to my friends. Any sane girl would be talking nonstop about such a Protector! He should be within my thoughts at all times, like a love-sick maiden who can long for nothing more than to be alone with her Beloved. If I understood the smallest fraction of the love offered me I would throw away everything within my sight and reach out to Him, asking only to never leave His embrace.

My Protector is jealous of me. Of me! I who mock and scorn Him. I who constantly fill my life with other idols and loves! And yet He does not sit by idly and watch me go to my ruin. He is so strong and faithful, and not only provides me with every tool to protect myself, but He has already fought the fight for me; securing my safety.

He tells me that His desire is for me, and He rejoices over me with singing. I am His delight! At first it fills me with despair and shame to see His love for me, and my unworthiness of it. I can't understand it... it is too good to be true! Is there really “true love”, such a perfect dedication and sacrifice? Even if there were, it wouldn't be bestowed on me, the least deserving of those around me!

But looking back and pinching myself, I still see Him there. Joy of joys! It is true! Before my eyes flash the vision of a cross, of pain and suffering, and bloodstained hands. Somehow my fears and shame fall away as I see my Rescuer standing there, just as He always was, ready to give me a gift I never could deserve. Will I take it, today, tomorrow, and every day?

Tears stream down my face in unspeakable gratitude, joy and love as I run into His arms, witnessing His incredible strength and power... and gentleness. He whispers into my ear those endearments that for so long I took for granted. The one thing I had to do all along was learn to accept something beyond my comprehension; something I least deserved. I saw my shame and witnessed my own filth and rags, but the One I gained in losing myself was worth all the universe.

I went out to meet my beloved today...

Hello.... Is God There?

I have never had a cell phone. Call me old fashioned; I'd rather talk to a human being than a piece of plastic, I am appalled at the service rates, and can't stand to have someone text on their phone while trying to have a conversation with me. However, in the past ten years the average American citizen has gone from carrying no cell phone to owning multiple, and now it is not uncommon to see children as young as ten with them.

However, despite my disgust at our culture's need to constantly be engaged or entertained, necessity has forced me to look for a good service to use. And the hunt has been frustrating. Knowing that I will not spend hours every day on the phone, I was on the lookout for a good prepaid plan. What kind of phone would allow multiple services? What kind of service would cover my area? What prepaid plan could I find that wouldn't charge a day fee?

To make a long (and aggravating) story short, this ignorant girl bought 3 phones and ended up sending them all back. The last straw was when, after several hours on the phone with customer service, I ended up with a Kentucky number on a phone that didn't even work the weekend I most needed it. All I wanted was something not too outrageously pricey that would work. What does it take to make a few emergency phone calls???

In communication it's easy to get frustrated. Our internet connection is slow, our phone is dead, the reception is bad... we're always being charged for it and the perfection is never guaranteed. Sometimes all it takes is a lazy squirrel playing on the lines to cut us off! However, it tends to be in those times that we feel most cut off and isolated that the most important communication happens; prayer with an omnipresent God.

With the Lord there is no call waiting, no delays, no fees, no foreign customer service, and no static. It's the one form of communication guaranteed immediate delivery, reception, and response.

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. - Jeremiah 29:12-13

There is no if or maybe for the elect; the Lord hears our prayers! Having to deal with waiting and delays so often in life, why do we refrain from speaking with our Creator in the simplest, and yet most blessed way possible? Why do we not daily, hourly indulge in this privilege... indeed, this honor and precious gift? We are commanded to pray;

Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice. - Psalms 55:17

And

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. - 1 Thess 5:16-18

We need to pray always, everywhere (1 Tim. 2:8), and in all circumstances. So don't delay; take advantage of this flawless offer, paid for in full by your heavenly Father.

The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. - Prov 15:29

About Patriot Undeserving

American girl...

When I started my original blog “Jennifer's Musings” in 2004, my intentions were to strengthen my writing skills and share some silly ideas with various friends. What took me by surprise was the response I received from complete strangers who read, commented, encouraged, as well as criticized my writings. I was motivated by both the encouragement and opposition, and quickly found myself growing more familiar with the Christian Teen Blogosphere, with much admiration for the cause of the Rebelution. Since then I have continued to grow in controversial blogging with a vision to be a part of the rebellion against feminism, secularism and more sins growing rampant in our culture.

Currently I am a stay-at-home daughter residing in the red state of Nebraska with my family of 9. Home schooled all my life, I graduated in 2008 and have not pursued college as many would expect. This is yet another controversial subject which I am not afraid to touch on as I instead pursue various dreams and ministries; including teaching dance, working with a Political Action Committee, taking part in Church ministries and continuing to study at home.

Saved by Grace...

If I were to write on this blog, and publish posts under my name with no mention of Jesus Christ, I would be claiming praise and recognition stolen from the one who created it. I live and breath each day solely because my Lord is a gracious God, and all I do is because of His amazing mercy, even down to each post on this blog. My writings, I pray, reflect a biblical outlook on culture as I seek to bring to light the reason for living and searching for reform.

I am completely undeserving of God's special grace towards me for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). I am fallen and helpless, and so it is only through His power that my errant writings may be of any worth. It is my prayer that the verses below would come to light in my readers' lives;

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

-Ephes. 2:4-10

As I seek to seek to pursue excellence in my writing I pray that you, my reader, would be enlightened and edified not by my works but by the power of the gospel transforming my feeble words.

Undeserving of Freedom...

Many conservatives today are becoming increasingly pessimistic and bitter about the secular turn our nation has taken since the days of our founding fathers. There is no doubt that the liberals have wreaked havoc upon our constitution and biblical foundations, but this is in no way a call to abandon our nation. If our government and society can be called away by the devil in a mere 200 years, how much quicker can it be claimed by the Almighty God?

I have much hope for America not only for the many freedoms we have the spiritual weapons to reclaim, but also for the many blessings we continue to enjoy. Having been spoiled by our liberty and wealth, we forget nations bloodstained by mass killings of Christians who must run from their lives and struggle to care for their families in poverty. We forget the horrendous economic situations, the ongoing civil wars, the poverty and complete government control in nations such as China, India, the Middle East and much of Africa.

We as fallen sinners are completely undeserving of our liberty, privileges and prosperity in a nation such as America. What a sin it is to bewail our easy situations, and even more so of a failure and sin against God to give up this country we have inherited. While I endeavor to be a culture-changer and bring reform to our nation, I am without hesitation thankful to be an American girl living in the United States.

Why a Patriot? I love this country that the Lord has placed me in and have not given up on it. As Noah Webster described it, so I want to be

“A person who loves her country, and zealously supports and defends it and its interests.”

A young patriot from rural Nebraska can do nothing to save a nation. A perfect God willing use his many imperfect children can do it all.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

-Romans 8:18-21

I quote...

“Laws that forbid the carrying of arms... disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes... Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.”

-Cesare Beccaria, On Crimes and Punishment, quoted by Thomas Jefferson in Commonplace Book, 1774-1776

Movie night...

Here's a better option!




Find out more about "The Widow's Might" movie

Foul Ball: Keeping a Hold on Humility

I'm not usually a big fan of football. Actually, there are very few sports I can sit and watch for hours, let alone jump and scream enthusiastically like some emphatic addicts. However, when I have a better understanding of and connection to the players' lives, I am much more apt to pay attention. Needless to say, Thursday found me watching parts (but not all) of the Gator Bowl; cheering at the right moments, grimacing at the collisions and injuries, and peering for a second glance at the writing on Tim Tebow's face.

As a homeschooler and Christian, what qualities I have seen from Tebow have piqued my interest and gained my respect. While I wouldn't pick a life of grunting, slamming and sweating as my ministry, it's exciting to see culture changers from my generation enter all different areas of life with the cross as their goal. We can't all be preachers or missionaries. We need to be sending arrows out into the political, medical, legal, entertainment and educational arenas. Every year I look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for homeschoolers, and not because of a general vision we might have, but a unique and personal plan He has for each person.

So what's the problem? Where are the misleading trails and hidden nets? Invariably with the fight and progress come the setbacks, and even for the most grounded Christians there will a struggle against more than just quarterbacks and linemen. What I'm talking about is the big P-word that no human can escape; pride. As we endeavor to live in purity and holiness, and experience victory over sin in our lives and ministries, God will send encouragers as well as challengers into our lives.

Pride is such a hard sin to conquer. Often it creeps in without our noticing; sometimes at one simple praise, other times by wounded feelings or bitterness. It's possible to feel both broken and insignificant, and proud at the same time. In any case, whether we feel high or low, pride is never lurking very far to take down it's young and eager victims. It's one of the major hindrances to young leaders and culture-changers who are not prepared against it.

So. I'm excited for myself, Tim Tebow, and other young rebelutionaries who have a vision to impact society through the gifts God has given us. We can do so much through Christ who strengthens us, as long as we are not deceived into taking our eyes off of the cross and place them on our pride. It's when we listen too long to the praises and smile too much for the camera that our goal no longer has meaning, and our mission is not blessed. Meekness is the goal; not weakness, and indeed we crumble when we replace His praise with our pride.

So let's put on our helmets, line up together, and prepare to run towards the goal; not forgetting the game plan for our own pursuits, but working as a team with God's blessing.

Christmas today, tomorrow, and forever

Every Christmas it is our tradition to listen to “A Christmas Carol” (Focus on the Family Radio Theater), and it always puts a fresh and new perspective on the holiday. As the story goes, miserly Scrooge hoards his money and wants no part in the Christmas spirit. As he is visited by three ghosts, revealing his need of redemption in life, he is grieved by lack of human relationships and begins to repent. The end is the best part, when he finally repents and asks forgiveness, and begins his life as a new person truly living life in joy and salvation.

As Scrooge wakes up on Christmas Day to find it all a dream, we see the overflow of gratitude and joy at the second chance he has;

"I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!" Scrooge repeated, as he scrambled out of bed. "Oh Jacob Marley! Heaven, and the Christmas Time be praised for this. I say it on my knees, old Jacob, on my knees!"

He was so fluttered and so glowing with his good intentions, that his broken voice would scarcely answer to his call. He had been sobbing violently in his conflict with the Spirit, and his face was wet with tears.

We are not given the chance to review our past sins as vividly as Scrooge did, and as humans we are desperately short sighted and forgetful. What would it take to bring us to our knees with such a joy and newness as Ebenezer? Would the sight of a perfect child, born to bear our sins and sufferings?

Celebrate as a child

"I don't know what to do!" cried Scrooge, laughing and crying in the same breath; and making a perfect Laocoon of himself with his stockings. "I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy. I am as giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to all the world! Hallo here! Whoop! Hallo!"

"I don't know what day of the month it is," said Scrooge. "I don't know how long I've been among the Spirits. I don't know anything. I'm quite a baby. Never mind. I don't care. I'd rather be a baby. Hallo! Whoop! Hallo here!"

The past was driven away as Scrooge's eyes were opened for the first time. While his wrongdoings were remembered (for they were what drove him to repentance) they were no longer present, chaining him down. Newness of life! He didn't care of the time. Money no longer mattered; it was the joy and astonishment he saw in the faces of clients and friends that he relished. Like a child, all his former wealth was wiped away for the simplicity of a short life lived for those things which last an eternity.

Celebrate always

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.

While I do find certain Christmas songs to be a little overboard with fluffy sayings (“from now on our troubles will be miles away”), it is true that we love, give, remember, and celebrate this time of year more than any other. We worship in song and fellowship on days besides Sunday. We greet complete strangers in the name of Christ; something we would never take the liberty to do on a normal day.

Why do we act like Jesus is alive simply one month out of the year? Why not speak His name with joy to those around us, or give gifts to the poor? What a sin to celebrate His life and death only while we are surrounded by food and gifts! Unlike Scrooge's declaration to not shut out the lessons learned through his past, we insist on living as if Christ's gift lasted only a month, and not a lifetime. Truly we are in need of His mercy every hour of every day, and as constant recipients should never cease to rejoice for it.

Celebrate humbly

Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him.

This Christmas I challenge you to take a look at your own life and past. Examine your great sin and even greater need for a Saviour to give you new life by His blood. The greater our realization of our fallenness, the greater joy we find in His holiness. May you become like a child, honoring the Holy One with a simple and humble heart.

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14

Campaign Slideshow 2008

Legislative Victory (i.e. involved teens)

It's been a long and short past few days as I look back at coordinating a volunteer group for a local campaign. My sister and I gathered 35 homeschoolers to make hundreds of phone calls, do literature drops and wave signs Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. Our candidate was Beau McCoy for Legislature, and we were working in part as teen volunteer coordinators with the PAC.

I honestly had no idea what response we were going to get from the voters, and never saw any polls to know how Beau McCoy was coming. Even up to the few days before the election our opponent's supporters were making slanderous comments and sending out negative mailings about Beau McCoy. We were seeing money put to use, but money does not buy volunteers, and where negative rumors were sent circulating we had energetic teens running door to door and ten people to a street corner waving signs.

A month ago this quote was posted on New Nebraska Network;

"Regardless, even with a whole army of home schooled children "volunteering" for McCoy, this is still going to be a very close race. If the primary attacks on Moats are any indication, it's also going to get rather ugly from here on out."

We didn't have an army, but we did end up being blessed by having more volunteers than were expected. Regardless, the Lord didn't need an army to elect a godly man to office, but he chose to use homeschooled youth to impact society, and on Tuesday November 4^th Beau McCoy was elected Senator of District 39 with 54% of the votes.

We were so blessed by the Lord for protecting all the volunteers, and also for providing beautiful weather (which promptly changed the day after election!). He provided for everything and we are so thankful that He chose Beau McCoy to run, and to win.

I am tempted to now take a deep breath and go "now I can relax!" when in reality, now is the time we need action more than ever. The decline of morality in our candidates has come about because of failure by evangelicals to be involved at the state level. We have to work from the bottom up, starting right here in our own cities, districts and states. Responsibility has been thrown out the window and apathy has taken hold of many so called "Christians", and it will be everything we can do to raise up godly leaders, equip them to run, and campaign for them.

So don't relax. This is just the beginning.

Why campaign?

As a young person involved in politics, I receive many mixed reactions from people as I explain what I do and why I do it. Usually the expected response is “oh, wow! That’s great you’re so involved!” but it’s not uncommon to meet suspicion, questioning and sometimes ridicule as well. Of course you know, young people are so wrapped up in fun, games and frivolous things, that when someone under the age of 20 expresses an interest in big words such as government and legislature the first thing any sane adult does is wonder “what is wrong with that kid?

So what is it that makes teens campaign? Why are we seeing a growing number of young people working at a grassroots level for candidates? Obviously since teens care only about partying, it must be that the parents are forcing (i.e. pushing, telling, abusing) their kids to do slave labor for someone they couldn’t care less about.

Well, maybe if we’re talking about teens from public schools; they truly would feel as if campaigning for someone in the government or legislature would be abuse. However, it’s not teens attending public schools that are in question here (partly to fault because they simply have no time or freedom to volunteer). The explosion of young people we see going door to door, making phone calls and waving signs are largely homeschoolers.

As a homeschool graduate, I see these as the key reasons why teens like myself campaign:

We have the time

Homeschoolers have the flexibility and freedom to help a candidate when public schoolers may not

We have the energy

We’re young. We get restless. Having contests to see which team can get their literature drops done first; dancing and yelling at intersections with signs, making phone calls; it challenges us and gives us something to do where we can actually see our efforts directly impacting our culture.

We make friends

Simply the fact that we’re a group of peers with the same likes and dislikes, doing the same thing, makes an activity fun. The memories made on a campaign were not so great because of the work but more because of the people. I have never worked on a campaign where a teen was not there voluntarily and had a blast making new friends (and eating the great meals served!).

We care

Parents think their kids don’t care about culture, world issues, or politics. In our government schools, this is often the case. However, homeschoolers are taught up front by their parents that what happens in our legislature directly affects us, and that we have a duty to be involved and apply a biblical worldview to every area of our lives. We care, and this is what scares the secularists in our nation.

Our parents care

When we see our parents discussing the election, voting, and being involved, it’s not unnatural for us to pay attention to the same issues. Children follow in their parent’s footsteps and have many of the same priorities, and that’s where many parents fail in our nation today.

As of this summer my sister and I have been recruiting young people to campaign for Beau McCoy, a conservative homeschool graduate running for Legislature in Omaha’s District 39. Having been impressed with his honesty and conservatism on the issues, we have devoted more time to his campaign than any other we’ve worked on so far, working in part as coordinators with the newly created Political Action Committee of Omaha.

Recently the liberal site “New Nebraska Network” posted an article on Beau McCoy questioning the many young people working on his campaign, again asking the inevitable question; why ever do young people campaign?

“One of the great peculiarities of this race is the involvement of the home schooling movement on McCoy's behalf. McCoy is actually a product of home schooling, and they're evidently looking to get him elected so he might champion their cause in the legislature.”

As if it’s not bad enough that McCoy is a “product” of homeschooling, now he even has homeschool teens helping on his campaign! I think it is fair to say that we are electing him to “champion” our cause in the Legislature; if that means protecting our constitutional right to homeschool without restriction or harassment. (See my post “Declaration of War")

“This development becomes a little bit disturbing, though, in light of this PACs suspect efforts to recruit home schooled children as free labor for the McCoy campaign. When young people get involved of their own volition, as a step in developing their own political consciousness, that's a definite benefit to our democracy. But, where this involvement might cross the line into their school curriculum - dictated by parents pursuing their own political purposes - one starts to get a sense of why so many have such serious doubts about the quality and integrity of home school education.”

Of course when the Political Action Committee would consider asking teens to participate it is interpreted as an evil intention to force children to campaign against their will. This is a completely false and unfounded assumption. My sister and I as young adults ourselves have spearheaded a large part of the effort to bring specifically young people into Beau McCoy’s campaign, and not once have I met or worked with a teen on the campaign who was “forced” or unwilling to volunteer. This is an idea for teens, by teens. We work together, and it’s ultimately friends and peers, not parents, who get the fun-seeking, party-going kids out on the campaign trail.

The article on New Nebraska (which, remarkably, has everything to say about what Republicans do wrong, and little to say about what Democrats do right) ends with this quote;

“Regardless, even with a whole army of home schooled children "volunteering" for McCoy, this is still going to be a very close race. If the primary attacks on Moats are any indication, it's also going to get rather ugly from here on out.”

While each energetic and excited teen does an amazing part in campaigning, I am confident because it is not the army that wins a battle, but the God who goes before them. If the Lord is pleased with our efforts, and with the intents of our hearts, He will cause Beau McCoy to win on November 4^th, teens or no teens.

Just be sure to honk for McCoy when you see all us of slave laborers dancing on the street corners.

I quote...

“I am much afraid that schools will prove to be the great gates of hell unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures, engraving them in the hearts of youth.” - Martin Luther

“... when the manners of a nation are pure, when true religion and internal principles maintain their vigor, the attempts of the most powerful enemies to oppress them are commonly baffled and disappointed. This will be found equally certain, whether we consider the great principles of God's moral government, or the operation and influence of natural causes.” - John Witherspoon, “The Dominion of Providence over the Passions of Men” 1776

Freedom to be Biased

Reverend Baucham on Sarah Palin

Why I'm not going to college

As a naïve 16 year old, I thought being asked where I went to school was bad enough. Being asked what grade I was in was even worse. Try telling someone you are home schooled (my mom teaches me... actually, most of it is self study) and that you really aren't in one grade; it depends on what subject you're talking about. There was always that strange look that would eventually pass as they politely say “oh, that's nice”.

That was then. Now as a home school graduate the simple question “so what are you doing now?” could be considered the hardest question to answer; especially for the 576^th time. Life is so easy for college students. The answer is a short and oh-so-easy “Bellevue University” or “Wheaten College”. Why? Because it's expected. Even in our free country where certain forms of education are not mandatory - but each citizen is free to choose his schooling method - people are still held captive by the status quo.

As a homeschooler and a Christian I was taught not to do things the easy way just for the sake of measuring up to the standards of others (and started to live that out at the age of 6 under the tutelage of my mother). Homeschoolers are not always safe from the cold shoulder or even harassment from government officials and Legislative bills. Abstaining from watching certain movies, saying certain words or hanging out with certain friends can be difficult. Wearing feminine skirts and dresses is definitely not something expected or easy to do in our flippant and sex-promoting culture.

But explaining that you're not going to college brings such bizarre looks and comments it's not even funny. When others see me working during school hours the question is sure to come up. Why aren't you away at college like everybody else?

Here are some answers that may shock you as well.

I am staying under my father's authority and protection

A few years ago I would have told you my dream was to either go to college and study classical art or join a dance company away from home. Most of this was due to my desire to please others; to present a degree and be praised for my accomplishments. Over the past year especially I have come to appreciate the security and protection of my home; my parents' continual guidance and wisdom, the closeness of a family relationship, the added liberty of no college or living expenses.

Skeptics can call stay-at-home daughters isolated and ignorant (as counter culture women, we can take it), but no 18 year old, home schooled or public schooled, can guarantee her maturity and strength to battle every negative influence she encounters away from home. Nor can we say that stay-at-home daughters are sheltered from life experiences and struggles simply because we live at home, watched over by our fathers.

I don't need a professor to learn what I want to

It seems to be a common misconception among critics that living at home means a girl does not get a job, take classes, and interact with other human beings. I am not restricted to socializing with my family, or working simply in our kitchen during the day (though I'm definitely not opposed to it). I have waitressed, teach ballet, volunteer at our Church office and am coordinating a volunteer group for a local campaign (Beau McCoy for Legislature).

My father has also encouraged me to consider taking classes at a community college someday, and I have many new skills, talents and jobs I want to learn over the next few years. My interests have always been with the arts; mainly ballet and violin. I also enjoy sewing, cooking, embroidery, reading, and would like to continue expanding my knowledge in history, science, math and language.

The best part about all this is, there are endless books and resources to help me learn - without a professor to look over my shoulder and tell me what to read or study. Self study requires a lot of diligence and focus, but almost all of the subjects I have an interest in learning are more than possible to learn on my own.

I can't afford the expense, and don't want secular teaching

While expense is definitely not the major reason I'm staying at home, it's a pretty big factor! Any college I would go away to would have to be a Christian private college, and I'm afraid Patrick Henry just isn't within our budget! How nice to be able to save my money for future expenses, like a home when I marry or a savings account for any emergency that comes up.

There's no way I would ever consider going to a secular college. You may call me weak; I don't think that I could handle being bombarded every day with an evolutionary and biased worldview, and consistently come out making the right conclusions and being untouched by it all. Granted, some classes are more generic and some professors more balanced, but for the most part college classes consistently teach an anti-Christian and very liberal worldview. However, being able to choose my own books and resources and take questions to the best professors ever (my parents!) has been a successful process yet, and without the anxiety of always having to be on my guard for untruths and biased opinions.

I want to be available

Something I always looked forward to during High School was the freedom to drop everything and focus on a special project or opportunity when it arises. One such example would be campaigning. Homeschoolers have been extremely influential with political campaigns simply because we are able to put school aside for a few days to volunteer.

Generation Joshua offers academic courses and creates political groups for teens, and since 2004 has been coordinating Student Action Teams for conservative candidates across the U.S. This year there will be many different teams campaigning. Meeting candidates, making phone calls, and being a part of the election process is an excellent educational opportunity; not to mention character building and learning to communicate effectively

This Fall my sister and I will be coordinating a group of teens to help out with the Beau McCoy for Legislature campaign; an opportunity we never would have had if we were attending college. As a single young lady, I want to be available to help when needed; to support my father's role at Church as an elder and help minister to families, to take part in performances and festivals, to be involved in ministries by writing, volunteering, and traveling.

One adventure my family hopes to take (soon!) is building a straw bale house on an acreage. This means designing a home, building together, landscaping and gardening. I'm excited to be available to work with my family on such a project; to design rooms and plan orchards and gardens. The opportunities are endless for young ladies who offer themselves for service to others and the Lord.

Conclusion

College is not inherently evil and I know many beautiful and Godly young women attending college away from home. I rejoice that we are free to pursue our interests as we feel led. For myself, I believe the Lord has led me to stay at home, and I couldn't be happier in another place. As I want to be available for projects that come up, so I want to be available to get married when the time comes. I have so many dreams and aspirations, but my greatest is to become a wife and mother for the Kingdom.

So in the end, what is to become of all the weird looks from shocked strangers at my occupation? My prayer is that the Lord's work would be evident in me as I fulfill my calling at home. I want to politely yet firmly show that really, it's not the opinion of others that affects the things I do and say. While it may be a trifle annoying to be asked that inevitable question for the 577^th time, the Lord knew there was a reason for it, and I choose to believe it's for His glory and not my own.

Vacation Recap

Rebelution Conference, Des Moines, Iowa

Before we had left for Des Moines Friday afternoon I had painted “Rebelution Or BUST!” on our back window, and as most large families know the overloaded van has to bust at least once on a long trip. We busted right outside of Des Moines, but were fixed up in time to make it to the conference.

The conference was great and I was glad my family was able to go and hear the Harris brothers speak. While I know there were Rebelution Forum users there, I had to run out early and sadly couldn't meet anyone!

Meeting with the James McDonald family

Large families also probably know that at least one child has to get sick in the car on the trip, and usually it happens late at night when Dad's lost and everyone's tired. We were so thankful for the McDonald family's generosity in letting us crash at their home that night.

Sunday we attended the Church that Mr. McDonald pastors; the Providence Presbyterian Church which belongs to the Covenant Presbyterian denomination. Our own Church is considering switching from Presbyterian (Church of America) to the CPC, so it was interesting and encouraging to meet like minded families and take part in their family oriented worship service.

Hillsboro, Ohio

While it seemed at least one member of our family was ill at a time, we had a great time with our family on my Dad's side who we hadn't seen in over ten years. Two of my cousins had been married and two little guys had been added to the family, so we really had a lot to catch up on! We had some great discussions and are thankful for our family; and wish Nebraska wasn't so far away from practically everything!

Louisville, Kentucky

It was in Kentucky that we toured a brewery (yeah; that was the best part!), a winery, rode on a ferry, toured several old mansions and got lost in a several hundred acre cemetery (my sister was in heaven). It was also in Kentucky that we took down camp in the pouring rain; our tents having been soaked through (and ourselves as well, come to think of it) for the second time. Thank the Lord for brothers and fathers to do it for us while we crammed in the car!

Missouri

We all decided we had had enough of tents and rain and outdoor cooking, so we skipped Missouri and after over 10 hours of Jonathan Park finally found ourselves back home in the wonderful state of Nebraska.

Now, it's back to work!

Jennifer

Cry To The Christian

Recently I read George Whitefield's sermon "The Method Of Grace" and was struck by his passion and urgency of style in writing it. I could almost imagine him at the pulpit earnestly delivering the words to his congregation and was as gripped by it as much as if I had been there.

Jeremiah 6:14 - "They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace."

The words, then, refer primarily unto outward things, but I verily believe have also a further reference to the soul, and are to be referred to those false teachers, who, when people were under conviction of sin, when people were beginning to look towards heaven, were for stifling their convictions and telling them they were good enough before. And, indeed, people generally love to have it so; our hearts are exceedingly deceitful, and desperately wicked; none but the eternal God knows how treacherous they are.

These are words of sin and wickedness not often preached in Churches today!

First, then, before you can speak peace to your hearts, you must be made to see, made to feel, made to weep over, made to bewail, your actual transgressions against the law of God. According to the covenant of works, `The soul that sinneth it shall die;' cursed is that man, be he what he may, that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them.

Here he speaks of the need to be in grief over sin. Yes we rejoice in the salvation of the Lord, but how often do we lose ourselves in the monotony of day to day life, and forget our great need for our savior amidst our riches and our comforts?

Did you ever see that God's wrath might justly fall upon you, on account of your actual transgressions against God? Were you ever in all your life sorry for your sins? Could you ever say, My sins are gone over my head as a burden too heavy for me to bear? Did you ever experience any such thing as this? Did ever any such thing as this pass between God and your soul? If not, for Jesus Christ's sake, do not call yourselves Christians; you may speak peace to your hearts, but there is no peace. May the Lord awaken you, may the Lord convert you, may the Lord give you peace, if it be his will, before you go home!

America desperately needs to be awakened from our pride. In the middle of our blessings and prosperity we become stiff necked and forget how to cry out to God in agony of our sin and need for Christ.

We can do no good thing by nature: `They that are in the flesh cannot please God.' You may do many things materially good, but you cannot do a thing formally and rightly good; because nature cannot act above itself. It is impossible that a man who is unconverted can act for the glory of God; he cannot do anything in faith, and `whatsoever is not of faith is sin.'

Yes! No more should lies by told in our Churches and our schools that goodness can be found apart from Christ. No longer should those unbelieving be flattered by our attempts to escape rebuke when we do not speak the Word.

I am persuaded the devil believes more of the Bible than most of us do. He believes the divinity of Jesus Christ; that is more than many who call themselves Christians do; nay, he believes and trembles, and that is more than thousands amongst us do.

Our hearts are so cursedly wicked, that if you take not care, if you do not keep up a constant watch, your wicked hearts will deceive you, and draw you aside. Let me, therefore, exhort you that have got peace to keep a close walk with Christ. That time has been when you had something to say for your dear Lord; but now you can go into company and hear others speaking about the world bold enough, and you are afraid of being laughed at if you speak for Jesus Christ. Take care, then, not to be conformed to the world. What have Christians to do with the world? Christians should be singularly good, bold for their Lord, that all who are with you may take notice that you have been with Jesus. I would exhort you to come to a settlement in Jesus Christ, so as to have a continual abiding of God in your heart.

How easy it is to be conformed to the styles, ideas and expectations of the world around us! It is a very hard thing to be different and stand out for the truth in a world of sin. But we need to be bold for the Lord, that others may notice. How else can we expect to spread the good news but to surrender our pride to the Lord and trust Him to guide through those difficult things?

Most of you, if you examine your hearts, must confess that God never yet spoke peace to you; you are children of the devil, if Christ is not in you, if God has not spoken peace to your heart. Poor soul! What a cursed condition are you in. I would not be in your case for ten thousand, thousand worlds.

Awake, then, you that are sleeping in a false peace, awake, ye carnal professors, ye hypocrites that go to church, receive the sacrament, read your Bibles, and never felt the power of God upon your hearts; you that are formal professors, you that are baptized heathens; awake, awake, and do not rest on a false bottom.

While we are quaking and shaking in fear of what man will do to us should we speak the gospel, souls are lost and men led astray by the devil. We need to be those who awake the false professors, the hypocrites in our congregations. We need to be the ones to go to our neighbor and boldly proclaim the saving Word of God. May God forgive us for holding our peace at the sight of so much sin and complacency around us!

Come away, my dear brethren _ fly, fly, fly for your lives to Jesus Christ, fly to a bleeding God, fly to a throne of grace; and beg of God to break your hearts, beg of God to convince you of your actual sins, beg of God to convince you of your original sin, beg of God to convince you of your self-righteousness _ beg of God to give you faith, and to enable you to close with Jesus Christ.

Come away with me brothers and sisters! Is the walk you are walking a close one with God? Do you seek earnestly for truth in His word, to know Him and trust Him? Are you courageously proclaiming the word by His grace?

May we have a passion for sharing and knowing the power of God as George Whitefield had in his address to his congregation.

Jennifer

Read the entire sermon here

Going AWOL

Though this blog has been sadly neglected lately, and I'm sure few will notice the lack of posts, I thought I would let my readers know that I will be gone on vacation for two weeks leaving the 18^th. Our first stop is the

Rebelution Conference, Des Moines, Iowa

I went last year to the last 2007 conference in Indianapolis and was greatly encouraged by both the speaking and the meeting with other rebelutionaries. It's well worth the drive and there's still time to register!

Providence Presbyterian Church, Peoria, Illinois

From Des Moines we make our way to Illinois to visit a Church belonging to the Covenant Presbyterian denomination. While my family belongs to the PCA Church, we lean more towards the Covenant denomination and are excited to visit a reformed congregation there. James McDonald is the pastor there and his wife, Stacy, wrote the book “Passionate Housewives: Desperate for God”.

Hillsboro, Ohio

I haven't seen my Uncle and his family for years, so we're going to do some catching up together.

Louisville, Kentucky

We are excited to finally tour the Creation Science Museum! My parents are looking forward to trusting the displays, instead of having to constantly point out evolutionary fallacies that children come across. While the fee for a large family is quite high, the discount for HSLDA members helps; and I know the museum is way worth the price!

Missouri

My sister wants to visit some cemeteries. :)

And then home to Nebraska, the good life! I am looking forward to this vacation and thankful for the opportunity to take one. Maybe someday we'll recover from the gas costs ;) but for now we're going to enjoy God's creation and each other.

Jennifer

Today...

It has been my privilege and joy to get to know a very special sister in Christ for the past several years. In February of 2006 I was reading a post at the Rebelution, and happened to randomly click on the name of someone who had commented. Her name was Anna Lofgren. When I found we had so many things in common I sent her an email, and before long we were emailing back and forth, and felt like we had known each other for years!

Not only is it amazing that we happened to find each other, but the similarities in our backgrounds and our present struggles and lessons we found to be a blessing as we shared thoughts in emails. Our parents were missionaries before we were born; hers to Africa and mine to Japan. We grew up living on an acreage with our 6 siblings; Anna with her 4 sisters and 2 brothers, and me with my 5 brothers and one sister. At the age of 11 we started taking ballet lessons, and at the age of 16 started teaching. We share almost identical likes and habits in clothing, music, literature, and more.

Anna and I met for the first time in December of 2006, and attended Ballet Magnificat's! Summer Intensive in Summer of 2007; celebrating our 17^th birthdays together (we were born just an hour apart in 1990). We both placed at the same level, and helped keep each other going when the days got long.

Though our dreams for our single years are identical now, a few years ago we had very different expectations for our futures. Anna wanted to stay home and continue furthering her talents to prepare for motherhood; I wanted nothing more than to join a small dance company in Kansas. We were so sure this was what we would do and couldn't imagine anything getting in the way of our dreams.

As of nearly a year ago, however, we both came to realize that God was leading us both in totally different directions than we had planned. Anna's family had a strong desire for her to attend college, and so she has chosen to honor her father's wishes and go. Dance was becoming more difficult for me, and my father disliked the idea of my leaving home, and so I came to the decision that I would not join a company but instead stay home and pursue many different talents and projects.

We graduated from High School in May. Anna celebrated at her home in Alabama, and I had my ceremony in Nebraska. Anna is preparing to leave for college at Belhaven in Mississippi, with a major in theater arts. I will be staying at home with my family campaigning for political candidates, teaching dance, and helping at home. It's been a long road for us as we both worked through struggles; learning to rely on God as He revealed His plan for our single lives. It truly has been a blessing to fellowship together; despite the physical distance we share a special and close tie through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Today we are 18. We really don't feel old enough, and in many ways don't feel ready for the next step we're about to take. But God has been faithful to bring us through the past few years; things we never thought would turn out right came together for good as we shared struggles and learned lessons. And so I know it will be in the next several years of our young adult life, as we lean on Him and grow together.

Happy Birthday, Anna!

Duty Calls

Our country was founded on the principle of duty, by men who knew their responsibilities, and were willing to risk everything to carry them out. In 1620, fathers and husbands left England with their families in order to escape a controlling government and tyrannical King. It had nothing to do with money or personal gain. More was lost than homes and possessions as the Mayflower carried 100 pilgrims across the ocean; in the first year at Plymouth half of those that landed had died, and many were sick and weak.

The men on the Mayflower must have had a pretty good reason, and strong resolve to leave their homes and all they had known to find themselves blown off course, until they landed at Plymouth Rock. With lives lost and those landed sick and weary, and without a home, one is caused to wonder how these pilgrims could fall on their knees in thanks to the Creator of all. What was it that drove the men to abandon their homes, and find themselves starting all over again with very little provision or possessions? Certainly leaving one's homeland was the last measure taken in the pursuit of freedom.

The encroachment upon civil liberty and freedom of religion was the reason for coming to the Americas, and the duty to lead their families in truth gave them courage to take action. Imagine the hardship of taming a wild and untamed land, the loneliness of family who died or were left behind, the struggle to start life all over again with nothing. Ease and security were abandoned at the call to duty, and so began the colonies in the Americas.

A Revolution

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another...” The control of King George extended beyond the seas, restraining the people from the passing of laws, the populating of the land, and also by cutting off trade, imposing taxes, and quartering troops in the Americas in times of peace. He had “plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.”

Was it a desire for power and money that caused the forefathers to proclaim freedom from England, and establish a government? Francis Lewis lost his wife when the British captured her, and she died of sickness not long after being released. Many of the signers, even prior to declaring independence, found themselves living in poverty as they were robbed and their homes destroyed.

A lesser man would have surrendered. Many in our day do; under the pressure to conform to secular political ideas and philosophies. A man's life today does not even have to be threatened for him to collapse under the pressure of a seemingly much larger and stronger foe. But fortunately for those who now call themselves citizens of the United States, the founders stood strong in the face of death and persecution, to fulfill a duty harder than any of us will ever know in our lifetime.

Passion and patriotism were in full display as the founders debated, discussed, and finally came to a mutual decision to declare independence from England. Clergyman spoke on the matters of politics without reservation in the pulpit. Reverend Peter Muhlenberg, in January of 1776, displayed without a doubt that Christians have a duty to fight for freedom; in our Churches, our capitols, and in our battlefields, as he took off his robe one Sunday to display the continental uniform underneath declaring “Now is the time to fight!”. Patrick Henry held nothing back in his address in 1775 when he said “Give me liberty, or give me death!”. They are words that hold more passion in that day than we can understand.

The war we fight

It is 2008. A mere 232 years has passed since the momentous decision was made to declare freedom from foreign countries, and establish a government based on biblical principles. The duty to protect their families and preserve a Christian heritage for their children was clear; the call without question. Today, Christians in America are lacking the conviction and resolve shown in the 1770's. Those who stand against us seem many, and are determined to ruin us and take away our freedoms.

Is our duty too fight and strive for truth in government any less than of those who went before us? Are we in any way less bound to preserve liberty for our future generations, to insure their safety and freedom? That we should have to raise such a question is dishonoring to the sacrifice of the men who gave their lives that we also might fight for the Cross. That we would neglect our calling to pave the way for our children to grow in holiness is a misuse of our God-given rights, and a curse upon our heads.

Friends, we live in fallen world. Freedom is never free. Evil will always wage war against truth. Getting a politician elected to office is hard; taking a stand amongst the jeers and the pressure is humbling, and proclaiming the Word in every area of our lives will arouse the hatred of Satan. Just as a life without proclaiming the word of God is not Christianity, so a freedom without speaking our rights is not free.

Two hundred and thirty two years ago this day, on July 4^th, 1776, a group of ordinary fathers with an extraordinary duty lived out their call to lead in truth. Much was lost, and yet the gain that we enjoy many generations later is a testimony to the providence of God and the wisdom and foresight our founding fathers had as they led their families to do something so hard, and yet so necessary to the preservation and growth of Christianity. May we do no less today, but instead take up the baton passed down to us, and stand even taller upon the shoulders of those who have gone before us, and never fail to give God all the glory.

Happy Independence Day

I quote...

"Behind every system of law there is a god. To find the god in any system, look for the source of law in that system. If the source of law is the people, or the dictatorship of the proletariat, then these things are the gods of those systems. If our source of law is court, then the court is our god. If there is no higher law beyond man, then man is his own god, or else his creatures, the institutions he has made, have become his gods. When you choose your authority, you choose your god, and where you look for your law, there is your god."

R. J. Rushdoony, "Law and Liberty"