Home's

One day last week, I went on a cleaning splurge with the kids... I woke up and told them, "today is gonna be a cleaning day." After breakfast, brooms began flying, appliances were wiped down, things that had been lost were found, furniture was rearranged... and by 11:30 or so, we'd made quite a big impact on the apartment. The whole living space looked different and we all enjoyed the fruit of our labor!

Today, I feel like doing the same thing with my Bloglines account. So here we go, here's a link-sharing festival of just the articles I've saved in my Bloglines blog reader. Enjoy!

FEATURE ARTICLE:
Our culture downplays the pressure of living life as a "modern, successful woman"-- Aifric Campbell shares about the major transition of her life, going from career woman to mother (a few excerpts, and then the link) :

I had a seven-figure salary but worked so hard I rarely had time to spend it. Personal shoppers at Harrods and Harvey Nichols picked out my Max Mara suits and Gucci leather briefcases. Everything revolved around work.
...
I had always wanted a family and was thrilled when I became pregnant in February 1998. I was 36. I didn't tell a soul because I didn't want allowances to be made. Instead I simply wore longer dresses and my male colleagues didn't notice a thing.
...
Oscar was born, and I fell in love instantly. Nothing prepared me for the overwhelming passion I felt for the tiny bundle in my arms. It seems totally mad but, even though I loved Oscar to bits, it never crossed my mind not to return to work as soon as possible.

Oscar was two weeks old when I was invited back into work - to be told that I had been promoted... and I was thrilled. I really felt it proved I could have it all - a gorgeous new baby, a fantastic career, a loving, supportive husband.

But I was also in a state of total, bone-crushing exhaustion. As the days ticked by, I felt increasingly torn between my new baby and my return to the office.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE.

ENCOURAGING & CHALLENGING LINKS:

• Mary Grace shares her thoughts after encountering anti-large-family bumper stickers.
• When God (graciously) won't leave us alone, we know it's because He loves us. It's still not easy to continue submitting to the sanctification He seeks to bring about in our lives!
• Terry wrote about the ongoing struggle: taming the beast of the internet, and how it can control us if we're not careful.
• In a related article, Jennifer wrote some helpful thoughts about taking an internet fast.
  
• Dumb as sheep-- this story hit close to home, both geographically (we live in Turkey) and spiritually (as I try to follow the Good Shepherd but am, like the songwriter said, "prone to wander")
• Building a biblical worldview... Alcorn is always so encouraging in this area!
  

MISCELLANEOUS INTERESTING & INFORMATIVE LINKS:

• Many of you may already know about Amy, of Amy's Humble Musings, and how her family has planned and saved for years to transition from city life to life on a farm. Here are two posts I found interesting, where she shares about that transition to life on a farm and what they've learned in the first year.
• Wired for intimacy: how the male brain is affected by, and geared towards, sexual imagery... and how viewing pornography rewires the brain's inner workings
  
• Dr. Mohler shared his thoughts on how the origins of abortion rights were often intertwined with bigotry: Abortion, Race, Ethics, and the American Conscience
• Pornography: The Difference Being a Parent Makes-- an interesting exchange in the business world points to ethical problems with pornography
• Would it help you to have a step-by-step list of home cleaning tasks?
  
• Top Ten Job Markets for young adults
• The Early Church fathers had an interesting approach to drawing in the youth of their day-- here's an excerpt:
  

  How did the Fathers do it? They made wild promises.
  
  They promised young people great things, like persecution, lower social status, public ridicule, severely limited employment opportunities, frequent fasting, a high risk of jail and torture, and maybe, just maybe, an early, violent death at the hands of their pagan rulers.
  
  The Fathers looked young people in the eye and called them to live purely in the midst of a pornographic culture. They looked at some young men and women and boldly told them they had a calling to virginity. And it worked. Even the pagans noticed how well it worked. CONTINUE READING HERE.
  

• Abortion Changes You-- A new ad campaign; have you seen anything like this in your city?
  
• Sometimes events in our world make it easy to see the rapid moral decline our culture is experiencing: Apparently a growing number of women pursue pregnancy via IVF (in-vitro fertilization), but then decide they don't want to be pregnant and after becoming pregnant through IVF, opt for abortion.
• Randy Alcorn offers valuable thoughts, written and videoed, for our consideration: Protecting Our Children in a Modern-Day Corinth
  

HOMESCHOOLING & EDUCATION:

• Here's a review of a "Web Design for Kids" program... sounds interesting!
• Collection of free homeschool resources: worksheets, lesson plans, unit studies and more!
• Ideas for teaching kids about the weather
• From National Geographic: lesson plans, craft ideas and more for teaching geography
  
• "I want to homeschool, but I'm afraid"-- Jennifer asked readers to address 12 common concerns for people looking into homeschooling
  

CRAFTY LINKS:

• Lucy's blog is an incredibly inspirational place! She crochets like the dickens (seriously, I don't know how she finds the time!), and her blog is where I was inspired to make the colorful, flowery granny-square blanket I made (pictured above) for myself in the winter (to be fair, it started out for "Violet" but then the doc told us she'd made a mistake and we were actually expecting a boy).
• Maternity clothes-- two great ideas I meant to try but didn't get around to, and now it's too late for me: Refashion jeans into a maternity skirt, Turn a big shirt into a maternity shirt
• Container Gardening-- it's the only kind of gardening I can do right now... but it's great for herbs and smaller plants!
• Make your own bath toy bag.
  
• Turn a sock into a baby rattle-- super cute idea!
• Make your own car playmat for the floor-- my mother-in-law had done this for her sons (my husband and his two brothers) a couple decades ago, and our sons still enjoy playing with it. She also adapted this idea to make a "ranch" playmat (with buildings, stock tank, grove of trees, stream, etc.), to use with toy animals. It's a great idea, and for us as overseas' dwellers, it's a great, easily portable toy!
• Easy and cute homemade travel high chair-- I really do intend to make this at some point... it would be very useful for our family, particularly in certain seasons of life (when doing a lot of travel with a 12-18 month old).'
• OR- recover your home's high chair with an updated, fun fabric!
  

COOKING LINKS:

• I loved this cake decorating series: Part 1- Baking, stacking, and icing; Part 2- Making and coloring fondant; Part 3- Covering a cake with fondant-- it's something I've been trying to learn more about this year, seeing as how we're celebrating more and more birthdays around here. :)
• Keeping the kitchen clean WHILE you cook... goodness knows I need to learn to do this!
• Homemade whole wheat tortilla tutorial-- probably not necessary if you live in the States, but for us overseas gals, especially us overseas gals from Texas, tortillas are a must-have, at least occasionally!
  
• It's good for us to think carefully and critically about what we eat, and what we're feeding our families... but it can also become a point of unhealthy focus or unnecessary guilt. Terry tackled the issue in her article and the conversation that continued in the comments.

Well, since slowing down blogging a while back, I haven't done a Show & Tell, and I know there are some of you out there who love these things. Lemme tell ya, this one's a doozie. So let's get right to it:

A LITTLE OF THIS, A LITTLE OF THAT:

• Are you a new Christian? Take 3 minutes to listen to the wisdom of J. I. Packer, a jolly old saint.
• What's the value of a life?
• What it's like to grow old
  
• Voddie Baucham considers the oft-offered commentary on one biblical example: Was the Proverbs 31 Woman a "Career" Gal?
• How to be a reader when you can't afford books
• 101 tips for improving your photography skills
• Even Slate.com (a very liberal online newssource) sees that prenatal medical diagnoses are ethical quicksand.
• Spend your time cultivating a beautiful spirit-- because even beautiful models aren't externally "perfect" enough for magazines.
• Whatcha watchin? Oh be careful, little eyes, what you see!
• Should Christians care about the environment? Randy Alcorn weighs in.
  
• The top TEN science hoaxes of all time-- interesting that the first two have to do with evolution, a foregone but unproven conclusion in our day and age
  
• In church, in life, in relationship with Christ, are you LEANING IN like the example of this precious older Christian woman?
• A great article from my precious friend (and new mom, for the 13th time) Renee... how the growth of a child's affections and relationships can affect their physical growth-- very interesting & with visual proof in her own family!
• The debauchery of American womanhood... an excellent read... sorry in advance to those who may be offended by the picture at the top.
  
• Comedian Steve Harvey recognizes the hazards of reckless dating.
• Interesting: Traditional engagement process in India (with pictures!)
• Janel shares from experience some practical wisdom about dealing with difficult people! (more specifically, dealing with difficult Christians.)
  
• Got an hour & 15 minutes? Packed with expert testimony & information, this video is worth watching: "The Great Global Warming Swindle"

GROWING THINGS?

• Great tips all in one place about preparing your garden/pots for planting. (And hey, the Obamas are doing it too!)
  
• How to make compost. (Yes, I'm growing things on my new balcony... and yes, I'm trying composting out this year, for the first time in about 5 years.)
  
• ALL About Compost
  

AROUND THE HOUSE:

• Christian hospitality is different from being a friendly Martha Stewart
  
• Facing laundry problems
• Simple way to save some serious $$$- Use less of everything!
• Something to consider: Are You Worldly?
• Using Cloth Diapers, One Year Later-- Mary Grace shares many of my same observations, although I'm probably less cheerful in my pro-cloth-ness than she. I still haven't found the motivation to jump back in after taking a few months' break, but maybe soon... I sure did enjoy them when he was itty bitty.
  

COOK UP SOMETHING TASTY:

• 100 Meals for less than $10
• Bethany's Dulce de Leche Cheesecake sounds amazing!!!
• Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake doesn't sound too shabby either.
  

THOUGHTS ON CHILD REARING:

• What's the "Best Start" for any baby? (Hint: this has absolutely nothing to do with breastfeeding/bottlefeeding!)
• Just because kids are obedient does not mean they're "easy".
  
• One approach to family devotionals
• Is college a waste of money for most people? Maybe... consider it for yourself.
  
• Another thing to potentially prepare your kids for: Gender-Neutral College Housing (i.e., assigned co-ed rooms)
• Dealing with/parenting a rowdy boy? Be encouraged!

HOMESCHOOLING

• My friend Carletta has put together a free e-book: 101 Ways to Save Money Homeschooling
  
• Know your state's homeschool laws.
  
• 10 famous people who were homeschooled
  
• Grandparents can play a part in homeschooling!
• One family's "Why We Homeschool"-- worth the read!
  
• Praise God the for freedoms we enjoy in America... and pray that nothing will trespass on these rights.

CONCERNING MARITAL INTIMACY:

• Love your man: INITIATE!!!
• While enjoying time with him, FOCUS!
• TAKE BABY STEPS towards more free & fun intimacy with your husband!
  
• Kelly reviewed Dr. Leman's chapter in "Sheet Music" about oral sex in the Christian marriage
• AND she has another great post that brings out some interesting highlights about the differences between men & women and how they affect marital intimacy.
• Christian Sexuality series from Capitol Hill BC... awesome stuff!
  

FOR WOMEN ONLY (REALLY!!!)-- WHAT I'D LOVE TO TELL YOU BUT HAVEN"T HAD THE GUTS TO DO A SEPARATE POST ABOUT:

• Natural Feminine Products ROCK! Really.
• Don't just take my word for it. Read this quite detailed review of The Diva Cup from another blogger: Frugal Menstruation. Read more reviews. And one more honest review.
  
• Are you serious, Jess? What are some reasons why anyone would use natural feminine products? Glad you asked. Click on that link and quit balking. Less money, no odor, no spills, more discretion, no trash, no bulky supplies to tote around... really, the better question is why aren't YOU using them???? :)
• Click here to read more answers to commonly asked questions about the DivaCup.
• I'll help you out: here's where you can buy a DivaCup for even less.
  

ABOUT BLOGGING:

• Concerning negative blog comments, I can't tell you how many times I've thought similar things to the things Elizabeth expresses here.
• If you were one of those interested in reading about the book reviews as I finish my 2009 reading list, don't forget to check out my ever-updating book review post.
  

THE SHOW & TELL WRAP-UP: Good for a laugh!

• Are you a Chick-Fil-A junkie? You need to hear this song if you haven't yet.
• Even in politics, amidst real & undeniable political changes, some things don't change. (A great, and amazingly similar, comparison of new & old presidents.)
• Judging people who use the Table of Contents in their Bible - hysterical! It IS tough to find Nahum. :)

As always, happy reading! And Happy May! :)

Because I've been in my post-partum stay-close-to-home mode (translate that to: "I've been spending a lot of time reading on the computer while feeding and snuggling with my son"), I've got a lot of links for you this time. (And, unashamedly, as a proud mom, I'm showing off a few recent pictures of my kiddos.) Enjoy!

FEATURED ARTICLE

• KNOWING GOD'S WILL- Randy Alcorn gives excellent advice about discerning the will of God-- that it's often more about who we're becoming than what we're doing.

CONCEIVING & HAVING BABIES

• Eighty-five cent pregnancy tests - SERIOUSLY! 85 CENTS!!! If you're trying or hoping or think you'll need them, this price is incredible! They also have a good price on ovulation tests, if you're so inclined.
• Mars Hill's summary of birth control options: Mark Driscoll's sermon on this issue is worth listening to... but this summary also includes lots of great reading material and links (at the bottom of the page) worth perusing if you're reading up about or making decisions about family size, sex, abortion, and birth control.
• Jobs will wait; babies won't.
• Doug Wilson has written a very interesting (and I think, very balanced) article about Birth Control
• Martin Luther King's niece, Alveda, speaks about abortion. She writes, "King once said, 'The Negro cannot win as long as he is willing to sacrifice the lives of his children for comfort and safety.' How can the “Dream” survive if we murder the children? Every aborted baby is like a slave in the womb of his or her mother. The mother decides his or her fate."
• The Haze Continues to Lift: Catherine's thoughts on having had an abortion 10 years ago
• Planned Parenthood's slogan says "Every child a wanted child". Although their approach is entirely wrong, the slogan is something we can all agree on- every child is wanted (if not by the bio mom, there are hundreds of adoptive parents waiting in line).
• Ted Turner calls for a two-child-per-family limit.
• Having more than two children is selfish and sinful?
• Three Kids? You Showoffs! Big families are now a growing status symbol among the very rich. This article (though it is seemingly written in support of larger families) contributes to the problem by perpetuating the idea that it must be expensive to raise children.
• The "What Ifs" of Adoption
• Breastfeeding videos: These links can show you what a good latch on looks like, and help you hear and identify problems in latching on/breastfeeding. What a great resource for nursing moms!
• In whose best interest is this, exactly? Stories from a foster-to-adoptive mom about visits with biological parents during the waiting period until the adoption is finalized. (Very insightful and worth the read!)

MARRIAGE

• Complementarian Singles: How Can I Prepare For Marriage? A great article about God-honoring singleness as you wait
  
• Be content when he is home; Be content when he is not. A great word on contentment for wives whose husbands travel or work a lot. (Be sure to check out her reading list at the bottom of her site-- GREAT recommendations!)
• How a Wife Should Respond to Her Husband: Bethany shares helpful notes for wives from a marriage conference
• When Blending Families, Mix Well. Terry shares from her own experiences about blending a family in a way that honors God, strengthens the marriage, and solidifies the family unit.
• Why it Kills to Keep Up with the Joneses
• Shacking Up- why couples who live together fare worse once married (this is an insightful interview with Mike McManus, a man I met almost ten years ago, who runs "Marriage Savers"-- a non-profit organization focused on marriage).

RAISING & EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN

• Why do parents need to be united in their parenting?
• Third-culture kids: This is what you end up with when you live overseas-- children who don't really identify fully with their "first" culture, or their "second" culture-- so they end up forming their own. John Piper put out a list of great ideas about how to relate to and serve "TCK's".
• Raising Missions-Minded Children
• How long should a homeschool day be?
• Good old-fashioned homeschooling: Why having too many options can actually harm the homeschooled family... and why a return to simple home schooling may be in order when we feel overwhelmed or stressed.
  
• Finding support as a homeschool mom
• Washington Post: The real cost of government-run schools- it is shocking how much money is spent per child with such a poor outcome in government schools. No business would be able to continue running if they had such lousy returns on the investment.
• Ever considered: What if public schools were abolished? A fascinating (and I think, realistic) view of what would happen in our society if government no longer meddled with the education of America's children.

FOOD

• Bakeshop Blueberry Muffins
• How to Make Cinnamon Sugar (and chocolate cinnamon!)
• List of all label "aliases" for MSG- for those of you who are allergic or try to avoid it
  

BLOGGING/WRITING

• Five tips from C.S. Lewis about pithy, worthwhile writing (and talking).
• Twelve ways to improve your blog

MISCELLANEOUS

• Heterosexual Roommates: Now that homosexuality is so rampant on college campuses, dating couples and boy/girl casual friends are asking, "so why can't we be roommates?" So now it's "pick your own roommate", male or female, on some college campuses.
• Divided We Stand: What do religious conservatives do without a political candidate "of their own"? We're about to find out.
• Is it OK to Look? The truth about pornography
• CPS investigates because family has "too many kids", and- *gasp* -their kids "do dishes"- Folks, the government's intrusion into our lives as citizens are getting more and more absurd.
• Olympics-- Shut Up and Compete: Randy Alcorn weighs in with thoughts about the upcoming Beijing Olympics, in light of human rights violations and the persecuted church.
• Feminism Run Amok on the Soccer Field
• Did Jesus Spend Saturday Night (before Resurrection Sunday) in Hell? John Piper says "no."
• The "Poison" of Computer Gaming-- [Are you all noticing more and more families being negatively affected by this? I sure am! I'd love to hear from you if you have thoughts about video/online games and what our response as Christian families should be!]
• Why I Left Greenpeace: from one of the founders- this is a great example of what can happen when our zeal trumps our love for truth
• How to help your grieving friend: practical ideas from a hurting mom
• Listeners' Bible: Free mp3 downloads of John, Philippians, and Ephesians
• Barak Obama: A wolf in sheep's clothing, says Voddie Baucham-- a candid examination of Obama's record on abortion
  

GOOD FOR A LAUGH

• Tim Hawkins: GPS for life

I've received lots of "thank you"s over the months for these show & tell posts, so full of links and reading material. But then I know these are overwhelming for some of you. I have to confess, I love seeing all the "out-clicks" on my sitemeter after posting one of these posts... it's so neat for me to see these great articles all being read and (hopefully) useful for you. It is a passion of mine to point people in the direction of good information/resources that will help women and families to honor God more.

Please feel free to e-mail me if there are particular topics you'd like to see more links about, or if there are articles you find that might be worth including in my show & tell posts in the future! Additionally, if there are things I could do to make these links more useful for you, let me know!

Thanks-- and happy reading!