Crunchy Christian Mamas 2009 - Page 5

[Kidzaplenty]

Originally Posted by mom2tig99Nroo03

it is the flu......

I am glad it is something "simple". Yet, the flu is not so simple is it? And it can be really hard. Even for those just around the one with it.

[Kidzaplenty]

It is about time for a new question! So, I thought I would post one.

What is one verse that represents you and your family and why?

[Tjej]

mom2tig99Nroo03 - I am glad to hear too that it isn't more serious than the flu. Was praying for you guys this morning. The flu hit me hard this year - I was horizontal for 24 hours, and totally drained for about a week. I hope your DH feels better soon.

1John 3:18 - Dear Children, let us love not with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.

It was our wedding verse (I picked it out), and I think it summarizes the essence of how we aspire to live - respecting all people as equal children of God, loving with sincerity and openness.

Tjej

[BlessedOne]

Originally Posted by Kidzaplenty

It is about time for a new question! So, I thought I would post one.

What is one verse that represents you and your family and why?

there are so many verses that inspire me so much, so it is hard for me to just pick one....so I will list a few......

Proverbs 3:9-10
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.


Matt 6:31-33
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.


Mark 11:24
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them].

But I think this one "takes the cake" because it covers everything from salvation to healing to having everything you need. So if I really had to pick just one, I would probably pick this one because it can be applied on so many things.

This is so special to me because I believe that God loves us and wants us to be healthy, happy, blessed and prosperous as well as saved.

[delicate_sunshine]

Hey, ladies. I need some advice. There is a woman in my church who has more than once talked bad about my son to other people. I only know of twice for sure, but she talks a lot. About lots of people, so I'm pretty confident it has happened more than twice. I know most people blow her off, but I don't want it somehow getting back to ds that he is unliked by someone. Especially since she is his Wednesday night teacher. I know I should say something to her, asking her to stop or something, but how do I bring it up? It is likely that she doesn't even realize she has done or said anything hurtful. I cannot make you understand how much this woman talks and how she may not have even realized that she said anything at all. The volume of words coming from her mouth is unreal. She really does talk about her own grandchildren, which leads me to believe that she honestly doesn't understand how hurtful it can be. So, does anyone have any ideas for how to approach her?

[Tjej]

Since your son is 3, I wouldn't worry too much about it getting back to him right now (and if it did, you could say something along the lines of - lets talk to her about it, a lot of times things people say get misunderstood and they sound mean when the person didn't actually try to say something mean. And then if you talked to them about it they would probably explain that, right?).

I know a few people like this, and it is hard. I know what you mean about them not getting it at all/not realizing that what they are saying is mean, even. I don't have a solution for it. One person I know in particular who does this was even recently confronted about it by a mutual friend, and the friend talked with me about it afterwards saying that even spending a whole coffee time talking about it, at the end she just still didn't get it. I think sometimes we just have to accept people with these sorts of flaws and be very careful what we say around them so what we say doesn't end up coming out of them the wrong way. And just pray that our eyes can be open to when we are speaking in a hurtful way too.

Tjej

[notjustmamie]

Delicate Sunshine,

What a difficult position to be in! I certainly understand the desire to keep your son from being hurt--I still remember things that were said about me years ago. Of course, in those situations, I only had one side of the story, no one was telling me that what I was hearing wasn't true, just someone's poor opinion. I think that would have made a big difference.

I've been thinking about this for a while (I woke up in the middle of the night with your situation on my mind!) and I wouldn't to talk to this woman about what you have heard she is saying about your son.

Here is my reasoning: She is talking behind your (and your son's) back saying things about him that aren't true, or even if they are true aren't appropriate to be talking about behind someone's back. However, it sounds like you got this information because someone else was talking about her behind her back. To confront her about what you heard just seems to perpetuate the cycle.

I think what I would do is #1 definitely be praying for this woman. If she is, in fact, sharing inappropriate information about her students and gossiping, she and God need to work that out between themselves. #2 I would keep a close ear on what she is telling you. If and when you hear her gossiping or sharing things that aren't appropriate, call her on it: "You know, Mary, I've really felt convicted about the amount of gossip in my life lately. I would appreciate if you would help me stay on the straight and narrow by not sharing any more information about Joe and his situation." or "Mary, I appreciate that not everyone does things the same way or has the same standards about a given situation. I'm not really ready to pass judgment on Joe in this case because I'm sure there is more going on than what I know. Maybe you and I could pray for him right now that God would give Joe wisdom and peace." If this approach doesn't work, I would probably just be really blunt: "Mary, I really don't appreciate your spreading gossip about Joe. Please stop." If that still doesn't put an end to it, I'd be calling in back-up as outlined in Matthew 18. Again, though, I would only focus on what you hear her saying about others, not the information that was passed back to you about what she said in regard to your son.

Also, I second Tjej's advice about using anything your son might hear as an opportunity to encourage him and help him to understand that not everyone is nice and sometimes we have to deal with difficult people.

A friend of my brother's used to talk about how some people are "EGRs" which stands for "Extra Grace Required". I try to keep this in mind when I'm dealing with difficult situations, because I'm sure on the other side, I'm the one who looks like the EGR!

Blessings to you as you navigate through this difficult relationship!

[Kidzaplenty]

Originally Posted by notjustmamie

I wouldn't to talk to this woman about what you have heard she is saying about your son.

Here is my reasoning: She is talking behind your (and your son's) back saying things about him that aren't true, or even if they are true aren't appropriate to be talking about behind someone's back. However, it sounds like you got this information because someone else was talking about her behind her back. To confront her about what you heard just seems to perpetuate the cycle.

I have to disagree here. If some were talking about me, I would appreciate someone else that heard it to tell me about it rather than just let it continue.

And as a Christian, we are to confront those in sin and try to correct the problem, thus ending the sinning.

Hebrews 3:12-16 Take heed, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said, "Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation."

1 Timothy 5:1-2 Do not sharply rebuke an elder, but exhort as a father, and the younger ones as brothers, older women as mothers, the younger as sisters in all purity.

Titus 2:1-8 But you speak the things which become sound doctrine: aged men to be temperate, sensible, discreet, sound in faith, in love, in patience. Let the aged women likewise be in reverent behavior, not slanderers, not enslaved by much wine, teachers of good; that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, subject to their own husbands, that the Word of God may not be blasphemed. Likewise exhort the young men to be discreet; In all things having shown yourself a pattern of good works: in the doctrine, purity, sensibleness, without corruption, in sound speech that cannot be condemned, that he who is opposed may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

It is a Christian's job to exhort someone who is sinning. And someone that is running on and on, whether on purpose or not, needs to be told gently that they are in the wrong.

And if slanderus things are being said about my family members, no matter which member, baby or adult, I think it is right that I should say something. That is, if the comments are false, incorrect, misinterpreted, or the like. It is right that the falseness of them come to light.

And it is also right that someone brought back the comments to the one being commented about. That is no gossip. It is informing a "invested" party to the actions against them.

If it were me, I would confront this head on. Not angrily or with spite but with love and determination.

If she is talking without thinking, she may be totally oblivious to the pain she is causing.
If she is "talking behind your back" then she will likely think twice about it in the future if she knows you will confront her.
If she is talking uninformed, then perhaps you could "correct" her misinformation and it will stop.
If she is just causing up trouble, she will not likely stop and this is the point where I would discontinue being friends or even associates with her. Because at this point she is sinning with full knowledge of sin. And that is a bad place to be.

But no matter her actions, if you come at it in love, but confront it head on you are better off in the long run. Satan's goal is to divide and conque the Church. If he can get us all talking about each other with no meeting in the middle, he is doing a good job.

Because soon this hurt and offense she has given you and your son (if not taken care of) will become anger. And anger soon turns into hatered. This is not a place that Christian's are supposed to be.

Here is Jesus' take on it:

Matthew 18:15-17

But if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

But if he will not hear you, take one or two more with you, so that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he neglects to hear the church, let him be to you as a heathen and a tax-collector.

[notjustmamie]

My point is she is hearing this information second or third hand. She would be "confronting" the woman for talking about her son behind her back, based on doing exactly the same thing. If she is to confront her on what she hears directly that's one thing, if she encourages anyone who is telling her what they heard to do the same thing, that's great, but if I hear you saying something bad about her kid and rather than telling you to stop, I go to her and say, "Kidzaplenty said something awful about your son" I am as guilty of gossiping about you as you were about her son.

I agree that sin needs to be confronted and repented, but confronting what you see, not what you've heard about from other people.

[Kidzaplenty]

I guess we will have to agree to disagree.

Because, if I heard "Stella" talking about "Jo Jo", I would likely tell them that it was wrong to do so. But, I would also feel obligated to tell "Jo Jo" what I heard.

I have been in situations where someone was talking about my family "behind my back". And no one told me. Yet, I could feel the tensions when I was around. If someone, anyone, had told me rumors were being circulated about me I could have confronted the situation head on and not had to dealt with the tension and looks for those that "heard" it but would not tell me. It was cruel and definitly unChristian.

When someone is speaking about someone else, the person being spoken about has the right and the need to know what is being said. And going to the source of the rumor is not gossip. It is confronting the source.

And it is not so much about say, "Stella" said. I would say, "I heard you said this, and I wanted to find out if it were true."

This way, "Stella" not only knows that you KNOW what she is saying, she knows you will confront and correct rumors.

This is like pulling weeds out of the garden before they have a chance to spread and become unstopable.

[notjustmamie]

Originally Posted by Kidzaplenty

I guess we will have to agree to disagree.

Yes, we'll have to.

Originally Posted by Kidzaplenty

This is like pulling weeds out of the garden before they have a chance to spread and become unstopable.

My problem with this analogy is that confronting someone based on hearsay is what I would consider pulling weeds in other people's gardens.

I won't say anymore at this point because DD just spilled an entire container of cocoa powder in the kitchen and anything else I might add would probably sound really angry! Darn transference.

[delicate_sunshine]

I really don't think she was trying to be nasty or anything. She just talks. A lot. I would probably be more likely to let it go, but it was my sister she was talking to this time. She did take up for ds, but her relating it to me doesn't feel like gossip in this case. Before, when it came to me from someone else, I did let it go. Idk. It just seems different with my sister. I think this Wednesday, I'll let ds stay home with my mom. And I'll try to gently bring it up.

Thank you for the advice, everyone. And I will definitely be praying about what to do before I actually do anything.

[charleysmama23]

Hey, I'm definitely a Christian and sort of crunchy..can I join you ladies? Info on me: wife to computer geek dh of almost 5 years, mama to one beautiful little dd born 7-1-08, pediatric nurse for 4 years and follower of Jesus for most of my life. I had dd in a hospital using the Bradley method, but I won't be doing that again (the hospital I mean...blech) and plan our future births to be in a birthing center or at home. We baby wear, we don't CIO, I make most of my own baby food and nursed dd for 6 months (please don't judge, I would have gone longer but for a lot of circumstances I'd be happy to share except that it would take a long time and isn't that interesting) and hope to nurse future babies for as long as they'll let me. I was so NOT crunchy when she was born and have since become "chewy" I guess as dd has been teaching me so much, every day, about being a mama. :

[lumom]

Originally Posted by charleysmama23

I was so NOT crunchy when she was born and have since become "chewy" I guess as dd has been teaching me so much, every day, about being a mama. :

Hi! I'm new here, too, so I can't say for sure, but I sure think you'd be welcome to join! I wasn't crunchy at all either when my first baby was born (she's 13 now!). I can totally relate to what you said about how your dd has been teaching you so much. Babies sure have a way of doing that when mamas listen. Good to you for listening!!

Anyway, I'm a mom of four children. As I mentioned above, my oldest is 13. My youngest is 4, and I have two more inbetween. I want another child so badly. I'd say I'm pretty crunchy. . . we do homebirths, unschool, don't vaccinate, extended breastfeed, etc. I've been a Christian for, oh... over 30 years.

I wanted to answer the question that was asked earlier in thread of "What is one verse that represents you and your family and why?" These verses are from the same passage, so I hope they can count as one verse.

". . . we proved to be gentle among you as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children." I Thess. 2:7 (NASB)

"For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory." I Thess. 2:11, 12 (NIV)

These are things my dh and I strive for in our family. We want to be gentle, encouraging, comforting, to urge our children to live their lives for God's glory, and also to know that their Father in heaven is gentle and cares for them so very much.

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

i'm feeling about 80% better now. the kids have loads of energy but they're still coughing lots. otherwise they seem to bve great. dh is back to work now.

i'd like to ask for prayer for my sil vickie- she is not doing well at all. she currently has pneumonia and "mercer?" have no clue what that is, but oh well. it doesn't sound good regardless. i know her immune system is kaput. she has a dead kidney, and her liver has a tumor in it (thankfully it is slower-growing thant they thought it would be at first- she just got another scan done and it has only grwon a little in the past year. the tumor was grwoing faster becaus eof her glucohage (she is a diabetic, and is havign toins of trouble controlling her sugars). she is also an asthamtic and has copd.

Originally Posted by charleysmama23

Hey, I'm definitely a Christian and sort of crunchy..can I join you ladies? Info on me: wife to computer geek dh of almost 5 years, mama to one beautiful little dd born 7-1-08, pediatric nurse for 4 years and follower of Jesus for most of my life. I had dd in a hospital using the Bradley method, but I won't be doing that again (the hospital I mean...blech) and plan our future births to be in a birthing center or at home. We baby wear, we don't CIO, I make most of my own baby food and nursed dd for 6 months (please don't judge, I would have gone longer but for a lot of circumstances I'd be happy to share except that it would take a long time and isn't that interesting) and hope to nurse future babies for as long as they'll let me. I was so NOT crunchy when she was born and have since become "chewy" I guess as dd has been teaching me so much, every day, about being a mama. :

Originally Posted by lumom

Hi! I'm new here, too, so I can't say for sure, but I sure think you'd be welcome to join! I wasn't crunchy at all either when my first baby was born (she's 13 now!). I can totally relate to what you said about how your dd has been teaching you so much. Babies sure have a way of doing that when mamas listen. Good to you for listening!!

Anyway, I'm a mom of four children. As I mentioned above, my oldest is 13. My youngest is 4, and I have two more inbetween. I want another child so badly. I'd say I'm pretty crunchy. . . we do homebirths, unschool, don't vaccinate, extended breastfeed, etc. I've been a Christian for, oh... over 30 years.

I wanted to answer the question that was asked earlier in thread of "What is one verse that represents you and your family and why?" These verses are from the same passage, so I hope they can count as one verse.

". . . we proved to be gentle among you as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children." I Thess. 2:7 (NASB)

"For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory." I Thess. 2:11, 12 (NIV)

These are things my dh and I strive for in our family. We want to be gentle, encouraging, comforting, to urge our children to live their lives for God's glory, and also to know that their Father in heaven is gentle and cares for them so very much.

i'll get arounf to posting mroe soon, i am not wuite up to it yet.

[charleysmama23]

Originally Posted by mom2tig99Nroo03

i'm feeling about 80% better now. the kids have loads of energy but they're still coughing lots. otherwise they seem to bve great. dh is back to work now.

i'd like to ask for prayer for my sil vickie- she is not doing well at all. she currently has pneumonia and "mercer?" have no clue what that is, but oh well. it doesn't sound good regardless. i know her immune system is kaput. she has a dead kidney, and her liver has a tumor in it (thankfully it is slower-growing thant they thought it would be at first- she just got another scan done and it has only grwon a little in the past year. the tumor was grwoing faster becaus eof her glucohage (she is a diabetic, and is havign toins of trouble controlling her sugars). she is also an asthamtic and has copd.

hey mom2tigg, thanks for the warm welcome! Glad your lo's are felling better! I would bet that your sil has MRSA (pronounced "mersa") which is an opportunistic infection that people who are immune compromised, like your sil, often get. I'll definitely say a prayer for her!

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

thanks charleysmama- mrsa= staph, right? or iam i thinking of something else....

i'm still at about 80%. just can't seem to kick this completely.

[charleysmama23]

mrsa = methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, a staph infection that's resistant to common antibiotic treatments. Hoping you are 100% very soon!!

[shepav]

Hello! Let me reintroduce myself, too. My dh and I have been married for six years, and have one little girl who will be two next month. We're expecting our second child (a boy) in May.

I went back to working outside the home part time about six months ago, and a little nervous to see how that all plays out once #2 comes, but we'll see. God knows all things, right?

We are in a small rural town, having a hard time finding a church. We were going to a church about a half hour away, but feeling like we should be going to a church in our community... It's just there isn't a lot to pick from, and well, I'm not accustomed to traditional services.

Looking forward to getting to know some of you!

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

Originally Posted by charleysmama23

mrsa = methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, a staph infection that's resistant to common antibiotic treatments. Hoping you are 100% very soon!!

thanks mama!

Originally Posted by shepav

Hello! Let me reintroduce myself, too. My dh and I have been married for six years, and have one little girl who will be two next month. We're expecting our second child (a boy) in May.

I went back to working outside the home part time about six months ago, and a little nervous to see how that all plays out once #2 comes, but we'll see. God knows all things, right?

We are in a small rural town, having a hard time finding a church. We were going to a church about a half hour away, but feeling like we should be going to a church in our community... It's just there isn't a lot to pick from, and well, I'm not accustomed to traditional services.

Looking forward to getting to know some of you!

we don't really have a traditional service anymore either. i've completely changed- i grew up in a lutheran church and we're now pentecostal


i want to thank everone who's prayed for me and my lo. had another us today and the news is good. baby is still growing well and has a strong heartbeat (182) :heart , could find no reason for the small amount of blood a had on the tissues on sunday, and the sac is catching up in size and is almost as big as it should be.