Holiness

Recently a friend asked on Facebook "What does holiness mean to you? Can you support it with scripture?" While I never replied to her question it really put me into some Bible reading time and what holiness really meant to me. Was it attitude? was it the way I dressed? the way I did things? or was it all of them and tying it together to be more like God? I really had to do some soul searching. Am I holy enough? Can I do more? Where am I failing in my holiness? Such tough questions but they all needed answers.

What is holiness to me? I think it is how we act, dress, and speak. You can't just do one and not others, that isn't holy. It is a way that you carry yourself. I have lost many friends due to going back to church because they don't understand, their minds are with the world and they can't wrap their brain around me needing to be of pure mind, body, and soul. So here it goes (you may have to read this in multiple parts but happy reading!)

• Be careful who you are friends with. It really does matter who you hang out with. I am not saying don't talk to anyone who doesn't believe, this is actually hanging out with and befriending. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13) 9: I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators. 10: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11: But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12: For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not yet judge them that are within? 13: But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. (2 Corinthians 6:14) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? Therefore what I am trying to say is be careful who you are friends with. People that repeatedly sin are not of God either. Why tempt yourself with those people when you can just cut those ties? 
• Don't love things of the world. Loving things of this world, do not make you holy and you should guard yourself so that you are not tempted. James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.  God wants us to be more like him, loving things of the world are not like him at all. Anything evil, stay away from PERIOD. 
• Things that would harm our bodies, are bodies are a holy temple! Don't do drugs, alcohol, smoking even! These are all harmful things and we should stay away from them. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defiles the temple of God, him shall destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 
• How you dress is an outward way of showing your holiness and separation from the world. (wearing skirts, uncut hair, no makeup or jewelry) Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God. 1 Corinthians 11:1-16  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. 3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. 5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. 6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. 8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. 10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. 13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? 14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. 16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. 1 Timothy 2:8-10 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.1 Peter 3:1-5 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands. 
• How you speak really does matter! Which means, don't gossip, don't lie, don't curse, don't mislead people!  James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. James 3:1-2 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. James 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
• Your attitude is a direct reflection of you and you need to always be checking it! Galatians 5:19-23 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Ephesians 4:23-32 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

James 1:19-27

James 1:19-27

19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

_________________________________________________________________________________

This is something that has been on my heart today. Listen before speaking, slow to anger. Keeping your mouth shut about certain things... This is something I have slowly gained a personal conviction about. So many are quick to judge the facts in front of them when they don't know all the facts. They don't seek out the truth and anger quickly rather then looking at the whole situation. Where has your tongue led you? Has it led others astray? Have you taken a half truth and gotten angry only to find out later it wasn't the whole story at all and then needed to apologize to people? I don't claim to be perfect, I am far from it but lately I realized that listening is better than speaking. Going to the person is better then talking to others and letting things go is a better solution then being angry. Bite your tongue is wise, listening is even wiser.

1 parent, 5 kids and one poor vision center

I just want to say Happy Birthday to the best mom ever, I don't know how you managed all of us kids and still live to tell all the embarrassing stories! I love you!

Yesterday was the eye doctor... for all the kids...by myself. Yes, I am insane, first step is admittance right?
So, we park as close as we can and I let all the five monsters descend upon the place, fortunately they have a play place. Unfortunately my kids don't know how to be nice to other kids so while waiting the hour to be seen all of them at one point get in trouble and have to sit with me.

We finally get called into the 10x10 room for them to do all the assessment. I have Avery screaming to be held, Rebecca crawling around trying to unplug everything, Mikayla refusing to listen, Shaun repeating over over over "mom am I brave" yes Shaun yes you are and Caleb the normal demon child was the good one? I know I couldn't believe it either. We got eyes measured, pictures taken, air blown in, and dilated. Yes I have five kids with dilated eyes, quite funny if you ask me. Then we get taken to yet another room which was pitch black and I realized my eyes suck in the dark. I am now holding Caleb & Rebecca, I have given Avery my phone to play on and Mikayla is up first. We of course knew she would need glasses since she already has them and my normal social butterfly clammed up and would only whisper answers to me that I had to then relay to the doctor while Rebecca is pulling my hair and Caleb is kicking his legs wanting free. Shaun up next, no glasses for that little guy but I got to see the most gorgeous blue eyes up close :) Caleb, Avery & Rebecca are all farsighted but doctor says that is normal with age and generally grow out of it so they will re-check next visit. I couldn't imagine trying to keep track of four pairs of glasses. I would go NUTS!

Now comes time to picking a pair of glasses. I wanted wire frames, they hold up better. Mikayla wanted the big plastic frames that remind me of the 1960's. She wanted pink I wanted black, she wanted hearts, I wanted flowers. All while we are trying to get her glasses that she can agree with me on and Shaun is now picking up Rebecca and spinning her wildly in circles. Caleb is trying to kill Avery and the circus continues. We finally get her glasses picked and will pick them up next week... by myself never again will I get five kids in any doctor ever again. It just isn't going to happen.

We trek to back to the van, take ten minutes to readjust sunglasses, stupid cheap toys that were given, field questions about dinner all while I am pouring in sweat and just want sleep and food. I decide cooking isn't an option that night and we go to taco shop. Kids are trying to scream orders that's when I snapped I was done done done. I yelled "IF you don't be quiet YOU ARE ALL GOING TO STARVE!" Yep, that made them quiet, I ordered my 15 pack of soft tacos while kids cried that their cheap toys already broke, their paper glasses broke and one was eating carmex...

This mom is done and sent them to bed early just so I could too :) 

In Love with Summer??

My kids have gone nuts. I normally love summer, being able to sleep in and not have to fight with them to get ready for school. This momma is in LOVE with summer! This summer I am already questioning my sanity. I woke up this morning with an adorable Caleb on my head... pouring my leftover soda from the night before on my head. He is laughing manically and just can't seem to understand why momma is running to the bathroom and stripping the bed of its sheets. As I am cleaning up that mess I hear giggling, which in this house coming from Caleb is never a good sign. I go to the kitchen where he is no sitting ON TOP of the refrigerator. I really think I gave birth to a monkey I try to get him down but he is now standing and backed all the way to the wall. I grab a chair and my arms are still not long enough to get him down safely. I am no light weight I am 5'9 180 lbs climbing on a counter would normally not be an option for me, but today it had to be. I get my butt up on the chair and step on to the counter with one foot and have no idea how to put my other foot up there. I get the genius idea to hang on to the cabinet... Full of canned goods. I grab the top and hoist myself up onto the counter just as I make it cans come flying out at me and I have successfully pulled my cabinet of the wall (never buy not wood cabinets). I look at my mess, there is cans all over the kitchen, the cabinet now in the sink, nails sticking out of the wall and my dear son is still on top of the fridge... laughing...hysterically. I close in on him, this time he is coming down after I have torn my kitchen apart to get to him. Now he is dancing and singing his ABC's and reaching out for me. I love this kid but I am beginning to think he is a monkey not a human. I got him down with the help of Mikayla grabbing him from me and now I am stuck on the counter. STUCK. I had knee surgery so getting it to bend the way I want only happens 20% of the time. I have one knee down and now Mikayla and Caleb are both on the ground laughing hysterically at me. Caleb runs off, he got bored watching me squirm. I was being careful until I heard water rushing. Somehow in that moment I was able to fly off the counter, dive over the cans and reach the kids bathroom just in time to see Caleb flooding the sink with toilet paper. He is dancing on the counter in the water having a blast. This time momma has had it. She just quit smoking two days ago and his cute smile isn't going to get him out of trouble this time. I shut the water off get him off the counter and lock him in his room thinking he will be safe while I clean this mess up, completely leaving my kitchen mess. 10 towels later and lots of toilet paper the bathroom is clean and I go to the bedroom to let him out. In 10 minutes time this kid has pushed three mattresses off the beds and is on top of the bunk beds in jump position. Do I need to remind everyone that he is only 2? I think I am raising the next evil knieval. At this point I am ready to pull my hair out and just cry. I want my mommy, what did I do to deserve this?! So, I do what any bad mom does and decide okay I need to trap him so that I can watch him and clean everything up. I take Rebecca's play pen, turn on cartoons and give him some toys and flip the play pen over so he can't get out. I know I know it's horrible but I needed to clean up his messes. So, while he was stuck in there I commandeered Mikayla (okay bribed) to help me. She stacked all the cans up while I started the sheets in the laundry and then called my mom to ask how to put the cabinet back on the wall. With a 2x4 and lots of long screws my cabinet is back on, bribed Mikayla with more candy to put the cans back up while I fixed the boys room once again. This was all before 9am and this momma needs a nap and shower ASAP

Sorry Mailman

Last month Aaron lost our only mailbox key while working under someones house... only to realize it after work and didn't know where it would be. I called the post office and they want to charge me $25 dollars for a key. I like my money, I like keeping it in my bank account I don't even like paying bills much less paying money just to get my bills... So, I kind of forgot about the whole key thing. Yesterday I realized I really needed to get my mail and had no key. I was too much of a wimp to break into my own mailbox (again...I don't look good in orange) so I opted for telling all the neighbor kids to watch for the mailman for me this morning. I get a knock and the mailman has arrived I sprint out of the house in boxers and a t-shirt down the street hoping he was still there. I must have looked like a crazy woman all wild hair and huffing and puffing as he backed away from me. I have mail back from April in there. I only got three bills, the rest was junk anyway but I GOT MONEY! Thank you little kid for helping me get my mail, I am one happy momma today :) 

She did it this time...

You see this sweet innocent looking little girl? It's a lie... She is sneaky, devious, and full of orneriness! In the span of two months the two events have occurred.

*My brother who is 20 was watching my kids while I ran a friend home. Mikayla is outside playing as I leave. I pull into the drive way after being gone about ten minutes to a phone call from the local police department. The following conversation ensued.

Police: Is this Mikayla's mom?
Me: Yes, is everything okay?! (almost panicking at this point)
Police: Yes, we have her at the police station, she was found at (main intersection) can you come get her?
Me: Yes, I will be right there.
I am now speeding to the police station in hysterics and calling Aaron to relay what is going on.
I run into the police station to find one happy little girl with a sucker and two police officers at her side as she just smiles on like this is a normal day. I ask what happened. Apparently my child decided that she wanted to go to Sonic and get ice cream and decided to walk out of our neighborhood down the main road (which is also a highway) and let a lady pick her up THAT SHE DIDN'T KNOW off the side of the road and take her to the police station. Needless to say I was so mad. I contained myself until we got to the van. I even smiled and thanked the officers as I was buckling in and the minute I left the parking lot momma had enough of her fake little smile.

Momma: Why didn't you ask anyone if you could go?
Mikayla: Because I knew you would say no
Momma: So why did you go?
Mikayla: because I wanted to go, I wanted ice cream
Momma: did you have money for ice cream?
Mikayla: no
Momma: so how were you going to get ice cream?
Mikayla: I am cute, Sonic would have gave me some for  that
Momma: you know you are in big trouble right?
Mikayla: yep
Momma: you going to do this again?
Mikayla: hmm I don't think so
Momma: you're grounded until your birthday (5 weeks)
Mikayla: that's too long, can we negotiate?
Momma: no, if you try it will be longer. Just wait until daddy hears about this.
Mikayla: Fine! 5 weeks, but dad don't need to know I will clean everyday and change diapers
Momma: I am not negotiating with a terrorist
Mikayla: Mom... terrorists blow up buildings, I don't do that

Needless to say she got grounded for 5 weeks, daddy knew and they had a nice long talk. So we thought she knew better... RIGHT!?! Cue today...

Mikayla calls on her friends phone: "Mom can I go to the local school park with my friend?"
Momma: her mom going?
Mikayla: yes she is going to walk with us
Momma: okay you sure she is going
Mikayla: yes
Momma: okay you can go then *click*

Shaun walks in wants to know if he can go to local school too, I said no Mikayla already left with friend and mom. He said nooo just Mikayla and friend. I call up friends mom, she isn't with them she stayed at home. I call friends cell phone (WHO IS ONLY 10!!) and of course they don't answer. I start freaking out, getting kids ready to go drive to school to go pick her lying butt up. Fly through the house looking for keys and shoes and can only find one shoe go figure as I am in near panic. Get the three little ones strapped in carseat, screaming for Shaun to hurry up because his sister could be kidnapped (yes my brain went there) and then I see it... Mikayla skipping around the corner with her friend. I think the whole neighborhood heard her whole entire name screamed and told to get her butt home RIGHT NOW I roared. She is still hopping, totally oblivious that she is going to be in trouble. As she is making her way home, I unbuckle the three tell Shaun to go open the front door. Dragging Caleb back with me because of course he now doesn't want to go inside with Rebecca on my hip. Screaming the whole time for Mikayla to get home NOW. I am pretty sure some of the neighbors were peaking out their windows. She finally gets home to tell me she didn't lie that her friends mom was with her... yet another lie. I was so mad with her that she is in her room until daddy gets home because let's be real orange don't look good on me, my complexion is too pasty white.

Porn... porn is all about lust. Lust and love have something in common, both can be expressed through sex. Many people go through battles with lust. Our hormones help fuel that and fighting temptation can be a hard thing to do. Love though is having a pure relationship and only expressing yourself once married. Being pure doesn't mean you won't ever have it on your mind, but choosing to deny temptation when in front of you. Think about King David, his battle in 2 Samuel 11:1-5  “And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.”

There are things you can do to fight lust. Keep yourself busy, live your life, your goals and try to achieve them. Write them down, journal about them so that you can see what you are looking to accomplish. Rather than sitting down at the laptop to view porn look through your journal. [James 1:12–15 KJV] “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Prayer is another great tool! Prayer is one of the most important tools to gain strength and being able to talk to God is always freeing, you don't have to hide anything from Him because he already knows everything! . [Rom 1:21 KJV] “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” A consistent prayer life is one of the best ways to avoid the pitfalls of sin. 

[1 Cor 6:18–20 KJV] “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” What this verse implies is that we should avoid situations where we know temptation will be harder to overcome.

The sin of lust can be overcome. Keep working at being an overcoming Christian by prayer, bible study, and staying pure through activities involving making good use of your time. If you are married, try re-kindling your relationship with your spouse. 

Marriage

As many of you know I got married today. I definitely had a nervous breakdown beforehand. Not because I don't love Aaron that is far from it but because marriage is forever. Marriage vows are not meant to be broken. This is for life and this is the man I will be with forever. Just looking at his face was so amusing though and the kids running every where was so perfect for our family. Marriage takes three. God, Aaron and I. When we have God we can only grow closer to each other and he will see our marriage through to its duration I have no doubt.