Happenings

Last weekend was my cousin's birthday and we visited an animal re-habitilization center. I twas really neat and they had some baby lambs that we so cute!!!! Here are some pictures.

From right to left: Mrs. Jan, me and Mr. Chewby (the lamb), Kayley my cousin and Barltey the dog, Natalie (Kayley's friend), and Janessa with Bony Marony(the other lamb.

This is me with a raccoon there named Accoona. She has a sister named Matata. They were so sweet and cute! We fed them sugar cubes and marshmellows.

WIFD Day 5-7

Yay!!! Finally back with technology. To those who guess, yes I was at a re-enactment! Good answers!!! I didn't have a bucket load of pics like I promised, but I might get more on my blog when people start sending me pics they took. Anyways here is one that my sister took of me in the cabin we stayed at this weekend. No one was looking so we snapped this one real quick.

To inform you, I will explain everything I have on from top to bottom. To begin with, I have my hair in afrench braid and the ends done in a bun. I wore my good cotton cap on top. Underneath everything I wear a white cotton shift, kinda like a nightgown and my natural colored linen petticoat on the bottom. The short gown (my top, sort of like a jacket) is pale blue cotton/linen mix and is pinned at the right shoulder. I am wearing a white cotton pin-up apron with the corner tucked in. The red thing around my shoulders is called a modesty scarf and is a cotton gauze dyed in a reddish wine color. The necklace is a red silk ribbon with the key to my trunk on the end. I have a knife tyed to my waist. (everyone on the frontier in 1783 carried a knife.) I have pearl dangly earings on. Althought you can't see them, I have on purple and grey stripped socks and elk leather moccosins my dad made. I made my entire costume and wore this the entire weekend. I love going to re-enactments and taking on an entire new persona. I portray a wealthy young widow who came out west looking for land. (that's why I have jewelry, a rareity) Anyways, I hope you enjoyed my little surprise!

WIFD Day 5

Okay, sorry for no pic again, but my camera died and I haven't gotten batteries for it yet.I have a confession to make: My fellow WIFDees, I have worn pants today. I know, don't throw any tomatoes, now. Since we have our homeschool co-op on Thurdays, it is much more practical to wear pants. I tried wearing a skirt last time on Thursday, but it did not work out very well. So today I wore a pair of dressy Gap blue jeans that I got from Goodwill for $3, My ROCK (co-op) shirt, and my dark blue and red galloshes I got from thrift store for a dollar (it was raining this morning). I brought my black Blowfish sneakers that I got from Rugged wearhouse for $3, to wear inside the building. I french braided my hair in two braids and flipped the ends into little buns. I wore my spoon ring, cross necklace, purity ring (which I usually don't mention cause I never take it off), and my prayer box earings.Announcment: Starting tomorrow morning, I will be without access to a computer for the rest of the weekend. I will take pictures, but you will have to check back here on Sunday for a whole truck load of pics. What I will be wearing is the surprise. I will give you guys a few hints:

1. If you check out my blog, you may find out some info about what I am doing, and I also mention it under my profile (it's one of my favorite things to do).

2. I don't think anyone else here does this.

3. What you wear is really important to what I do.

4. It involves learning.

There you go! I can't wait to see who gets the closest guess!!! Until Sunday! -Janae

WIFD Day 4

Sorry, but I don't have a picture today. I'll tell you what I wore instead.We went shopping this morning so I wore a mid calf length army green skirt that I got from Goodwill for $3. It still had it's original tags on it and was priced at $180 from Chico's. This is one of my favorite bargains! It was an absolute steal!! I wore a grey tank top and a white henley top with it. The tank top I got from Goodwill for $1.50 and the henley from Walmart for $3. I also wore a pair of brown suede ballet flats by Rocket Dogs that I got for $12. (I am willing to pay a little more for shoes. ) Like usual, I wore my cross necklace, prayer box earings and my spoon ring. Right now, I am changed into something a little more comfortable. I have church tonight and the waether is really depressing: all rainy, wet, and cold. I have on the same blue jean skirt form yesturday, the grey tank top from this morning, and a hoodie I got from Lifeway last weekend on clearance for $7. I still have on the same jewelry, but I am wearing my bright red Converse sneakers tonight. I just did my hair in a flip bun all day since it wasn't coorperating with me.

WIFD Day 2 or 3: you decide

Okay, this has to be one of my favorite outfits to wear so far this spring. I just feel soooo pretty today and I have had an AMAZING day so far. Anywho, I have on the jean skirt I got from Goodwill from last time. I cut the tag off, so I don't know the brand. The top is Forever 21 that I got at Goodwill two years ago. It is a creamy peach color with coral and green calico on it. It is cup sleeved with a turtle neck collar. The belt came with my sister's jeans (she didn't like it and gave it to me). It is leather with a rose pattern engraved in it. I really like big buckle belts. They're so fun! I have on my cross necklace and prayer box earings from last time too.By the way, the reason most of my pics are in this hallway, is because I do my camera on self timer and a certain shelf in the hallway is just the right size to get a good pic. This way, my mom and sister aren't obligated to take a pic for me everyday. Sorry if I rambled on. I am going out today and wanted to look cute, so here is!

What is your view on feminimity?

Since I promised some more of the challenging stuff, here is a post I out on another website a while back on what I beleive in accordance to Biblical feminimity. There was a whole argument about staying at home or being a working mom, and so I just gave my argument for maybe a little of both.

Ooookay……wow. To tell you the truth, I was just the same feministic-independent-don’t let any boy stop me-kind of gal. I wanted to be an archectect(spelling?) and live on my own and go as far away for college as possible. All I can say is that God has truly changed my heart. Infact, there is no way I could have come to this belief on my own. It was a work of the Holy Spirit guiding me to God’s will for my life. If you think that this list exemplifies a life of drugery and having babies, hold it sister! Florence Nitingale may have left the role of a mother and subservient wife, but she became a servant to God which is an even higher calling. And she’s not the only one. So did Mother Theresa and others. Don’t think I am narrow minded. I plan on going to college and getting a Phd. I alsoplan on getting married and having a very large family. And if it’s God’s plan, homeschooling them. I plan on being a well educated, smart, loyal wife who loves her husband and realizes her biblical position in the relationship. In the mean time, I will serve my father and my Lord to the best of my abilities, spending my time in waiting with God use to further the Kingdom of God. No where in the Bible does it say, “Don’t educate your wife, for she is merely a dumb beast.” NO! In fact the Virtuous Wife in Proverbs 31 was said to “speak wise words” and she is “respected by the people”. No does it say that being a tomboy is wrong: “She does her work with energy and her arms are strong” in verse 17 and again “She is strong” verse 25. There is nothing wrong with being athletic and strong. What is wrong is when we strive to be like men and want masculinity more than a strong femininity. Deborah was a warrior and a judge! But she was also a wife and maybe even a mother. God called women to be warriors of a different kind. A warrior of words and of love. After all, the strongest weapon you have is the word of God, and His love. God has called us as women to be an example of his love. Mothers can love like nobody’s buisness. It is said that a mother’s love has no bounds. Is this not true also of God?Therefore, my sisters in Christ, I urge you to not fall to the demeaning standard of feminimity that exist today. All they want is to be the same as men. Why should we be? God made us as women. Why change his perfect creation that He has made in the likness of himself? Ask yourself this question, “Why am I striving to be equall or like a man/boy? And in reality is this reason helping you in the two greatest comissions as Christians?: Drawing closer to God, and showing the world His love. In truth, nothing else matters. Not you outlook on life, femininity, marriage, children, education, anything. Be strong in who God created you as: A woman. And to be honest, would you really rather be a man? :) Here are some resources you might find interesting:
1. Set-Apart Femininity by Leslie Ludy
2. When God Writes Your Love Story by Leslie and Eric Ludy
3. Authentic Beauty by Leslie Ludy
4. Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge
5. Generation Esther by Lisa Ryan
I hope I haven’t offended anyone or stepped on any toes. May God bless you and keep you.

There you go! Hope you found something in it.

WIFD Day 1 (again)

Man, I feel so bad! I forgot all about WIFD yesturday. Farkletush. Today I'm just around the house, so I wore the white "twirly" skirt from last time that I got from Goodwill. It's Old Navy and one of my favorites. The top is a hand-me-down from the daughter of a lady my mom knows and it from Wet Seal. It is army green and navyy striped. I have some earing one that are little cirles dangling off a chain. I straightened my hair yesturday and decided to leave it down and do nothing with it today because it still looked nice. I am so excited to do this again and I have a surprise this weekend for all of you. Anyone care to guess? :) Good luck.

To do...

Enjoy the new Spring layout and song. Several things are going to be happening over the next few weeks so look for updates.

Most importantly, next weekend is the Spring Encampment at Mansker's Station and I hope to be able to get pictures. I will be redoing my polonaise (the orange one) instead of making a whole new one (time constraints). Look for pictures.

Next, Spring break is just around the corner and I have nothing to do. Please, send suggestions. :) Also, with Spring Break comes Easter!!!! I'll have info with that.

I hope to post more about the Prayer Day, maybe even a video if I can find time to let it load on here.

Next week I am doing another WIFD. So look for some more cute outfits from a bargain shopper. This time, It is not required to wear dresses and skirts, just feminine modest outfits. Meaning, I may wear some shorts and pants, but they will be modest and feminine. Which is what really counts afterall.

Since Spring Encampment falls on the same weekend of WIFD, some of my outfits will be in petticoats and short gowns and polonaise. Get over it. It's modest and would have been very nice clothing for 1783! :)

Anyways, enjoy the new layout and song and look forward to what is to come!

Happy Patty's Day!!!!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!!! Remember to wear green; don't want to get pinched do you? :) I love this day. It's full of laughter and fun. Besides, green is one of my favorite colors. There's something so lush and vibrate about green. Something so full of life. Well, anyways, have a great day and enjoy the new background and music. It's only here for today.

Don't live for God

Okay, so the title sounds a little like treason, especially for a Christian.
What?!? Not live for Christ?!?! Are you crazy????
Yes. And, ....... no.

Think about it. Does God really need us to live for Him?
"Please, I beg of you... live for me!!! I don't know how I'm going to survive with out your support!!"
Yeah, right. That's not the All Powerful, All Knowing God that we know him to be. He's perfectly fine without us.
But God gave His son.
And He wants us to know what an amazing gift that is for us.
It changes our lives.
It frees us.

So, .... what if we lived our lives....because of God.

Not for Him.

Live our lives because of what He did.

Isn't that freeing? To know that no matter what we did, can do, or will do, we can live our lives because of Him?

So often we get caught up in the pretense that we are doing some big favor for God by,
"Living our lives for God" or "Leading people to Him" or even worse "Winning souls".

Notice how when we say those things, we focus on what we are doing. Not what God is using us to do. God doesn't need our help. But He chooses to use us, so that we may be blessed and completely overwhelmed by Him filling us as vessels to carry the Living water to the thirsty.

When someone gives you a drink, do you thank the cup, or the person giving it to you?
Do you see what I'm getting at?

God should be getting the glory for what happened that "day at VBS", but instead people sit around bragging about how many people they "led to Christ".

Mike Donehey of Tenth Avenue North puts it perfectly:

Could you imagine what that would look like?
A bunch of people that no longer live for God but because of God?
I mean, think about how terribly liberating that is!
You don’t have to earn a thing.
You don’t have to perform for anyone.
You don’t even have to go and win souls for God.
You just need to know that you’re already accepted, and live like you actually believe it.
Think about it.
A people that praise Him because of who He is.
Doing things because of what He has done.
A church that loves, and forgives, because He first loved them.
Oh how beautiful that would be.

Casting Crowns says it perfectly when speaking of living a life with God in
the driver's seat:

People aren't confused by the Gospel

They are confused by us

Jesus is the only way to God

But we are not the only way to Jesus

This world doesn't need my tie, my hoodie,

My denomination or my translation of the Bible

They just need Jesus

We can be passionate about what we believe

But we can't strap ourselves to the Gospel

Because we are slowing it down

Jesus is going to save the world

But maybe the best thing we can do

Is just get out of the way

Did you hear that? God can save the world, whenever, however, and in whatever manner He chooses. But we must be there waiting to do His will. Not playing around with the tools, so that He has to fix the tools first, before He can fix the world.

Be a vessel.

Thank the giver, not the cup.

Live a life because of God.

Check this out

Check this out right now! I'm not some big fan girl of Tenth Avenue North, but their lead singer has a blog that is inspiring and really challanging. This will really turn your head and how you think about living for Christ.

http://tenthavenuenorth.com/blog/2009/02/28/dont-live-for-god-chapter-6-continued/

.......

Hey guys,
Sorry about the lack of posts. Things have been really crazy this past week and a half. I have to run the house (dishes, laundry, cooking), try to get my school work done, take care of Janessa (who has become sick), and try and keep Daddy happy. It's been nuts. I hope to be able to post more about the prayer day after all of this (next week hopefully), and would like to be able to post more about my sewing projects and upcoming re-enactments. Thank you for all your prayers and support over the last few days. The food especially has been appreciated. You all are such a blessing to me and my family. Thank God for you all.
Until a moment when I have more time,
Janae

Update 2

Okay, sorry I haven't posted any info for a while, but I am now. Here we go.

My grandfather came out of his first surgery fine. The found out the the artery(90% one) was actually 95% blocked. He was in ICU, and his blood pressure was jumpng around, but theysaid that is normal for this type of surgery. However, yesturday we found out that he had a dormant MERSA (really bad staff infection) in his nose. The surgery kinda "awakened" it. Luckily, they were able to keep it confined to his nose, and he went home last night. If everything goes okay, they will do the next surgery either tomorrow or Tuesday. Hopefully Momma will come home on Saturday. Thank you all so much for your prayers, food, and transportation of Janessa and I. We really appreciate you letting us invade your homes and cars! :) You all are such a blessing to us.

Update on grandfather

Well, new info has come. My mom is flew down to Florida this morning at six, and will be staying there until next Saturday or later depending on how things go. Here is a medical view on what has happened:
Two arties in his neck are clogged with a build up of some sort. When this build up starts to chip off, and get into his bloodstream, it can cause massive strokes and death. Well, some of it chipped off, but it was a minor stroke. One arterie, though, is 90% blocked. You can imagine the potential of this. The other one is 70% blocked. Each arterie goes to a different side of the brain. The doctors need to open up his arterie and clean out the build up. They can only do one arterie at a time, because if you cut off both arteries, you basically become brain dead. The doctors hope to clean out the first arterie (90% one) on Thursday and the other one (70%) next Tuesday. Hopefully, no more build up will chip off before or during surgery. This is the important worry.
Please send your prayers.

Need Urgent Prayer

I have just found out my Grandad just had a stroke. He is in the hospital in Florida and is not looking good. He will need sugery. My mom is planning to fly out down there at six tomorrow morning. The doctors have to open up his main artery in his neck. This morning he was nauseous (sp.?) and threw up. He is also on blood thinners to reduce the chance of clots. Momma doesn't know how long she will be down there. He is turning eighty this May and has normally lived a very healthy life. He has diabeties, but manages it w/out insuline. Please pray for him and my family as we cope w/out mom. Janessa and I will have to take on new responsiblities in addition to trying to fufill a heavy school load. Please pray that God will guide the surgeons' hands and the doctors as they care for him. Out of my nine grandparents, he is one of two left. Others have died of strokes, and I hope he won't be added to that list. He has remarried about eight/nine years ago and his sweet wife is taking this very hard (both of their previous spouses have already died.). We will need the Father's everlasting peace during this hectic and chaotic time.

Prayer Day Part 1

Okay, You are going to have to bear with me. Because of the amount of photos, I will be dividing this up into parts, so stay tuned for sequels.

Two Saturdays ago, Allison and I spent a day in prayer and reflection. We sought after God's will for our lives, prayed for our parents, friends, country, president, future husbands, schools, siblings, each other, a camp I am thinking about going on, other countries around the world with Christians under persecution, and that our blogs would be effective tools of the Lord's to reach His people. In so saying, we payed for everything.

We started out praying silently standing up, holding each other's hands. During this time, I prayed for Allison. As for Allison, well, you'll have to ask her. :) Then, taking turns we prayed out loud about the aforementioned stuff. So many times when Allison was taking her turn, I would become impatient; I wanted it to be my turn again. This may sound funny, but anyone who knows me personally can testify that I don't exactly like praying outloud. But as we began praying, I had this wondrous feeling that I can't describe, but all I wanted to do was pray more and more and more! The words just started flowing from my lips as I told my Creator about the trials and diffulculties in my life. I stopped "praying" and, for the first time in my life, started having a real and meaningful conversation with my Abba.

Before we set out, Allison's mom snapped this picture of us. We were loaded down with balnkets and cocoa. It's was supposed to rain and ws very windy, but more on that in the next installment. Me making a list of things to pray for, so I don't forget.

This is where we were at. It is on a hill at Allison's house way out in the country. We chose this spot because you couldn't really see any houses or other distractions from there.