Are God's Standards too High?

I have lived in a Christian home my whole life, I've gone to church, and been homeschooled in a very Christian environment. I am not one to talk about the hot topic issues of the day, because I feel like in a couple of days the media will die down, and I will just be writing for a few shares and some likes. However, I was on Facebook last night, when I came across a beautiful picture done by Three Nails Photography of Sadie Robertson. I decided to click on his business page to see some of his other work, and found a picture of him wearing a cross and a rainbow button in support of the court's ruling the other day. Under the picture he shared a blog post of his coming out; you can find it here: http://hunterleone.com/out/ . It's such food for thought.
He was raised in a Christian home.
He went to church.
He went to a Christian school. 
I was so sad because he literally feels like that he is going hell, and he's just reconciled himself to that. He can't be happy in a heterosexual lifestyle, so he just decided to give up and follow his feelings. He never can meet God's standards, so he just gave up. 
Does this mean that because he feels this way God is going to let him go to hell, even though he's tried everything to make himself better? Does this mean that we should forget the Bible, because it's obviously wrong about Homosexuality being a choice out of lust? 
Here is what I got out of it. 
God's standards are too high for anyone. Sorry, but it's true. 

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard (Romans 3:23)

Although we like to put degrees on sins (and I do believe that some sins have greater punishment, or consequences) on the very base level, we have all messed up. We all have that one (or maybe more) sin that Satan knows how to tempt us with. Perhaps you have a predisposed temptation to alcoholism, or lying, gossiping, adultery, you name it. You can do everything in your power to change that lifestyle. You can go to meetings, hate yourself for it, whatever means you use to stop the urge. The urge never goes away though, and you finally give up. God's standard is too high, so you just throw up your hands and figure that either God is going to have to deal with it, or you're going to hell, right?
Here is the good and bad news. First, you can't do it. I'm sorry but you can't.

 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.(Romans 6:23)

But there's this! The free gift. The unmerited gift that God gives despite your predisposed nature to sin.

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.(Romans 10:9)

And there's the gift. Go look up John 3:16. Actually go read the book of John. It's basically God's love story to you despite everything you are and you've done. Don't believe that God can do it? Read Acts, and the story of Paul. He was raised believing in God, went to seminary, and knew the Bible backwards and forwards, but still got it wrong. He killed people! But God saved him, and he can save you!


I think that the guy in the blog post is attracted to guys. I think that some people are born with those urges. I think as soon as I could talk I was lying my head off. I still have the temptation to lie. God is the only one who helped me stop, and this guy needs the saving love of Christ. Not rules that he can't break, but salvation from his lifestyle. He may still be tempted, but being tempted, and acting upon the temptations are very different.
Have you received the free gift of Salvation?

How I Lost the Baby Weight

I gained 45 pounds with my son. 45 pounds! I was very much a whale, and was incredibly worried that I wouldn't be able to lose it once the baby got here. However, with workout videos my cousin suggested, and time (about 5-6 months before I lost everything) I lost it! I might would have lost it faster, had I started eating healthy right off the bat, but it was very overwhelming taking care of a newborn, so fast food was the easiest option more times than not.
Here are a few things that helped me feel better in my own skin, and helped me lose the weight. Hope they help you!

1. Right after I had the baby: 

I used a Belly Bandit. If you are uncomfortable with the price, there are cheaper alternatives. I was able to wear this the day after I had my son, and it made me feel better about myself. People remarked at how small I looked (Especially with how big I had gotten), considering I had just had a baby.

2. After 6 weeks:

This can be for anyone! I waited the full 6 weeks before I did any major workouts. I was still quite sore from childbirth, but I eased on into them. There was progress right away! Blogilates was suggested by my cousin, and the workouts really accommodate the beginner to the expert. I downloaded an app on my phone that charges me 99cents per month for a workout calendar. You can also get it from her website http://www.blogilates.com/ or go at your own pace at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIJwWYOfsCfz6PjxbONYXSg. If you have never done Pilates before, I suggest you start with her beginner calendar, and work your way to the harder stuff. The thing I like most is that the videos are anywhere from 5-15 minutes, which means you can do it until your baby's attention span is done! 

After about 3 months, I started eating much healthier, and that helped me lose the remaining pounds. I am now 5 pounds lighter than my pre-pregnancy weight! What are some of your weightloss tips?

Note: Since writing this, Blogilates has come out in support of the US's ruling of same-sex marriage. I do love her workouts, but I do not support her stance. 

How I Can Afford to be a Stay-at-Home Mom

Note: This post is to help those who want to stay at home with their baby, feel comfortable with their decision, and even perhaps help with some money saving/making tips. If you are a working mom, and have no desire to stay at home, or you are a single mom, or whatever the case may be, this is in no way putting you down. All moms who love their kids and provide for them are super moms, in my opinion. However, if you are working, and you would just love to stay at home with your little one, but don't know how to afford it, maybe this post is for you!

I knew I wanted to stay at home with my baby before I even had him. I actually was a stay-at-home wife all the years that I have been married. You could say that my husband and I are already used to one income, so that made an easier transition, however, I think baby costs are always a little bit of a shock. For one thing, I had planned a birth center birth, and had paid in full every cost, but I had to be transported by ambulance (cha-ching) from the birth center and taken to the hospital (more cha-ching) where I still birthed naturally, a healthy little boy and we stayed for two nights (can I say it? more cha-ching!). This made a lot of unforeseen expenses that I'm hoping helps me write this in such a way, as to help you make a decision on whether you can afford to stay at home with your little one.

If you are anything like me, as soon as you see that little bundle of cuteness, and fall so deeply in love with your squishy, squirmy, poopy, screaming, baby and you don't want to miss a moment of their lives. It may make you step back and (if you were thinking of going back to work) wonder, 'is there any way I can stay at home with my baby?'
Yes! I think that you can! Here are some things to think about:

1) Daycare

Not only are there questions on who you can trust with your little one, but it's also a very expensive decision. Because I've never looked in to daycare, I had to do a little research to find some numbers on how much it costs. If these numbers are wrong, please comment, and give me better numbers, so I can make this post more accurate. According to the *Boston Globe, the average charge per month for my state, is $700. This means that if you make $2,500 a month, you have only $1,800 left to spend on other things. 

2) Meals and other expenses

My family still eats out a couple of times per week. Now, that could be eliminated if we needed to cut back on expenses. If you eat out at work, and get take out a few times a week, this can be a couple of hundred dollars a month! If you are at home, you can fix meals for your family, and pack lunch for your husband. Pinterest is full of cheap meal ideas, and quick ones too! Other work related expenses include the gas it takes for your commute, business attire, and gifts for coworkers. These little things really do add up. My husband is a teacher, and we see a definite increase in funds when he is at home. Even if we only put this at $100 a month, you are now up to $1,000 spent in daycare, gas, meals, and clothes.

3) Cutting Back

I think that staying at home, might include some sacrifice on your families part. It may mean a smaller house, only one car, making smarter food choices, etc. It may mean cheaper diapers, second hand clothes, and a not quite so elaborate first birthday. For me, it's not a sacrifice, when I think that I get to be home and catch all the 'firsts' with my son. There are hard days as a stay at home mom, because you are a housekeeper, cook, and daycare worker all in one, but to me they are all worth it!

What about ways to make money?

1) What can you do?

I am a church pianist, and I love working with kids, so it was a no brainer to teach piano. Others can crochet, quilt, play guitar, etc. As a piano teacher I make about $400 a month. I could make more and add students, but having a baby does make days quite busy. Add that to the $1,000 I'm saving, and I am getting close to what I would actually be making (especially since I do not have a degree, and possibly wouldn't be making quite the $2,500). Perhaps you can find your niche that allows you to make some money and stay at home with your little girl or guy. Because my husband and I aren't in debt, we take the money that I make, and make that our savings. That way every cent (except for our tithe, of course) that he makes, goes into providing for the family. 

2) What if I can't really 'do' anything?

Some people get into selling make up, watch others' babies, etc. My mom has cleaned churches and offices to make enough to stay at home. The website http://moneysavingmom.com/  has great information on ways you can make and save money while staying at home...maybe you could even start a blog!

Last, but definitely not least, if you feel that God has called you to stay at home, HE will provide! Don't worry or fret. Plan? Yes! Set a budget? Yes! But let God show you just how He can provide for your needs, and you will be amazed!
I hope this has helped you. Do you have ways of saving, or making money as a stay-at-home mom? I would love to hear about it!

Starting a New Series

It's summer time, and my little baby isn't quite so little any more. Since he is starting to allow me some time to myself (and my husband is a teacher, which makes it where I have someone to watch the baby for a few minutes) I thought I would try to blog over the summer about once a week. Emphasis on try! I know that to have a successful blog, you need to be consistent, but babies can take up a lot of time! Especially one who is now fairly mobile, and goes straight for the computer any time I open it. 

This month, I would like to deviate from my usual spiritual gleanings, and do a bit of mommy tips. It will be a series on things I've learned about as a first time mom: What you really need for a baby, how to keep your house cleaned with a baby (haha, not quite sure if I'm qualified for this one, but I'm going to take a stab at it),  How to lose the baby weight, How I stay at home, and maybe one on random tips. Remember that I'm a first time mom and learning as I go, but I would like to help others who may be struggling with something I struggled with, so perhaps you won't have as difficult of a time. If you have your own tips or questions, feel free to comment!