Happy New Year!!

It is 9:21 PM on December 31st, 2012 as I begin to write this.

I've spent virtually this entire day contemplating life as we have come to know it these days, and frankly, it has given me one hell of a headache, because all I have been able to dwell on are the negatives: the government in a state of disarray, joblessness...the list could go on and on.

As I was trying to gather my thoughts to put on paper, so to speak, I struggled with which direction to go with this post.  Most would consider me a "clinger"...I'm clinging to my Bible and my guns.  I won't deny it, I am.  I considered going a political route, after reading a story about a young Austrian girl named Kitty Werthmann.  You can read her story HERE.  But, I won't.

You see, Ms. Werthmann's story hit me hard.  The subtle, between the lines part.  The little part of the story that could have been summed up by simply stating that so, so many had turned from their faith.  Faith was no longer popular.

Ms. Werthmann's mother sent her to a convent, where she was shielded from the humanistic ideals that were permeating the world around her.  She didn't want her daughter to lose sight of God; to become wrapped up in the idea that government held the answer.  She didn't want her daughter to be blinded by the ideal that "free" was equivalent to "freedom", or that choosing to stay at home and care for her children and her husband put her on a wrung lower than women who were working.  She wanted her daughter to know the joy of having a family, not just of having a baby.  And how dare her mother send her somewhere that wasn't "fun", where indoctrination and politics wasn't the curriculum! (Please, sense the sarcasm here!)

After I finished reading the story, I looked over at my dear Barb Wire Man, who was glued to his computer.  Indeed, he is an incredibly wise man.  He knows many things about many things, and is the first person I go to with a question about anything.  

I looked over at my two beautiful, wonderful children.  Little Man was glued to the Rocking New Year's Eve bands playing, dancing and playing in his wonderful, innocent 3 year old way.  Flower was annoyed at his mere existence, and wanted to know why I wasn't allowing her to stay up until midnight, when "all her friends got to".

Have we been slowly sucked into believe things contrary to the Word of God?  Yep.  Heck, we are even giving in, slowly, to believing the Word of God is nothing but fairy tales.

Have we been slowly sucked into believing the women who stay at home with their children are rich, lazy women who can't get a job? Yep, many times.  At the very least, we hear "Oh, your husband won't let you work?  You are so oppressed!"

Have we slowly been led to believe that country comes before all things, including God? Indeed.  Need something?   Don't ask God, ask Big Brother!

God is in control, whatever the future may hold, but we have to do our best to prevent anything that is contrary to our beliefs.  Isn't that what we all want, whether you believe the same as me or not?

So, as I sit here watching my husband and children, writing this post, I consider my New Year's Resolutions.

I will train up my children in the way they should go, so that when they are old, they will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

I will teach my daughter to be noble, to love her future husband, to work hard at whatever she does, to open her arms to the poor, to have no fear for her family, to laugh at the days to come and to be clothed in strength and dignity.  I will teach her to speak with wisdom, watch over the affairs of her family, and that a women who fears the Lord is to be praised (Proverbs 31).  I will pray for her every day that she will be a true, Biblical woman of God, and will be blessed with a true, Godly man who loves God more than her, or their future children.

I will teach my son to be slow to anger (James 1:19), and to teach his children about the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).  I will teach him to love his wife, just as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25), and to treat her tenderly (1 Peter 1:37).  I will teach him to keep his way pure, by living according to God's word, by seeking  God with all his heart, and hiding God's word in his heart. (Proverbs 119-11).  I will pray for him daily, that he will be a Godly man, who loves his children, adores his wife, but places nothing above God.

I will focus more on my marriage and my husband, that my husband will continue to love me more than himself, but God more than me,and that I will continue to be submissive and loving towards him (Eph. 5:25-33).  I will pray that our marriage will be held in honor (Hebrews 13:4), and that our home will be filled with love (1 Corin. 13).  I will pray over myself all the things I pray for my daughter, and I will pray over my husband all the things I pray for my son.

I will continue to store up food, and other things, though I will not store these things up in my heart (Matthew 6:19-20).  I will continue to place my faith in God, that He will provide (1 Timothy 6:17, Phillipians 4:19), regardless.

In short, I will continue to guide my family towards God, but with stronger zeal.  I won't send my daughter to a convent (yet, unless she continues to grow up and get prettier!), but I will be damned if they grow up not knowing the Lord because I don't teach them.  They may not like all the new ideas I have, but I don't care.  This is my job, right?  And I will do it to the best of my ability!

Happy New Year, everyone!  May your new year be blessed!