I just poked my head in to check on Sebastian.

The stubborn little boy has GONE TO SLEEP!!!  LOL!  He’d rather take a nap than clean his room.  Hmmm.. I wonder where he gets that from??

Think I can convince Xander to take a nap with me??

From my home to yours,
Andrea

So,  yesterday, I spent the day avoiding Sebastian so that I wouldn’t lose control in my anger.  I put him to work cleaning the paint from the chairs.  I put them in the bathroom tub and gave him a sponge and a large bowl of water and told  him to come get me when he needed new water. 

Now the bathtub is speckled with paint… but at least it’s washable.

The chairs are clean… mostly.

I still have to clean the table, but I think I’ll wait until the kids are in bed or even until Friday when they go to Grandmama’s.  As soon as I add water, it’s going to get messy and the table is too big to put in the tub.  I’d rather not have to deal with little hands while I work on that.

The carpet… *sigh*  I bought some stuff at Target yesterday which is supposed to work miracles.  It’s called Folex.  I’d never heard of it before someone on my usual message board recommended it.  I’ll be using it with much prayer!  I’ve also heard that 409 removes stains from carpet… but I’ve never tried that.

The wall… I washed most of the paint off immediately, but there is still a residual stain.  I tried a little dishwashing soap and water, but it didn’t touch it.  Hoping 409 will get that… if not, I do have magic erasers as a last resort.

I’m not too worried about it.  As my mom said to me, we’ve lived in this apartment for over 4 years.  By the time we move the management will have to re-paint and re-carpet ANYWAY!  No point in stressing over something that I can’t change and is going to be of little to no consequence in the end.

Since Sebastian really can’t help any further with the paint clean-up, I assigned him to clean his room instead.  He’s not allowed to come out and join the rest of us until his room is clean.  It’s now 2:30pm.  He’s still in there. *sigh*  I think we’re at a stand-off.  I’ve been giving him his meals in there and checking frequently… but I’m resisting the urge to go in and start telling him exactly what to do.  That will just make me angry and give him the attention that he’s wanting. 

Thanks for all who have prayed.  Please continue to pray.  For my headaches and stress.  For Sebastian’s behavior and stress.  I don’t like being a mean mommy, which is what happens when I get stressed and can’t take a break.  Of course, I can’t take a break because I can’t leave the boys alone FOR A MINUTE!!  I don’t want to be a mean mommy.  So, please ask the Lord to give me the strength and peace I need to get through each day without breaking down.

From my home to yours,
Andrea

Today.

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I would never have gone to lay down for an hour (leaving the boys to watch cartoons and play with their toys in the living room) because of the terrible [migraine?] headache I had this afternoon.

 
“The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.”
Proverbs 29:15

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As of 5pm yesterday, Lizzy was still in need of approximately $2000 to cover the expenses for her trip to Thailand for medical treatment.  Please, pray!  And, if you can, visit the High Tower Ministries website, click on the link titled “contributions” and give!  Together we can bless this baby girl and get her to the doctors who can help her get well!

Religion that God our
Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and
widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the
world.  James 1:27 (NIV)

I read about this baby girl on the homeschool message board that I frequent.  The missionary family that is caring for her uses the same curriculum that we use. 

Lizzy is a 9 month old baby girl from Cambodia who is very sick.  She is living in BYKOTA house, a home for orphans run by High Tower Ministries.  She needs to travel to Thailand for further testing and treatment.  You can read her story on their blog here.

Do you have a few dollars  or more that you can spare to help this little girl?   If so, would you prayerfully consider visiting the High Tower Ministries website and clicking on the link that says “Contributions.”  Any amount you could give would get her closer to the medical attention she needs!  And if you can’t contribute at this time, would you please keep her in your prayers?  Let’s bless this little girl and get her there together!

From my home to yours,
Andrea

Yes, I believe they can, but I don’t always believe they should.  I’ve had many “just friends” relationships with men in my life.  However, there was nothing except mutual disinterest to keep us from becoming more than friends.  That, I believe, is where the issues of appropriateness come in.

I think two single people can be friends and it be appropriate.  I think two couples can be friends and it be appropriate.  But I think that a man and a woman should not be close friends if either of them is married, because there is always the possibility of one or the other becoming interested in more than friendship.  That’s not to say that married men and women cannot have a conversation or be kind to one another, just that they shouldn’t create a bond of friendship that is exclusive from the marital relationship.

For example, I would welcome any of my husband’s male friends into my home, but not without him present.  I would welcome another couple into my home, but not the husband without the wife.  I would not spend time alone with a man who was not my husband, partly because I would want to avoid the appearance of impropriety, but also because I believe that I should reserve that kind of companionship for my husband.

So, anyway, these are just my feelings.  I don’t judge anyone who disagrees with me.  This is the standard that my husband and I have set in our marriage and it works for us.
  

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On the surface I agree, since the question is about perspective.  I’m sure there are many terrorists who consider themselves to be freedom fighters even while I and others perceive them to be terrorists.

However, let us look for a moment at the definitions of these terms:

One that engages in acts or an act of terrorism.

The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or
an organized group against people or property with the intention of
intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for
ideological or political reasons.

One engaged in armed rebellion or resistance against an oppressive government.

So, we can see that a freedom fighter is someone who uses force or aggression to rebel or resist a government.  Therefore the term could only apply to those who were using violence against a government.   A terrorist, on the other hand, seeks to intimidate a government through use of force or aggression against people (private citizens) and property (private property).   Once the line is crossed from attacking the government to attacking the citizens and private property, freedom fighting has become terrorism.
   

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Bono.

His work to fight AIDS and extreme global poverty is inspirational.  He is a true humanitarian and it would be an honor to work alongside him. 

(RED)
The ONE Campaign

Additional Thought:  I think it’s tragic that the poll on the dosomething.org website shows that more people are concerned about Animal Welfare than Global Extreme Poverty, AIDS/HIV, or Hunger & Homelessness.   We live in a sick, sad world of twisted priorities.
   

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