I love the cute fuzzy bunny. And the 3rd picture of the waterfall. OK ... and several other of the flowers. Too hard to pick my very favorite.
Friday, October 30, 2015
The eye of Tabby - photography for the week of October 25
When I looked at Tabby's photos from the state fair, I felt very humbled. Ummm ... my photos aren't anything like this. (See my post and uncreative photos here.)
I love the cute fuzzy bunny. And the 3rd picture of the waterfall. OK ... and several other of the flowers. Too hard to pick my very favorite.
I love the cute fuzzy bunny. And the 3rd picture of the waterfall. OK ... and several other of the flowers. Too hard to pick my very favorite.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Lilly's story in an Italian anti-abortion article
This past summer, I received an e-mail from a physician in Italy requesting permission to briefly tell Lilly's story in a study she was writing against abortion. This particular doctor suffers from Lynch syndrome, a genetic disorder. She said that there were people who felt that babies with that prenatal diagnosis were candidates for therapeutic abortion. (Which is crazy as this Christian woman is obviously very intelligent and has contributed much to her society as besides being a physician, she has worked as justice of the peace, and has a degree in law and has had forensic training.)
As we know in the U.S., at least 90% of babies prenatally diagnosed with Down Syndrome are aborted. I don't know offhand the numbers for babies with Trisomy 18 or 13, but I am confident they are high too.
The doctor wrote to me "Men, in their delirium of omnipotence, want to decide which lives are worth living and which are not."
She wanted to share Lilly's story in her article because she believed Lilly was "a very strong argument and a remarkable witness against therapeutic abortion." I was so touched when I read "The sweetest and beautiful face of Lilly speaks to the whole world of God's goodness."
I gave her permission to share Lilly's story and some photos of Lilly. Amazing! Lilly continuing to do the Lord's work!
Last week, the doctor e-mailed me the links her resulting two articles. I can't read much in the articles, as they are in Italian and I haven't had time to run them through my translator program. BUT ... it really is true - a picture is worth a thousand words.
In her e-mail, the doctor warned "I am convinced that the only vision of the images will make you realize that abortion is the most colossal, unfair, cruel, heinous genocide ever perpetrated by man on earth."
As I viewed the heartbreaking photos in the two articles, I completely agreed with her. If pictures of these tiny dead babies were commonly seen in public, I do not believe our abortion rates would be so high. Anyone that looks at these will see that babies, at the time of being "eligible" for abortion, are not a blob of cells, but formed little human beings.
These articles also show copies from what must be training manuals for those learning to perform abortions. Those are also very powerful images.
Lilly is in this article:
After scrolling through the pages, and seeing utter wretchedness, it is was an almost shocking surprise to find Lilly's face smiling back at me (pgs. 28-29).
The other article, does not have Lilly in it, and appears to be a shortened version of the first:
I hope you will take the time to look at these articles, and to share them with others. Perfectly formed babies piled in a trashcan - this happens every day. And will continue until people become truly aware of the horrors of abortion and it's haunting aftermath.
"I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made ...." Psalm 139:14
As we know in the U.S., at least 90% of babies prenatally diagnosed with Down Syndrome are aborted. I don't know offhand the numbers for babies with Trisomy 18 or 13, but I am confident they are high too.
 |
| Lilly - 13 months |
She wanted to share Lilly's story in her article because she believed Lilly was "a very strong argument and a remarkable witness against therapeutic abortion." I was so touched when I read "The sweetest and beautiful face of Lilly speaks to the whole world of God's goodness."
 |
| Lilly celebrating her 1st birthday - a huge milestone for a baby with Trisomy 18 |
I gave her permission to share Lilly's story and some photos of Lilly. Amazing! Lilly continuing to do the Lord's work!
Last week, the doctor e-mailed me the links her resulting two articles. I can't read much in the articles, as they are in Italian and I haven't had time to run them through my translator program. BUT ... it really is true - a picture is worth a thousand words.
In her e-mail, the doctor warned "I am convinced that the only vision of the images will make you realize that abortion is the most colossal, unfair, cruel, heinous genocide ever perpetrated by man on earth."
As I viewed the heartbreaking photos in the two articles, I completely agreed with her. If pictures of these tiny dead babies were commonly seen in public, I do not believe our abortion rates would be so high. Anyone that looks at these will see that babies, at the time of being "eligible" for abortion, are not a blob of cells, but formed little human beings.
These articles also show copies from what must be training manuals for those learning to perform abortions. Those are also very powerful images.
 |
| Lilly - 16 months old |
"If this is not a human being,
what is it? The modern holocaust."
After scrolling through the pages, and seeing utter wretchedness, it is was an almost shocking surprise to find Lilly's face smiling back at me (pgs. 28-29).
The other article, does not have Lilly in it, and appears to be a shortened version of the first:
"If this is not a human being,
what is it? The silent scream."
I hope you will take the time to look at these articles, and to share them with others. Perfectly formed babies piled in a trashcan - this happens every day. And will continue until people become truly aware of the horrors of abortion and it's haunting aftermath.
"I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made ...." Psalm 139:14
Monday, October 26, 2015
A fair time at the State Fair
We decided to take the money we earned by selling things at Fall Days Farm Ways and use it to go to the state fair, held annually in Raleigh, N.C. This was the first time we went as a family and it was interesting, exhausting, and fun. And expensive! (We took in our own water and snacks to help keep costs down.)
We bought enough ride tickets for each child to ride two rides. Tabby went first. Roller coaster then the swings:
The boys drove a sparkly (!) tractor then some heavy equipment:
Tabby spotted the tardis:
Solomon a John Deere tractor:
And Hunter a big fan:
I liked looking at the animals (goats, sheep, cows, horses, rabbits). And I thought this pumpkin was really neat:
When we first went into the antique farm equipment building, we saw a covered wagon. Solomon pointed it out and said "Laura and Mary ride in that!" It was a prideful moment for this homeschoolin' mama. He has really been listening to Little House on the Prairie when I read it to Hunter. Solomon was also happy to see antique tractors:
Then we went down to the flower area and oh boy ... the boys couldn't move once they saw the trains!
They spent so much time there, and Hunter talked enough to the owner, that the man was a finally bout ready to offer our "knowledgeable fellow" a job. Frank stayed with the boys so I could take Tabby around the flower displays. She loves to photograph flowers.
I'll post some of Tabby's photos from the fair soon. Here are a few I took:
I like quirky things like this "little red riding hood" scene:
And I've always liked a cherub type statute tucked into gardens:
After Tabby and I walked through the garden areas, I heard a familiar sound. One that is like music to Hunter's ears. What was it? Hit and miss motors! We followed the sound and saw that it was a place that used old John Deere motors to make ice cream!! Tabby bought some for herself and declared it "delicious." We finally had ammo to get the boys away from the trains.
By late afternoon, our legs were worn out. It was time to fight through the crowds and go home.
We bought enough ride tickets for each child to ride two rides. Tabby went first. Roller coaster then the swings:
The boys drove a sparkly (!) tractor then some heavy equipment:
Tabby spotted the tardis:
Solomon a John Deere tractor:
And Hunter a big fan:
I liked looking at the animals (goats, sheep, cows, horses, rabbits). And I thought this pumpkin was really neat:
When we first went into the antique farm equipment building, we saw a covered wagon. Solomon pointed it out and said "Laura and Mary ride in that!" It was a prideful moment for this homeschoolin' mama. He has really been listening to Little House on the Prairie when I read it to Hunter. Solomon was also happy to see antique tractors:
Then we went down to the flower area and oh boy ... the boys couldn't move once they saw the trains!
They spent so much time there, and Hunter talked enough to the owner, that the man was a finally bout ready to offer our "knowledgeable fellow" a job. Frank stayed with the boys so I could take Tabby around the flower displays. She loves to photograph flowers.
I'll post some of Tabby's photos from the fair soon. Here are a few I took:
I like quirky things like this "little red riding hood" scene:
And I've always liked a cherub type statute tucked into gardens:
After Tabby and I walked through the garden areas, I heard a familiar sound. One that is like music to Hunter's ears. What was it? Hit and miss motors! We followed the sound and saw that it was a place that used old John Deere motors to make ice cream!! Tabby bought some for herself and declared it "delicious." We finally had ammo to get the boys away from the trains.
By late afternoon, our legs were worn out. It was time to fight through the crowds and go home.
Thursday, October 22, 2015
The book list - August & September AND money saving books
Considering I only managed to finish a whopping two books for August and September, you'd think I would have gotten up the post by now. I've got an enormous stack of books on my nightstand but reading bits out of each one during the week does not leave me with the same feeling of accomplishment as reading through a whole book quickly. But I can't decide what to finish reading first so ....
Wish Me Luck by Rebekah Joy Anast - I read the first book in this series, Holy Cow, last year and really enjoyed it and learned a lot from it. (See my post here.) This book continues the story of a family's living off grid on an Indian reservation. I find it fascinating to read about how people do that. This book's story focuses on a mystery and scandal regarding GMO's (genetically modified organisms). I already didn't like GMO's in my food and what I learned in this book, totally reinforced that. Overall, though I liked the story in the first book much better. Both books have recipes in the back and additional information for topics discussed.
How to Have More than Enough: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Abundance by Dave Ramsey - I got this financial book in a great way - FREE! Frank brought it home from the "swap shop" at the dump we go to, LOL. (We don't have trash pickup where we live so we haul our trash to a dump a couple miles away. They have a little shelter there where people leave stuff looking for a new owner. A lot of it is junk (in my opinion) but the males in our family frequently find things they like. Recently Hunter got a drop light, Solomon a Santa Claus ornament, and Frank some shirts!) Anyway - back to the book. In this book, financial guru Dave Ramsey leads his readers through many chapters and worksheets teaching his methods for financial, business, and family stability. Lots of good information if you are looking for a guide like this.
I honestly didn't learn much from the Dave Ramsey book. But that is probably because I spent about a decade of my life immersed in financial books. I read Dave Ramsey's first book, More than Enough, shortly after it was published and really liked it. Very practical, useful information.
I am a huge fan of Mary Hunt and have read most of her books. I was a subscriber to her newsletter "Cheapskate Monthly" which later became "Debt Proof Living" for many years. She has written a lot of books including books about teaching children about money, debt proofing your holidays, etc. Her book Debt-Proof Living is probably the best for someone wanting to learn to be better with money. She has a marvelous system for saving up for things called "The Freedom Account." I highly recommend anything by Mary Hunt.
If you are looking for TONS of really practical ways to cut money, then get a copy of The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dycyczyn. The book is a compilation of the author's subscription newsletter that was published for about six years in the 1990s. I read the book shortly after publication and still have tips pop in my head at times. Some of the tips really irk me. Like reusing baggies. I hate washing baggies out and then drying them. I refused to do that for years. But now I am dutifully washing baggies and setting them out to dry. Sigh. Saving money in lots of little ways really does add up.
"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for God has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'” - Hebrews 13:5
 |
| Hunter was so engrossed in his book about "how things work" that he never even noticed I took his picture |
Wish Me Luck by Rebekah Joy Anast - I read the first book in this series, Holy Cow, last year and really enjoyed it and learned a lot from it. (See my post here.) This book continues the story of a family's living off grid on an Indian reservation. I find it fascinating to read about how people do that. This book's story focuses on a mystery and scandal regarding GMO's (genetically modified organisms). I already didn't like GMO's in my food and what I learned in this book, totally reinforced that. Overall, though I liked the story in the first book much better. Both books have recipes in the back and additional information for topics discussed.
 |
| engrossed ... |
 |
| properly surprised ... |
 |
| trying to hide ... |
 |
| this little guy loves books like the rest of us |
I am a huge fan of Mary Hunt and have read most of her books. I was a subscriber to her newsletter "Cheapskate Monthly" which later became "Debt Proof Living" for many years. She has written a lot of books including books about teaching children about money, debt proofing your holidays, etc. Her book Debt-Proof Living is probably the best for someone wanting to learn to be better with money. She has a marvelous system for saving up for things called "The Freedom Account." I highly recommend anything by Mary Hunt.
If you are looking for TONS of really practical ways to cut money, then get a copy of The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dycyczyn. The book is a compilation of the author's subscription newsletter that was published for about six years in the 1990s. I read the book shortly after publication and still have tips pop in my head at times. Some of the tips really irk me. Like reusing baggies. I hate washing baggies out and then drying them. I refused to do that for years. But now I am dutifully washing baggies and setting them out to dry. Sigh. Saving money in lots of little ways really does add up.
 |
| Who is that masked boy?! |