Wordless Wednesday - Photo Booth

Me and my sweetie in the photo booth!

God Bless!

Heather :-)

Dump Starbucks?

Don't mess with my coffee!

If you've listened to the news at all today, I'm sure that you've heard a discussion about Starbucks outspoken CEO Howard Schultz telling off a shareholder. (You may click this link to send him an e-mail expressing your desire for his company to remain neutral on the gay marriage issue.)  Essentially, he said that if folks are not in favor of gay marriage, they can sell their shares and invest their money elsewhere. This comment was reportedly greeted with cheers. While I completely disagree with his opinion, I support his right to voice his beliefs.

I wonder if a CEO would even be allowed to make similar comments supporting traditional marriage between one man and one woman.  How long would it take the ACLU to file papers for a hate crime against him or her for voicing the values promoted by their company.  I don't understand this double standard that is supported all under the guise of "equal rights".

Last year, I signed the Dump Starbucks petition when the company came out in favor of gay marriage.  The petition states, in part, that I refuse to buy any Starbucks products or financially support them.  This was a total no-brainer for me.  I strongly believe in the "put your money  where your mouth is" philosophy.  I have since brought this up to friends who claim to be in support of traditional marriage and the general response is, "But their coffee is the best and I can't give it up." What?!? How is a cup of coffee worth betraying your principals?

Perhaps I am making too big of a deal out of this, but it just rubs me the wrong way.  How can you profess - I'm pro-marriage - in one breath and then - Don't mess with my Starbucks - in the next? I'm sure that this post will rub a few of you the wrong way, but I'm truly trying to understand.  I'm not the best with words and often get myself into trouble attempting fraternal correction. However, if this company stands against a core belief of mine, how could I justify supporting them in any way other than praying for them?

The bible is full of advice on how to deal with those who are participating or supporting sinful activities.  Basically, we are to withdraw, turn away from, and reject those who live their lives contrary to the gospel.
     * Withdraw - 2Thes 3:6, 2Thes 3:14-15, and 1Timothy 6:3-5
     * Turn Away - 2 Timothy 3:5,7 and 2 Timothy 4:2
     * Reject - Titus 3:10
This is not easy to do and quite honestly makes me feel uncomfortable.  It is easier to just "go with the flow" and pretend that it is no big deal.  But, it is what I am called to do...like it or not.

God Bless!

Heather :-)

14 Years of Wedded Bliss

July 18, 1998

Todd and I celebrated 14 years of marriage yesterday.  I honestly cannot believe how quickly that many years can fly by!  I remember being 14 years old (which doesn't seem all that long ago) and now I've been married that long!  It's funny how I still picture myself looking the way I do in that photograph above.  And then I take a closer look and realize that there are wrinkles, grey hairs, and a few extra pounds of padding in various places on my body.  Do you ever catch yourself visualizing a younger you?

We have grown so much over these past 14 years.  We mentor engaged couples through our church and have ample opportunity to reflect on where we started out, assess where we currently are, and visualize where we want to be.  Through God's grace, we'll get there together!

And of course there are the children...all 7 of them!  Todd asked me yesterday if I ever imagined we'd have 7 children in 14 years.  We both wanted a large family, but didn't really know what large meant.  I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to raise these children to give glory and honor to God.  I am truly enjoying the people that they are becoming.  It is fun to watch their personalities emerge and see their talents develop.  I am excited to see what the future holds for each of them.

It is good to take a step back occasionally and count my blessings.  Living in the trenches of mothering many, I sometimes feel overwhelmed and focus only on what I didn't get done or did poorly.  I must remember to let go and let God work His graces through me. Today is one of those days.  I feel so tremendously blessed to be living my life with my best friend and all of our children.  I pray that God will bless us with many more years together and eternity in Heaven.

God Bless!

Heather :-)

Wedding Day Memories and Give Away

Yesterday was our 13th anniversary.  I had a good time taking out the wedding album.  The kids and I paged through it, looking at that young couple who was so happy and so much in love.  I am happy to report that while we aren't as young as we once were, we are still very much happy and in love with each other.

I am the kind of gal who is an emotional roller coaster.  Anyone remember the Terri Clark song Emotional Girl?  My dad actually bought me that CD because the song fit me so perfectly.  So, it was assumed by all that I would be a blubbering mess during the wedding ceremony.  Much to the surprise of all, it was Todd who choked up during our exchange of vows and I was rock solid - go figure!

I have the perfect give-away to help celebrate our 13 years of wedded bliss.

For t-shirt details, click here

It's a t-shirt that carries a simple and very strong message.  Most people think it is some kind of a joke and ask me to turn around so that they can see the "punch line" on the back.  I just tell them, "It's no joke.  I really do love my husband."

You can have up to 3 chances to enter - please leave a separate comment for each (makes it easier on my part!)
1)  Leave a comment with a favorite memory of your wedding ceremony.
2)  Become a follower or leave a comment telling me that you're already a follower.
3)  Blog about the giveaway and leave me a comment telling me.

I'll accept entries up until midnight CST on Friday night and do the drawing on Saturday morning.

Good luck ladies!

Heather :-)

Day of Silence

I just heard about something called the "Day of Silence" on our Catholic radio station.  Please read the article and then take action to find out what is going on at your child's school.

I suppose the first argument used in defense of this Day of Silence is freedom of speech. However, the idea is that students and staff (yes, I said staff!) are allowed to remain silent all day.  This infringes upon the learning environment.  If you intend to keep your child home as the AFA suggests, please call your child's school to let them know why you are doing so.  The schools receive federal funding by attendance and if there is a huge number of students missing due to a particular cause, it is bound to catch the attention of the administration.

We home school, so this does not directly affect me.  I was appalled to discover that there are so many schools who allow the student led organizations to promote this within their schools.   Again, please read the article so that you know what is going on.

God Bless!

Heather :-)

Support Archbishop Nienstedt

Archbishop John Nienstedt

Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis

Please read the attached article from Catholicvote.org and sign the petition showing your support of Minnesota's courageous archbishop.  I know I've blogged about this a few times before, but both he and the Church are being attacked from all sides.  We need to stand strong in prayer and ask that the Holy Spirit will lead us all to truth and understanding, especially during this election season.

God Bless!

Heather :-)

Preserving Marriage in Minnesota

I just watched the Archbishop's DVD that was sent out to all Minnesota Catholics.  It was very well put together and logically lays out the argument for the traditional definition of marriage between one man and one woman.  Marriage is primarily about bringing children into the world and raising them to be productive, well-adjusted citizens.  This is best done in a loving, secure home with both a mother and a father.  While this is the ideal, we all know that it is not always the case.  But, by the government throwing its support behind gay marriage, it is essentially saying that this ideal is not necessary and should no longer be held as the norm.  There are many legal and moral ramifications of this, which are very well explained in the DVD.

Please find 15 minutes in your day to view this video, whether you live in Minnesota or not.  This is a topic that impacts us all in this country and you need to be informed so that you are able to defend your position.

There has been a disturbing development within our local Catholic Church in Minnesota.  Instead of embracing the Church's teachings and truth, there is a dissenting population who is encouraging people to send back their DVD to the Archbishop.  Actually, they want to collect them and make them into some "work of art" to promote their cause.  What is their cause?  They claim that it is to raise funds to bring families out of poverty and they're upset by the Church spending money on the campaign to educate its members about the sacramental and natural meaning of marriage.  While I agree that poverty is a real problem which needs to be addressed, there still are other issues which are equally pressing for today's Catholics to be educated about and understand.  We need to pray, now more than ever, for our leadership within the Church, especially Archbishop Nienstedt, to remain strong in shepherding their flock toward truth.

God Bless!

Heather :-)

Show Your Support for Archbishop Nienstedt

You may have heard about the DVD that the Archdiocese of Minneapolis/St. Paul is sending out to it's nearly 800,000 Catholics.  In it, the Archbishop lays out the Catholic Church's teachings on marriage and why it is not possible to "redefine" marriage as anything other than a sacrament between one man and one woman.  I am so proud to have a shepherd like Archbishop Nienstedt who is not afraid to speak the truth!

While he is careful not to promote any political party or candidate, this DVD has come out during the election season.  This has raised the eyebrows of many critics who are calling for the Church to lose its tax exempt status which is totally unprecedented.  The repercussions of any redefinition of marriage are far reaching, both secularly and legally.  It is important for all citizens of this great country to inform themselves and really understand the issue.  The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) has some great talking points on their website to help you discuss the issue.

The Catholic Church has no interest in promoting hatred or bigotry.  What they are trying to do is help people understand that marriage is about procreation and raising children in a two parent family with both a mother and a father which is not possible in a homosexual relationship.  I completely understand that there are many failed heterosexual marriages, but that doesn't mean that the sacrament of marriage should be disregarded and thrown out.

I am asking you to join me in praying for our brave Archbishop who is leading his flock toward the truth about the sacrament of marriage.  It would be great to send him a letter or e-mail to show your support, as I'm sure that he has gotten plenty of mail from those opposing the Church's teachings.  Most importantly, educate yourself about the truth of this issue.  Don't listen to the secular media and their negative sound-bites about the Catholic Church and its leadership.  A perfect example is the following article.  The Archbishop was interviewed on NPR about the DVD "Preserving Marriage in Minnesota" that is going out to Minnesota's Catholics this week. The interview is entitled "Archbishop John Nienstedt on Catholic Church's opposition to same-sex marriage."   Notice the word "opposition" and how it immediately brings negativity to the topic and the reputation of the Church.  This article from a local television station has the headline "Anti-Gay Marriage DVD will be mailed to all MN Catholics."  Again, the negativity right from the start.  It's no wonder most people feel so defensive before the discussion can even begin.

As the Archbishop has said, "We are not a political force, but we are a religious force. So we think we should be part of the conversation."  Make sure that you are part of that conversation!

God Bless!

Heather :-)

2010 Pro-Marriage Tour

The National Oraganization for Marriage is in the middle of their 2010 bus tour and will be in Minnesota this week.  They will be in St. Paul at the capital for a rally from noon-1:00 on Wednesday.  Take a look at their website to see if their bus tour will be holding a pro-marriage rally near you.  They have been met with great resistance from the gay community.  I am proud to say that the pro-marriage demonstrators have been "calm and classy" for the most part and are not stooping the name calling, yelling and screaming of the counter protesters.

You may think that "gay marriage" is no big deal and really isn't an issue that concerns you or that the government should have any say in.   Please visit this page to educate yourself about why marriage matters and why this is such an important issue in our society today.  Remember to always be charitable, but never be afraid to be bold and speak the truth.

Even if you can't get to a rally or get involved in a public way, you can always pray.  Pray for the people of our country to uphold and defend the traditional definition of marriage which is between one man and one woman. 

God Bless!

Heather :-)