Have you ever noticed how in the scriptures men are always going up into the mountains to commune with the Lord?
Yet in the scriptures we hardly ever
hear of women going to the mountains.
But we know why — right?
Because the women were too busy
keeping life going;
they couldn’t abandon babies,
meals,
homes,
fires,
gardens,
and a thousand responsibilities to make the climb into the mountains!
I was talking to a friend the other day,
saying that as modern woman
I feel like I’m never “free” enough
from my responsibilities,
never in a quiet enough space
I want with God.
Her response floored me,
“That is why God comes to women.
Men have to climb the mountain to meet God, but God comes to women where ever they are.”
I have been pondering on her words for weeks and have searched my scriptures
to see that what she said is true.
God does in deed come to women
where they are,
when they are doing their ordinary,
everyday work.
He meets them at the wells
where they draw water for their families,
in their homes,
in their kitchens,
in their gardens.
He comes to them
as they sit beside sickbeds,
as they give birth,
care for the elderly,
and perform necessary mourning and burial rites.
Even at the empty tomb,
Mary was the first to witness Christ’s resurrection,
She was there because she was doing the womanly chore of properly preparing Christ’s body for burial.
In these seemingly mundane
and ordinary tasks,
these women of the scriptures found themselves face to face with divinity.
So if — like me — you ever start to bemoan the fact that you don’t have as much time to spend in the mountains with God as you would like. Remember, God comes to women. He knows where we are and the burdens we carry. He sees us, and if we open our eyes and our hearts we will see Him, even in the most ordinary places and in the most ordinary things.
He lives. And he’s using a time such as this to speak to women around the world.
-Heather F
Showing posts with label Parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parenting. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Friday, May 1, 2026
Monday, April 6, 2026
Saturday, September 20, 2025
When Your Daughter's Body Changes . . . She Needs To Be Prepared!!
Parents, you get the chance to take the lead on puberty conversations.
If you have a child ages 8+ it's important to have puberty discussions with them.
They need to see you as a trusted leader they can rely on, so they get their information about changing bodies from you!
They need to see you as a trusted leader they can rely on, so they get their information about changing bodies from you!
From Sept 4, 2025 Instagram post on nurturedfirst
Friday, August 8, 2025
An Amazing Note From Mom - To A Disrespectful Son . . .
Parenting a teenager is rarely a smooth ride.
For Heidi Johnson, a single mom from Alaska, that reality came crashing down one afternoon in 2015 when her 13-year-old son, Aaron, crossed a line she couldn’t ignore. Instead of raising her voice or grounding him, Heidi decided to send her message in a different way.
The Breaking Point
It all began when Aaron started treating their home less like a family space and more like a hotel where he believed the rules didn’t apply to him. He had been making a little money from his YouTube channel and, according to Heidi, had recently become “mouthy, defiant, and disrespectful.”
On this particular day, an argument escalated over chores and privileges. Aaron insisted that because he was earning his own money, he could do whatever he pleased. He ignored her requests to help around the house and acted as though she had no authority over him.
Heidi took a deep breath. Yelling, she knew, would only make things worse. Instead, she went to her desk, pulled out a piece of paper, and began to write.
The Letter That Started It All -
The Breaking Point
It all began when Aaron started treating their home less like a family space and more like a hotel where he believed the rules didn’t apply to him. He had been making a little money from his YouTube channel and, according to Heidi, had recently become “mouthy, defiant, and disrespectful.”
On this particular day, an argument escalated over chores and privileges. Aaron insisted that because he was earning his own money, he could do whatever he pleased. He ignored her requests to help around the house and acted as though she had no authority over him.
Heidi took a deep breath. Yelling, she knew, would only make things worse. Instead, she went to her desk, pulled out a piece of paper, and began to write.
The Letter That Started It All -
The letter began formally, as if addressing a tenant rather than a child:
“Dear Aaron,
Since you seem to have forgotten that you are only 13, and I’m the parent, and since you have decided you no longer need my guidance, it’s time for a lesson in independence.
If you want to be treated like a grown man who doesn’t have to follow my rules, then you will need to take on the responsibilities of one. Starting today, you will pay rent, utilities, and for your own food.”*
She went on to list his “fees” in detail:
Rent: $430
Electricity: $116
Internet: $21
Food: $150
And she didn’t stop there.
“If you fail to do your chores, there will be a $30 maid fee for each day I have to clean up after you. You’ll also need to empty the trash, vacuum and sweep, clean the bathroom weekly, cook some of your own meals, and keep your room tidy.”
Finally, she ended with the line that made readers everywhere either cheer—or gasp:
“If you decide you’d rather be my child again instead of a roommate, we can renegotiate terms.”
The Immediate Fallout
Heidi taped the letter to Aaron’s bedroom door and walked away. A few minutes later, she heard the telltale sound of paper being ripped. Aaron crumpled the note, tossed it on the floor, and stormed out of the house.
“He was furious,” Heidi later recalled. “He wanted the independence but none of the responsibility.”
But as the evening went on, the anger began to fade. By bedtime, Aaron had returned home and retreated to his room without a word.
“Dear Aaron,
Since you seem to have forgotten that you are only 13, and I’m the parent, and since you have decided you no longer need my guidance, it’s time for a lesson in independence.
If you want to be treated like a grown man who doesn’t have to follow my rules, then you will need to take on the responsibilities of one. Starting today, you will pay rent, utilities, and for your own food.”*
She went on to list his “fees” in detail:
Rent: $430
Electricity: $116
Internet: $21
Food: $150
And she didn’t stop there.
“If you fail to do your chores, there will be a $30 maid fee for each day I have to clean up after you. You’ll also need to empty the trash, vacuum and sweep, clean the bathroom weekly, cook some of your own meals, and keep your room tidy.”
Finally, she ended with the line that made readers everywhere either cheer—or gasp:
“If you decide you’d rather be my child again instead of a roommate, we can renegotiate terms.”
The Immediate Fallout
Heidi taped the letter to Aaron’s bedroom door and walked away. A few minutes later, she heard the telltale sound of paper being ripped. Aaron crumpled the note, tossed it on the floor, and stormed out of the house.
“He was furious,” Heidi later recalled. “He wanted the independence but none of the responsibility.”
But as the evening went on, the anger began to fade. By bedtime, Aaron had returned home and retreated to his room without a word.
An Apology and a Turning Point
The next day, something surprising happened. Aaron emerged from his room, quieter than usual, and handed some of his belongings—like his laptop and certain gaming privileges—back to his mom. He admitted he had been acting entitled and asked what he could do to make things right.
They sat down together and talked—not just about chores, but about respect, responsibility, and how the real world works. In the end, they drew up a more reasonable “family contract” outlining expectations for both of them.
“He’s still a teenager, so we have our moments,” Heidi said, “but he understood the point. And honestly, we became closer after it.”
The Post That Went Viral
Before Aaron had even read the letter, Heidi had taken a photo of it and posted it to her Facebook page—intending to share it with a few friends for a laugh. She didn’t realize her privacy settings were on “public.”
Within hours, the post began spreading across the internet. Parents everywhere shared it, praising her for taking a stand. Others criticized her, saying she was humiliating her son or being too harsh.
The story appeared on news outlets around the world, from Parents Magazine to The Independent. It was translated into multiple languages and debated on parenting forums.
The Mother’s Defense
When the backlash hit, Heidi spoke up.
“I didn’t post it to shame him,” she explained. “I wanted him to understand that freedom comes with responsibility. If you want to be treated like an adult, you have to act like one.”
She also emphasized that she loved her son deeply and that the letter wasn’t the start of some cold war between them—it was a wake-up call.
And in the end, Aaron himself admitted it worked. “He didn’t love it at the time,” Heidi laughed, “but he got the message.”
Why the Story Resonated
Parenting experts say the letter struck a nerve because it reflects a modern struggle: raising children in a world where independence can come early—especially with online income or social media fame—but emotional maturity often lags behind.
For some parents, the letter was an empowering example of “tough love.” For others, it was a cautionary tale about publicizing private family matters.
Either way, one thing is certain: a piece of paper taped to a bedroom door became a parenting moment seen by millions.
Where They Are Now
Heidi and Aaron continued to navigate the teen years together, with more open conversations and clearer boundaries. The viral fame faded, but the lesson didn’t.
As Heidi later said:
“I don’t regret it. Parenting is about teaching our kids how to survive without us one day. If that means putting pen to paper to make the point, so be it.”
The next day, something surprising happened. Aaron emerged from his room, quieter than usual, and handed some of his belongings—like his laptop and certain gaming privileges—back to his mom. He admitted he had been acting entitled and asked what he could do to make things right.
They sat down together and talked—not just about chores, but about respect, responsibility, and how the real world works. In the end, they drew up a more reasonable “family contract” outlining expectations for both of them.
“He’s still a teenager, so we have our moments,” Heidi said, “but he understood the point. And honestly, we became closer after it.”
The Post That Went Viral
Before Aaron had even read the letter, Heidi had taken a photo of it and posted it to her Facebook page—intending to share it with a few friends for a laugh. She didn’t realize her privacy settings were on “public.”
Within hours, the post began spreading across the internet. Parents everywhere shared it, praising her for taking a stand. Others criticized her, saying she was humiliating her son or being too harsh.
The story appeared on news outlets around the world, from Parents Magazine to The Independent. It was translated into multiple languages and debated on parenting forums.
The Mother’s Defense
When the backlash hit, Heidi spoke up.
“I didn’t post it to shame him,” she explained. “I wanted him to understand that freedom comes with responsibility. If you want to be treated like an adult, you have to act like one.”
She also emphasized that she loved her son deeply and that the letter wasn’t the start of some cold war between them—it was a wake-up call.
And in the end, Aaron himself admitted it worked. “He didn’t love it at the time,” Heidi laughed, “but he got the message.”
Why the Story Resonated
Parenting experts say the letter struck a nerve because it reflects a modern struggle: raising children in a world where independence can come early—especially with online income or social media fame—but emotional maturity often lags behind.
For some parents, the letter was an empowering example of “tough love.” For others, it was a cautionary tale about publicizing private family matters.
Either way, one thing is certain: a piece of paper taped to a bedroom door became a parenting moment seen by millions.
Where They Are Now
Heidi and Aaron continued to navigate the teen years together, with more open conversations and clearer boundaries. The viral fame faded, but the lesson didn’t.
As Heidi later said:
“I don’t regret it. Parenting is about teaching our kids how to survive without us one day. If that means putting pen to paper to make the point, so be it.”
Monday, February 6, 2023
Friday, April 2, 2021
Monday, August 17, 2020
DAY ONE OF HOME SCHOOLING 2020
0800 opened school website to get assignments.
0900 found where assignments were hidden on the website.
0915 called school to have the website explained.
0930 called school again.
0945 Had wife call school
1030 started printing first assignment
1031 ran out of printer ink
1035 sent wife to buy more ink while I watched YouTube to learn how to do common core.
1039 Had first cocktail
1100 googling who the idiot was that came up with common core.
1102 2nd cocktail.
1115 Called school to see if the virus was still an issue and if so, could I sign a waiver for my kids.
1116 School asked me not to call back.
1120 Realized my wife wasn't home yet. Called her to find out she was having a difficult time finding the right ink. Pretty sure, I heard someone in the background yell her name followed with "Venti vanilla latte!" Right before she hung up on me.
1130 started 1st assignment
1145 lunch break
1230 restarted first assignment.
1235 read 3 chapters to help answer 2 questions.
1240 Figured I'm either being played or they have been falsifying their report card.
1245 practicing disguising my voice so I can call the school again
1300 didnt work
1315 Scraping "My kid is a TERRIFIC student" sticker off of all vehicles.
1400 beginning to think wife isn't coming home
1415 Decided to have an early release.
1430 walking to town in Hope's of catching virus and being quarantined.
1600 arrested for egging school and drinking in public
1615 released and given a ride home to maximize punishment
1800 wife gets home. Couldn't find ink. Pretty sure her hair and nails are done.
2200 working on an excuse to get out of school tomorrow.
0900 found where assignments were hidden on the website.
0915 called school to have the website explained.
0930 called school again.
0945 Had wife call school
1030 started printing first assignment
1031 ran out of printer ink
1035 sent wife to buy more ink while I watched YouTube to learn how to do common core.
1039 Had first cocktail
1100 googling who the idiot was that came up with common core.
1102 2nd cocktail.
1115 Called school to see if the virus was still an issue and if so, could I sign a waiver for my kids.
1116 School asked me not to call back.
1120 Realized my wife wasn't home yet. Called her to find out she was having a difficult time finding the right ink. Pretty sure, I heard someone in the background yell her name followed with "Venti vanilla latte!" Right before she hung up on me.
1130 started 1st assignment
1145 lunch break
1230 restarted first assignment.
1235 read 3 chapters to help answer 2 questions.
1240 Figured I'm either being played or they have been falsifying their report card.
1245 practicing disguising my voice so I can call the school again
1300 didnt work
1315 Scraping "My kid is a TERRIFIC student" sticker off of all vehicles.
1400 beginning to think wife isn't coming home
1415 Decided to have an early release.
1430 walking to town in Hope's of catching virus and being quarantined.
1600 arrested for egging school and drinking in public
1615 released and given a ride home to maximize punishment
1800 wife gets home. Couldn't find ink. Pretty sure her hair and nails are done.
2200 working on an excuse to get out of school tomorrow.
Monday, June 10, 2019
Monday, February 18, 2019
Thursday, November 1, 2018
****WARNING TO ALL PARENTS****
IMMEDIATELY!!!
STOP FEEDING YOUR KIDS RICE KRISPIES. IT IS NOT ABSORBED IN YOUR BODY IN A HEALTHY MANNER. IT IS STORIED IN YOUR BODY FOR YEARS, AND THE EFFECTS BECOME VISIBLE WHEN YOU ARE OLDER.
I USED TO EAT RICE KRISPIES AND NOW THAT I AM OLDER, I CAN TESTIFY TO THE EFFECTS OF THIS.
EVERY MORNING WHEN I WAKE UP AND GET OUT OF BED, EVERYTHING IN MY BODY SNAPS, CRACKLE AND POPS!
PASS THIS MESSAGE ONTO EVERYONE - TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING TO YOUR CHILDREN SOMEDAY WHEN THEY GET OLD!!!
STOP FEEDING YOUR KIDS RICE KRISPIES. IT IS NOT ABSORBED IN YOUR BODY IN A HEALTHY MANNER. IT IS STORIED IN YOUR BODY FOR YEARS, AND THE EFFECTS BECOME VISIBLE WHEN YOU ARE OLDER.
I USED TO EAT RICE KRISPIES AND NOW THAT I AM OLDER, I CAN TESTIFY TO THE EFFECTS OF THIS.
EVERY MORNING WHEN I WAKE UP AND GET OUT OF BED, EVERYTHING IN MY BODY SNAPS, CRACKLE AND POPS!
PASS THIS MESSAGE ONTO EVERYONE - TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING TO YOUR CHILDREN SOMEDAY WHEN THEY GET OLD!!!
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
"The Holes I Put Into You"
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there."
The little boy then understood how powerful his words were. He looked up at his father and said "I hope you can forgive me father for the holes I put in you."
"Of course I can," said the father.
It's not always anger, it is your actions in general. There are no "fresh starts" in life. There is no new beginning. Forgiveness comes easy for many people but the scars of the past, they never go away. Watch what you do today, because sometimes the price isn't worth the reward.
Monday, August 29, 2016
Let's Talk Truth
This is one brave gal who 0WNS the truth! She lived it, and understands it!
http://thefederalist.com/author/heather-barwick/
HEATHER BARWICK
Dear Gay Community: Your Kids Are Hurting
http://thefederalist.com/2015/03/17/dear-gay-community-your-kids-are-hurting/
PARENTING
Dear Gay Community: Your Kids Are Hurting
I loved my mom’s partner, but another mom could never have replaced the father I lost.
Gay community, I am your daughter. My mom raised me with her same-sex partner back in the ’80s and ’90s. She and my dad were married for a little while. She knew she was gay before they got married, but things were different back then. That’s how I got here. It was complicated as you can imagine. She left him when I was two or three because she wanted a chance to be happy with someone she really loved: a woman.
My dad wasn’t a great guy, and after she left him he didn’t bother coming around anymore.
Do you remember that book, “Heather Has Two Mommies”? That was my life. My mom, her partner, and I lived in a cozy little house in the ‘burbs of a very liberal and open-minded area. Her partner treated me as if I was her own daughter. Along with my mom’s partner, I also inherited her tight-knit community of gay and lesbian friends. Or maybe they inherited me?
Either way, I still feel like gay people are my people. I’ve learned so much from you. You taught me how to be brave, especially when it is hard. You taught me empathy. You taught me how to listen. And how to dance. You taught me not be afraid of things that are different. And you taught me how to stand up for myself, even if that means I stand alone.
I’m writing to you because I’m letting myself out of the closet: I don’t support gay marriage. But it might not be for the reasons that you think.
Children Need a Mother and Father
It’s not because you’re gay. I love you, so much. It’s because of the nature of the same-sex relationship itself.
Growing up, and even into my 20s, I supported and advocated for gay marriage. It’s only with some time and distance from my childhood that I’m able to reflect on my experiences and recognize the long-term consequences that same-sex parenting had on me. And it’s only now, as I watch my children loving and being loved by their father each day, that I can see the beauty and wisdom in traditional marriage and parenting.
Same-sex marriage and parenting withholds either a mother or father from a child while telling him or her that it doesn’t matter. That it’s all the same. But it’s not. A lot of us, a lot of your kids, are hurting. My father’s absence created a huge hole in me, and I ached every day for a dad. I loved my mom’s partner, but another mom could never have replaced the father I lost.
I grew up surrounded by women who said they didn’t need or want a man. Yet, as a little girl, I so desperately wanted a daddy. It is a strange and confusing thing to walk around with this deep-down unquenchable ache for a father, for a man, in a community that says that men are unnecessary. There were times I felt so angry with my dad for not being there for me, and then times I felt angry with myself for even wanting a father to begin with. There are parts of me that still grieve over that loss today.
I’m not saying that you can’t be good parents. You can. I had one of the best. I’m also not saying that being raised by straight parents means everything will turn out okay. We know there are so many different ways that the family unit can break down and cause kids to suffer: divorce, abandonment, infidelity, abuse, death, etc. But by and large, the best and most successful family structure is one in which kids are being raised by both their mother and father.
Why Can’t Gay People’s Kids Be Honest?
Gay marriage doesn’t just redefine marriage, but also parenting. It promotes and normalizes a family structure that necessarily denies us something precious and foundational. It denies us something we need and long for, while at the same time tells us that we don’t need what we naturally crave. That we will be okay. But we’re not. We’re hurting.
Kids of divorced parents are allowed to say, “Hey, mom and dad, I love you, but the divorce crushed me and has been so hard. It shattered my trust and made me feel like it was my fault. It is so hard living in two different houses.” Kids of adoption are allowed to say, “Hey, adoptive parents, I love you. But this is really hard for me. I suffer because my relationship with my first parents was broken. I’m confused and I miss them even though I’ve never met them.”
But children of same-sex parents haven’t been given the same voice. It’s not just me. There are so many of us. Many of us are too scared to speak up and tell you about our hurt and pain, because for whatever reason it feels like you’re not listening. That you don’t want to hear. If we say we are hurting because we were raised by same-sex parents, we are either ignored or labeled a hater.
This isn’t about hate at all. I know you understand the pain of a label that doesn’t fit and the pain of a label that is used to malign or silence you. And I know that you really have been hated and that you really have been hurt. I was there, at the marches, when they held up signs that said, “God hates fags” and “AIDS cures homosexuality.” I cried and turned hot with anger right there in the street with you. But that’s not me. That’s not us.
I know this is a hard conversation. But we need to talk about it. If anyone can talk about hard things, it’s us. You taught me that.
Heather Barwick was raised by her mother and her mother's same-sex partner. She is a former gay-marriage advocate turned children's rights activist. She is a wife and mother of four rambunctious kids.
http://thefederalist.com/author/heather-barwick/
HEATHER BARWICK
Dear Gay Community: Your Kids Are Hurting
http://thefederalist.com/2015/03/17/dear-gay-community-your-kids-are-hurting/
PARENTING
Dear Gay Community: Your Kids Are Hurting
I loved my mom’s partner, but another mom could never have replaced the father I lost.
Gay community, I am your daughter. My mom raised me with her same-sex partner back in the ’80s and ’90s. She and my dad were married for a little while. She knew she was gay before they got married, but things were different back then. That’s how I got here. It was complicated as you can imagine. She left him when I was two or three because she wanted a chance to be happy with someone she really loved: a woman.
My dad wasn’t a great guy, and after she left him he didn’t bother coming around anymore.
Do you remember that book, “Heather Has Two Mommies”? That was my life. My mom, her partner, and I lived in a cozy little house in the ‘burbs of a very liberal and open-minded area. Her partner treated me as if I was her own daughter. Along with my mom’s partner, I also inherited her tight-knit community of gay and lesbian friends. Or maybe they inherited me?
Either way, I still feel like gay people are my people. I’ve learned so much from you. You taught me how to be brave, especially when it is hard. You taught me empathy. You taught me how to listen. And how to dance. You taught me not be afraid of things that are different. And you taught me how to stand up for myself, even if that means I stand alone.
I’m writing to you because I’m letting myself out of the closet: I don’t support gay marriage. But it might not be for the reasons that you think.
Children Need a Mother and Father
It’s not because you’re gay. I love you, so much. It’s because of the nature of the same-sex relationship itself.
Growing up, and even into my 20s, I supported and advocated for gay marriage. It’s only with some time and distance from my childhood that I’m able to reflect on my experiences and recognize the long-term consequences that same-sex parenting had on me. And it’s only now, as I watch my children loving and being loved by their father each day, that I can see the beauty and wisdom in traditional marriage and parenting.
Same-sex marriage and parenting withholds either a mother or father from a child while telling him or her that it doesn’t matter. That it’s all the same. But it’s not. A lot of us, a lot of your kids, are hurting. My father’s absence created a huge hole in me, and I ached every day for a dad. I loved my mom’s partner, but another mom could never have replaced the father I lost.
I grew up surrounded by women who said they didn’t need or want a man. Yet, as a little girl, I so desperately wanted a daddy. It is a strange and confusing thing to walk around with this deep-down unquenchable ache for a father, for a man, in a community that says that men are unnecessary. There were times I felt so angry with my dad for not being there for me, and then times I felt angry with myself for even wanting a father to begin with. There are parts of me that still grieve over that loss today.
I’m not saying that you can’t be good parents. You can. I had one of the best. I’m also not saying that being raised by straight parents means everything will turn out okay. We know there are so many different ways that the family unit can break down and cause kids to suffer: divorce, abandonment, infidelity, abuse, death, etc. But by and large, the best and most successful family structure is one in which kids are being raised by both their mother and father.
Why Can’t Gay People’s Kids Be Honest?
Gay marriage doesn’t just redefine marriage, but also parenting. It promotes and normalizes a family structure that necessarily denies us something precious and foundational. It denies us something we need and long for, while at the same time tells us that we don’t need what we naturally crave. That we will be okay. But we’re not. We’re hurting.
Kids of divorced parents are allowed to say, “Hey, mom and dad, I love you, but the divorce crushed me and has been so hard. It shattered my trust and made me feel like it was my fault. It is so hard living in two different houses.” Kids of adoption are allowed to say, “Hey, adoptive parents, I love you. But this is really hard for me. I suffer because my relationship with my first parents was broken. I’m confused and I miss them even though I’ve never met them.”
But children of same-sex parents haven’t been given the same voice. It’s not just me. There are so many of us. Many of us are too scared to speak up and tell you about our hurt and pain, because for whatever reason it feels like you’re not listening. That you don’t want to hear. If we say we are hurting because we were raised by same-sex parents, we are either ignored or labeled a hater.
This isn’t about hate at all. I know you understand the pain of a label that doesn’t fit and the pain of a label that is used to malign or silence you. And I know that you really have been hated and that you really have been hurt. I was there, at the marches, when they held up signs that said, “God hates fags” and “AIDS cures homosexuality.” I cried and turned hot with anger right there in the street with you. But that’s not me. That’s not us.
I know this is a hard conversation. But we need to talk about it. If anyone can talk about hard things, it’s us. You taught me that.
Heather Barwick was raised by her mother and her mother's same-sex partner. She is a former gay-marriage advocate turned children's rights activist. She is a wife and mother of four rambunctious kids.
Friday, February 26, 2016
Saturday, August 15, 2015
This Story Boils My Blood!
have always maintained that one day, here in America, responsible parents will not want to send their kids to school – I believe this could happen here, one day if our country continues on the path it has set presently.
For the shorter version, read the first link. If you want to read more, read below, or click on the link.
Saturday, 08/31/2013 - 09:38 am EST
Happy Now, Eric Holder?
http://www.chicksontheright.com/posts/item/24661-happy-now-eric-holder
Read and weep:
http://hslda.org/hs/international/Germany/201308300.asp?src=slide&slide=Wunderlich_map_Aug_30_2013&pos=1
Germany
August 30, 2013
Children Seized in Shocking Raid
For the shorter version, read the first link. If you want to read more, read below, or click on the link.
Saturday, 08/31/2013 - 09:38 am EST
Happy Now, Eric Holder?
http://www.chicksontheright.com/posts/item/24661-happy-now-eric-holder
Read and weep:
http://hslda.org/hs/international/Germany/201308300.asp?src=slide&slide=Wunderlich_map_Aug_30_2013&pos=1
Germany
August 30, 2013
Children Seized in Shocking Raid
At 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 29, 2013, in what has been called a “brutal and vicious act,” a team of 20 social workers, police officers, and special agents stormed a homeschooling family’s residence near Darmstadt, Germany, forcibly removing all four of the family’s children (ages 7-14). The sole grounds for removal were that the parents, Dirk and Petra Wunderlich, continued to homeschool their children in defiance of a German ban on home education.
The children were taken to unknown locations. Officials ominously promised the parents that they would not be seeing their children “anytime soon.”
HSLDA obtained and translated the court documents that authorized this use of force to seize the children. The only legal grounds for removal were the family’s continuation of homeschooling their children. The papers contain no other allegations of abuse or neglect. Moreover, Germany has not even alleged educational neglect for failing to provide an adequate education. The law ignores the educational progress of the child; attendance—and not learning—is the object of the German law.
Judge Koenig, a Darmstadt family court judge, signed the order on August 28 authorizing the immediate seizure of Dirk and Petra Wunderlich’s children. Citing the parents’ failure to cooperate “with the authorities to send the children to school,” the judge also authorized the use of force “against the children” if necessary, reasoning that such force might be required because the children had “adopted the parents’ opinions” regarding homeschooling and that “no cooperation could be expected” from either the parents or the children.
State Custody
In October 2012, state youth officials had been granted formal legal custody of the Wunderlich children by a German court based solely on the fact that the family was homeschooling. German lawyer Andreas Vogt sought appellate relief on behalf of the Wunderlichs and was able to forestall immediate removal of the children. But, yesterday, as the family quietly began their homeschool day, a ringing at the door signaled the interruption that turned their lives upside down.
Dirk Wunderlich described the frightening turn of events.
“I looked through a window and saw many people, police, and special agents, all armed. They told me they wanted to come in to speak with me. I tried to ask questions, but within seconds, three police officers brought a battering ram and were about to break the door in, so I opened it,” he told HSLDA.
“The police shoved me into a chair and wouldn’t let me even make a phone call at first,” he said. “It was chaotic as they told me they had an order to take the children. At my slightest movement the agents would grab me, as if I were a terrorist. You would never expect anything like this to happen in our calm, peaceful village. It was like a scene out of a science fiction movie. Our neighbors and children have been traumatized by this invasion.”
Looking for a Home
Over the past four years, HSLDA has reported on the Wunderlichs’ saga as they have moved from country to country in the European Union looking for a place to call home where they could freely homeschool their children. Although they found refuge from homeschool persecution, Mr. Wunderlich was unable to find work, and last year the family had to return to Germany.
The family resettled near Darmstadt, just 25 miles south of Frankfurt, with some trepidation. It is mandatory that all residents of Germany register with their local municipal authorities. Within days of the family registering their presence in the town, authorities initiated a criminal truancy case, and just months later the “Youth Welfare Office” was granted legal custody of the children. However, the court left the children in the residence with the parents since they were being well treated and otherwise cared for by their parents (see also: “Come Peacefully Now or by Force Later”).
Authorities even took the children’s passports, making it impossible for the family to escape—a violation of a number of human rights guaranteed to them by the European Convention of Human Rights, said HSLDA Chairman and Founder Michael Farris.
“The right to homeschool is a human right,” said Farris. “So is the right to freely move and to leave a country. Germany has grossly violated these rights of this family. This latest act of seizing these four beautiful, innocent children is an outrageous act of a rogue nation.”
The right of parents to decide how children are educated is a human right of the highest order, said Farris.
“The United States Constitution is not alone in upholding the right of parents to decide how to educate their children. Germany is a party to numerous human rights treaties that recognize the right of parents to provide an education distinct from the public schools that so that children may be educated according to the parents’ religious convictions. Germany has simply not met its obligations under these treaties or as a liberal democracy,” Farris said. “HSLDA and I will do whatever we can to help this family regain custody of their children and ensure that they are safe from this persecution. This case demonstrates conclusively why the Romeike asylum case is so important. Families in Germany need a safe place where they can educate their children in peace.”
“Devastated”
Following the raid, Dirk Wunderlich told HSLDA Director for International Affairs Mike Donnelly that he and his wife were devastated.
“These are broken people,” Donnelly said. “They said they felt like they were being ground into dust. They were shaken to their core and shocked by the event. But they also told me that they had followed their conscience and the dictates of their faith. Although they don’t have much faith in the German state—they have a lot of faith in God. They are an inspiring and courageous family.”
“I’ve been fighting for German homeschool freedom for years,” he continued, “and I had hoped that things were changing in Germany since it has been some time since brutality of this magnitude has occurred. But I was wrong.”
“Mike Farris and I spent time with the Wunderlichs at the first global homeschool conference in Berlin in November 2012,” Donnelly went on to say. “They are a delightful family with precious children. They are really just regular people who are doing what millions of people here in the United States do every day.”
“How Long?”
“My question to the political leadership of Germany is: How long will you permit these kinds of brutal acts to be perpetrated against German families?” said Donnelly. “Why is it so important to you to force people into your state schools? The echo of this act rings from a darker time in German history. When will leaders stand up and make changes so that brutality to children like the Wunderlichs no longer happens because of homeschooling? Isn’t there any German statesman willing to stand up for what is right anywhere in Germany?”
Wunderlich said that his 14-year-old daughter Machsejah had to be forcibly taken out of the home.
“When I went outside, our neighbor was crying as she watched. I turned around to see my daughter being escorted as if she were a criminal by two big policemen. They weren’t being nice at all. When my wife tried to give my daughter a kiss and a hug goodbye, one of the special agents roughly elbowed her out of the way and said—‘It’s too late for that.’ What kind of government acts like this?”
After the children were taken away, the family was “invited” to a meeting with the senior social authority in charge at the scene, Mr. Behnis. The Wunderlichs agreed to the meeting and were joined by their attorney, Andreas Vogt, who came as soon as he was notified, traveling hours by train.
When the parents asked when they could seek a hearing to contest the seizure of their children, they were told they would have to wait until the regular judge returned from vacation. Vogt told HSLDA that the authorities had displayed little sympathy. Vogt has become a key lawyer in the German homeschool movement, representing many active cases. He has taken some to the German Supreme Court with no success to date.
Petra Wunderlich said her heart was shattered.
“We are empty. We need help. We are fighting, but we need help,” she said.
You can support our fight for the Wunderlich family by donating to the Homeschool Freedom Fund.
The children were taken to unknown locations. Officials ominously promised the parents that they would not be seeing their children “anytime soon.”
HSLDA obtained and translated the court documents that authorized this use of force to seize the children. The only legal grounds for removal were the family’s continuation of homeschooling their children. The papers contain no other allegations of abuse or neglect. Moreover, Germany has not even alleged educational neglect for failing to provide an adequate education. The law ignores the educational progress of the child; attendance—and not learning—is the object of the German law.
Judge Koenig, a Darmstadt family court judge, signed the order on August 28 authorizing the immediate seizure of Dirk and Petra Wunderlich’s children. Citing the parents’ failure to cooperate “with the authorities to send the children to school,” the judge also authorized the use of force “against the children” if necessary, reasoning that such force might be required because the children had “adopted the parents’ opinions” regarding homeschooling and that “no cooperation could be expected” from either the parents or the children.
State Custody
In October 2012, state youth officials had been granted formal legal custody of the Wunderlich children by a German court based solely on the fact that the family was homeschooling. German lawyer Andreas Vogt sought appellate relief on behalf of the Wunderlichs and was able to forestall immediate removal of the children. But, yesterday, as the family quietly began their homeschool day, a ringing at the door signaled the interruption that turned their lives upside down.
Dirk Wunderlich described the frightening turn of events.
“I looked through a window and saw many people, police, and special agents, all armed. They told me they wanted to come in to speak with me. I tried to ask questions, but within seconds, three police officers brought a battering ram and were about to break the door in, so I opened it,” he told HSLDA.
“The police shoved me into a chair and wouldn’t let me even make a phone call at first,” he said. “It was chaotic as they told me they had an order to take the children. At my slightest movement the agents would grab me, as if I were a terrorist. You would never expect anything like this to happen in our calm, peaceful village. It was like a scene out of a science fiction movie. Our neighbors and children have been traumatized by this invasion.”
Looking for a Home
Over the past four years, HSLDA has reported on the Wunderlichs’ saga as they have moved from country to country in the European Union looking for a place to call home where they could freely homeschool their children. Although they found refuge from homeschool persecution, Mr. Wunderlich was unable to find work, and last year the family had to return to Germany.
The family resettled near Darmstadt, just 25 miles south of Frankfurt, with some trepidation. It is mandatory that all residents of Germany register with their local municipal authorities. Within days of the family registering their presence in the town, authorities initiated a criminal truancy case, and just months later the “Youth Welfare Office” was granted legal custody of the children. However, the court left the children in the residence with the parents since they were being well treated and otherwise cared for by their parents (see also: “Come Peacefully Now or by Force Later”).
Authorities even took the children’s passports, making it impossible for the family to escape—a violation of a number of human rights guaranteed to them by the European Convention of Human Rights, said HSLDA Chairman and Founder Michael Farris.
“The right to homeschool is a human right,” said Farris. “So is the right to freely move and to leave a country. Germany has grossly violated these rights of this family. This latest act of seizing these four beautiful, innocent children is an outrageous act of a rogue nation.”
The right of parents to decide how children are educated is a human right of the highest order, said Farris.
“The United States Constitution is not alone in upholding the right of parents to decide how to educate their children. Germany is a party to numerous human rights treaties that recognize the right of parents to provide an education distinct from the public schools that so that children may be educated according to the parents’ religious convictions. Germany has simply not met its obligations under these treaties or as a liberal democracy,” Farris said. “HSLDA and I will do whatever we can to help this family regain custody of their children and ensure that they are safe from this persecution. This case demonstrates conclusively why the Romeike asylum case is so important. Families in Germany need a safe place where they can educate their children in peace.”
“Devastated”
Following the raid, Dirk Wunderlich told HSLDA Director for International Affairs Mike Donnelly that he and his wife were devastated.
“These are broken people,” Donnelly said. “They said they felt like they were being ground into dust. They were shaken to their core and shocked by the event. But they also told me that they had followed their conscience and the dictates of their faith. Although they don’t have much faith in the German state—they have a lot of faith in God. They are an inspiring and courageous family.”
“I’ve been fighting for German homeschool freedom for years,” he continued, “and I had hoped that things were changing in Germany since it has been some time since brutality of this magnitude has occurred. But I was wrong.”
“Mike Farris and I spent time with the Wunderlichs at the first global homeschool conference in Berlin in November 2012,” Donnelly went on to say. “They are a delightful family with precious children. They are really just regular people who are doing what millions of people here in the United States do every day.”
“How Long?”
“My question to the political leadership of Germany is: How long will you permit these kinds of brutal acts to be perpetrated against German families?” said Donnelly. “Why is it so important to you to force people into your state schools? The echo of this act rings from a darker time in German history. When will leaders stand up and make changes so that brutality to children like the Wunderlichs no longer happens because of homeschooling? Isn’t there any German statesman willing to stand up for what is right anywhere in Germany?”
Wunderlich said that his 14-year-old daughter Machsejah had to be forcibly taken out of the home.
“When I went outside, our neighbor was crying as she watched. I turned around to see my daughter being escorted as if she were a criminal by two big policemen. They weren’t being nice at all. When my wife tried to give my daughter a kiss and a hug goodbye, one of the special agents roughly elbowed her out of the way and said—‘It’s too late for that.’ What kind of government acts like this?”
After the children were taken away, the family was “invited” to a meeting with the senior social authority in charge at the scene, Mr. Behnis. The Wunderlichs agreed to the meeting and were joined by their attorney, Andreas Vogt, who came as soon as he was notified, traveling hours by train.
When the parents asked when they could seek a hearing to contest the seizure of their children, they were told they would have to wait until the regular judge returned from vacation. Vogt told HSLDA that the authorities had displayed little sympathy. Vogt has become a key lawyer in the German homeschool movement, representing many active cases. He has taken some to the German Supreme Court with no success to date.
Petra Wunderlich said her heart was shattered.
“We are empty. We need help. We are fighting, but we need help,” she said.
You can support our fight for the Wunderlich family by donating to the Homeschool Freedom Fund.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
The Little Mermaid - An Amazing Story!
Little Shiloh Pepin has sirenomelia or "mermaid syndrome", a rare birth condition where her legs have been fused together at birth. In most cases, persons born with sirenomelia die at birth, or get surgery to separate the fused legs. Shiloh has defeated the odds in making it to her eighth birthday.
Sirenomelia, alternatively known as Mermaid Syndrome, is a very rare congenital deformity in which the legs are fused together, giving them the appearance of a mermaid's tail.
This condition is found in approximately one out of every 100,000 live births (about as rare as conjoined twins) and is usually fatal within a day or two of birth because of complications associated with abnormal kidney and urinary bladder development and function. More than half the cases of sirenomelia result in stillbirth and this condition is 100 times more likely to occur in identical twins than in single births or fraternal twins. It results from a failure of normal vascular supply from the lower aorta in utero.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC3fItKZqBQ
This video is a complete documentry and it is 44 minuest and 57 seconds.
Sirenomelia, alternatively known as Mermaid Syndrome, is a very rare congenital deformity in which the legs are fused together, giving them the appearance of a mermaid's tail.
This condition is found in approximately one out of every 100,000 live births (about as rare as conjoined twins) and is usually fatal within a day or two of birth because of complications associated with abnormal kidney and urinary bladder development and function. More than half the cases of sirenomelia result in stillbirth and this condition is 100 times more likely to occur in identical twins than in single births or fraternal twins. It results from a failure of normal vascular supply from the lower aorta in utero.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC3fItKZqBQ
This video is a complete documentry and it is 44 minuest and 57 seconds.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Baby Bear Gets Scolded . . .
Brown bear's parenting method snapped in Ukraine's Simferopol Zoo.......What the little chap had done to incur his mother's wrath remains a mystery, but the chances are that he won't do it again!
A baby bear made his mother angry. She tried to explain something to him in the corner, and then shook him by the neck.
A baby bear made his mother angry. She tried to explain something to him in the corner, and then shook him by the neck.
Pictures from the Zoo in Simferopol.
How many times have I told you not to do that?
She pins him in the corner for a dressing down.
First, the mother glares angrily at her son as a few feet away looking guilty and sheepish. Within seconds he is backed into a corner with a terrified expression as she roars her disapproval. Shortly afterwards he finds himself airborne after she seizes him by the scruff of the neck and propels him from side to side.
Perhaps THIS will teach you a lesson: She picks him up by the scruff of the neck and swings him around.
A word in your ear: The crestfallen cub approaches his mother. Sorry Mom!!
Never mind Mommy loves you! He gets a bear-hug to show the row is over. However, the fierce encounter at Simferopol Zooin the Ukraine comes to a peaceful conclusion when Mummy, who weighs the best Part of 550 lbs, gently hugs him to her chest to reassure him that all is forgiven.
Parents & Grandparents..
GOD CREATED CHILDREN
(AND IN THE PROCESS GRANDCHILDREN)
whether they are our own,
grandchildren,
nieces,
nephews,
or students...
here is something to make you chuckle.
Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God's omnipotence did not extend to His own children.
After creating heaven and earth,
God created Adam and Eve.
And the first thing he said was
' DON'T !'
grandchildren,
nieces,
nephews,
or students...
here is something to make you chuckle.
Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God's omnipotence did not extend to His own children.
After creating heaven and earth,
God created Adam and Eve.
And the first thing he said was
' DON'T !'
'Don't what ? '
Adam replied.
'Don't eat the forbidden fruit.'
God said.
'Forbidden fruit ?
We have forbidden fruit?
'Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit! '
' No Way! '
'Yes way ! '
'Do NOT eat the fruit ! '
said God.
'Don't eat the forbidden fruit.'
God said.
'Forbidden fruit ?
We have forbidden fruit?
'Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit! '
' No Way! '
'Yes way ! '
'Do NOT eat the fruit ! '
said God.
'Why ? '
'Because I am your Father
and I said so ! '
God replied, wondering why He hadn't stopped creation after making the elephants...
A few minutes later,
God saw His children having an apple break -
and He was ticked !
'Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit? ' God asked?
God replied, wondering why He hadn't stopped creation after making the elephants...
A few minutes later,
God saw His children having an apple break -
and He was ticked !
'Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit? ' God asked?
'Uh huh,' Adam replied.
'Then why did you? '
asked the Father.
'I don't know,' said Eve.
'She started it! ' Adam said.
'Did not ! '
'Did too ! '
'DID NOT ! '
Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own. Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.
If you have persistently and lovingly
tried to give children wisdom
and they haven't taken it,
don't be hard on yourself.
If God had trouble raising children,
what makes you think it would be
a piece of cake for you ?
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT !
don't be hard on yourself.
If God had trouble raising children,
what makes you think it would be
a piece of cake for you ?
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT !
1. You spend the first two years of their life teaching them to walk and talk . . . Then you spend the next sixteen telling them to sit down and be quiet!
2. Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your own children!
3. Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young!
4. Children seldom misquote you. In Fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said!
5. The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own!!
6. We childproofed our homes, but they are still getting in!!
ADVICE FOR THE DAY:
Be nice to your kids.
They will choose your
nursing home one day !!!
AND FINALLY:
IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF TENSION AND YOU GET A HEADACHE, DO WHAT IT SAYS ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE:
'TAKE TWO ASPIRIN' AND 'KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN' !!!!!
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Thomas Kincade and His Daughter
In Memory of Thomas Kincade
who died April 6, 2012
in California.
One rainy afternoon I was driving along one of the main streets of town, taking those extra precautions necessary when the roads are wet and slick. Suddenly, my daughter, Aspen, spoke up from her relaxed position in her seat. "Dad, I'm thinking of something."
This announcement usually meant she had been pondering some fact for a while, and was now ready to expound all that her six-year-old mind had discovered. I was eager to hear.
"What are you thinking?" I asked.
"The rain," she began, "is like sin, and the windshield wipers are like God wiping our sins away."
After the chill bumps raced up my arms I was able to respond.
"That's really good, Aspen."
Then my curiosity broke in. How far would this little girl take this revelation? So I asked..
"Do you notice how the rain keeps on coming?
What does that tell you?"
Aspen didn't hesitate one moment with her answer:
"We keep on sinning, and God just keeps on forgiving us."
I will always remember this whenever I turn my wipers on.
In order to see the rainbow, you must first endure some rain!
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,
saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil,
to give you an expected end.
Jeremiah 29:11
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