Fun new blogs!

I stumbled upon some encouraging blogs lately and wanted to share them here! Enjoy!

Youngers Keepers of the Home

Girl Defined 

Single Matters 

Happy Monday!

Challenges of the #ALSICEBUCKETCHALLENGE

It's been all over the place. Everyone you know knows someone who has done it. Thousands of pounds of ice and thousands of gallons of water have cascaded over heads and shoulders world wide. My facebook newsfeed has #icebucketchallenge trending in it's upper right side. It has become cold water mania in the name of ALS.

It has taken center stage in the media lately. From ice bucket challenge fails...

...to our former President and Mrs. Bush...



...to heart wrenching personal responses (warning: language!)


The outpouring of support and donations have been overwhelming. I am awed by the speed that news spread and monies raised. There was an overnight success. 

However, I had many issues with it when I viewed my first challenge. I swung on a pendulum between insanity and compassion before landing on a few thoughts. I don't have all the answers but wanted to voice my opinion.

First issue: what is ALS?

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or, Lou Gherig's Disease is a horrific attack on the nerve cells in the brain controlling voluntary muscle movement. Over time the ability to move or speak is limited and eventually impaired all together. Ultimately ALS take's a persons swallowing and breathing capacities. ALS takes lives. It is brutal and nasty.

To date ALS has no treatment or cure. The diagnosis of ALS is a death sentence. Thus the ice bucket challenge. Researchers have been working to provide a cure or treatment or something. Anything to offer hope to someone struggling with ALS. But, research requires funding. Funding that has to be raised. So people across the nation and globe are dousing their do's in some H2O and donating $10 or keeping their curls in tact and donating $100. Or so that is the plan. 

This is a great idea and plan. One that would be great except for one glitch. 

ALSA, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association, and your dollars are speedily being pulled into an operation taking the value of life to an unimaginable and difficult to swallow level. From the ALSA website we find this excerpt:

The discovery that human embryonic stem cells can be isolated and propagated in the lab with the potential of developing into all tissues of the body is a major medical breakthrough.

... Available options to be explored, together with the challenges to making stem cell therapy a reality for ALS, are pushing this field forward rapidly, with continued commitment of funds and expertise.

Human embryonic stem cells is white coat speak for, babies. Babies! Fertilized, conceived, humans waiting to be cared for a nurtured to viable age outside of the womb. We are exchanging one life for another in the name of research and hiding the evidence under code words like "stem cells." This should be disturbing. This should make us shutter. But it doesn't.


I decided a while back that I wouldn't participate in the challenge. Dave Ramsey's #icebucketchallenge included that his funding couldn't go to any research done with embryonic stem cells but that wasn't sure enough for me. I had to make this decision based on what I feel God has lead me to through His Word.

I firmly believe that life begins at conception.

I firmly believe that embryonic stem cell research is abortion at the least.

I firmly believe that to be a good steward of my money I cannot peacefully fund abortion. 

I know that I sound heartless. I don't mean to. I really struggled with this decision. If I was facing my end and that end had a name, ALS, I would seek every option available. I would fight and come up with something, anything. I would love to honestly say that being faced with this decision without a doubt that this would be my choice.    

John 15:13 (ESV)  
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

But I am not there. I can't say it. My heart is burdened for the thousands of men, women, and children plagued with ALS. But no more than it is for the millions of babies being murdered. Saint John Paul II said in best in 2003 when he said this.

Any treatment which claims to save human lives, yet is based upon the destruction of human life in its embryonic state, is logically and morally contradictory, as is any production of human embryos for the direct or indirect purpose of experimentation or eventual destruction.

That doesn't mean there isn't anything you can do. Here are some thoughts on that.

#1 - There are places to donate that don't fund or participate in embryonic stem cell use or research. Here are a few.

Cell Therapy Foundation 
You can specify where you would like for your donation to go. ALS is an option. 

Compassionate Care ALS 
Supports and provides care for those suffering from ALS and their families. CCALS has an ice bucket challenge themselves and the money you donate there goes directly to the families. No research involved at all. 

ALS Therepy Developement Institute
ALSTDI issues research only on adult stem cells. 

#2 - Pray. Pray for those with ALS, the researchers and their hearts, those taking the challenge, those hoping for a cure. Pray.

#3 - Gain as much information as possible. Research, research, research. Read up and all about. Here is a good article with several links and lots of info. 

I do not judge those who have participated, nor do I believe in anyway, shape, or form that those who have participated are intentionally taking part in something they know to be wrong. My purpose is education. I want others to know what is going on behind the bucket. I am so glad that so many want and desire to help and contribute.

Room to grow! #thelist

So, we have moved in and are settling. Not really anymore boxes. Just piles, more or less.

One of my 101 in 1001 (if I can get the list rewritten due to my blunder!) is to settle in and set up my room. I have a tiny room but one that had several possibilities. I can't wait to make these piles something decorative and fun! 

I got my idea of "how" to tackle my room from a dear friend, Sarah. She has been taking her house one room at a time with what she calls, her focus rooms. She makes her lists, sets a time limit, and works her way through.  I loved this idea the moment I heard it! 

Since I don't have a "house of my own" my room is the big picture and I am going to be breaking it down into smaller bite size pieces and projects. I have compiled my projects in this list and will take then one by one. 

I have hesitantly taken pictures of my before to show you the mess I am residing in! It has been a set up and go mentality so I have taken what I can get. This weekend I hope to take care of another big chunk. Trust me, what you see here is progress from where I started. Whew! 

1: make bed with my bedding! 

2: change blinds 

3: go through sweaters and get rid of/put away

4: refinish tray

5: paint frames and mat antique English paper

6: update all pictures 

7: finish fruits of the spirit wall hangings 

8: make collage on my wall

9: install mid support for shelf and rod in closet

10: get a basket for my shoes

11: Set up night stand 

12: "hang" mirror

13: make cork board

14: change wimpy fan pull

15: make jewelry board 

16: hang jewelry board and earrings holder
17: finish sorting and putting away clothes
18: get a hamper that is cute! =)

I am making progress and can't wait to update everyone next week! 

cardboard boxes and the blessing of food

Good Monday Morning! I feel like this day should be like a Friday...maybe, or a Tuesday, or wait, what? Last Sunday was the last "normal" day I had, but then again, what's normal? =)

Monday morning we hit the ground running...quite literally. Some dear, dear friends came all the way from Atlanta to help load us up and head us out. Some back and forth with the new house lead to three solid, straight days of packing, cleaning, and loading and about 30+ hours of homelessness Tuesday through Wednesday. We finally closed Wednesday morning and moved in. God supplied in unlimited supply help for all three days. 

I can't even begin to thank the people who spent hours pouring over boxes, gave up time with hubbys to send them to lift the heavy stuff, made and brought us food, provided starbucks, gave encouragement, loved on us, praised with us, packed and unpacked boxes, and the list could go on. They were such blessings through this whole process.

By the way, this has shown me one very important thing. When someone moves I will be taking them food! I cannot begin to describe the blessing food was through all this! Oh goodness, it was NOT on the forefront of our minds...at all, until we were hungry! 

Wednesday night was the first night in the new place and yet today was the first day I can say that all the boxes are "unpacked" and we are "moved in." It has been a whirlwind of a week! 

The empty house

During our "homelessness" my nanny made me muffins to snack on! There were a lifesaver for me! 

Sitting in a parking lot with almost all my possessions in the back seat of my car waiting on our house! 

Day 1 night of the new house. Exhausted, overwhelmed, and so very thankful.

Life gets "back to it" this week. It was supposed to begin today but I have had my sick nephew all weekend and my employers didn't think a nasty virus with fevers, sore teeth (throats), and upset tummies made for a great first day. 

Yes, I said first day but that is a story for another day. 

For now, happy Monday! 

I am looking forward to getting back into the groove of things! I will be back on target with Wednesday Weigh In and Oh Hey Friday along with other posts swirling in my head lately! Due to a blunder on my part 101 in 1001 is delayed. =( SO bummed when I figured out what I had done...ugh!